I don't believe we can effectively do that without acknowledging the fundamental flaws in our nation's energy policies because far too often, our system rewards industry interests at the expense of public interest and American lives.

Today, in the United States, nearly 80 percent of black Americans live within 30 miles of a coal plant, breathing in toxic chemicals and living with health consequences of our deference to fossil fuels.

Few natural disasters so clearly and painfully illustrate the reinforcing cycle of climate change and the cost of our continued inaction as wildfires.

Some of our colleagues will say that the science isn't as clear as I claim it is.

Every single day that we wait only makes it harder to finally come up with a solution and end it.

We are already paying for climate change.

If the Federal Government wants to be active and honest and a smart stakeholder in marijuana policy, we have to break free from that catch-22.

Would those barriers to research be eased if marijuana was descheduled?

This is a critical debate and it is long overdue. Federal prohibition has failed, from our criminal justice system, to our healthcare system, to our State and local governments that are forced to navigate an impossible landscape.

Prohibition has clearly failed, and America is not waiting for its government anymore.

That is why I decided to co-sponsor Congressman Nadler's MORE Act, which would finally deschedule, not reschedule, cannabis.