cannabisnews.com: Reform Efforts In Congress Range From Pot To Hemp
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Reform Efforts In Congress Range From Pot To Hemp
Posted by CN Staff on February 04, 2013 at 13:40:11 PT
By Gene Johnson,  Associated Press
Source: Associated Press
Seattle -- An effort is building in Congress to change U.S. marijuana laws, including moves to legalize the industrial production of hemp and establish a federal pot tax.While passage this year could be a longshot, lawmakers from both parties have been quietly working on several bills, the first of which Democratic Reps. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon and Jared Polis of Colorado plan to introduce Tuesday, Blumenauer told The Associated Press.
Polis' measure would regulate marijuana the way the federal government handles alcohol: In states that legalize pot, growers would have to obtain a federal permit. Oversight of marijuana would be removed from the Drug Enforcement Administration and given to the newly renamed Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Marijuana and Firearms, and it would remain illegal to bring marijuana from a state where it's legal to one where it isn't.The bill is based on a legalization measure previously pushed by former Reps. Barney Frank of Massachusetts and Ron Paul of Texas.Blumenauer's bill would create a federal marijuana excise tax.Last fall's votes in Colorado and Washington state to legalize recreational marijuana should push Congress to end the 75-year federal pot prohibition, Blumenauer said."You folks in Washington and my friends in Colorado really upset the apple cart," Blumenauer said. "We're still arresting two-thirds of a million people for use of a substance that a majority feel should be legal. ... It's past time for us to step in and try to sort this stuff out."Advocates who are working with the lawmakers acknowledge it could take years for any changes to get through Congress, but they're encouraged by recent developments. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell last week came out in support of efforts to legalize hemp in his home state of Kentucky, and U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., is expected to introduce legislation allowing states to set their own policy on marijuana.Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., has indicated he plans to hold a hearing on the conflict between state and federal marijuana laws and has urged an end to federal "mandatory minimum" sentences that lead to long prison stints for drug crimes."We're seeing enormous political momentum to undo the drug war failings of the past 40 years," said Bill Piper, director of national affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance, who has been working with lawmakers on marijuana-related bills. "For the first time, the wind is behind our back."The Justice Department hasn't said how it plans to respond to the votes in Washington and Colorado. It could sue to block the states from issuing licenses to marijuana growers, processors and retail stores, on the grounds that doing so would conflict with federal drug law.Blumenauer and Polis are due to release a paper this week urging Congress to make a number of changes, including altering tax codes to let marijuana dispensaries deduct business expenses on federal taxes, and making it easier for marijuana-related businesses to get bank accounts. Many operate on a cash basis because federally insured banks won't work with them, they noted.Blumenauer said he expects to introduce the tax-code legislation as well as a bill that would reschedule marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act, allowing states to enact medical marijuana laws without fear that federal authorities will continue raiding dispensaries or prosecuting providers. It makes no sense that marijuana is a Schedule I drug, in the same category as heroin and a more restrictive category than cocaine, Blumenauer said.The measures have little chance of passing, said Kevin Sabet, a former White House drug policy adviser. Sabet recently joined former Rhode Island Rep. Patrick Kennedy and former President George W. Bush speechwriter David Frum in forming a group called Project SAM – for "smart approaches to marijuana" – to counter the growing legalization movement. Sabet noted that previous federal legalization measures have always failed."These are really extreme solutions to the marijuana problem we have in this country," Sabet said. "The marijuana problem we have is a problem of addiction among kids, and stigma of people who have a criminal record for marijuana crimes."There are a lot more people in Congress who think that marijuana should be illegal but treated as a public health problem, than think it should be legal."Project SAM suggests people shouldn't get criminal records for small-time marijuana offenses, but instead could face probation or treatment.Source: Associated Press (Wire)Author: Gene Johnson,  Associated PressPublished:  February 4, 2013Copyright: 2013 The Associated PressCannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml 
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Comment #6 posted by John Tyler on February 05, 2013 at 17:48:15 PT
politicians better not get greedy
I am glad that some of the Congress guys are finally starting to see the light and some of the financial benefits of cannabis legalization, but “Blumenauer and Polis are releasing this week suggests, based on admittedly vague estimates, that a federal tax of $50 per ounce could raise $20 billion a year.” $50 an ounce tax is totally ridiculous and unworkable. $50 is way too high and everybody would try to avoid it and a huge black market would emerge. The tax should be around $2.50 to $5.00 per ounce.  The tax man would make a lot of money and people would pay it. Good regular cannabis could sell for $10 an ounce tax included and the sellers would still make a ton of money. Better grades of cannabis and hashish and kief could sell for more, still less than $25 or $30 an ounce tax included. If the politicians get greedy the whole deal will get spoiled. 
