Reject HR 1635

Reject HR 1635
In one of the most outlandish bills introduced in Congress, and creating an unnecessary and duplicative $10 million debt for taxpayers, H.R. 1635 purports to set up a National Commission on Federal Marijuana Policy.

Introduced by the usual pro-marijuana Congressmen, this is a veiled attempt to overturn years of carefully considered and created drug policy by experts in the field.

This Bill purports to question the decisions and decision-marking processes of the very agencies created by Congress to perform these functions on behalf of the country. Adding insult to injury, the Bill authorizes the expenditure of $10 million of taxpayer money to pay for something already being done well by the federal government. In fact, the FDA (one of the primary targets of the reviews proposed by this Bill) is considered the gold standard of the world.

Marijuana is classified by the Drug Enforcement Administration as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act, meaning it has been found to have no accepted medical use, is addictive, and can’t be used safely even under a physician’s care. The FDA, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Drug Enforcement Administration have determined that marijuana is not medicine, a determination echoed by medical associations who advocate for patients.

Click on the Take Action! link to send a pre-written letter to your member of Congress urging them to reject H.R. 1635!

For more information on drug policy issues, please visit Save Our Society From Drugs.

The letter:

As a concerned citizen, I am writing to urge you to reject H.R. 1635, legislation that purports to set up a National Commission on Federal Marijuana Policy but is really a veiled attempt to overturn years of carefully considered and created drug policy.

H.R. 1635 contemplates the nomination by various politicians of people with unknown expertise and qualifications to review decisions of federal agencies and experts already made concerning marijuana.
For instance, the Commission would be reviewing whether marijuana is appropriately placed in Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 801 et seq.). The DEA regularly reviews the scheduling of marijuana and just recently, upon the recommendation of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration, determined that marijuana is appropriately scheduled. That decision was confirmed as not arbitrary on January 22, 2013, by the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (ASA v. DEA).

National and international experts, not special interest groups, should set drug policy to make it sound (based on scientific research rather than anecdotal stories) and protect patients and the general public.

Federal drug policy is determined and implemented by a network of federal agencies thoughtfully created to work in a coordinated fashion. The Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") is the agency that determines the safety and efficacy of all drugs, as provided under the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (“NIDA”) researches and disseminates scientific information concerning prevention and treatment of drug abuse and addiction, which serves as the basis for national drug policy. The Office of National Drug Control Policy ("ONDCP") annually prepares a National Drug Control Strategy to reduce illicit drug use and expand substance abuse treatment. Other federal partners in the Strategy include the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, Department of Education, and others. H.R. 1635 would attack the professionalism and credibility of these agencies and more, rendering them impotent.

The Congressmen proposing H.R. 1635 apparently don’t like what medical doctors are saying about marijuana. The Commission would be charged with reviewing the “health impacts, both benefits and risks, related to marijuana use, and in comparison to alcohol and tobacco use.” This is outrageous and an insult to the many prestigious medical associations in our country. Medical associations, including the American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, National Institutes of Health, Institute of Medicine, American Cancer Society, National Cancer Institute, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, American Glaucoma Society, and American Academy of Ophthalmology do not support smoked marijuana as medicine and, in fact, believe it does more harm than good.

At such a critical time in our economy, we cannot afford to recklessly waste 10 million dollars just because a few misguided members of Congress want pot legal! Sound drug policy must be rooted in evidence-based science, not driven by special interest groups who are looking to profit at the expense of our nation’s public health and safety. Reject H.R. 1635!

An edited letter for you to copy/paste after deleting their letter:

As a concerned citizen, I am writing to urge you to approve H.R. 1635, legislation that will set up a National Commission on Federal Marijuana Policy that will finally overturn years of ill-considered and poorly created drug policy.

H.R. 1635 contemplates the nomination by various politicians of people with expertise and qualifications to review decisions of federal agencies already made concerning marijuana.

For instance, the Commission would be reviewing whether marijuana is appropriately placed in Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 801 et seq.). The DEA regularly reviews the scheduling of marijuana and just recently, upon the recommendation of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration, wrongfully determined that marijuana is appropriately scheduled.

National and international experts, not fanatical fringe special interest anti-drug groups, should set drug policy to make it sound (based on scientific research rather than anecdotal stories) and protect patients and the general public.

Federal drug policy is determined and implemented by a corrupt network of federal agencies created to work in a fashion meant to maintain prohibition at all costs. H.R. 1635 would bring needed change to these agencies.

The Congressmen proposing H.R. 1635 don’t like what medical doctors are saying about marijuana. The Commission would be charged with reviewing the “health impacts, both benefits and risks, related to marijuana use, and in comparison to alcohol and tobacco use.”

Medical associations, including the American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, National Institutes of Health, Institute of Medicine, American Cancer Society, National Cancer Institute, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, American Glaucoma Society, and American Academy of Ophthalmology wish to see more research into cannabis as medicine, unhindered by the current pro-prohibition regime.

At such a critical time in our economy, we cannot afford to continue wasting billions of dollars just because drug war profiteers have found the golden egg laying goose. Sound drug policy must be rooted in evidence-based science, not driven by special interest groups who are looking to profit at the expense of our nation’s public health and safety. Approve H.R. 1635!

And remember, the only ones benefiting from the drug war status quo are the cartels and prohibitionists.

Thanks to allan on the couch at DWR for his efforts

 

it is an edited letter you paste in Drug Free America's form letter instead of sending their "opposition" letter.

 

^^^yup,sometimes these bottom dwelling scum sucking prohibitionist just fold up and take their toys home when you start playing with them,,,I think we mnaged to put more support letters into congress using their website and header than they managed to get opposition letters,,if they are paid by the response they get maybe Calvina Fay and cohorts will get fired for sending so many support letters.