cannabisnews.com: Houses Pro-MMJ Vote Shocks Supporter
function share_this(num) {
 tit=encodeURIComponent('Houses Pro-MMJ Vote Shocks Supporter');
 url=encodeURIComponent('http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/28/thread28087.shtml');
 site = new Array(5);
 site[0]='http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u='+url+'&title='+tit;
 site[1]='http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit.php?url='+url+'&title='+tit;
 site[2]='http://digg.com/submit?topic=political_opinion&media=video&url='+url+'&title='+tit;
 site[3]='http://reddit.com/submit?url='+url+'&title='+tit;
 site[4]='http://del.icio.us/post?v=4&noui&jump=close&url='+url+'&title='+tit;
 window.open(site[num],'sharer','toolbar=0,status=0,width=620,height=500');
 return false;
}






Houses Pro-MMJ Vote Shocks Supporter
Posted by CN Staff on May 30, 2014 at 18:01:26 PT
By Ryan J. Reilly 
Source: Huffington Post
Washington, D.C. -- Even longtime supporters of marijuana legalization were surprised early Friday morning when the House of Representatives voted for an amendment that would prevent the Drug Enforcement Administration and federal prosecutors from targeting medical marijuana in states where it is legal."Quite frankly, many of us who were sponsors of this amendment… didn't expect to win and were surprised by the margin of that victory this morning," Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) said at a press conference Friday morning, less than nine hours after the vote.
"While I always knew it would happen sooner than most political observers thought, it's still hard to believe this just happened," said Tom Angell, the chairman of Marijuana Majority."Based on our internal whip count I knew there was a chance this might pass, but we had to just about run the table with our swing votes. When I saw the vote total, I was shocked -- not so much that it passed, but by the margin," said Dan Riffle of the Marijuana Policy Project. "I figured we might get lucky and pass it by 5-10 votes, but never thought a 30 vote margin was a possibility."At the press conference with backers of the amendment Friday morning, members of the House said the vote should send a message both to the administration and to the medical marijuana industry."The heart and soul of the Republican party is that pro-freedom, individual philosophy that Reagan talked about," said Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.), the primary Republican pushing the amendment. "I think that what we've got now and what we have here in the Republican vote last night were people who took a lot of those words and the philosophy of Ronald Reagan to heart."The amendment the House passed is attached to an appropriations bill that would fund the DEA and Department of Justice, among other agencies. While both the amendment and the bill aren't guaranteed to make it through the messy appropriations process, supporters said it should leave no doubt where the House stands."This is a will of Congress vote," said Polis. "We all are realists here, we know that we haven't had an appropriations process in some time, it's likely that it will be omnibuses in the future. We don't know where this particular amendment and particular bill are going. It's the will of Congress: it has ramifications for banking, for insurance, for a number of other issues that effect the industry.""The president famously said that he had bigger fish to fry, but there are 93 U.S. attorneys and the DEA, and some of them are frying those smaller fish," said Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.). "There continues to be uncertainty. There are now many small businesses who are perfectly legal in these jurisdictions that are operating under a cloud. There have been lives that have been disrupted. This is not something that is theoretical."Blumenauer especially hoped the message would get through to DEA chief Michele Leonhart, who has repeatedly made dubious statements about the dangers posed by marijuana and reportedly even said that the day a hemp flag flew over the U.S. Capitol was the worst day in her 33-year career at the DEA."The hemp flag flying over the Capitol was the lowest point in this person's career? Give. Me. A break!" Blumenauer said. "Maybe this will be a signal to the administration that they can't sort of tap dance around this, that they need to get their signals aligned and hopefully they're aligned with what the House did and where America is going."A DEA spokeswoman referred a request for comment to the Justice Department, where a representative said the department was reviewing the medical marijuana amendment, as well as two pro-hemp amendments that also passed overnight.Blumenauer said the vote should give Attorney General Eric Holder political cover to move ahead with initiating the rescheduling of marijuana next year. The federal government currently classifies it as a Schedule 1 drug with no legitimate medical purpose. Holder told HuffPost last month that while he would be willing to work with Congress to reschedule marijuana, the administration had made the political decision not to unilaterally do so, given all of the other executive actions it had taken on criminal justice reform."This is an integral part of why we need smarter sentencing reform, because we've had people trapped in this nightmare, and you've got non-violent people doing time for doing things that the majority of people in America now think should be legal," Blumenauer said Friday."That's why I said not this year, but as you move things forward, I think it's an easy way for them to unwind some of this and get out of the impossible situation," he said. "I hope Congress can do it, but it's not likely to happen this Congress, and it'll be a bit of a stretch next Congress, but it'll happen."Source: Huffington Post (NY)Author: Ryan J. Reilly Published: May 30, 2014Copyright: 2014 HuffingtonPost.com, LLC Contact: scoop huffingtonpost.comWebsite: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/URL: http://drugsense.org/url/fzd6vOv0CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml 
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help 
     
