Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act Reintroduced In Congress
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June 11, 2009
Massachusetts Democrat Barney Frank, along with over a dozen cosponsors, reintroduced legislation in Congress today to strengthen legal protections for state-authorized medical marijuana patients.The bill, entitled the Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act of 2009, seeks to amend the discrepancy between federal law and the laws of over a dozen states that have enacted regulations governing the therapeutic use of cannabis.
Thirteen states – Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington – have enacted laws prohibiting medical marijuana patients from state prosecution. Passage of the the Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act would ensure that medical cannabis patients or providers who are compliant with state law, such as Charles Lynch (who was sentenced today in federal court), would no longer have to fear arrest or prosecution from federal law enforcement agencies.
Previous versions of the Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act were introduced in both the 108th and 109th Congress, but failed to receive a public hearing or a committee vote.
While campaigning for the presidency, Barack Obama promised not to use Justice Department resources “to try and circumvent state (medical marijuana) laws” — a pledge that has been repeated in recent months by US Attorney General Eric Holder. Nevertheless, agents from the US Drug Enforcement Administration have continued to target medical marijuana providers in states that allow for the drug’s use, and federal prosecutors have continued to bring federal anti-drug charges against defendants who were acting in accordance with their state’s cannabis laws.
To support the Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act of 2009, please log on to NORML’s Take Action Center here.
82 Responses to “Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act Reintroduced In Congress”
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I truly think the gov is not gonna win this .They myaswell legalize-tax-regulate= rejuvenate how much more simple can it get LMAO c’omon now
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It’ll take alot more than some “bill” to fix the wrongs in america. Legislation is for nothing, it is just writing on paper as long as there is no trial by jury. How do you bind a government to the people’s will rather than the will of a few people? With the power to punish lies all power. The judicial branch was supposed to be a barrier, of the people, between creation and execution of the laws, circumventing tyrannical government. Those who ‘believe’ in obama are adly mistaken if he was a true beacon of hope he would actually bring reform to the monetary system, environmental protection, energy, criminal justice, education. All he and his supporters do is offer expensive solutions which further concentrate power into the hands of fewer and fewer people and completely overlook if not outright conceal what is really going on in america today. The demise of trial by jury will be the demise of a nation and will set us back just as it did when athens fell to phillip of macedon, or when emporers seized control of rome. Only this time it might be a complete and utter destruction if people do not realize and speak out.
Not to plug a cable news program or anything but Anderson Cooper 360 will be doing a debate about whether to outright legalize marijuana in America ALL next week each night. I think it will be interesting to watch the drug warriors get completely destroyed when debating this issue.
I’ve noticed that Obama allows things to happen rather than make things happen. I think that the medical application of marijuana is much easier to take than an outright end of prohibition. Remember there’s decades of corruption built up. It will be of course obvious later on that this whole, MJ is evil is just silly. Plus alot of people that are old and believe this way need to basically die to allow the new thinking in. It takes time. Sharp movements in any market always lead to disruptions in service and violence.
There will never be a full legalizaion of cannabis. The reason is simple, anyone can grow it. It costs about .005 dollars to grow one ton of hemp, 1 acre grows about four tons. With this much hemp you can get: Medicine, Food, Animal feed, fuel, fiber, building materials, basically anything oil can make hemp can. Nothing in a sense would change, but something that is hidden will. Market scarcity. hemp grows so prolifically the market would be flooded with cheaper superior products.Then how will big government and big corporations rake in money from the ordinary citizen? You must remember whoever prints money has the utmost control. the average american is in debt, the rich are getting richer, violence is flaring up across the world and it is not by accident.The fed is an entity largely independent of government and through exclusive printing of money, fractional (fictional) reserve banking, and interest rate maipulation along with stock market manipulation we have allowed those who set the rules to cheat us out of our money. Money in reality, is actual property. What happens during bankruptcy? all your stuff you cant pay for is taken.
