This last Tuesday there was a Senate Committee meeting on Decriminalization. Here is footage of the press conference held prior to the meeting:
And here is my testimony in the hearing:
If others want their testimony included here, please send me a link.
I had to take a day off work to do this testimony. I am not paid for this work, but I do have expenses. Please consider leaving a tip in my jar or sending a paypal donation. My donation page is here: http://richpaul.freekeene.com/
Rich Paul talking at this event? What RP stated in his ramblings will not mean a thing. I really believe this will not go through. Heroin, Marijuana, and other illegal drugs are at an epidemic high in New Hampshire. I believe those stats will heavily influence the decision to not decriminalize marijuana.
Jumping Jacks For those just tuning in, Heroin and Marijuana are completely different. Marijuana should be legalized for several reasons: 1) It is one of the safest drugs in the world, much safer than alcohol. 2) You have a right to harm yourself if that is your choice. 3) Things are much safer when you move them from the black market to the white market, where businesses can be sued if they deliver a faulty product. 4) Removing the violence from the drug trade requires having all that money going in to legal businesses that can pay… Read more »
RichPaul Jumping Jacks I know marijuana and heroine are different. People who die of heroin die from overdoses. Not because of some drug in a vial. By the way, you don’t have the right to harm yourself. The tax payers have to pick up the bill if you do. I suggest you read this link. First off marijuana has over 50% more carcinogens than cigarettes, in medicine for the states that allow it, marijuana is only a temporary adjunct for pain control. In Colorado, you still have to be 21 y/o to purchase marijuana. Studies are showing very serious health concerns… Read more »
Jumping Jacks RichPaul Heroin overdoses are frequently caused by users receiving adulterated goods from unscrupulous dealers, or from dealers who were themselves ripped off. e.g. http://www.nj.com/hunterdon-county-democrat/index.ssf/2015/03/adulterated_heroin_could_be_causing_hunterdon_over.html They also occur when the purity of heroin bought on the street is above what they expect. Heroin when transported into the country tends to be about 40 to 60 percent pure, while on the street it is much less pure. If a user happens to get a back of really good heroin, and shoot up as if he had lower quality stuff, he may well die. Heroin usually also does not come in vials, but… Read more »
RichPaul Jumping Jacks Sorry, but one article does not confirm why people over dose on heroin. They primarily over dose because the tolerance that builds in a person’s body requires more and more of the drug to get the same high. There comes a point when the tolerance is to lethal levels. No, you do not have the right to harm yourself. Suicide is considered a felony which negates any life insurance policy. Chronic abuse of your body will cause you to end up in the psych-ward or holding facility. To compare getting hit by a bicycle or car to “drug… Read more »
RichPaul Jumping Jacks Rich your arguing with a moron with the education of a parsnip. Jumping Jacks is one of those tax cattle that is all about taking in the rear from government without getting a reach around ever. He is high on government crack you cannot save these slaves till they hit rock bottom i.e. a family member is murdered by the state and even then they still may not listen.
Jumping Jacks RichPaul “you don’t have the right to harm yourself. The tax payers have to pick up the bill if you do.” you realize that when you get sent to prison, the tax payers picks up the bill for you too, and they can’t keep the drugs out of the prisons either.
Anarchy Jason Jumping Jacks RichPaul You won’t have to worry about going to jail if you don’t involve yourselves with illegal drugs.
But you still pay for people who do go to jail where there still are drugs. What’s the benefit to pay to lock up drug users when they still get the drugs in jail?
Anarchy Jason You also pay for criminals who have committed homicide, rape, robbery, drug trafficking, hate crimes, and the list goes on.
Yes but you put them in prison so they don’t rob, kill and rape again.
Anarchy Jason Who says those people behind bars don’t rob, kill, and rape again? There are also major drug dealers who are in there and will be there for many many years. Some it’s a life sentence
Because if they are caught doing those things they will be sent to solitary confinement to be away from any other possible victim, whereas the only possible victim for a drug crime would be themselves, and they can always sneak drugs into solitary. Also if there are major drug dealers behind bars then how is there a drug “epidemic” in New Hampshire?
