Just received this from NORML:

As the 2003 Congressional legislative session comes to a close, Rep. Mark
Souder, one of the most ardent drug warriors in Congress, intends to introduce legislation to drastically increase penalties for certain marijuana offenses. The bill also enacts new draconian penalties that could sentence compassionate Americans that grow and provide medical marijuana to decades in federal prison.

The "Drug Sentencing Reform Act" would tie the hands of judges by making it harder for them to grant sentences below federal sentencing guidelines when
special circumstances call for it. This will mean longer sentences for non-violent marijuana offenses, with taxpayers like you picking up the cost!

Further, the bill calls for new draconian penalties for growing, distributing, and providing 'high-potency' marijuana to others. This means that someone caught with a bag of high grade marijuana would actually face a stiffer sentence than someone with an equal amount of shwag! The potency provision will be especially damaging to medical marijuana patients and providers who rely on higher potency marijuana to alleviate their suffering from AIDS, cancer, and other maladies.

If this wasn't bad enough, Souder's proposed bill mandates that most people
on parole, probation, or supervised release be subjected to random drug testing, even when their original offense is non-drug related. If enacted, thousands of non-violent Americans could be sent to prison for years for smoking marijuana in the privacy of their own home and then failing a drug test.

We know that Rep. Souder wants to introduce this bill within the next couple of weeks, and that he is currently seeking co sponsorship from other Representatives. Please take five minutes to send your member of Congress a letter asking them to oppose this dangerous legislation by visiting here.