A group of House members led by Reps. Ron Paul (R-Texas) and Barney Frank (D-Mass.) plans to introduce legislation Thursday that would legalize the use of marijuana and allow states to develop their own rules on the drug’s use within their borders. 
 
 Modeled on the 21st Amendment to the Constitution that repealed the prohibition of alcoholic beverages, the legislation is being cast by the Marijuana Policy Project as the “the first bill ever introduced in Congress to end federal marijuana prohibition.” 
 
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 The bill would let states legalize, regulate and tax marijuana. It would also “reprioritize federal resources” away from the enforcement of anti-marijuana laws, limiting the federal government’s role in combating cross-border and interstate smuggling, as well as in fighting the growth, use and sale of the drug. 
 
 Other sponsors of the bill are Democratic Reps. John Conyers of Michigan, Steve Cohen of Tennessee, Jared Polis of Colorado and Barbara Lee of California. But, because Paul has signed on, MPP is promoting the legislation as a “bipartisan” effort. 

 Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) and Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) will introduce "bi-partisan legislation tomorrow ending the federal war on marijuana and letting states legalize, regulate, tax, and control marijuana without federal interference," according to a press release from the Marijuana Policy Project that just hit my inbox. More from that email: 
 
 Other co-sponsors include Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN), Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO), and Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA). The legislation would limit the federal government’s role in marijuana enforcement to cross-border or inter-state smuggling, allowing people to legally grow, use or sell marijuana in states where it is legal. The legislation is the first bill ever introduced in Congress to end federal marijuana prohibition. Rep. Frank’s legislation would end state/federal conflicts over marijuana policy, reprioritize federal resources, and provide more room for states to do what is best for their own citizens. 
 
 I called Morgan Fox at MPP to ask about the chances that this bill will get any serious debate time in the House (a fair question, considering that it has only one Republican supporter at the moment). "It's definitely going to get a serious debate, probably more in the media than on the floor of the House," Fox told me. "But I think it needs to be debated on the floor." 
 
 What does MPP see as obstacles? 
 
 "Someone in the prohibitionist camp could hold it up as long as they wanted, but the slew of opinion pieces that came out last week calling for the end of the failed drug war will give this momentum," Fox said. 
 
 While Paul's status as a declared presidential candidate should help with media pick-up, Frank is leading the press teleconference tomorrow, and Paul's not even on the call. 
 
 Previous Frank-Paul partnerships include a 2010 op-ed to reduce military spending and a marijuana decriminalization bill introduced in the House in 2009. In the intervening two years, Arizona and Washington, D.C., have legalized medical marijuana, and the Connecticut legislature has moved to decriminalize it. Now former U.S. Attorney John McKay and Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes are organizing to completely legalize marijuana in Washington State. The time is ripe.
– Ron Paul and Barney Frank—surely Congress’ version of the Odd Couple—are set to introduce a bill today that would end the federal prohibition on marijuana, allowing states to legalize, tax, and regulate the drug. The bill would also “reprioritize federal resources” away from enforcing drug laws and fighting drug smuggling, Politico reports. It’s the first time such legislation has ever been introduced in Congress, according to the Marijuana Policy Project. They’re touting the bill as “bipartisan legislation,” though Paul is the only Republican cosponsor—four other Democrats are onboard. The group doesn’t expect it to pass, but “it’s definitely going to get a serious debate,” a spokesman tells Reason, though “probably more in the media than on the floor of the House.”