HR 1227: The Bipartisan Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2017

HR 1227, the Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2017, is a bipartisan bill before the 115th Congress. In February, 2017, HR 1227 was introduced by Rep. Thomas Garrett, Jr. who said, "I have long believed justice that isn’t blind, isn’t justice." Seven Democratic Representatives and four Republican Representatives co-sponsored the bill.

H.R. 1227 seeks specifically to remove marijuana and tetrahydrocannabinols from the federal schedule of controlled substances, thereby leaving regulation up to the states.

The bill has been introduced in multiple congresses, but never enacted. For example, The Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2013 was introduced into the United States House of Representatives on February 5, 2013 by Rep. Jared Polis (D, CO-2).

Prior to today's press conference at 2pm today on the House Triangle, just outside the US Capitol, Justin Strekal, Political Director for NORML, released the following statement:

“Never in modern history has there existed greater public support for ending the nation’s nearly century-long experiment with marijuana prohibition and replacing it with regulation.

“According to recently released nationwide survey data from Quinnipiac University... 59% of voters say that the adult use of marijuana should be legal while a whopping 93% support the medical use of marijuana.

Perhaps most importantly, 71 percent of voters — including strong majorities of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents — say that they “oppose the government enforcing federal laws against marijuana in states that have already legalized medical or recreational marijuana.”

HR 1227 was co-sponsored by:

DEMOCRATS

• Rep. Jared Polis [D-CO-2]

• Rep. Tulsi Gabbard [D-HI-2]

• Rep. Blumenauer, Earl [D-OR-3]

• Rep. Grijalva, Raul M. [D-AZ-3]

• Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]

• Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8]

• Rep. Perlmutter, Ed [D-CO-7]

REUBLICANS

• Rep. Rohrabacher, Dana [R-CA-48]

• Rep. Young, Don [R-AK-At Large]

• Rep. Amash, Justin [R-MI-3]

• Rep. Taylor, Scott [R-VA-2]