I’m writing about Ervin Dargan’s thoughtful letter, “Let States Decide on Medical Cannabis” [Xpress, July 16]. Marijuana is the linchpin of our so-called war on drugs. Remove marijuana from the equation and the whole drug war will collapse.
The so-called war on drugs is a huge industry and huge bureaucracy. Victory in the drug war is not possible, nor is it the goal. Victory in the drug war would mean that the drug-war industry and bureaucracy are out of business.
There are basically two types of people who support the so-called war on drugs: those who make their livelihood from it—including politicians and bureaucrats who are probably on the payroll of the drug cartels (Al Capone had hundreds of politicians and prohibition officials on his payroll); and suckers.
Suckers include taxpayers who have bought into the lies and propaganda of the drug-war industry and bureaucracy; people who are willing to deny liberty and freedom to others but think that their own liberty and freedom will never be in jeopardy; people who believe that criminalizing a substance will make it go away; people who think that drug prohibition somehow protects children; people who think that giving criminals control of dangerous drugs somehow protects children and our society.
Suckers even think that they live in a free country—although the United States is the most incarcerated nation in the history of human civilization.
— Kirk Muse
Mesa, Ariz.
The war on Cannabis has always been about money which leads to corruption. They should not even call it a war. It is more like genocide. Calling it a war (the war on cannabis specifically) implies two parties actively fighting each other in a militant way, while genocide implies a militant force destroying the lives of a tremendous amount of innocent lives.
FBI: 2006 was a US record for pot arrests – 829,625, 89% for simple possession, while violent crime rate increasing.
Cost: >$10-15 billion/yr., 100K behind bars tonight.
Alabama: 3 pot possession convictions = 15 yrs to life.
100 million in US have tried pot at least once.
No other law is enforced so widely and harshly and yet deemed unnecessary by so many.
The whole thing is a waste of time and resources. I believe the crime associated with drug use would disappear over night if decriminalized and distribution of drugs other than pot and hashish controlled through state regulated ABC stores. Those who sell to children? Let them not see light for years.
“The whole thing is a waste of time and resources. I believe the crime associated with drug use would disappear over night if decriminalized and distribution of drugs other than pot and hashish controlled through state regulated ABC stores. Those who sell to children? Let them not see light for years.”
I guess I have to now believe in miracles, as I agree with you completely on this.
I guess I have to now believe in miracles, as I agree with you completely on this.
wow…me too….i feel all warm & fuzzy inside…wait that’s just the….
The war on pot has been waged — and LOST — the day it was started in 1914 to discriminate against migrant workers in the south west. This was fueled by the temperance movement and wholly based on lies, fear mongering and pandering to the industrialized prison complex. The comments above shed light on how the public feels. To learn more about cannabis, may I suggest checking the following link. Allen St Pierre of NORML has posted an excellent blog here, and one should read some of the comments. Another interesting angle to this story is the tremendous interest in legalization of Cannabis. Check the number of replies to NORML’s blog and then check the number of replies to other blogs in front or past Allen’s post!
http://blog.thehill.com/2008/08/06/criminalization-of-marijuana-must-end/
http://www.norml.org/
http://busgreg.blogspot.com/
http://tiptopwebsite.com/websites/index2.php?username=busgreg&page=3
Respectfully submitted
Greg Williams,
Black Mountain
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5843
To eliminate most Federal penalties for possession of marijuana for personal use, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 17, 2008
Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts (for himself and Mr. PAUL) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
A BILL
To eliminate most Federal penalties for possession of marijuana for personal use, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Act to Remove Federal Penalties for the Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults’.
SEC. 2. ELIMINATION OF CERTAIN MARIJUANA-RELATED PENALTIES.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no penalty may be imposed under an Act of Congress for the possession of marijuana for personal use, or for the not-for-profit transfer between adults of marijuana for personal use. For the purposes of this section, possession of 100 grams or less of marijuana shall be presumed to be for personal use, as shall the not-for-profit transfer of one ounce or less of marijuana, except that the civil penalty provided in section 405 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 844a) may be imposed for the public use of marijuana if the amount of the penalty does not exceed $100.
Co sponsors:
Rep Baldwin, Tammy [WI-2] – 5/20/2008
Rep Blumenauer, Earl [OR-3] – 6/24/2008
Rep Clay, Wm. Lacy [MO-1] – 4/24/2008
Rep Lee, Barbara [CA-9] – 6/25/2008
Rep McDermott, Jim [WA-7] – 6/5/2008
Rep Paul, Ron [TX-14] – 4/17/2008
The above text describes Rep. Barney Frank’s (D. Mass) Bill to eliminate most criminal penalties on the federal level. In other words, it will not legalize possession and use of marijuana, it merely eliminates the feds from the equation and leaves it up to the states to decide on what to do. On its own this bill won’t fly, as too many legislators will continue to pander to what ever special interests they are attached.
