cannabisnews.com: Question 2: Possession of MJ Decriminalization
Question 2: Possession of MJ Decriminalization
Posted by CN Staff on October 25, 2008 at 09:15:30 PT
By Massachusetts Secretary of State
Source: Winchester Star
Winchester, MA -- This proposed law would replace the criminal penalties for possession of one ounce or less of marijuana with a new system of civil penalties, to be enforced by issuing citations, and would exclude information regarding this civil offense from the state’s criminal record information system. Offenders age 18 or older would be subject to forfeiture of the marijuana plus a civil penalty of $100. Offenders under the age of 18 would be subject to the same forfeiture and, if they complete a drug awareness program within one year of the offense, the same $100 penalty.
Offenders under 18 and their parents or legal guardian would be notified of the offense and the option for the offender to complete a drug awareness program developed by the state Department of Youth Services. Such programs would include 10 hours of community service and at least four hours of instruction or group discussion concerning the use and abuse of marijuana and other drugs and emphasizing early detection and prevention of substance abuse.The penalty for offenders under 18 who fail to complete such a program within one year could be increased to as much as $1,000, unless the offender showed an inability to pay, an inability to participate in such a program, or the unavailability of such a program. Such an offender's parents could also be held liable for the increased penalty. Failure by an offender under 17 to complete such a program could also be a basis for a delinquency proceeding. PDF: Question 2 Pros and Cons: http://media.townonline.com/winchester/Ballot2proscons.pdfThe proposed law would define possession of one ounce or less of marijuana as including possession of one ounce or less of tetrahydrocannibinol ("THC"), or having metabolized products of marijuana or THC in one’s body.Under the proposed law, possessing an ounce or less of marijuana could not be grounds for state or local government entities imposing any other penalty, sanction, or disqualification, such as denying student financial aid, public housing, public financial assistance including unemployment benefits, the right to operate a motor vehicle, or the opportunity to serve as a foster or adoptive parent. The proposed law would allow local ordinances or bylaws that prohibit the public use of marijuana, and would not affect existing laws, practices, or policies concerning operating a motor vehicle or taking other actions while under the influence of marijuana, unlawful possession of prescription forms of marijuana, or selling, manufacturing, or trafficking in marijuana.The money received from the new civil penalties would go to the city or town where the offense occurred.A YES VOTE would replace the criminal penalties for possession of one ounce or less of marijuana with a new system of civil penalties: http://www.sensiblemarijuanapolicy.org/A NO VOTE would make no change in state criminal laws concerning possession of marijuana: http://www.noquestion2.org/Source: Massachusetts Secretary of StateSource: Winchester Star (MA)Published: October 24, 2008Copyright: 2008 GateHouse Media, Inc.Contact: winchester cnc.comWebsite: http://www.wickedlocal.com/winchester/Related Articles & Web Site:Committee for Sensible Marijuana Policyhttp://www.sensiblemarijuanapolicy.org/Half of Voters Want Marijuana Decriminalizedhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread24255.shtmlHub Rips Cops Featured in Soft-On-Marijuana Adshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread24250.shtml
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Comment #6 posted by Hope on November 10, 2008 at 19:17:59 PT
What?
"The proposed law would define possession of one ounce or less of marijuana as including possession of one ounce or less of tetrahydrocannibinol ("THC"), or having metabolized products of marijuana or THC in one's body."What does that part mean? "...or having metabolized products of marijuana or THC in one's body."I mean, I know what it means... but does it mean that under the new law people can be prosecuted for possession if they test positive for metabolites?
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on November 09, 2008 at 20:45:11 PT
The GCW
No problem at all. Keep up the good work.
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Comment #4 posted by The GCW on November 09, 2008 at 20:29:25 PT
FoM, thanks for this one; it wasn't at MAP...
