We're in the midst of strange days: An Orange County Republican wants the Democratic administration in the White House to stop cracking down on marijuana in states where it's legal (!!!).

U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher introduced legislation over the weekend that would require federal authorities to respect the legality of cannabis in medical-marijuana states and fully legal states (Colorado and Washington):

Of course, Rohrabacher isn't the only conservative to have noted that our war on pot is ridiculous. And the move would be consistent with his party's libertarian wing.

Weird, though, that the guy would support a drug made famous by Cheech & Chong, given that he's been no friend of Latinos or immigrants.

Our pal Gustavo Arellano at OC Weekly calls him a straight pendejo, for what it's worth.

But we're sure the marijuana nation will take its victories as they come. And this proposal is backed by a group of representatives from both sides of the aisle: Justin Amash (R-MI), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Jared Polis, (D-CO) and Don Young (R-AK).

The language would basically put a huge loophole in pot's status as a fully outlawed, Schedule I drug. It would apply to the Controlled Substances Act:

… The provisions of this subchapter related to marihuana shall not apply to any person acting in compliance with State laws relating to the production, possession, distribution, dispensation, administration, or delivery of marihuana.

Marihuana?

Anyway, Rohrabacher cited the recent Pew Research Center poll showing that, for the first time, Americans support legalizing marijuana, medical or not. He says:

This bipartisan bill represents a common-sense approach that establishes federal government respect for all states' marijuana laws. It does so by keeping the federal government out of the business of criminalizing marijuana activities in states that don't want it to be criminal.

Sounds … reasonable?

[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]

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