Legislators aim to snuff out penalties for pot use - CNN.com

Yet another fantastic concept sure to end up on the cutting room floor...
Most of us know the releif this bill would provide, but getting past the christian conservative majority vote holders is nearly impossible.

Bravo Barney Frank, Bravo!

It's terrible we have to fight for freedoms that never should have been taken away in the first place.

Pot isn't for everybody, but it isn't a crime!

End (the new) Prohibition!!!!

good good.

best wishes HR5843

I will support it just for the fact that it promotes personal freedom.

This is something that kind of hits both sides with a heavy elbows. A lot of Americans would probably have no problem with the bill to pass the legalization for personal consumption of Marijuana. But I am sure there are a few cats that would not want to see it happen.

I am not saying its the best thing in the world, but I do think it would be nice to give the American people a chance to make their own decisions when it comes to if they want a doobie before they go to sleep or something. Its not crack cocaine people!! a lot of students smoke, and graduate with a good G.P.A. How many people a year die from Marijuana?

I say pass the damn law, legalize it.

Yet another item to add to my "Why Barney Frank Rocks" list.

Who ever thought a man named Barney would be my hero!?

If the American government taxed our dirty green habits like they do tobacco then we could pay off our national debt; partly incurred in the 'war' on drugs. Although then Amsterdam may lose a bit of it's appeal for American tourists.

I long for the day. I hope the Hippie generation lives long enough to see it!

I used to manage a med-marijuana clinic, and it was interesting that there were consistent rumours that the US Government has their own pot farm on (I believe) the University of Louisville in Kentucky campus and that they furnish free cannabis to several citizens since about the mid '50s.

This legistation will make it possible to end outragious amounts of grant money from the federal government to all levels of law enforcement. both state and local. My small county recieved $120,000 in federal grants for our local sheriffs dept. and 95% was used for pot enforcement. It is amazing that this silly ditch weed is helping to bankrupt the USA.

Good. It's taken long enough. I agree with other comments that this is a very conveinent time for this to go through, but let's just hope it isn't all smoke and mirrors, no pun intended.

What's this? Sane legislation on Capital Hill?

Inconceivable!

(It's about bloody time though, if it does pass.)

And they can tax it.

I say legalize all the drugs and let the sheep kill themselves off, a public on their ass in the grips of whatever brain altering chemical they want to ingest is easy to get out of the way, their mutated children can become the next sub-culture working class.

yay for pot, when things pass we will have a new cash crop.

Just like in the probation days, enough people break the same law over and over again the law will change. God Bless America

AAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHHHH! If we can drive for 8 hours into the ghetto on a saturday night when the cops are out after our shift is over just for a blunt then we can gather up, organize, and make this a reality. Because in reality, most of the "biomass" of america are medicating themselves with this natural, mild plant.

Personally, I would rather my children smoke pot than swallow 'real' medications. I Bet ADD would be a thing of the past.

UNITE! UNITE!

Its funny the republicans always claim that they want people to be free to make decisions and the government shouldn't be aloud to tell people how to live their lives. However, republicans tend to enact laws that let big corporations do as they please, but enact laws that take away person freedoms(abortion, marriage, drugs) and democrats tend to enact laws that let individuals do as they please. Government done studies show that prevention and treatment is far more effective and costs less than law enforcement does to deter drug use. We let people smoke cigarettes in public and endanger the health of others around them, and we let people drink alcohol and enjoy the freedom to make good decisions about driving or not, but when someone wants to enjoy a drug in their own home, they are 'criminals'. I find the moral relativism quite interesting.

It's common knowledge that maryjane causes overdoses, teen pregnancy, terrorism, and increased taxes... not to mention that it killed Jesus. But seriously...

Wait a second... more time and money is gonna be devoted to catching the growers/dealers. This may end up making things even worse.

this will never pass. it would mean less law enforcement and smaller government.
it's a sane and just decision to repeal a outdated and inane law.
washing wont allow that!

This is far beyond past due. Also free anyone incarcerated for pot offenses. Pot is not a drug and should not be classified as a drug. Franks is right, get government out of my life as much as possible. Spending all the time and money for such a siily thing as smoking pot is absoultly stupid. I hope this law is passed, and quick.

let me smoke my herb, I ain't hurting anyone!
I plan to write my reps.

How about we just take the next step and scrap the whole system of laws forbidding Americans, born free and with the natural rights of man, to do what they want in their free time??

They should only let smart, responsible people do drugs. Then again, since the idiotic masses are given free exposure to alcohol as it is, this is a step in the right direction in the grand scheme of things.

Can we legalize weed and ban stupid people instead?

Finally, something in this country is starting to make sense...

I hate those stupid anti-marijuana commercials that suggest a person becomes completely incapacitated when smoking dope.

I like how the DEA says that most people caught with it aren't incarcerated, however, they still THINK it's bad. You'd think that if people are not getting incarcerated for it all the time, that it should get a new and scientific review. As the article states, the use- not the abuse- would be legal. To think of all the bad chemicals and artificially created aspects in our food now a days, you'd think that marijuana would be the least of the DEA's worries. Can we all say high fructose corn syrup?

Marijuana will ALWAYS be a safer alternative to drinking alcohol, in any situation. You don't need scientific evidence to have common sense.

Anyone else find this a bit timely?

Granted, yes this law needs to pass as it is a right to do things like this in the privacy of our own homes, or on our own property.

But everyone is jumping on this bandwagon.. Why? Well, most of the biomass that is America considers pot-smokers to be sessile and dumb, passive and easily subdued.

Considering how far down the drain the current government has taken this county, what better way to get people to calm down than to OK the use of something that will calm down the masses.

Not that I'm complaining...

Great story Write your Senator Here:
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
Write to your Representative Here:
https://forms.house.gov/wyr/welcome.shtml

Tell them to support HR 5843 Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2008.

Tell them to stop arresting law abiding Adult Americans.

Tell them to support personal choice and Freedom.

Is it true are we finally going to end the never ending war.

Our efforts in this so called War On Drugs is a drag on our failing economy. This bill although it has no chance of passing is a long awaited step in the right direction.

Tradition should no longer be an excuse for having unfair laws towards recreational marijuana use. Rep. Frank's plan makes a lot of sense.