Barney Frank Introduces Marijuana Decriminalization Bill

its about time

Thank goodness that someone in the halls of national power recognize what everyone else in the world seems to already be aware of. Marijuana is not the villain it has been portrayed as. It only seems obvious that if you cannot control the flow of Marijuana into the prison enviroment where you have fences, guards and steel bars, how could you ever expect to control it in a "free" country. There are so many other substances that kill hundreds of thousands of people in the country alone (alcahol, cigerettes) to name only two, not to mention the need to control our borders, that our time and money would be far better spent there than trying to arrest people for a small bag of pot or a little plant in their closet. We need reasonable and intelligent leaders in power and we also need to ensure that when these kind of people are indentified, then we need to make certain that they are able to stay there are make this Country safe and free for all of us. VOTE America and keep people like Barney Frank in congress. Barney Frank for President.

America's # 1 agricultural crop is...
Marijuana!!!
Why is that so, when it's illegal?

"Congress can send the right message by passing this bill and demonstrating its commitment to defending individual freedom, while focusing federal law-enforcement resources on real crimes."

I can see this bill being easily painted as something to protect marijuana dealers than individual freedom. Do an open records request to any major city police dept with large numbers of marijuana arrests and you will see nearly 90% of marijuana arrests involve less than an ounce (70% involve single digit gram amounts).

At least it will be brought up again. The drug war only gets mainstream coverage on the side of law enforcement. It's time people out there know there's support for the other side as well.

Rather than calling the bill "The Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2008," why not drop the word "Marijuana" and replace it with "cannabis"? The same with "medical" usage. Why not just use the word cannabis? Likewise throughout the proposed laws.

That would potentially open up the use of cannabis for foods, fuels, fibers, medicines, recreation and jobs.

This would seem better than the piecemeal approach that hasn't gotten very far.

The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only legitimate object of good government.

— Thomas Jefferson

Put more police on the streets NOW by decriminalizing pot
This bill should be called the 'Reduce Crime Marijuana Decriminalization Bill'

Both Obama and Clinton are promising to add 100-thousand more police, if elected. IF the winner can get the legislation through congress early in 2009 the soonest that we can expect to see any of those police on the streets is the middle of 2010 with hiring and training.

But decriminalization of pot this year would immediately free up the police, already on the job, who today are wasting time arresting more than 800-thousand Americans for pot. It would also start to ease the prison populations in the counties and states that today are forced to warehouse pot smokers and small time pot dealers.

See my essay on crime and drugs at: Fantasy Criminal Justice Policy Speech for Sen. Barack Obama Or: 'How do we win the war on drugs'

100-thousand more police represents 3.37-million man-hours.

829-thousand pot arrests in 2006 @ four hours of police processing and court time per arrest is 3.31-million man-hours.

Drug war over-crowded prisons are warehousing tens of thousands of pot smokers and small time pot dealers. While at the same time courts are forcing prisons to release criminals almost randomly to reduce populations. Releasing thousands of violent criminals back onto the streets prematurely.

Decriminalization of pot would quickly put millions of police man-hours on the streets. Already hired, trained and experienced officers.

Marijuana Decriminalization Bill.

Isn't that a Facist/Stalinist concept? How is that going to help?Thats all we need...more...ludicrous.More police = more crime! Do the math.

Watch the documentary "Running from the Cure" at the following link and then you will realize, it's not about adults causally smoking, it is about keeping us in the dark as to hemp's true properties and myriad of uses. Just like everything in our now "corporate controlled states" (Canada and US) we are being propagandized into early graves.

Because the drug and tabacco companies don't want you to know that not only is recreational smoking HARMLESS but when you properly process hemp into oil - IT IS A CURE FOR CANCER!!!

http://www.cannabisculture.com/articles/5169.html

Did you know that 80% of drug company profits are now in "cancer drugs"... drugs they develop to kill cancer (and healthy cells), AND the pain drugs they make so you will feel better while you are getting their drugs to kill cancer.

