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Should marijuana be legalized?
- Thread starter P4GTR
- Start date
California's herbal crop revenues are enormous. Taxation would certainly alleviate some financial pressure on the state.
As for the rest of the US, they would benefit from lower administrative costs related to prosecution of small offenses and chasing after the big guys.
But it certainly does make you lazy!
As for the rest of the US, they would benefit from lower administrative costs related to prosecution of small offenses and chasing after the big guys.
But it certainly does make you lazy!
Is it legal federally? Alot of the California dispenseries were being raided by federalagents. Sort of like prohibition, the feds criminalized alcohol but state and local governments across the nation refused to enforce it.
I'm generally in favor for personal freedoms, but lately I've been thinking about this as it has gained allot of momentum. What difference would it really make? Billions are spent now in law enforcement, courts, rehabilitation. Would any of that change? It hasn't with alcohol. As a gateway drug does it pre any danger to do so? Does it trend to contribute to moral bankruptcy and civic apathy? It's it Victorian in nature to even consider these things, hanging on to an old point of view?
I'm generally in favor for personal freedoms, but lately I've been thinking about this as it has gained allot of momentum. What difference would it really make? Billions are spent now in law enforcement, courts, rehabilitation. Would any of that change? It hasn't with alcohol. As a gateway drug does it pre any danger to do so? Does it trend to contribute to moral bankruptcy and civic apathy? It's it Victorian in nature to even consider these things, hanging on to an old point of view?
It's no worse than alcohol or prescription drugs. I personally don't smoke. But I don't judge those that do. I have quite a few friends that do. Most are very productive citizens. It's worse to wake up hungover , than waking up hungry.
Yes. And I'll go even further and argue that hard drugs should be legalized and the government should have a monopoly on the market. Control purity and potency, and sell the drugs through government operated dispensaries, which would also provide intake resources for addiction treatment. You would obliterate the violent black market for these drugs (and would probably have thousands less homicides yearly), drastically reduce the social and economic costs associated with drug addition, and made a huge dent in demand.
You could do all this by spending a fraction of what we currently spend on enforcement, and generate a ton of revenue on top of that.
Did I mention that this would also stop us from systematically destroying our urban black communities and from being the most incarcerating country in the world? Because that, too.
Unfortunately, until we start treating drugs as a public health issue and not a moral one, the status quo is likely to continue. I'm all for marijuana legalization, but it doesn't even come close to addressing the destructive nature of our country's drug policies.
You could do all this by spending a fraction of what we currently spend on enforcement, and generate a ton of revenue on top of that.
Did I mention that this would also stop us from systematically destroying our urban black communities and from being the most incarcerating country in the world? Because that, too.
Unfortunately, until we start treating drugs as a public health issue and not a moral one, the status quo is likely to continue. I'm all for marijuana legalization, but it doesn't even come close to addressing the destructive nature of our country's drug policies.
It's a great topic. I can foresee big tobacco companies lobbying Congress to restrict so while possession may not be illegal but growing anything more than let's say 6 oz. A year. Just pike alcohol and tobacco now. They would still have severe punishments for crimes commuted while intoxicated, DUI, sale to minors, etc. It would be highly taxed and all over the nation marijuana creation programs will spring up. The insurance industry will certainly benefit as they can claim Abby work related accident, trip or fall, car wreck was due to negligence the guy who smoked a joint 25 says ago.
Maybe some of our French members can respond to this, I was told in school that in France children 7 years old drank wine regularly with dinner, grew up on the stuff yet there's no alcoholism problem in their country.
Perhaps were looking at this from the wrong angle, instead of criminalizing drugs and alcohol we should make them mandatory.
Perhaps were looking at this from the wrong angle, instead of criminalizing drugs and alcohol we should make them mandatory.
Of course it should. Not because I'm some crazy hippy but because the "war on drugs" has proved to be a massive failure. Imagine if they took that money they spend on enforcement and prosecution and prison upkeep and changed that into funds for drug education and treatment. I imagine your drug usage levels would drop drastically.
Prohibition has never worked, and will never work.
Prohibition has never worked, and will never work.
I know nobody who never tried, some i know of still smoke at over 40 years of age.
Not my cup of tea. But to legalize it is ok. In Germany you can possess under 5 gramm for personal use without a problem already, so like semi-legalized here already.
Not my cup of tea. But to legalize it is ok. In Germany you can possess under 5 gramm for personal use without a problem already, so like semi-legalized here already.
- 25/7/08
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