Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
In the midst of a legislative session filled with questionable bills, proposed tax increases and fundamental changes to the way Kansas finances public schools, there's a piece of common sense wafting down from Topeka.
House Bill 2049 would lessen the penalties for marijuana offenses to misdemeanors for the first two offenses, before reaching a felony on the third offense. Current law offers a break on the first offense but turns the second offense to a serious crime with the potential for a prison sentence. The bill also would legalize the medicinal use of hemp oil in certain cases and authorizes research on industrial use of hemp. The measure passed the House 81-36.
It is well past time that Kansas stop treating possession of marijuana as a serious offense. Our prisons are bulging at the seams, and the arrest, prosecution and incarceration of those in possession of marijuana is a drain on every taxpayer in the state.
Furthermore, there is no reason to deny a reasonable and well-researched treatment method for seizures simply because some people's sensibilities are offended.
According to projections from the Kansas Sentencing Commission, 1,121 people are in Kansas prisons for drug violations. At a cost of approximately $35,000 a year per inmate, Kansas taxpayers are spending $39 million a year to house inmates for drug offenses - some serious but some for a violation as simple as possession of marijuana. That's not to mention those inmates who are released, placed on probation or community corrections, or end up back in prison for a subsequent violation.
It also doesn't take into account the damage that's done to individuals and families - lost job opportunities - and social service costs when someone is convicted of what is clearly a minor offense.
The bill now will head to the Senate, where hopefully lawmakers there will display a level of common sense shown by the House.
This legislation is one of the few bright moments of this legislative session. It can save taxpayers money, make life less oppressive for those who have made a few mistakes, and can open the door to effective treatment for families facing serious medical issues.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Light in Topeka - The Hutchinson News: Editorials
Author: Jason Probst
Contact: Staff Directory - The Hutchinson News: Site
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: The Hutchinson News: Covering the Better Part of Kansas
House Bill 2049 would lessen the penalties for marijuana offenses to misdemeanors for the first two offenses, before reaching a felony on the third offense. Current law offers a break on the first offense but turns the second offense to a serious crime with the potential for a prison sentence. The bill also would legalize the medicinal use of hemp oil in certain cases and authorizes research on industrial use of hemp. The measure passed the House 81-36.
It is well past time that Kansas stop treating possession of marijuana as a serious offense. Our prisons are bulging at the seams, and the arrest, prosecution and incarceration of those in possession of marijuana is a drain on every taxpayer in the state.
Furthermore, there is no reason to deny a reasonable and well-researched treatment method for seizures simply because some people's sensibilities are offended.
According to projections from the Kansas Sentencing Commission, 1,121 people are in Kansas prisons for drug violations. At a cost of approximately $35,000 a year per inmate, Kansas taxpayers are spending $39 million a year to house inmates for drug offenses - some serious but some for a violation as simple as possession of marijuana. That's not to mention those inmates who are released, placed on probation or community corrections, or end up back in prison for a subsequent violation.
It also doesn't take into account the damage that's done to individuals and families - lost job opportunities - and social service costs when someone is convicted of what is clearly a minor offense.
The bill now will head to the Senate, where hopefully lawmakers there will display a level of common sense shown by the House.
This legislation is one of the few bright moments of this legislative session. It can save taxpayers money, make life less oppressive for those who have made a few mistakes, and can open the door to effective treatment for families facing serious medical issues.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Light in Topeka - The Hutchinson News: Editorials
Author: Jason Probst
Contact: Staff Directory - The Hutchinson News: Site
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: The Hutchinson News: Covering the Better Part of Kansas
