California’s Govinator is for debating it. A majority in a US poll favor legalizing it. And then there’s Oaksterdam.
While there might be additional costs for dealing with those who can’t handle responsible toking — just as we now have with alcoholics, etc — they are vastly outweighed by the savings in then unneeded prisons, law enforcement, and so on, plus there’s the potential windfall in tax money for ailing local, state and fed governments.
If there should be changes, how far should we go? Simple decriminalization or full legalization? Should it be taxed like cigarettes and booze, both of which are far more dangerous, but legal? You know where Crackpot and Buzzkill stand. Where do you?
Are Americans really ready to consider legalizing marijuana? This week, California’s governor said it was time to debate the issue, and a new nationwide poll suggests a majority of voters favor decriminalizing the drug.
While legalization advocates say they’ve never seen such widespread public support for reforming marijuana laws, they still don’t expect drug policy to change overnight. But, they say, the country appears to be at tipping point in how it views recreational use of marijuana, which is now legal in 13 states for medically-approved use.
“We are actually talking about historic highs when it comes to public support of taxing and regulating marijuana for adult consumption,” says Paul Armentano, deputy director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). But, he adds, “the most difficult task is how you convert public sentiment into public policy.”
In Washington, Mr. Armentano says, politicians are still not ready to rethink US drug policy.
all i know from personal experience is this:
i smoked the gange in my youth, but in the dozen or so years since i decided not to smoke it anymore i have never once had a craving for it, even when people at concerts, etc. smoke it around me.
by contrast, the smell of a cigarette still induces craving years after quitting, and i don’t think i could ever give up beer.
i never did any harder drugs, but i’ve known heroin junkies and the ones who are still alive still battle addiction.
just sayin’ that maybe pot’s not so bad.
having said that, what makes people think that legalizing it is going to magically stop the black market — ever heard of moonshine?
My brother is a card carrying medical marijuana user. He is also a lazy, worthless bum, living stoned in my mother’s garage, and does nothing day after day. He last held a job about ten years ago. He got a doctor to say his “back hurts”, and he is also eligible for SSI (Social Security Disability). So the government is paying for his pot and his beer. Way to go! My mother is paying all the other expenses. Yes, indeed. This country needs MORE citizens just like this.
No matter what side of this issue you wish to argue, there is one incontrovertible observation.
Federal and state governments have more effective control over the distribution of alcohol today than at ANY time during Prohibition.
#36, yes, the government, along with its anti-competitive protection of liquor distributors, is quite the racket. Fortunately for them. they have the force of law to legitimize that nonsense too.
Yeah, that Carl Sagan was a loser pothead, wasn’t he?
Faxon- sorry to hear about your brother. However, I think it’s dangerous to project his shortcomings onto society as a whole.
Blind Stevie- good observation.
There seems to be a pretty common misconception in these posts that legalizing marijuana will mean more marijuana users. I think you don’t realize how prevalent marijuana use already is. I’m willing to bet there would be very few for whom legalizing would mean trying it for the first time.
On a separate note, the President has been extremely disappointing on this issue so far. He said he favored decriminalization during the campaign, but then laughed off a marijuana question during an online debate. He has the ability to pardon anyone convicted of a drug crime, such as possession of marijuana. He seems to be more concerned with appeasement politics than with following up on his campaign promises.
#27, Thomas,
Until there is a way of prosecuting someone for driving under the influence of pot, it will remain illegal.
Exactly.
#44: Why don’t you think it can be prosecuted? It can be tested for easily.
Yeah, like decriminalization will cause all the drug criminals to go into legit businesses. Reality check: They will simply be forced to move, with their sophisticated distribution systems, into more profitable, more addicting designer drugs. Next you’ll be asking for these to be decriminalized for all the same reasons.
(Btw, let’s all pretend like the decriminalized Dutch drug cesspool doesn’t exist.)
(And that yet more zonked-out drivers aren’t going to result in more kids being scraped off the pavement.)
RBG
I see pot smoking the same way I see alcohol drinking, it’s not the use, but the abuse that’s the real problem.
It’s not the drug or the booze, it the people using it.
How many times have you heard a alcoholic say “I can handle my it…”?
I heard Adam Curry say it about his use of pot.
People say pot isn’t addictive, maybe not chemically , but anything that makes you feel better can become an addiction.
We need to think all the issues through, not just focus on the money.
