# U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk to push tougher sentences for more-potent marijuana



## LowRider (Jun 16, 2009)

*Bad Day For Chicago*







*North Shore Republican to propose legislation setting penalties of up to 25 years in prison for selling 'kush'*

By Lisa Black | Tribune reporter June 15, 2009 U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk will call for legislation Monday that would toughen drug-trafficking laws regarding a highly potent form of marijuana, with penalties of up to 25 years in prison for a first-time offense.

The law would target offenders who sell or distribute marijuana that has a THC content exceeding 15 percent, which is between 5 and 10 percentage points higher than average marijuana, according to Kirk's office. 

THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the main active ingredient in marijuana.

Drug dealers are increasingly cross-breeding plants to produce high-potency variants of marijuana, which are called "kush" in street slang when they have 20 percent THC, Lake County Sheriff Mark Curransaid.




Police have been turning up more of the high-potency marijuana in Lake County arrests, he said.

"When you amplify the strength of it, you are increasing the harm to the system," said Curran, who supports the legislation, which would amend a federal law. "They are more dangerous behind the wheel of a vehicle. It's not a good idea to have people that messed up."

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has reported that kush sells for as high as $600 per ounce, creating the same profit potential as crack cocaine, Kirk said.

The Republican North Shore lawmaker said he plans to release more information during a news conference in Chicago on Monday, where he will be joined by representatives from the Lake County Sheriff's Department, the Lake County Metropolitan Enforcement Group and Waukegan Police Department.


----------



## NorCalHal (Jun 16, 2009)

Now thats just funny.


----------



## TexRx (Jun 16, 2009)

The same profit potential as crack?
WHere do they get their information?


----------



## BBFan (Jun 16, 2009)

NorCalHal said:
			
		

> Now thats just funny.


 
No Hal, that's not funny, it's scary.

These people actually believe the hyperbole they are spewing.  And it's sad for us.


----------



## PencilHead (Jun 16, 2009)

I know opinions are LIKE a-holes but this guy takes it to a new level by BEING an a-hole.  What proof does he offer up to prop up his ridiculous claims?  He doesn't even bother to refer to some obscure study.  If these guys didn't have scare-tactics they'd have to fold up their tent and head to the house.

OOOOh, new crack.  OOOOOh, people more effed up than you are behind the wheel.  

Tell the fine congressman this: I had a choice of riding with a stoner or a crack head, I'd take the stoner every time.  Stoner vs a guy on oxies--gimme the stoner.  Drunk vs stoner--gimme the stoner.  Some stiff minded mutant like the congressman or our stoner?  Still taking the ride with the stoner.  Un-huh, call me wild and crazy if you want.


----------



## 420benny (Jun 16, 2009)

"It's not a good idea to have people that messed up."
Ya think? He is too funny. Next, we should have levels of duii
1-driving while stoned
2-" "       "  "     too stoned
3-""    "  ""  way too stoned
4-you really shouldn't be driving, you are over the top, way too messed up


----------



## PencilHead (Jun 16, 2009)

Level 5-It's all a halucination, but you still get pulled over.


----------



## Lemmongrass (Jun 16, 2009)

why dont they get that we buy/grow good pot so we dont have to smoke 3grams to get high??? 

(totally made up figures)
I smoke 5g of schwag, i get 10mg thc, 15mg CBN, and 3mg of the headache cannabinoids. OOOOR i smoke .25g of dank, get 15mg of THC, 5mg of CBN, and no headache chems.

you just cant get too high. they dont get that. ive gotten too high to drive for sure, almost every day of my life. thats why i plan my day out a little... why even smoke if yr just gunna drive? yr wasting your high.  

Alcohol. you can consume too much. you drink too much, it becomes acutely toxic, causes nausea, violent actions, vomiting etc. and you must wait HOURS for it to lessen. days sometimes.

Cannabis. you get a headache or sleepy if you smoke too much. if you get too high, wait 45min, or exercise for 15min, or masturbate for 5min. you will be totally not stoned after either of those.

If drugs were people, and I was alcohol, it looks like i would be failing pretty bad at life...its just a crappy drug.

the reason people do drugs is because they work. 
plain and simple. legal and prescription drugs don't work. very little in this world actually works. you car may or may not start. your garden might grow, your life may or may not work, but every time you smoke a joint you get high. it works.

So if we were to categorize drugs by if they 'work' or not, ethanol would be low on the scale. you can consume too much, you can get sick, it is damaging, and it has a long comedown period(i.e. hungover/dehydration). 
Pot on the other hand would be near the top. As would be hallucenogens. the only danger with many of them in taking too much is it lasting too long, or your mind not begin able to handle it. there can also be sickness(tho most of this is from adulterants due to the black market). then lower down is the hedonistic substances. cocaine, heroin, meth amphetamine. you can do too much. there are physical dangers, but primarily only with longterm use or dirty product. Yet even lower still!!!! alcohol.

what harm to the system??? if vaped 40mg of extracted thc you would get: 
1. high
2. system flooded with anti oxidants
3. neurons for a protective coating
4. blood moves from limbs to stomach.
5. nothign else.

now if i smoke a gram of pot i get all kinds of smoke, combustions chemicals, cancer(yea right).

under his logic, the pure thc should be a million times for dangerous... but it is easier on your body than water....