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Comment #5 posted by Hope on February 05, 2013 at 13:59:46 PT
Comment 2
The GCW. The pictures on that page are such beautiful plants. I don't mean like beautiful cannabis. I mean like very beautiful plants. They aren't poison.It's not right that people are not allowed by a group of "other" people, to grow this good plant. We should be concerned about making as good a use of this plant as possible and not be all flicked out about who or what might be consuming it. The cannabis plant is apparently very scary to many people. Prohibitionists. The ignorant.I'm still so fascinated by the idea of cannabis hemp firebreaks in fire prone country, like parts of California. I developed this fascination after it was in the news about how a bunch of soldiers in Afghanistan couldn't burn a cannabis field they had been told to burn. Even with flame throwers. That's amazing to me. I'd think it would be for others, too. Is a field of corn or wheat as fireproof as all that? I've seen green things catch fire and burn. I thought this was very interesting news.It's good for the soil and the air. That's amazing. It's an amazing plant and it's good for the birds and animals and often, or occasionally, for people, too. Why is it banned? Why do prohibitionists get to keep everyone else from using it? (Well, I know that. Because they are willing to pounce like mad dogs on people who do choose to use the plant.) The prohibitionists are wrong. They are the perpetrator. The sinner. The villain. The prohibitionists are the "Bad guys" in the war on cannabis and on the people that choose to use it.It's not right that a plant is banned. Any plant. It's obscene that the cannabis/hemp plant is banned. It's even worse that people are harmed and killed by the hate filled and violence prone prohibitionists that ban the plant. Donald Scott, we won't forget you.
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Comment #4 posted by ekim on February 05, 2013 at 12:07:22 PT
 Good goingSenate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell 
we will need all the creative thinking we can musterto help the world meet the pulp and fiber needs to come.http://pulitzercenter.org/reporting/china-wisconsin-paper-industry-mills-trees-nursery-center-technology-recycling-natural-forests-economy
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Comment #3 posted by fight_4_freedom on February 04, 2013 at 22:26:57 PT
Can't believe how close it really feels
like it is almost over. Don't get me wrong, long way to go. But the momentum we have is like a tidal wave. That is why I encourage everybody who can to attend Hash Bash in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 6th. We need to show our numbers. Especially now that our law has been in place for a few years now. We will have a special guest at our MINORML meeting the night before....and for the post Hash Bash Fundraiser Dinner being put on. Haven't heard if he's speaking Sat afternoon but I would assume so. Founder of NORML, Keith Stroup will be that featured guest. Many more details to come.
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Comment #2 posted by The GCW on February 04, 2013 at 16:02:28 PT
In Denver Post
Effort building to change US pot lawsSEATTLE—An effort is building in Congress to change U.S. marijuana laws, including moves to legalize the industrial production of hemp and establish a hefty federal pot tax.While passage this year could be a longshot, lawmakers from both parties have been quietly working on several bills, the first of which Democratic Reps. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon and Jared Polis of Colorado plan to introduce Tuesday, Blumenauer told The Associated Press.Cont.http://www.denverpost.com/news/marijuana/ci_22516321/apnewsbreak-effort-building-change-us-pot-laws 
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Comment #1 posted by The GCW on February 04, 2013 at 15:55:26 PT
Screw SAM
"Sabet noted that previous federal legalization measures have always failed."Sabet, Note, We are entering the future.Screwing Americans for using a God-given plant is about over. SCREW YOU, SAM.
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