Bill pushes for marijuana decriminalization in all states
By Jonathan Bach, Statesman Journal
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., is cosponsoring a bill to decriminalize marijuana across the nation and penalize states with high arrest and incarceration rates for pot-related crimes.
The Marijuana Justice Act of 2017, first introduced in August by Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., would remove weed from the federal list of controlled substances.
The bill also would penalize states that haven’t legalized marijuana and have “disproportionate” rates of arrest and incarceration for marijuana-related offenses by cutting federal funding in those states for new jails, prisons and staffing.