What Gives? Another Senator From Iowa Provides A Dose Of ‘Reefer Madness’ When Replyi

[Jimbo]

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 By: Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director

A few months ago it was Iowa’s Democratic Senator Tom Harkin that was replying to his constituents claiming cannabis “use often has fatal consequences” and that cannabis users may actually sell their children for ‘drug’ money.

Now, Senator Charles Grassley (R) in a letter to constituents, oddly equates cannabis use to genocide, murder and child rape.

After several thousand years, civilized societies have failed to eliminate murder, rape, or child abuse. Nor have they eliminated organized crime, the manufacture of counterfeit money, or genocide. But no one seriously sees these failures as justification for surrender.

Illegal drug use costs society at least as much as any of these social ills. Yet we do not hear any calls to legalize these abuses. Why then should we give up? Should we surrender to the criminals, and legalize marijuana? No. Instead, we should do whatever we can to prevent criminals from gaining the upper hand, do what needs to be done to give our families, our friends, and our neighbors a safe and secure place to live.

However, his major problem with this premise, and presumably his underlying rationale for supporting cannabis prohibition, is that few in the United States (even in Iowa) agree with such absurd assertions as most citizens perceive cannabis use closer to alc*hol consumption—and since the mid-1990s, as a valuable, non-toxic, affordable and effective medicine.

Also, similar to the Harkin letter, Senator Grassley equates cannabis law reform with “surrender”, which helps one understand how hard it is to lobby these gents when they cast the debate as ‘winning’ or ‘surrendering’ (but, what else is new in DC?).

There are many reasons why America’s 70-year old cannabis prohibition, a failed public policy many times worse in scope and cost than alc*hol’s short-lived prohibition, still prevails. Regrettably, because of the way the US Senate works regarding seniority, committee assignments and a senator’s individual ability to place a hold on legislation, cannabis reform is always against the eight ball in the Senate in a way not possible in the House of Representatives.

Senator Grassley is too smart and sophisticated a man to really believe that cannabis use equates to murder, child rape and genocide. Please join NORML in contacting Senator Grassley and asking him to stop replying to his constituents in Iowa with non-sense, and to support the decriminalization of cannabis and to allow sick, dying and sense-threatened Iowans (and citizens nationwide) to legally access and use medicinal cannabis.


What Gives? Another Senator From Iowa Provides A Dose Of ‘Reefer Madness’ When Replying To His Constituents

[FreakNature]

Here's a quest for you young Cannabis Warriors. Go to school, get a degree, and put yourselves in important positions close to decision makers and captains of industry. Make yourselves indispensable. Then reveal that fact that you smoke Cannabis, and preach the basic tenants of the truth about the blessed herb. If the old man doesn't like it, move on to his competition or hang around and bury him, taking over the company or the position and the power and influence necessary to impact serious change.

Reward yourself all day long with time release edibles. Hit the bong, vape or joint at night - your preference. Enjoy your life, be productive, and implement positive change.

Please? Thank you.

[Jimbo]

^^^Here,here...I'll second that!!!

[FreakNature]

Political science. And something to fall back on - double up w/ a business or law degree.

[Jimbo]

WTF are they teaching these people in political science class? Hate? More money for you/less for the poor? what?

Where do they get off treating everyone like slaves to their society?

I don't know about y'all, but I want answers!!!

Who are they to want to tear my family apart, and take away everything I have and ruin my life, just because I want to put in MY body, what I want to...It's MY life, let me live it the way I want to!!!

As long as I'm not hurting anyone else, leave me the fork alone!!!

[FreakNature]

Amen bubba Jimbo. I think I'll go try to overdose on Cannabis.

[Jimbo]

have a toke on my behalf...will ya?...lol

[FreakNature]

OK...almost 4:20 here - on my way...

[Trash]

Thinkin' about jerks like the politician there from Iowa makes my ass want a dip of snuff. And I don't like snuff. Sigh. What's a po' boy to do... but grow your own and to vote against the jerks.

[Jimbo]

Do these people not even realize that the federal government is giving MMJ to people?
They should think about that when they make false claims about the validity of MMJ in their claims that marijuana has no medical value.
Obviously the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT thinks it does...so WTF?
I just can't wrap my brain around that one!!!
This guy has no freaking clue about marijuana or what real life is...he is just sitting back collecting our money and being a total dumb ass at the same time.
He obviously has neither read one article or talked to one single person about MMJ in his life, and probably refuses to do so! Facts mean nothing to people like him, and never will.
It's time to rid our country from people like him and John Walters, that have no place to make irrational decisions on our behalf without even weighing out and knowing all the facts! Just who the hell do they think they are!!!