H.R. 5843, the Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2008

[Milton Bradley]

Drug Policy Alliance Action Center: Drug Policy Alliance Action Center

The first federal marijuana decriminalization bill in 25 years was just introduced in Congress. Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) and Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) introduced H.R. 5843, the “Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2008,” which would decriminalize possession of marijuana for personal use. Please urge your representative to support this important legislation. Take action now. Last year alone the police made almost 830,000 arrests for marijuana law offenses in the United States. 89 percent of those arrests were for posssession for personal use. Those arrested were seperated from their families, branded criminals, and in many cases fired from their jobs and denied school loans and other public assistance. The arrests cost taxpayers billions of dollars and consumed an estimated 4.5 million law enforcment hours (that’s the equivalent of taking 112,500 law enforcement officers off the streets). H.R. 5843 would make it legal under federal law for adults to possess up to 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of marijuana for personal use. It would also allow not-for-profit transfers of up to one ounce of marijuana between consenting adults. Please urge your member of Congress to support this bill. Our executive director, Ethan Nadelmann, made a powerful case for ending marijuana prohibition in a 2004 cover story in National Review (PDF). More Information --In 1972 a special commission formed by Congress and President Richard Nixon concluded that punitive marijuana laws do more harm than good. Among other things, the National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse urged states and the federal government to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana for personal use. Twelve states eventually did, but most states and the federal government ignored the report. You can read the National Commission’s 1972 report here. --Since 1972 twelve states have decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana for personal use: Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Ohio, and Oregon. Decriminalization generally means people caught possessing marijuana for personal use are not subjected to imprisonment for at least their first offense, although they may be subject to a small fine. --A 2001 Zogby poll found that 61 percent of Americans oppose arresting and jailing nonviolent marijuana smokers. A 2002 Time/CNN poll found that 72 percent of Americans think people arrested for marijuana possession should face fines and not jail time. --A study that examined arrest statistics for smoking or possessing marijuana in public in New York City from 1980 through 2006 found that blacks were four times as likely as whites to receive jail time for possession of marijuana. Hispanics were three times as likely. In 2002 about 2.4 percent of all marijuana users were arrested for marijuana possession. The arrest rate for blacks was 94 percent higher.

I urge you all to write your local, state and national representatives to support this legislation, and stop wrongly imprisoning and discriminating against responsible adults users of a drug that is less harmful than most of the additives in the food you consume daily.


Go here to show your support, and contact your Representative.
https://secure2.convio.net/dpa/site/...rAction&id=209

[caphis]

H.R. 5843 would make it legal under federal law for adults to possess up to 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of marijuana for personal use. It would also allow not-for-profit transfers of up to one ounce of marijuana between consenting adults. Please urge your member of Congress to support this bill.

Heh. "My drug dealer ripped me off by overcharging for his pot."

How about some legislation which would actually allow the cultivation and sale?

[Milton Bradley]

Quote by: caphis How about some legislation which would actually allow the cultivation and sale?

I agree with you there, but, at this juncture, I'm content to go about this one step at a time. The first step being the most critical.


That's why I urge you to support this legislation.


It couldn't be any easier, as I have already provided the link. All you do is sign your name, and click send.

[caphis]

Oh, I completely 100% support the bill. I'm not sure if it'll get the traction it needs to be successful with everything else going on right now, but the fact that it's out there is definitely step 1.

Should it pass, it'll be interesting to see what follows on the state level.

[HelioPrime]

Yes lets make it easy for kids to throw away their lives and future by becoming potheads.

After all its not our job to try and help kids, they should be responsible for themselves.

I think NOT.

I'm sure this bill is going nowhere but I think i'll look up how to contact our local congresspeeps and let them know one citizen doesn't approve. My parents would like to send in their own thoughts as well. I think this might be a first for us.

[caphis]

Quote by: HelioPrime Yes lets make it easy for kids to throw away their lives and future by becoming potheads. After all its not our job to try and help kids, they should be responsible for themselves. I think NOT. I'm sure this bill is going nowhere but I think i'll look up how to contact our local congresspeeps and let them know one citizen doesn't approve. my parents are going to send their own messages as well. This will be a first for our family!

The bill does nothing more than remove federal sanctions against personal marijuana possession. It won't make it legal for your kids to obtain or possess pot anymore than they can cigarettes.

