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Alright, I am going to tread into some dangerous water, This may get squashed before it even takes off.

Should Marijuana be legalized???

My vote is yes, not because i smoke it, or support my local pot heads way of life. I have seen it first hand help people in pain, i am in favor of its medical use. It could however help increase our economy.
You charge people for a permit to grow/own a few plants, no questions asked other than being say 18 or 21(?) You renew every year just like registering for your car. For medical reasons, special permits to grow more than the average person (handicap tag?). So the these fees go into creating a group of inspectors/police unit who's only job is to go around and check/inspect these people with permits, to make sure they are not growing more than they are supposed to. Yes people will still have their 'stash' etc. but having said permit will automatically open that persons address to inspection(s) i.e. some sort of waiver.
The people that don't grow it, that would just say buy it a shop etc. would get taxed similar to a cigarette tax. And of course you can only purchase when you are of age.

Basically, tax money goes to create jobs, more jobs equals less unemployment, more people with jobs means more people with money to spend, which improves the economy.

I really agree with this. Did you know more people die from food in a year then smoking pot?

And yes, it would give more jobs and having it treated like cigs is a grand idea.

Legalize Wacky Weed? No.

Legalize Prostitution? Yes.

hcordes wrote:Alright, I am going to tread into some dangerous water, This may get squashed before it even takes off.

Should Marijuana be legalized???

My vote is yes, not because i smoke it, or support my local pot heads way of life. I have seen it first hand help people in pain, i am in favor of its medical use. It could however help increase our economy.
You charge people for a permit to grow/own a few plants, no questions asked other than being say 18 or 21(?) You renew every year just like registering for your car. For medical reasons, special permits to grow more than the average person (handicap tag?). So the these fees go into creating a group of inspectors/police unit who's only job is to go around and check/inspect these people with permits, to make sure they are not growing more than they are supposed to. Yes people will still have their 'stash' etc. but having said permit will automatically open that persons address to inspection(s) i.e. some sort of waiver.
The people that don't grow it, that would just say buy it a shop etc. would get taxed similar to a cigarette tax. And of course you can only purchase when you are of age.

Basically, tax money goes to create jobs, more jobs equals less unemployment, more people with jobs means more people with money to spend, which improves the economy.

Why all that nonsnese? Just make it legal. Put a 200% tariff on foreign produced import to kill off the cartel income streams. Problem...solution.

In Canada it is medically legalized. They have state controlled growers, it is graded and taxed and only sold through licensed pharmacies, which pay a fee for the license. If you get caught with untaxed (illegal) MJ, the confiscate your stash, test and grade it, tax and resell it. You also get a citation and have to pay a fine, no jail time unless you don't pay.

Some-one tell me where Canada is losing money on this.

Yes, but the poor, grasping Californians need to make a lot of money really fast. If they legalised it, they'd be like, the biggest most successful drug operation on the planet. Bam.

not to mention almost everything made from wood and petroleum can be made from hemp, from textiles, plastics, building materials, to foods, medicines, lotions, salves, etc. The plant will grow ANYWHERE (I mean, not sticky kush or anything like that), but the hemp plants can thrive anywhere.

a couple of the capital reasons why it is illegal today are DuPont plastics and Henry Anslinger.....

very similar to the restrictions on importing the stevia plant at the moment....which I theorize has to do with big Corn companies...


Automatically Appended Next Post:
I'll add I used to be a huge pot head, but I have been completely off of it for 2 years now. I still think it's A ok. I do not like a lot it's patrons...but, hey, I don't like a lot of people, either.


by the way, I live in Seattle, the world's largest marijuana-related festival is here in a month or so...HEMPFEST....I think it surpassed Cannibus Cup 2 years ago....

it's quite ridiculous. Too many juggalos for me down there.... ( I say down there because I am blocks from the waterfront....I am NOT looking forward to this...)

Shadowbrand wrote:I really agree with this. Did you know more people die from food in a year then smoking pot?

And yes, it would give more jobs and having it treated like cigs is a grand idea.

