Lawmakers in Virginia are looking to decriminalize marijuana! Republican Delegate Harvey B. Morgan, a pharmacist, has 31 years in the House and is the second-most senior delegate. He says he thinks criminalizing pot has done nothing to curb its use and is introducing House Bill 1134 that would change simple possession from possible jail time to a civil fine of $500. The bill also looks to increase the amount of weed needed to be considered for the charge of possession with the intent to distribute and remove the mandatory two and five-year sentences for distribution.
But he hasn’t stopped there. Morgan (R-98th D) is also submitting House Bill 1136 which would expand Virginia’s medical marijuana laws to allow marijuana to be prescribed for more diseases. Currently it’s allowed for cancer and glaucoma. Morgan said because the Food and Drug Administration hasn’t approved medical marijuana, it’s tough to actually obtain it. The law would ensure patients and doctors couldn’t be prosecuted for using or recommending cannabis.
“Doctors, who are accustomed to weighing the risks and benefits of drugs, should be able to prescribe marijuana in instances in which research has shown it could be medically effective,” Morgan said in a recent press conference.
He also mentioned that a possession conviction can and has destroyed many lives, even convictions that are decades old. And he listed jobs from which someone with a drug record is permanently barred in Virginia —teacher, pawnbroker, taxi driver, etc. He also said the state could save millions during the budget crisis by relieving the jails of those incarcerated for marijuana possession. Making marijuana possession a noncriminal offense, he said, could save the state $75 million a year.
To get your free STUFF STONERS LIKE STICKER…
Leave a Reply
27 Responses to “BREAKING NEWS–Virginia to Decriminalize Marijuana”
Gregg Koep
Fantastic. If only all our legislators could be as logical and sane. It just makes sense, and $75 million a year is a lot of money that is better spent elsewhere.
denbee
It is refreshing to realize that reason and compassion has entered the cannabis debate. Long time coming. I am 60 years old and I have used cannabis for over forty years, my life could not be better. I suspect that there are many people who simply don’t care if you decriminalize it, regulate it, zone it, standardize it, tax it, medicinalize it… we will still use cannabis and we will be making our purchase choice using the path of least resistence. It is laugh to witness the entrenched powers scrambling to keep up with demand for changes in the cannabis laws. Pile a bunch of needless regulations on any decriminalization law and most of us will still be criminals, such is life. Make it easier and cheaper to buy from legal sources rather than the street dealer or else most people will simply grow their own or continue buying from the local drug dealer. Common sense.
Bearer of Bad News
UNFORTUNATELY it was shot down immediately because Virginia is THE most conservative state EVER. However, I do enjoy the fact that the state is coming to its senses little by little
Laurence Crocker
My foster son, native to California, and used to ‘Law-enforcement’ “turning-the-other-cheek’ to minor (less than 1 oz) of possesion, has been charged in Va. as a felon. (oops he was smoking in his ‘dorm’ room—-ON SCHOOL GROUNDS–A FELONY..PER, VA. lAW.
My advise to him was to spred the word (Va.U’s)intolerance and find other, more tolerant institutions of learning.
Perhaps then multiple $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$, will give them second thoughts, as a mass emmigation leaves their school without funds. (“) BANKRUPT!!
I have advised my foster-son to return to Calif. The Attorney-Grneral, here has stated he will not honor extradition laws based om ‘archaic’ drug laws.
methodikalrecords
sign our petition please yall decriminalize marijuana why are we letting potential criminals control a substance that we say is potentiallly harmful
timbob
It realy bothers me to believe that the government of virginia see’s themselves as conservative. I just cant fathom all these politicians going to church on sunday, believing that everything god provides for them is good. Then go to work on monday shoot down a bill to decriminalize marijuana (which is a naturaly growing wild plant, NOT a drug) which the lord provided. Then go to lunch and screw their secretary (oops, I mean administrative assistant), go back to work, lie to their constituants. Then comes five o’clock, go home to their families and tell them how much they love them, and pray before they go to bed. Then say they are conservative.
larry russell
help va bec we are losing alot of kids and mothers to the jail,brothers and uncle repeat it over and over ,and it dont harm us ,but cocain and ciggarettes they sell to us,wal mart wont hired you if you pass a piss test but still have a weed charge on ur record,
David White
Best way to legalize, start drug testing the politicians!!!
It’s ridiculous that the people flipping hamburgers are drug tested, yet those who are in positions of “power” aren’t required to do the same.
It’s ridiculous that selling Tobacco laced with Arsenic is FINE!?!?, yet smoking pot is illegal!
AJane
Weed was here before time and it will be here after. The government just needs to leave it alone and leave the pot heads alone because all they do is sit in the underwear and leave people alone. They need to focus on the harmful drugs and alcohol because all the kills people. It kills their liver and lungs.
Claire
Hey there, I think your site might be having browser compatibility issues.
When I look at your blog site in Opera, it looks fine
but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping.
I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, great
blog!
A. Nonny Mouse
It’s high time (pun intended) that recreational marijuana is legalized nationwide. Did they learn nothing from the colossal failure of prohibition? Are they still going on the ridiculous assumption that Uncle Sam somehow knows what’s good for us? (Implying that we are all too stupid to decide for ourselves!) Well, if nothing else, they should at least realize that folks still continue to smoke, regardless of what any archaic law states, just as folks continue to read what they choose to read, think what they choose to think, and believe what they choose to believe. It is what it is.
buy marijuana seeds
Pot male and female plants are equally at the vegetative period
and sex shows only if the plants appear. From that moment
on, the marijuana crops become the female and male
look and also distinguishable very diverse. When this technique of everyday generation has ceased and many of
the small stigmas (hairs) to the flowers have made from white to brown -fruit, it is time to collect the plants.
