Legalizing Marijuana

[woot]

Definitely in favor of legalization for various reasons already mentioned, with the addition of halving the number of people clogging our prison system, and freeing up hundreds of millions of government dollars used for weed law enforcement that could be used for something useful. The stupid arguments of exute in this thread are about all the conservatives have. There is no logical reason for marijuana to be illegal.

[Hallelujah]

Definitely in favor of legalization for various reasons already mentioned, with the addition of halving the number of people clogging our prison system, and freeing up hundreds of millions of government dollars used for weed law enforcement that could be used for something useful. The stupid arguments of exute in this thread are about all the conservatives have. There is no logical reason for marijuana to be illegal.

Because it is bad for you and those around you? That's not logical to you?

I do approve of Rx prescribed marijuana.

[Hallelujah]

Marajuana would become the largest cash crop in the state of CA and would be a serious blow to the Mexican mafia. I am for legalization.

Hey, California isn't in a big enough mess, now let's start growing marijuana legally? Great idea!

Just promise me that the feds won't at some later date sue the marijuana companies like they did the tobacco companies because they suddenly figured out there is a health and societal cost to tobacco.

[RobinFinderson]

Hey, California isn't in a big enough mess, now let's start growing marijuana legally? Great idea!

Just promise me that the feds won't at some later date sue the marijuana companies like they did the tobacco companies because they suddenly figured out there is a health and societal cost to tobacco.

We already grow it legally in CA.

[woot]

Because it is bad for you and those around you? That's not logical to you?

I do approve of Rx prescribed marijuana.

So you are in favor of criminalizing anything that is bad for you or those around you? So clearly alcohol and tobacco should be illegal, but also Tylenol, coffee, tea...

You really haven't thought this through have you?

[Flystripper]

Hey, California isn't in a big enough mess, now let's start growing marijuana legally? Great idea!

Just promise me that the feds won't at some later date sue the marijuana companies like they did the tobacco companies because they suddenly figured out there is a health and societal cost to tobacco.

You don't think that the legalization of Pot would help the California economy? You are crazy.

reduce the cost at prisons --- check
reduce the cost of state law enforcement ---- check
increase tax revenue directly tied to pot --- check
increase of jobs in the industry from farming to processing to distribution --- check

Yeah legalizing pot would be horrible for California, I agree!

[Brian]

Because it is bad for you and those around you? That's not logical to you?

I do approve of Rx prescribed marijuana.

Wow, think of all the things we could criminalize.

ball bearings
too much sugar
too much refined flour
Nyquil
hand fulls of aspirin
uncooked meat
raw eggs
motor oil
drano
wood chips
latex interior house paint
80 grit sand paper
...
...

[FN Phat]

I can only imagine the security needed for government approved farmers to police their fields. It would have to be a 24/7 operation just to keep up with production demands, cultivating and security.

[statman]

Wow, think of all the things we could criminalize.

ball bearings
too much sugar
too much refined flour
Nyquil
hand fulls of aspirin
uncooked meat
raw eggs
motor oil
drano
wood chips
latex interior house paint
80 grit sand paper
...
...

Or pencils. Ask Heath Ledger about the damage that can be inflicted with a pencil ("Wanna see a magic trick?"). Maybe if not for his involvement with the cycle of pencil-violence, Heath would still be with us today...

[Slim]

I'm kind of torn on this subject. On the one hand I believe this to be just one of the many stupid mistakes that an individual should be free to make on his/her own without the government getting involved. On the other hand the future physician in me looks at all the problems and cost associated with alcohol and tobacco abuse and wonders sometimes whether we would all be better off if we just worked harder to ban stupid people from doing stupid things to their bodies.

Unfortunately I don't think we are capable of policing each other's health as much as would be needed to enforce these laws and so I voted for legalizing the stuff. Our vain attempts at controlling marijuana use just ends up costing us all a ton of money and doesn't do much good.

I'm not one to make a law out of principal if it doesn't work practically.

[Brian]

This stuff can't be kept out of prisons.
How much rehab could we provide for those who want help for what we're paying to fight the war on drugs? (I bet we would have A LOT of money left over and A LOT of people in rehab).

[woot]

I can only imagine the security needed for government approved farmers to police their fields. It would have to be a 24/7 operation just to keep up with production demands, cultivating and security.

Would the thieves be from other countries where it isn't legal? Otherwise, it seems like it'd be easier to just buy it from 7/11 instead of raiding a farmer's field (cf. tobacco, et al.).

[woot]

This stuff can't be kept out of prisons.
How much rehab could we provide for those who want help for what we're paying to fight the war on drugs? (I bet we would have A LOT of money left over and A LOT of people in rehab).

marijuana isn't addictive.

[FN Phat]

Would the thieves be from other countries where it isn't legal? Otherwise, it seems like it'd be easier to just buy it from 7/11 instead of raiding a farmer's field (cf. tobacco, et al.).

Do you honestly think that if made legal it would be affordable? With the taxes that would be slapped on it and due to the supply and demand, I would assume that it would be quite spendy. This is the reason why there would still be a need for the "street vendor" that could get the cheap stuff or the stuff that is laced with other drugs, etc.

[8BR]

You don't think that the legalization of Pot would help the California economy? You are crazy.

reduce the cost at prisons --- check
reduce the cost of state law enforcement ---- check
increase tax revenue directly tied to pot --- check
increase of jobs in the industry from farming to processing to distribution --- check

Yeah legalizing pot would be horrible for California, I agree!

Small note on your list...There is almost no one in prison in CA on pot charges.