Date: Sun Dec 19 18:21:19 1999
From: freematt@coil.com (Matthew Gaylor)
Subject: Senate Passes Bill Making Marijuana Information On The Net Illegal
To: freematt@coil.com (Matthew Gaylor)

Senate Passes Bill Making Marijuana Information On The Net Illegal

Washington, DC: In the waning hours of the last session of Congress the Senate passed an anti-methamphetamine bill (S.486), sponsored by Sen. Orrin Hatch (Republican-Utah), that includes language making it a felony to "teach, demonstrate, or distribute any information pertaining to the manufacture of a controlled substance." This provision would make it a federal crime, for example, to provide to medical marijuana patients information on how to cultivate marijuana, even in those states where it is legal for patients to grow marijuana under state law.

If passed, websites ranging from major Internet booksellers such as Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com to NORML's own website could be in violation.

"Drug law reformers, civil libertarians and the general public need to recognize that Sen. Hatch's bill is a blatant attack on Americans' right to free speech," said Keith Stroup, NORML Executive Director. "Citizens must act soon to amend or kill this terrible federal legislation." The House will look at their version of the bill (HR.2987) when it returns in late January. NORML asks citizens who disagree with this obvious violation of free speech to contact their members of Congress and urge them to oppose this bill.

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