Marijuana is illegal in the United States. Since the federal law prohibits its use, there’s much controversy between state and federal laws. Some states say that using marijuana for medical purposes is allowed, while the federal Drug Enforcement Agency enforces the nation-wide ban on pot.
Many medical marijuana clinics in California have been raided by the DEA, who seized hundreds of pounds of their inventory, despite the fact that medical marijuana is approved in California. This caused an outrage in the cannabis smoking society, and heightens the overall hostility between citizens and the government.
Medical marijuana is currently legal in the following states: california, Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Colorado, New Mexico, Nebraska, Minnesota, Vermont, Maine, Maryland, and Rhode Island.
Certain states have also decriminalized it, meaning there is little to no punishment if you’re arrested with the substance on you. conducting research about your state and states around you is highly recommended. Any pot smoker should know the consequences of being caught by the police.
If you’re a student, your college or high school likely has no-tolerance policies addressing the substance, so make sure you’re aware of those, as well; being caught with weed at school is not only going to get you in legal trouble, but it will be on your permanent record for your entire academic life. Even if marijuana is legal in your state, you should still check your educational facility’s rules and regulations, as well as disciplinary policies.
If you want to have an impact on cannabis legalization in your state, there are certain things that you can do. One, you can contact your local county representatives or city councils, inquiring about any marijuana drug law reforms they might be considering. Who knows, there might already be a bill under review that you are unaware of.
Two, you can contact your Congress representatives regarding the issue, urging them to take steps towards drug law reform. You want to write, call, or email your Congressman from the House of Representatives, because the Senate doesn’t handle domestic issues as much as international ones.
Third, it’s never a bad idea to personally meet with government officials, like your state governor or a county representative, if at all possible. Go to town council meetings.
Also, there’s a right time for everything–don’t interrupt an ongoing meeting just to be heard. Find an appropriate time to address this topic. It’s a slow process, but you can be a part of it.
March 8, 2010
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