Criminal Justice

Good to see more progress. It's also good you added the "vaporized" part Matt. I do have one qualm with the conservative M.D stance tha I think needs to be adressed. Particularly where they say that you can't control the amount you get from from using marijuana due to different strains and potency.

I might not be able to tell you the exact THC content of a sample, but, and back me up fellow responsible users, you give me a bag and I can tell weather it's potent or not just by looking at and smelling it.

It's not like it's a generic looking pill I'm using. It's a plant that shows the perceptive individual what it's about. If it has crystals plain as day on it, it's a good sign I might want to not vaporize as much of it in a single sitting. If the smell is super pungent (and I'd always smell a newly aquired sample first thing), same procedure. Luckily since it is a benign substance virtually impossible to overdose on, just a little observation and experience (supervised for the newbies) with the plant is really all anyone needs to make sure they're getting the right dosage level.

Does anyone agree or disagree with that? Love to know.

And don't forget this little beauty either Matt. http://tr.im/BylA

Take a look at the claim at the bottom of the page - they actually dare to state that because "93% of Americans don't use drugs" that our draconian and ineffective drug laws are therefore "95% successful" and that we "shouldn't give up now"!!

What complete nonsense!

One hundred million Americans (a third of all the people living in this country today) acknowledge that they have obtained and consumed marijuana during the prohibition, and every single day 6,000 people use marijuana for the first time. The prohibition has NEVER stopped people from using marijuana and it never will.

So because marijuana is widely used but legitimate businesses are prevented from undercutting cartel prices the prohibition instead diverts $8 - 10 BILLION a year to the drug cartels. Last year the cartels murdered more than 6,000 people to protect this income - many of their victims were children, police officers and politicians. This year they're on track to kill at least 7,000 people.

This is the outcome of all the DEA's work and we definitely SHOULD give up now! The ONDCP has told us that two-thirds of the cartel's incomes come solely from selling marijuana in the U.S. We need to immediately end the prohibition and allow legitimate businesses to undercut cartel prices - that one change in policy will decimate the cartels and save countless innocent lives every year.

You're right Jim. And not only that but marijuana consumers smoke until they reach the feeling they were seeking, they *aren't* like alcohol drinkers who drink a set number of glasses or bottles.

So if their weed is stronger than they're used to they'll just smoke less, they *don't* force themselves to finish that bowl or joint, they just stop smoking.

So it really doesn't matter whether smokers know exactly how strong their weed is - they self-regulate their consumption based on the potency of the bud.

And even if a smoker does continue to smoke after they've reached the feeling they were seeking nothing much happens, they might feel a bit sleepy and feel like they wasted their weed but they will NEVER O.D. and die from it.

What Ron Brooks and friends forget is that marijuana's been widely used in this country for at least the entire time that it's been prohibited.

So it's irrelevant whether it's more dangerous than tobacco or less dangerous than tobacco or even whether it yields to us some colossal benefit when we smoke. The bottom line is people are smoking and we can't stop them so we need laws that'll prevent criminals from getting rich selling marijuana. Legalize it and treat it exactly like alcohol!

finally, something to smile about. sooner or later this coffin will be nailed shut.

This is great news. Seems like lately it's been victory after victory for drug law reform.

Amazing, on that link Jillian provided, the DEA states that 93% of Americans dont use drugs, and only SEVEN percent use. Meanwhile, alcohol is still sold hand over fist, and half of Americans imbibe it regularly.

DEA, do you get why you make yourself irrelevant? If half of Americans use alcohol, then FIFTY PERCENT of Americans USE DRUGS!! Splitting hairs to make drugs appear to be less common than they actually are only turns the DEA into liars. Especially an incredibly dangerous drug like alcohol, that took my father's life when I was 5. The drunk driver that hit him wsn't under the influence of pot, LSD, cocaine or any other 'illicit' drug.

So how is your 'War on Drugs' helping ME?! It's not, because the most dangerous drugs out there, you ignore.

The great news just keeps coming in.

Yesterday, Congress voted to finally lift the 11-year ban on Washington, D.C.’s medical marijuana law.

The House voted 221-202 and the Senate voted 57-35 to approve the measure.

For the last 11 years, under a provision known as the Barr amendment, Congress has prevented Washington, D.C. from implementing the medical marijuana law passed by 69% of voters in 1998.

Repealing this amendment has been a primary focus of MPP's federal lobbying efforts for many years. In 2007, we even hired former Congressman Bob Barr (R-Ga.) — the original author of the amendment — to lobby to overturn it. And our lobbyists have worked directly with members of the House and Senate and their staff since 2006 to eliminate this democracy-unfriendly law.

In fact, senior appropriators in Congress sought out MPP staff to work through specifics and to help better understand D.C.'s medical marijuana law and the complicated legal maneuverings that led to the blocking of its implementation.  

MPP would like to thank Congressmen Jose Serrano (D-N.Y.), Dave Obey (D-Wis.), Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) for their strong and abiding support of allowing D.C. to implement its medical marijuana law.

Today's vote represents a victory not just for medical marijuana patients, but for all Americans, who have the right to determine their own policies without federal meddling.

Now we need the same rights in EVERY STATE!!!!  In Florida, our organization is collecting petitions to get language on the 2010 ballot to legalize the use of medicinal marijuana.  Our site is located at www.pufmm.org and we welcome all registered Florida voters to visit our site, download petitions and get them distributed.  The time is now and we need all of your help.

Thanks.  Kevin S.