199 lines
9.0 KiB
Plaintext
199 lines
9.0 KiB
Plaintext
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OFFICIAL
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N O R M L
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National Organization For The Reform Of Marijuana Laws
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POLICY
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DISCRIMINALIZATION
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NORML supports the removal of all criminal and civil penalties for the private
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possession of marijuana for personal use. The right of possession should
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include other acts incidental to such possession, including cultivating and
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transportation for personal use, and the casual, non-profit transfers of small
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amounts of marijuana.
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REGULATION
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NORML advocates a system of marijuana regulation which would include age
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restrictions, public health and agricultural controls, and a taxation of
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marijuana sold for profit. A well-planned system of marijuana regulation would
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discourage abuse, protect public health and safety, reduce crime associated
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with marijuana's illicit distribution and raise large amounts of new tax
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revenues. Regulation is the inevitable replacement of prohibition.
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PERSONAL USE AND POSSESSION
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Removal of criminal penalties for the individual who uses marijuana in
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private is consistent with traditional American values of personal choice,
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individual freedom and the right to privacy. Marijuana reform is not based on
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the premise that marijuana use is harmless or that it should be encouraged,
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but rather that such use should ambit of individual choice permitted in a free
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society. It is a social policy aimed at reducing the harm caused by defining
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marijuana users as criminals.
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Marijuana reform reduces the immense human, financial, and social
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costs of marijuana prohibition by allowing law enforcement efforts to be
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concentrated on serious crimes.
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NORML is opposed to arbitrary quantity limitations as the standard for
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defining what constitutes possession for personal use. Marijuana smokers like
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wine drinkers and tobacco smokers, often have more marijuana in their
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possession than can be immediately consumed. Similarly, individual usage and
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consumption patterns vary greatly. While quantity limitations appear to be a
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necessary interim statutory approach to marijuana reform, this law should
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reflect the reality of differences in usage patterns and behavior and should
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recognize the inherent shortcomings of arbitrary ounce limitations. The right
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to possess marijuana for personal use includes the right to grow small amounts
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for personal consumption. Removal of criminal penalties for the private
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cultivation of marijuana for personal use provides a legal source of supply
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for marijuana without the establishment of a legal distribution system.
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NON-PROFIT TRANSFERS
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The right to possess marijuana should include the right to transfer small
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amounts of marijuana between adults for insignificant consideration.
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Most smokers share their marijuana with friends, and often the
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courtesy is returned. Thus they may purchase more marijuana then they may
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personally consume, selling some to friends at cost. Such transfers, involving
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little or no profit, should be treated as incidental to personal use, rather
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than commercial sale.
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DISCOURAGING ABUSE
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NORML fully supports a discouragement policy towards the abuse of all drugs,
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including alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana. NORML particularly discourages the
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recreational use of all drugs by children. This policy should be implemented
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by a public education campaign aimed at warning users and potential users of
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the risks involved with the use of all drugs. Such warnings should reflect an
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honest scientific and medical concern.
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Most importantly, criminal penalties should not apply to those who use
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such drugs, despite warnings to the contrary. The limits of the criminal
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sanction must be recognized and not diluted through application to private
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social conduct which constitutes no direct threat of harm to others. Society
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should have confidence in the ability of informed individuals to make
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decisions as to whether they choose to assume whatever personal risks
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accompany recreational drug use.
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ADOLESCENT USE
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NORML is strongly committed to the concept that growing up should be
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drug-free. NORML desires to help establish meaningful communication within the
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family based on honest health and social consequences related to all drugs.
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NORML believes it is popper to restrict the distribution of marijuana to
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adults only. NORML strongly discourages the driving of automobiles or other
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vehicles while under the influence of marijuana or any other drug, and
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recognizes the legitimate public interest in prohibiting such conduct.
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MEDICAL RESEARCH
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Fuller coordination of the marijuana research conducted by governmental and
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private agencies is needed to reduce the narrowness or duplication of effort,
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assure diversity of new approaches and new objectives, and to provide
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efficient integration of findings into the available body of knowledge.
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NORML urges the revision of federal and state laws to make marijuana
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legally available for those who would benefit from its medical use, and to
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encourage further research of its medical utility.
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NORML also urges that a more appropriate federal agency than the
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National Institute on Drug Abuse be selected to direct efforts on these ends/
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MARIJUANA ERADICATION
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NORML is opposed to the use of paraquat and all other chemical or biological
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agents intended to destroy or identify marijuana under cultivation in any
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country. NORML supports the prohibition of the use of herbicides to spray
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marijuana as consistent with the protection of public health and the
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environment.
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ROLE OF MILITARY LAW ENFORCEMENT
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NORML opposes any use of military in civilian domestic law enforcement. NORML
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further opposes the use of any military equipment or personnel in the direct
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or indirect enforcement of marijuana laws in the United States or on the High
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seas.
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PUBLIC VERSUS NON-PUBLIC USE
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NORML recognizes the individual right of non-smokers not to be subjected to
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discomfort, or whatever health risks may arise from the smoking of any
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substance in designated non-smoking areas in confined public places. NORML
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opposes, however, the use of criminal law to regulate such activities.
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DESTRUCTION OF CRIMINAL RECORDS
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NORML urges the enactment of legislation to provide for the destruction of the
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criminal records of persons arrested or convicted of marijuana offenses prior
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to the enactment of legislation repealing criminal penalties for such
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offenses. NORML supports the full restoration of all rights and privileges
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denied or diminished as the result of prior marijuana arrests or convictions.
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NORML believes that statutory distinctions based on potency are neither
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desirable nor feasible at the present times. Because of the current usage
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patterns and the practical problems inherent in controlling potency in an
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unregulated market, distractions between less potent and more potent varieties
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are unwarranted, impractical and unfair.
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UNLAWFUL SALE
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It must be recognized that where personal use and possession of marijuana are
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no longer serious crimes, it is both inconsistent and irrational to provide
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lengthy prison terms for those who distribute marijuana for profit.
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NORML strongly opposes any increase in the current federal and state penalties
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pertaining to cultivating, importing or distributing of marijuana.
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MARIJUANA RESEARCH AND WOMEN
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NORML urges revision of current FDA policies regarding marijuana research and
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women. Current regulations severely limit research on women of child-bearing
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age, despite the fact that most women who do use marijuana are of that age
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group and the use of marijuana by young women is rapidly approaching parity
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with males. NORML urges repeal of regulations prohibiting marijuana research
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on on consenting and fully informed women, reguardless of age. Further, NORML
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urges the National Institute on Drug Abuse and other appropriate agencies to
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establish studies on the effects of marijana on woment as a priority issue
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and to develop contracts to encourage such research.
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SINGLE CONVENTION THEORY
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NORML urges the United States government to take appropriate action to remove
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marijuana from The Single Convention Treaty on Narcotic Drugs of 1961.
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AMERICANS IMPRISONED ABROAD
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NORML urges the U.S. Government to work for the protection and the return of
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it's citizens imprisoned abroad for drug-related offenses. Expansion and
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improvement of consular services and establishment of prisoner exchange
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treaties must be considered top priorities in government efforts to safeguard
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the human rights and welfare of these prisoners.
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NORML also urges the U.S. Government to curtail the illegal activities
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of Drug Enforcement Administration agents and other agencies stationed
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overseas, and to thoroughly re-evaluate its total international narcotics
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control efforts.
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Help Fight Back - Support Your Local NORML Chapter!
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Northcoast Ohio NORML Chapter
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Contact: John Hartman
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Phone: +[1]-216-521-WEED
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