John Haring, 45, is a quadriplegic who suffers daily from chronic pain, arthritis, spasm attacks, and depression. He uses marijuana to treat his condition, and after two marijuana arrests in two years, heâs now heading to jail for 90 days, after which heâll be forced to undergo three years of probation and drug testing. If he tests positive for marijuana in just one of those tests, he could face up to five years in jail.Opponents of medical marijuana will be the first to tell you that no one actually gets in trouble for it, but you can bet those people will never come to the aid of someone like John Haring. They don't care about his health and they donât want to know his story. Meanwhile, the President has called for an end to federal medical marijuana raids because he says they're a bad use of resources. In other words, the reason you shouldnât treat people like this is because it wastes money, not because it's evil.
Haring and his relatives say legal prescription painkillers left him "drugged, depressed and in an angry stupor." Using marijuana, on the other hand, "allowed him to live his life," according to the St. Petersburg Times.
Law enforcement officials raised an unusual theory of liability. Under a federal law intended to close crack houses, anyone who knowingly operates premises where drugs are used may be subject to serious criminal and civil penalties.
Education lawyers, however, said they were unaware of that lawâs ever being contemplated, let alone used, in the context of higher education. [NYT]
A bill passed Wednesday will make it illegal in Florida to sell the drug paraphernalia in most head shops.
The so-called "Bong Bill" passed by the Senate and then overwhelmingly passed 115-0 in the House now heads to Gov. Crist for final approval.
The bill prohibits the sale of the items by businesses that don't make at least 75 percent of their money from tobacco sales or make over 25 percent from sale of the prohibited items. [NBC]
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APRIL 28, 2010
Senate Committee Considers Testimony on Bill to Study Drug Policies
After rejecting a marijuana decriminalization bill, senators contemplate proposal to study effects of current state and federal laws
CONTACT: Matt Simon, NH Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policyâ¦â¦â¦â¦â¦â¦â¦(603) 391-7450
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE â Today, one week after the Senate voted to defeat a marijuana decriminalization bill, the Senate Judiciary Committee considered public testimony on a bill that would permit a deeper study of drug policy questions by the New Hampshire legislature. HB 1373, which passed the House in an uncontested voice vote Feb. 17, would create a study committee of three House members and two senators âto study the effects of current state and federal laws on illegal drugs and the possession and use of such drugs.â
Advocates cited growing support for marijuana policy reforms as a reason the bill should pass. Matt Simon, executive director for the NH Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy, touted the bill as an opportunity for the legislature to learn about successful reforms in other states and countries. âToday, there is an enormous amount of data out there that suggests we need to reevaluate our current policies,â he said. Â
âNew Hampshire legislators have considered some important criminal justice and marijuana policy reforms this year, but we canât stop there,â said Rep. Joel Winters (D-Manchester), prime sponsor of the bill. âAs lawmakers, if we want to create smart, effective drug policies, we must not be afraid to ask the right questions, like who is being arrested and prosecuted, for what, and why. HB 1373 will help us get answers to those questions, and ultimately lead to better policies that will benefit our stateâs residents.â
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