cannabisnews.com: Bill Just Smoke, Lawmakers Say Bill Just Smoke, Lawmakers Say Posted by CN Staff on January 20, 2005 at 21:40:15 PT By Josh Flory of the Tribune’s Staff Source: Columbia Daily Tribune Jefferson City -- The Hickman-Rock Bridge football game? Move it out of town. The MFA Oil/Break Time Shootout? Not in Columbia. The state high school wrestling championships at the University of Missouri-Columbia? Up in smoke.Those events and others would become political victims under an unusual bill filed yesterday by a state legislator irked by Columbia’s new marijuana laws. Sen. Chuck Gross, R-St. Charles, introduced a measure that would prohibit any public K-12 schools from participating in sporting events in cities that allow medicinal marijuana or limit penalties to $250 for misdemeanor possession offenses. In November, Columbia voters approved a pair of propositions that match those criteria. "I think it’s a bad message to send off to kids: ‘Hey, come to Columbia, you can bring your pot with you,’ " Gross told The Associated Press. He could not be reached this morning by the Tribune. The lawmaker said his goal was to prevent regional or state tournaments from being held in Columbia, not to prohibit Columbia schools from participating in sports. But the bill he filed stipulates that no public school shall participate "in any sporting event or athletic tournament" held in a city with marijuana laws such as those in Columbia.Besides forcing local teams to play out of town, Gross’ bill also would eliminate a major economic draw for the city. High school athletic tournaments such as the state basketball and wrestling championships - which in the past have been held at Hearnes Center - draw thousands of fans from all corners of Missouri to Columbia’s hotels and restaurants.Edward Baker of Executive Hotel Management, which owns the Holiday Inn Select Executive Center in Columbia, said the bill would be "absolutely devastating" for the city’s hospitality and retail industries. While the financial impact on Columbia would be substantial, it seems unlikely that Gross’ bill will gain much traction.Rep. Ed Robb, R-Columbia, this morning was dismissive of the bill, saying it came from the "cave of the winds over on the Senate side.""It’s not an idea that I think anybody supports," Robb said. "You never know why some people do what they do."Sen. Chuck Graham, D-Columbia, said the measure falls under the category of "silly bills." "I don’t really think that the" General Assembly "has any authority or business telling the" state "activities association where they can and can’t have their tournaments," Graham said.Attorney Dan Viets, a proponent of Columbia’s new laws, said Gross’ bill is ridiculous, irrational and mean-spirited. "I think it’s … attempting to punish kids throughout the state of Missouri because the city of Columbia passed a law that Chuck Gross doesn’t like," he said.Medicinal marijuana remains illegal under state and federal law, and three of the four law enforcement agencies that operate in Columbia have said they will continue referring certain misdemeanor possession cases to the prosecuting attorney, who enforces the more stringent state law.Note: Measure targets Columbia over pot laws.Source: Columbia Daily Tribune (MO)Author: Josh Flory of the Tribune’s Staff Published: Thursday, January 20, 2005Copyright: 2005 Columbia Daily TribuneContact: editor tribmail.comWebsite: http://www.columbiatribune.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Missouri NORMLhttp://www.gstlnorml.org/Senator Seeks To Penalize City for MJ Lawshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20140.shtmlMarijuana Measures Pass Handily http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19765.shtml Both Pot Propositions Pass by a Large Marginhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19763.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #5 posted by John Tyler on January 23, 2005 at 09:00:55 PT bad legislation This type of legislation is nothing but political blackmail and does nothing to help the progress of Freedom and Liberty. This guy is a freedom-hater. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Robbie on January 21, 2005 at 09:04:24 PT Unbelievable Next, he'll ban anyone from doing commerce in Columbia. Next, he'll arrest anyone living there. Why doesn't he just ask his buddy-boy George to Fallujah the place? [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by dongenero on January 21, 2005 at 07:08:57 PT kaptinemo "Gross reminds me of the comic, classic, brain-damaged bad guy who holds a gun to his own head and threatens to shoot himself if he doesn't get his way. The problem is the bullet is liable to pass through him and hit his equally clueless supporters standing beside him."Well, we can always hope, can't we ? [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by mayan on January 21, 2005 at 05:24:49 PT King of the Dolts I think it's great that Senator Gross has filed this bill! Everyone and their mothers can now see just how idiotic these prohibitionists are! Unbelievable.Here are a couple articles to chew on...San Leandro extends ban on new marijuana clinics - City won't decide until Nov. 2006 whether to allow new dispensaries: http://www.insidebayarea.com/timesstar/localnews/ci_2532416Senior Drug Addicts Increasing: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2005-01-21-senior-addicts_x.htm [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by kaptinemo on January 21, 2005 at 04:38:23 PT: In a nutshell, why sanctions don't work What Mr. Gross is suggesting is in microcosm what The US has been emptily threatening Canada with. And it will fail for the exact same reason: profits.*Besides forcing local teams to play out of town, Gross’ bill also would eliminate a major economic draw for the city. High school athletic tournaments such as the state basketball and wrestling championships - which in the past have been held at Hearnes Center - draw thousands of fans from all corners of Missouri to Columbia’s hotels and restaurants. Edward Baker of Executive Hotel Management, which owns the Holiday Inn Select Executive Center in Columbia, said the bill would be "absolutely devastating" for the city’s hospitality and retail industries.*Right there. There is the real reason why such legislation - and threats by this Administration towards closing the Canadian border due to Canuck 'liberalization' of cannabis - won't work. Too much money is at stake. And you can bet that the vast majority of businessmen in this country are Republican; you think they'll sit still for a border closure due to anti-drug policy when their precious profits are endangered? They'll cheerlead for a policy of anti-drug measures, but when it begins to get personal, when it starts to bite into their profit margins, they'll be on the horn to their Republican representatives to cut it out within a day.Gross reminds me of the comic, classic, brain-damaged bad guy who holds a gun to his own head and threatens to shoot himself if he doesn't get his way. The problem is the bullet is liable to pass through him and hit his equally clueless supporters standing beside him. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment