Boulder Democrat Pushes For Decriminalization At The Federal Level.

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Boulder Dem. Polis Plans To Push DecriminalizingPosted by CN Staff on January 04, 2011 at 10:05:54 PT

By Allison Sherry, The Denver Post

Source: Denver Post

 

Boulder -- If Colorado was allowed to treat marijuana like alcohol — or any other medicine, for that matter — pot dispensaries could freely set up business bank accounts without fear of federal prosecution and marijuana could, like corn and wheat, be grown openly in national forests.

 

This is according to U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, a Boulder Democrat, who said he plans to push a law in the new Congress that would decriminalize marijuana at the federal level so that states with medicinal laws on the books, like Colorado, could treat it as they wish.

 

Under Polis' structure, marijuana laws would be extremely local — similar to states that have so-called dry, alcohol- free counties.

 

"It's not in the federal government's realm," Polis said. "I'm proud of Colorado being a pioneer in this regard and setting up a regulatory structure. We've benefited in tax revenues and I think it's dealt a big blow to criminalize it."

 

The Obama administration has urged federal prosecutors' tolerance in prosecuting pot possession in the more than a dozen states that have medical-marijuana laws on the books.

 

But Polis continues to push full decriminalization in case future administrations — and federal Drug Enforcement Agency chiefs — may not be so friendly.

 

He also believes that a law protecting states means banks would be more comfortable setting up interstate accounts with pot dispensaries.

 

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Complete Article: http://www.denverpost.com/news/marijuana/ci_16990651

 

Source: Denver Post (CO)

Author: Allison Sherry, The Denver Post

Published: January 2, 2011

Copyright: 2011 The Denver Post Corp

Website: http://www.denverpost.com/

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