cannabisnews.com: Candidate Focuses on State Marijuana Laws 





Candidate Focuses on State Marijuana Laws 
Posted by FoM on October 16, 2001 at 08:17:12 PT
By Joel Turner, The Roanoke Times
Source: Roanoke Times 
Gary Reams, the Libertarian candidate for lieutenant governor, said Monday that Virginia could generate more money to improve schools and highways if it reformed marijuana laws that he claims are doing more harm than good.   "All of us are paying for the marijuana prohibition through the costs for courts, prisons and law enforcement," Reams said. "It would be better to reallocate some of this money to schools and roads." 
He did not estimate the cost for enforcing marijuana laws, but he called on state officials to provide estimates.   Reams also said the federal government could better use 400 undercover agents in the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to investigate terrorist activity instead of using them for drug enforcement.   Democrat Tim Kaine disagreed with Reams on marijuana reform, saying he does not favor any change in state laws regulating it. "I don't see it as a victimless crime," Kaine said, adding that he saw the consequences of illegal drug use when he was mayor of Richmond.   Kaine said he is also concerned that legalizing marijuana could cause more public health problems because he believes more people would use the drug.   Reams and Kaine appeared together in a one-hour program, which was taped at the WVPT television station and will be aired statewide on public television Wednesday night.   Jay Katzen, the Republican candidate, was invited to participate, but declined, said station general manager Stan Hunter.   Reams, who said he is running solely because he wants to turn the election into a referendum on marijuana prohibition, focused attention on the issue with his answers to most questions during the program.   He said that marijuana laws are "wrecking many careers" and that the suffering of many people could be alleviated by the medicinal use of the drug. The laws are not keeping the drug away from young people, he said, adding that most high school students say they can get marijuana if they want it.   Kaine said he thinks the marijuana laws do restrict use of the drug and more people would use it if it were legalized.   Reams is not proposing specific legislation at the state or federal level, but he said he wants voters to send a message that prohibition is not working and demand reform.   On another issue , Kaine said he has no doubt that Virginia has executed an innocent person at some point, although he did not identify any individual. He noted that the state came close to executing an innocent man in the much-publicized case of Earl Washington, who was removed from Virginia's death row and released from prison after DNA evidence exonerated him of a 1982 rape and murder charge.   Despite his moral concerns about the death penalty, Kaine said he will uphold the state's laws on capital punishment if he is elected.   The Democratic candidate also said he thinks the state should help fund museums and cultural organizations outside Richmond, such as Roanoke's Center in the Square and museums in other localities. Kaine said it might be better to set up a funding mechanism that is not dependent on the political influence of particular legislators.   Richmond created an arts consortium to distribute funds to individual museums and organizations, he said, adding that he envisions that a similar body could be formed to allocate state funds to museums and cultural organizations across the state.   If he wins next month, Kaine said he will seriously consider running for governor in 2005. The Democrat said he would confer with his family in about two years and decide then if he will run for governor. Note: Gary Reams wants to turn the November election into a referendum on marijuana prohibition. Republican Jay Katzen declined to join the debate.Complete Title: Candidate for Lieutenant Governor Focuses on State Marijuana Laws Source: Roanoke Times (VA)Author: Joel Turner, The Roanoke TimesPublished: Tuesday, October 16, 2001 Copyright: 2001 Roanoke TimesContact: karent roanoke.comWebsite: http://www.roanoke.com/roatimes/CannabisNews Articles - Cannabishttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on October 16, 2001 at 11:00:49 PT
News Article from The Fresno Bee
Stored Pot Unlikely to Grow Mold Author: Barbara Anderson
Source: The Fresno Bee
Published: Tuesday, October, 16, 2001Finding a life-threatening mold growing on marijuana plants confiscated for evidence in criminal cases would be highly unlikely in the the central San Joaquin Valley, law enforcement officials say.
For one, they don't store enough of the plants to be a host for mold."We only store what is required by the penal code. We take five random samples from a field, for example," says Lt. Don Landers of the Tulare County Sheriff's Department.Sonoma County found a dangerous mold growing on marijuana plants stored in its Sheriff's Department evidence room this fall.Decontamination of the room began this past weekend.A leak in the roof of the evidence room allowed rainwater to come in contact with the plants, said Deborah Phillips, central information bureau manager at the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department.
 Complete Article: http://www.fresnobee.com/local/story/1017262p-1077336c.html
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