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538 Comments
- bradspangler, on 01/28/2009, -13/+391Simple answer? There's money involved.
The Drug War is just another pork barrel program and ALL politicians love handing out stolen loot. There are so many people getting unearned wealth from the Drug War. It's not just the cops. It's the defense attorneys that get captive clients funneled to them. It's the med lab techs working at urine testing labs. It's all of the otherwise unemployable losers who have jobs as "drug and alcohol counselors". It's the print shops that get money to print lame anti-drug propaganda posters. It's the directors and videographers who get paid to produce "edgy" anti-drug propaganda videos. It's all just one big scam. That's all the Drug War is -- just more frickin' pork for special interests. - Jeepinator, on 01/28/2009, -11/+291Tax my marijuana! I will accept a 100% tax rate if it is legalized! It will still be cheaper this way.
The government will:
1. Gain tax revenue
2. Reduce prison populations
3. Reduce cost of running prisons
4. Make room for real criminals in the current prison system
5. Possibly reduce inner city gang violence (this is debatable)
6. Be able to concentrate on actual harmful drugs (Meth, Crack, Heroine, etc.)
7. Save money on law enforcement
8. Create a new agricultural industry
9. Promote the use of hemp based products (renewable and environmentally safe)
10. Get me high
There is no reason for weed not to be legal. There is virtually no downside to it. Basically the government gains a ***** ton of money. - mbfielding, on 01/28/2009, -6/+131They're run by old people?
- rossiprojects, on 01/28/2009, -10/+117I’m sick of it.
I’m sick waiting for the delivery that never comes.
I’m sick to spend $ for ***** weed.
I’m sick hearing people talking ***** about a simple plant, which has more value than grape.
I’m sick watching commercial against weed with tons of *****.
I’m sick that people is addict to painkillers when they can simply smoke pot and feeling better with no side effects.
I’m sick that is not legalized and regulated yet.
I’m sick but I never get sick if I smoke pot, so Mr. President Obama it’s time to act now, and if as you say it’s time for change, change please this non-sense law and give the people what they want. - mcla007, on 01/28/2009, -3/+87"The American people are as devoted to the idea of sin and its punishment as they are to making money - and fighting drugs is nearly as big a business as pushing them. Since the combination of sin and money is irresistible (particularly to the professional politician), the situation will only grow worse."
-- Gore Vidal in this NYT article from 1970: https://www.msu.edu/~jdowell/135/VidalOnDrugs.html - TritonX, on 01/28/2009, -3/+74Don't forget jails would need much less employees if there was not the tens(if not hundred) of thousands incarcerated because of marijuana related charges.
- RainStreet, on 01/28/2009, -4/+74Adopting policies like those in place in the Netherlands would solve so many problems in the United States. It's been said countless times on here- the U.S. marijuana laws are overly-harsh and put non-violent offenders in jail. The Drug War has failed entirely.
- V3n0M, on 01/28/2009, -1/+62"We've got the Stupid Party and the Evil Party... then every once in awhile they do something that is both Evil and Stupid!"
- azureskies88, on 01/28/2009, -5/+65While it may seem a step in the right direction, decriminalizing marijuana is only a small step toward marijuana reform. Ideally, marijuana should be legalized - only then will it be sold in the free market, rather than the black market.
- eredeath, on 01/28/2009, -13/+61The democrats and republicans are two sides of the same coin... There really is no major difference between their policies on anything!
- Hearron, on 01/28/2009, -4/+49You might slow down and think for yourself.
- FearlessFreep, on 01/28/2009, -0/+39"en every once in awhile they do something that is both Evil and Stupid!"
That's called "Bipartisanship" - radarplane, on 01/28/2009, -2/+39I'm a libertarian (mostly) and I support full legalization. I wonder where the author gets the 75% approval for decriminalization/medical use. I thought it failed to pass in Nevada just a couple of years ago.
Anyway, this is no trivial matter. The amount of money for enforcement (both police and military), and the number of jailed citizens (although I don't know how many are in for solely possession) and the civil liberties that are infringed are unacceptable. Not to mention. it drives a wedge between citizens and police.
Prohibition is a terrible idea. I don't smoke and never have, by the way. - inactive, on 01/28/2009, -0/+32Did you remember all that from your DARE program?
- sprNmgcHlmt, on 01/28/2009, -0/+30because we need politicians who represent the people instead of thier own financial interets.
VOTE Pelosi/Boehner/Reid OUT ASAP. - TritonX, on 01/28/2009, -0/+27They shouldn't care about what you grow for yourself. Do they tax you for your garden's vegetable ?
- mst3kcrow, on 01/28/2009, -1/+26"I believe that drugs are bad and turn people into useless idiots that can't have fun unless they're high"
O Rly?
http://www.friendsofcannabis.com/famous_friends.ht ... - inactive, on 01/28/2009, -3/+28Yet ANOTHER case of Republicans stealing the libertarian rhetoric & then acting like the obese government statists that they almost all ARE, especially the "leadership." Idiot losers. Ron Paul told you so on this issue, too.
