Ed Andrieski/AP
A marijuana plant being grown for medicinal purposes (file)
We've been wondering the things Republicans might be shocked to discover about Governor Christie if he ran for president. Exhibit A: the medical marijuana program that is about to be instated under Christie's watch. But the Garden State is not the only place where reefer madness is growing.
The White House recently created an online system for petitioning the government called "We The People." And they have promised a response from a White House official and maybe even President Obama himself to any petition that garners more than 5,000 signatures. The New York Times has now re-dubbed the site "Weed The People" after more than 77,000 people signed petitions asking Obama to legalize marijuana — making it the first petition to reach the threshold.
President Obama, always under a barrage of questions on marijuana legislation in digital forums and town halls, has vaguely responded that he is against it and dodged a more in depth explanation. Obama knows the steady rise in public support for legalization is something that cannot be ignored, especially when you open up a petitioning website.
WNYC reported New York City police commissioner Ray Kelly sent around a internal memo ordering the NYPD to stop arresting people who possess small amounts of marijuana. In 2010, more than 50,000 people were arrested for marijuana possession and since Mayor Michael Bloomberg came into office in 2002, there have been at least 350,000 arrests. And almost 86 percent of those arrested were Black or Latino, even though research consistently shows that young whites use marijuana at higher rates according to Drug Policy Alliance.
A New York Times editorial this week blasted the police department's stop-and-frisk practice which some argue disproportionately targets minority youth, saying it "deserves deeper scrutiny by federal and state monitors" after damaging so many young lives for minor possession.
Proponents of federal marijuana legalization believe it will free police to fight serious crimes and prevent such unjust arrests. It depends where you live; Many states have legalized medical marijuana, in others you can spend time in jail for having a toke.
However, the main debate is whether legalization can create a new taxable commodity than can raise some of that revenue the U.S. government so badly needs right now.
What do you think?
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Find out why more and more cops, judges, and prosecutors who have fought on the front lines of the "war on drugs" are standing up and saying we need to legalize and regulate marijuana and other drugs to help solve our economic, crime, and public health problems:
Tom you beat me to the point, so I won't ramble on about prohibition, prison populations, cost to government and taxpayer dollars, and that marijuana is more of a culture taboo, that started as a way to attack racial, ethnic, and people of philosophical and lifestyle differences from those in power. The list goes on and on. Although I cannot wait to hear from the old Dragnet fans furiously debating this issue after 3 + martini's and a couple of Valium.
Well put!! The ultimate part of it all is America dubs itself as the "land of the free". I don't feel free unless I have my right to toke nuff said. Trivial to some but simple freedoms like this are good for our country peoples morale in my opinion. Also having weed illegal makes us all separate as a country. Can't we all live and let live and unite as a country? In a great country with many great things why do we limit ourselves to be such prudent life controlling blood suckers!!?? It will be legal in my time and I'll speak until it is. Have a good day!
Been doing my own war on drugs for years. I drink coffee like it's going out of style because if the Columbian's are growing coffee they don't have time for cocaine and smoke like a freight train so that my family in North Carolina grows tabacco instead of reefer
This is most amusing.
I do not use cannabis and I am not an advocate of cannabis, marijuana, or hemp, but the existing drug laws qualify as cruel, unusual, and stupid.
The War On Drugs is responsible for about $1 trillion of our national debt every year to control less than 10% of illegal cannabis traffic.
Your tax $ at work.
Cannabis creates crime for much the same reason that banks create bank robberies.
Prohibition drove up the price up to about $3,000/pound, which is about 5x silver.
There are zero deaths linked to the use of cannabis (no such thing as an overdose).
The #1 risk related to cannabis abuse is abuse by minors. The primary effect is that it makes it so that you "don't give a dam". That is wonderful if you are suffering from great pain but not so good if you are ditching school.
The surgeon general of the united states told the United Nations that "cannabis is addictive in the same way as caffeine and sugar" in 1937.
Your body makes cannabinoids similar to those found in cannabis, and there are two types. These were discovered to be hormones in 1996. One type causes psychoactive effects (time distortion, attentiveness, and pain). The other type shuts down nerves associated with the immune system (anti-emetic and anti-inflammatory).
Excess cannabis residual in blood does not act as an intoxicant for continuous users, which is very different from alcohol intoxication. Positive urine test for cannabis does not reflect impairment as is the case with an alcohol breath test.
Cannabis has been in use by humans since at least 8,000B.C. Marijuana has been used for food, clothing, paper, and rope since before human beings developed written communication. It was used to pay taxes to Britain before US independence in 1776 because it was essential for ship rigging (sails).
Cannabis was first proscribed medically in about 2,350B.C. because it "undoes rheumatoid arthritis". Cannabis has proven to be one of the most effective medications for the treatment of autoimmune disease, anorexia, and glaucoma (diabetic blindness).
