cannabisnews.com: What Are They Smoking? 





What Are They Smoking? 
Posted by FoM on May 23, 2000 at 11:07:41 PT
Chronicle Sections
Source: San Francisco Chronicle 
Although cute and catchy, the ``Smoke a Joint, Lose Your License'' legislation currently stalled in the Legislature represents a clumsily scattershot plan that would do little to either make the roads safer or to attack serious drug abuse. 
The measure, AB 2295, sponsored by Assemblyman Dean Florez, D-Shafter, requires a six-month driver's license suspension for anyone convicted of a drug offense -- including possession of marijuana -- even if the offense is not remotely driving-related. People could lose driving privileges if convicted for smoking pot in their living room, lying on a picnic blanket in the park or any other places that have nothing to do with traffic safety or automobiles. However, the measure imposes no consequences for real driving-related hazards such as recklessness, red-light running or driving while intoxicated. And, of course, drive-by shootings, armed robbery, murder and other far more serious public safety offenses are neither a part of the proposal or otherwise subjected to similar driving restrictions. One might reasonably argue that any number of criminal offenses, especially violent ones, show a greater disregard for public safety and hence might portend a greater danger on the road. But logic seems to be missing from this bill. Originally, the law was signed by then-Gov. Pete Wilson. Under pressure from Washington, Wilson backed a federal mandate crafted to avoid marijuana decriminalization laws. To prevent a cutoff of federal highway funds, states had to endorse the law or have their governors and legislatures both agree not to. So Wilson signed a bill endorsing the federal mandate temporarily. When the law expired in June, it should have been left at that. But this absurd idea would not just fade away. The state could find many more relevant and effective ways to address drug abuse and highway safety than this ill-conceived law. Legislators should reject the Florez bill. Published: Tuesday, May 23, 2000 ©2000 San Francisco Chronicle  Related Articles:California's Governor Plays Tough on Crimehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread5815.shtmlGov. Davis Pushes Smoke a Joint Lose Your Licensehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread5601.shtmlCannabis & Drug Policy Information:http://cannabisnews.com/information/CannabisNews Articles On Cannabis:http://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml
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Comment #1 posted by PROPOOPER on June 04, 2001 at 17:50:05 PT:
THIS IS NUTS.
I BELIEVE THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO RIGHT INVADING THE PERSONAL BUISNESS THAT GOES ON IN PEOPLES HOMES. THE GOVERNMENT BELIEVES IN THE DRUG WAR, PROBABLY BECAUSE THEY ARE EITHER FUNDING IT FOR OTHER COUNTRIES ,OR THERE TAKING A HEFTY KICKBACK OFF THE ENTIRE GAME. BUT WHO IN THE END PAYS FOR IT.....YOU DO. WEATHER YOU SMOKE POT OR NOT YOUR STILL A VICTIM. WOULDNT YOU LIKE TO KNOW IF YOUR TAXES WERE GOING TOWARD KEEPING A SERIAL KILLER IN PRISON ,OR A 19 YR OLD KID WHO GOT CAUGHT WITH ALOT LESS POT THAN HALF OF THE GENERAL CONSENSUS SMOKED WHILE IN COLLEGE. THIS WAR IS STUPID,POINTLESS AND COSTING CITIZENS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. LEGALIZE
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