Congress to increase penalties for marijuana-related offenses

marijuana.com ^ | 11.20.03 | Steve Fox

[freepatriot32]

Can you imagine a bill that intentionally forces marijuana users to inhale a greater amount of tar and carbon monoxide? What about a bill that dramatically increases penalties on medical marijuana providers who develop high-quality strains of marijuana for seriously ill patients?

The Drug Sentencing Reform Act, scheduled to be introduced by U.S. Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) within the next few days, would accomplish these "goals." Please call your U.S. representative today and urge him or her not to cosponsor this bill. See below for details about how to do this.

While the most prominent objective of this bill is to ensure that individuals convicted of drug-related offenses in federal court receive the longest possible prison sentences, the bill would also -- for the first time in history -- increase penalties for marijuana producers based on THC levels. For example, under the provisions of this bill, a medical marijuana provider in California convicted in federal court for possession of just 33 plants with a THC content of between 13 and 25 percent would be sentenced "to a term of imprisonment which may not be less than 5 years." Previously, a 5-year mandatory minimum applied to the possession of more than 100 plants.

By dramatically increasing penalties on the distribution of marijuana with higher THC content, this bill would ensure that lower-quality marijuana is sold to children (and adults, of course). This will not decrease the number of Americans smoking marijuana; it will simply increase the amount of tar and carbon monoxide inhaled by Americans while they are smoking.

Members of Congress must understand that their constituents support harm reduction policies, not harm exacerbation policies.

Please call your U.S. representative toll-free by using the Capitol Switchboard at 800-839-5276. This switchboard operates 24 hours a day. So if you are inspired to call after normal business hours, the operator will transfer you to your U.S. representative's office and you can leave a voice mail message. Of course, calling during business hours is preferable.

Here is a sample script for you to use when you call:

"Hello, my name is ______________ and I live in ______________. I am calling to urge Representative __________________ not to cosponsor the Drug Sentencing Reform Act being introduced by Representative Souder [rhymes with powder]. This bill would dramatically increase penalties on individuals growing medical marijuana in accordance with state law. It would also ensure that smoking marijuana is even more harmful to children than it is under current law. This is not a bill that Representative ________ should support."

If you are not certain who your U.S. representative is, go to http://www.house.gov/writerep , enter your state and zip code (your five-digit zip should work), and click the "Contact My Representative" button. The name of your U.S. representative should appear on the next page.

As noted above, this bill is also designed to limit the ability of federal judges to reduce prison sentences for defendants convicted of drug-related offenses. For example, under the provisions of this bill, a judge would be prohibited from reducing a defendant's sentence based on family or community ties -- factors that could still be considered in non-drug-related cases.

The Marijuana Policy Project will be working with many other individuals and organizations to fight this bill. It will not be passed without a major fight. Thank you for doing your part to stop it.

======================================================================

Please visit http://www.mpp.org/USA/donate.html or write to MPP, P.O. Box 77492, Washington, D.C. 20013 to donate to our lobbying work on Capitol Hill."

[eleni121]

So you've posted links to "very good" information...what like potheadsunited.org
or marihuana.com
or elcheapogold.net
or potisgod.ne

[eleni121]

Pot legalizers are depressing

[Stew Padasso]

All the evidence is there, some of it even provided by your own loving government. Fat people are a burden, and based on the issues you relayed about pot smokers. You know, the lazy and unhealthy. I say, toss them in jail. They are taxing are health care system, ineffecient at work (calling in sick etc.). Just using your criteria, genious.

[No Blue States]

IMO If alcohol is legal pot should be, the ramifications to society from alcohol are much worse than pot.

Tax the gov grown smoke for social security funds and stop wasting valuable prison space and law enforcement resources on a real non problem.

[eleni121]

Actually, your reasoning is as bad as your spelling

[eleni121]

All the evidence is there, some of it even provided by your own loving government.

My government? You know where the door is if you don't like it here. Go back to your village and you can smoke hash till the pigs come home.

[Stew Padasso]

Typing errors, typical goon.

Reasoning? I'm using your logic. You must be overweight. Believe me, the second you put that greasy burger to your mouth, I'd have a SWAT team busting down your down and dragging you away to a fat farm.

