Dear......

Thank you for contacting me regarding the decriminalization or legalization of marijuana. It is good to hear from you.

I support the right of states to determine whether to legalize the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes, and I have voted for amendments to restrict the Justice Department from prosecuting individuals for the medical use of marijuana in states where the practice is permissible under state law. While I understand the arguments in favor of full legalization, I believe it would send a wrong signal to our young people. According to the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, youth marijuana use is on the rise, and the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) has stated that "marijuana use by teens has been shown to have a profoundly negative effect on their development."

There is a clear need to look at ways to reform our criminal justice system and its revolving door. You may be interested to know that in 2009, Senator Jim Webb introduced the National Criminal Justice Commission Act, bipartisan legislation to create a blue-ribbon commission to review our nation's criminal justice system and provide recommendations for reform. Included in his legislation was a proposal to reform federal drug policy to reduce drug-related incarceration rates. I believe that Senator Webb is well positioned to advance this effort. On July 27, 2010, I had the opportunity to vote in favor of this legislation when it passed the full House.

Additionally, in the House, Rep. Barney Frank has introduced two bills that would decriminalize marijuana. The first, H.R. 1983, the States' Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act, would allow for marijuana to be moved from schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act to schedule II and recognize the medical use of marijuana in accordance with state laws. H.R. 2306, the Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2011, would eliminate federal penalties for possession of marijuana for personal use. Should the House consider these or other bills related to marijuana and our federal drug control strategy, I will consider them carefully, keeping your concerns in mind.

Again, thank you for contacting me, and please continue to keep in touch on issues of concern.



Sincerely,

DAVID PRICE

DAVID PRICE
Member of Congress

Quote from above: "Should the House consider these or other bills related to marijuana and our federal drug control strategy, I will consider them carefully, keeping your concerns in mind."

There's no real commitment in his statement. I'd like to see full commitment.