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badreligion2good
Uncertain
Registered: 02/21/06
Posts: 888
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Congressman plans to force vote to block decriminalization of psychedelics in DC
#26810964 - 07/08/20 01:07 PM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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https://thehill.com/regulation/healthcare/506419-congressman-plans-to-force-vote-to-block-decriminalization-of
Maryland Rep. Andy Harris (R) said he is against decriminalizing psychedelic drugs in Washington, D.C., adding that he plans to force a vote blocking decriminalization efforts in the city.
The move is in response to a petition started by drug activists, Decriminalize Nature D.C., which submitted on Monday what they claim is enough signatures to place an initiative on the November ballot. If passed, natural hallucinogens would become the lowest priority for law enforcement, the New York Post reported.
Harris plans to force a House Appropriations Committee vote next week to stop the initiative's momentum by utilizing the influence of Congress over the District's budget.
"This is a bald-faced attempt to just make these very serious, very potent, very dangerous — both short-term and long-term — hallucinogenic drugs broadly available," Harris said to the Post.
Harris pointed his argument toward sustaining public health, saying it "has to be maintained" and questioned the consequences of making those in possession of hallucinogens less prone to prosecution.
He asked, "What would prevent people from using hallucinogens, getting behind the wheel of a car and killing people?"
Harris is an anesthesiologist. He has been a representative of Maryland's 1st District since 2011.
Following D.C.'s 2014 vote to legalize marijuana garnering 65 percent of residents' approval, he drafted a budget rider that is still effective and prevents the District from regulating recreational marijuana dispensaries.
Activist Adam Eidinger, responsible for leading the marijuana campaign and also working on the psychedelics initiative, said that he thinks Harris's plan will fail.
Eidinger struck back at Harris, saying he "needs to shut up" and "listen to what the people are saying and then make the policy."
"And he has a history of being a big mouth who doesn't listen," Eidinger said. "Andy Harris is riding our coattails. He is trying to get in the news media as a hater of drug policy reform and nothing more. He has no viable way of stopping this ballot initiative."
The initiative to decriminalize psychedelics became a reality for Denver residents after a similar measure was approved for the city last year by a small margin of favorability.
This year, Oregon will see an initiative on the November ballot which seeks to utilize the natural drugs for therapeutic use.
-------------------- All I know is that I dont know. Row, row, row, you boat, gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.
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Amanita86
OTD Keymaster
Registered: 09/26/12
Posts: 89,464
Loc: hades
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Re: Congressman plans to force vote to block decriminalization of psychedelics in DC [Re: badreligion2good]
#26810970 - 07/08/20 01:12 PM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Those druggies and their bald faces!
-------------------- Orange clock, pencil "They threw me off the hay truck about noon..." *Mark 15:34 Gam zeh ya’avor...
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badreligion2good
Uncertain
Registered: 02/21/06
Posts: 888
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Re: Congressman plans to force vote to block decriminalization of psychedelics in DC [Re: Amanita86]
#26811017 - 07/08/20 01:40 PM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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-------------------- All I know is that I dont know. Row, row, row, you boat, gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.
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Holybullshit
Stranger
Registered: 01/06/19
Posts: 1,562
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Re: Congressman plans to force vote to block decriminalization of psychedelics in DC [Re: badreligion2good]
#26811156 - 07/08/20 03:08 PM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
He asked, "What would prevent people from using hallucinogens, getting behind the wheel of a car and killing people?"
Ummm, common sense? If we allow people to drink alcohol, and expect them to act responsibly, why would this be different? If anything people are less likely to drive with psychedelics than alcohol.
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Dorfnob
J.U.I.C.E.
Registered: 07/28/12
Posts: 737
Last seen: 3 days, 3 hours
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Re: Congressman plans to force vote to block decriminalization of psychedelics in DC [Re: Holybullshit]
#26811532 - 07/08/20 06:44 PM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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so dumb, probably took bribes or ignorance is bliss idk. very frustrating
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Holybullshit
Stranger
Registered: 01/06/19
Posts: 1,562
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Re: Congressman plans to force vote to block decriminalization of psychedelics in DC [Re: Dorfnob]
#26812014 - 07/09/20 03:24 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Or he's just your average GOP member? Not like anything he's saying/doing is out of the ordinary coming from that side of the aisle. It would be more strange for him to not act in such a way.
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Fractal420
Psycellium
Registered: 06/21/13
Posts: 5,913
Last seen: 10 months, 12 days
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Re: Congressman plans to force vote to block decriminalization of psychedelics in DC [Re: Holybullshit]
#26812111 - 07/09/20 05:16 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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The (R) says it all. No shit. I agree it would be strange for him to support psych decrim
Don’t bother complaining about it here, write to this guy.
