A letter to my congressional representative on medical marijuana

[Divinus Arma]

Good Day Congressman,

The purpose of this correspondence is to provide you with awareness of constituent sentiment on the issue in respect to HR 5843, Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2008.

For purposes of familiarization, I am a current state peace officer, employed as a Fire Fighter and regularly provide emergency medical services to the public. I am a former United States Marine Sergeant, a Veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom in Kabul, 2002. The bulk of my brief military career of seven years was in law enforcement, both as a Narcotics K9 Handler and an Investigator, with formal training through ***** County Sheriff and ***** County Sheriff. I hold a graduate degree in business administration through ****** University, **. I am not affiliated with any political special interest group, association, or organization.

Although national attention is directed to the healthcare debate, other issues related to the topic which define our culture and freedoms still demand the attention of our elected officials. I seek to make a brief argument on the subject of medical marijuana, intent only on providing you with insight into this voter’s perspective. I further support the sentiment expressed here with general concurrence from my peers, associates, and network of friends and family.

(1) SCHEDULE CLASSIFICATION: Classification of Marijuana as a Schedule I Controlled Substance is so ludicrous as to be insulting to the public’s intelligence. The moral argument against the medical use of marijuana is as antiquated as the prohibition of recreational personal alcohol use. Peer-reviewed research has shown cannabis to be medically beneficial in a number of ailments, which I need not delineate here. Public awareness of this is widespread, and I am confident that you are well informed on the matter.

(2) PUBLIC EDUCATION: Public education which seeks to demonize cannabis as a gateway drug can actually contribute to create its status as such. Users who imbibe in recreational marijuana may realize how relatively harmless the substance is in comparison against the government-produced education. This can lead individuals to doubt the credibility of the warnings against stronger and more dangerous drugs of all schedules. Public education is important, but fabricated demonization undermines the deterrence truly needed for more dangerous products such as methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine.

(3) COSTS/REVENUE: The costs of marijuana prohibition and prosecution are staggering, especially when compared against the potential revenue of a federally regulated and heavily-taxed industry.

(4) PROPOSAL: Support the reclassification of Marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, while providing for the revision of public education distributed from the federal level.

(5) ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS: Models in other countries have shown that government-sponsored clinics which provide free access to narcotics and a safe place for use can significantly reduce drug-related crime both by reducing the need for addicts to acquire funding for their addiction and by reducing the power and influence of unlawful distributors and suppliers. Addiction is a public health issue and should be treated as such.

Thank you for your service to the people of the **** district and for your attention on this matter.

Sincerely,

*********, MBA


(** included to protect some measure of my meager privacy on the internet)

[Caius]

What's this:

Schedule I to Schedule III

Please, could you explain me'

[drone]

What's this:

Schedule I to Schedule III

Please, could you explain me'

There are 5 schedules (or classifications) in the Controlled Substances Act here in the US. IIRC, Schedule I drugs are banned, and deemed to have no medical use and a high potential for abuse. Heroin, E, shrooms, acid, etc. Schedule II drugs are available through tightly monitored prescriptions/medical use. These include your high-test painkillers like morphine and percocet, plus other potentially dangerous drugs like cocaine and PCP which have a medical use. Schedule III and IV drugs are lower-test painkillers like Vicodin, antidepressants, Valium, etc, available through prescription. Schedule V includes cough syrups with small amounts of codeine, no prescription necessary but purchases are recorded.

What DivA is proposing to his congresscritter is not a complete legalization, but just the recognition that pot has a medical use and should be controlled through prescriptions for that use. Not a ridiculous stance by any means. I'm not sure how this would change enforcement and punishment for sale/possession outside the auspices of a doctor's prescription, I would assume instead of jack-booted thugs breaking your door down they just knock.

[AlexanderSextus]

The only ways to eliminate crime and crime bosses are 1) Eliminate all laws,

Noooooooooo... there is a basic legal theory here. As long as you do not infringe on another person's civil rights and/or cause them any harm, you should be able to use any drug you want. What to do when the drugs cause harm to a person is a public health issue and not a criminal law issue.

