Senator Claims 'Good People Don't Smoke Marijuana' During Anti-Pot Hearing Criticized as a 'Sham'
Apr 5, 2016 23:20:45 #
Anti-Drug Senators Criticized For Sham Hearing On Legal Marijuana
Drug policy reform advocates denounced the hearing as dishonest and out of touch.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2016/04/05/senate-hearing-marijuana_n_9620218.html
A Senate hearing on state marijuana laws Tuesday was biased and dishonest, focusing mostly on debunked claims that marijuana use leads to substances like heroin and cocaine, drug policy groups said.
These hearings are a one-sided sham with the deck stacked with witnesses who have a track record of vehemently opposing marijuana legalization, said Michael Collins, Drug Policy Alliance deputy director. An honest evaluation of marijuana legalization would include the undeniable benefits of legalization, like the massive drop in marijuana arrests, the billions in taxes, and the t***sition from an underground market to a regulated one.
Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), co-chairs of the Caucus on International Narcotics Control, called the hearing to evaluate a Department of Justice 2013 decision to not enforce federal drug laws in states that have legalized recreational marijuana use. Feinstein and Grassley, two of the Senates most strident anti-drug crusaders, cited a recent Government Accountability Office report that criticized DOJ for inadequately monitoring the effects of state marijuana policies.
The four witnesses who testified at the hearing showed little diversity in their viewpoints: GAOs director for Homeland Security and Justice Jennifer Grover, who coauthored a report criticizing DOJ; California prosecutor Benjamin B. Wagner, who led raids on pot farms in California; Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson, who sued Colorado over its marijuana law; and Denver-based pediatrician Kathryn Wells, who sits on the board of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, a group opposed to legalization.
No one at the hearing spoke in favor of reforming marijuana laws. Pro-legalization groups chided Grassley for not holding hearings on Senate legislation that would legalize marijuana for medical use and re-schedule the substance as a less dangerous drug.
Grassley may be stuck in the past, but the rest of us are not. Its time for him to do his job and hold real hearings on real legislation that could make a real difference for patients and providers across the country, said Aaron Smith of the National Cannabis Industry Association.
Drug policy reform advocates denounced the hearing as dishonest and out of touch.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2016/04/05/senate-hearing-marijuana_n_9620218.html
A Senate hearing on state marijuana laws Tuesday was biased and dishonest, focusing mostly on debunked claims that marijuana use leads to substances like heroin and cocaine, drug policy groups said.
These hearings are a one-sided sham with the deck stacked with witnesses who have a track record of vehemently opposing marijuana legalization, said Michael Collins, Drug Policy Alliance deputy director. An honest evaluation of marijuana legalization would include the undeniable benefits of legalization, like the massive drop in marijuana arrests, the billions in taxes, and the t***sition from an underground market to a regulated one.
Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), co-chairs of the Caucus on International Narcotics Control, called the hearing to evaluate a Department of Justice 2013 decision to not enforce federal drug laws in states that have legalized recreational marijuana use. Feinstein and Grassley, two of the Senates most strident anti-drug crusaders, cited a recent Government Accountability Office report that criticized DOJ for inadequately monitoring the effects of state marijuana policies.
The four witnesses who testified at the hearing showed little diversity in their viewpoints: GAOs director for Homeland Security and Justice Jennifer Grover, who coauthored a report criticizing DOJ; California prosecutor Benjamin B. Wagner, who led raids on pot farms in California; Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson, who sued Colorado over its marijuana law; and Denver-based pediatrician Kathryn Wells, who sits on the board of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, a group opposed to legalization.
No one at the hearing spoke in favor of reforming marijuana laws. Pro-legalization groups chided Grassley for not holding hearings on Senate legislation that would legalize marijuana for medical use and re-schedule the substance as a less dangerous drug.
Grassley may be stuck in the past, but the rest of us are not. Its time for him to do his job and hold real hearings on real legislation that could make a real difference for patients and providers across the country, said Aaron Smith of the National Cannabis Industry Association.
Apr 5, 2016 23:38:18 #
maybe he should spend a day in ice fire station an breath the air. lol
an the narc's :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
an the narc's :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
Apr 6, 2016 09:25:42 #
Marijuana use for medical reasons seems like a no brainer.. Sending people to jail for recreational marijuana use seems kind of stupid. Opinions vary over the effects of its use but we don't jail people for being drunks.
http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/marijuana-use-disorder-common-often-untreated
Employers still have the right to prohibit it's use by employees (mine does). States now look at it as a new tax revenue source without taking in the long term consequences. Personally I don't give a damn if somebody smokes a little weed but I look at all the people I know that have done it heavily long term and about 75% of them did nothing with their lives. That's not scientific just a personal observation. It may have more to do with their personal make up than it does about pot use.
http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/marijuana-use-disorder-common-often-untreated
Employers still have the right to prohibit it's use by employees (mine does). States now look at it as a new tax revenue source without taking in the long term consequences. Personally I don't give a damn if somebody smokes a little weed but I look at all the people I know that have done it heavily long term and about 75% of them did nothing with their lives. That's not scientific just a personal observation. It may have more to do with their personal make up than it does about pot use.
Apr 6, 2016 09:46:49 #
Opus wrote:
Marijuana use for medical reasons seems like a no... (show quote)
an yet still there are those that do nothing with their lives an never smoked it. an there those that are judges, layers, manager of large corporations who have or still do,, it stills leads back to the individual. :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
Apr 6, 2016 11:22:31 #
dirtpusher wrote:
an yet still there are those that do nothing with their lives an never smoked it. an there those that are judges, layers, manager of large corporations who have or still do,, it stills leads back to the individual. :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
What? Are you saying we should judge individuals and not groups? Holy S**t! What happened? Fall off the liberal wagon for a second?
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