GOP Needs To Evolve On State And Local Marijuana Laws

[Shandar]

After regaining the majority for the 114th Congress just a few short weeks ago, some Republicans are already plotting ways to block Washington, D.C.'s move to legalize recreational marijuana.

Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), who's leading the charge, argues that legalizing marijuana would make things "even worse for D.C.'s teenagers and young adults than the decriminalization."

Incoming Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah)--a staunch opponent to marijuana legalization–said in a 2010 statement, "smoking marijuana is a health danger, not a cure, and therefore remains a harmful and dangerous drug for people of all ages."

The arguments against legalizing recreational marijuana in Washington D.C. are not new–in fact, they've been around for decades–illustrating the same tired story that opponents to marijuana have been rehashing over and over again.

The idea that legalizing marijuana will take their children away from their parents is as mythical as the bogeyman. If anything, it is the criminalization of marijuana that should be feared. In 2012, the CDC published its annual Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) report. The report showed that teenage consumption and the availability of drugs on school grounds went up in states where marijuana remained criminalized. However, in Colorado, consumption went down and availability went down despite the medical marijuana industry developing in the state during the same period.

According to a recent white paper from the Cato Institute, teenage consumption of marijuana didn't increase in the sixteen states that legalized medical marijuana. Recent data also shows that despite legalizing recreational marijuana, teenage consumption of marijuana in Colorado is still falling, decreasing from 39 percent in 2011 to 37 percent in 2013. Additionally, after states legalized medical marijuana suicide rates among men aged from 20 to 39 years decreased compared with those in states where legalization didn't take place.

So while we should be concerned about teenage consumption of marijuana, its legalization is not the cause. It's in its prohibition that should concern us. It turns marijuana into a forbidden fruit making it more appealing to teenagers. In addition, prohibition of marijuana allows for black market drug producers to target children and teenagers--maximizing their profits without any scruples. Not only will they not hesitate to sell their drugs to teenagers, they also recruit teenagers, often from low-income families, to sell drugs waving the "easy cash, low risk you are juvenile" card.

Regardless of their personal feelings, more Republicans should at least take the approach of Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.).

"I can't support it myself because I think it sets a really bad example for young children," Johnson said. "But states are doing that. Let the voters decide ... Again, I like local control of those issues and then what we can do here in Congress is hold hearings, find out, how's it working?"

Congressional Republicans may be well-intended in their desire to "protect us," young and old, from marijuana and drugs in general, but it's time to examine the hard data and put outdated urban legends to sleep.

News Moderator: Shandar @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: The Hill - covering Congress, Politics, Political Campaigns and Capitol Hill | TheHill
Author: Alexandre Padilla
Contact: Contact Us | TheHill
Website: GOP needs to evolve on state and local marijuana laws | TheHill

 

[Slowpuffer]

But if they really believed in our constitution, they'd except the will of the people. The citizens voted !! Republicans are heavily invested in the prison business. They believe in up against the wall type politics. Anything to justify getting more tax money for for more prisons, more police. They cant have their police state, without locking up good people, some guilty only of using a drug that has never killed one human being. They lock em up, put them on probation or parole, and then they can't ever get a decent job. I will never vote for another republican, and not many democrats. They're all on the same pay roll !!

 

[Colesdad]

Same thing applies to some states (NC for exaple) Referendums are against the law. It doesn't matter how many people want somthing (signatures collected), only lawmakers have a say in changing the laws. The only way THE PEOPLE can change the law in these states is to elect someone and hope they keep their promises. What really sucks for DC citizens , they have to hope lawmakers that OTHER states elected allow them to change their laws.

 

[gentlhart]

The idea that legalizing cannabis will take children away from their parents... but its perfectly ok to take parents away from their children?

 

[wtoner]

Instead of being anti-everything, it would be a easy and positive step if the GOP would take an enlightened apporach toward marijuana and move slightly away from the 75 year old white guy attitutudes.

 

[wildjim]

Congress abruptly overrules D.C. voters, nixes marijuana legalization

In November, the District of Columbia voted to legalize recreational use of marijuana, but a new congressional budget deal has a provision barring implementation.

When residents of the District of Columbia voted to legalize recreational use of marijuana last month, cannabis fans cheered. Then they quickly realized that Congress – which has oversight over D.C.’s affairs – could overrule the will of the voters.
Now, it appears, that fear will come true sooner than expected – not in the next Congress, when Republicans will control both chambers, but during the lame duck session currently under way.

Tuesday night, Senate Democrats and House Republicans reached a deal to fund the federal government through Sept. 30 of next year. That means no government shutdown. But the deal’s fine print also includes a provision that bars implementation of Initiative 71, the marijuana legalization measure D.C. voters approved by a 2-to-1 margin on Nov. 4.

Specifically, a press summary of the spending bill posted online by the House Appropriations Committee says it “prohibits both federal and local funds from being used to implement a referendum legalizing recreational marijuana use in the District.”

Advocates of voting rights for the District’s 646,000 residents are outraged.

“If reports are true, members of Congress from both parties bargained away the rights of the people of the District of Columbia and in doing so compromised the core democratic values of the United States,” Kimberly Perry, head of the group D.C. Vote, said in a statement to The Washington Post.