Fact is, anyone of any age can get their hands on pot right now, if they want to. The fact that it's illegal isn't stopping anyone from doing so; in fact, it's probably making it more dangerous. Shady drug deals happen in back alleys and people are killed over it. Every day.

Nothing right now prevents your kids from throwing away their lives and becoming raging alcoholics, or nicotine addicted cigarette smokers. There is an onus on the parent to provide responsible upbringing. Laws help, but what you do and say to your kid is always going to matter more.

This bill won't make it any easier for your kids to get or possess pot than it already is. This bill will do a lot to protect the adults who make the choice to engage in recreational pot smoking. As an added bonus, if states follow suit, your local police will be able to spend less time tracking down Johnny Smokesablunt and spend more time focusing on harder drugs that will do more to screw up your kid's future than pot will.

[HelioPrime]

Quote by: caphis Fact is, anyone of any age can get their hands on pot right now, if they want to. The fact that it's illegal isn't stopping anyone from doing so; in fact, it's probably making it more dangerous. Shady drug deals happen in back alleys and people are killed over it. Every day.

Just because they can get their hands on it doesn't make it any less harmful or illegal. And on the mention of cigarettes and guns they should be legally restricted to the point of ban on manufacture and possession as well.

This bill won't make it any easier for your kids to get or possess pot than it already is. This bill will do a lot to protect the adults who make the choice to engage in recreational pot smoking. As an added bonus, if states follow suit, your local police will be able to spend less time tracking down Johnny Smokesablunt and spend more time focusing on harder drugs that will do more to screw up your kid's future than pot will.

If the libertarians like RP get their way with this then sure to follow is the legalization of cocaine and other drugs all under the fairytale assumption it will reduce crime and somehow benefit the country. No, this should be stopped dead in its tracks. This is the just the first step in the direction of saying the government doesn't have a right to better people's lives.

[Chaossaber314]

I don't really have an opinion one way or the other on this. It in no way infringes on States rights to ban what they want.

[JaneDoe321]

Quote by: HelioPrime This is the just the first step in the direction of saying the government doesn't have a right to better people's lives.

Hm. I *don't* think the gov't has a right to "better" people's lives. This is the government who decided to rename FRIED POTATOES and thought that was a meaningful gesture. You want THEM deciding what's "better"?!

[Charlatan]

So when is other drugs going to become legal, the chemical ones? Can't wait!

[caphis]

Quote by: HelioPrime If the libertarians like RP get their way with this then sure to follow is the legalization of cocaine and other drugs all under the fairytale assumption it will reduce crime and somehow benefit the country. No, this should be stopped dead in its tracks. This is the just the first step in the direction of saying the government doesn't have a right to better people's lives.

No, you're trying to build a slippery slope when none exists. Legalization of the more dangerous drugs isn't "sure to follow" by any means. Few people understand the nature of the drugs we're discussing; marijuana isn't comparable to cocaine or heroin in its formation of addiction, potential for abuse, and potential for lethal overdose.

The government really doesn't have a right to better people's lives. Have we lost all sense of individual responsibility?

[Chaossaber314]

Quote by: caphis No, you're trying to build a slippery slope when none exists. Legalization of the more dangerous drugs isn't "sure to follow" by any means. Few people understand the nature of the drugs we're discussing; marijuana isn't comparable to cocaine or heroin in its formation of addiction, potential for abuse, and potential for lethal overdose. The government really doesn't have a right to better people's lives. Have we lost all sense of individual responsibility?

These two paragraphs are contradictory. If the government doesn't have a right to restrict things in order to better peoples' lives than all drugs including the ones even you have deemed dangerous should be legalized as well.

[another day]

Quote by: HelioPrime Yes lets make it easy for kids to throw away their lives and future by becoming potheads. After all its not our job to try and help kids, they should be responsible for themselves. I think NOT. I'm sure this bill is going nowhere but I think i'll look up how to contact our local congresspeeps and let them know one citizen doesn't approve. My parents would like to send in their own thoughts as well. I think this might be a first for us.

I'm only glad authoritarian fascists like you are in the minority.

Alot of people are against marijuana legalization, but thankfully it's at least due to old brainwashing which can be reversed... Unfortunately you on the other hand are a stone cold fascist with a lust for the government having an iron grip on the lives of men.

