Oklahoma Makes Hash Manufacturing a Felony Punishable by Life in Prison

You read that correctly. The Oklahoma legislature just passed a bill that would make manufacturing hash a felony punishable by life in prison.

Sadly, the bill met little to no opposition and is now awaiting the signature of Governor Mary Falin:

The measure sailed through the Senate with little debate, passing on a vote of 44-2. The House also approved the measure by a large margin, passing it on a vote of 75-18. 

The bill, House Bill 1798, creates a new felony of converting marijuana into hash. A first conviction could garner a $50,000 fine and prison sentence of two years to life. And that's a mandatory minimum two years. Second or subsequent convictions would net doubled penalties.

Dan Riffe at the Marijuana Policy Project points out just how absurd this new law is:

Here are some other crimes and their maximum punishments under Oklahoma law:

• Domestic abuse = 1 year

• Drinking and driving with a child in the car = 4 years

• Aggravated assault resulting in "great physical injury" = 5 years

• Assault with intent to kill = 5 years

• Kidnapping a child = 5 years

• Second degree rape = 15 years

• Sexual battery of a child = 20 years

If you're a citizen of Oklahoma, contact Gov. Falin today and tell her to veto this bad bill.