"Let us not say that we will decide on a political basis at the national level that no State is competent to regulate the practice of medicine in that State if they decide to allow a doctor to prescribe marijuana, because that is what we are talking about"

This quote by Barney Frank is describing the discussion over the legalisation of marijuana for clinical purposes. He is recommending that the choice to enable medical professionals to suggest cannabis needs to not be made on a political basis at the nationwide level, however should instead be left up to the individual states. He is stressing that the choice must be made by the states themselves, as they are the ones that are most experienced concerning the policies as well as regulations that must be in area. He is also suggesting that the choice must not be made based on political ideological backgrounds, but rather on the qualities of the concern itself. By permitting the states to make their own choices, Barney Frank is promoting for a much more localized method to the issue of marijuana legalisation.