Posted on 06/18/2009 6:55:36 PM PDT by kellynla
Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., wants to legalize marijuana and has introduced legislation that would accomplish his goals.
"Criminalizing choices that adults make because we think they are unwise ones, when the choices involved have no negative effect on the rights of others, is not appropriate in a free society," he said in his new announcement about his plans for two bills.
One proposal would remove federal penalties for using marijuana and the second would let people in states where "medical marijuana" is allowed use it freely.
The cosponsors on the bills include Reps. Ron Paul, R-Texas and Maurice Hinchey, D-N.Y.
"To those who say that the government should not be encouraging the smoking of marijuana, my response is that I completely agree," Frank's statement said. "But it is a great mistake to divide all human activity into two categories: those that are criminally prohibited, and those that are encouraged."
(Excerpt) Read more at wnd.com ...
when the choices involved have no negative effect on the rights of others”
what about my(or my kids) right to not have to get high when the pot head is in the vicinity giving me a contact high?
The poofter pushes pot eh?
Rings hollow coming from someone who consistently advocates and votes for gun-grabbing legislation, tax hikes, and gov't control in all areas of life other than sex and drugs.
Of course we do. It's a wonderful thing! But there's a lot more to it than that. Just like drinking w/ your buddies @ the bar or during the Super Bowl, it's the friendships that are formed, as well as the buzz, the taste, the fragrance, the beauty of the plant / buds....a whole host of things.
2harddrive: “If Barney Fag is FOR it, then I must wear my opposition like a badge of HONOR!”
You’d think the libertarians would at least give your point some consideration. Here we have one of the biggest immoral leftists in the US Congress taking the libertarian approach to pot. Why?
I’m waiting now for the total legalization (all drugs) crowd to show. I have to wonder about people who are so concerned about the right to get high. Some of these folks seem strangely attached to weed. I mean, I’d engage in some introspection if I valued any recreational drug, including alcohol, that highly.
Nevertheless, I think the fed should be out of the WOD business. It should be for the states to decide, but I hate to tell the libertarians...most states are still not gonna legalize pot or other, harder drugs.
Inhalation is a much quicker and efficient delivery method than oral ingestion. It takes only a few seconds for the drug to enter the bloodstream through the lungs while the digestive tract can take over 30 minutes.
Also, the only delivery method that assures reasonable accuracy is injection - pills suffer from their own obstacles in terms of accuracy. Factors such as stomach contents and acid levels, metabolism-varying physical activity, rates of absorption in the intestinal tract, etc. require massive guesswork in prescribing the dosage of even the most precisely measured oral medication. It is very common for a doctor to adjust the prescribed dosage in a trial-and-error fashion before finding what works best for the patient. This same approach would work just as effectively with an inhaled delivery system as long as the quality and quantity of the individual doses are kept consistent.
Additionally, and especially with a drug being used to control nausea, oral medications have a huge drawback if the patient cannot keep them down long enough for them to be digested. Incidentally, controlling nausea is one of the more common uses of medical marijuana. Pills containing THC theoretically work just as well in this regard, but unfortunately patients keep throwing them up unless their nausea has already been abated. Quite the catch-22.
ChrisInAR: “Of course we do. It’s a wonderful thing! But there’s a lot more to it than that. Just like drinking w/ your buddies @ the bar or during the Super Bowl, it’s the friendships that are formed, as well as the buzz, the taste, the fragrance, the beauty of the plant / buds....a whole host of things.”
No disrespect, but that comes across a bit creepy to me. It’s a weed, and you almost sound worshipful. Can’t you form friendships and have a good time without it?
We're already here...I added my 1st post @ #17;
I have to wonder about people who are so concerned about the right to get high. Some of these folks seem strangely attached to weed.
We're not...we care about FREEDOM & limiting the powers of government. I fully agree w/ you that this should be an issue to the STATES to decide, & they can reap the benefits or deal w/ the repercussions of doing so.
You bet I can, & I do. I never said that I can't form a friendship w/o weed. There is a time & place for everything. Like the saying goes, "everything in moderation".
It's ridiculous to even think that I worship it...it's just a PLANT, & nothing more. I worship the Creator, not the creation.
Pot should be legalized no matter who pushes the bill.
Making it legal will most certainly take a lot of the profit out of illegal distribution.
ChrisInAR: “We’re not...we care about FREEDOM & limiting the powers of government.”
Ah, but freedom requires responsibility. You can’t have one without the other.
Lack of individual restraint (aka morality) and the ability to take responsibility for one’s own actions are prime reasons why government is expanding.
Although Americans might be in favor of pot legalization, the potheads will have to show restraint. Ah, but the illegal use of pot (now) already proves many don’t have restraint. Therefore, the pendulum will likely swing back to criminalization, much like the increasing attempts by government to stamp out irresponsible use of alcohol.
ChrisInAR: “It’s ridiculous to even think that I worship it...it’s just a PLANT, & nothing more. I worship the Creator, not the creation.”
I’m only going by the way you lovingly described it.
Just what this country needs...everyone at home stoned, never leaving the house.
Talk about a bunch of pushovers. We’d lose this country for sure, and no one would even notice.
The vast majority of those of us who use do so responsibly. Please read the link I provided in post #33.
Barney wants to tax pot.
I’m for legalizing it but it does pose a great dilemma. How would law enforcement test for driving while stoned? Since we have DWI laws we would have to apply some standard to marijuana. So do we have random piss sample stops now? Draw a vile of blood?
“Marijuana smokers are,like,laid back...you know...,and like,don’t get too excited over politics and stuff like that,you know....”
Shirely you jest....
Maybe he can’t get his “partners” to bend over unless they are stoned!
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