IIRC we have DUI and DWI. DWI is when yoru drunk, and DUI is EVERYTHING else. from stoned, to coked out, to driving to the gas station late at night while on ambien. or even sleep deprivation falls under DUI.


----------



## Hick (Jun 16, 2009)

.. Related to Captain Kirk??/


----------



## greenfriend (Jun 16, 2009)

makes no sense whatsoever.

1) targets middle man distributors who dont know the thc% of what they buy

2)indicas with lower thc% can get you just as stoned as "20% thc kush"

3) "main active ingredient in marijuana".  ingredients?, you're getting this mixed up with crack now, 

4) if i had to buy weed for $600/oz, i would only be able to smoke twice a month

5) "Drug dealers are increasingly cross-breeding plants"  obviously the ppl they intend to arrest are usually not the ones breeding/growing.  they are too busy DEALING!

the DEA has so many millions in their budget you would think they would hire someone that has a clue about mj, so they dont look like misinformed idiots.  nothing ever changes...


----------



## viper1951 (Jun 16, 2009)

It just shows there lack of education , and lack of wanting to learn something new.  these are more then likely to big of words for them to understand .
Just how many times did the good us Rep drive home Drunk ? lets pull his rap sheet and post it . I would by far if I had the choice , ride with a stonier before I would ride with someone on prescription meds . at least I know the driver thats stoned is not going to pass out and die behind the wheel from pot . and just think we put these dumb a____ in office   to bad we can't find one that will tell the truth before you elect him.  Our Government what a 
joke this country is. every one wants to be important theyd sell there mothers to get to the top !


----------



## Kupunakane (Jun 16, 2009)

There is a fool born every day,

   This clown proves it. Yeah, I wonder myself how they can have the nerve to foist that kind of mis-information.  I do think that the movement to de-criminalize is in full swing, and fools like that will get voted out of office soon enough.
  Keep the faith my brothers and sisters of smoke, the worm will turn.

smoke in peace
KingKahuuna


----------



## Caretaker (Jun 17, 2009)

These people against marijuana are so ignorant about it I dont understand how there opinion is even valid in our government. They are like any 13 year old smoking for his first year. Someone that thinks anything that is good is called kush. Ill tell the officer its the grand daddy purps, No kush in it at all. Imagine all the money spent to test the THC to figure if someone is getting a heavier sentence. America finds the quickest way to throw away money. With the word "kush" being thrown around so much I think I am gonna go squeeze a kush in the toilet. Then I am gonna kush my girlfriend and go eat some kush *** food from chili's. KUSH OFF!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Alistair (Jun 17, 2009)

So, this representative uses poor driving skills while under the influence of pot as his reason for tough punishment for distribution?  Since when does contributing to a  DUI carry a 25 year sentence?


----------



## Hick (Jun 17, 2009)

..If we can't discuss news without stooping to party bashing, I will close all news thread to replies. 
  We ARE NOT and WILL NOT become a venue for political arguing PERIOD.


----------



## waterheadduo (Jun 17, 2009)

These guys who are in opposition of marijuana legalization will find any information they can to justify their stand on the issue, even if the information is false.  I think they realize that legalization is becoming more and more a reality, so they are doing everything they can to prevent it.


----------



## NYC_Diesel x Jack_Herer (Jun 17, 2009)

NEVER going to happen.  Do you honesty think that the people or the police organizations of Chicago are going to agree to spend the money to test every single sample of MJ they come across?  Do you realize how many millions of dollars this would waste every year for absolutely no reason other than to fill our prisons with more non violent pot smokers?  NEVER going to happen, and this guy basically just committed career suicide.   
Absolutely not.  And IL just passed a medical bill.  There is ZERO chance this will be passed.  Really, they passed a medical MJ bill less than a month ago, and this guy wants to push up penalties on MJ????  OBVIOUSLY the people of IL and Chicago want MJ decriminalized, this is why they al supported the medical bill.  Now trying to tell these same citizens that MJ is as dangerous as crack is.....ignorant, flat out ignorant.


----------



## Caretaker (Jun 17, 2009)

If marijuana was legal like alcohol then there wouldnt be much of the potency worry. Its not legal to be in public or driving or working under the influence. So by law these people will just be home. Works for liquor right? Make some 151 proof and have it be legal but that kush is to much. The world would smell better if it only had kush available.


----------

