[420 Girl]

New York's sixth Senatorial District has quite a representative in Albany. Despite frequent assurance from Health Committee Chair, Senator Thomas Duane that Senate bill S4041B was " more restrictive and more controlled" than a similar bill last year that got whacked by the Senate coup shenigans, Senator Kemp Hannon is concerned that the current bill is "fraught with dangers". He was part of the 'no' votes in the preliminary tally of 9-3 for recommendation to move to the floor of the New York Senate. According to one aide, a nine vote is enough to get it out of committee.

Senator Hemp *ahem*, Kemp, cited concerns about children under 18 potentially getting prescriptions from dentists and chiropractors which might effect the " established medical hierarchy of care ". While sponser and chair, Senator Duane cited stronger parental consent provisions, " a permission slip " of sorts. No smoking pot in parks. Not because they won't be there, either.

Senator Fushchillo raised concerns about the 'producers' and referred to Article 29 which provisions the certification from the Department of Health. It will be curious how those connections will reveal themselves. This, as a non-profit corporation. Which raises the very serious question what the incentive is to in fact undergo such a process. The weed for your head ? Cannabis Clubs aren't about to abound anytime soon in Times Square it seems. Apparently as a controlled substance, medical marijuana will be more strictly controlled than opiates are now.

My own Senator Saland raised the issue of what is defined as a 'reasonable amount' with regard to section 33-62 providing more than the alloted two and half ounces that apparently are provided for. As a constituent Steve, I urge you to consider full legalization and let freedom reign.

What struck me was how ostensibly admant old Kemp was in this regard. His emphatic thumbs down at the advent of what seemed a secret vote of sorts, showed me that the last remnant of the drug warrior political culture still clings to its self rightgeous assertion with regard to this now accepted medicine by some. Even with a high amount of actual Republicans polling in favor of full legalization, a stubborn few continue to see it as 'pot', Senator Hannon included. With only the technicalities of legal production and children at risk hyberbole, the old guard doesn't have a Rockefeller foundation to stand on anymore.

Perhaps it's only a matter of time before the feckless representatives submitting their vote under the cover of a slip of uneasy paper, will actually come out and defy Senators who still beat the drug war drums. While I didn't stop and ask which of the identifiable AARP folks were up to at the meeting, it was clear the some of the medical marijuana patients were visibly relieved that the end of their unecessary suferring might be coming to an end, unlike the thousands still imprisoned for growing or selling a simple product of nature. How will the prison industrial complex cope over the next few years once the dam breaks and weed is at the corner store ? Yeah, I doubt we'll find out anytime soon.

Of course this citizen journalist/activist may have simply interpreted these arcane difficulties of the committee in a worse manner than perhaps the most newbie cub corporate reporter, but I've been around long enough to read between the human lines. The fact is, that beyond the immediate suffering of the chronically ill, the average New Yorker wants to be able to puff some weed on the weekend at a party or their own garage without feeling like a criminal or miscreant. Sophisticated professionals and average voters wondering why the baudy exercise of right by way of a sporting event drunken tailgate bash is any more or less sanctioned as acceptable. Fortunately, I'm not bound by soft stepping advocacy or corporate overseers of censure. Sure would be nice to see a major party candidate for public office included on this list.

Intelligent Designer bless the tireless advocates opposed to this constant legal farce and fluffing throughout the years. Make it end New York representatives. Do something right. Legalize it, Senator Hemp.

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