cannabisnews.com: House Rejects Marijuana-Meth Bill House Rejects Marijuana-Meth Bill Posted by CN Staff on February 02, 2006 at 08:47:35 PT By Andrew Petty, Juneau Empire Source: Juneau Empire Alaska -- The Alaska House rejected on Wednesday a bill that aims to penalize marijuana use and curb home manufacturing of methamphetamines. But the bill is far from dead.Last week, the Senate passed what began as a bill that would make it harder for meth cookers to buy over-the-counter drugs that are necessary ingredients in producing the drug. To move two other bills dealing with marijuana and steroid use faster through the legislative process, the Senate combined several bills into one. It has since been nicknamed the "meth-ijuana" bill.Because the House approved House Bill 149 last session, the bill must go through a conference committee to settle the differences.Several Republican lawmakers joined the Democrats in defeating the Senate's version 15-23. Some said their "nay" vote was in protest of the Senate combining the bills. The marijuana legislation was only heard in one House committee and did not advance further."This is a bicameral Legislature," said House Minority Leader Ethan Berkowitz, D-Anchorage. "We can't surrender the role we have just because it's easier."Many representatives voted against the bill because it wasn't tough enough on meth. The House's original version called for pharmacists to keep log books that customers would need to sign when buying over-the-counter drugs containing pseudoephedrine, such as the cold medicine Sudafed.Rep. Harry Crawford, D-Anchorage, said there was an outcry from policemen across the state when they heard the provision was removed by the Senate."Those lists are substantial tools in the deterrent effort, as well as the seizure of methamphetamine labs and prosecution of their operators," wrote Lt. Thomas Remaley, of the Palmer Police Department, in a letter sent to Crawford's office.Other states passed laws requiring the record-keeping, Remaley added.Juneau's House delegation was split on the vote.Rep. Beth Kerttula, D-Juneau, voted against the measure and said the provisions concerning marijuana need to be heard in House committees and the amendments made to the meth portion are bad for police and pharmacy customers."It's not because I want to see marijuana or meth being used," Kerttula said.Also, as an attorney, Kerttula said she doubts the bill is strong enough to overturn a 31-year-old Alaska Supreme Court ruling that said state residents can possess up to 4 ounces of marijuana under a right to privacy granted in the Alaska Constitution.Rep. Bruce Weyhrauch, R-Juneau, who voted in support of the bill, said legislation on meth is needed as soon as possible."My hope is to get some strong measures for meth on the books," he said.The three members appointed to the House conference committee all said they will use the opportunity to reinsert the provision about log books.Crawford said he doubts the conference committee will bust the bill into separate parts dealing with each drug, like several Democrat lawmakers are suggesting. The committee will likely have two Republicans and one Democrat from each chamber.House Majority Leader John Coghill, R-North Pole, said the committee would probably not change any language that deals with marijuana. The bill calls for making possession of marijuana up to 4 ounces a misdemeanor and above 4 ounces a felony.If the bill is passed and signed into law, Assistant Attorney General Dean Guaneli said the Department of Law will use the bill to try to overturn the Supreme Court ruling. Guaneli said the department would make an arrest and use the case to challenge the court, hoping new findings in the bill will be used as evidence to overturn the historic ruling.Coghill said the first conference committee meeting could be 10 to 15 days away.Sidebar: Differences between the house and senate for house bill 149:House Version:• customers who purchase over-the-counter drugs containing sole active ingredient of meth must sign a log book and show a government-issued photo id.Senate Version:• customers must show a government-issued photo id when purchasing over-the-counter drugs containing the sole active ingredient of meth. log books are not required.• those under the age of 18 are not allowed to buy over-the-counter drugs containing the sole active ingredient of meth.• includes findings that say marijuana is addictive and more potent than it was 30 years ago.• any possession of marijuana is punishable by a misdemeanor or felony. Note: Issue remains alive as it goes to conference committee on differences. Source: Juneau Empire (AK)Author: Andrew Petty, Juneau EmpirePublished: February 02, 2006Copyright: 2006 Southeastern Newspaper CorpWebsite: http://www.juneauempire.com/Contact: letterstotheeditor juneauempire.comRelated Articles:Legislation on Meth, Marijuana is Easy Call http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21540.shtmlMarijuana Bill Passes on Reconsideration Vote http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21521.shtmlBill Mixing Marijuana, Methamphetamine Advanceshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21500.