Congressional Republicans, though, aren’t happy about legalizing pot in the nation’s capital. There have even been suggestions of throwing the district’s mayor in jail.
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser at her inauguration ceremony in January.
Carolyn Kaster / AP
Earlier in the day, Mayor Muriel E. Bowser announced that the city is moving ahead with the voter-approved change despite suggestions from Republicans in Congress — which has final say on D.C. laws — to throw him in jail if he defies a funding bill provision meant to block the city from easing restrictions on marijuana use.
Nearly 70% of D.C. voters passed Initiative 71 in November, prompting unsupportive members in Congress to add a provision to a federal funding bill forbidding government funds from being used "to enact any law, rule, or regulation to legalize or otherwise reduce penalties associated with the possession, use, or distribution of any schedule I substance."
Marijuana is currently listed as a Schedule 1 drug.
In an interview with The Washington Post, Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) said that if D.C. officials were wrong if they are "under any illusion" that implementing Initiative 71 is legal.
"There are very severe consequences for violating this provision," he added. "You can go to prison for this. We're not playing a little game here."
from BuzzFeed - USNews http://ift.tt/1A8oXaI
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