Now you’re prepared to experience your own developed quality pals that are super!
Anonymous
Just legalize it and make 200 million a year.
vicky
I live in Virginia, and as a 20 something year old even I can see how ridiculous things are here. Politicians and basically everyone in “control” we could say, are bass-ackwards. Weed is as common as water here, and eveywhere surrounding. Its pointless keeping it illegal. Having a law isn’t keeping it from being grown, sold and smoked. Law or no law, its here. Its always been here. And always will be. Its natural. You can’t stop it.
james
I’m a taxi driver with a possession charge in virginia why doesbit say I’m barred?
Anonymous
IT SHUD DEF DECRIMINALIZE FIRST THEN OF COURSE MAKE IT LEGAL EVEN FOR JUS MED PURPOSES…IT SEEMS TO RUN FINE IN WASHINGTON AND COLORADO, CONSIDERING I JUS CAME BACK AND NOW WHEN I CAME BACK TO VA, ITS JUS DUMB THAT PPL CANT SMOKE IF THEY WANT, ITS JUS A PLANT AND IF U DO IT W CERTAIN LAWS ITLL BE HANDLED FINE AND RESPONSIBLY,,,BUT W GUIDELINES..WERE ALOUD TO PURCHASE CIGS AND ALCOHOL, WHICH KILLS MORE PPL EVERYDAY, YET NO POT DEATHS….HUH. AND MORE PPL SMOKE AND IF IT WAS LEGAL THEN IM SURE ALCOHOL DEATHS WITH LIFT…POT MAKES PPL HUNGRY AND HAPPY…..WHATS SO BAD..TY
BaysmokerfromVA
They are still fighting the Civil War in VA. they arent changing any laws for MMJ there anytime soon, Expect the federal laws to change before anything there changes. Thats why I eft VA years ago. Closed minded uneducated no talent people dominate the polls.
420Rightsgirl
I for one have noticed that it should be legal here not only for medical since they only want to use it to treat cancer and glaucoma but for people with epilepsy and mental illness such as myself i have both and i have found it has helped me out tremendously! I have less seizures when i’ve smoked and its way more affordable than dilantin
Seizure'schoise
I am a 33 year old woman who began suffering with Grand-mal, also referred to as(cloni- tonic seizures), at the age of 24. I am currently under the care of one of the top neurologist in the nation. After a split screen EEG was performed on me a board of 6 neurologist determined there was currently no oral legal medication combination to treat my condition. At which time they wrote a letter of medical necessity for me to have a VNS implanted in my chest with electronic pulses are sent to my carotid artery through wires they implanted in my neck. I had this procedure 2 years ago and have shown no sighs of improvement. I still suffer from 2-4 seizures a month. In a large number of cases it has been found certain strains of marijuana can not only reduce seizures but if used properly cure the condition completely! My VNS implant is a $23,000 device that did nothing but cause unsightly scars. I was raised in Virginia and it would be sad to have to leave my home state to receive proper treatment for a condition that 1% of Americans suffer from. My neurologist said by law he can not advise me to use marijuana but he could say “do what makes you feel better”. I pray one day Virginia will see the suffering they cause just to maintain the title of “conservative”!
Regg
I think the reason they will not make it legal is because the politicians are getting kick back from the drug companies to keep illegal. Politicians don’t realize they could make a lot more money if they legalize it they could receive a lot more in legal taxes. As s [n as that light bulb goes on then they will do it.
Krystle
Hey there! I know this is kinhda off topic but I was wondering
if you knew where I could locate a captcha
plugin for my comment form? I’m using the same blog platform as youhrs andd I’m having trouble finding one?
Thans a lot!
Anonymous
I find it hilarious how no one here can put together a complete sentence.
Justus
$75 million is a lot saved, but only state wise. The Federal gov’t. Loses triple that from marijuana replacing pharmaceuticals and other expensive treatments that it can be used to replace. well, that and the tax money they receive from incarcerations, even if it is a miniscule amount that they get. Thats why its not decriminalized everywhere. It is basically undergoing a trial/beta test
Your neighborhood Stoner
Illegal or legal I’ll smoke it anyways
Anonymous
This country is performing vertical intercourse .
Yes we are f…king up daily. Really is this a priority. How damn hypocritical . JFK had his infamous medical bag and the last several leaders of the most powerful country in the world all were smokers.
Many need the Cana is
The country needs the money for many causes
Lot being more than a ticket is in American
Let’s startt using our heads and give it a 3 year trial period nationally.
What harm can that do?
kg
if they prohibited alcohol for a reason to stop family problems then why is it legal now its worse than bud and marijuana never ever killed anyone before uless you never exhaled haha, but in all seriousness its medical uses are revolutionary and the only reasons that cannabis shouldn’t be legal is that more dispensries will open up and drive all the drug dealers away taking over the game will be devestating to those who rely on the drug that they sell
DebianAssault
great head was made in Jan 2016.
decriminalize was shot down every which way.
some medical break through was shown and a few folks will now get relief sometime in 2017.
voters are threatening new members if legal doesn’t come by soon there out
VA isn’t fighting for conservative there just fighting ignorance and the kangaroo justice system is plagued with shit and money.
remember there common as s*** to get wealthy as f***
we do not forgive ! we do not forget ! expect us !