US MA: PUB LTE: Colorado Christian urges ‘Yes’ vote on Bay State’s pot referendumWebpage: http://www.wickedlocal.com/winchester/news/opinions/letters/x347034905/LETTER-Colorado-Christian-urges-Yes-vote-on-Bay-State-s-pot-referendumPubdate: 3 Nov. 2008 Source: Winchester Star (MA) Colorado Christian urges ‘Yes’ vote on Bay State’s pot referendumAs a Christian who helped decriminalize cannabis (marijuana) in Colorado, I’m asking Massachusetts’s citizens to vote “YES on Question 2” (Question 2: Possession of MJ Decriminalization, Oct. 24, 2008).Another reason to stop ruining responsible adults lives over the relatively safe God-given plant is because it is Biblically correct. Christ God Our Father, The Ecologician indicates He created all the seed-bearing plants, saying they are all good, on literally the very first page. Further, the only Biblical restriction placed on cannabis is that it is to be accepted with thankfulness (see 1 Timothy 4:1-5).S. W. Dillon, Colo.http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/
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Comment #3 posted by Sam Adams on October 25, 2008 at 15:19:25 PT
poor kids
the DEA descends on the children every Election Day with lurid tales of Mexican violence. very frightening. Will Obama and the Dems be able and willing to decrease their power? time will tellThe people (school boards, principles, and teachers included) should rise up and denounce the DEA's badgering of their children.
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Comment #2 posted by observer on October 25, 2008 at 15:11:27 PT
re: Red Ribbon
[1]
Two weeks before the Bay State votes on controversial ballot Question 2, which would decriminalize possession of small amounts of pot, the regional Drug Enforcement Agency office is honoring the memory of an agent slain by Mexican drug lords, by encouraging people to stay away from all drugs .
(Sentence 1) re: "drug lords" - The rhetoric of prohibition tries to link drugs with marginalized people. (Hated Groups (propaganda theme 1) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme1.htm#1 ) re: "decriminalize" - Any mention of lessening the harshness of drug laws is portrayed as a sinful "legalization". Only total prohibition (or more jailings) will be righteous. (Total Prohibition or Access (propaganda theme 7) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme7.htm#7 )
[2]
We re reaching out to people about living drug-free, said acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin Lane .
(Sentence 2) re: "drug-free" - With God on Their Side (prohibitionists assure us), only the continued rooting out of the sinful drug users (total prohibition) will do. All else is portrayed as the slippery slope to total legalization of all drugs for toddlers. (Total Prohibition or Access (propaganda theme 7) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme7.htm#7 )
[4]
Deval Patrick proclaimed next week Red Ribbon Week in Massachusetts .
(Sentence 4) re: - Some politicians are puppets, spokesmen of their bosses. Some are the cavalier jugglers of words, who transfer human aggressions into slogans. There are also the loudmouthed trumpeters of doom, who resort to the argument of panic. Modern politics is carried out with obsolete rules of conversation, communication, and discussion; and too few politicians are aware of the semantic pitfalls and emotional dishonesties of the word tools they must use to convince others. [Joost A. M. Meerloo, "Rape of the Mind", ch.13, http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/rotm/13.htm#slogans] re: "Red Ribbon Week", "Red Ribbon" - The preparations for Hate Week were in full swing, and the staffs of all the Ministries were working overtime. Processions, meetings, military parades, lectures, waxworks, displays, film shows, telescreen programmes all had to be organized; stands had to be erected, effigies built, slogans coined, songs written, rumours circulated, photographs faked. - "1984", George Orwell
[5]
The Red Ribbon is worn by DEA agents during the last week of October each year in memory of fallen DEA agent Enrique Camarena .
(Sentence 5) re: "Enrique Camarena", "Camarena" - Prohibition propaganda rarely misses an opportunity to link crime, violence, and insanity with "drugs". The propagandist insinuates that prohibited drugs cause evil, and if it weren't for "drugs" bad things would not exist. (Madness,Crime,Violence,Illness (propaganda theme 2) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme2.htm#2 )
[6]
Lane said starting Monday, DEA agents wearing red ribbons will appear at schools across New England to spread a drug-free message to teenagers .
(Sentence 6) re: "teenagers", "message" - "The inflaming of this fear about the fate of our own children [makes] it difficult if not impossible for most Americans to take a careful and reasoned look at our drug policies."[W.White,1979] (Children Corrupted (propaganda theme 5) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme5.htm#5 ) re: "drug-free" - Drug policy options are presented as either total prohibition, or as total "legalization." No middle ground is contemplated in the "zero-tolerance" world of prohibition. Absolute prohibition executed with religious fervor and purpose! (Total Prohibition or Access (propaganda theme 7) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme7.htm#7 )
[11]
He said traditionally the DEA does not target individual drug users, and it has no official position on Question 2 .
(Sentence 11) re: "drug users", "users" - The rhetoric of prohibition will try to use labeling and guilt by association to link drugs and drug users with hated groups. (Hated Groups (propaganda theme 1) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme1.htm#1 ) re: "drug users" - "This strategy equates the use and abuse of drugs and implies that it is impossible to use the particular drug or drugs in question without physical, mental, and moral deterioration." [W.White,1979] (Use is Abuse (propaganda theme 4) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme4.htm#alluseisabuse )
[12]
The DEA usually targets criminal organizations that traffic large quanties of drugs .
