Sanford wants to make it easier to sell legal pot

U.S. Rep. Mark Sanford says the federal government should not stand in the way of states that legally allow residents to buy and sell marijuana.

Sanford, R-Charleston, said Monday on Facebook that he would co-sponsor legislation to allow businesses that legally sell marijuana within a state to take the same tax deductions offered to other businesses.

“The principle here is simple, if a state makes something legal ... it ought to be treated on par and equally with other legal businesses in the state,” Sanford wrote.

Sanford couched his support for the Small Business Tax Equity Act as simply allowing states to set their own laws without federal interference.

In the 28 states where medical marijuana is legal, Sanford noted businesses that dispense marijuana are not allowed to deduct their business expenses because the federal government still classifies pot as a controlled substance.

“Whether you’re for or against the medical use of marijuana matters less than whether we really subscribe and adhere to the founders’ belief in federalism,” the libertarian-leaning congressman said. “In short, even with ideas we may not like, it’s important to adhere to federalism if you believe in limiting the size of our federal government.”

This story was originally published October 24, 2017 at 10:52 AM with the headline "Sanford wants to make it easier to sell legal pot."