New Bill Would Ease State-Federal Pot Conflict

[AllardChardon]

New Bill Would Ease State-Federal Pot Conflict
by ABC OTUS News

A bill introduced in Congress on Friday would fix the conflict between the federal government's marijuana prohibition and state laws that allow medical or recreational use.

California Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher said his bill, which has three Republican and three Democratic sponsors, would ensure that state laws on pot are respected by the feds.

The measure would amend the Controlled Substances Act to make clear that individuals and businesses, including marijuana dispensaries, who comply with state marijuana laws are immune from federal prosecution.

"This bipartisan bill represents a common-sense approach that establishes federal government respect for all states' marijuana laws," Rohrabacher said in a news release. "It does so by keeping the federal government out of the business of criminalizing marijuana activities in states that don't want it to be criminal."

Eighteen states and the District of Columbia have medical marijuana laws, and two states, Washington and Colorado, last fall became the first to pass laws legalizing, taxing and regulating marijuana.

The U.S. Justice Department has not said how it intends to respond to the Washington and Colorado votes. It could sue to block legal pot sales from ever happening, on the grounds they conflict with federal law.

President Barack Obama has said going after marijuana users in states where it's legal is not a priority. But the administration has raided some medical marijuana dispensaries it sees as little more than fronts for commercial marijuana sales.

Several other measures have also been introduced to change U.S. marijuana laws, including moves to legalize the industrial production of hemp and establish a hefty federal pot tax in states where it's legal. Any changes this year are considered a longshot.

Republican Reps. Justin Amash of Michigan and Don Young of Alaska and Democratic Reps. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon, Steve Cohen of Tennessee and Jared Polis of Colorado co-sponsored Rohrabacher's bill.

Johnson can be reached at https://twitter.com/GeneAPseattle


(Slowly, but surely, we shall overcome!)

 

[lovecraft68]

Amazing that in a country that spends untold millions fighting the "evils" of tobacco we're legalizing a mind altering substance.

 

[JackLuis]

One problem is the International Treaty that makes Pot illegal all over will have to be abrogated to accomplish this.

I haven't researched it but I'll bet it was driven by the US in the 1970's perhaps under the Nixon Admin?

LC It's wonder that a nation that allows liquor and tobacco, which have way more social consequences is concerned about pot.

 

[AllardChardon]

JackLuis, it was the FDR-appointed drug czar Anslinger that convinced the U.N. marijuana was bad and that was in the 60s, I do believe from memory. Hopefully, England and France will ease back on their restrictions, too, along with gay marriage. What an amazing time we live in!

 

[voluptuary_manque]

I'd say the Netherlands have a good system. Since you can't eliminate it, control it. Isn't it wonderful how bipartisan Congress can get when it really tries?

 

[3113]

Isn't it wonderful how bipartisan Congress can get when it really tries?

Not to mention stoned

 

[slyc_willie]

Amazing that in a country that spends untold millions fighting the "evils" of tobacco we're legalizing a mind altering substance.

I'd rather see marijuana legalized and tobacco criminalized, and I personally hate marijuana and love me a good cigar from time to time, even though I've stopped smoking cigarettes.

Marijuana may dull the senses, but it doesn't have the negative side-effects of cocaine, heroine, crack or meth. If anything, it makes people, well, slower. Tobacco, on the other hand, has a causal link to cancer, emphysema, and other ills. Mainly due to overuse (that's my opinion, BTW).

Go ahead and light up a toke. I'll sneak a stogie here and there and laugh at the stoners.

 

[lovecraft68]

I'd rather see marijuana legalized and tobacco criminalized, and I personally hate marijuana and love me a good cigar from time to time, even though I've stopped smoking cigarettes.

Marijuana may dull the senses, but it doesn't have the negative side-effects of cocaine, heroine, crack or meth. If anything, it makes people, well, slower. Tobacco, on the other hand, has a causal link to cancer, emphysema, and other ills. Mainly due to overuse (that's my opinion, BTW).

Go ahead and light up a toke. I'll sneak a stogie here and there and laugh at the stoners.

You don't think heavy pot smokers(I don't mean the people who smoke occasionally for recreation, I'm talking addicts who can't get through the day) are risks for cancer, copd and emphysema? Think again that shit damages your lungs the same way over time.

And you're right about Liquor. No has has been reported killed by smoking and driving.

I fact something I like to point out to certain people is that far more people are killed by drinking and driving than legally owned guns.

As for pot? Again smoking here and their, whatever floats your boat. But the shit is addictive and I don't feel we need to encourage losers who can;t get through the day without being stoned.

I work with idiots who go out and smoke on their lunch break because they can't even get through an 8 hour day without it.

The last thing this society needs is more "escapism" and they certainly don't need to be additionally medicated.

But I know I won't win this fight because no one who is addicted to pot has the spine to admit its a drug and they're addicted.

The fact it does not make you violent the way other drugs do is a cop out. If you can;t deal with reality without it you're an addict and excuse me if I don;t like seeing my tax dollars wasted on debating whether or not a druggie's fix should be legalized.

