Marijuana Legalization Advocates Now Have Lawmakers' Attention

[Frodo]

It seems the Drug War must truly be in its final years:

Doors swing open for advocates of marijuana legalization on Capitol Hill

By Kevin Bogardus    - 02/10/13 06:00 AM ET

Advocates for the legalization of marijuana plan to step up their political giving and lobbying efforts now that members of Congress are taking an interest in changing federal drug laws.

The lobbyists say lawmakers who wouldn’t give them the time of day are suddenly interested in meeting with them and introducing legislation following the approval of ballot initiatives in Colorado and Washington that legalized recreational use of the drug.

“These were folks who wouldn't take a call five years ago and now they are calling us and telling us to get up there with our PAC money and our expertise,” said Allen St. Pierre, executive director for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). “For those of us who have been at this for the past 20 years, it has been nice to see the warm turn.”

Some pro-legalization groups are increasing their fundraising as lawmakers consider drug legislation. Steve Fox, director of government relations for the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), said the group is planning more aggressive fundraising through its political action committee.
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Read more: http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/282029-doors-swing-open-for-marijuana-advocates-on-capitol-hill#ixzz2KWNwXg6e

[tik 🪀✨]

Ending marijuana criminalisation is good, but whatever is pushed needs to be across the board. I'm not saying methamphetamine vending machines, but less Rambo and more rehab and therapy would help. Tax it if it's commercially produced and use the funding for more beneficial purposes.

[Jordan]

I think legalizing Hemp will be the first thing to happen.

Maybe federally within 10 years.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Freedom Fighter

[Simfan34]

Then we need to ramp up the war, and- literally- bring out the big guns. We cannot afford to lose this one, not to the crack heads. Not to the anarchists. We need to fly the drones, if need be.

[opebo]

Then we need to ramp up the war, and- literally- bring out the big guns. We cannot afford to lose this one, not to the crack heads. Not to the anarchists. We need to fly the drones, if need be.

Come on, you can't believe either that they 'want to win it' or that it is 'winnable'?  The whole purpose is to to militarize American society, eliminate civil rights, and most of all to increase the divide between 'middle class worker' whites and lower class whites and browns.

The idea that they're doing this war because of any concern about what drugs poors ingest is absurd and patently nonsensical.  A better way to understand the 'War on Drugs' is as just one campaign in the overall 'War on Poors'.

[Simfan34]

Let's go!

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

Then we need to ramp up the war, and- literally- bring out the big guns. We cannot afford to lose this one, not to the crack heads. Not to the anarchists. We need to fly the drones, if need be.

Excessive hyperbole, I hope?

[opebo]

Let's go!

Ok, then you accept my explanation of the actual reasons behind the 'war'?  In that case I don't have any issue with your support for it, as long as you aren't deceiving yourself about what it is.

[memphis]

I have a hard time seeing any change in federal marijuana laws anytime soon. People have such a stick up their butts about the morality of the "drugs" and they refuse to think for a moment about the morality (or costs) of putting somebody in a cage for years becuase of said "drugs." Though I do think the issue has the potential to bring a lot of people who are not regular voters out of the woodwork.

[opebo]

... People have such a stick up their butts about the morality of the "drugs" and they refuse to think for a moment about the morality (or costs) of putting somebody in a cage for years becuase of said "drugs."

Come on, lets face it - the whole point of such laws is to make whites hate blacks and 'middle class' hate poors.  People don't care if they see a poor black in prison, it just makes them feel 'better' by contrast.

[AkSaber]

Obama will never go for this. Hasn't his administration already had more raids on medical marijuana dispensaries than George W. had in his 8 years?

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Kentucky, watched over by the most powerful Republican in the Senate, just approved some kind of hemp-legalization bill. That says to me that legalization isn't far behind. It'd be a huge cash crop for Republican states, which is what I think is really helping grab GOP support.

[Maxwell]

Obama will never go for this. Hasn't his administration already had more raids on medical marijuana dispensaries than George W. had in his 8 years?

You say that as if Obama has any sort of conscience towards an ideology. I'm sure he'll announce support for medical marijuana any minute now.

[badgate]

Obama will never go for this. Hasn't his administration already had more raids on medical marijuana dispensaries than George W. had in his 8 years?

People who bring this up baffle me. Doesn't it mean when dispensaries get raided that they were breaking the law? Gee, sorry for being tough on crime

[Sbane]

Obama will never go for this. Hasn't his administration already had more raids on medical marijuana dispensaries than George W. had in his 8 years?

People who bring this up baffle me. Doesn't it mean when dispensaries get raided that they were breaking the law? Gee, sorry for being tough on crime

Marijuana laws in this country are a joke. Do you seriously disagree with this?