Good call Shap. I am waiting for the same. It’s going to be interesting too to see if MSM ‘really’ stays in the middle on the entire debate. I just hope with the recent BBC propaganda that I won’t dare mention the name of it’s so horrid, isn’t a trend in media.
NEXT WEEK ON CNN AC360: ‘America’s High’
Can the U.S. afford to make pot legal? Can we afford not to? We’re keeping them honest on both sides of the argument. All next week, 10 ET
They better release Charles Lynch in lieu of this new legislation or do they want to contend with 60% of Americans who favor pot?
This better get passed now that the Dems have a larger majority and Obama’s public policy on MMJ has changed. The Dems know what the Presidents MMJ policy is and if they dont make it law before Obama leaves office then there is nothing to stop the DEA raids from continuing. Hopefully Obama will make a public statement and come out in clear public support of this bill.
You guys know what to do. Send those letters and phone calls.
# 3 Carlos
Are you talking about Lynch’s case not being able to have a trial by jury or have you heard somewhere they are trying to ban jury trials ? Banning jury trials is unconstitutional from what I understand so ill take it your talking about Lynch’s case. Why was Lynch not able to have a jury trial ?
I looked up Charles’ case and found out that he was arrested in 2007 well before Obama changed Federal policy. SO I’m pretty sure that pardoning him would just be another opportunity to accuse the cannabis lobby of trying to legalize LSD and heroin as well as give them a twisted reason to speculate that Obama is conspiring to pardon terrorists who were convicted based on confessions that they gave under torture.
Also Shap, I’ve seen many hours of alleged cannabis “debate” on tv. I would be extremely impressed if Anderson or his producers give anyone the chance to tell the truth about how it was prohibited in the first place for pure greed using propaganda without a shred of empirical evidence even with citations of congressional transcripts. Whether it was that chick on National Geographic behaving like a freshman at her first house party, asking a very sick Canadian man what would happen if “I ate like five of your pot cookies” or Allen not being able to say two words in favor of lifting prohibition while Bush’s drug czar spewed out every bit of pot propaganda on Larry King Live. I would be very impressed if anyone will be allowed to criticize the most notoriously corrupt federal government this Nation has ever had because there is no precedent for it. Although I hope Anderson will allow the good guys to use logic to explain away each and every word of unfounded propaganda that the fear-mongering prohibitionists spit out.
# 4 i will be sure to tune in everyday next week plus blog on the 360 site
This bill is a crucial step for drug policy reform on the federal level. America can’t allow its citizens to live under such blatant contradictory laws. We need to do everything we can to make sure it gets the exposure it deserves!
I would quit cigarettes if they allow me to have marijuana without prodecution.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: single-issue voting. Let your reps and the MSM know you’re a single-issue voter (marijuana legalization), that there are many more people taking up this mantle and are sick of the bullshit. Follow through in elections by only voting for candidates who support legalization. The parasites–I mean politicians–will start paying attention when their sorry asses are out of a job. They will miraculously find a moral compass and political courage. Write a letter or a blog, now.
The text of H.R. 5842 has not yet been received from GPO
Bills are generally sent to the Library of Congress from the Government Printing Office a day or two after they are introduced on the floor of the House or Senate. Delays can occur when there are a large number of bills to prepare or when a very large bill has to be printed.
marijuana is NOT a health issue, it is a ethical issue……What part of the US govt lying to the US public is ethical?
I have MS and marijuana is the MOST effective form of medicine known to man. Schedule ONE drug “No medical benifit” Come on….I think we would all agree telling the truth is the only way to go.
Thats all I want as a sick US citezen, is my govt to tell the truth
Mark W,
I’m right there with you brother……stay strong.
http://www.myspace.com/niceria
twitter: @revraygreen
ok i calld the white house number. im gona email and do a hand written letter as well. How dare this sick and twisted government lock up this poor man. And only for helpin sick people. Last time i looked there was classes of criminals with titles such as ‘rapist’ and ‘murderer’ that would be better suited for his jail cell.
