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.

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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]

http://www.house.gov/souder/statements/011124a.html
If this is the essence of the Bill I'm all for it...Go Souder!

[CWOJackson]

I don't want it illegal bozo, it is already illegal. I don't see any reason to make it legal.

Darn it. I'm sorry, I thought you wanted room for meaningful debate. I'll stop now.

[philman_36]

LOL! You people are the contradiction.
Please, I'm not more than one person. Don't reply to me as if I'm plural! I came onto this thread of my own accord.
And as to the contradictions...how so? You say you want the thread to die and then you keep responding and you even call someone onto a thread that you say they're not interested in.

Come on...let's go for a 100 posts on a meaningless thread.
I don't find the thread meaningless at all. I see further attempts to pass legislation that should never even be proposed.
It's kind of like the proposed legislation for the "plastic guns" that don't even exist!
And if the thread were so "meaningless" then you would've never shown up to get your "daily laugh", as you call it.
As a matter of fact, I don't really see you defending or supporting anything! You haven't even stated if you like or agree with the proposal as far as I can see. All I see is distraction and what is considered trolling.

[CWOJackson]

No, no, no, no.

Don't post to me. That only makes you look desparate to keep the thread alive. Granted, it's vitals don't look to good but this is your chance to prove the thread can live on it's own merit without the help of a jackbooted thug.

So, go on...have some intellectual discussion with some of the lurkers. I'll stay out of it.

[William Terrell]

I'm sure they are only developing more potent strains for medical purposes.

And if they're developing more potent strains just for people to increase their recreational enjoyment and no medical purpose, so what?

[CWOJackson]

Pssssst. Blood pressure is dropping, pulse is weak and thready.

[philman_36]

Pssssst. Blood pressure is dropping, pulse is weak and thready.
Pssssst...let me guess...you're not a doctor, but you play one for kicks.

[CWOJackson]

EMT. Many jack booted thugs are...and dude, your patient isn't looking too good.

[philman_36]

If this is the essence of the Bill I'm all for it...Go Souder!
Unfortunately, it isn't what the bill is about. This is about domestic growers who are medical marijuana providers and doesn't have anything to do with closing the borders or cross border movement of drugs.

[philman_36]

Don't post to me.
I'm polite and usually respond when someone makes a comment to me.
That only makes you look desparate to keep the thread alive.
I'm not desperate to keep the thread alive. I could care less if nobody else replies at all. I'm replying to you and a few others. You seem to be the one who wishes to see it continue getting resuscitated even to the point of pinging someone onto the thread. Do you wish to gain exposure on the issue? If not, go away. I'll keep responding until my other duties of the day require my time.
So, go on...have some intellectual discussion with some of the lurkers.
You miss the point. Lurkers read, they don't participate in the conversation...but you know that so "your point" is moot and pretty stupid to boot.

[CWOJackson]

I kept telling leroy you guys need to sex up the message some in order to get some attention. Take this thread for instance. If you people had titled it, "Naked Cameron Diaz Protests Increased Pot Penalties (photos included)" you'd get some attention.

[philman_36]

EMT. Many jack booted thugs are...and dude, your patient isn't looking too good.
An EMT, a doctor, does not make.

[philman_36]

I kept telling leroy you guys need to sex up the message some in order to get some attention.
I really don't care what you told someone else!
If you people had titled it, "Naked Cameron Diaz Protests Increased Pot Penalties (photos included)" you'd get some attention.
There you go again...I'm not plural! Singular...one...individual! Do you get it yet?
freepatriot32 started this thread. Why don't you tell freepatriot32 your suggestion?

[CWOJackson]

"Lurkers read, they don't participate in the conversation..."

And what FR are you dreaming on these days. Dude, there are threads over the most minor things on FR that get hundreds of participants. FR's have an opinion on everything and aren't affraid to post them.

Face it, they just don't care about these threads...that's why you seldom see any new names posting on them other then leroy's daily aliases of course.

Adios...I'll leave you with your dead thread...it doesn't even take an EMT to see that.

[dljordan]

I think that a lot of people confuse conservatism and Calvinist authoritarianism. It seems we have a segment of the conservative camp that believes people should be punished harshly by government for what is a victimless crime and unbelievably use the same "it's for the children" argument that the libs use for so many things. So many sins, so little time.

[philman_36]

...you'd get some attention.
And how is it that you believe/know that the WOD threads do/don't get attention (for the second or third time with no answer)? Is it merely by the number of different FReepers replying?

[eleni121]

This is about domestic growers who are medical marijuana providers and doesn't have anything to do with closing the borders or cross border movement of drugs.

I am against that too. Growers of marijuana should be stopped wherever they are.

[William Terrell]

These threads don't seem to generate the anti-drug vitriol they used to. Maybe I need to give it some more time.

The anti-drug perps, for hundreds of threads, have been pelted with incontrovertable evidence, and inescapable logical conclusions drawn therefrom, so that the baselessness of of their convictions has been exposed and returns them, again and again, face to face with the foundation belief they can't advance any longer becasue it has been refuted down to its component meolecules; smoking pot is immoral.

They continue to argue only from reflex, now, like the uncontrollable cringes from a shell shocked soldier.

Only their media conditioning drives them now, Rube Goldberg machinery continuing to deisel int the darkness of unreasonable foundation, reducing them to making disparaging and tasteless remarks, and halfheartedly posting a claim from some anti-drug site, knowing full well it will be sliced to ribbons instantly.

It's hard to be a drug warrior on FR nowadays.

[philman_36]

FR's have an opinion on everything and aren't affraid to post them.
As has been stated many times...many simply don't reply any more because of actions like yours. There is no debate, just like today, from you. I came on this thread with an illustration of how ludicrous this "idea" was and posted accordingly. I've not seen anything from you, in the affirmative or the negative, except trolling.
Face it, they just don't care about these threads...
Oh, they care, they're just not willing to tolerate the behaviors of some. Some probably don't like my behavior. Some probably don't like your behavior.
...that's why you seldom see any new names posting on them other then leroy's daily aliases of course.
You've really got a leroy fixation, don't you. And you too have seen new names posting, you just won't admit it. It doesn't fit your "drive 'em down" agenda well.

[philman_36]

I am against that too. Growers of marijuana should be stopped wherever they are.
And your opinions are just that...yours.
I differ from you in my opinion and I try to do that on facts. Got a problem with that?
What do you base your opinion on? Emotion? Agenda? Rhetoric?
Care to expand on the whys and wherefores on your stance or are you just going to say "That's how I feel."