(Sentence 12) re: "criminal" - The rhetoric of prohibition asserts that insanity, crime, and violence are caused by drugs, or are controlled by prohibition. (Madness,Crime,Violence,Illness (propaganda theme 2) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme2.htm#2 )
[14]
Lane said he hopes this week will remind people about the sacrifices of agents nationwide and inspire them to live drug-free .
(Sentence 14) re: "drug-free" - Onward prohibitionist drug warriors, fighting the epidemic and scourge in the battles of the war against drugs! (Drugs declared evil by politicians, that is.) (Total Prohibition or Access (propaganda theme 7) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme7.htm#7 )
[15]
Camarena was assigned to Guadalajara, Mexico, to track down that nation s most powerful cocaine and marijuana dealers .
(Sentence 15) re: "dealers" - Drug users are "those people" -- they are linked with groups that everyone agrees are bad. (Hated Groups (propaganda theme 1) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme1.htm#1 )
[16]
In 1985, as he was on the verge of uncovering a vast drug pipeline, the father of three and Marine Corps veteran was kidnapped .
(Sentence 16) re: "kidnapped" - Prohibitionist propaganda claims that horrible dangers are caused by "drugs." (Madness,Crime,Violence,Illness (propaganda theme 2) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme2.htm#2 )
[19]
Members wore red ribbons and pledged to live a drug-free life to honor the agent s sacrifice .
(Sentence 19) re: "drug-free" - Drug policy options are presented as either total prohibition, or as total "legalization." No middle ground is contemplated in the "zero-tolerance" world of prohibition. Absolute prohibition executed with religious fervor and purpose! (Total Prohibition or Access (propaganda theme 7) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme7.htm#7 )
[21]
The last week of October each year, DEA agents and sympathetic police departments across the nation wear the ribbons to honor Camarena s death .
(Sentence 21) re: "death", "Camarena" - It is prohibition, claim prohibitionists, that saves people from drug crazed, whacked out, high flying drug users. (Madness,Crime,Violence,Illness (propaganda theme 2) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme2.htm#2 )
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on October 25, 2008 at 10:31:39 PT
Red Ribbon Week Highlights Pot Issue on Ballot
By O’Ryan JohnsonSaturday, October 25, 2008 Two weeks before the Bay State votes on controversial ballot Question 2, which would decriminalize possession of small amounts of pot, the regional Drug Enforcement Agency office is honoring the memory of an agent slain by Mexican drug lords, by encouraging people to stay away from all drugs.“We’re reaching out to people about living drug-free,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin Lane.Yesterday, Gov. Deval Patrick proclaimed next week Red Ribbon Week in Massachusetts. The Red Ribbon is worn by DEA agents during the last week of October each year in memory of fallen DEA agent Enrique Camarena. Lane said starting Monday, DEA agents wearing red ribbons will appear at schools across New England to spread a drug-free message to teenagers. He said the timing so close to the election is coincidental. Even if Question 2 passes, it will not change how his Boston office does business.“It doesn’t affect our efforts whatsoever,” Lane said. “We will continue to work under federal statute enforcing all drugs . . . cocaine, heroin, as well as marijuana.”He said traditionally the DEA does not target individual drug users, and it has no official position on Question 2. The DEA usually targets criminal organizations that traffic large quanties of drugs. In California, which decriminalized medical use of marijuana, the DEA has continued to raid plant growers and distributors, prosecuting them under federal laws.Lane said he hopes this week will remind people about the sacrifices of agents nationwide and inspire them to live drug-free.Camarena was assigned to Guadalajara, Mexico, to track down that nation’s most powerful cocaine and marijuana dealers. In 1985, as he was on the verge of uncovering a vast drug pipeline, the father of three and Marine Corps veteran was kidnapped. His body was found a month later.Back in Camarena’s hometown of Calexico, Calif., a childhood friend started a small group called Camarena’s Club. Members wore red ribbons and pledged to live a drug-free life to honor the agent’s sacrifice. From there the movement spread across California, and then nationwide.The last week of October each year, DEA agents and sympathetic police departments across the nation wear the ribbons to honor Camarena’s death.Copyright: 2008 Boston Heraldhttp://news.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view/2008_10_25_Red_Ribbon_Week_highlights_pot_issue_on_ballot/
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