Anarchy Jason A lot of crimes are committed in Solitary Confinement. When you by illegal drugs from a dealer, you are paying money for human trafficking, homicide, extortion, money laundering, prostitution, sex trafficking, and the list goes on.
You have stated, “whereas the only possible victim for a drug crime would be themselves”. So you see, your statement is not correct.
-_- Just because someone is a dealer does not automatically mean they are involved in or fund any of those crimes. But if that was true then you just gave the best reason for drugs to be legal since you don’t see these traffickers and killers selling beer do you? You also never told me what crime someone can commit in solitary.
Anarchy Jason Yes, if someone is a dealer they are involved with those crimes. Do you honestly believe if you “legalized illegal drugs crime will just go away? No it won’t. Alcohol is legal and cigarettes are legal. Yet, they are still illegally sold, and used by minors and those who are ordered not to drink. http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/alcohol-facts-and-statistics http://www.lung.org/stop-smoking/about-smoking/facts-figures/general-smoking-facts.html After alcohol, marijuana has the highest rate of dependence or abuse among all drugs. In 2012, 4.3 million Americans met clinical criteria for dependence or abuse of marijuana in the past year—more than twice the number for dependence/abuse of prescription pain relievers (2.1… Read more »
Your statistics provide no proof that all dealers are involved any of those crimes stated above. I also never said whether drug use in teens will go up or down (but you should know when California decriminalize marijuana both overdose deaths and dropout rates fell) http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/10/15/after-california-decriminalized-weed-teen-arrest-overdose-and-dropout-rates-fell/ if you are worried that legal drugs would cause more minor use you should know when Colorado legalized marijuana drug use in teens fell. http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/08/07/pot-use-among-colorado-teens-appears-to-drop-after-legalization Are you really trying to make the case to minors that “drugs will ruin your life, so if I catch you with them than I’m going to send you… Read more »
Jumping Jacks Anarchy Jason When alcohol was legalized, it was the worst blow to organized crime in history. When the drug war was ramped up it was the best ting that could happen to organized crime.
TaxCattleKiller RichPaul Jumping Jacks I don’t generally hope to convince the person I am arguing with. I just want to illustrate to the readers that they are wrong.
RichPaul TaxCattleKiller Jumping Jacks You haven’t proven anything. What you have cited are statements without proof. I posted my links to back up my statements.
RichPaul Jumping Jacks Anarchy Jason You said, “When alcohol was legalized, it was the worst blow to organized crime in history”. How do you figure?
You then said, “When the drug war was ramped up it was the best ting that could happen to organized crime”. Again, how do you figure?
Please explain your ideas about your statements.
Anarchy Jason Other things you don’t seem to understand are those who are required by work not to use any of those illegal substances. After alcohol, marijuana has the highest rate of dependence or abuse among all drugs. In 2012, 4.3 million Americans met clinical criteria for dependence or abuse of marijuana in the past year—more than twice the number for dependence/abuse of prescription pain relievers (2.1 million) and four times the number for dependence/abuse of cocaine (1.1). ” National Drug institute” As you can see in your posts, The statistics show California against the rest of the nation. Your second… Read more »
Uhh the statistics for California read from left to right notice years before (left side) year after (middle ) and years after (right side). Yes the second stat only talks about Colorado it was the first state to legalized marijuana, what did you expect? The point of the statistics was show you teen use not the crime rate. I thought your reason for not supporting marijuana is fear of teen use going up? I show you that it won’t and you are mad that it’s not down far enough? The symptoms you gave on what happens when people stop long… Read more »
Anarchy Jason How am I mad? I find what you post interesting. The potency of marijuana as more than quadrupled over the years. Scientist don’t know exactly what will happen with those users until a several year study is done. You may scoff at 9% but to that 9% group of addicts, it is a total nightmare than costs taxpayers. Comparing marijuana to alcohol or cigarettes is not a good statement. Also, the stats of how much Alcohol and cigarette users are costing taxpayers is astronomical. By the way, there are still dry counties in the USA and alcohol gets… Read more »
If it is a nightmare for the taxpayers then how is sending drug users to jail good way to solve it? again the tax payers will still have to pay to send them to jail and there’s still drugs in jail so it doesn’t stop anything. I find potency a non issue since when decriminalize overdose death rates still fell.