They made alcohol illegal and that created Al Capone and only forced the market underground as the demand for alcohol not only remained, it increased upon prohibition. Making Alcohol illegal once again, would be EVEN WORSE, than prohibition in the 20's.

60% of all drug cartel profits are from Marijuana, just as the majority of profit for organized crime in the 20's was illegal alcohol.

The fact that Marijuana is illegal is currently creating "Al Capones" and "Pablo Escobars" across the globe.

"Eliminate all laws" as you put it would be ludicrous because we would not be able to deal with cases involving injured parties and/or disputes in Equity... For example, under a purely common law stance on Cannabis, If one were to smoke marijuana, that would be fine, but if a person then got behind the wheel of a vehicle they would then be in possession of a Lethal Weapon while under the influence and that person should be prosecuted.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Noooooooooo... there is a basic legal theory here. As long as you do not infringe on another person's civil rights and/or cause them any harm, you should be able to use any drug you want. What to do when the drugs cause harm to a person is a public health issue and not a criminal law issue.

They made alcohol illegal and that created Al Capone and only forced the market underground as the demand for alcohol not only remained, it increased upon prohibition. Making Alcohol illegal once again, would be EVEN WORSE, than prohibition in the 20's.

60% of all drug cartel profits are from Marijuana, just as the majority of profit for organized crime in the 20's was illegal alcohol.

The fact that Marijuana is illegal is currently creating "Al Capones" and "Pablo Escobars" across the globe.

"Eliminate all laws" as you put it would be ludicrous because we would not be able to deal with cases involving injured parties and/or disputes in Equity... For example, under a purely common law stance on Cannabis, If one were to smoke marijuana, that would be fine, but if a person then got behind the wheel of a vehicle they would then be in possession of a Lethal Weapon while under the influence and that person should be prosecuted.

In the UK most Pot seems to be grown by spotty, fat, lazy slobs. Very little is actually imported, I suspect. After all, what would be the point when Dave down the road grows it in his shed.

Maybe it's different in the US, but here I don't think Pot is really huge business.

[Idaho]

In the UK most Pot seems to be grown by spotty, fat, lazy slobs. Very little is actually imported, I suspect. After all, what would be the point when Dave down the road grows it in his shed.

Maybe it's different in the US, but here I don't think Pot is really huge business.

To the US posters: The UK has, for the last 3 years or so, experienced a media offensive greater than the 'reefer madness' nonsense of 1950's USA. This seems to have been orchestrated by some very well connected and well organised (but entirely misguided) campaigners.

Sorry Philipvs Vallindervs Calicvla - but your replies show that you know absolutely nothing about the UK cannabis market, or about the drug itself. You seem to be informed only by the media frenzy.

Cannabis can trigger psychosis in rare occasions - alcohol increases your chance of psychosis by 400%. Making it/keeping it illegal makes no difference to levels of consumption. All it does is guarantee a profitable black market run by gangs (spotty fat lazy slobs? Where did you get that nonsense from?). The market is worth billions a year. Also the quick grown, poorly dried and cured product tends to be much more edgy and paranoid than well grown weed.

Making drugs illegal is about moral panic, and nothing to do with sensible law-making.

[Fragony]

Very little is actually imported, I suspect.

Wrong, don't forget about the hash, only natives smoke weed.

[Louis VI the Fat]

Good Day Congressman,

The bulk of my brief military career of seven years was in law enforcement, both as a Narcotics K9 Handler and an Investigator, with formal training through ***** County Sheriff and ***** County Sheriff. I hold a graduate degree in business administration through ****** University

You really shouldn't swear this much when adressing a congressman.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

You Yanks write really odd letters.

Were I to write to my MP I would begin:

Dear Sir/Dear Mr Cox MP

[Fragony]

You really shouldn't swear this much when adressing a congressman.