Want a good rush? Go work out. Go do something with your family, get a hobby.

No, instead sit there and toke away.

The weakening and dumbing down of this country continues.

 

[TxRad]

23% of traffic accidents are caused by drunk drivers.

That means 77% are caused by people drinking things like, water, coffee, cokes....

 

[AllardChardon]

It is a drug and I am addicted! There are you happy now? But of all the drugs I could be addicted to, it is the least harmful overall to my body. I have been smoking pot since I was 14, and I am 61, with four grown children and no lung damage at all. Every check-up at the doctor reinforces that and if you look up the research, pot is not as harmful to lung tissue as tobacco. Unchecked facts presented as truth are a waste of my time, really.

As far as getting things done in a day, with or without it, I would challenge you to keep up with me any day of the week! I rarely smoke tobacco or drink alcohol. I have given up sugar as well, and my blood pressure is perfectly teenage.

Again, I say, "Slowly, but surely, we shall overcome!"

 

[slyc_willie]

Lots of foaming at the mouth there, LC. Down, Fido.

You don't think heavy pot smokers(I don't mean the people who smoke occasionally for recreation, I'm talking addicts who can't get through the day) are risks for cancer, copd and emphysema? Think again that shit damages your lungs the same way over time.

Eh, well, think again (to use your words). Long-term studies have yet to adequately conclude that smoking just marijuana is as damaging as smoking just cigarettes. And, no, that's not a cop-out, in case you were wondering, because the harmful effects of smoking tobacco are based on long-term studies.

As for pot? Again smoking here and their, whatever floats your boat. But the shit is addictive and I don't feel we need to encourage losers who can;t get through the day without being stoned.

"The shit is addictive." Just about anything that is habitually done is addictive, such as online games, posting on forum boards, and checking Facebook every morning. Relating to various forms of drug use . . . in reality, only about 9% percent of regular marijuana users actually become addicts. Compare that to 32% of tobacco users, 23% of heroin users, 17% of cocaine users, and 15% of alcohol users.

Two of the above are uncontrolled substances, and are between one and a half and more than three times more addictive than marijuana.

You can see that here.

But I know I won't win this fight because no one who is addicted to pot has the spine to admit its a drug and they're addicted.

You're right; you won't win this fight because you haven't gotten your information straight.

The weakening and dumbing down of this country continues.

I have to agree with you there.

 

[slyc_willie]

It is a drug and I am addicted! There are you happy now? But of all the drugs I could be addicted to, it is the least harmful overall to my body. I have been smoking pot since I was 14, and I am 61, with four grown children and no lung damage at all. Every check-up at the doctor reinforces that and if you look up the research, pot is not as harmful to lung tissue as tobacco. Unchecked facts presented as truth are a waste of my time, really.

As far as getting things done in a day, with or without it, I would challenge you to keep up with me any day of the week! I rarely smoke tobacco or drink alcohol. I have given up sugar as well, and my blood pressure is perfectly teenage.

Again, I say, "Slowly, but surely, we shall overcome!"

I know and have known quite a few daily potheads (hope you don't mind the phrase ) who are as healthy as can be despite their predilections. I can't say the same for most cigarette smokers and daily drinkers I've met.

 

[AllardChardon]

The most impressive thing to me about my hippy generation and our preference for pot was brought to my attention at a concert in San Francisco I recently attended. Of course, San Francisco is known for healthy lifestyles and the crowd in line reflected that perfectly. Although surrounded by other grayhairs like me, we all looked good for our age and later on thoroughly enjoyed our smoke break during the intermission on the veranda. I cannot say the same thing about my tobacco smoking and alcohol drinking friends of the same age or younger.

As far as the dumbing down of America is concerned, I blame beer, sports, television and video games for that reality, not pot. LOL

 

[sr71plt]

I'd rather see marijuana legalized and tobacco criminalized,

If we kept both of them legal, we could tax the bejesuus out of pot like we do tobacco and help balance the national budget and take advantage of Darwinism at the same time.

 

[sr71plt]

23% of traffic accidents are caused by drunk drivers.

That means 77% are caused by people drinking things like, water, coffee, cokes....

Or not drinking anything and in a rush to quench their thirst.

 

[slyc_willie]

If we kept both of them legal, we could tax the bejesuus out of pot like we do tobacco and help balance the national budget and take advantage of Darwinism at the same time.

Don't think it hasn't been considered . . . .

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Don't think it hasn't been considered . . . .

And is still being . . .

 

[AllardChardon]

I wish the powers that be would just treat it like any other agricultural product, and allow the excellent growers a market in which to take their crops, where they will receive a fair price for their hard work. But I fear, the powers that be will take it over and make as much money on it as they can.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Probably use it to balance California's budget . . .

 

[danger2no]

Pot is safer than alcohol.

 

[AllardChardon]

At any rate, this is a step in the right direction. Too much money has been wasted on the War on Drugs without the desired results. People like their freedoms of choice in everything, including drugs, more than following the law of the land.