New GOP America: Snitch or go to jail

H.R. 1528, Defending America's Most Vulnerable: Safe Access to Drug Treatment and Child Protection Act of 2005, is one of the worst drug war bills that Congress has ever considered. (Introduced by James Sensenbrenner (R-WI))

Among other things, HR 1528:

--Virtually eliminates the ability of federal judges to give sentences below the minimum sentence recommended by federal sentencing guidelines, essentially creating a mandatory minimum sentence for every federal offense (including both drug and non-drug offenses).

--Expands the federal three strikes and you're out law to include new offenses, including mandating life imprisonment (with no possibility of parole) for anyone convicted a third time under the RAVE Act.

--Mandates a 10-year minimum sentence for anyone 21 or older that gives mar1juana or others drugs to someone under 18 (i.e. a 21 year old college students gives a joint to his 17-year old brother). A second offense would be life in prison.

--Expands what is considered to be a drug-free school zone to include almost any place in an urban area, and increases penalties for selling or distributing drugs in that area. (The result will be enhanced penalties for people in inner cities, while people in rural and suburban areas get less time for the same offense).

--Mandates a 5-year minimum sentence for any person that commits a drug trafficking offense near the presence of a person under 18 or in a place where such person resides for any period of time. The sentence is 10 years if they are parent. (I.e. a mother that sells her neighbor a joint will get a 10-year minimum sentence, even if her kids were at school at the time).

--Creates a new offense for persons who witness or learn about certain drug offenses that fail to report the drug offender to the police within 24 hours or fail to provide full assistance to the police in tracking and prosecuting the offender. Offenses that would get someone a 2-year minimum sentence, including failing to report a neighbor that is storing or selling drugs when that neighbor has kids, failing to report anyone that gives a joint to someone under the age of 21, and failing to report a college student that is selling mar1juana on a college campus.

--Mandates a 5-year minimum sentence for any person that offers, solicits, encourages, or induces a person enrolled in drug treatment, or previously enrolled in drug treatment, to purchase, possess or receive drugs.

The full text of H.R. 1528 can be viewed by going to http://thomas.loc.gov/ , entering HR1528 in the search box, checking the enter bill number circle under the search box, and clicking search.
http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/action/wacmoreinfo.asp?item=26179

 

this crazy gestopo republican bill was probably a response to a bill submitted by Barney Frank (D - MA)

"States' Rights to Medical mar1juana Act" (HB 2087)

which makes the common-sense move to regulate medical mar1juana as a Schedule II drug and prevents the federal government from interfering with states that have passed medical mar1juana. It does not force your state to recognize medical mar1juana.


Did you know that Cocaine, Meth and PCP are LEGAL in all 50 states under a doctor's care, but having AIDS or cancer and toking a joint under a doc's care will land you in jail?