The House of Representatives passed a bill Tuesday that will try to keep welfare recipients from using their benefits to buy marijuana.

With pot legal in Washington and Colorado, concerns have been voiced about welfare recipients using their ATM-style cards to buy legal pot.   By a voice vote, the House passed was is being called the "No Welfare for Weed Law."

The bill would prohibit people from using their cards in the pot stores, and would also ban them from using ATM's that might be located inside pot stores as well.  However, critics point out there's nothing stopping them from using ATM's outside the store to withdraw cash, then go inside and buy the pot.

Some critics say the bill should also contain a provision that people buying marijuana have to offer proof they are not receiving state or federal welfare  assistance, but that was considered discriminatory by legislators.

Federal law passed in 2012 prohibits  welfare recipients from using their cards in such places as strip clubs, liquor stores, and casinos.   There's no word if the Senate will also pass the bill, but it probably will, as it passed easily in the House.

 

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