Barney Frank introduces medical marijuana legislation
Congressman Barney Frank introduced legislation yesterday aimed at making marijuana available through a doctor’s prescription nationwide.
Please help MPP support H.R. 2835, by e-mailing and calling your U.S. Representative. MPP’s online resources at mpp.org/federal-action make it quick and easy to ask your legislator to cosponsor this important legislation.
H.R. 2835 makes two important changes to federal law. First, it eliminates federal authority to interfere with patients, caregivers, and collectives operating in accordance with state medical marijuana laws. Second, it moves marijuana from Schedule I under the Controlled Substances Act into Schedule II. Schedule II drugs have recognized medical benefits and can be prescribed by doctors to patients in need (for example, morphine is a Schedule II drug).
Congressman Frank’s legislation comes after months of growing debate over marijuana policy reform, but it will still face significant opposition in Congress — so please visit mpp.org/federal-action and do your part today!
Tagged with: Barney Frank and H.R. 2835 and Medical Marijuana by the author
49 comments
Come on you guys we can get this legalized! This would be a huge step for it to be moved from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule II drug. I hope Congress comes to some sense on this issue.
You Go Barney! The patients have been able to count on Rep. Frank for the past decade to try and protect us in one way or another. My hat is off to you Rep. Frank. Now, everyone get online and send those emails and don’t stop until they pass this legislation.
thank you Barney…….the walls will come down.
Naaicee…..!!
Some common sense may finally be coming to Washington.
If ever you were going to write your congress men and women NOW is that time.
I surely hope that all of the Senators and Representatives from the States that currently have Medical Marijuana laws will step up and Co-Sponser this bill.
MPP can you get a list togehter of those people so that we all can put some pressure on these people to get behind the bill. Personally I think that it will send a strong message if a coalition like this can be made, but it will take some work on our part to get them out of the shawdows.
Did my part for HR 2835, “What part of saving lives disagrees with opponents of MJ?”
Guys like Mr. Frank will lead Americans to a better way of life. Thank you My. Frank
What a great ideal!
Mr. Frank at least has more balls than most politcians. Thank you Barney Frank.
Now if other politicians will play follow the leader like they usually do…
OK. I’m in. Just e mailed it to Cantor.
Well I wrote to them again. Got my collection going. Now I sit and wait for more nasty notes to come rollin in again. I don’t believe common sense will be coming anytime soon to capital hill. You know legalizing marijuana which is a harmless plant would be sending the wrong message to the children and babies of this country. Bottoms up!
If you believe your politician there will be babies rolling joints before they can say “Mama”. Kids will be getting high before school. All that garbage. Alcohol’s legal. Why aren’t babies popping a top now. Why aren’t kids getting drunk before school. Because its all bullcrap.
tell the press and everyone you know about FDA COMPASSIONATE ACCESS PROGRAM IN OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Looks like Bwarney Fwank is trying to save his seat after lying to us about Fannie and Freddie
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.
jb thank you for reminding me of fannie and freddie. FFS barney what the hell. Like I said before ,you cant trust politicians.I think all politictians should have to work in a McDonalds or something for 6 months then have term limits. I dont think Barney has ever worked in the private sector.
OXFORD MISSISSIPPI UNITED STATES OF AMERICA GROWS MARIJUANA ,SOMEONE SAID THAT THEY KEPT MARIJUANA INSIDE A RAZOR WIRE FENCE AND WEAPONS &GUARD DOGS PATROL 6 ACERS OF MISSISSIPPI PROPERTYPOT PLANTATION.
We’re talking about Barney Frank here… I mean it’s BARNEY FRANK. This guy? This guy???
Not necessarily the guy I’d want to lead our charge, but I guess it’s a start.
~ Green Devil
Hey MPP and Jeremy R, someone needs to clear this up for me *this is a copy and paste from the CNN Anderson Cooper website that is suppost to be talking the TRUTH about MMJ tonight MONDAY on his show but look at what they are saying is the TRUTH*:
And what about using marijuana for medical purposes? Hear Melissa Etheridge’s take on the issue. She says it helped her through her battle with cancer. But there’s the other side too. We will speak to a 34-year-old teacher who is bi-polar who used marijuana for treatment but says it ruined her life. She tells Randi Kaye why she thinks marijuana is addictive and how she says the drug nearly killed her.
I really want MPP to come out and be like, “its like this Anderson, anyone can become addicted TO ANYTHING. A person can become addicted to church, smoking, drinking, fucking, hell, they even become addicted to cleaning. So, if someone comes forth and says, hey IM addicted to pot, then THEY DONT HAVE TO GO TO JAIL AND WASTE MY TAX MONEY BEING PROSECUTED, PERSECUTED, AND RIPPED APART FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES.”
I met a man yesterday fishing. He makes 9.00 an hour and supports 4 kids. He was honestly one of the smartest people I have ever met. The reason he was making 9.00 an hour, he got busted as a 17 year old with a 1/4 pound of pot. FELONY. He couldnt go to college, he couldnt get a decent job out of high school either, no no, not with a FELONY. He started crying out in middle of no where at a lake we were both fishing. He didnt deserve the LIFE he got. This man was 43. I wish I could give him some kind of comfort and tell this man every thing would be ok, but here is the thing, I make 13.00 an hour. I support 1 child and 1 wife. I am hoping I will make it. I dont know if I will, gas is starting to go back up and I drive 54 miles to and from work. Thats 15.00 a day on gas. I just hope I will be able to afford to go to work, let alone putting food on my table. If I do fail, then how many before me will fail, how many have already fallen. This war is not about drugs anymore, its about INCOME. Its about not worrying about my family. Mr. President, are you really looking at the people who voted for you? They didnt make 300,000 last year and pay in over 20,000 in taxes. WE made 32,000 last year, and payed in over 4000 in taxes. WE THE PEOPLE WILL NOT MAKE IT PAST ANOTHER 4.00 a gallon gas, WE THE PEOPLE WILL STAND UP FOR OUR RIGHTS. WE THE PEOPLE ARE DONE BEING SLAVES.
first off dude…felons can get a college education…ask bruce perlowin(the king of pot). like bruce, many felons get their degrees while in jail. i think you are confusing financial aid for college, that would be an issue if you are a felon.
that aside, we are all in this together. keeping marijuana illegal goes against our constitutional right…period. fight for your rights!
on another note….don’t you like how all the republicans have their panties in a bunch because the government is trying to regulate what the “killers” tobacco companies, are putting in cigarettes. what a bunch of fkn hypocrites they are. they don’t like when big business gets regulated, but how about the total injustice of pot being illegal. an herb, from god, that doesn’t have to be artifically processed, that doesn’t kill, and has a plethora of useful attributes to boot. oh but that’s right…silly me, that might cause a slight ass itch to big pharma, cause who wants to buy addicting manmade pills when you could go holistic and natural. we wouldn’t want to hurt their bottom line now, would we?
well i would!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Barney Frank is an idiot. I simply can not stand this man, he is a criminal for all of the things he does to destroy this country.
On the other hand, pot should be legalized, so I will send my letters to my congressmen asking them to co-sponsor this bill. I’m sure I will get the usual responses back explaining all the great things the War on Drugs (a.k.a. Americans) has done for this country.
I really wish somebody OTHER than Barney Frank has to introduce this stuff though. Barney Frank… *sigh*
JJ,
The 34-year-old teacher who is bi-polar who used marijuana for treatment but says it ruined her life. Is full of it unless she lost her job as a teacher cause of it. Reason why I can say this is is am older than she is and I have bi-polar and use marijuana for treatment and my life is not ruined matter of fact I am not the only person who has this problem as for her saying it almost cost her her life the only way this is possible is if she was to sent to jail and got shanked. It has never cost me my life nor did it ever cause any deaths peroid the only way marijuana could most likely cause a death is IF THE MARIJUANA WAS LACED WHICH IS JUST ANOTHER GOOD REASON TO LEGALIZED AND TAX IT where you know it is not laced through creditable people instead of through panhandlers and street people who are more likely to have their stuff laced.. If it was sold in a coffee shop for example and was not laced then you know what you are getting vurses taking the chance of getting laced stuff on the streets which is more likely how ever laced weed is less likely to be unless requested.
The is making our point to the tee, now because its not regulated and its ina black market where to no law or justice exists, people get away with things, BUT more importantly if it were legal and it were laced they could have suid, went to the criminal courts just like any other person would do for any reason. …Barack should figure this stuff out soon, he should or is i think smarter then this..you have one chance to actually help a minority of people. Needs some balls i think in this matter. never gave a reason he just keeps saying ” im not in fave of legalization” …why? he give well thought out answers for everything except this…..DO IT!! get some balls.
I don’t know why people here are bashing Barney Frank. Barney Frank is no idiot, he is one of the few politicians that has the balls to stand up to 70+ years of prohibition.
He tried to introduce a bill similar to this last year, but it never made it out of committee. Let’s write our congressmen to support it so this bill will go all the way to Obama’s desk.
What we need is for ALL MPP , NORML and all others besides our selves to attend the AC360 and show them that their are more reasons why to legalize marijuana as well as educate them vurses letting them give BS excuses to keep marijuana illegal.
I will be on there and will be posting this:
“Evening Anderson and fellow Americans.
I and many thousands of other Americans know that if marijuana was legalized and taxed that the the cartel would be lose 60 + % of their annual profit which would be like cutting off the legs of a chicken to the cartel. The only thing the Govt. is doing is suppling the cartel which gets more stronger drugs from the Taliban in which is also suppling the Taliban / Terorists. What we and the Govt. need to be doing is not suppling them but helping our nation by taking away the cartels annual profit which would also cut off the Taliban which would make it much easier for our Govt. to fight terorists who pose a threat to our nation. Alcohol & Tobaco are more addictive and more dangerous than marijuana ever could be combined yet marijuana which has a 0 death number is keep illegal when Alcohol and Tobaco causes more death and violence yet alcohol and tobaco are legalized and taxed.
”
I think if we have strong facts and information like this as well as others such as violation to our rights etc…. with facts and other reasons why marijuana should be legalized and taxed that it would strengthen our cause even more. I told every one what I will be saying and urge every one to prepare what they will be saying and join the fight this up coming week on AC360 starting Monday at 10pm Est. Look forward to hearing / seeing every one their ….
When AC360 is aired to join the live blog here:
http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/category/live-blog/
It will start at 10pm Est.
so since its legal to prescribe marijuana in arizona if this thing passes does that re-instate our 1996 voter approved passage? cuz in 1996 the legislation made it ok to prescribe marijuana but not to recommend it therefore no one was able to get it and nothing changed. but if this federal change puts marijuana as schedule II does that mean arizona gets medical marijuana like it was suppose to in 1996?
if someone could answer my question it would be most appreciated. thanks a lot MPP!
My kind of health care reform
Karyn, I am talking about financial aid. This man wasnt in jail for long, around here, the only thing that really comes from pot is a permanent record, not jail time, oh and a pretty hefty fine. Also, I dont know about you, but I had to apply for federal and state grants, and I know for a fact that you cannot get it if a felon. Also, I am from a part of the country where EVERYONE is blue collar, meaning we make 50,000 a year, and pay in 4000 in taxes. We are not rich, unlike a lot of people that think they are not but make 100,000+ a year!
MPP:
Where does Nancy Pelosi stand on this bill? I really don’t like her, but being that she is the Speaker of the House and she represents San Fransisco, I would have expected her to be a co-sponser of this bill. Let’s not let her get a free pass and not get this bill introduced for a full house vote. Put the pressure on her!
[...] aimed at making marijuana available through a doctor’s prescription nationwide. Visit Marijuana Policy Project to read more about it. And help take Action to let our government know that we support medical [...]
i just found out this. They say that every action spurs an opposite reaction. Well, that certainly seems to be the case in Congress.
Just days after Massachusetts Democrat Rep. Barney Frank, along with 13 cosponsors, reintroduced HR 2835, the Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act of 2009 in Congress, Republican Rep. Mark Kirk (Illinois) has called for federal legislation to sentence certain first-time marijuana offenders to up to 25 years in prison.
forgot to put this in… goes with the last one i put , U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk to push tougher sentences for more-potent marijuana
JJ at #20,
Man you hit it right on the head. I also have a similar story to tell.
I have a buddy,he was arrested not long ago for 1/3 of a gram cannabis. He smoked on and off over the years. Someone at a bar gave this to him. I think cause they had a beef with him. He was stopped for public intox as he was WALKING home. I think someone called on him. He HAD a job making 35k a year. Paid and was always on top of his child support. Paid his taxes. Now hes facing being homeless. He can’t get a job cause around here, if you have that on your record, your trash. Thats BS! He can’t get any schooling. Even if he had a job,public housing in this shithole town is difficult due to the fact they all do background checks here. Now how the hell is this helping not only my buddy but this country? How many millions have been ruined because of this law? He and all of you in this situation DO NOT deserve this ! He just wanted to live and be left alone. He is a decent person!
I do not smoke canabis.Why? Because I can’t fight openly for my buddy and all of you out there if I do. I am a thorn in law enforcement(and those I speak to) side. They know they can’t touch me in that respect. Some day I will be able to sit with you and occasionally relax with a nice bowl of green. Til then I’ll continue to be a BIG thorn on this issue and many others. Get used to it federal government, I and others like me are NOT going away.
One last thing. Everyone,Give Rep Mark Kirk A ‘ pro-kick in the ass’ as he goes out the door.
hey also,the post for ac360 on cannabis was closed right after I posted my thoughts. Can anyone tell me if its normal to do this after so many posts are made, or are they shutting people out?
Dear Kyle:
Thank you for contacting me with your support for medical marijuana. I appreciate the opportunity to respond to you on this issue.
As you may be aware, marijuana is a Scheduled I substance under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Marijuana was placed in this most restricted category because it was found to have a high potential for abuse, has no currently accepted medical use in the U.S. and lacks accepted safety standards for use.
While I have heard the arguments for using marijuana for medicinal reasons, I am also aware of the availability of other legal drugs that can better treat the symptoms allegedly alleviated by marijuana. As the father of three, I believe allowing the medical use of marijuana sends the wrong message to our children that using this drug poses no risk and is harmless. There is no scientific evidence that marijuana is safe and effective to use. In addition, legalizing marijuana would only make it that much more difficult for our law enforcement to distinguish between medical and recreational users.
Currently, no legislation has been introduced in the 111th Congress concerning medical marijuana. Rest assured that while we may disagree on this issue, I will keep your specific thoughts firmly in mind.
Again, thank you for contacting me. Should you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to let me know.
Sincerely,
Duncan Hunter
Member of Congress
Well every one I was there but they would not let me post the full post i wanted to how ever I did get 3 small strait to the point things in that are:
Jeremy June 15th, 2009 10:36 pm ET
The teacher who said that about marijuana is full of it I am way older than she is and used it for my bi-polar and it works great for it. the only reason why I had to quit is due to the fact that the doctor would not perscribe it to me for one thing and also because of other reasons due to legality issues.
Jeremy June 15th, 2009 10:43 pm ET
Keeping marijuana illegal is suppling the cartel which gets more stronger drugs from the Taliban in which is also suppling the Terorists when the solution to the problem is simple legalize and tax it where it cuts off the cartel.
Jeremy June 15th, 2009 10:46 pm ET
Tobacco and alcohol are legal and does more harm to people even death yet marijuana is illegal and has never killed any one yet is illegal so should not then if marijuana is illegal should not alohol and tobacco also be illegal being it is more dangerous than marijuana will ever be?
these where what CNN approved with what every one else said so far 1 day down and about 6 left to go . Great job to every one who participated tonight and plan on for the rest of the week.
Kyle:
Duncan Hunter is one of the most Conservative Congressmen out there… put it this way: this is who Ann Coulter was backing for President before he dropped out (if that tells you anything about the man).
Keep writing your letters though. Next time take his response and call him on his BS….. “sends a wrong message to our children”…. how does using medicine prescribed by a doctor send the wrong message to your kids?
He talks about having no scientific evidence that marijuana is safe and effective to use. Well when was the last time someone died from overdosing? How about that prescription Vicodin that you have… how many died from that prescription?
Rep. Hunter is making statements that go against the core principles that he holds. He believes in States Rights… but he insists that government should determine what is suitable treatment…. “…I am also aware of the availability of other legal drugs that can better treat the symptoms allegedly alleviated by marijuana.” So you’re saying that you know better than my DOCTOR????
Rep. Hunter states that medical marijuana would make it more difficult to distinguish between medical users and recreational users. How is this so? Would a cop not just ask to see your MMJ ID Card? They ask for your driver’s licence when your stopped when driving.
OH YEAH… ask him if there are no medical uses for treatment in the US, then how come the Department of Health and Human Services holds a Patent that states that cannabinoids are useful in the treatment and prophylaxis of wide variety of oxidation associated diseases?
With Barney Frank’s recent bill being introduced, write Rep. Hunter again and ask him specifically about that bill (HR 2835). You know the basis for his response already, so cover those points right up front.
SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHY MEN LIKE DUNCAN HUNTER AND MARK KIRK ARE IN OFFICE? VOTE THESE PIECES OF SHIT OUT!
GOD BLESS THE STARS AND STRIPES I STILL CARE ABOUT ALL AMERICANS.MORE THAN THEY EVEN KNOW,I AM A SICK MAN AND MY DYING WISH IS TO HAVE A LEGAL RIGHT TO GROW ABOUT 10 MARIJUANA PLANTS IN MY YARD.ROB KAMPIA AND AARON HOUSTON ARE HEROS AT LEAST THEY ARE TO ME THANK YOU BOTH THE PEOPLE THAT TRY TO MAKE IT RIGHT AND THE ENTIRE STAFF,YOUR COUNTRYMAN MICHAEL.
I’m a retired Federal Narcotics Agent and marijuana is so harmless that if you have any worries about it simply don’t use it. It’s obviously a wonderful medicine and pot users should not be punished. If anyone would like to persist in punishing pot smokers, look a little closer at who reaps the benefits from such actions. I’ll answer that for you, no one benefits but the bad guys.
#42
Good post . You planning on posting it on AC360 tonight?
TennAct #42 – I’ve seen you post many things here and I had no idea you are a retired FED narcotic agent. THANK GOD for YOU and people like you. I have a new respect for you. Truth is truth, and you speak it eloquently. I respect LEAP- EVERY MEMBER and really commend you people for having the guts to stand up for you inner convictions, morals and scruples than allowing $$$ or advancement or greed to rule your hearts and deeds. I know a lot of LEAP members are EX-somethings, which makes it a bit easier. I can’t even imagine what Members in active duty have to deal with. Either way, you all are honest, and I always believed that a police officer is held to a higher standard. As a Medical MJ patient in MI, I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
This is a tried out approach with federal and it continues to fail. Its going to start by emerging as statewide decriminalization and then more medical centers will emerge out of the northeast with states like RI Opening up dispensaries and MA (Decrim 1oz). The northeast has it in reach.
Its Americas High people.