Marijuana is jus A PEACEFUL Plant…
Why Start Trouble???????????????????
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We should consider it a crime when our lawmakers use lies to hide the real reason the vote the way they do. Its all to ensure corporate profits and ensure their PAC check clears…
Cherokee Fred Jesus
I’m officially a single-issue voter. Marijuana legalization is America’s new zeitgeist. It saddens me that America is so bleeped up that after 70 years of just plain ignorance many still cling to lies.
If a politician wants my vote its going to take being vocal about marijuana and proposing bills much bolder than this.
Did you hear the new ad The DRUG , TOBACCO and ALCOHOL companies came up with ? It starts out with a ” Mother ” asking her son if he ever tried Pot , then she says , Cocaine , Heroin , Mexican Speedballs ? Note: that the first thing she mentions is Pot . What they are trying to do is mislead the general public into thinking Pot is a hard drug just like heroin and the others by tying in Pot with all the other hard drugs .This is also known as ” deceptive ” advertising done to make you think Pot is like all other hard drugs . They want you to do their drugs and NOT use Pot because their sales will plummet . These people are the Devil .
There is a great deal of fear in us Americans . Just notice how scared people are to use their own true first and last names……………..are you happy now , Government ? We should not have to live in fear of a drug that saved my life & others . I am a legal & legitimate California 215 patient . I’d hate to live elsewhere or i may be hung for my medical need of cannabis . I see on the TV show ” Cops ” about arrests made by cannabis users in other States . It’s hard to believe to see something that happened here 40 years ago in California still exists in other parts of the U.S. today . It’s pretty scary .
Yes a great thing for 13 states, but for the rest of the country we are left out. We need a national medical marijuana bill for all 50 states.I live in florida were the marijuana laws are only getting tougher and for cancer patients like myself we have to risk jail time everytime we get our meds.
# 11 Da Vinci
He did not have a true trial by jury, by true common law there must be a legal heariing of utmost integrity. Nowadays most people are unaware that no matter how small the charge a trial by jury is allowed. Not only that but only the foreman with the consent of the other jurors makes all decisions. The judge can only explain laws and the lawyers can only make pleas to the foreman or woman. all juries are to be selected by lot.
in lynch’s case the jury most likely consisted of individuals screened so as to be unaware of jury nullification by interview of quetionnaire. Second the judge wrongly denied evidence when only the foreman/woman can decide relevancy. Additionally mandatory minimums are illegal only the jury can decide punishment as well as consider mitigating circumstances. The government does not have to carry out a punishment but it cannot carry out one excessive to that given by the jury.
look at democracydefined.org if you want every detail.
I almost forgot to mention that the jury also concurrently weighs wether the charge is unecssary. In order for a crime to have taken place according to magna carta and the trial by jury system our constitution is founded on there must be mens rea. that is malice aforethought. Crimes only occur when two parties are involved.
it is illegal to tamper with jury trials in anyways, such as has been done by arbitrary legislation, but only the great bulk of the people can decide a constitution.
any way*
Help Pass HR 2835, E-Mail your own Congressman now while there’s time! Sponsored by Barny Frank, the Bill washes the hands of anything to do with States Approved Marijuana Programs by the Feds.
Now maybe our States Reps. won’t use the the term “So contriversial,” to describe MJ support politically. It’s not political suicide to any politician’s elected position to DO AS THE PEOPLE WANT.
Does this mean that hemp will be Schedule 2 also?
I am a MMP holder, and my rights are protected under it in meaNS OF THE law, but companys still won’t hire you if you test positive for marijuana. how is this?!?! it pain pills are prescribed you tell the com pany prior to the test. this defeats the purpose of havin the card, if i can’t get hired anywhere.
I want pot legalized and taxed(I dont mind buying a 6-pack of Mic Light everyone once in awhile either).