     
     
     




Comment #14 posted by FoM on June 03, 2014 at 03:59:00 PT
gloovins
I know that I don't have the answer about Meth and Heroin at all. I know that the majority of society wouldn't want those drugs prescribed legally. Maybe sometime in the distant future long after I am gone things will be different. I do not think a user should go to jail. 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #13 posted by gloovins on June 02, 2014 at 20:56:31 PT
Legalization
Hi FoM, as always, it's good to see you too....I just think if ok, lets say they legalized meth and heroin and coke, well you remember the long lines for legal cannabis in Jan of this year in Colorado? Well, I don't think there would be large lines every where for these substances. Maybe more for cocaine or meth but hey, I am just speculating. I say give people what they want, you can't stop them from putting whatever they want in their systems anyway. Again, I don't advocate using these substances but I don't think it's my right to tell others they cannot. They have the freedom to be stupid alcoholics, or addicts of any kind in a society where a dangerous drug is legal. That is the price you pay, having some addicted "folks". The drugs should be taxed I think as I mentioned & go to healthcare or a % should to offset costs of any possible increased use. I think if use were to rise, it would be temporary and not very high. Maybe from 1 to 2 or 3 %. I could live with that versus the status quo. I will say this, over time people will see the drug war is futile/un-winnable & they will relent and the war will end. May not happen soon but it will happen, the legalization of the drugs I mentioned and watch when it does, we WILL live in a safer, better and stronger society. Stay well everyone...
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #12 posted by MikeEEEEE on June 01, 2014 at 17:23:39 PT
caution
I guess because I remember the late seventies, when Jimmy Carter was on the air recommending legalizing marijuana, that I am still on the side of caution. But I somehow sense with this war, the feds are tiring of it, and in times of budget cuts, failed programs get le$$ attention. 
 Just take note, the famous quote, "it's not over, til its over."But its on the path of lesser harm, and that is still positive. 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #11 posted by Oleg the Tumor on June 01, 2014 at 16:20:47 PT:
Hang On, gang! We're past 3rd and heading home!
I refuse to pass on as an "unapprehended Federal criminal".Heaven can wait."Victory or Death" - Gen. Washington
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #10 posted by cannabissaves on June 01, 2014 at 06:04:30 PT:
we push forward
THIS IS WERE WE STANDE ,,,THIS IS WERE PROHITION FALLS
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #9 posted by FoM on June 01, 2014 at 05:41:26 PT
gloovins
It's good to see you. Meth and Heroin are scary drugs. I don't think jail will help a person that is strung out on them. How in the world, other then serious education, can we keep people from using what I call a dead end drug on a constant basis? I don't have sympathy for anyone who is manufacturing illegal drugs like Meth and selling it to children. 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #8 posted by gloovins on June 01, 2014 at 03:05:26 PT
I also misspelled ...
Chose. It should be 'choose'. Please forgive me. I always notice misspellings after the fact it seems, oh well...I swear I'm not dumbed.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #7 posted by gloovins on June 01, 2014 at 02:18:54 PT
corrected
I don't condone meth use nor do I advocate it but I do not think it should be illegal. If it was not illegal, many peoples lives would be saved and not just thrown in prison to rot. I believe you are not truly free unless you can put ANYthing you choose into your body, in the privacy of your own home. Just don't supply to a minor or look after minors under the influence or drive a vehicle under the influence. Real simple. I believe also, no matter how good your intentions and how many drugs you do not do, you cannot stop those who chose to use drugs, whatever that drug may happen to be. It is impossible. So, with supply and demand economics being what they are, the only logical thing to do is tax & regulate meth, coke, and heroin. It's rarely said but most Americans use drugs responsibly and in moderation. The ones I just mentioned to legalize are no exception. Sure people abuse them but alcohol and tobacco kill far far more than all those I mentioned combined. Fact. Also, the taxes on these drugs could go to 3 things: 1) Education 2) Public Healthcare 3) Roads and bridges. So, this is my thoughts on this subject. As far as guns and drugs go, just think how many people would not have to use guns illegally if you legalized the drugs I mentioned. The way it is now, people are using these guns mostly because drugs are illegal. You make them legal, it just makes a lot of people who are now considered criminals, not criminals. This is a good thing I think ultimately and I think would make society much much safer and give more power to WE THE PEOPLE with more freedom to choose what we can or cannot put into our bloodstreams. It is MY bloodstream and brain remember. I think you can do whatever you want to it if you are an adult and are responsible about it. Just my take....
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #6 posted by gloovins on June 01, 2014 at 01:55:59 PT
My view on meth, etc....
I don't condone meth use nor do I advocate it but I do not think it should be illegal. If it was not illegal, many peoples lives would be saved and not just thrown in prison to rot. I believe you are not truly free unless you can put ANYthing you choose into your body, in the privacy of your own home. Just don't supply to a minor or look after minors under the influence or drive a vehicle under the influence. Real simple. I believe also, no matter how good your intentions and how many drugs you do not do, you cannot stop those who chose to use drugs, whatever that drug may happen to be. It is impossible. So, with supply and demand economics being what they are, the only logical thing to do is tax & regulate meth, coke, and heroin. It's rarely said but most Americans use drugs responsibly and in moderation. The ones I just mentioned to legalize are no exception. Sure people abuse them but alcohol and tobacco kill far far more than all those I mentioned combined. Fact. Also, the taxes on these drugs could go to 3 things: 1) Education 2)Public Healthcare 3) Roads and bridges. So, this is my thoughts on this subject. As far as guns and drugs go, just think how many people would not have to use guns illegally if you legalized the drugs I mentioned. The way it is now, people are using these guns mostly because drugs are illegal. You make them legal, it just makes a lot of people who are now considered criminals, not criminals. This is a good thing I think ultimately and I think would make society much much safer and give more power to WE THE PEOPLE with more freedom to choose what we can or cannot put into are bloodstreams. It is MY bloodstream and brain remember. I think you can do whatever you want to it if you are an adult and are responsible about it. Just my take....
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #5 posted by FoM on May 31, 2014 at 04:23:21 PT
Had Enough
I am very sorry for the child. I don't condone Meth either. I also don't condone using a grenade. The drug war is a failure no doubt about it.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #4 posted by Had Enough on May 30, 2014 at 23:20:07 PT
The suspect wasn’t even in the house.. .
Thonetheva, who is listed in public records as being 20 years old, wasn't home at the time of the raid. He was arrested later and held in the Habersham County jail on $15,000 bond on a charge of possession of methamphetamine.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #3 posted by Had Enough on May 30, 2014 at 23:15:27 PT
And...
And... I am not condoning the use of meth…
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #2 posted by Had Enough on May 30, 2014 at 23:10:00 PT
A few of the things in the article...
A 19-month-old boy remained in critical condition in an induced coma at an Atlanta hospital Friday after authorities trying to capture a suspected meth dealer threw a flash grenade into the baby's crib. and...But in a statement to WDUN radio news of Gainesville, Terrell said that based on "information regarding assault-type weapons at the residence" and a "criminal history which reflected charges of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and several charges of carrying a concealed weapon," sheriff's deputies and Cornelia police officers obtained a "no-knock" warrant allowing them to enter the house without warning.and...Terrell said the officers were "devastated" by the incident, but "given the same set of circumstances, with the same information dealing with a subject who has known gun charges on him, who is selling meth, they would go through the same procedures." http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/georgia-toddler-induced-coma-after-being-hurt-police-grenade-n119046
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #1 posted by Had Enough on May 30, 2014 at 23:01:25 PT
Police grenade explodes in tot’s crib…
Georgia Toddler in Induced Coma After Being Hurt by Police Grenade...http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2014/05/30/24088981-georgia-toddler-in-induced-coma-after-being-hurt-by-police-grenade?d=1
[ Post Comment ]


Post Comment