An Act
Concerning Marijuana and Needle Exchange Programs
Draft Proposal for US Legislation
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Section I. Legalization of Marijuana
Whereas marijuana is only marginally more harmful than tobacco or alcohol, and
Whereas marijuana has bona fide medicinal uses, and
Whereas a disproportionate amount of revenue has heretofore been spent to apprehend and incarcerate users of marijuana,
The issue of the legality of possessing or consuming marijuana is remanded to the States. The matter of cultivation, processing, and distributing marijuana shall be regulated by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, with advice from the National Institutes of Health and the Surgeon General of the United States. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms shall submit regulations to Congress for its consent within 180 days of the enactment of this legislation.
Section II. Taxation of Marijuana
Whereas the enforcement of bans on and treatment of addiction to narcotics more harmful and addictive than marijuana requires the generation of revenue, legal distributors of marijuana as hereafter designated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms shall pay a Federal Sales Tax of $1 per 100 grams of marijuana sold to consumers. Revenues from such taxation shall be used for fund Federal and State enforcement of narcotics laws and drug treatment programs.
Section III. Needle Exchange Programs
Whereas the health of the People of the United States and of the World is endangered by the spread of communicable diseases among intraveneous drug users who share needles and syringes,
The Department of Health and Human Services is hereby directed together with the States to establish needle and syringe exchange programs in every metropolitan area exceeding 100,000 in population. Neither Congress nor the States shall prevent the establishment of needle and syringe exchange programs in other areas by volunteers provided that the programs meet standards for safety and efficacy hereafter to be established by the Department of Health and Human Services with the consent of Congress.
