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 ...
One stupid hobby of George Soros has always been to legalize pot. I cannot figure that one out...to what end???
with barney, it’s always about sucking on something.
He just wants to have dudes smoking the pipe.
Revenue.
Pot will be taxed like cigarettes.
But I will tell you this, and some may think I need that tin-foil hat, but I think it is also to lull the masses.
I smoked dope when I was young. I was very artistic but couldn’t think my way out of a paper bag.
If only he really believed that we wouldn't be in this economic mess.
Legalize pot? I’m ok with that. The liquor industry will be pissed, but a little competition for them is long overdue.
The War on Freedom to Do Stupid Things,..err...the War on Drugs has resulted in loss of freedom for everyone:no-knock raids,Dinkyville and Metroburg SWAT teams and militarized police,various checkpoints where police "fish" for violations ,and confiscation of private property without criminal convictions under the misapplication of old maritime laws re-written for the War on Drugs.
Prohibition I didn't do anything but create a network of criminals supplying alcohol ,and Prohibition II has been just a repeat of that mistake.
Calif is talking about this also. Right now if you grow a couple plants for your own use its no big deal. If they “Legalize” it they will crush you for growing your own.
EXCELLENT! EXCELLENT! Re: Rep. Frank, even a stopped clock can be right once in a while. I have HIGH hopes that the war against responsible marijuana users will eventually come to an end.
I have no problem with legalizing pot and taxing it. One proviso would be if your employer does drug testing and you get busted the employer has complete legal immunity none of this crap about you are addicted therefore disabled or other cause to go to court. You want freedom to smoke dope you assume the responsibility of your choice.
I didn’t know he stuck joints in in mouth also.
Look at this as a form of corporate welfare.
Odd... I’d thought Barney was more interested in crack.
Not to mention the pharmaceutical industry, which VP Biden is addicted to (coming from Delaware). We must never forget that Biden is one of the architects of the disgraceful War On Drugs. The drug testing companies won't like it either.
No Bwaney, your boyfriend said he wanted to smoke some “dudes”, not “doobs”. Listen better next time.
Isn’t secondhand cannabis smoke considered less hazardous than secondhand tobacco smoke?
As far as “medicinal marijuana”, I don’t see why its even considered. Delivering an accurate, measurable dosage of a drug through smoking is impossible. In addition, the active ingrediant in marijuana- THC- has already been synthesized into pill form. The utility of medicinal marijuana is at best very, very limited.
There is no doubt that inhaling smoke deeply into the lungs is not good for you. Any kind of smoke. Also, with the potent strains available now, there is definite impairment after smoking pot, so use before driving, flying, or performing surgery is a bad idea.
From personal experience, I can also say that perhaps the most insidious danger from smoking pot frequently is that it makes one perfectly content to do NOTHING. Oh, you might burn up the Xbox or make a killer pizza, and you're quite happy just lying in front of the TV or doing some trivial thing, but your motivation to go out there and live life and accomplish something gets put on the shelf. It's so easy to be happy doing NOTHING. That is the danger of pot.
OTOH, I do believe that no one should be in prison due to possession of pot. It's not a criminal offense. It's an offense against one's own future success, nothing more. It's clear that millions of people are going to grow it and smoke it, regardless of the law, so they might as well just legalize it and tax it. Shares of Xbox and Oreos will skyrocket, the government will have it's cash cow, and thousands of young men and women will at least not be convicts.
IMHO.
I think the alcohol lobby is the only reason it is not legalized right now...
all right...
a whole new generation of white democrat voters.
This will sure help the Dems with the Soccer Mom vote.
Now junior can have a joint after trying out his condom on the real thing.
(yea, yea, minors would not be allowed to buy weed...yep, just like cigarettes)
Okay, here we go...
Oh goody. Maybe I will sue for second hand highs.
Will restaurants have pot sections? Those always worked out so well.
Now he can get even higher when having sax with anonymous men.
Good. The War on Drug Users has been a total disaster and any steps we can take towards ending it would be a good thing.
Barney should have been run out of D.C. because of his deception and profiteering from the Freddie/Fannie fiasco. Instead he seems to be emboldened to be a leader in new disasters.
Oh, and I forgot to mention that if they do legalize pot, the violent Mexican cartels who are kidnapping and murdering along the border will be totally screwed. 70% of their income comes from smuggling pot into the US. Too bad for them. They will have to get landscaping jobs.
Like I said in post #17, the pharmaceutical, petrochemical, & drug-testing industries are major players in keeping marijuana illegal these days. Back when it was criminalized in 1937, the fact that most pot users @ the time were black jazz musicians (have you ever watched the film "Reefer Madness"? If not, I suggest that you do so). The newspaper industry back in those days was run by Randolph Hurst, & he was probably one of the biggest contributors to that blight on American liberty as well.
If Barney Fag is FOR it, then I must wear my opposition like a badge of HONOR!
. . . “when the choices involved have no negative effect on the rights of others”
No, of course not, Barney. No one’s ever died from a dope intoxicated driver . . .
W/ that line of thinking, it would make sense to criminalize tobacco. Personally, that wouldn't bother me on bit IF marijuana is going to remain illegal.
He never said that they haven't. The fact of the matter is the RESPONSIBLE marijuana use DOESN'T affect the rights of others. Driving under the influence of anything is irresponsible, & should remain against the law.
Here's something that could help you:
>>There is no doubt that inhaling smoke deeply into the lungs is not good for you<<
Ingest it.
Hopefully Frank will make this his cause de existence. Just keep his hands off the economy.
Re: Obama, he is at least the FIFTH President who is believed to have used marijuana in one way or another — & 3 of them are engraved on Mt. Rushmore!
Sorry, not buying it. People smoke dope to get high. It affects one’s judgment as well as boldness. To think that people, especially young ones, will act “responsibly” with a mind altering drug is naive. Make this stuff legal and that much more available and we’ll have more trouble than we know what to do with.
And yes, I’m speaking from experience. I also remember the days of 18 drinking age. There’s a reason why the alcohol rules had to be substantially tightened over the years. The same thing will happen, only much worse, if dope is legalized.
Hey Barn...don't you watch Weeds on Showtime? There are plenty of negative effects on people's rights. Like their right to LIFE! Making it legal will not get rid of gangs and illegal distribution.
"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,"
and yet he was a cosponsor of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h1256/show . Democraps, infinity hypocracy and impossible to describe my absolute disgust with them.
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.
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