Pubdate: Wed, 19 Feb 2014 Source: Columbian, The (WA) Copyright: 2014 The Columbian Publishing Co. Contact: http://www.columbian.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/92 Author: Madison Loveall MOVE TO DECLASSIFY MARIJUANA Eighteen members of Congress wrote President Barack Obama a letter encouraging him to remove marijuana from Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act. This is a very important step in the progress towards ending the cannabis prohibition. And considering the fact that Washington state is one of two states to recently legalize recreational use of cannabis, this is a highly relevant topic for the developing cannabis industry. The writing of this letter was likely encouraged by numerous recent interviews in which President Obama has addressed cannabis. Removing cannabis from Schedule 1 would be a big boost to the legitimacy issues the new industry has been facing. Cannabis is a controlled substance that has had a history of contradictory views and beliefs about it. But keeping it in the same section of the Controlled Substances Act as heroin, LSD, and ecstasy is entirely unreasonable. Madison Loveall Vancou - --- MAP posted-by: Matt