ProductivePothead
Active Member
I recently sent my congressmen an email asking about where he stood on the issue of marijuana
Help me figure out how to respond to his response
I need convincing stats and things of that sort
so tell me what ya think, anything would be helpful
February 19, 2008
Mr. Smith
420 stoners Lane
Austin, Tx
Dear Mr. Smith,
Thank you for your letter regarding the decriminalization of marijuana.
While we agree that drug use is harming our economy, straining our prison system and destroying the lives of our children, I believe there are more effective remedies than legalization. Drug use is tragic, but I do not believe that legalizing drugs like marijuana, even for medicinal purposes, is the best answer.
Decriminalizing drugs could make the problem worse. If drugs, like marijuana, are decriminalized, I believe their use would increase and more people would become addicted. To me, law enforcement efforts to decrease the supply of drugs and combat their use are one component of the drug war. We need to strike a better balance between education, enforcement and treatment to reduce drug abuse.
To be candid, I do not support the legalization of industrial hemp for several reasons. It is exceptionally difficult to distinguish the varieties of cannabis sativa that contain high concentrations of the hallucinogen delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) from varieties that do not. I share the concerns of the Drug Enforcement Agency that the similarities of the different cannabis varieties would complicate our fight against the abuse of illicit narcotics.
While I understand that many promote hemp as a sort of wonder crop, the facts surrounding hemp present a much less clear cut case. The Department of Agriculture and the Department of Commerce have found that legalization of industrial hemp would present little economic benefit to the U.S. These studies found that for every proposed use of industrial hemp, there already exists an available product which is cheaper to manufacture and provides better market results. For example, the cheapest hemp linen costs about $15 per square yard. A similar cost profile for fine flax linen is $7.50 per square yard.
Thank you for taking the time to contact me. For more information on my work in Congress or to send me an electronic message, feel free to visit the 21st Districts website, http://lamarsmith.house.gov.
Sincerely,
Lamar Smith
Ranking Member
Committee on the Judiciary
LS/ms
Confirmation# 1284380
DISCLAIMER
The integrity of the text of this email cannot be guaranteed if it was not sent to you directly from my Congressional Email Account: [email protected]. If you have any questions about the validity of this message, call Congressman Lamar Smith's Washington, DC office at: 202-225-4236.
This mailbox is unattended. If you would like to contact me, please visit my Congressional website at http://lamarsmith.house.gov/
1035 Astral Point Spring Branch, TX...
Add to Contacts
Help me figure out how to respond to his response
I need convincing stats and things of that sort
so tell me what ya think, anything would be helpful
February 19, 2008
Mr. Smith
420 stoners Lane
Austin, Tx
Dear Mr. Smith,
Thank you for your letter regarding the decriminalization of marijuana.
While we agree that drug use is harming our economy, straining our prison system and destroying the lives of our children, I believe there are more effective remedies than legalization. Drug use is tragic, but I do not believe that legalizing drugs like marijuana, even for medicinal purposes, is the best answer.
Decriminalizing drugs could make the problem worse. If drugs, like marijuana, are decriminalized, I believe their use would increase and more people would become addicted. To me, law enforcement efforts to decrease the supply of drugs and combat their use are one component of the drug war. We need to strike a better balance between education, enforcement and treatment to reduce drug abuse.
To be candid, I do not support the legalization of industrial hemp for several reasons. It is exceptionally difficult to distinguish the varieties of cannabis sativa that contain high concentrations of the hallucinogen delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) from varieties that do not. I share the concerns of the Drug Enforcement Agency that the similarities of the different cannabis varieties would complicate our fight against the abuse of illicit narcotics.
While I understand that many promote hemp as a sort of wonder crop, the facts surrounding hemp present a much less clear cut case. The Department of Agriculture and the Department of Commerce have found that legalization of industrial hemp would present little economic benefit to the U.S. These studies found that for every proposed use of industrial hemp, there already exists an available product which is cheaper to manufacture and provides better market results. For example, the cheapest hemp linen costs about $15 per square yard. A similar cost profile for fine flax linen is $7.50 per square yard.
Thank you for taking the time to contact me. For more information on my work in Congress or to send me an electronic message, feel free to visit the 21st Districts website, http://lamarsmith.house.gov.
Sincerely,
Lamar Smith
Ranking Member
Committee on the Judiciary
LS/ms
Confirmation# 1284380
DISCLAIMER
The integrity of the text of this email cannot be guaranteed if it was not sent to you directly from my Congressional Email Account: [email protected]. If you have any questions about the validity of this message, call Congressman Lamar Smith's Washington, DC office at: 202-225-4236.
This mailbox is unattended. If you would like to contact me, please visit my Congressional website at http://lamarsmith.house.gov/
1035 Astral Point Spring Branch, TX...
Add to Contacts