Get 10 of those Facebook and twitter guys with the most friends to run a little video from us to us. Whatever percentage of the U.S. uses pot on a recreational level we all have a common goal. If we get a state with 50% approval rating how does this go against the majority. Hello 51% wants decriminalization then 51% should get it done.
This should be the 3rd Party. The true Green Party. Here is the platform:I will vote for the change of weed to be taxed like tobacco and alcohol. If we get 2 people on our platform we can decide which will get 100% of our vote. 100% of 51% is a majority that is who wins the election and votes on our Party Platform. Anyone who gets our vote one time and does not vote along the Party Platform does not get another vote. Vote along the Party Platform you will get re-elected. Get on CNN or Facebook and tell it like it is. If we want change we should get change.
Is this right we have states where the majority of people want change? The only change you need is to get the majority. If 51% of the state wants something done it should be done. Demand a popular vote. Allow the people who sell medicinal pot to finance the petition drive thru free shows or free pot. It gets approved they get to continue selling pot for any old reason. We legalize pot we limit the amount of places that sell it and we tax it. Treat it like alcohol. Its OK at home or at public places with other like minded people. Its not OK at work, kids pre-school graduation.
I cant believe 51% of the people want something done and in this day and age of this site and all like minded-sites it cant get done.
Come on Cali!!!!!!!
48 days your state runs out of money. They want to stop paying for chidrens healthcare. Fire some teachers maybe not have as many policemen or firemen. Start a petition run a popular vote and lets tell them we want an increase in revenue not an end to services.
Dont chase weed across the U.S. just make sure it doesnt enter the U.S. Any weed that is sold in the U.S. must be grown in the U.S. Not that hard to enforce you limit the amount of places selling weed you limit the amount of places to buy weed. If I tell you it is OK and legal to buy gas at station 1 but illegal to buy gas at station 2 where you goin to go?
Obama is the kindergarten teacher who promises to bring cookies, but never does.
Obama has promised not to use “Justice department resources”? Is the DEA a justice department resource? What did Obama really sell us? Does the president really have the power to stop the DEA? Could he make the DEA an extension of the will of the presidency? Could he make them not prosecute federal law? Maybe that would not be such a good idea.
But meanwhile, this fuss about medical marijuana should not make us forget about the people who are really suffering over marijuana and really should be the focus of our concern. We really need to worry about all the rest of those people who risk prosecution and are suffering now because of being prosecuted for simple possession of cannabis. Especially consider all the rest of those people who have been prosecuted at the federal level. If we could confront their dilema, then all the rest of those people who feel they need cannabis as medicine would have no obstacles to getting it.
This confrontation with the DEA could be a good opportunity if the president has anything like a real will of some kind about the Drug War. He has been very slippery about what his stand on the Drug War is. The best he has been able to put out is that he doesn’t think legalization is a good idea for the economy. Which is pretty empty. It doesn’t say anything about what his real mind has been about the criminality of drugs. He’s gotten away with an awful lot in this particular subject.
If cannabis is legalized, then what happens to the DEA? What’s left but cocaine and heroine? And if legalization works for marijuana, then certainly there is potential for other strategies against the rest not to include prosecution for jail time. The end of the Drug War is the end of the DEA. The rest could easily be handled by the FBI.
Petition to President Obama on Change.org
End the Prohibition of Marijuana in the United States.
This petition ends on Apr 20, 2010
Petition to the President has 10,000 signatures. Add yours today!
http://criminaljustice.change.org/actions/view/legalize_marijuana
Think of how much more will be accomplished in America when all those prisoners with minor possession charges are released from prison and allowed to lead their life. I understand that the Prison Industry is the largest growth industry in America and I am certain those prison guards can find more meaningful work. And, think about how eager the Prison Industry is to criminalize undocumented aliens to keep the prison industry booming!!!!
Paul, if cannabis were to be legalized, in addition to cocaine (powder and crack form) and heroin that the DEA could, and should, go after there’s also ecstasy, crystal meth, PCP, LSD, prescription drug abuse, and I’m sure there’s more.