- Tangwei, on 01/28/2009, -1/+26The problem is that conducting a peer review study is currently illegal per federal regulations. You will never see an honest study until the Feds loosen up regulations on the study of pot.
As to why "morons" state that pot kills less people then alcohol and tobacco, take a look at the statistics. A higher percentage of alcohol and tobacco users die as a direct result of their intake compared to pot. Even smoking pot has fewer negative effects on the body then smoking a cigarette. And this is just the direct effect of the user, and is not counting the effect on those not around the user (ie. drunk drivers, second hand smoke).
Bottom line is that when you look at the big picture, pot has less risk involved then alcohol and tobacco. I can go get a six pack at the corner store, which puts me at a greater risk of killing myself or someone else then if i were to go illegal style and smoke a bowl. - inactive, on 01/28/2009, -1/+25Taxpayers. Find an actual argument.
- inactive, on 01/28/2009, -2/+26A 10 km wide stretch of land producing hemp from the lakes to Florida would produce enough cellulose the logging "pulp" industry could be closed down saving countless millions of hectares of old growth Habitat. It would also produce enough raw protein that you could feed America and Europe with total ease including the infants with a higher quality protein than Soy.. Add another stretch again 10km wide and you will have enough hemp cloth to clothe the entire planet for 4 years ad possibly then some. The farmers would reduce the need for super Phosphates as the Hemp is a legume thus producing and fixing nitrogen naturally. This alone would reduce pollution in rivers by as much as 90% as a component of farm run off. This again would help boost the Marine and Aquatic food industry.
In terms of environmental responsibility it is the most insane act of environmental vandalism and negligence that hemp is a banned product. There are hundreds of thousands of jobs at stake here in America alone. And globally it would produce well over 2 million jobs and save countless millions of hectares of forest and farmlands. - inactive, on 01/28/2009, -2/+26Big Pharma has bought both parties many times over.
- avianeddy, on 02/17/2009, -0/+23Or you can just grow a little plant in your bathroom and need not mention it in your tax return :D heh heh heh
- TritonX, on 01/28/2009, -2/+25You are probably right, but the marijuana problem would take 2 seconds to be solved.
- Andrwmorph, on 01/28/2009, -1/+22But.... its for the CHILDREN!
- impei, on 01/28/2009, -0/+20It's a 25 year old discredited crime prevention theory.
- inactive, on 01/28/2009, -0/+20You know, everyone I know who smokes have good jobs and none of them are kids.
In my opinion, the majority of "dopers" are good people who are productive members of society. But hey, I guess you see what you want to see, right?
By the way, nobody cares about your one-track close minded judgmental view of things here. - inactive, on 01/28/2009, -3/+23Considering the number of people in prison over marijuana and the amount of money spent each year on the War on Drugs, I'd say it's a pretty damn critical issue. It's just such an obvious case of the government overstepping its bounds.
- ygeoff419, on 01/28/2009, -0/+19to ignore cannabis has side effects is just ignorant, before i get dugg down im a daily smoker....... the side effects are mild compared to most other things we put in our body, a can of Pepsi can have far worse side effects then herb..... but to say there are NO side effects is just dumb, every thing has side effects and as much as i love my herb, its not flawless. sadly most of the really bad side effects come from the illegal factor. Off to punish my lungs cause i cant afford a vaporizer :)
- Phughu, on 01/28/2009, -2/+21You're correct, of course. Not only are there billions in pork involved -- from prisons to DARE programs to counselors -- but there's also the huge black market in our economy. Legalizing drugs would lower their price, and in doing so would take billions out of the black market. What would happen when that market collapsed, and billions of dollars were taken out of the ghetto? Marijuana is currently California's biggest cash crop. What happens when that goes away?
"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it."
- Upton Sinclair - mst3kcrow, on 01/28/2009, -4/+23Because it's an issue with relatively little support outside some Libertarians (should be all) and NORML. As well we were fed the propaganda all our lives about how marijuana is the devil; later we found out it was *****. The short part of it: it's ONE of the things that has pissed us off and politicians are dodging the facts and using bs to justify their position; the Digg Dialogg with John Boehner clearly shows this. It's actually quite similar to the tactics used for justifying the assault weapons ban, closing private sales, and limiting high cap clips. The problem is reaching across the isle and having other people rethink their positions; which quite a bit of the political digg articles do.
- ileftfark, on 01/28/2009, -1/+20...like grammar or spelling.
