Medical Marijuana Inc (MJNA)

[GDorn]

Congress Might Kibosh D.C. Marijuana Initiative

Per the Washington Times:

Celebration quickly gave way to uncertainty on Wednesday for supporters of a voter-approved initiative to legalize marijuana in the District, with the reality sinking in that when the measure reaches Capitol Hill for review, the party least likely to support it will be in charge.

One conservative House Republican from neighboring Maryland immediately vowed to use all of his power to upend Initiative 71, which would allow D.C. residents and visitors to have up to 2 ounces of marijuana for personal use and would allow home cultivation of up to three plants.

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Advocates acknowledged that the D.C. measure could hasten the arrival of a national debate over marijuana legalization before a critical mass of states have tilted in favor. The drug has gained greater acceptance nationwide, and the country was closely divided at 49 percent in favor and 48 percent opposed earlier this year, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll.

Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, said conservatives are the least likely to support marijuana legalization, but he said any debate would be a good thing for advocates’ ultimate goal of nationwide legalization.

To nullify the measure, Congress would have to take the extraordinary step of getting both chambers and the president to agree on a resolution of disapproval within 60 days.

That has happened only three times in 40 years. But there are far easier ways for one or more dedicated opponents to tie up a D.C. law in smaller, annual increments that can still add up to lengthy delays. Such was the case after D.C. voters approved sales of medical marijuana in 1998. Republican House members attached provisions to federal spending bills to keep it from taking effect for 11 years.

On Wednesday, Rep. Andy Harris , a Republican who represents Maryland’s Eastern Shore, said he would employ similar tactics to block the D.C. measure.

Full Article at the link above.

I'm Pro-Pot. But it's far from certain that the sharp turn to the right our nation took on Tuesday was a step in the right direction from a federal legalization standpoint.