#35 Jimbo Says:
June 12th, 2009 at 10:52 pm
“Any weed that is sold in the U.S. must be grown in the U.S.”
RE:
Jimbo,
I would add…
“And through LICENSED importers”,
(i.e., from the Netherlands and / or Canada…)
I told every one when I found out more on the CNN coverage that I would post it so here every one it is. Go to http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2009/06/13/americas-high-the-case-for-and-against-pot/comment-page-1/#comment-746478
for the update on it also post a comment on there . Look forward to seeing you all on AC360 this Monday at 10pm est.
Anderson Cooper 360 next week: America’s High: the Case for and Against Pot.
Looks like we’ll have a full week on AC360 focused solely the debate for and against legalization. I think we should try to ride the wave and take advantage. It airs during the week at 10pm Eastern Time.
Can’t say that I’ve seen AC360, but CNN has a habit of being “interactive”, in that they show people’s responses on twitter, incoming e-mails, etc. Keep posted and make sure to chip in.
Back to the topic at hand: Obama is gonna dig himself a hole if he doesn’t start supporting the legalization of pot either one way or another. The biggest problem that marijuana reform has isn’t any organization (government or otherwise). The biggest opponent that we have is the social resistance to legalization. Even though more people are supporting it, there are still a significant amount of people suffering from reefer madness.
Sounds great, but that means it’s bound to be false hope, id est another case of Congress taking leave before it gets voted on and thus dies. It would be nice for Obama if it could get enough votes to pass and then become law on congressional break without the President having to sign it. That way Obama could pussy out once more on this issue. Hopefully, he won’t veto it, but who knows. He’s in now and doesn’t have to bait us until re-election time. I keep saying go for the astronomical amount of money from Afghan cannabis production, world renown excellent quality and pays for the wars in Iraqistan and infrastructure and democratization of the Middle East…and switching the farmers to cannabis from opium poppies, for one, gets the U.S. tons of financial clout. Right now, we’re turning Japanese with these big government bailouts and universal health (one thing long overdue) and will suffer a lost decade like Japan if the government doesn’t do something to raise revenue, strengthen the dollar, wean us green off oil-based energy production and end its war on the American people, the war on drugs, and as a war on the American people, especially sick people makes it all the more treason.
http://criminaljustice.change.org/actions/view/end_marijuana_prohibition
politicans not pot-iticans.
Quit pot…and you will realize its illegal so no one ever uses it in the first place.
You guys are crazy,,
Ed #42 Anderson Cooper is supposed to have some debates ALL week. Those that watch his show, and arent on our side of the fence, but they are somewhat intelligent people sitting on the fence waiting to hear information to help them decide their opinion… I personally think that these people will finally hear the truth in these NATIONWIDE/WORLWIDE debates. After watching these shows and FINALLY hearing the truth, they will easily fall to our side of the fence..
OK CANNABIS SUPPORTERS WE HAVE A DEBATE ON NATIONAL TV FOR AN ENTIRE WEEK…..LEAVE A COMMENT AT THIS URL…TELL A FRIEND….POST IT EVERYWHERE….JOIN THE FIGHT…RAISE HELL
http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2009/06/13/americas-high-the-case-for-and-against-pot/comment-page-1/#comment-746727
TELL THEM HOW YOU FEEL SPREAD THE WORD!!!!!!!!!!
Cherokee Fred Jesus
ONE FUCKING YEAR, IS ONE YEAR TO MANY……OBAMA, GET REAL…I CAMPAINED FOR YOU….EXPECTING CHANGE!
can NORML, MPP, and http://www.stopthedrugwar.com start a joint petition to get all of this nonsense stopped? By nonsense, I mean the war on weed, not the CNN debate.
I do not know with certainity who will win the people or the government. I do not know how much longer we will let people go to jail for something that does not infringe on others rights. I just hope that we wake up and realize we are loosing one right after another. Will the government think and speak for me next?