Cannabis as a food supplement is one of the things that reduces risk of cancer, heart disease, and dementia (top killers in the United States).
Cannabis seed was used for nutrition by Buddha, it is part of the Sikh religion, and it is an offering to Shiva as part of Hinduism. That means cannabis prohibition violates the "freedom of religion" section of the constitution.
About 10% of the country has been incarcerated for non-violent cannabis related crime, which eats about $15 billion/year. About $200 billion of DEA costs are due to cannabis related non-violent crime every year. Similar statistics exist for local law enforcement and district attorneys. The negative impact on families cannot be calculated.
Cannabis became illegal as a result of actions by white supremacists that objected to the words of the song La Cucaracha following the Mexican Revolution.
The following legal framework would be more practical.
While you make many valid points, with which I agree, I must disagree with some of the regulations you wish to impose. First of all, using marijuana does give you a "don't give a damn" type of mindset; however, it DOES NOT make you an invalid. People can still drive, fly, be a good parent, be a positive part of society, live life, etc...Treating "Authorized Users" as if they were on Megan's List is wrong, it's unconstitutional discrimination. I would suggest that the same regulations be placed on marijuana that are currently on alcohol or cigarettes. Which, by the way are MUCH more dangerous than marijuana.
Cigarettes contain dangerous stimulants and poisonous chemicals, yet you can buy them at 18 (19 in some states). Alcohol is an EXTREMELY dangerous depressant that inhibits the performance of ANY individual under its influence, available at 21 and loosely regulated outside of operating a motor vehicle.
Marijuana DOES NOT make you violent like alcohol does for some people. Marijuana DOES NOT make you an addict like cigarettes do for some people. Marijuana DOES have medical benefits, unlike both cigarettes AND alcohol. Why then should marijuana users be scrutinized more harshly than users of cigarettes and alcohol?
While your over all list is rather good at collecting a large scope of the issue at hand, your ideas for an updated legal framework are flawed. I will detail each of your points as why they are either practical or flawed and how they could be further improved.
"Require "cannabis" training for access (like the hunting license you need to shoot up the forrest)"
This is quite logical though with such measures not already in place for other substances it seems rather overboard, but if you were to implement this sort of system with all mind altering chemicals available to the public then it would be quite brilliant.
"All quantities, no mater how small, must be kept locked up, cannot be shared with others, and must not come into the possession of a minor (just like firearms)"
This is utterly ridiculous. I agree that perhaps keeping it under lock and key may be a good way of preventing children access to the cannabis, yet such matters of not sharing and the like are beyond policing. With firearms you have a serial code or perhaps ballistics records from the rifling, yet with cannabis as a consumable substance this would be utterly impractical to try and track in such manner. The intentions are good yet the logic is flawed.
"Nobody under 21 years of age authorized except by medical proscription"
I could most definitely agree with such a measure though mostly because such would match up with our current laws on alcohol. Though perhaps altering the barrier to say 20 years of age to allow some time with access to one mind altering chemical before the more destructive one.
"Mark drivers license for "authorized users" (authorized users are a mater of public record)"
I do not believe they should be a matter of public record due to stigma they may receive as active users of a product with generations of propaganda against it. This could prove dangerous. Alternatively an identifying license specific to being registered as an authorized user which would be able to be quick referenced by police and clerks at distributors who gained access to your card.
"Felons are prohibited except by medical proscription"
As they are likewise cut off from access to much of what our society offers this is perhaps fair, though the specifics would need to be talked out.
"Must "swipe" drivers license for each purchase, government monitoring would be used to regulate access, and limit could only be increases by medical proscription (one ounce/month)"
If the goal is to create a viable business with constant income and tax dollars coming in then this is utterly flawed, as noted the proof of eligibility should be capable of such swipe features however to have constant monitoring would waste much in the way of revenue brought in to the system. Additionally the limit you propose is a bit on the low end. While I respect that this is purely for individual use in your proposed structure it is still too low end for proper revenue growth of to satisfy many current users. As it will remain a social intoxicant we must expect higher sales than this and embrace them.
"Authorized users prohibited from driving within 1 block of schools, prohibited from driving on freeway, prohibited from commercial drivers license, and prohibited from piloting aircraft/ships"
So if i got this on my license it would thus become useless? Prohibiting such people from where they can drive is insane and the main reason i had to rebuke your plan. There are already laws in place should someone be driving under the influence of an intoxicating substance and laws prohibiting intoxication in school zones. There are most certainly laws governing not selling to kids. This is superfluous and would harm the capability of users income which by proxy brings down our tax revenues.
"Authorized users involved in vehicle accidents would be subject to mandatory penalties following positive drug test."
Current systems for judging whether or not someone is intoxicated on cannabis are poor to save the least. Also see above about superfluous legislation. If you get into an automobile accident while intoxicated that constitutes as a DUI charge.