Was that too harsh? No harsher than you running around here calling everyone pot heads. This is too easy.

[Stew Padasso]

"My government? You know where the door is if you don't like it here. Go back to your village and you can smoke hash till the pigs come home."

I'm here to stay, and irritate the hell out of goons like you. Like I said, you love the war on pot so much. Pay for it yourself.

[Indie]

These caustic (but not a bit of substance) posts from these puritanical anti-marijuana lunatics sound like the result of brainwashing a la Islam...LOL. Fascist trolls methinks.

[Stew Padasso]

Yep, sometimes you gotta respond in kind.

[Indie]

How in the hell did you get that picture of me!!?

[neverdem]

"Speaking of synthetics and naturals, isn't there actually something called synthetic heroin? Very dangerous stuff from what I've heard."

I did a google the following way, synthetic+heroin

It appears, at least on one site, that it refers to methadone, aka dolophine hydrochloride. Methadone has a long half-life. That's why you can do once a day dosing.

The whole opiate class of narcotics work on specific receptors on nerves. Slight variations in chemical structure of opiates mediate their various pharmacologic effects.

[neverdem]

"You missed my point. These other steps you mention about heroin and cocaine are not like marijuana. One could pluck up a stalk of marijuana and let it dry on its own. Then it's ready for consumption."

I could be wrong, but I believe that raw opium that oozes out of the bulb of the poppy plant after having been scored with a knife, is scraped off the bulb a day or so later when it is dried. I believe it can then be smoked.

[jmc813]

WOD Ping

[Wolfie]

This is mainly directed at the medical marijuana situation. Anything that accelerates the growing rift between the States and Feds viv-a-vis marijuana is a good thing.

[jmc813]

He knows they are losing the WOD, but when challenged, if he actually answered, he would use baseless numbers, and irrelevent facts... quoted from such wonderful, truthful sources, such as DOJ (and ignore medical studies and facts)... and we all know the G'umt would NEVER lie to us!!!! (LOL)

You should be so lucky. CWO doesn't even try to argue issues any more. He trolls, plain and simple.

[jmc813]

That was just like the moron on some smoking-ban thread who said that the government can ban anything they want in bars in order to "promote the general welfare" of the people.

Is this the same person who frequents WOD threads and claims that society has more rights than individuals?

[jmc813]

"Let's legalize bank robbery and outlaw gun possession, since people are getting hurt in these robberies!"

All of the FReepers I've run into who happen to be 2nd Amendment absolutionists seem to think the Federal Drug War is a joke. What gives?

[pageonetoo]

IMHO, the next time these trolls post their WOD-advocating positions, just take relevant quotes from credible sources, and post them as reply.
The name calling is getting wholesale around here, and the valid supporting argument is getting little or no attention. That is why they do it...
They will quickly give it up, when they get no response to their trolling! then maybe there can be a real discussion of issues, not just a breakdown in civility.
I just love it when smoking hemp is qualified as the reason for family breakdowns, violence, and other anti-social behaviors... just shows their ignorance, on the subject!
They make rash statements, without supporting documentation, and then call names when you cite reality!
The WOD is about power and money, nothing else. I support legalization of Hemp, not cocaine, speed, and other manufactured designer drugs, but would prefer to see the injured treated for their disability, rather than warehoused, at our expense!
Did I say injury? It is my opinion, that those who fall into the trap of physical addiction, have become targets, and need repair, not housed in a prison, where they are often subjected to torture and rape, and the rest of their lives wasted away because of the stigma.
Hemp is not physically addicting, nor does it lead to any type of violent behavior. Any familial/social problems arise mainly from the JBT's intrusion into their lives!
Hemp should be legal. For smoking, for commercial uses, and for profit. It can also become a source of revenue fot treating drug addicts, just like the taxes, on alcohol, tobacco, and other supposedly deadly (though legal) substances, are supposed to be used "for the chil'run"!!!
Smoke 'em if you got 'em!
I would if I did (but will settle for a monte cristo!!!!)!

[tacticalogic]

While I would love to take the credit for being the reason why thousands of registered freepers pay no attention to these dope threads I must humbly decline.

What kind of an attitute is that? Nobody can really do a good job of anything if they don't think they're making a difference, trolls included.