Efforts to secure full voting representation in Congress for D.C. residents have a long history of frustration. The reality is that the federal enclave is not a state, and therefore its residents do not enjoy the same voting rights of states, as granted by the US Constitution. The Constitution also grants Congress jurisdiction over the District.

In 1973, Congress established “home rule” in D.C., allowing local officials to govern the District. But Congress maintains the right to overrule local decisions, including ballot measures.

Most of the time, Congress leaves D.C. alone, but on social policy, congressional Republicans have been known to jump in. On abortion policy, the District is not allowed to use its own tax revenues to fund the procedure for low-income residents. Republicans in Congress blocked sales of medical marijuana in D.C. for 11 years.

In the current Congress, Rep. Andy Harris (R) of Maryland is spearheading the effort to thwart legalized recreational marijuana in D.C. He claims “fairly broad-based support in Congress against legalization.”
But marijuana advocates aren’t taking this lying down.

“Tonight we march!” tweeted Adam Eidinger, Chairman of the DC Cannabis Campaign, Wednesday morning.
Tonight we march! “@whiteknightpua: can we rally a protest on the Hill? Maybe have people set up camp outside Andy Harris' offices?”— Adam Eidinger (@aeidinger) December 10, 2014

The march Wednesday evening will begin at the Justice Department and end at Capitol Hill, and civil disobedience that could lead to arrests.

From Yahoo

Glad you voted yet?

WJ

 

[wtoner]

As Americans, we have the very best government.........that money can buy. The public's opinion is only a secondary or tertiary factor in government actions

 

[wildjim]

Congress follows the 10% rule. If it only affects 10% of the people, Do it! Screw 'em! Especially the rightists, read republicans there. They use the Constitution to protect themselves and their cronies. Then use it to commit racism in the Nation's Capitol. Washington has mostly black citizenry. We can't let those blacks be growing weed and giving it to their friends! Cops shooting black kids? That's nothing (not my personal feelings). Going against the constitutional rights of the people in Washington D.C., more people live in DC than live in Montana, Alaska, North Dakota, South Dakota and probably Idaho, each state not total population. The 5,860,342 in DC metropolitan area aren't the same as the 700,000 citizens in Alaska. The 723,000 in North Dakota and the 845,000 in South Dakota and the 700,000 in Montana.
So if you wonder why they stopped DC from enacting a law, constitutionally verified by vote of the citizens of the Nation's Capitol. Be fair warned, California, Colorado, Washington State and Oregon they are coming for you next. Then the rest. Vote republican/teabagger in your states and nationally and this is what you'll get. Too much money in donations from alcohol and Big Pharmaceutical Companies. Look at one of the politicians John McCain, he and his wife run the largest Anheiser Busch distributorship in the country. Think legal cannabis will affect their bottom line?

Liars all. Traitors to the Founding Fathers all.

WJ

 

[xtrchessreal]

I don't think this stops people from growing 6 plants and possessing 2 ounces. But if this is the catalyst that burns the whole country down then so be it!

 

[wildjim]

It stops everything that was voted in. No recreational. Six plants and 2 ounces will get you prison.

Freedom

WJ

 

[xtrchessreal]

I haven't read the wording of this but based on the the story - prohibiting federal or local funds to implement a referendum that legalizes recreational use - to me means no funding for licensing boards, special oversight departments for enforcement, taxation on recreational outlets...bla blah blah but how does it stop personal use and growing? Yeah you can't go to a store and buy it but you can still grow it yourself - legally. Unless I'm missing something, let me google and see...

 

[xtrchessreal]

So first you can still carry less than an ounce and only get a $25 fine, because of a law already in effect that decriminalizes pot in DC.

I did a search on the proposed bill for the word marijuana and only got one hit:

20 SEC. 538. None of the funds made available in this
21 Act to the Department of Justice may be used, with re-
22 spect to the States of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Cali-
23 fornia, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Co-
24 lumbia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine,
25 Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mis-
1 sissippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire,
2 New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, South
3 Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and
4 Wisconsin, to prevent such States from implementing their
5 own State laws that authorize the use, distribution, pos-
6 session, or cultivation of medical marijuana.

Ain't nothin' else in the bill about marijuana so I'm confused about the interpretations released to the public.

 

[xtrchessreal]

Okay I did a search for Schedule I and found three sections saying the act cannot use any funds to carry out the legalization. The argument is that since the wording is in the act that congress cannot even give the approval of the Initiative 71 since by doing so would cause them to spend money by convening to count votes.

Such coward pricks, how much did we spend on putting the writing in? Just seems unconstitutional to me.

 

[xtrchessreal]

From Washington Post: Protests begin as Congress upends D.C. pot legalization

 

[cleanslate]

As Americans, we have the very best government.........that money can buy. The public's opinion is only a secondary or tertiary factor in government actions

Plutocracy, Corporatocracy and Kleptocracy each more accurately describe the type of government that Americans have. Democracy not so much.

 

[J9BLACK]

This is not a GOP-DEM divide as much as a generational divide.

I say if ours is the best government money can buy, let's buy one that decriminalizes cannabis. Billionaires are throwing in. We must throw in as well, or the pursuit of social justice is a pipe dream.