cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Ordinance Defended Marijuana Ordinance Defended Posted by CN Staff on April 19, 2005 at 11:29:52 PT By Jim Rogers, Reporter Source: Maneater Missouri -- The president of the MU chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, a lobbying group that represents people who oppose marijuana prohibition, addressed the Columbia City Council Monday night, defending a marijuana ordinance voters passed in November. “It’s time for someone to send the right message to children and offer something other than mandatory minimums and more tax dollars wasted,” MU NORML President Bailey Hirschburg told the City Council on Monday night. “Proposition 2 did just that.” Hirschburg’s address was a response to the Columbia Police Officers Association’s attempt to have the marijuana-related ordinance repealed. The CPOA is trying to collect 2,900 signatures for a summertime ballot to repeal the ordinance. The smart sentencing ordinance, which was passed in November by 61 percent of voters, makes misdemeanor possession of marijuana punishable by a $250 fine instead of a $1,000 fine and possible jail time. The ordinance also refers cases to municipal court instead of state court. Columbia police officers have expressed reservations about the ordinance. In a February letter to city officials, CPOA President Sterling Infield asked for help “to squash this tainted ordinance” and linked marijuana to the fatal shooting of Columbia police officer Molly Bowden in January. Police found marijuana in the vehicle and home of Bowden’s shooter, Columbia resident Richard Evans, who also had several misdemeanor marijuana convictions. Columbia Police Chief Randy Boehm said he was concerned about the effects of the ordinance. Under the old law, repeat offenders could be referred to state court. Under the new ordinance, neither first-time nor repeat offenders can have their cases referred to the state court. “My main concern is we basically treat a first-time offender the same as a fifth-time offender,” Boehm said. Hirschburg responded to accusations that the ordinance eased restrictions on marijuana use by minors and drug dealers by noting that the bill explicitly refers to adults. “The purpose of this bill is that people shouldn’t use marijuana, but they shouldn’t lose their job or education because of it,” Hirschburg said. Although Hirschburg said he disagreed with the CPOA’s attempt to repeal the ordinance, he praised the law officers’ enforcement of the ordinance. “From Nov. 3 on, our police, our prosecutors and this council have respected the voters’ decision,” he said. CPOA is not targeting a medical marijuana ordinance, which also passed in November, but Boehm said he has reservations about that ordinance. “The definition of medical purpose and medical use is very broad,” Boehm said. Hirschburg is not alone in his concern about the CPOA’s attempts to have the bill repealed. Amanda Broz, a graduate student and former president of the MU chapter of NORML, said she is concerned about citizens possibly being pressured into signing the CPOA’s petition because plain-clothes police officers are circulating the petition. “I feel as though people may be intimidated into signing the petition,” Broz said.Source: Maneater, The (Columbia, MO Edu)Author: Jim Rogers, ReporterPublished: April 19, 2005Copyright: 2005 The ManeaterContact: forum themaneater.comWebsite: http://www.themaneater.com/Related Articles & Web Site:University of Missouri NORMLhttp://www.students.missouri.edu/~normlPolice Pot Petition Challengedhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20537.shtmlPot Law Returns To Arena http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20528.shtmlPolice Launch Petition Drive Against Pot Law http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20349.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #5 posted by potpal on April 20, 2005 at 06:01:50 PT Toker Which one? ;-) [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Toker00 on April 19, 2005 at 17:43:32 PT FoM Comment No. 1 The rest of the workers should strike because of this. These were their fellow workers for Truth's sake! This drug testing has got to stop. I wonder if they had any complaints about the workers performance on the job? It would be interesting to see how each "positive" employee ranked as a WORKER! Now here's a company to boycott! Keystone RV. Never forget it.Oddly enough, I like your suggestion potpal!Peace. Legalize, then Revolutionize! (medicine)(energy)(nutrition) [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by potpal on April 19, 2005 at 15:23:41 PT Pee for the man If we have to pee, then congress and their staffs ought to pee too. Write your representative state and federal and demand a urine sample.If you know your gonna fail the test, pee on the floor. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on April 19, 2005 at 14:10:04 PT DPA: An Audio Web Chat with Dr. Andrew Weil Thursday, April 28, 20053 PM PST / 6 PM ESTBest-selling author Andrew Weil, M.D., and Ethan Nadelmann will be online for an audio web chat on the revised and updated editions of From Chocolate to Morphine: Everything You Need to Know About Mind-Altering Drugs and The Natural Mind.Before Dr. Weil became known to tens of millions for his pioneering work and writing on integrative medicine, he was already highly regarded for his insightful writing about drugs. His first book, The Natural Mind, is one of the greatest books ever written about psychoactive drug use. It played an important role in shaping many people's thinking on the subject, and is widely regarded as a classic in the field. As for Chocolate to Morphine, which Andy co-authored with Winifred Rosen, there is simply no better drug education book -- both for young people and adults.Dr. Weil will be online to address your questions on a range of topics. Please email questions drugpolicy.org before April 28 to submit questions, and don't forget to bookmark this page and return on the chat date! http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/041205weilchat.cfm [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on April 19, 2005 at 11:49:57 PT News Article About Drug Testing from The AP Third of Plant's Workers Lose Jobs After Failing Drug Tests April 19, 2005 Goshen, Ind. - About 40 employees at a plant that makes travel trailers lost their jobs after they tested positive for illegal drugs, company officials said.Keystone RV Co. Inc. tested all 120 employees at Plant No. 304, one of the company's 20 plants in Goshen, after receiving a tip from police. Nearly one-third tested positive for marijuana, cocaine, amphetamine or methamphetamine during the plantwide drug screening April 11, the company said.Testing positive for one or more of the illegal drugs is grounds for dismissal at Keystone.Keystone, which makes travel trailers and fifth wheels under several brand names, is a subsidiary of Jackson Center, Ohio-based Thor Industries and is the largest employer in Elkhart County with about 3,000 workers at all of its plants. The company also has two plants in Oregon."There was some feedback from the police that one of our plants was having troubles with drugs. We responded to this," Keystone president Ron Fenech said.Company spokesman Ken Julian said it was the first time Keystone had tested all the workers at one plant at the same time.Workers at the plant about 20 miles east of South Bend were sent home for the day with pay after occupational health care staff took urine samples from them. The factory resumed normal production the following day.A police officer was on hand in case of problems, but Julian said the tests went smoothly.Workers were informed of the preliminary test results immediately, and the samples then were sent to the South Bend Medical Foundation for confirmation, he said."Those who tested positive were put on unpaid leave until we got confirmation," he said. http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/11429313.htm [ Post Comment ] Post Comment