U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree Co-Sponsoring Federal Pot Legalization Bill

Just as petitions hit the streets of Portland, U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree of Maine, is on board to legalize marijuana at a federal level.

H.R. 499 titled 'Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2013' seeks to lift the ban on pot and establish a system of regulation. Weed would be regulated to the renamed Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Marijuana, Firearms and Explosives. That's a hell of a name! The dudes on Sons of Anarchy will be yelling 'Quick run it's the A.T.M.F.E'! Doesn't really have a nice ring to it.

The bill would clear up federal 'grey area' on marijuana. The federal government has allowed states to enforce their own laws on pot without government intervention. Pingree wants marijuana to be treated the same as alcohol, with federal licenses for the production and distribution.

Maine is one of 18 states that have allowed marijuana to be used medically. Maine is also seeking to legalize weed state wide. In Portland, petitions are hitting the streets to lift the pot ban in Maine's largest city.

The U.S. marijuana market is valued at an estimated $100 billion.