Pink Eyed Jim’s Blog

At 10 AM EST this Wednesday (July 30, 2008), a press conference will take place featuring Congressman Barney Frank. This press conference will introduce new federal marijuana decriminalization legislation, the first such new piece of legislation proposed before the US Congress since 1978! it would decriminalize possession of amounts up to 100 grams, and the not-for-profit transfer of up to 1 ounce.

I can’t tell you how important it is to make sure you write your senators and representatives and ask them to support this bill. Get off your lazy stoner ass and do it already. NORML has made it pretty freaking easy, for god’s sake!

Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) and other Congressional cosponsors will convene a press conference to announce the introduction of legislation to remove federal penalties for personal marijuana use, and take questions from the media.

HR 5843, entitled An Act To Remove Federal Penalties for the Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults, would eliminate federal penalties for possession of up to 100 grams of marijuana, and for the not-for-profit transfer of up to one ounce of marijuana.

This proposal reflects the basic recommendations of the National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse (aka the Shafer Commission) in their groundbreaking report to Congress in 1972 entitled Marihuana: A Signal of Misunderstanding.

This is the first federal marijuana decriminalization bill to be introduced in Congress since 1978, and reflects the changing public attitudes that no longer support treating responsible marijuana smokers like criminals. According to a nationwide Time/CNN poll, three out of four Americans now favor a fine only, no jail, for adults who possess or use small amounts of marijuana.

Representatives from the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana LAWS (NORML), the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) and the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) will also participate in this press conference.