By "Radical" Russ Belville on February 6, 2009
Dear Ms. M….:
Thank you for letting me know of your support for the legalization of marijuana. I appreciate the opportunity to respond to your concerns.
I am opposed to any efforts to legalize marijuana or any other illegal drugs. We have a serious problem with drug use and addiction in this country–one that is best addressed through tough law enforcement and compassionate help for users seeking to break their addictions. It is not legal to use marijuana or possess marijuana and I support the efforts of the DEA to enforce this law.
Again, thank you for contacting me with your concerns. If I can be of any assistance in the future, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Posted in GOVERNMENT, LEGISLATION | Tagged Pennsylvania, Politicians on Pot, Rep. Jim Gerlach, Republican
I am the host of the NORML SHOW LIVE and The NORML Stash Blog. I'm married, live in Portland, Oregon, and I am a registered medical marijuana caregiver in this state. I've worked days as an IT geek and nights as a professional musician. Previously, I have been the host of my own political talk radio show on satellite radio. I've been the High Times "Freedom Fighter of the Month" for my work producing Oregon NORML's TV show, "A Cannabis Community Forum", and for helping to institute Portland's wildly successful medical marijuana cardholders meetings, where we help sick and disabled Oregonians acquire cannabis plant starts, learn gardening, and understand the medical marijuana law. I've dedicated my life to bringing an end to adult marijuana prohibition and re-legalizing cannabis hemp, and I'm honored to be chosen by NORML to be our daily voice.
This dude is horrid. He is just one of many old politicians with insane viewpoints on how their conservative, little perfect world should be. I am ashamed to be from the same state this irrational, out of touch lunatic represents.
Booooooooo!!!!! Remind me not to vote for him next election. I think legalization efforts are futile, however de-crimalization of marijuana is possible. Pennsylvania is so backward, it’s always the last state to give citizens what they want. Is there a drug problem in the U.S.? Obviously. However, it’s not marijuana users that are the problem. It’s crack, and heroin addicts and dealers that create problems and crime. I have NEVER heard of anyone robbing someone to buy weed, or smoking then wrecking a car at 105mph. Alcohol however, is still easily obtainable. Watch the news everyday, at least 2 murders from dealing hard drugs, and at least 1 person dead from getting drunk and plowing their car into an innocent family, or a bridge, or whatever. It’s absurd and it makes me sick to my stomach. This discussion is getting old and I’ve been hearing the same thing again and again since 1978. Enough already, make marijuana possession a misdemeanor for people over 21, and increase penalties for hard drugs and drunk driving. The time is at hand to make a change, and laws should reflect common sense. Clinging on to bad policies made during the Reagan administration are destroying this country. And btw, it costs about $1000 a week to keep someone in jail, is it worth it to hold someone for smoking pot? I guess it is to the DEA that Gerlach is so smitten with. I’ll bet $1000 that he smoked pot when he was in college, just like the last 3 presidents, and 90% of the population under 60. Go Obama, make the change we need. At bare minimum we can at least stop having to listen to this discussion again and again and again. God Bless America, what happened to the spirit of 76? When did we go from the the land of the free, to the land of the persecuted?