Comprehensive Drug Reform Bill (Law'd)

[Franzl]

I have to object to the inclusion of opium in BK's list.

If he's willing to take it out, I am as well.

[Bacon King]

Ah, it was actually included on accident. Yes, feel free to remove it.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     This is the official bill:

Comprehensive Drug Reform Bill

Section 1: Findings
1. Current Atlasian policy has led to the incarceration of millions of nonviolent drug users, as well as the devastation of several South American economies and environments, and an overall increase in violent crime associated with drug dealing and untreated addiction.
2. Current Atlasian policy treats drug addiction first and foremost as a criminal problem rather than a medical one.
3. Current Atlasian policy is inherently contradictory in that one of the most intoxicating and addictive substances known to man, alcohol, is legal while possession of softer drugs remains a criminal activity.
4. Current Atlasian policy places harsh sentencing and punishment ahead of harm minimization, effective drug education, and addiction treatment.

Section 2: Decriminalized Substances
1. All federal laws, as well as District of Columbia and federal territory laws, prohibiting the private possession, consumption, or profitless distribution of the following substances are repealed: all Schedule III oral and intravenous anabolic steroids, all prohormones listed in U.S. 118 Stat. 1661 (including, but not limited to, 4-androstenedione, 4-androstenediol, 19-norandrostenedione, 19-norandrostenediol, and 1-androstenediol), human growth hormone (hGH), 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine (MDMA), mescaline, Peyote, psilocin, psilocybin, d-lysergic acid amide (LSA), lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), salvia divinorum, dimethyltryptamine (DMT), ephedrine, gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), ibogaine, 5-methoxy-n,n-diisopropyltryptamine (5-MeO-DIPT), 2C-T-7, 2C-B, cathinone (khat), alpha-methyltryptamine (AMT), 5-OH-DMT, amphetamines, dextroamphetamine, benzylpiperazine, codeine, synthetic cannabinoids, and marinol.
2. This section shall not be interpreted to legalize the sale or underage use of the listed substances.
3. All federal laws, including District of Columbia and federal territory laws, prohibiting certain forms of tobacco (including homegrown tobacco, smokeless tobacco, clove cigarettes, or N. rustica), alcohol (including absinthe, and all related ingredients), or associated paraphanelia (including rolling papers, rolling filter tips, matches, and water pipes) are repealed.

Section 3: Safe Injection Sites
1. The federal government will invest $10 million FY 2011 in the construction of a Safe Injection Site in the District of Columbia.
2. No person using illicit drugs inside of a Safe Injection Site may face prosecution of any kind in relation to the possession or consumption of the drug.
3. All persons entering the Safe Injection Site will be provided with clean needle syringes and any medical care necessary free of charge.
4. A donation of a dollar will be requested upon entrance to the Site. This donation is not required. Donations of any size will be accepted, assuming it is a legal donation.

Section 4: Good Samaritan Provision
1. In all areas under federal jurisdiction, persons calling for medical help for a person who is suffering immediate health problems due to drug use may not face arrest charges for possession or consumption of illicit substances.

[Bacon King]

I may be mistaken, but don't we already have a safe injection site constructed or something? We should have the funds go towards funding that rather than billing a new one.

[MasterJedi]

I may be mistaken, but don't we already have a safe injection site constructed or something? We should have the funds go towards funding that rather than billing a new one.

I checked and as far as I know no site was built.

[Bacon King]

Ah, let's keep it in, in that case.

Note also, MJ, that the thread should be retitled.

[Franzl]

I wish to change my bill to the "Comprehensive Drug Reform Bill".

[MasterJedi]

I hereby open up a final vote on this bill. Please vote Aye, Nay or Abstain.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Nay

[Franzl]

Aye

[HappyWarrior]

NAY

[Bacon King]

aye

[afleitch]

Abstain.

On reflection I'm not a drug expert. I am not in a position to determine what is harmful.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     Aye

[Purple State]

Those who helped craft this bill were very open to input and my concerns. I view this as an acceptable compromise and vote

Aye

[Smid]

Nay.

[Franzl]

still waiting on 2 votes

[Purple State]

After some reflection, I will change my vote to Abstain. I feel as though I have not done the adequate research to allow for such a wide scale of drugs to enter Atlasia. While there are a good number of drugs on that list I would consider as "safe," I do not wish to make a judgment on this extended list, only to find that our action has harmed unknowing citizens.

[RI]

Aye.

[Smid]

After some reflection, I will change my vote to Abstain. I feel as though I have not done the adequate research to allow for such a wide scale of drugs to enter Atlasia. While there are a good number of drugs on that list I would consider as "safe," I do not wish to make a judgment on this extended list, only to find that our action has harmed unknowing citizens.

This is the reason for which I voted against the Bill. I have no problem with codeine. I do have a problem with LSD, however, and I'm not going to vote in favour of a bill that will legalise it, even if it does allow for codeine. There may well be other drugs on the list with which I disagree.

A better option may be to create an agency, such as the US FDA, or the Australian TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration), which can regulate drugs.

This is the TGA website: http://www.tga.gov.au/
http://www.tga.gov.au/about/tga.htm - the link "What the TGA does"

As you can see, to import or produce a therepeutic drug in Australia, the importer or producer must have permission from the TGA. Doctors can apply for permission to import a particular drug for a patient or patients. This leaves it in the hands of scientists at the TGA and means that decisions are made by experts, rather than in the hands of politicians in the Senate.

[Associate Justice PiT]

After some reflection, I will change my vote to Abstain. I feel as though I have not done the adequate research to allow for such a wide scale of drugs to enter Atlasia. While there are a good number of drugs on that list I would consider as "safe," I do not wish to make a judgment on this extended list, only to find that our action has harmed unknowing citizens.

This is the reason for which I voted against the Bill. I have no problem with codeine. I do have a problem with LSD, however, and I'm not going to vote in favour of a bill that will legalise it, even if it does allow for codeine. There may well be other drugs on the list with which I disagree.

A better option may be to create an agency, such as the US FDA, or the Australian TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration), which can regulate drugs.

This is the TGA website: http://www.tga.gov.au/
http://www.tga.gov.au/about/tga.htm - the link "What the TGA does"

As you can see, to import or produce a therepeutic drug in Australia, the importer or producer must have permission from the TGA. Doctors can apply for permission to import a particular drug for a patient or patients. This leaves it in the hands of scientists at the TGA and means that decisions are made by experts, rather than in the hands of politicians in the Senate.

     LSD is already decriminalized. In regards to that drug, this bill is only symbolic, as repealing the law against the use of LSD has as much of an effect as repealing an anti-miscegenation law would today.

[MasterJedi]

This bill has enough votes to pass. Senators now have 24 hours to change their votes.

[MasterJedi]

With 5 Ayes, 3 Nays and 1 Abstention this bill has passed. I hereby present it to the President for his signature.

[bgwah]

X President Bgwah

[Marokai Backbeat]

Wiki'd