| Author | Message | ||
     Face Citizen Username: Face Post Number: 484 Registered: 5-2001  |
Is decriminalization the answer? Like allowing personal possession of drugs, leaving importation, manufacture and sale of significant amounts illegal. Or should it be total "legalization"? Regulating them, as is done with alcohol? Just think of the tax revenue for government. That money would surely go far towards funding projects, like say ... saving social security. It would certainly reduce prison populations. Prudent drug testing could still be required by employers. And think of all the support Bush would receive from the many who profess to hating him. | ||
| Joe Citizen Username: Gonets Post Number: 578 Registered: 2-2004 |
Good question Face. When you think of how dangerous and addictive some prescription meds are compared to something as benign as marijuana, you can't help but marvel at the absurdity of busting people for marijuana possession and even distribution. At the very least it seems that law enforcement has enough on their plate without having to keep potheads from obtaining weed. It seems only logical that they save their resources by not bothering enforcing laws on the consumption end and perhaps concentrating on trafficking. But for marijuana I just don't see the point. Save our tax dollars and, tax the hell out of it while you're at it, by just letting potheads have their weed. As far as other drugs go, my inclination is to consider it on a case by case basis. Heroin, for instance, is highly addictive, but legalizing it might take away some of the danger if you take away the profit motive (i.e. distributing it for free--anyone stupid enough to to try it risks becoming addicted, but I don't think that's going to see a significant jump in the user population--plus you'd have an avenue to users where you might help many to quit.) Methamphetamine on the other hand is scary stuff, and DEA resources should be channeled towards thwarting it. I see it as a matter of picking your battles. Just as the FDA wouldn't allow certain drugs to be put on the market which might be harmful to the masses, the FDA could keep the real nasty "recreational" stuff off the market as well. Meanwhile they don't have to waste their time busting someone who's growing his own pot. Instead they can just tell that person that he has to get a "grow your own" licensce for "$200 a year, and if anyone leaves his house with weed on them the resident with the "grow your own" licensc will be fined $500 per quarter ounce possessed by his guest. The fact that the notion of marijuana legalization is such taboo for both parties (with a lameduck Republican Governor of NM being the most powerful elected official to discuss the notion of legalization) is hard to grasp--especially since the "Baby Boom" generation is running the show now. I don't know what poll data shows, but it seems to me that close to 50 percent of people under the age of 50 would approve legalizing pot--so why are there no major elected officials willing to even broach the subject? What's going on here? When will it stop? | ||
| Addy Citizen Username: Addy Post Number: 335 Registered: 12-2003  |
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| Soda Supporter Username: Soda Post Number: 2287 Registered: 5-2001  |
Oooooooooh, Addy's EVIL! EEEEEEEE-VIIIIIL!!! -s. BTW: Got any? | ||
| ffof Citizen Username: Ffof Post Number: 3191 Registered: 5-2001  |
www.drugpolicyalliance.com This is an important group. I support them whole heartedly. Give the website a looksee. | ||
| Madden 11 Citizen Username: Madden_11 Post Number: 566 Registered: 12-2003 |
I don't see why not. The fact that marijuana is illegal but alcohol and tobacco are legal is ridiculous. | ||
| Robert Livingston Citizen Username: Rob_livingston Post Number: 654 Registered: 7-2004 |
Peter Tosh: Legalize it - don't criticize it Legalize it and i will advertise it Some call it tampee Some call it the weed Some call it Marijuana Some of them call it Ganja Legalize it - don't criticize it Legalize it and i will advertise it Singer smoke it And players of instruments too Legalize it, yeah, yeah That's the best thing you can do Doctors smoke it Nurses smoke it Judges smoke it Even the lawyers too Legalize it - don't criticize it Legalize it and i will advertise it It's good for the flu It's good for asthma Good for tuberculosis Even umara composis | ||
| notehead Supporter Username: Notehead Post Number: 1846 Registered: 5-2001  |
I completely agree with Joe, that the money spent going after marijuana-related crimes could be MUCH better spent suppressing genuinely horrible drugs like meth. Also, by lifting the stigma against pot, companies would be free to start capitalizing on the many excellent properties of THC-free hemp, which is now just a tiny niche product. | ||
| bets Supporter Username: Bets Post Number: 950 Registered: 6-2001  |
Marijuana is so evil they have to create a synthetic form. | ||
| Strawberry Supporter Username: Strawberry Post Number: 4217 Registered: 10-2001 |
Only dopes smoke dope. | ||
| Ukealalio Citizen Username: Ukealalio Post Number: 1616 Registered: 6-2003 |
That brings up the difficult philisophical question on, how to describe individuals who received one too many contact highs at Dead shows?. | ||
| Chris Prenovost Citizen Username: Chris_prenovost Post Number: 223 Registered: 7-2003 |
I think we may be getting our wires crossed here. Legalization is one thing, decriminilization another. Legalization means you could basically do it anywhere, anytime, and idea that I am hypocritically uncomfortable with. Decriminalization seems a better way to keep the occasional pot smoker away from hardened criminals in maximum security jails. | ||
| ML Supporter Username: Ml1 Post Number: 2157 Registered: 5-2002  |
not entirely. Alcohol is legal, but restricted. I can't walk down the street in Maplewood, or Manhattan for that matter, drinking a beer out in the open. Tobacco smoking is also similarly restricted in public places. Smoking marijuana would presumably be prohibited in all places that currently prohibit cigarette smoking. | ||
| Joe Citizen Username: Gonets Post Number: 581 Registered: 2-2004 |
Chris, Not really. Alcohol's legal, but you can't walk down the street drinking a beer. Legalize pot and regulate it. It's funny that this is a supposedly radical concept in this day and age. | ||
| Joe Citizen Username: Gonets Post Number: 582 Registered: 2-2004 |
Come on ML! The least you could have done was private line me to tell me that you were going to make almost the same exact rebuttal as I was (I decided to leave out the cigarette in public space stuff, but it does help reinforce the point). | ||
| Chris Prenovost Citizen Username: Chris_prenovost Post Number: 225 Registered: 7-2003 |
Joe & ML: Thanks! I appreciate the points made. . . . Did you guys plan that. . . ? | ||
| Joe Citizen Username: Gonets Post Number: 583 Registered: 2-2004 |
just a coinkeydinkey | ||
| ML Supporter Username: Ml1 Post Number: 2158 Registered: 5-2002 |
great minds and all that...  | ||
| Mark Fuhrman Citizen Username: Mfpark Post Number: 1072 Registered: 9-2001  |
They were, like, on the same wavelength, man, sort of cosmic. Maybe they were smoking the same sensimillan at the same time. | ||
| Brett Citizen Username: Bmalibashksa Post Number: 1389 Registered: 7-2003 |
Hey Joe, here's a new job for you... http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A46033-2005Jan3?language=printer |
