Reefer Madness Hits Congress
Congress is in session, and weed Web sites are no longer safe.
A proposed bill that bans Internet discussions of the use of unapproved drugs and links to such sites has not just normally mellow potheads but also journalist groups in a huff.
If the measure becomes law, it will create a new federal felony -- punishable by a fine and three years in prison -- that covers Web pages that link to sites with information about where to buy "drug paraphernalia" such as roach clips, bowls, and bongs.
Even editors of news organizations that publish articles about drug culture and link to related sites will be subject to arrest and prosecution.
"It is going to be a tough thing for news organizations, but more importantly it strikes at the news consumer who wishes to test information provided by the media against their own experience," says Paul McMasters, First Amendment ombudsman at the Freedom Forum, a foundation devoted to freedom of the press. "Why would anyone want to keep people from finding the truth out for themselves or linking to facts?"
"It is yet another illustration of politicians trying to escalate a war they can't win," says David Boaz, vice president of the libertarian Cato Institute. "The dirty little secret that maybe nobody has told Dianne Feinstein is that it's not very hard to grow marijuana.
Read more at wired
