Rethinking Federal Marijuana Policy

Representatives Earl Blumenauer and Jared Polis have released a report titled The Path Forward: Rethinking Federal Marijuana Policy.  It's a worthwhile read as a reminder of the staggering financial and personal costs of federal laws criminalizing a drug less addictive than alcohol or tobacco.

Some key points:

• Over 660,000 people were arrested for marijuana possession in 2011.
• Enforcement of federal marijuana laws costs an estimated minimum of $5.5 billion dollars each year.
• 70% of Americans favor allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to reduce pain and suffering.
• Almost half of Americans agree marijuana should be legal.

Mainers voted to decriminalize the limited use of medical marijuana for serious conditions in 2008.  However, patients still face discrimination.

This week, the ACLU of Maine and the firm McKee Law, P.A. filed a lawsuit on behalf of Brittany Thomas, a Pittsfield mother who was denied rehiring by a staffing firm because she uses medical marijuana in accordance with state law.