Politicians smoking cannabis during Congressional session breaks? Have we gone crazy? Not quite. In the USA, where public opinion on cannabis has evolved to shed many prejudices, at this point debate on this issue now seems to become something completely normal.
On this side of the Atlantic we don't even conceive of the possibility that, the use of marijuana being approved, members of parliaments might be able take a few puffs on a joint in the designated smoking sections where they currently congregate to smoke. Can you imagine a politician proposing this to his colleagues?
In reality there is no need for this proposal to reach these levels. It’s enough to ask a friend what they would think of a leader who smoked marijuana before a plenary session of the Congress; he would be flabbergasted and, save for some scant exceptions, few would not find it a good idea.
But that's the way it is in Spain. Perhaps this is a direct result of our young democracy, or the thousands of prejudices that still exist with regards to the consumption of marijuana. In the United States, on the other hand, it is becoming more and more natural to pose questions of this type.
With a bill on the table to decriminalize a certain variety of cannabis, at the federal level, the taboos surrounding this plant seem to be fading away. That's why, when people voted to decriminalize marijuana for recreational use in the District of Columbia, the nation's capital, some even asked whether it would be possible for politicians to smoke in the Congress.
The answer is not simple. Congressional representatives will be able to use marijuana. They won't, however, be allowed to do so inside the Capitol Building.
With Initiative 71 passed, residents of the US capital over the age of 21 will be allowed to possess up to 2 ounces of marijuana (a bit more than 56 grams), and carry one, and the law would allow them to have up to three cannabis plants. In this case any American Congressman could have his joints to take a break and relax between debates.
To do so, however, he would have to leave the Congressional grounds, where it will remain prohibited. Bill Piper, director of national affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance: “the possession of marijuana will remain illegal on federal property.” To change this, a reform of the law on prohibited substances would have to be approved, eliminating cannabis from List I.
Thus, Congressmen wishing to enjoy the fruits of the latest harvests, planted in their own homes, would have to abandon Congressional premises. “The possession of marijuana in their homes would be legal under District of Columbia law, as it would be for anyone else," explained Piper, clearing up all doubts in this regard.
A priori it seems simple, but, as we mentioned earlier, the issue is a bit complicated. As would be the case with any other company in the private sector, Congressional leaders could decide to conduct checks of representatives to verify that they have not taken anything before attending a Congressional session, and are not carrying any prohibited substances.
According to the official rules governing the operation of the Congress since 1997, the Speaker could negotiate with the minority leader to subject a randomly selected representative to a test. However, after the episode involving Republican Congressman Trey Radel, some time will have to pass before they decide to conduct additional checks.
A disparity of opinions persists
Despite the new direction taken in the debate on marijuana, there are still those who think that representatives should not even try cannabis.
What's more, despite the abundant evidence demonstrating that its effects on the body are not as harmful as those of alcohol, whose consumption is common at all kinds of campaign events, certain politicians have stated that marijuana use could impair their colleagues' cognitive abilities.
Malik Burnett, a member of the Drug Policy Alliance and co-founder of the D.C. Cannabis Campaign, believes that in Congress there is a percentage of politicians who would appreciate being able to enjoy a little bit of marijuana between debates. According to Republican Congressman Jared Polis, that percentage would be around 5%. He himself has recognized before the National Cannabis Industry Association, however: "I think that the average age in Congress is 60. I don't know what percentage of 60 year olds use marijuana in the United States, but it is likely to be similar in the Congress."
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With information from The Daily Beast, The Washington Post and DrugPolicy.org
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