Congress To Consider Legislation To End Minor Pot Arrests

[sqhertz 5,000+ posts]

I do not intend to start a huge debate weather or not it should be, but i got this in my email from NORMLs newsletter.

Washington, DC: US Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) will introduce legislation in Congress to strip the federal government of its authority to arrest responsible cannabis consumers. Representative Frank made the announcement last week on the nationally syndicated television show, "Real Time With Bill Maher."
"It's time for the politicians to catch up with the public on this [issue]," Frank told host Bill Maher, who sits on NORML’s Advisory Board. "The notion that you lock people up for smoking marijuana is pretty silly."

Frank's pending bill seeks to eliminate all federal penalties prohibiting the personal use and possession of up to 100 grams (3 1/2 ounces) of marijuana. Under this measure, adults who consume cannabis would no longer face arrest, prison, or even the threat of a civil fine. The bill also eliminates all penalties prohibiting the not-for-profit transfers of up to one ounce of pot.

NORML Legal Counsel Keith Stroup, who worked closely with Frank's staff to draft this legislation, said, "If passed by Congress, this legislation would legalize the possession, use, and non-profit transfer of marijuana by adults for the first time since 1937."

The bill incorporates the primary recommendations of the National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse (also known as the Shafer Commission), which affirmed to Congress 36 years ago, "The actual and potential harm of use of the drug is not great enough to justify intrusion by the criminal law into private behavior, a step which our society takes only with the greatest reluctance."

Currently, 12 states and numerous municipalities have enacted versions of marijuana decriminalization, eliminating criminal penalties for minor pot violations. Passage of these laws has not led to increased marijuana use.

To date, the only US government study ever commissioned to assess whether the enforcement of strict legal penalties positively impacts marijuana use found, "Overall, the preponderance of the evidence which we have gathered and examined points to the conclusion that decriminalization has had virtually no effect either on the marijuana use or on related attitudes and beliefs about marijuana use among American young people."

Similar statewide legislation is pending in New Hampshire and Vermont. Additionally, Massachusetts’ voters will likely decide on a statewide decriminalization measure this November.

According to a nationwide CNN/Time Magazine poll, more than three-quarters of American adults favor decriminalizing marijuana.

i wonder if this goes through , will i be let off drug court? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crazy.gif.c13912c32de98515d3142759a824dae7.gif

i really hope it does go through. not saying this because im a (ex)pothead , but because the country could then focus on other shit and save us taxpayers money...

Click to read more...

 

[twisztdauthorit 10+ year member]

sounds good but its gonna be hard to get 1/3 or 2/3 of congeress to pass that(how ever much it takes

 

[duece212 5,000+ posts]

I don't think this will pass, don't even think it will be close....BUT, its good to see somebody bringing legislation like this to the floor (even if its tabled the moment its mentioned). It may fail this time but its a first step to be tried again and again till it passes.

Unfortunately city and state laws may still nab you even if this federal law passes. One would hope they would follow suit with their laws in time though.

 

[twisztdauthorit 10+ year member]

it can take a few months for a bill to pass.. i just learned this stuff a few months ago but i 4got it already... I think its up 2 like 18 months or something? ill edit if i find out..

Edit: dont have the actual time listed in my notebook but i had notes on the 12 steps of passing a bill and i know it can take a quite lengthy time

 

[sqhertz 5,000+ posts]

i hope it does go through...

 

[ThomasG 5,000+ posts]

That will not pass. There is a good chance in 10 years from now it could, but as of now America is too ignorant.

 

[mokedaddy 5,000+ posts]

That will not pass. There is a good chance in 10 years from now it could, but as of now America is too ignorant.

While I too highly doubt it passing, it will not be due to the American public being ignorant. Actually the American public as a whole is pretty tolerant and mostly frown on it because it is illegal.

But again they dont really have any say in it passing. It is more 'special interest' groups that will keep it illegal.

 

[ThomasG 5,000+ posts]

America right now is in need of a dire change. Americans will vote for any type of change in my opinion, no matter what it is. I honestly believe this has a decent chance of passing.

Very true. However, I still think America is too ignorant to see this. I say Legalize and tax the snot out of it like cigarettes.

 

[ThomasG 5,000+ posts]

While I too highly doubt it passing, it will not be due to the American public being ignorant. Actually the American public as a whole is pretty tolerant and mostly frown on it because it is illegal.
But again they dont really have any say in it passing. It is more 'special interest' groups that will keep it illegal.

I'm talking more about the Government, but the people as well. Do you remember all the propaganda they put you through in school health class:crazy:

 

[snb778 5,000+ posts]

"Washington, DC: US Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) will introduce legislation in Congress to strip the federal government of its authority to

arrest responsible cannabis consumers. Representative Frank made the announcement last week on the nationally syndicated television show, "Real Time With Bill Maher."

that bolded statment and D.W.I. do not work together, and NEVER will

 

[snb778 5,000+ posts]

Very true. However, I still think America is too ignorant to see this. I say Legalize and tax the snot out of it like cigarettes.

ya know what this would do..... This would add soooooo much money into our economy, so fast, im sure it would have a huuuge impact pretty quickly... F- bush and this stupid Tax Return we are all SUPPOSEDLY getting.

 

[duece212 5,000+ posts]

"Washington, DC: US Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) will introduce legislation in Congress to strip the federal government of its authority to arrest responsible cannabis consumers. Representative Frank made the announcement last week on the nationally syndicated television show, "Real Time With Bill Maher."

that bolded statment and D.W.I. do not work together, and NEVER will

Thats the one part that hangs me up, and I think will hang up the passing. How do you accurately enforce DUID's with no test currently available to test if your high ATM, and didn't just smoke yesterday and it still tests positive in your system?

 

[ThomasG 5,000+ posts]

ya know what this would do..... This would add soooooo much money into our economy, so fast, im sure it would have a huuuge impact pretty quickly... F- bush and this stupid Tax Return we are all SUPPOSEDLY getting.

Also a lot of money would be saved from trying to keep it illegal. Anyone have a source as to how much money it is costing the USA on keeping marijuana illegal?

 

[ThomasG 5,000+ posts]

Cost of keeping marijuana illegal =

* cost of active law enforcement +

* cost of prosecution (and defense!) of accused offenders +

* cost of incarceration of convicted offenders +

* hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue that would be generated if drugs were legal and taxed +

Thats not even all of them.

http://www.mjlegal.org/cost.html

 

[snb778 5,000+ posts]

http://www.drugsense.org/wodclock.htm
People Arrested for Cannabis Law Offenses this Year

210,707

Now take 210,707 x the amount to keep 1 prisoner in jail for 1 year... 14K

210,707x14,000= $2,949,898,000

WOW!!

but take into consideration only a fraction of those people are in jail for a year or more