Pam Novy, executive director of Virginia,
National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (VANORML),
explains that she decided to champion marijuana legalization in Virginia
because of the impact drug laws had on her teenage son.
by
Rhonda Simmons
STEVENSBURG
— Members of a non-profit state organization are trying to weed out
legislation that criminalizes the possession of marijuana in Virginia.
According
to the group’s mission statement, it wants to “represent Virginia’s
cannabis community at the General Assembly and throughout the state, and
to promote a regulated cannabis market by legalizing the responsible
use, cultivation and distribution of cannabis products.”
Established in 1970 and
headquartered in Washington, D.C., the National Organization for the
Reform of Marijuana Laws, or NORML, recently started a Culpeper Chapter
in August.
About 25 people filled
Lenn Park's enclosed pavilion located between a packed playground of
children and softball field on Sunday afternoon for the group’s kickoff
meeting in Culpeper.
According to its Facebook
page, Virginia NORML strives to educate the community about cannabis by
persuading public opinion so that “responsible use by adults will no
longer be subject to criminal prosecution and penalties.”
Culpeper resident and
Virginia NORML director Pam Novy said Virginia can do a lot to advance
the cause of decriminalizing marijuana.
Novy, 54, a clinical
psychologist, who served in the U.S. Navy and Air Force, said her
journey started decades ago in another state when her teenage son was
arrested for possessing less than an ounce of marijuana.
Novy said her son was sentenced to a mandatory six months in jail, but his time was reduced to three months for good behavior.
“He never got into any
trouble before that. He was a good student involved in many community
activities and never got into any trouble after that,” shared Novy. “But
that incident derailed his life for a couple of years as a young 19- or
20-year-old. He had trouble with getting into schools because he was
waiting for court dates,” said Novy.
Novy reiterated that Virginia NORML advocates for the legalization and regulation of marijuana for responsible adults only.
“We do not advocate the
use for children. We do not advocate for driving while impaired or
illegal activity,” said Novy. “We are advocating for changing the laws.
And one of the ways is building coalitions.”
According to the U.S.
Drug Enforcement Administration, marijuana is considered a schedule I
drug in the same category as heroin, LSD and ecstasy.
“[Marijuana] should not be classified as a schedule I drug,” Novy opined.
Guest speaker Vivienne
Smith, 62, director of Virginia Republicans Against Marijuana
Prohibition, says she supports medicinal marijuana use.
“I know people that have
epilepsy and Crohn’s disease that are taking drugs, which have horrible
side effects,” shared Smith. “Marijuana doesn’t have any bad side
effects. If you take too much marijuana, you are probably going to sleep
it off and that’s the worst thing that’s going to happen to you.”
Smith proceeded to read
the Virginia Republican Creed that starts, “We believe that the free
enterprise system is the most productive supplier of human needs and
economic justice. That all individuals are entitled to equal rights,
justice and opportunities and should assume their responsibilities as
citizens in a free society.”
Smith said that the above
passage reinforces one key element that, “This country was founded on
liberty. And to me, this is a liberty issue. And every single person in
this country should be concerned that our liberty is being taken away
from us. It’s a liberty issue to be able to do what we want with our
bodies.”
Taking the legal route
Based on Virginia law,
it’s unlawful for anyone to possess marijuana in Virginia unless
obtained from a valid physician's prescription. A person found guilty of
possession during a first offense is considered a Class 1 misdemeanor
and may face 30 days in jail and up to a $500 fine. For distributing
marijuana, the penalties are much tougher.
However, the move toward easing marijuana laws in Virginia is already underway.
State Sen. Adam P. Ebbin
(D-30th), who represents Alexandria, Arlington and Fairfax districts,
introduced a bill this year to decriminalize the possession of small
amounts of marijuana in the commonwealth.
According to his proposed
bill, if passed, the $500 criminal fine for marijuana possession would
be reduced to a $100 civil penalty payable to the Literary Fund and
likely eliminate the 30-day jail sentence. If approved, the bill would
also reduce the criminal penalties for the distribution of marijuana.
“This is not going to
legalize marijuana. It is going to make it no longer have a criminal
penalty,” Ebbin told WJLA last November. “This certainly is going to be a
tough bill to pass but it’s an important conversation to have.”
But the anticipated law
was rejected in the courts of justice committee earlier this year. Ebbin
said Sunday evening that he plans to file another bill in December or
January in an effort to decriminalize marijuana in Virginia.
Delegate Ed Scott,
(R-30th) who represents, Madison and Orange, and most of Culpeper, said
while NORML may be new to Culpeper, it’s not a new organization.
“When I was getting my
degree at Virginia Tech 30 years ago, I lived in a dorm with the NORML
chapter president,” shared Scott. “Virginia has not legalized marijuana
in the last 30 years, and I will be surprised if it is decriminalized
any time soon. Legitimate concerns remain about it being a gateway to
drugs that are proving to be fatal to too many young lives.”
So far, four states —
Colorado, Alaska, Oregon and Washington — have legalized marijuana,
allowing the sale and possession for both medical and non-medical use.
And for the record, the Star-Exponent staff didn’t smell any weed in the air on Sunday.
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