Ouija You are 100000000% correct! I live in MASS and it is the most amazing thing in the world! I got a ticket a couple weeks ago and the cop laughed and said I can not believe Im not putting you in jail. haha we had a good laugh and he shook my hand. The attitude towards marijuana has done a 180. Thanks to everyone who voted! We need to move forward though. NY, Maine, and Mass have all decrim. now we need RI and Conn as well as NH to follow and i think in the near future they will. North East is where the good buds are! Come visit us this summer!!!
- H.R. 2835, at least,
is a step-in-the-right-direction,
OFFICIALLY-ACKNOWLEDGING
that cannabis
HAS medical-benefits,
(By moving it from
Schedule-One to Schedule-Two
of the CSA),
AND
by codifying, (into law),
president Obama’s and
AG Eric Holder’s
statements,
“Not to interfere with patients,
caregivers, and collectives who
are operating in accordance
with state medical marijuana laws…”,
by eliminating, (in writing),
federal authority to do so.
However,
- I believe that BOTANICAL,
whole-cannabis should automatically be
on a LESS-RESTRICTIVE schedule
THAN
any SYNTHETICS based-upon
derived-compounds from it.
(As if ANY God-given
PLANT-SPECIES should be
on a “schedule” at all to begin with…),
- Dronabinol,
a SYNTHETIC-VERSION of
TetraHydroCannabinol,
(ONE OF the MANY
medically-efficaceous compounds
found in whole-cannabis),
is currently listed
as Schedule-Three.
- Why then,
should isolated
SYNTHETIC-THC,
(Subject to possible
human and / or mechanical-errors
in its laboratory manufacturing-processes,
and subsequent prescriptive-administration),
be held to more
LENIENT legal-regulations
THAN
the botanically-derived form,
WHEN,
in fact,
natural THC is
produced in perfect-balance
with each and all other
naturally-occurring cannabinoids
present in,
and created by the
cannabis plant-species / specific
cannabis-cultivars
every time?
This may be common knowledge to many, but I haven’t ever heard this stated as a counter-argument against the “gateway drug” critique. But here it is:
The idea that Marij is a gateway drug must be analyzed from two perspectives: that from the side of the drug itself, and that from the side of ‘user psychology’. From the side of the drug itself, this argument makes no sense; there is no way to determine what contents of any ingestible entity can lead a free-willed, rational person to proceed to another ingestible entity. And while there may be perceivable correlations, it is erroneous to take the step from correlation to causation. This means that one must look instead at the ‘user psychology’ perspective.
Now, when this is examined, a very interesting truth comes to light: IF marij is indeed a ‘gateway’ drug, then this attribute – let us call it ‘gateway-ness’ must clearly be connected to its illegality, and here’s why: as a class, “drugs” can be divided into ‘legal’ and ‘illegal’. A person who drinks heavily, smokes cigarettes, or even drinks a great deal of coffee does so with a free conscience; these are, by societal standards, acceptable since they are legal. Now, when one tries marij and has a good experience, one has stepped foot into the ‘illegal’ realm (so to speak), where not only one finds marij but all other ‘illegal’ drugs. The common mentality is a sort of mental looting: now that I’m in this illegal realm, so the thought process goes, I might as well try these others. There is a common tendency within human thought to classify everything beyond a limit as similar insofar as they share the attribute ‘beyond the limit’. Hence, once the limit is crossed, discretion is left behind.
So it is really the fact that marij is ILLEGAL that makes it, if in fact it is, a ‘gateway’ drug. Remove its illegality and relieve it of its ‘illegal pressure’ extending the limit of the illegal further to those drugs (like Heroine) which really are dangerous.
Just a thought.
[...] swear I saw this post on the blog, and then I didn’t. Anyway, The Mass. Dem has introduced a bill that would eliminate penalties for possession of up to 3.5 ounces of marijuana and non-profit transfer of one ounce. Not as [...]
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