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Legalize Pot?

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  • Description

    Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) tells Alan about new legislation to decriminalize and tax marijuana.

  • Duration 8:40
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This transcript is automatically generated

I'm Alan Colmes welcome comfortable -- an hour before -- get.

Who has been at the forefront of the fight to legalize marijuana as I understand -- congressman you've been fighting this since 1973.

Is that correct.

You know that is the case I actually listened child's member of your legislators.

Forty years ago.

Where we actually have legislation.

That.

Would have legalize stood two plants and all that didn't pass we did have.

Legislation that -- successful.

Where or again was the first state to decriminalize.

Marijuana make to position just a violation like parking to.

The first of fourteen states to do so.

And have been working.

-- around these issues for a number of years but now is that now's the time where it's coming to a head and I think we're gonna see some movement on the.

Earlier in every state Washington is at the forefront of this in.

And Colorado we are working with conference -- -- On on legislation what would you legislation -- Well we introduced legislation to date that would do two things one it would allow states that have decided.

That.

Either medical marijuana or recreational marijuana is legal under state law.

Then they would no longer.

Be subject to the classification of marijuana as such the top.

Category of could be dangerous illegal drugs the schedule -- which it wouldn't apply.

If state law was different.

The second piece would be to establish.

A regulation and taxation system like we do with alcohol.

Where marijuana activity.

Where it is legal under state law would be subject to -- liberals pacts.

I think there's.

Tens of billions of dollars.

Of revenue that can be generated.

And lots of money they can be saved if we're not going to arrest two thirds of a million people a year for something that -- -- America -- should be legal.

If people like -- Gary Johnson former governor to Mexico's into the forefront of the battle for legalized.

Lisa legalizing other drugs as well he's quite libertarian but he looks at it from a cost benefit analysis that you just pointed out the revenue.

Make sense if you for those people concerned about deficits this is a selling point I would think to them.

Absolutely I mean.

We are spending five or six billion dollars a year in forcing a broken system and as -- say.

-- America thinks it should be legal and two thirds of America says.

If the states.

Make a decision the federal government should.

Out of the way -- -- you need a federal law but if you go state to state its legal once did not legal in another year carrying marijuana then you're subject to.

Arrest based on what state you're out.

You know I think -- to -- will after Howard disastrous.

Failed experiment with prohibition of alcohol.

We turn that over to the states.

Ended today that's a state if it wanted to could be could go dry.

And as you know I think the last dry county in America if you just decided to sell alcohol.

But we gave those choices to state and local governments we can do the same thing with marijuana.

We could figured out and it will be less disruptive.

Less expensive.

And less unfair than this just.

-- today and of course you hear the argument that this is a gateway drug you're creating more users once you sanction -- -- legalizing it.

He gives the imprimatur to people to use it to the government says it's okay and they move on -- other drugs.

I think that's -- -- -- first double there's almost twenty million people.

Who use marijuana in any given month.

About half of Americans over twelve have tried to.

A lot of this gateway drugs -- you know reefer madness stuff goes back to hysteria in the thirties.

And early forties.

And then of course that.

War on drugs.

That started in the Nixon administration.

It is less addictive than alcohol.

A treatment and then there's the nicotine in tobacco.

It's probably less damaging overall fewer people die.

Been -- -- alcohol abuse which by the way.

Is -- itself sort of a gateway drug you look at.

And alcohol abuse and what happens with violence which crime and other activities.

I think that's just bogus.

You also have a -- he's -- village isolation to remove the ban and industrial.

-- what's the purpose of the.

Well.

That's perhaps.

The thing that's gonna happen fastest and I think is the most ludicrous.

Right now you can buy.

Camp products in the United States but Bethlehem itself the raw material -- to be grown somewhere else and imported.

Why shouldn't farmers in Oregon or Washington should be able to roll him.

He -- -- it hasn't -- sustainable uses it's like it's a part of that cash crop that can help -- its world and small town America.

And we won't have to be importing it.

From foreign countries.

We already have.

I -- Early in the session has already probably twenty bipartisan sponsors of that legislation.

So these are these are things that we can -- Sort out.

Get rid of the goofy stuff and make real progress in.

Marijuana.

For which I was -- -- congressman -- -- an -- how much of supports -- -- -- -- Well.

It is stars the public is concerned it's very very strong legislatively.

We have.

I had dozens of members of congress who I think -- gonna end up.

Supporting a number of these pieces of legislation.

Folks see handwriting on the wall.

As state after state makes these individual decisions.

We have nineteen states but have decided that medical marijuana.

Should be legal.

And two thirds of those by the way.

We're decided by popular votes.

I government there's probably more than a million people -- at least three quarter million who are using medical marijuana now which these things.

Debt and members of congress are looking at there listening to.

And of course in the state of Colorado.

All of a sudden this is imbedded in the state constitution is -- federal government really gonna prosecute.

Local Colorado officials predict what's in the states constitution but the voters just approved.

I think not so you're going to see more support it's going to growth which I just finished.

Report.

On -- on that it's on my web site.

-- and our dot -- -- goes by twenty page report that talks about.

Sort of a history of marijuana and some of the facts behind it I I personally think more where people are gonna look -- -- like this I think we're gonna see some movement.

If -- -- -- here senator Ron -- is pushing Obama on this drone memo issue.

And he'd like to know more about it do you think we need more transparency on an issue you would -- on this.

Well I mean this is fascinating is -- this is just kind of exploded as -- issue.

Issues about.

The use of the airspace.

Who who can.

I mean domestically internationally.

It's something I must admit I maybe I'm mixing my metaphors saying it wasn't on my radar screen a couple years ago.

But I'm hearing a great deal about it -- that we're going to be that's another thing Iran has to be certain amount.

All right thank you -- for speak into us.

Congressman by the way is it a bow tie every day some time to do the straight talk and just curious about.

I've been in congress seventeen years and every single day in the honor of the late Paul Wellstone.

-- MGP.

Also I also find right -- -- yeah mixing my -- FF I I have Warren.

Boat ride but it's it's not just also -- minutes.

Daniel Patrick morning -- and it's.

It's just a little.

Nearly I was very -- of Paul Wellstone got into him a few times and -- his book the conscience of liberals honoring him -- an event ideas and you know I thank you so much for your time sir thanks for talking to us happy to do it thank you very much congressman Earl blew an hour of our.

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