Anarchy Jason The nightmare for taxpayers begins with the drug dealer on the streets. The amount of drugs in prisons are not as much as you think they are.
You stated, ” I find potency a non issue since when decriminalize overdose death rates still fell” I disagree with your statement because we don’t know the long term effects on people who use high THC marijuana. It is a very big issue.
If marijuana was legal you wouldn’t see it on the streets it would be in the stores.
The issue you have with marijuana does not make sense. There MIGHT be long term effects to marijuana, so you want lock people up in jail which WILL have long term effects on their life?
Anarchy Jason No, there will always be illegal drug dealers. Just like those who deliver alcohol and sell it to people on dry counties and Indian reservations.
The law determines the punishments for those who break the law.
If you want too smoke so bad, move to Colorado, Washington, Alaska, ect.. Otherwise you are subject to the laws in your state.
“There will always be illegal drug dealers” so the war on drugs will always be a failure.
So you don’t drugs be legal because you don’t want to change the law? Why is the law so sacred that it can’t be changed?
Anarchy Jason You said, “So you don’t drugs be legal because you don’t want to change the law” It’s not up too me to change the law. First off, it’s the federal laws that state what punishments are for what drug crimes. That will never change. There are no countries in the world that have made illegal drugs “legal” Some have decriminalized a couple of drugs but nowhere in the world are illegal drugs, illegal. Not too mention what these illegal drugs do to people who use them. People are going to get illegal drugs. But, if they are caught… Read more »
Sorry the sentence was supposed to be “So you don’t want drugs to be legal because you don’t want to change the law” thank you for pointing out that mistake.
So it’s not the law but the people who write the law, are they omnipotent and all knowing so they can’t do anything wrong?
Anarchy Jason When it comes to illegal drugs, there are experts in the field that provide studies and research to make a decision about drug laws. Saying illegal drugs are illegal, is not wrong.
And these “experts ” suggest to forcefully lock people in cages, where they still can get the drugs? To me that sounds like bad advice no matter how much the person claims to be an “expert”.
@Anarchy Jason These “experts” are MDs, PhDs, Nurse Practitioners, PhDs in statistics, and the list goes on. They tell our lawmakers what illegal drugs do to people, to crime statistics, populations of those around illegal drugs ect.. They don’t make the laws.
So the law makers think it’s best to lock people in cages where they can still get drugs, so they can stop the use of drugs? That still doesn’t make any sense.
Anarchy Jason You would have to talk too the lawmakers.
You mean like what rich did in the video 🙂
Anarchy Jason The last thing you would want is a felon drug user and dealer trying to punt the ball for everyone. He offered no verifiable stats, or a closing point to his statements. The law makers aren’t going to listen to that.
I disagree you should have someone to speak who has been affected by the drug war (he was also not the only one speaking)
Anarchy Jason How is he affected? He was busted for dealing illegal drugs and using illegal drugs. He is not a victim by any stretch. Listening to his rants on the video does not sit well with those on this panel. Yes, there were other people who spoke. But the video only shows Rich Paul and that is who we are talking about.
You just answered your own question in the next sentence. How do you know what the whole panel was thinking you only see three of them and two of them seemed interested what he had to say.
First you complain that people need to go through the right channels to get change, and now you’re complaining that people who choose go through the channels are just “ranting”.
Anarchy Jason Would you have a car thief talk to the safety board for better airbags? How about criminals who commit burglaries talk to increase better locks on homes.
I wouldn’t tell the people who want those things to go to the safety boards and then complain just because I don’t like someone who chose to speak, that would just seem petty.
In general I would hope people who want better locks and better airbags would try to get them peacefully and not go through government.
Anarchy Jason Rich Paul is a multiple felon. Someone who has been busted for selling and dealing drugs. It’s no different than what I previously posted.
You are fighting the person and not the argument.