Explain to him how and why what he says makes no sense and back it up. I mean when they tried banning 2cx there was one guy (rand Paul) against it and he wouldn’t back down till some guy ate someone’s face (but had never touched an rc or esp a 2c)
After that, he just rolled with the rest of the GOP
-------------------- Dreaming of That face again. It's bright and blue and shimmering. Grinning wide And comforting me with it's three warm and wild eyes. Prying open MY third eye
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GordoTEK
Underground Researcher
Registered: 01/26/19
Posts: 82
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Re: Congressman plans to force vote to block decriminalization of psychedelics in DC [Re: Fractal420]
#26812345 - 07/09/20 08:29 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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So how many DUI's while on mushrooms have there been in Denver and Oakland since decriminalizing? Should be pretty easy to investigate and either validate or disprove this concern.
I'm all for legalizing plant medicines, but I do worry about the people who could be harmed by these substances too. If you look at the Hopkins research studies you will find that they excluded over 90% of volunteers. Who is going to be excluding people when access opens up to the public? Maybe no one, they could potentially even get sued for trying to exclude anyone. This might lead to "incidents" around psychosis triggered by psychedelics, and might also lead to things getting shut down again which might be counterproductive to the movement. You already see problems like this with ayahuasca centers outside of the US (a handful of deaths, sexual abuse, incidents of psychosis that were not handled well, etc). I do like the cautious approach that Oregon is proposing, including training and certification for those offering these substances, it won't be the wild west in Oregon (assuming their ballot initiative passes).
Which is better, libertarian total free for all or regulated access with precautions and training? It's a tough question. The CDC says "Excessive alcohol use led to approximately 88,000 deaths and 2.5 million years of potential life lost (YPLL) each year in the United States from 2006 – 2010, shortening the lives of those who died by an average of 30 years." I think ANYTHING you do with decriminalizing/legalizing psychedelics is going to end up with a better track record than alcohol!
-------------------- GordoTEK
Edited by GordoTEK (07/09/20 08:50 AM)
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thirtygoats
Registered: 12/29/11
Posts: 1,992
Last seen: 30 days, 20 hours
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Re: Congressman plans to force vote to block decriminalization of psychedelics in DC [Re: badreligion2good]
#26812896 - 07/09/20 01:07 PM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Yeah they want to keep you hooked on addictive harmful drugs but keep cannabis/psychedelics out of people's hands at all costs.
Anyone against cannabis and psychedelics is ignorant, corrupt, and should not be in any position of power. He should be fired and have to work at Mcdonald's.
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LosTresOjos
Humano
Registered: 09/18/18
Posts: 1,347
Loc: Hurling Through Space
Last seen: 2 years, 2 months
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Re: Congressman plans to force vote to block decriminalization of psychedelics in DC [Re: thirtygoats]
#26813067 - 07/09/20 02:25 PM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Lol they can fight. We been playing in the psychedelic fields for years. Try and stop us all. They can't...
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scarabaeus
Stranger
Registered: 06/13/18
Posts: 1,101
Last seen: 2 years, 2 months
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Re: Congressman plans to force vote to block decriminalization of psychedelics in DC [Re: LosTresOjos]
#26813940 - 07/09/20 10:36 PM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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I'm with you 3 eyes -after all these years I can't believe this same old governmental bullshit exists. Is human evolution a myth? But you are correct -people like us will never go away.
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badreligion2good
Uncertain
Registered: 02/21/06
Posts: 888
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Re: Congressman plans to force vote to block decriminalization of psychedelics in DC [Re: scarabaeus]
#26814774 - 07/10/20 10:19 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Andy Harris represents almost exclusively WASP conservatives. This scores him political points because it shows that he is doing something against cultural changes that threaten "traditional American values." Traditional American values, indeed, include banning cultural practices to punish individuals that belong to said sub-culture. The irony is that he claims to be all about personal freedom as part of his platform. Y'all should give him a ring and explain how psychedelic drug consumption is an expression of personal freedom and just another manifestation America's freedom.
-------------------- All I know is that I dont know. Row, row, row, you boat, gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.
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Holybullshit
Stranger
Registered: 01/06/19
Posts: 1,562
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Re: Congressman plans to force vote to block decriminalization of psychedelics in DC [Re: badreligion2good] 1
#26815431 - 07/10/20 03:14 PM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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All that personal freedom talk is just a dog and pony show, no one with sincere libertarian ideals would touch the GOP with a 10 foot pole.
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Fractal420
Psycellium
Registered: 06/21/13
Posts: 5,913
Last seen: 10 months, 12 days
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Re: Congressman plans to force vote to block decriminalization of psychedelics in DC [Re: Holybullshit]
#26817610 - 07/11/20 03:24 PM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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“American values” are already gone
-------------------- Dreaming of That face again. It's bright and blue and shimmering. Grinning wide And comforting me with it's three warm and wild eyes. Prying open MY third eye
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