cannabisnews.com: Decriminalization Bill Falters in Committee 





Decriminalization Bill Falters in Committee 
Posted by FoM on January 31, 2002 at 11:18:49 PT
By The Associated Press
Source: Roswell Daily Record 
A proposal to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana ran into a dead end Tuesday in a House committee. The Consumer and Public Affairs Committee shelved the proposal on a unanimous voice vote.Supporters acknowledged that the measure probably was dead for the 30-day session — a victim partly of election year pressures in the Legislature. All 70 House seats are up for election this year.
The measure was one of the priorities of Republican Gov. Gary Johnson for overhauling New Mexico’s drug laws.The legislation would have lifted criminal penalties the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana for people 18 and older. The offense would have been treated like a traffic violation, subject to a civil fine but no arrest, jail time or criminal record.‘‘I understand it’s one of the more controversial bills of the package. It is very difficult to deal with in 30 days, particularly in an election year,’’ said former Gov. Toney Anaya, who is lobbying for the drug law changes on behalf of the Center for Policy Reform, a nonprofit group affiliated with the Lindesmith Center-Drug Policy Foundation.The committee acted quickly without hearing testimony from proponents and opponents.Rep. Gail Beam, D-Albuquerque, the sponsor of the bill, made brief comments and then the panel tabled the measure.Rep. Patsy Trujillo Knauer, D-Santa Fe, the panel chairwoman, said the drug policy changes were too far-reaching to be handled in the rush of a 30-day session, which traditionally focuses on the budget and financial issues.Tabling the bill means it has been set aside. It can be considered again, but that appeared unlikely with the marijuana proposal. Tabling a bill is a way of blocking legislation without directly voting to reject it.In New Mexico, possessing an ounce or less of marijuana is a misdemeanor. A first conviction carries a fine of at least $50 and up to 15 days in jail. Possession of more than eight ounces is a felony punishable by 18 months in prison.Eleven states have lifted criminal sanctions for possession of small amounts of marijuana.Darren White, executive director of Protect New Mexico, a group opposing Johnson’s drug law changes, said he was pleased with the committee’s decision. Lifting criminal penalties for marijuana possession by adults, he said, would send a message to children ‘‘that there is no great risk in smoking marijuana.’’Johnson also is advocating the legalization of the medical use of marijuana and giving judges more discretion in sentencing drug law offenders.Also Tuesday, the House committee voted to forward ‘‘without recommendation’’ to the Judiciary Committee a proposal to allow judges to decide whether to depart from mandatory sentences for ‘‘habitual’’ repeat felony offenders, including drug crimes. Source: Roswell Daily Record (NM) Published: January 30, 2002Copyright: 2002 Roswell Daily NewsWebsite: http://www.roswell-record.com/Contact: http://www.roswell-record.com/questions/contax.htmlRelated Articles & Web Sites:The Drug Policy Alliancehttp://www.lindesmith.org/Protect New Mexicohttp://www.protectnewmexico.org/Drug Debate Heats Uphttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11889.shtmlProtect New Mexico Poll http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11883.shtmlLegislators Rethink Supporting Drug Bills http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11826.shtml 
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Comment #6 posted by Lehder on February 01, 2002 at 09:43:43 PT
homesick
Lifting criminal penalties for marijuana possession by adults, he said, would send a message to children ‘‘that there is no great risk in smoking marijuana.’’It's a message that children are well familiar with: more than half of New Mexico's high school kids have already smoked marijuana and all them know that the only significant risks in smoking marijuana are arrest, expulsion from school, denial of college loans. All these risks are imposed by prohibition, none is intrinsic to marijuana itself. They know that too. All the drug war's artificially imposed "risks" could be eliminated at the stroke of a pen, and that's the message that needs to be sent to New Mexico's legislators. And full legalization of marijuana for adults would make children's access to the herb far more difficult, as everyone knows, including the politicians who cloak their religion of greed and bigotry in phony concern for children. In truth, the politicians are as happy to destroy the lives of children as they are to destroy adults in their quest for personal power and security.New Mexico is a state under federal siege by both the drug war and federal employers. The state hosts several large AF bases, at least one army base, two national laboratories, and scores of supporting private companies. There's also a large federal presence supported by the National Parks, National Forests, and Bureau of Land Management systems. And its proximity to the Mexican border has brought federal drug warriors to the state in a big way. These enterprises transfer money and opportunity to those who are piss tested and who take orders directly form the federal government. The government influx began with the a-bomb in the forties and has built up ever since. Those with the type of character and agenda that the government likes are selected from the emloyment lines all over the country, and then they are paid wages far in excess of what the locals have typically commanded; the people selected to make big money in NM are likely then to vote for rascals and bigots. I have seen over three decades how their influence impoverishes and corrupts the traditional New Mexican culture. Overall, the federal influence amounts to a cultural rape, a low intensity version of the same techniques used in Nicaragua, Colombia, Peru and all over. If you can get away from the growing regimentation and control, NM really is a 'land of enchantment.' In the early-mid seventies NM was a peaceful and laid back place where a person could both relax and be energized to positive action by the beauty of the place. It's still loaded with artists, writers, even scientists with peaceful applications in mind, astronomers ( you can't beat the skies!), nature lovers and many other good souls. It was, much more in the seventies than now, a land of freedom as well as enchantment. No ethnic group in NM constitued a majority, and maybe that circumstance, or maybe the natural tolerance of the state's long term denizens or both had something to do with the relative absence of racial strife and resentment. Everyone seemed to get along in NM, and that's still the case there now far more than in the midwest.I'm making myself homesick. I have only one vote, but maybe I'll go back and send the message this state's legislators need to hear: Yankee go home!
