Pubdate: Sun, 21 Jul 2002 Source: Daily Gazette (NY) Copyright: 2002 The Gazette Newspapers Contact: http://www.dailygazette.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/105 Author: Walter F. Wouk DRUG LEGISLATION WOULD BE DANGEROUS Heads up, America, Big Brother's at it again. The Senate is poised to pass legislation that would give the federal government enormous power to fine and imprison supporters of marijuana legalization, even if they've never smoked marijuana. The bill, known as the Reducing Americans' Vulnerability to Ecstasy Act, was introduced in the Senate on June 18 and has already passed the Senate Judiciary Committee. It is moving very rapidly and could be passed by the Senate by the end of July (a similar bill is also pending in the House). The legislation, which purports to be aimed at Ecstasy and other club drugs, would "prohibit an individual from knowingly opening, maintaining, managing, controlling, renting, leasing, making available for use, or profiting from any place for the purpose of manufacturing, distributing, or using any controlled substance, and for other purposes." The terms "any controlled substance" and "for any other purposes" are aimed at "marijuana use" and intended to shut down hemp festivals, marijuana rallies and certain music festivals, and to punish business owners and activists for hosting or promoting them. Property owners, promoters and event coordinators could be fined hundreds of thousands of dollars or face up to 20 years in federal prison. The proposed law would also make it a federal crime to temporarily use a place for the purpose of using any illegal drug. Thus, anyone who used marijuana in their own home or threw an event (such as a party or barbecue) in which one or more of their guests used drugs could potentially face a $250,000 fine and years in federal prison. Those of you who still care about civil liberties should contact your congressional representatives as soon as possible. WALTER F. WOUK Cobleskill - --- MAP posted-by: Beth