Politics

Barney Frank and Ron Paul unite — over weed

Font Size:

The “strange bedfellows of the week” award might just land at the feet of Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Barney Frank and Texas Republican Rep. Ron Paul.

Thursday the pair plan together to unveil legislation to legalize marijuana. (NCAA drug testing shows increase in pot use)

According to a press release from the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), the two congressmen will introduce “bi-partisan legislation tomorrow ending the federal war on marijuana and letting states legalize, regulate, tax, and control marijuana without federal interference.”

It will be the first bill ever introduced in Congress to end the federal ban on marijuana.

Reason reporter Mike Riggs reported Wednesday afternoon that the MPP is hopeful about the “momentum” the legislation could provide for the drug debate, but that they do not have any illusions about its feasibility.

“It’s definitely going to get a serious debate, probably more in the media than on the floor of the House,” MPP spokeswoman Morgan Fox said. “But I think it needs to be debated on the floor.”

Other co-sponsors include Tennessee Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen, Michigan Democratic Rep. John Conyers, Colorado Democratic Rep. Jared Polis and California Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee.

Follow Caroline on Twitter