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #16 posted by b4daylight on February 02, 2006 at 18:23:29 PT OMG? yea "My hope is to get some strong measures for meth on the books," he said.Why do politicians have to be strong?like you can beat meth up or something.Or as if terror is listening to Mr. Bush. See they way you solve the problem is change the people.These people want to just change Ideology and forgot about people. [ Post Comment ] Comment #15 posted by FoM on February 02, 2006 at 18:05:14 PT whig It isn't available on a DVD yet but I probably would like to see it since that one scene impressed me. I don't read books or I'd try the book. I did lousy in school with books. I loved Botany and Religious Philosophy though.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brave_New_World [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by FoM on February 02, 2006 at 17:45:28 PT Whig Thank you. I'll go see if I can get it from Amazon. I only remember one scene in the movie and I don't even remember where I saw it but it stuck in my head. Someone was telling the people not to get in line to get the medicine or something close to that. [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by whig on February 02, 2006 at 17:38:14 PT FoM Soma is the drug in Brave New World (Aldous Huxley). [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by FoM on February 02, 2006 at 17:23:08 PT mayan Yes it is disgusting. There was a movie that a drug called Soma was in it. I can't remember the movie but that's what came to my mind when I read about this vaccine. [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by mayan on February 02, 2006 at 17:06:16 PT FoM You're right. We would know no sorrow or happiness. We would simply be unemotional robots willing to serve our masters. That's the whole idea. There are those in high places who believe that the masses shouldn't have the right to think for themselves. Isn't that disgusting? [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by FoM on February 02, 2006 at 13:59:49 PT siege Now I'm crying. What a beautiful story. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by siege on February 02, 2006 at 13:53:39 PT Shay What would you do? You make the choice! Don't look for a punch line; There isn't one! Read it anyway. My question to all of you is: Would you have made the same choice?At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning disabled children,the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question:"When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?"The audience was stilled by the query.The father continued. "I believe,that when a child like Shay, physically and mentally handicapped comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes, in the way other people treat that child."Then he told the following story:Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked,"Do you think they'll let me play?" Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if hi s son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play, not expecting much. The boy looked around for guidance and said, "We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning."Shay struggled over to the team's bench put on a team shirt with a broad smile and his Father had a small tear in his eye and warmth in his heart. The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible 'cause Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing the other team putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least be able to make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.The game would now be over, but the pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the head of the first baseman, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, "Shay, run to first! Run to first!" Never in his life had Shay ever ran that far but made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second!" Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to second base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball, the smallest guy on their team, who had a chance to be the hero for his team for the first time. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions and he too intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home.All were screaming, "Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay"Shay reached third base, the opposing shortstop ran to help him and turned him in the direction of third base, and shouted, "Run to third! Shay, run to third" As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams and those watching were on their feet were screaming, "Shay, run home! Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the "grand slam" and won the game for his team.That day, said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world.Shay didn't make it to another summer and died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his Father so happy and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!AND, NOW A LITTLE FOOTNOTE TO THIS STORY: We all send thousands of jokes through the e-mail without a second thought, but when it comes to sending messages about life choices, people think twice about sharing. The crude, vulgar, and often obscene pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion about decency is too often suppressed in our schools and workplaces.If you're thinking about forwarding this message,chances are that you're probably sorting out the people on your address list that aren't the "appropriate" ones to receive this type of message. Well, the person who sent you this believes that we all can make a difference. We all have thousands of opportunities every single day to help realize the "natural order of things." So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice: Do we pass along a little spark of love and humanity or do we pass up that opportunity to brighten the day of those with us the least able, and leave the world a little bit colder in the process?A wise man once said every society is judged by how it treats it's least fortunate amongst them.You now have two choices: 1. Delete 2. Forward May your day, be a Shay Day,sunny today tomorrow & always!Angelmouse [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by FoM on February 02, 2006 at 13:38:19 PT Vaccine If people would use this vaccine to stop one of the mentioned substances would it also take away a person's joy when something good happens. Would a person lose their personality? Wouldn't that cause depression if that happened? [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by mastercy on February 02, 2006 at 13:32:31 PT Drug Vaccines This is the most Orwellian sounding things I have ever heard of. Basically what these vaccines do is permanently alter ones basic brain chemistry. That is a terrbile idea. Your brain has such receptor sites for a reason. God help us if they ever try and force these on the public in the name of keeping kids off drugs. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by runruff on February 02, 2006 at 13:17:52 PT: Fed animal control. So now I guess the DEA stands for Dog Emigration Agency.Finally a job they are more suited for. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by FoM on February 02, 2006 at 12:30:07 PT Dr Ganj I saw that about the puppies on CNN. I hope they catch the people responsible for such a thing. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Dr Ganj on February 02, 2006 at 12:05:45 PT Implanted Heroin In Puppies As to Alaska, they need to have two different bills. Combining anti-meth legislation with trying to limit the amount of marijuana one can possess in Alaska is just plain wrong.Now, here's another story from CNN, and it goes to show all of us that if you make anything illegal, and there is money to be made, nothing is sacred anymore. Smugglers will do just about anything to get their drugs across the border. They'll dig tunnels, they'll design submarines, and they'll even surgically implant packets of drugs in unsuspecting puppies! So, you tell me, how can all this be stopped with harsher laws, more funding, bigger prisons, more high-tech equipment? Correct. It can't be stopped using those techniques. However, it can be stopped if all the drug laws were repealed. In a short amount of time, all the crime, murders, and mayhem associated with this failed drug war would be gone! Drug users would be given pure drugs, funding would be available for treatment programs, and for the truly addicted, new vaccines would be given, and all effects of drugs would not occur at all! Yes, it's true. Scientists are working on vaccines that will nullify the effects of cocaine, methampetamine, heroin, and even nicotine. So you see, there won't be a reason for a drug war in a few years, except so many people have become *addicted to the drug war itself*- and that's why it makes it so difficult to end. Prisons, cops, jailers, judges, attorneys-well, you get my point. Sometimes the remedy is so clear and easy, nobody wants to try that solution. So here we keep on going, trying to stop drugs from coming in from everywhere, and the flow can't be stopped because we can't find every tunnel. We can't search every person, and we certainly can't x-ray every animal coming across our borders! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Narcs nab drug-smuggling puppies DEA: Dogs' bellies were cut open, heroin was placed inside By Eliott C. McLaughlin CNN(CNN) -- A two-year investigation into a Colombian heroin ring netted more than 65 pounds of drugs, resulted in the arrests of more than 20 people and saved the lives of some drug-smuggling Labrador retrievers, the Drug Enforcement Agency said Wednesday. Ten wayward pups were found during a raid on a Colombian farm in 2005, and six of them were carrying more than 3 kilograms (6.6 pounds) of liquid heroin in their stomachs, said DEA spokesman Rusty Payne.Puppy smugglers are another take on the human "mule," or "swallower" in DEA parlance -- someone who ingests packets of drugs and transports them in their stomachs.In the case of the puppies found during the 2005 raid, the dogs' bellies had been cut open, and heroin packets were stitched into their stomachs, Payne said. The pups, mostly purebred Labrador retrievers, were sewn back up and prepared for shipment to the United States, he added. (Watch how the dogs became mules -- 1:18)"The organization's outrageous and heinous smuggling method of