Sen. Feinstein to drop anti-marijuana stance

The Washington Times: Sen. Dianne Feinstein, California Democrat, has come to the defense of her state’s medical and recreational marijuana laws after years of rallying against legalization.

Ms. Feinstein said in an interview Tuesday that she opposes enforcing federal anti-marijuana laws in states that have legalized the plant for medical or recreational purposes, lending her support to California’s voter-approved cannabis industry while seeking re-election in November.

“Federal law enforcement agents should not arrest Californians who are adhering to California law,” Ms. Feinstein told McClatchy.

“My state has legalized marijuana for personal use, and as California continues to implement this law, we need to ensure we have strong safety rules to prevent impaired driving and youth access, similar to other public health issues like alcohol,” said Ms. Feinstein, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

California became the first state in the country to legalize medical marijuana in 1996, and 20 years later voters approved Proposition 64, a ballot measure legalizing recreational marijuana and paving the way for retail sales to start earlier this year, by a margin of 57 to 43.

(Sweedsy in no way encourages illegal activity and would like to remind its readers that marijuana usage continues to be an offense under Federal Law, regardless of state marijuana laws. To learn more, click here.)