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Lawmakers launch 'STATES act' to protect legal pot

Seattle has filed a motion with Seattle Municipal Court to vacate convictions and dismiss charges for marijuana possession for anyone prosecuted by the city from 1997 to 2010, the mayor's office said. (Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

A group of lawmakers on Capitol Hill, including Senator Elizabeth Warren, say the federal marijuana law is archaic and unfair.

The lawmakers announced the bipartisan 'STATES Act' Thursday to protect people and businesses in pot-legal states from punishment by the feds.

"The Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States (STATES) Act ensures
that each State has the right to determine for itself the best approach to marijuana within its
borders. The bill also extends these protections to Washington D.C, U.S. territories, and
federally recognized tribes, and contains common-sense guardrails to ensure that states,
territories, and tribes regulating marijuana do so in a manner that is safe and respectful of the
impacts on their neighbors."
 - The STATES Act, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Cory Gardner

Lawmakers say the legislation takes a states' rights approach and avoids harsh penalties.

"Discrimination that has devastated communities of color for generations," said Warren.

The Justice Department declined to comment, but Attorney General Jeff Sessions has vowed to continue enforcing the current federal drug law.

>> CLICK HERE FOR MORE: Recreational marijuana coverage from Boston 25 News

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