Epic statistics fail. Everybody who is alive eats food, or they die. That's 6 billion or so sample points. The population of those smoking pot is muuuuch smaller, they do it muuuuuch less frequently. I hope you were joking there.

I'm in two minds about pot being legalised. On the one hand, it'd be good to regulate it's sale (especially what it is cut with, in the case of hash), earn tax revenue, and take income away from criminals. It doesn't cause serious problems that I'm aware of in places where it is legal.
However, there is collossal ignorance about the effects of pot on people. It is NOT a completely safe drug. It takes longer to get out of your system than alchohol, and interferes with your ability to drive in a similar way. It corrodes the middle lamela of your brain and can lead to psychosis in people with susceptability, sometimes spiraling into full blown scizophrenia. (The plural of anecdote is not data, but I have seen this happen twice in my life so far. There are studies too, of course. You can look them up easily.)
The smoke can cause cancer, of course. Pot can also elevate your heartrate, my first girlfriend found this out the hard way (she had a pre-existing condition) and had to be rushed to hospital. She nearly died. The other thing that bugs me about it is that you can (as far as I'm aware) get stoned on second hand smoke. That's not something I want to experience, thanks. You can't get drunk on second hand booze.

I think there are other problems with pot (I think it makes people very comfortable with being bored, whioh can prevent them from trying to improve their situations or learn new things) but they are comparable with the problems with alchohol, which I am in favour of remaining legal. In the end, it's a matter of preference, and I'd be something of a hypocrite if I didn't say yes to pot legalisation aswell. I still think it is bloody important that people aren't misinformed about the potential risks, though.

Yes. Legalize it.

Hand out samples.

Either legalize it or make it actually illegal, at this point I see and agree with arguments on both sides. The half assed effort put forth now is destroying south america and creating underground channels for operation everywhere.

The halfway solution is costing lives, I just want people to make a fething decision.

I really agree with this. Did you know more people die from food in a year then smoking pot?

I think this may be one of the most mind bending things I've ever read. You're a poet.

Da Boss wrote:The other thing that bugs me about it is that you can (as far as I'm aware) get stoned on second hand smoke. That's not something I want to experience, thanks. You can't get drunk on second hand booze.

I agree about this; and i used to smoke the stuff a few years back...
....I do know a couple of people who have had bottles smashed over their heads from second hand booze though, not pleasant.

I am probably in favour of legalization for medicinal use, but I would expect some form of mega expensive inhaler to be developed so the pharm-corps can get their slice of the pie.

Legalizing it like tobacco and alcohol is regulated for consumption is just odd. Argue all you want that tobacco and Alcohol are more harmful. Medical professionals and governments agree that tobcacco and Alcohol ARE harmful which is why they won't consider making pot a mainstream product.

Legalize it. Not because of all of the very good reasons to do so socially and economically, but because I want to smoke it without dealing with criminals and running the risk of becoming one.

Shadowbrand wrote:I really agree with this. Did you know more people die from food in a year then smoking pot?

I think the point here is, aside from choking, food borne contaminants like salmanella and such kill more people than pot.

As a percentage of the total people that eat food? And the dosage? Incomparable. Seriously.

Frazzled wrote:Why all that nonsnese? Just make it legal. Put a 200% tariff on foreign produced import to kill off the cartel income streams. Problem...solution.

This. Oh yes, this.

Who cares. Most casual smokers don't run into problems with the law anyway besides the odd slap on the wrist. I never did when I smoked it. The layabouts who do it all the time should sort their life out and those who sell it should find a job. ...and in general people who do smoke it should just shut the f up about it fer hells sake. The biggest problem with potheads is that they never shut up about it.

whatwhat wrote:Who cares. Most casual smokers don't run into problems with the law anyway besides the odd slap on the wrist. I never did when I smoked it. The layabouts who do it all the time should sort their life out and those who sell it should find a job. ...and in general people who do smoke it should just shut the f up about it fer hells sake. The biggest problem with potheads is that they never shut up about it.

This. 'Weed-fans' are some of the most dull people I have ever had the misfortune to meet. What's that? You've just spent £100 on a new hi-tech, triple-filter bong with 4 cooling chambers and an extra large bowl? Well guess what? I don't give a feth, hippy. Get out of my face before I slap yours.