[Adrian II]

You really shouldn't swear this much when adressing a congressman.

Wait till you see my letter to that guy:

Good Day, you ***** of a ***********,

For purposes of familiarization, what the **** has gone into you? After ******* up the ******* legislation on **** you have to be total ******* **** to *** with my right to smoke *******. I will ******* well smoke as I ******* please and no ****** is gonna **** his ****, you ***** **** of a ***************.

Put that in your ******** and **** it, you ***********

P.S. Fine letter, Div. Power to you.

[Cute Wolf]

You really shouldn't swear this much when adressing a congressman.

I think that was a way to hide actual names.... he allready said...

[Beskar]

Talk to Frank - TV Advert from the UK about Personal Use of Cannabis -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-_g5Cdc0BY

[Hosakawa Tito]

Considering many of our elected officials grew up in the hippie culture of the 60's & 70's you wouldn't think decriminalization of pot would be much of a stretch. Lord knows California could make billions in tax revenue. If big tobacco was smart they'd lobby to switch products.

[AlexanderSextus]

Talk to Frank - TV Advert from the UK about Personal Use of Cannabis -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-_g5Cdc0BY

A lot of those bad symptoms only come into play when:

A. You dont smoke a lot of weed and you're not really used to it,

B. You smoke weed somewhat regularly, and in a particular session you smoke more than you usually would, or you are smoking higher quality stuff then you are used to.

C. You have a pre-disposed hypersensitivity to Tetrahydrocannabinol, in which case you shouldn't really be smoking weed anyway.

This type of person is the one Jamaicans talk about when they say " 'E dont 'ave a 'ead fa ganja"


most of the time it's only Hungry Happy Sleepy, thats it!!!!!

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

A lot of those bad symptoms only come into play when:

A. You dont smoke a lot of weed and you're not really used to it,

B. You smoke weed somewhat regularly, and in a particular session you smoke more than you usually would, or you are smoking higher quality stuff then you are used to.

C. You have a pre-disposed hypersensitivity to Tetrahydrocannabinol, in which case you shouldn't really be smoking weed anyway.

This type of person is the one Jamaicans talk about when they say " 'E dont 'ave a 'ead fa ganja"


most of the time it's only Hungry Happy Sleepy, thats it!!!!!

So they do come into play. Also, lets not forget the long term memory damage (seen that personally) and the psychotic breaks.

The truth is, the really shocking thing is that tobaco is still legal, not that cannabis isn't.

[Devastatin Dave]

I think that was a way to hide actual names.... he allready said...

Well placed humour my friend. Adrian's tongue was well placed in his cheek.

DA, I didn't realise you were a burnt out hippy?

[KukriKhan]

Well placed humour my friend. Adrian's tongue was well placed in his cheek.

DA, I didn't realise you were a burnt out hippy?

Hey, don't say "burnt out" to a fireman.

In fact, I bet that right about now he'd much rather be reading our comments here than fighting the out-of-control brushfires North of us, as I assume he's doing right now.

[Ice]

DA I wrote a similar letter to my Congressman last year. Major props for being involved and trying to intent this ridiculous, money sucking drug war.

[Crazed Rabbit]

GPublic awareness of this is widespread, and I am confident that you are well informed on the matter.

You're a lot more confidant than me.

Anyways, good for you.

CR

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

I'm curious - did you use e-mail or regular mail?

[Centurion1]

Well written overall. Probably get some points for saying you are a veteran. And they probably won't consider you a hopeless druggie for your mba. Oh and probably helps you used the scientific name, cannabis.

But i must ask are you arguing for legalization of pot or just increased medical use.

[Veho Nex]

gl mate. We had this thing in the bay area where we sent bottles of water to congress trying to de criminalize cannabis. Didn't work though.

[Tratorix]

gl mate. We had this thing in the bay area where we sent bottles of water to congress trying to de criminalize cannabis. Didn't work though.

I... don't get it.

Anyway, well written letter. This won't change anything, but that's no reason not to try.