UCLA Students Take Over Building in Protest of Fee Increase Vote
Jason Segel Sings His Phone Number at the Swell Season Last Night
BART Cop Murder Trial to Move to Downtown L.A., Lawyer Predicts More L.A. Riots
-thumb-110x110-459458.jpg)
Bouchon Amuses Our Bouches
Midnight Movie: VICE Explores LA's Hidden Urban Oil Wells
We've already got medical marijuana vending machines; now a politician is aiming to end prosecution of minor marijuana offenses, in a bill that could have a major impact on the medical marijuana movement in this country. Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank (D) announced on "Real Time With Bill Maher" last week that he will present a bill to Congress that seeks to restrict the federal government's ability to arrest marijuana users:
Frank's pending bill seeks to eliminate all federal penalties prohibiting the personal use and possession of up to 100 grams (3 1/2 ounces) of marijuana. Under this measure, adults who consume cannabis would no longer face arrest, prison, or even the threat of a civil fine. The bill also eliminates all penalties prohibiting the not-for-profit transfers of up to one ounce of pot.Supporters of this type of legislation argue that millions of federal dollars would be saved if minor offenses were not prosecuted. Opponents of the bill continue to make the same old "gateway drug" argument -- hey, heroin users had to start somewhere!
Frank's announcement, which in no way means that his bill will actually ever hit the Congress floor, comes in the wake of an announcement by the American College of Physicians (the second largest medical organization in the country) that calls for support of research into the drug's therapeutic benefits.
More of LAist's marijuana coverage:
LAist Interviews a Medical Marijuana Patient
DEA Raids Hollywood Medical Marijuana Facility
Anti's Weed Reviews
Photo by digitalshay via Flickr
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
Good News!!!!! If they were smart they'd sell it and tax it like they do alcohol.
Carrie,
I don't know anyone who smokes MJ. No one. Not one person. For reals.
AT
AT,
shut your face. and don't MAKE me tell stories.
Carrie.
Damned POT HEADS!!!
Reason argues for acceptance and control, or even taxation and exploitation, of this substance. The article is clear and straightforward, noting the extreme unliklihood of the bill's advance. Too bad. It is a good idea way overdue.
whomever you might be, delonix, thanks. I appreciate your thoughts, and I agree that it's highly unlikely this bill will advance. But with ever increasing taxes on commodities like alcohol and tobacco (not to mention the shitloads of cash the pharmaceutical industry rakes in), wouldn't it just make so much sense if the federal government started gradually relaxing the marijuana laws?
First of all, the classification of marijuana as a Schedule I substance is absolutely absurd, and I'll bet you most respectable doctors would agree that pot isn't even close to being in the same league as cocaine and heroin.
"the shitloads of cash the pharmaceutical industry rakes in), wouldn't it just make so much sense if the federal government started gradually relaxing the marijuana laws?"
This is part of the problem Carrie. The Big Pharma lobby doesn't want the competition. If a cancer or HIV patient could grow a better more effective medicine themselves, then Big Pharma won't be able to sell them Marinol at $15 a pill.
then Big Pharm should just start growin their own! come on mannnnnn!
I'd rather it not be in the hands of Big Pharma.
They've blocked cheaper drugs from Canada, as well as letting Medicare and Medical buy in volume, at volume discounts.
That's so they can fuck us each, individually, on the price of prescription drugs.
What the cannabis clubs are charging for the medicine, and having to pay $200 a year for a letter from a doctor are bad enough. HMOs won't cover it. It's all out of pocket.
Imagine if Big Pharma got their greedy hands on it!