- inactive, on 01/28/2009, -2/+20lol. A 10 km wide stretch of land producing hemp from the lakes to Florida would produce enough cellulose the logging "pulp" industry could be closed down saving countless millions of hectares of old growth Habitat. It would also produce enough raw protein that you could feed America and Europe with total ease including the infants and reduce Cow farts by 70%. Add another stretch again 10km wide and you will have enough hemp cloth to clothe the entire planet for 4 years.
Yeah, Hemp is bad...
In terms of environmental responsibility it is the most insane act of environmental vandalism and negligence that hemp is a banned product. There are hundreds of thousands of jobs at stake here. - oldhick, on 01/28/2009, -1/+19Mst3kcrow and srussell8570 both make good points. One additional point, it's a topic of concern because it's such an easy one to address. It's simple. It's clear cut. Enacting change could be done quickly (Obama could redeploy and re-prioritize DEA agents with the stroke of a pen).
I think the simplicity of the issue lends to its significance. Then you factor in the undeniable infringement on your individual liberties and the un-mistakable mark of the "nanny state" telling you what you can and can't do with plants and your body. Finally, in the continued era of record deficit spending and ballooning debt and people realize that the "war on drugs" is an immediate opportunity to begin cutting federal spending. - inactive, on 01/28/2009, -0/+17One of the major benefits of legalization is taxation. Get it legalized and we'll worry about tax reform later.
What you are talking about is beyond the scope of the legalization movement. Besides, if you want to avoid tax when cannabis becomes legal, you can take the time and effort to grow it yourself; like you can with tobacco. - ThugThrasher, on 01/28/2009, -1/+17It is VERY difficult to suffer any sort of psychotic break under marijuana use unless you are at heavy risk for one anyway.
Unfortunately, your son, as one among many, was probably close to a psychotic break anyway (or at least much closer than the average person).
Things along the levels of a heavy acid-trip (think 10 hits or so of today's hits) can GREATLY increase the chances of a psychotic break. It would take a VERY high dose of marijuana to increase the chances significantly. And generally it would be on someone who had never had doses NEAR what they are smoking. - kd1s, on 01/28/2009, -0/+16It isn't just the money for the cop shops. Look at the pharmaceutical companies, they fight tooth and nail to keep it illegal.
More and more studies are published regarding the benefits of marijuana. It's useful for glaucoma, alzheimers, and many other ailments.
What happens to drug companies when you can grow the palliative or cure in your own back yard? - kemp34, on 01/28/2009, -1/+17So since you personally dislike marijuana you are willing to impose tyrannical laws on others?
- bongHits4u, on 01/28/2009, -0/+16700,000 people arrested on marijuana related offenses in a year in the US. Most of them for possession of under 1oz.
- fknrat, on 01/28/2009, -2/+18HAH. People still expect Nancy Pelosi to do something productive? HAH.
- inactive, on 01/28/2009, -5/+21HAHAHAHAHA
Wow, Massachusetts just decriminalized marijuana in a LANDSLIDE. You couldn't be any further from the truth. - dienaked, on 01/28/2009, -0/+16Q-"Why Are Both Parties Out Of Touch On Marijuana Law Reform?"
A-Because you aren't using enough money from that $10Billion/year industry lobbying, err..I mean instructing them. - ronjohnson, on 01/28/2009, -3/+19I see a way to pay for public works projects, come on Obama tap it.
- sodade, on 01/28/2009, -2/+18Didja know that Digg is read by non-native english speakers too? I'm sorry you are too dumb to figure out what he was trying to say.
- Jeepinator, on 01/28/2009, -0/+16They would only want to tax you if you sold it.
- blqysmg, on 01/28/2009, -0/+16I think you'll find that a lot of us pushing for decriminalizing pot are, in fact, over forty. The problem is that politicians are NOT interested in doing the right thing. They are interested in doing whatever it is that they think will get them re-elected, period. They believe (rightly so, I'm afraid) that if they vote to legalize a weed that they've been telling us for 80 years is dangerous to the nation's health will convince many people to vote for someone else the next time.
Look at it this way, if they change their stance on it now, they have to admit they've been lying to us for their entire political careers. Only someone who's been voted in after declaring that weed is OK can vote that way. The thing to do is NEVER again vote for anyone who does not declare Pot to be a personal choice, not a criminal offense. It will take a while to replace enough congressmen, but it can be done. - BoneheadFarker, on 01/28/2009, -0/+15Or maybe some of us have lived through the ***** long enough to realise it's time to end it. I'm an adult. It's my choice. I've earned that right. If I'm not hurting anyone, then don't threaten to hurt me.
- oldhick, on 01/28/2009, -0/+15I'm completely fine with anyone from any party adopting this cause. If they make progress, they can even take credit for it as far as I'm concerned.
- Sinnic, on 01/28/2009, -4/+19I can if they act like those who have become intellectually stagnant and opposed to real change. Which is obviously the truth.
Hence, old people. - kanabiis, on 01/28/2009, -1/+16Like what, munchies and the unsettling urge to watch comedy?
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