What is needed are well crafted amendments to HR 5843 to bring those reluctant to support this bill on board. One such example is Industrial Hemp, the non-stoney kind. Industrial hemp has many uses, from rope to bio fuel, from cosmetics to fabrics and more. Living in North Carolina I have seen many textile mills shut down and hemp could easily re-employ many of the workers who lost their jobs in the textile industry, just to mention one example.
Another is bio fuel. Hemp produces slightly over twice the oil as corn (280 lbs of oil @ acre from hemp, 135 lbs of oil @ acre from corn) and can be used to make bio diesel, which will run any diesel engine without modification. Bio diesel runs much cleaner than petro diesel, has better lubricity than petroleum based diesel and can be produced locally. This will accomplish a number of benefits. Besides reducing carbon emissions, bio diesel feedstock production will be a boost to agriculture as Rudolph Diesel said in 1911, ” The Diesel engine can be fed with vegetable oils and would help considerably in the development of agriculture of the countries which use it.” In 1912 Dr. Diesel said, “The use of plant oil may seem insignificant today. But such products can in time become just as important as kerosene and these coal-tar-products of today.” His foresight is inspiring, but after his untimely passing in 1913 his engine was developed to run on petroleum based diesel, which at the time was cheaper. Today, non food crops, such as hemp and others, should be used and converted into bio diesel, a carbon neutral fuel. By planting these crops and producing the fuel locally would not only improve local or regional economies, it would also save huge amounts of fuel as transportation distances would be cut by thousands of miles, compared to crude oil from Saudi Arabia, for example. Of course, National Security would be enhanced, as well as eliminating disruptions from hurricanes as during storms like Katrina in 2005. Cellulosic ethanol is another fuel that can be made from hemp and help us in reducing our dependence on foreign fuel sources.
Of course the ‘drug warriors’ will be quick to argue that Industrial Hemp fields would be used to camouflage pot for smoking, which is absolute nonsense, as Industrial Hemp is grown quite differently from marijuana. Industrial Hemp is harvested at a different time than pot and lastly cross-pollination between hemp and pot plants will almost completely reduce the THC content of the pot plant making it useless for smoking.
These are but a couple of suggestions for possible amendments to Rep. Frank’s courageous and long overdue bill. For more on Industrial Hemp check this link:
http://www.naihc.org/hemp_information/content/hemp.mj.html
Support Marijuana, Vote Your Issue!
Me thinks it is time for a peaceful revolution at the ballot box. From all the comments to the posts at NORML as well as the ones on “The Hill’s Congress Blog” it seems that if we make enough noise this November 4th we might have an impact. We as supporters for ending the insane war on cannabis need to make our voices heard during this election, first by contacting those running with our concerns and then voting our interest. With Sen McCain most likely to carry this State, the current crop — E. Dole running for re-election in the Senate and Heath Shuler in the 11th district with Carl Mumpower(R) challenging — none of them is fit to carry water for a bong, even though North Carolina has “de-criminalized” marijuana. None of the candidates in district 11 or Sen Dole (R) are apt to effect change, as each of them support the war on cannabis, regardless of State law. How any US Congressman or Senator can oppose Barney Frank’s bill, which would NOT legalize pot but only remove federal penalties for possession of up to 100 grams and medical use, when their own home state’s law has effectively decriminalized marijuana for adult use, is beyond comprehension!
As far as Nancy Pelosi is concerned, we need a different Speaker who has the cajones to run the House according to the wishes of the people and NOT pander to special interests. It isn’t just the marijuana issue that bothers me when it comes to her way of running the House, but her refusal to open impeachment hearings against the mis-deeds of the current occupier of the People’s House and her handling debate on the energy situation.
With Grandpa Munster just announcing Alaskan Gov. Sarah Palin as his Veep candidate, he’ll probably pull a bunch of Hillary supporters — PUMA’s — and we may just be stuck with another Repug in the White House. That is why I believe that it is highly important to send progressive independents and third party candidates to Congress. To vote for the lesser of two evils is just no longer acceptable, as both “major” parties have lost contact with the needs of America and simply have become special interest lackeys.
Check this link for NC State regulations for pot possession:
http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?wtm_view=&Group_ID=4555