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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 24 July 2019

Pot legalization bills introduced in Congress

Continued from Page 2 tional Organization for the juana.” Eleven states and
Reform of Marijuana Laws. the District of Columbia
“Never in American history “At a time when the state have legalized marijuana
has the chairman of the you live in can determine since 2012 for so-called rec-
Judiciary introduced a bill whether cannabis can ruin reational use by people 21
to end federal marijuana your life or make you a mil- and older. Illinois joined the
criminalization,” said Justin lionaire, now more than list last month when that
Strekal, political director of ever we must end the na- state’s governor signed
the Washington-based Na- tional prohibition of mari- legislation removing crimi-

In this April 4, 2019 photo a cannabis worker displays fresh
cannabis flower buds that have been trimmed for market in
Gardena, Calif.
Associated Press
nal penalties and allowing Opponents to national le-
for expungement of past galization warned of dan-
low-level pot convictions. gerous consequences.
Legalization efforts in “This is a bill to legalize the
New York and New Jersey sale of addictive, high po-
stalled this year despite tency marijuana candies,
strong support in their Legis- gummies, ice creams,
latures. Proponents believe soda, waxes, dabs, and
legalization is only a mat- concentrates nationwide,”
ter of time in those states. said Kevin Sabet, a for-
Meantime, two-thirds of mer Obama administra-
the states have some form tion drug-policy adviser
of legal medical marijua- who now heads Smart Ap-
na, which also is banned at proaches to Marijuana, an
the federal level. anti-legalization group.q