@alfred1
William F Buckley also advocated the same…its consistent with conservatism we have the most possible individual freedom, and we be consistent with reality.
are you stoned?
#45
AFAIK, there is no test that can determine whether you were “under the influence” at a specific time specifically because pot stays in your system for weeks. Someone mentioned this some time ago, that the Australians simply enacted draconian measures of “influence” by saying if there is any THC in your system. I don’t think that would fly here in the States as you could have THC in your system simply from second hand smoke.
Oh ya, and I forgot to mention, along with decriminilisation I think they should start a multi-pronged TV/Radio/film campaign that stresses to teenagers that ability to smoke a joint doesn’t make you grown up.
Its being able to support yourself and pay your rent that makes you grown up (something a good many pot-smokers have troubles achieving, in my experience).
Its in your system for weeks because it gets stored in hair and fatty tissues.
This is much different than an intoxicating level in the blood.
46
You win the Think Of The Children prize. Now, let’s get rid of alcohol, cigarettes, sugar, fat, video games, pornography etc to make sure that kids are safe. As for the rest of your comment, may I say [citation needed].
40
Conservatism has NOTHING to do with drugs or freedom to use drugs for that matter. You’re just a dummy.
45,
If there are no tests for THC, why do parole officers ask for a urine sample from their parolees to ensure compliance?
Legalization is the only solution. Otherwise, you enable organized crime to tighten their hold on the business.
#52
I never said they could not test whether you have THC in your system. What I said is that there is no test that would stand up in court as definitively stating that you were under the influence of marijuana while driving during a specific period of time.
A likely stipulation of people’s parole is that they do no drugs of any kind. Thus, any THC would be seen as a violation even if it occurred a couple of weeks prior to the drug test.
The only problem with legalization of drugs, and I’m serious about this, is that law enforcment and the entire infrastructure around the court / jail / legal system would take such a massive hit in budgetary requirements that there is no way they would allow it without first identifying another “threat.”
The only way the War on Drugs will end is when everyone is in jail.
#54
This was a big reason why it was criminalized in the first place. Too many industries had to compete against a more efficient and easily accessible product.
jackherer.com/chapters.html
WOW!
1000 responders to that poll and 2% for “no change” with 3% for “making drug laws tougher.”
When you consider 5% of people think if you send Elvis a letter he’ll get it, that speaks volumes about where people really stand on this issue.
#50- I have to disagree with you.
All of the smokers I know have no trouble supporting themselves and paying mortgages. Those that have kids seem to have pretty good parenting skills as well.
#32:
“In CA where this took place you can get a doctors note for chump change and buy all the pot you want. So, we can already see that changing the law won’t have an effect in that matter.”
Fallacy.
Your example of medical marijuana cards isn’t ‘legalization.’ Inapplicable.
This is called a ‘straw man.’
#54–named==you raise a real issue. Legalize pot/drugs and what to do with all the useless law enforcement establishment personnel left with nothing to do?
Well, seems to me that the FIRST PRIORITY for drug tax revenue should be a welfare system for those made redundant from legalized drugs. Give them a monthly quota of a bag of weed, a free house in the projects, and enough money to buy cable tv.
Problem solved.
what to do with all the useless law enforcement establishment personnel left with nothing to do?
Send them to Afghanistan.
Named, Bobbo,
There is still more than enough “crime” out there without getting rid of cops.
# 35 Faxon
Perhaps if drugs are decriminalised or legalised, and the whole thing is out in the public domain, your brother could get some help for his addiction instead of being written off as a useless stoner. I know people like your bother and the are normally pretty unhappy individuals.
# 32 Paddy-o
Your pathetic attempt to link marijuana ‘addiction’ to crime is duly noted. In any case, how is legalising or decriminalising the stuff going to increase the lucrativeness?
#52 – Leave Alfred alone. His post (#40) is by far the most reasonable post I’ve seen from him.
You go Alfie!
Hoot
#59: You know who would be complaining the loudest if there were a reduction in police — donut shops.
52 Named. Now, let’s get rid of alcohol, cigarettes, sugar, fat, video games, pornography etc
The difference is that your suggestion would create a foaming-mad revolution in the streets that can never happen with a status quo drug prohibition.
RBG
One need only look to Portugal to see the benefits to society and observe the “unintended consequences” after 7 plus years of decriminalization