I smoke it from time to time, I also enjoy a drink from time to time. Everything in moderation!


I say legalise. For purely selfish reasons.

Albatross wrote:
This. 'Weed-fans' are some of the most dull people I have ever had the misfortune to meet.

I know! I mean have you seen their magazines?

Don't legalize. De-criminalize.
...but since the powers-that-be won't mug-a-buck from that, then legalize it is!

Frazzled wrote:
Why all that nonsnese? Just make it legal. Put a 200% tariff on foreign produced import to kill off the cartel income streams. Problem...solution.

So, in order to prevent people from smuggling pot over our borders we will make it less desirable for them to export it legally?

That doesn't sound like a particularly effective solution.

dogma wrote:

Frazzled wrote:
Why all that nonsnese? Just make it legal. Put a 200% tariff on foreign produced import to kill off the cartel income streams. Problem...solution.

So, in order to prevent people from smuggling pot over our borders we will make it less desirable for them to export it legally?

That doesn't sound like a particularly effective solution.

Well the tariff is entirely dependent on domestic rates. I find it unlikely that they would set legal prices as high as current illegal prices as that would largely defeat the purpose. Even with a substantial tariff on foreign growers placing their legal prices on par with current illegal ones it would likely still result in the end of foreign drug production considering the actual market for their product would dry up immediately as people purchase from government regulated resellers.

Its also a function of profitability for foreign growers. If they can sell smuggled goods at lower prices and still turn a significant profit, then the tariff remains problematic.

dogma wrote:Its also a function of profitability for foreign growers. If they can sell smuggled goods at lower prices and still turn a significant profit, then the tariff remains problematic.

But in order to sell succesfully they would have to either maintain a higher quality product which I find doubtful or they would need to undercut legal resellers. Beating the tariff and selling successfully on the street are two very different things. Competing with the biz is a lot harder when theres a biz to compete with.

ShumaGorath wrote:

Albatross wrote:
This. 'Weed-fans' are some of the most dull people I have ever had the misfortune to meet.

I know! I mean have you seen their magazines?

Quiet, you.

@Da Boss.

Sorry everywhere i've looked it's like under 100 people that died from pot related gak.

Where as food poisoning and choking is in the thousands. Prove my ass wrong.

Legalize it...across the board.

My two main reasons for legalization would be.

1. Free up time,resources,prison space, to deal with real criminals.

2. Give hippys nothing to sit around and moan about.
" Dude ..weed should be legal dude."
" It is,now shut the feth up!"
" Dude."

Shadowbrand wrote:@Da Boss.

Sorry everywhere i've looked it's like under 100 people that died from pot related gak.

Where as food poisoning and choking is in the thousands. Prove my ass wrong.

You know that same argument works for things like landmines and stabbings too. Heart disease is still the biggest killer in america.

I'm in favor of the legalization of marijuana, and the phased legalization of most other drugs as well.

We simply don't have the budget to fight it. Were we to legalize it we would save that money, make billions per year in taxes, and probably have a better system to treat and help addicts than we do now.

I had a friend who said that if more than 50% of the population break a law, it shouldn't be a law. A bit trite, but I think it fits when it comes to weed.

Honestly, my feeling is that virtually everything should be legal, and should then be taxed such that it's cost is commensurate with the cost of reparing any damage it might cause.

I'm in favor of the legalization of marijuana, and the phased legalization of most other drugs as well.

We simply don't have the budget to fight it. Were we to legalize it we would save that money, make billions per year in taxes, and probably have a better system to treat and help addicts than we do now.

That would work except designer drugs like heroin can have have lifelong addictions and severely damage the productivity as well as the general psyche of the person addicted to them.

Honestly, my feeling is that virtually everything should be legal, and should then be taxed such that it's cost is commensurate with the cost of reparing any damage it might cause.

That's a neat plan, but would result in the same underground tax evading drug system we have now in regards to cocaine, heroin, and a significant number of their offshoots and similar drugs. In fact it would be far worse considering you just abolished all forms of containment and control.