Thank you for contacting my office concerning House Bill 1177, a bill proposing to reclassify possession of marijuana of forty grams or less from a misdemeanor to a class 2 civil infraction.I have seen many times the effect marijuana has on people, children and families. It is an addictive, mind altering, drug that ruins lives.
Addictive like caffeine, mind-altering like laughing gas, drug that only ruins your life if you are caught with it.
Although some disagree, as a Pierce County and a current Benton County Sheriff Deputy, I have seen firsthand that mariiuana is a gateway drug that leads the user to try other illicit drugs.
Shame on you. The gateway drug theory has been disproven so many times you should be ashamed to even mention it. What you’ve seen as a deputy are the worst-case scenarios of hard drug abusers and criminals who also happen to smoke pot. You don’t see that millions of us smoke pot responsibly because you’re never called to any incidents involving us!
Any savings to taxpayers as a result of this bill does not account for the unseen costs of drug abuse on the user, their families, and our communities. Families are destroyed as they struggle to cope with their loved one’s abuse. The lives of innocent people are negatively affected when drug users steal to feed their addiction.
Please find me the marijuana smoker who has stolen to feed her addiction. Plus, you must presume that costs from drug abuse would rise higher than those costs are now should we pass marijuana decriminalization in Washington State. The experience of twelve other states that decriminalized marijuana use in the past shows that use of marijuana and hard drugs, like alcohol or cocaine, does not increase.
A fine is not enough to deter drug use. If passed, HB 1177 would encourage in many ways the use of marijuana by removing the threat of jail time. An increase in drug use will also put more stress on already tight budget resources in our communities that are trying to eradicate drug abuse.
Again, cannabis use does not increase under fine-only penalties. Everyone who wants to smoke pot is already smoking pot.
Because some parents will continue to abuse marijuana – their children will likely also. Thus truancy by kids would most likely increase and learning would be affected as well. We will struggle to keep and get our kids on track. I believe the proposed reclassification is dangerous public policy.
You ought to try making it harder for the kids to get marijuana by asking to see their IDs. Black market dealers don’t card kids; legal market dealers do.
Finally, marijuana production and distribution is often controlled by criminal gang activity. These groups are violent predators who should be held criminally responsible for their actions.
I completely agree. In fact, I hate violent criminal gangs so much I think we ought to stop subsidizing them through prohibitionary price supports on their sales of illegal drugs.
Once again, thank you for contacting me. Ir you have any other questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact my office again.
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DAN IS THE MAN!PREACH ON BROTHA!
When ever i read a statement like this from any politician i have to make a comment,so in reference to The absurd gesture(marijuana is a gateway drug that leads the user to try other illicit drugs)I started smoking pot back in 1976 and i was a very unstable child in a home where drinking and drug use was unacceptable.not one time did i turn to other drugs,i did however stop smoking and turned to drinking some years later which totally destroyed my life forever,if pot was made legal back then i would have never made the dumb mistakes i did.Now my experience with friends that did use other drugs(cocaine,acid,so on and so on)never touched pot,they hated it.so I really wish all you uneducated politicians would stop with the stuff leads to harsher things,they been playing that song since i can remember.it is just not true.
I beg you congressmen and woman to allow manijuana for medical needs. I have suffered since 1993 from Degenerative Disc Disease that is slowly eating away all of my disc. I have had 8 spine surgeries, am full of rods, plates, screws and a ray cage (all made of titanium). I live in constant pain every minute i am awake. I used to be a busy active, socially helpful person. My children are grown, I have to have my husband leave work to take me anywhere. I have to shop online. I hardly ever drive. There is no pill or assortment of pills my doctor perscribes and still I am debilitated enough to have to use a wheelchair and/or a motorized scooter that the SSdisability would not purchase. I don’t qualify for SSD because, after 3 attempts to apply for SSD I was denied. I am homebound, depressed and would rather be dead than to live the rest of my life in this uncontrollable pain. I am 58 and have been a model citizen but am tempted now to use manijuana with or with out doctors approval or FDA regulations. My tears fall like rain until I manage to sleep again. Linda Sensabaugh 804-590-9080 Chesterfield, Va 23838
[...] need it. Why on earth would residents of Washington elect someone so idiotically narrow-minded? Check this out. These people really don’t get it do they? I bet their kids know more accurate facts than [...]
The only drug habit I have witnessed hard drug users, rapists, child molesters, and thiefs share in common is ALCOHOL.
This is the true “gateway drug” in my opinion. I’m sure Brad Klippert was sure to chase his letter down with a scotch.
This is clearly another case of “too many L.E. will be out of a job if it’s legalized” situations.
I believe those we elect into political fields should have to take a test first, in order to see if they truly are keeping up with current events, ie this case the truth about marijuana. Too many of our officials are just in it for the job and paycheck and aren’t facing the reality of what the people really want.
Very Nice rebuttals to his reefer madness review of marijuana. Pretty sure my use would stay the same in the event of decriminalization. Dime bag a day keeps the doctor away. Hungry Happy Sleepy thats it :))))))
wow Washington
Yes, this was my letter. you should see the E-mail I sent him in return… he replied with a 5 word response. He has no balls…
“Contact my office”, or just watch “Reefer Madness”.