Law To Legalize Marijuana Nationwide Introduced By Senator Cory Booker
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A bill to legalize marijuana nationally was introduced in Congress Tuesday by junior New Jersey Senator Cory Booker.
Booker calls the legislation the Marijuana Justice Act, and says, if passed, it "will legalize marijuana at the federal level and go even further in an effort to remedy many of the failures of the War on Drugs."
"This is the right thing to do for public safety, and will help reduce our overflowing prison population," he wrote in a statement posted to his Facebook page.
"For decades, the failed War on Drugs has locked up millions of nonviolent drug offenders—especially for marijuana-related offenses—at an incredible cost of lost human potential, torn apart families and communities, and taxpayer dollars. The effects of the drug war have had a disproportionately devastating impact on Americans of color and the poor."
Also on Facebook, Booker outlined the details of the bill in a 35-minute live video.
Eight states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for recreational use. Several more have legalized medical marijuana.
Follow @CBSBaltimore on Twitter and like WJZ-TV | CBS Baltimore on Facebook