Convicted drug felon proposing criminalizing alcohol and tobacco in revenge for pot being illegal.

A bizarre campaign finance report for a proposed Ballot Measure filing was made with the Secretary of State’s office from a new group calling itself “Consistent South Dakota.”

As filed yesterday by convicted drug felon Bob Newland and Sioux Falls antique store owner Andrew Ziegler, the group is ostensibly indicating that they’ve organized the campaign effort to punish South Dakotans for not legalizing pot by limiting the amount of alcohol and tobacco that they can purchase, creating felony penalties for serving alcoholic beverages.

According to the filing made with the Secretary of State’s office:

Campaign Finance filing for Consistent South Dakota

The filing indicates that “We intend to bring So. Dak. law into closer adherence tp (sic) common sense. The State Should not profit from the legal transfer of two deadly drugs, while punishing the transfer of benign herbs.”   According to the pro-pot legalization group SouthDakotaNorml.org, an organization ran by Newland, the “deadly drugs” they’re referring to are alcohol and tobacco.

The language used in the measures notes:

Section 1. No person or business may transfer an alcoholic beverage, as defined in SDCL 35-1-1, containing more than one per-cent ethyl alcohol to another person or business in the State of South Dakota. It is a Class 1 misdemeanor to transfer two ounces or less of an alcoholic beverage containing more than one per-cent ethyl alcohol. It is a Class 6 felony to transfer more than two ounces but less than one-half pound of an alcoholic beverage containing more than one per-cent ethyl alcohol. It is a Class 5 felony to transfer one-half pound but less than one pound of an alcoholic beverage containing more than one per-cent ethyl alcohol. It is a Class 4 felony to transfer one to ten pounds of an alcoholic beverage containing more than one per-cent ethyl alcohol. It is a Class 3 felony to transfer more than ten pounds of an alcoholic beverage containing more than one per-cent ethyl alcohol. In addition to any criminal penalty imposed upon conviction of a violation of this section, a civil penalty, not to exceed ten thousand dollars, may be imposed.

Read that here.  The measure for Tobacco is identical in language.

According to the language of the measure, it would make serving an alcoholic beverage with 2 oz of alcohol a class 6 felony.

It should not be viewed as a coincidence that the language contained in the measure mirrors the marijuana possession laws which Newland faced at sentencing for his 2009 conviction for possession of 4oz of pot. An amount which the prosecution noted, “was not for personal use,” prior to the judge sentencing him to a year in jail with all but 45 days suspended.

Somehow, this bizarre revenge on the State of South Dakota does not surprise me coming from the guy who threatened to “pour hot urine on my children.”  Filing this kind of stupidity, which is going to waste time and tax dollars, seems less an exercise in democracy and more in the realm of being an “attention whore.”

And a good argument in favor of the legislation this past session to make it a little more difficult to bring weirdness to a statewide ballot.

14 thoughts on “Convicted drug felon proposing criminalizing alcohol and tobacco in revenge for pot being illegal.”

    1. The problem with excluding medical marijuana prescribing is it makes even bigger victims of all who have a legitimate need, epileptics, etc. There is no question marijuana is a effective treatment with minimal side effects, especially when compared to the “legal” poisons with known fatal results. I’ll just bet your brief nonsensical response was necessitated because your cigarette was burning in the ashtray and your drink was getting warm. What you do unto the least of them you do unto Me. so sayeth the gospel

  1. might as well legalize everything since we already got GMO enhanced super strong weed these days, magic mushrooms, crystal meth, cocaine, ecstasy, PCP, LSD, heroin, crack cocaine and whatever else. Just tax it and dedicate some money to treat addicts. Colorado watch out SD will have a full menu then. The tourist dollars would flow in with money to be made.

    1. Marijuana and hashish is already legal in South Dakota. When the Native Americans are done studying their economic opportunity it will flourish, as did gambling which led to the Wasiciu legalizing it statewide.

      1. “as did gambling which led to the Wasiciu legalizing it statewide.”

        What are “Wasiciu”?

        YHTLW

        1. Wasiciu is Lakotta for white fat or white man in Lakotta slang. Wasiciu, go peddle some more “fire water” and keep on oppressing the people, your reward awaits you in the after life.

    2. Who said anything about making those hardcore lethal narcotics legal? Your weak attempt at confusing the issue shows you’ve pickled what little brains you were born with. Have another drink hypocrite, you’ll feel better about being a ass.

  2. Republicans should be giddy over the prospect of legalized pot. It would save them so much money and effort in their voter suppression obsessions. Why? Contented stoners don’t vote, they just let voting pass.

  3. Alcohol is actually a true “gateway” drug and much more dangerous than pot (proven by peer reviewed study’s). Smoking cigarettes now a days shows you are basically an idiot because you are asking to die. Newland while annoying should not have a felony for pot possession, maybe for being a jackass but not pot.

  4. “And a good argument in favor of the legislation this past session to make it a little more difficult to bring weirdness to a statewide ballot.” The legislation this past session was an attempted power grab by the legislature. Any politician who tries to curtail the right of the people to change the law is a want-to-be dictator.
    As to the article above, “Convicted drug felon” is irrelevant to the issue at hand and a cheap shot in poor taste. Also, would the author of this article care to debate the lethality of both tobacco and alcohol?
    The state is simply being called a hypocrite with this referred law, and knows it. Get rid of this unjust law and the expense of enforcing it.

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