NORMLizer - Decriminalize It!
And don’t criticize it … even though we’d much rather legalize it – once and for all!
Mon, Sep 21, 2009 2:56 pm
By Allen St. Pierre
Lest there be any confusion, NORML strongly favors marijuana legalization over decriminalization. Period.
Unfortunately, the American public and our elected lawmakers have yet to provide majority support for the concept of legalizing the responsible adult use of cannabis. Instructively, an eye-popping 73 percent of Americans surveyed support decriminalizing cannabis, while only 42 percent support outright legalization.
As popular as the legalization issue may be on America’s West Coast – particularly in the Golden State – California State Assemblyman Tommy Ammiano’s pro-legalization bill has failed to attract a single co-sponsor. Once again, the citizens are way ahead of their elected policymakers – and so, while we build support for the ultimate goal of legalization, it’s also important to support efforts at decriminalization like HR 2943, the Act to Remove Federal Penalties for the Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults, reintroduced in Congress this June by co-sponsors Barney Frank (D-MA) and Ron Paul (R-TX).
If passed, HR 2943 would eliminate federal penalties for the personal possession of up to 100 grams (over 3.5 ounces) of cannabis, as well as the not-for-profit transfer of up to one ounce – making prosecution (if any) for these acts strictly a state matter. Under existing federal law, defendants found guilty of possessing small amounts of cannabis for personal use face up to one year in prison and a $1,000 fine.
Currently, 13 stateswith a combined population of over 115 million citizens, have decriminalized the possession of small amounts of cannabis. In 2007, over 872,000 citizens nationwide were arrested on cannabis-related charges, 90 percent of them for possession only. Thankfully, many hundreds of thousands of our brethren who live in decriminalized states face a fine-only citation – and are usually on their way after their police encounter – rather than being dragged off to America’s drug gulags.
Passage of HR 2943 would provide state lawmakers the choice to maintain their current penalties for minor marijuana offenses or eliminate them completely. Lawmakers would also have the option to explore various legal alternatives for taxing and regulating the adult use and distribution of cannabis free from federal interference. So while such a national decriminalization policy would fail to address the major failings of prohibition – namely the economic costs of enforcement, including keeping a massive law-enforcement structure in place; the loss of sales taxes and licensing fees; the ongoing destabilization of international borders; and potency and adulteration issues – it’s still far better than our current system, and a significant step toward further reform in the future.
Allen St. Pierre is the executive director of NORML in Washington, DC. For more information about state cannabis laws and lobbying Congress in favor of HR 2943, go to www.norml.org.
THIS ARTICLE WAS FEATURED IN THE OCTOBER 2009 ISSUE OF HIGH TIMES
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Fat Freddy
Dec 10 2011, 10:36 am
My mind offered other possible reasoning's for continuing this outdated and draconian approach to a plant that is beneficial to it's users and would be of great benefit to the ailing U.S. economy.
The reasons my mind offered are as follows:
1)Arms manufactures make millions indirectly from the illegal trade in fire arms. Example: Straw horse buyers and stolen guns.
2)The global banking system makes millions from fees and services rendered. This is not to say they know the source of the funds.Think about this for a minute. What goes into the growing process? Land to grow, seeds, plant care including labor, processing, transportation, and distribution. That's right that is a lot of money changing hands. One could see the rational for continuing to present a "tough on drugs posture".
It is said that a divided house can not stand. This is true, look at the recent account of "fast an furious" an arms sting gone bad. With a means to kill each other there is little opportunity for discussion aimed toward changing the laws.
The united states has funded mexico's war on drugs for decades. With no real success. What amazes me is mexico's willingness to be lead around by the nose. If the mexcian leadership ever realizes that legalization would create employment oppertunities for a vast number of it's people.
The war on drugs would be over. Amsterdam is a good model to pattern a legal marijuana industry after. Can you see the influx of raw cash from legal Marijuana bars just across the border? Mexico's economy would double in the first year!
So maybe it is in the best interest of MIB to loose guns?
mark g money
Feb 23 2011, 5:31 pm
FUCKING HOSTILE
Oct 11 2009, 10:39 pm
Our Freedom?
Oct 11 2009, 4:10 pm
MajorBudBurnswell
Oct 6 2009, 6:42 am
f' da gov
Oct 6 2009, 3:40 am
HU210
Oct 3 2009, 8:29 am
http://cannabisculture.com/v2/content/descriminalization-decrim-myths-decrim-facts#
siccau2
Sep 30 2009, 10:09 am
HU210
Sep 27 2009, 7:38 pm
I doubt that the persecuter has the "elements" needed to make the trumped up charges stick. Thus compelling your brother to plead guilty to lesser a charge when offered. Its an old hustle played by cops and persecuters in collusion with public pretenders. Conning you into thinking that you "got a deal". Thus fueling the public tit that they all feed from.
HU210
Sep 26 2009, 3:38 pm
The down side of good old "Yankee Know-how", I guess.
Marijuana User
Sep 26 2009, 7:59 am
passthecreepers
Sep 25 2009, 5:54 pm
concerned~citizen
Sep 23 2009, 12:07 pm
Joey2Wicked
Sep 23 2009, 2:26 am
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