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Comment #5 posted by mayan on January 31, 2002 at 17:27:20 PT
Oh Yeah - 02/02/02
For those who haven't heard, the American Liberty Foundation(Founded by Harry Browne & Perry Willis)will have ads aired on CNN on Saturday, February 2nd. This first series will adress the right to bear arms.Here's the link:
http://hosting.netcommanders.net/americanlib/alfforms.asp?form=form2
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Comment #4 posted by mayan on January 31, 2002 at 15:52:03 PT
Wrong Message
So Darren White would rather send children the message that it's ok to put adults behind bars for engaging in a consensual activity which harms nobody else's person or property? Talk about the wrong message!!! Wouldn't want the "Childruuun" to think that it's a free country now would we?
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Comment #3 posted by Lehder on January 31, 2002 at 14:32:09 PT
don't expect much from third world new mexico
Last year, marijuana law reform in New Mexico was defeated by vote, not tabled. They've had a whole year to come to their senses, and tabling this bill on the pretext that thirty days is too short a session to make reforms will fool no one in November. Also during last year's session, the NM state legislature voted in favor of permitting concealed hand guns, legal cockfighting, and serving alcohol in public museums. These legislators annually condemn the state to eternal ignorance, poverty, the crimes of 270 prohibition enabled gangs, the cockroaches that infest every public building and every apartment and private home, and to the country's highest rate of alcoholism and drunk driving. One sunny morning in Albuquerque, about four years ago, a teenage girl was blasted to death by shots from a passing car as she sat alone in a public park. She had been contemplating the park's official memorial to deaths from gang violence. For several days afterward I asked people what they knew of this girl and the reasons for which she was attacked. Eventually I encountered a woman whose daughters knew some of the girl's friends, and the killing was explained to me thus: "She was involved in a gangbang so they had a drive-by." When this kind of crap begins making sense to you too, you can move to New Mexico and you will fit in well. For your 8% state tax rate you will enjoy fine weather and all the progressive wisdom the state has to offer. I hope a vicious and well justified smear campaign is conducted against every one of these 70 ignoramuses - even the few who may have favored reform - and that all 70 are voted out in November. The people in NM are horribly oppressed by these gutless self-servers, a few of whom know better but are terrified of making tiny waves even with a popular governor at their side. Easier to keep them dumb.
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Comment #2 posted by Sam Adams on January 31, 2002 at 14:32:03 PT
They have the maturity of children
I'm surprised we haven't heard, "whoops, my dog ate the legislation" from these clowns yet. "Yep, we really wanted pass it, but my retriever ate the bill last night".Dark Star - don't worry, I'm sure half of the committee members have smoked MJ themselves, and I'm sure at least a few of them have smoked it in the last month. These people are prudes, just hypocrites.The problem is, politicians don't care about getting things done, or doing the right thing, or the best policy. They just want to make sure everything's all set with the Party people who finance their election, and of course their individual campaign donors. And of course decrim is directly taking money and work and from LEO and prosecutors, the most powerful non-elected officials in our state and local govt's.
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Comment #1 posted by Dark Star on January 31, 2002 at 12:34:51 PT
Just My Humble Opinion
This country has the best politicians money can buy. They do not bother themselves with truth, compassion, or any other motivation except self-aggrandizement. God forbid that they or their family ever have a condition that requires medical marijuana.
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