Part F —
Advisory Commission
Establishment of Commission
on Marihuana and Drug
Abuse
SEC. 601. (a) There is established a commission
to be known as the Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse (hereafter in this section
referred to as the "Commission"). The Commission shall be composed of
—
(1) two Members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate;
(2) two Members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the
House of Representatives ; and
(3) nine members appointed by the President of the United States.
At no time shall more than one of the members appointed under paragraph (1), or
more than one of the members appointed under paragraph (2), or more than five of
the members appointed under paragraph (3) be members of the same political party.
(b) (1) The President shall designate. one of the members of the Commission as Chairman,
and one as Vice Chairman. Seven members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum,
but a lesser number may conduct hearings.
(2) Members of the Commission who are Members of Congress or full-time officers
or employees of the United States shall serve without additional compensation but
shall be reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred
in the performance of the duties vested in the Commission. Members of the Commission
from private life shall receive $100 per diem while engaged in the actual performance
of the duties vested in the Commission, plus reimbursement for travel, subsistence,
and other necessary expenses incurred in the performance of such duties.
(3) The Commission shall meet at the call of the Chairman or at the call of a majority
of the members thereof.
(c) (1) The Commission shall have the power to appoint and fix the compensation
of such personnel as it deems advisable, without regard to the provisions of title
5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service, and the
provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title, relating
to classification and General Schedule pay rates.
(2) The Commission may procure, in accordance with the provisions of section 3109
of title 5, United States Code, the temporary or intermittent services of experts
or consultants. Persons so employed shall receive compensation at a rate to be fixed
by the Commission, but not in excess of $75 per diem, including traveltime. While
away from his home or regular place of business in the performance of services for
the Commission, any such person may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem
in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by section 5703(b) of title 5, United States
Code, for persons in the Government service employed intermittently.
(3) The Commission may secure directly from any department or agency of the United
States information necessary to enable it to carry out its duties under this section.
Upon request of the Chairman of the Commission, such department or agency shall
furnish such information to the Commission.
(d) (1) The Commission shall conduct a study of marihuana including, but not limited
to, the following areas:
(A) the extent of use of marihuana in the United States to include its various sources,
the number of users, number of arrests, number of convictions, amount of marihuana
seized, type of user, nature of use;
(B) an evaluation of the efficacy of existing marihuana laws;
(C) a study of the pharmacology of marihuana and its immediate and long-term effects,
both physiological and psychological;
(D) the relationship of marihuana use to aggressive behavior and crime;
(E) the relationship between marihuana and the use of other drugs; and
(F) the international control of marihuana.
(2) Within one year after the date on which funds first become available to carry
out this section, the Commission shall submit to the President and the Congress a
comprehensive report on its study and investigation under this subsection which
hall include its recommendations and such proposals for legislation and administrative
action as may be necessary to carry out its recommendations.
(e) The Commission shall conduct a comprehensive study and investigation of the
causes of drug abuse and their relative significance. The Commission shall submit
to the President and the Congress such interim reports as it deems advisable and
shall within two years after the date on which funds first become available to carry
out this section submit to the President and the Congress a
final report which shall
contain a detailed statement of its findings and conclusions and also such recommendations
for legislation and administrative actions as it deems appropriate. The Commission
shall cease to exist sixty days after the final report is submitted under this subsection.
(f) Total expenditures of the Commission shall not exceed $1,000,000.