Genesisgrower
Member
Doubt it'll be anytime soon, then again, winds change fast at times.
South Carolina rep trying to legalize mj
- Thread starter Genesisgrower
- Start date
rEVOLution420
Member
Who, what's his / her name? What district?
benton OG
Well-Known Member
According to our State House sources the leader of the Democratic Party in the South Carolina House, House Minority Leader Todd Rutherford made the bold move today to legalize marijuana in South Carolina. Yes, you read that right, Democrats are working to legalize drugs in South Carolina while nearly 1 out of 12 South Carolinians is out of a job. No wonder Democrats dont hold a single statewide elected office in South Carolina.And Rutherford isnt just trying to legalize weed for smoking purposes he also wants it legalized for consumption in food items as well. Anyone remember pot brownies from the 70′s?
Only a handful of states around the nation have legalized marijuana. If South Carolina Democrats get their way South Carolina could be added to that list. Rutherford attempted to amend a piece of legislation dealing with controlled substances today with an amendment that would force the state of South Carolina to pay for farmers to grow weed in coordination with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Services. The state of South Carolina would then regulate the sale of the illegal drug treating it as a prescription while collecting licensing fees from South Carolina doctors who applied to distribute the pot.
The only problem? Rutherford is trying to piggy back on a state statute passed back in the 80′s under Democratic Governor Dick Riley that essentially says South Carolina may regulate and distribute controlled substances that are LEGAL on the federal level. The only problem for Rutherford is that Marijuana is still ILLEGAL on the federal level and we dont see that changing anytime soon.
However, the Obama Administration has made the decision to forgo prosecution of of individuals possessing certain amounts of marijuana. It is Rutherfords contention that because the Obama Justice Department isnt prosecuting marijuana cases in accordance with federal law that therefore the federal law is voided and South Carolina like Colorado and California can also distribute marijuana. The problem with that theory is that any future Administration may decide to start enforcing laws and could chose to jail individuals in South Carolina because of how the law is written.Jailing grandmothers and grandfathers who have terminal cancer and use medical marijuana for legitimate purposes would be a tough thing for Representative Rutherford to explain to any loved one.
Do we as Republicans support legalization of medical marijuana? We say if Democrats really want to legalize weed in South Carolina then they should put it up to a statewide referendum and let the voters of South Carolina decide. If they can win a statewide referendum which is 50% of the vote plus one vote then by all means legalize it. Thats a high but fair threshold for legalization because it is our view that legislators should try to ram marijuana legalization down the throats of South Carolina citizens. But if history is any indicator Democrats are going to have a very hard time accomplishing anything in South Carolina on a statewide level.
Only a handful of states around the nation have legalized marijuana. If South Carolina Democrats get their way South Carolina could be added to that list. Rutherford attempted to amend a piece of legislation dealing with controlled substances today with an amendment that would force the state of South Carolina to pay for farmers to grow weed in coordination with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Services. The state of South Carolina would then regulate the sale of the illegal drug treating it as a prescription while collecting licensing fees from South Carolina doctors who applied to distribute the pot.
The only problem? Rutherford is trying to piggy back on a state statute passed back in the 80′s under Democratic Governor Dick Riley that essentially says South Carolina may regulate and distribute controlled substances that are LEGAL on the federal level. The only problem for Rutherford is that Marijuana is still ILLEGAL on the federal level and we dont see that changing anytime soon.
However, the Obama Administration has made the decision to forgo prosecution of of individuals possessing certain amounts of marijuana. It is Rutherfords contention that because the Obama Justice Department isnt prosecuting marijuana cases in accordance with federal law that therefore the federal law is voided and South Carolina like Colorado and California can also distribute marijuana. The problem with that theory is that any future Administration may decide to start enforcing laws and could chose to jail individuals in South Carolina because of how the law is written.Jailing grandmothers and grandfathers who have terminal cancer and use medical marijuana for legitimate purposes would be a tough thing for Representative Rutherford to explain to any loved one.
Do we as Republicans support legalization of medical marijuana? We say if Democrats really want to legalize weed in South Carolina then they should put it up to a statewide referendum and let the voters of South Carolina decide. If they can win a statewide referendum which is 50% of the vote plus one vote then by all means legalize it. Thats a high but fair threshold for legalization because it is our view that legislators should try to ram marijuana legalization down the throats of South Carolina citizens. But if history is any indicator Democrats are going to have a very hard time accomplishing anything in South Carolina on a statewide level.