You know....it's been many years since my college days and I haven't had some sort of relapse into those partying times by any means but this issue is one that has the potential to affect us all because many have friends or family who do still partake. There is a poll today on CNN.com asking if pot should be decriminalized and the response is 2 to 1 in favor of decriminalization. I just read a story today in a local small paper put out by my community in which a 24 year old girl passenger in a car that was pulled over last weekend for a late night DUI check was found to have in her possession three baggies of MJ and she was charged with intent to distribute....which is a serious crime and one I suspect could get her time. To me.....with the prevailing public opinion against such punishment it causes me some serious concern for this girl and her parents. The injustice of it based on how the rest of Americans feel does not escape me and I can imagine the pain, expense and worry that her parents are going through.
It was the most asked question on the Town Hall meeting yesterday, even Obama isn't for making weed legal.
If you ask me I think the abuse of prescription drugs by those who would applaud marijuana prosecution is very prevalent and far more dangerous.
I am for the legalization of drugs. I sincerely believe that the "War on Drugs" is both misguided and noble...but misguided badly. Nothing maintains the status quo in modern America more than this.. The poor get tossed in jail.. the rich get sent to country clubs.. the federal government gets a multi-billion dollar war to fight on an annual basis. Do you want to know how many jobs are created by and dependent on the war on drugs? What drives the drug market isn't the addiction of its users.. No sir, what drives the market is the money to be made by it. If you legalize its production and syndication, while allowing say... the Democrats to regulate the **** out of it... You instantly reduce (by at least 100 times) the cost of drugs, which reduces the need for crime to sustain the lifestyle of a severe drug addict.. You also reduce the violence associated with drugs. You eliminate foreign (and uncontrollable) production and shipping of narcotics because you can WalMart the sh8t right here in the good ole US of A. Nothing says 'the road to hell is paved with good intentions' more than the American 'war on drugs'.
Why only "by those who would applaud marijuana prosecution"? Why not by all prescription drug abusers, regardless of their stance on marijauna legalization?
Interesting read on the subject... http://articles.moneycentral.msn.co...iseKids/WhatIfWeLegalizedAllDrugs.aspx?page=2
You know....funding of the local justice system is also positively affected by MJ prosecution. Some friends of ours had a 21 year old son pulled for "late night driving" I call it and he had a 1/2 ounce or so on him. I think it wound up costing his parents something like $10,000.00 and the kid did about 30 days in jail ultimately because he did something pretty minor afterwards and it violated his "probation". BDR I only mention those specific prescription drug abusers because how hypocritical is it that some people would vilify MJ use but then turn around and abuse "legally" prescribed drugs themselves.
Indeed. It's called demagoguery, subtly staining all on one side with a negative that may in fact not be applicable to all.
The people I always feel for when discussing the "War on Drugs" are (in order): 1. The families of the addicts often driven to extremes to support a habit and the lifestyle they are often forced into, so they can support the habit. 2. The real law enforcement. The true blue crusaders who believe, honestly believe, that they are making a difference. Those are good men and women. Far too many of them risk dangers most of us can't fathom in the ultimate 'unwinnable war'
I do believe that Obama has directed the JD not to pursue "medical" marijuana shops in states that have legalized it for medical uses. That is a small victory for those who believe in the medical uses of MJ. As far as the legalization of MJ, I do think that the trend towards making most possession for personal use a misdemeanor is about as far as I am comfortable with in this regards. I just think it's too big a bag of worms to just legalize it and sell them like cigarettes in a 7-11.
I agree, Terry. However, if you could control it similar to the way states control the sell of hard liquor, collect taxes from it, all while making it cheaper for the average consumer to buy from the government rather than the illegal dealer; I think there's a real positive to our society there. Granted, getting more people doped up is difficult to imagine as being a positive but in all reality, they're doing it anyway and making it less glamorous via legalization may have the opposite effect. It is a war that is very difficult if not impossible to win. I would rather see the money from the sell of marijuana going to the government rather than the criminals.
I agree with Aquila. Why not get the money up front from all users instead of damaging the reputation of the unlucky few who happen to get caught and also costing them or their parents tens of thousands of dollars in fines and court costs while the majority of users only have the expense of the drug itself to contend with.
These drugs were all once legal in the US and we didn't have the same issues. Making them illegal has increased the use and penetration of drugs into the American culture. With any substance, you can 'control' them while making them legal. Categorize them like the c2, c3, and c4 meds. Make you seek an Rx for them. With them being 'illegal' we are already facing a one-way road and we just keep getting deeper into it. People talk about legalization as if we'll have 9 year old shooting up en masse and 16 year old crack heads living in the streets... Although, I'd contend that is exactly what criminalization has done.
If you legalize pot it will give the "reputable" adults a place to buy it worry free but there will still be a thriving street trade catering to the sub 21s and those who do not want to pay huge sin taxes to the state run stores.
As opposed to the thriving street trade that already exists? Capitalism has the ability to gut and reduce the cost of anything. Narcotics included. It is the 'cost' that brings the 'tragic woes' that concern the public at large. Sad as it is to say, few cares about the 18 year old addict and his habit. Everyone cares about the 18 year old addict who breaks into your home with a gun to support his habit.
This is one hell of a conversation we're having. We are talking about legalising narcotics as a way to raise revenue. So this is what we've come down to.
No George....I was talking about prevailing public opinion vs. the individual costs to those relatively few that were prosecuted/persecuted for minor marijuana crimes. I believe the punishment does not fit the crime in this case.
"No George....I was talking about prevailing public opinion vs. the individual costs to those relatively few that were prosecuted/persecuted for minor marijuana crimes. I believe the punishment does not fit the crime in this case." I would like to take the above thoughts to a higher level of analysis for a moment. Do you guys think that the conservative right disallows outside of the box thinking on these issues? Is rigidity of thought the edict of the right? As I said earlier with respect to abuse of prescription drugs.....I have a huge...huge problem with those who would oppress others for their perceived wrongdoings on marijuana when in fact their own house is in disarray otherwise.