Meanwhile, none of the pain drugs work as well as hemp AND they are addictive!

Isn't it time the people stood up and said, "I HAVE HAD ALL I CAN TAKE AND I CAN'T TAKE ANYMORE!" My father died of an overdose of chemotherapy. It makes me sick to realize, it didn't have to be.

Barney Frank is GREAT for taking a stand - still uninformed like the majority - but GREAT for taking a stand! We need more people willing to do that.

Read the comment that person posted not just the subject.

are saying that "100K more police will be hired". The other commenter says ,free them up and we already have them...right? What did I miss? Subject... too many enforcers is still too many... Thats why we are the INCARCERATION NATION.

From Barney Frank's website;

"Summary of HR 5843

An Act to Remove Federal Penalties for the Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults,” sponsored by U.S. Representative Barney Frank (D-Mass.), would eliminate federal penalties for the possession or not-for-profit transfer of small amounts of marijuana. The bill would remove federal penalties at the federal level only: (1) possession of up to 100 grams of marijuana and (2) the not-for-profit transfer of one ounce (28.3 grams) of marijuana. Additionally, this legislation would provide for a civil penalty of $100 for the public use of marijuana."

Seems that the bill would decriminalize public use, but *legalize* possession or not-for-profit transfer.

Phin MacDonald

as far as i am concerned this bill is little more than whitewash...my first problem is with the title "responsible adults" - who is gonna decide who a "responsible adult" is...secondly if one can only transfer 28 grams at no charge to another "responsible adult" - how is it that any "responsible adult" could have 100 grams?? third, how would any "responsible adult" have ANY cannabis since growing will remain federally illegal...

its time to end cannabis prohibition once and for all...no more of this unenforceable double speak. this goes for industrial cannabis as well.

undrgrndgirl@aol.com

this is bullshit weed being illeagl is just plain pissin me off .go barny

Obama, Clinton and 100-thousand police

i think its a good thing that Frank intorduced the bill. it will hopefully show congress that mariijuana isnt as bad as the media makes it out to be. i also think that the medical users should be the ones who decide what works best for them. they shouldnt have to face legal charges for marijuana if that is what works best for them. I JUST SAY DO WHAT YOU WANT AND FUCK EVERYONE ELSE

how is this supporting drug dealers if it is only for 3 1/2 oz?

Please God, this time let it pass. Take our power back - away from the AMA who lies and make our Doctors lie to us about the *dangers* of Marijuana. Stop supporting the BiG Pharmacies who are *trying* to kill us with their Patent Medicines and keep us from knowing the true state of our health. Study! Marijuana has many beneficial uses that cannot be patented or used by the medical rapists. Know your facts.

Big Goverment both lies to us and steals our freedoms from us. End the Drug Raids, let the non-criminal pot convicts out of jail, and let the police go about catching the real criminals - too bad they don't take the ones called "politicians" into custody, huh?

Please, call, write, march, and spread the word that Cannibis is good medicine, good therapy, not the "Demon Drug" that our government propaganda machines have forced even educated people in drug treament centers to spout. Don't be afraid to raise your voice - they can't keep lists of the 67% of the American population that think Marijuana should be legalized. End the war on drugs with a war on false teachings and equivocating public figures!

It's not at all funny that Barney Frank and his other lying fannie mae cronies (Dodd, Reid,Obama etc,) are far more dangerous to the nation than all the grass in the world. Grass should be legal and taxed to pay off our national debt, but sadly there are too many politicians profiting from it's prohibition. It is this very prohibition that puts all the money in the hands of those least able to handle it. You don't see 8 year old kids running bottles of JD on the streets of New York City. As long as there is one pedophile on the street, and a pot smoker behind bars, you'll never convince me that I'm wrong.

People are stupid bastards. I don't understand why pot is illegal!