[grandpa]

Quote by: another day I'm only glad authoritarian fascists like you are in the minority. Alot of people are against marijuana legalization, but thankfully it's at least due to old brainwashing which can be reversed...

Well, the government needs a minority class, and the drug war always was a discriminatory venture.

Grandpa h.

[caphis]

Quote by: Chaossaber314 These two paragraphs are contradictory. If the government doesn't have a right to restrict things in order to better peoples' lives than all drugs including the ones even you have deemed dangerous should be legalized as well.

They're not contradictory. The first points out the fallacious argument that a slippery slope will form if we start getting soft on marijuana.

The second is merely opinion and has little to do with the first. The government has clearly exerted a right to better people's lives, though I disagree that they should be doing that to begin with.

[Osborn F Enready]

Helio said: I'm sure this bill is going nowhere but I think i'll look up how to contact our local congresspeeps and let them know one citizen doesn't approve. My parents would like to send in their own thoughts as well. I think this might be a first for us.

What will be a first? Thinking?

[trobd]

Understand the bill and reasoning behind it before you criticize it.

When a significant percentage of society favors a drug, prohibition of the drug will fail. We saw that with alcohol. By legalizing it we can regulate and tax it. This bill paves the way for bringing tax money in instead spending it. It will allow much better control of users and usage. The repeal of alcohol prohibition brought about a big drop in accidents and sales to minors. It will greatly reduce crime, as the repeal of alcohol prohibition did.

Seriously, just look at the reasons and effects of the repeal of the prohibition of alcohol before you criticize this. Those that don't understand history are doomed to repeat it.

Don't vote for this because you like cannabis. Vote for it because you want a more effective solution.

Know that this won't happen for other drugs, because they don't have the widespread acceptance that marijuana has.

As an additional incentive, this paves the way for industrial hemp. Hemp is a more environmentally friendly choice of a biofuel than other crops such as corn and also makes a great fabric.

[LadiesMan217]

This bill will take half of the fun out of smoking pot, the fact that it is illegal makes it more exciting.

[Jack]

Two things concern me.

“Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2008,”

That sentence is poorly punctuated.

I think this is a trap. The government knows, just does every stoner, that after a few hits you hardly fit the bill of a responsible adult. So this bill would only protect you for the first couple of hits, at which point you become totally irresponsible and therefore disqualified to posses. You'll have to smoke all you've got in about three good drags, which isn't exactly impossible. Then you're OK because in most states, I believe being under the influence itself isn't a violation. It's just a law imposing inconvenience. Not onerous, annoying.

[triad]

Quote by: HelioPrime Just because they can get their hands on it doesn't make it any less harmful or illegal. And on the mention of cigarettes and guns they should be legally restricted to the point of ban on manufacture and possession as well.

huh? 'Less harmful or illegal.'

What are YOU smoking?? Obviously not pot because not even that would affect someone's ability to comprehend such a simple concept.

Here you go, helio:

Pot: Not-so-bad

Cocaine: HIGHLY and EXTREMELY 'bad'.


Wrap your head around the fact that banning something that is recreational and banning something that is dangerous and destructive are two different things. If weed is legalized, nothing changes... because the people that smoke pot now will continue to do so at a lesser risk of being arrested and the people that don't smoke it will probably continue not to. What harm is done?

Legalize cocaine and the streets will be flooded with it because people that abuse it are more likely to be dangerous to society... and visible.

If the libertarians like RP get their way with this then sure to follow is the legalization of cocaine and other drugs all under the fairytale assumption it will reduce crime and somehow benefit the country. No, this should be stopped dead in its tracks. This is the just the first step in the direction of saying the government doesn't have a right to better people's lives.

The government doesn't have rights, the people do. The government has responsibilities, one is to prevent crime... and if marijuana being illegal is taking up too much of law-enforcement's capacity, and more and more people agree that weed really isn't that bad, then to hell with the law that banned it in the first place!


I recall posts of you talking about being 'inebriated' and other times you've talked about your alcohol abuse. You don't think thats wrong?? With your strong opinion against weed, you should also agree that alcohol should be illegal. Anyone that knows anything about weed and alcohol knows that the way they affect someone's societal behaviors are similar.


Wake up and smell the bud, man... you're living in the past.