Pubdate: Sun, 26 Jan 2014
Source: Oklahoman, The (OK)
Page: 1A
Copyright: 2014 The Oklahoma Publishing Co.
Contact: http://www.newsok.com/voices/guidelines
Website: http://newsok.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/318
Author: Randy Ellis

OKLAHOMA LEGISLATOR'S BILL AIMS TO LEGALIZE POT

State Sen. Constance Johnson has filed a bill to legalize marijuana in
Oklahoma and place its regulation under the control of the state
Health Department.

"I think with our current system of laws and punishments for simple
possession, we are burying ourselves into a pit where the costs are
unsustainable," said Johnson, who has made several unsuccessful past
attempts to liberalize Oklahoma's marijuana laws.

Johnson said she believes unnecessarily harsh laws have ruined young
people's lives, and that decriminalizing marijuana would reduce gang
activity and violence.

Opposition to Johnson's bill has come quickly from some Oklahoma law
enforcement officials.

"I think it will have an early death," Oklahoma County Sheriff John
Whetsel said of Senate Bill 2116.

The bill by Johnson, D-Forest Park, would make it legal for
individuals 21 and older to purchase, possess and consume up to 1
ounce of marijuana and establish basic rules for its cultivation and
sale.

"Why not?" asks Norma Sapp, state director for the National
Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. "That's the way we
should go because then it's in a regulated market. We don't have any
more of this black market funding to the gangs and the people who are
making money off it on the street."

Sapp said she has been energized by calls of support from throughout
Oklahoma since legalized sales of marijuana began in Colorado, causing
long lines of buyers to form at retail establishments in that state
and producing more than $1 million in sales the first day.

If Oklahomans aren't ready to embrace legalization of recreational
marijuana, Sapp said she hopes the Legislature will at least approve
medicinal sales.

Sapp said a low-grade form of marijuana has shown tremendous promise
in treating Dravet Syndrome, a rare and catastrophic form of epilepsy
that afflicts children. Testimony about the medicinal value of
marijuana will be presented to a state Senate committee in room 419c
of the state Capitol at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 12, she said. Supporters of
medicinal marijuana have labeled the day Medical Marijuana Lobby Day
and are encouraging supporters to show up.

Whetsel and Darrell Weaver, executive director of the Oklahoma Bureau
of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control, said they strongly oppose
Johnson's marijuana bill.

"I'm just totally opposed to it," Whetsel said. "Studies show it
affects the brain, thought process and health much more adversely and
differently than does alcohol."

"My opinion is that it's bad for Oklahoma," Weaver said. "There's
always going to be collateral damage to any type of drug or substance
or addiction. ... I think Oklahoma is struggling right now with
prescription (drug abuse) issues and we've still got meth issues. ...
I just don't know that legalization of something that can harm
Oklahoma is a good thing."

He predicted Colorado and other states that choose to legalize
marijuana will face additional problems from addictions and traffic
fatalities.

If marijuana were to be made legal in Oklahoma, Weaver said he
believes his agency should handle registration requirements rather
than the state Health Department.

"We're the experts, probably in the nation, on cultivation of
marijuana," Weaver said.

The bill introduced by Johnson would allow adults to legally grow and
process up to five marijuana plants for their own use and the use of
friends, if no money is exchanged.

It also would establish rules for commercial cultivation and
sale.

The bill calls for a $50 per ounce excise tax to be collected from
cultivation facilities and for revenues to be used to regulate the
industry, with excess money being distributed to the state.

Fifty percent of excess revenues would go to the general fund, 30
percent to education, 10 percent to the Health Department for
voluntary programs for the treatment of alcohol, tobacco and marijuana
abuse and 10 percent to the Health Department for an education campaign.

Oklahoma currently has harsh marijuana laws.

A first offense of possessing even a small amount of marijuana is
punishable by up to a year in jail and subsequent offenses are
punishable by two to 10 years in prison. Individuals who sell
marijuana can be imprisoned for up to life.

In addition to legalizing marijuana for adults, Johnson's bill would
lower the punishment for individuals younger than 21, making
possession of an ounce or less a civil offense punishable by a
requirement that the person complete up to four hours of instruction
in a drug awareness program.  
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