Pubdate: Wed, 23 Jun 2010
Source: Daily Press (Newport News,VA)
Copyright: 2010 The Daily Press
Contact:  http://www.dailypress.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/585
Author: Stephen Groves

MORGAN SAYS HE'LL CONTINUE FIGHT FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Marijuana advocates in The Old Dominion have found an  unlikely ally
in Del. Harvey B. Morgan, a bespectacled  79-year-old Republican.

This year the Gloucester County lawmaker introduced a  bill that would
decriminalize marijuana possession and  a bill that would allow
doctors to prescribe marijuana.

While both measures died in the House Courts of Justice  Committee,
they served as another reminder of the  increasing pressure to move
away from the prohibition  mindset that has dominated U.S. drug policy
since the  1980s.

The National Conference of State Legislatures says in  2009 alone, 26
states -- ranging from  progressive-leaning California to
conservative-leaning  Alabama -- considered bills dealing with medical
  marijuana. In November, California will vote on a  measure to make
all pot legal, and taxable.

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The federal government currently outlaws marijuana for  any use and
classifies it as a Schedule One drug,  meaning it has no medicinal
value and is highly  addictive. But in October, President Barack Obama
  issued a Justice Department memo that ordered federal  officials to
honor state laws that allow the drug.

Virginia currently allows medical marijuana to treat  glaucoma and
cancer.

Dee Duffy, of the Virginia chapter of NORML, a  marijuana advocacy
group, said, "One by one, we're  seeing all the states change their
laws and reform the  laws."

"Even if it's just a little bit, everybody's headed in  the same
direction," Duffy said. "Five years ago, I  would say, 'What, are you
kidding me? This is going to  be a long time.' I am optimistic, that
some kind of  change is going to happen within the next couple of
years."

The legislation receives support from a broad spectrum  of society,
from libertarians to ex-hippies and baby  boomers. And in Virginia's
case, from Morgan, a retired  pharmacist who says he never tried the
drug.

"I grew up before marijuana became popular -- it's a  good thing
because I probably would have tried it," he  said.

He started taking an interest in decriminalization  about five years
ago after hearing the plights of  people who had been convicted of
simple possession  charges and could not get a job when employers saw
the  drug conviction on their record.

"I've done a lot of research on it since then, and I  find what an
injustice it is," he said. "If you want to  get a job as a taxi
driver, or any other commercial  driver's permit, if you want to get a
job as a teacher,  or if you want to get a job in any health
profession,  you can't do it."

Morgan's decriminalization bill would have made the  possession of
less than an ounce of marijuana a civil  offense, punishable by a $500
fine, rather than a  criminal offense. The bill also would have
removed the  two-year mandatory sentence for distribution of more
than one ounce of marijuana and the five-year mandatory  sentence for
the distribution of more than five pounds  of marijuana.

As a senior member of the House and with his background  as a
pharmacist, Morgan felt he had the political and  professional chops
to deal with the blowback that comes  with pushing the legislation.
While the topic provides  plenty of jokes in the statehouse, including
quips  about the special treats from Morgan when a plate of  cookies
showed up in the member's lounge, the movement  is being taken
seriously, said Del. David B. Albo,  chairman of the Courts of Justice
Committee.

Advocates of decriminalizing marijuana possession say  that it has
become an accepted part of American society  and has similar
side-effects as alcohol. They also  point to the large amount of money
that is spent on  marijuana enforcement and holding offenders in prison.

"I'm not encouraging people to go out and smoke  marijuana, but public
policy needs to be based on  science," said Del. David L. Englin,
D-Alexandria, who  co-sponsored the decriminalization bill.

But those who shot down the bill say it would have done  more than
just extend mercy to first-time offenders.

"They were also lowering punishments on people who were  dealing pot
to kids," said Albo. "They were lowering  punishment on drug kingpins
who sell bales of pot. The  bill basically took marijuana to the same
level as  alcohol.... The devil is in the details on these  things."

The Springfield Republican said the medical marijuana  bill also was
too broad because it would allow doctors  to prescribe marijuana for
whatever they deemed  appropriate, including stress.

But Albo suggested that marijuana legislation has a
future.

"I would vote for a bill that would add medical  marijuana to another
disease if there was some kind of  medical proof that it helped
patients," said Albo. "I  would consider looking at a bill that made
first-offense possession of very small amounts of  marijuana a civil
penalty."

He estimated that 75 percent of the House members agree  with him on
modest change to the laws.

Morgan says he will continue to introduce legislation  until it is
passed. "It could pass this year, but I  really wouldn't expect it
too. But I'm gonna try  anyway." 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D