When I read this story on HuffPost Canada the other day, I had to laugh. But then again I can afford to; I'm a Canadian, not subject to some of the stupid drug laws my American cousins have to suffer.
Laws, like this one, that got a thumbs-up last week from the House Judiciary Committee.
The approved bill, sponsored by Committee Chair, Lamar Smith (R-Texas), would make it illegal for any U.S. citizen, to discuss or plan using an illicit drug on foreign soil, while still in the United Sates... even, if in the country mentioned, drug use is legal!
That, according to Lamar and his cronies, would be a violation of the Controlled Substances Act, allowing federal prosecutors to slap the scofflaws with conspiracy charges!
I'm not kidding! You can't make this stuff up!
Bill Piper, a spokesman for the Drug Policy Alliance, a group that's fighting to reform U.S. drug laws, said:
"Under this bill, if a young couple plans a wedding in Amsterdam, and as part of the wedding, they plan to buy the bridal party some marijuana, they would be subject to prosecution. The strange thing is that the purchase of and smoking the marijuana while you're there wouldn't be illegal. But the law would make planning the wedding from the U.S. a federal crime."
I don't buy for one second that the big minds on the committee actually believe this bit of nonsense will help turn the war on drugs, an effort that was doomed to failure from the get-go.
People want what people want, and no number of laws, no matter how strictly enforced, will stop them from getting it. Prohibition, as we know, was a HUGE success.
Every year in the States, billions of dollars are spent and many are arrested in the long lost battle with drugs. Some are even killed, and scores of young lives are destroyed by needless incarceration.
Might a change in strategy be in order, on BOTH sides of the boarder? Like maybe, decriminalization, or the legalization, control and taxation of drugs?
Oops, kind of went too far there, didn't I?
Sorry about that... my apologies to the cartels.
Paul and Carol Mott can be heard discussing the issues weekdays from 11 until noon streamed through their website themotts.ca.
plant whatever pretty plant you want..
This is fairly typical of the way American legislators have been handling this issue for 30 years now. They prefer legislation that is "tough" over legislation that might a) survive a court challenge and b) might actually work. This preference for "tough" over effective is the root of every truly awful piece of legislation ever passed in America. This one is just a ridiculous waste of time aimed at winning a few votes from anti-drug fanatics.