implanting heroin inside puppies is a true indication of the extent that drug dealers go to make their profit," said Special Agent in Charge John Gilbride in a written statement.Though the 10 dogs were rescued before being shipped, it wasn't enough to save all of their lives."Three of the six died of infection when the drugs were removed," Payne said, adding that four other puppies "were going to be used and obviously were saved."Payne said the DEA did not announce its find after the raid because the investigation was still ongoing, but Wednesday, the two-year probe yielded 18 search warrants in six Colombian cities and landed the latest of 21 arrests, all Colombian nationals. Another arrest was made during the investigation in North Carolina, said DEA spokeswoman Erin Mulvey.In addition to the arrests, the investigation led to 14 heroin seizures, totaling 24 kilograms (52.8 pounds), and a seizure of 6 kilograms (13.2 pounds) of cocaine.The investigation began after agents learned of a cartel in Medellin, Colombia, that was smuggling drugs along the eastern seaboard from Miami, Florida, to New York City.The cartel also used human couriers, the DEA said in a statement, and shipped the heroin in "body creams, aerosol cans, pressed into bead shapes, and sewn into the lining of purses and double-sided luggage." http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/02/01/drug.pups/index.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by FoM on February 02, 2006 at 08:59:33 PT Related Article from KTVA.com House Rejects Drug Bill Changes***Associated Press February 01, 2006 The Alaska House today rejected the Senate's changes to a drug bill that would have rolled into one measure new laws on marijuana, methamphetamines and steroids. The bill was sent back to the Senate on a 15-to-23 vote. The Senate can rescind from its changes or else a conference committee will be appointed to come up with a compromise. The House passed the bill 33-to-0 last year when it was simply a measure to make it more difficult to buy the ingredients used to manufacture methamphetamine. But the Senate Finance Committee, when it received the measure, tacked on a marijuana bill that was a priority of Governor Murkowski. The marijuana bill seeks harsher penalties for marijuana possession and is an attempt to overturn a 31-year-old court decision that allows small amounts of marijuana in the home. The Senate also removed a requirement that a person sign a logbook when buying a methamphetamine precursor like Sudafed. Several House members say that stripped the bill of its effectiveness. Others objected to the marijuana provisions, saying it was an infringement on the right to privacy. Still others who voted no today objected to the Senate's inclusion of provisions that had not been fully vetted by House committees. Copyright: 2006 Alaska Broadcasting Company, Inc.http://www.ktva.com/topstory/ci_3465358 [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on February 02, 2006 at 08:54:17 PT Snipped Source: Anchorage Daily News Senate's Drug Bill Tweaks Die in House ***REJECTED: Adding marijuana provision to meth-fighting effort unites opponents of both. Published: February 2, 2006 JUNEAU -- The Alaska House of Representatives on Wednesday rejected a bill that would make possession of small amounts of marijuana a crime. The Senate added the marijuana provision to a House bill that was aimed at thwarting production of methamphetamine in home labs.But the Senate also removed a key element of the methamphetamine part of the bill. And that raised concerns among several lawmakers who supported the original measure and drew objections from police agencies throughout the state.House members rejected the Senate's changes 23 to 15."I thought we did some excellent work, bipartisan work, and it's come back as a Christmas tree," Rep. Harry Crawford, D-Anchorage, said on the House floor before casting his vote against the revised bill."I believe the trunk of the Christmas tree is rotten now, and I'm not buying it," Crawford said.The House last year, by a vote of 33-0, passed a bill, HB 149, that would have restricted the sale of certain over-the-counter cold medicines such as Sudafed that contain ingredients than can be used to make methamphetamine, a highly addictive stimulant.It would have limited an individual's purchases of such drugs to about three regular-sized packages per month and require buyers to show identification and sign a logbook at the store, which would be made available to police.The Murkowski administration has wanted to recriminalize marijuana, since the Alaska Supreme Court in 2004 ruled it legal for adults to possess up to 4 ounces of the drug at home under the state constitution's guarantee of citizens' strong right to privacy from government interference.The governor has proposed legislation that would make possession of up to 4 ounces of pot a misdemeanor. Having more than 4 ounces would be a felony, a more serious crime.Complete Article: http://www.adn.com/front/story/7410644p-7322664c.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on February 02, 2006 at 08:48:14 PT Thank Goodness For small miracles. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment