Yesterday, Congressman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) introduced a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives to eliminate all federal penalties for marijuana possession. This came only one week after he also introduced a bill to protect medical marijuana patients.
The Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2009 would eliminate the threat of federal arrest and prison for the possession of up to 3.5 ounces of marijuana and the not-for-profit transfer of an ounce of marijuana; nationwide!
What's more, last week Congressman Frank introduced the Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act, which would allow states to protect medical marijuana patients from arrest and jail without federal interference, as well as allow pharmacies to dispense marijuana to patients with a doctor's recommendation. You can take action on this bill here.
Comments
This is common sense legislation meant to bring the 14 MILLION American citizens who've used cannabis in the last 30 days back into the fold of 'law-abiding' people.
While cannabis is not harmless, it is certainly LESS harmful than either of the two legal intoxicants, alcohol and nicotine.
The VAST majority of cannabis afficianados are hard-working, tax-paying, home-owning, child-rearing AMERICAN CITIZENS, who want nothing more than to relax with a substance OTHER than alcohol. If what they do harms non one but themselves, what business does America have intervening? Why spend OUR hard-earned tax dollars giving them three hots and a cot, when it's totally unnecessary?
Cannabis is less physically addictive than CAFFEINE. That's right, PEPSI is more physically addictive than cannabis. While it CAN be habit-forming, so can TV, the internet, exercise, food, SEX, etc etc etc. Shall we ban all of those as well? There is NO lethal dose, it CAN'T kill you,or anyone else.
DON'T TREA
this is long overdue.
It is about time. It's so stupid for this plant to be illegal, I smoke some before I go JOGGING!!! (4 miles)
ILLEGAL???? WHAT A JOKE.
LEGALIZE NOW.
to deal with america and stupid wall street has led me to smoke. the dea, christian coalition, fda all make me sick. pot makes me feel better. i work 50 hour weeks supporting 3 kids and wife. life sucks. alcohol makes me violent. cigarettes are killing me. please don't take my pot away or i will kill me.
thank you for listening
To those who are against legalization,,, I was once against legalization as well, I have done my own research as you should, viewing both sides, here is what i found out, hemp has more uses than any other plant, look at George Washington's diary. We can help world hunger with the seeds,it has all essential elements needed to sustain life, stop deforestation, it grows 5 times faster than most trees, use the bio fuel to help with our oil crisis, the growth and burn cancels each other out, ending the carbon footprint, lower teen use, someone at one point has to show an id to a store to get alcohol. no one gets carded for cannabis. lets stop ending careers, breaking up families, and arresting our brothers and sisters over a plant. If you believe in God then u must believe he created Hemp. Why does our government give money to farmers to grow tobacco that causes cancer? If there was one case of Cancer or death wouldn't the DEA show everyone? forget what you were told, do your own research!
Americans need to realize this is more than just legalizing a plant. This is about essential freedoms and real danger versus fictitious danger.
Legalizing cannabis will not send "the wrong message to our nation's youth".
Legalizing marijuana will regulate and control marijuana.
***Something OUR great U.S. Drug War was NEVER and WILL NEVER be able to fu*king do.***
Teenagers are able to buy and use marijuana more easily than alcohol. Not only that, parents need to be parents. Parenting requires responsibility. So America start being parents again.
Legalizing cannabis will also create thousands of more jobs than keeping marijuana prohibited does. It is, those select few who benefit from having marijuana illegal that fight for its prohibition (and those who don't realize this is American "Land of Freedom" and have believed the racism and corporate lies since the 1930s).
America I have a feeling is becoming smarter... I hope.
Listen to the voters voices.
It's about time. Harry Anslinger, go to hell.
hopefully he's there now.
it's a nice gesture but politics will kill any bill it wants to no matter how sensible and overdue it really is. i am interested to see how far this bill makes it and i do hope it passes, i believe that responsible regulation and effective education is the best way to go for sure. but then i think about how much money is being thrown at trying to keep that from happening. i imagine it's at least a desk full of hundreds every day. unfortunately, for us all, i think the current role of politics in our government needs to be re-examined and reformed before something like the responsible adults act can be passed on a federal level.
i describe continuing to prohibit marijuana pretty much the worst direction any free government can take. my best suggestion is to regulate and legalize marijuana and then make people who want to legally possess and use marijuana acknowledge the responsibilities and laws for using marijuana legally. give responsible users safe access within regulations.
Did we not learn anything from alcohol prohibition?
Marijuana prohibition has been an indisputable failure. Legalize it and take the money out of the black market. Marijuana is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco yet both of those substances are legal (and should be). Every year our prison system releases violent offenders to make room for non-violent pot smokers. That is just plain insanity. Think of how better society would be served if our law enforcement efforts were directed more towards dealing with violent individuals. We would also save BILLIONS of dollars on prosecution costs and jail expenses every year.
There is also substantial evidence indicating marijuana has numerous medical uses as well.
We need to look at this issue using nothing more than basic common sense. Isn't it time to drop the "Reefer Madness" stupidity?
Thank you, Barney!
For years and years we've listened to government lies and half-truths about marijuana. A small breath of truthful air is most welcome.
Glad to see no negative comments. In fact, I hardly EVER see negative comments about Marijuana legalization.
...Where are all the opponents? Glad to see the internet has some common sense. Why hasn't this been legal for years and years? Ridiculous continuation of flawed policy for cheap political brownie points.
These bills had better fly if Washington knows what's good for their political futures. The voters are paying attention!
marijuana does not harm people but the law does!
Hmmmm...Logical, Concise, Level headeddude you should write something about the portland drug policy guy "John". He's a douche!
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