"Penalties would involve an ankle bracelet and loss of cannabis authorization, while injury related incidents would result in mandatory jail time"
I would have to argue that the ankle bracelet is unneeded unless an honorable Judge found such a tool to be useful for a specific case which currently lies in their powers anyhow. Loss of authorization after an incident which negates the initial authorization is perfectly reasonable and perhaps better than to strip them of their drivers license so that they may repay society for such crimes with maintained employment. Mandatory jail time is ridiculous and should never have been instituted ever. *
"Non-injury related penalties would be reduced/suspended while offenders enroll/complete high school or college classes"
As equal members of society special rights for students seem to encourage them toward such misbehavior when it is quite clear that these groups misbehave quite enough without any extra encouragement. If you disagree just go to your local fraternity house and look on at the chaos.
*this could lead to its own rant by its own immoral existence.
I really do appreciate the thought you put into this I would just like to encourage you toward greater thoughts, please be well and enjoy your life.
I agree with the other replys... good points, but the solution is a little off... I take issue with prohibition for felons, considering many a felon are made so precisely because of prohibition. No one should be prohibited from cannabis. Period.
Used to use this exact same logic when I got caught too. Remember we were all young once
Nice discussion.
Would be better if someone else would have modified the ideas in my post to improve them.
Cannabis will never go from illegal to legal in one step. Never going to happen in the U.S. like that.
While this post may seem objectionable in some ways, it is likely to get support from conservatives needed to pass such a law, which will otherwise not be possible. This framework establishes decriminalization that would most likely get the votes that are needed.
This is a logical first step, and it includes much of the kinds of things needed to fix the problems that have gotten similar legislation voted down.
I said nothing about cannabis being harmful (i.e.: does not impair long-term users, does not cause psychological problems, ...). Those stories are false.
Cannabis is totally harmless to people over 21, and it does not cause intoxication for continuous users. The difficulty is that people that have not done the research do not know that fact.
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/high-on-marijuana-5506/Overview (The very latest info available ) I voted yes on CA prop 19 to leagalize pot farms and sales in CA but this Nat Geo show on how pot truly interfers with the natural cannabis in the brain makes me sure that warning lables should be WELL applied. This Nat Geo show HIGH should also be shown to teens in school. CA has a big problem with violent Mexican cartels growing pot on public lands and importing it from Mexico. My dad always owned a liquor store when I knew him, so I do believe it is pointless to prohibit pot because it is so popular as drinks. Better to just get the guns out of it. More info at http://www.leap.cc/ Law Enforcement Against Prohibition.
Cannabis doesn't interfere with the natural cannabinoid system, it AUGMENTS it. Just as our bodies might not produce enough thyroid or estrogen, and one must take a supplement, it stands to reason that taking a cannabinoid "suppliment" may be the rage of the future. Look at the number of increasingly debilitating conditions that are POSITIVELY affected by cannabis - MS, seizures, cancer - and tell me there is NO correlation to the removal of this from our diets (hemp protein anyone?) and our environment has been beneficial. That's not even the legal part of it. We'll save so much money by just STOPPING the drug wars - there isn't enough money in it now, it's taking lives and families and futures by the millions, and those lives would be productive should they be allowed to use cannabis and hemp. If you were to say to people, "You can have it if we tax it, " that's a good place to start. I believe it will be untaxed at a point, and there will be freedom to grow and use as a responsible adult. Until we get to that point, we MUST take baby steps and support the positions along the way to our intended destination.
This isn't a debate anymore. Only the educated and the non-educated. There is nothing left to argue about.
weed should be leagalized honestly people smoke everyday AND IF WEED WAS LEGAL WE WOULDENT BE IN DEBT cause everyone knows WEED is the top cash crop in the usa allredy but if it was legal people would buy it everyday and the goverment can tax the @!$%# out of it and people with money will buy it and we would be out of debt also why should people that sell or use weed be put in the same jails as child mollesters and rapists and criminals when all they are is bissnessmen they have a product and they sell it the same could be done in stores or smoke shops also this would make thousands of jobs for people growing that would also help the economy
All very valid points.
However, marijuana DOES interfere with the natural cannabinoid system in our brains, but mostly when your brain is still developing (around ages 13-24). There are studies out there showing that heavy cannabis smokers in adolescence have a much higher percentage of developing Schizophrenia than non-smokers, due to the replacement of unnatural cannabinoids in the brain which interferes with pruning of useless synapses and connections - pruning then goes haywire.
However, this is the ONLY negative surrounding marijuana use. But if legalization were pushed, this could be avoided by adding an age limit much like cigarettes and alcohol. There are also many different methods of dispensing marijuana - bars/taverns system, prescriptions system, etc.
The truth is, and the government knows it, the drug war is a complete failure and has been nothing but a burden on taxpayers shoulders. Kids lives are ruined from possessing a miniscule amount and getting arrested. America has the most prisons in the world - and sadly, most of those are filled with marijuana users and dealers. Weren't prisons made for REAL criminals? Murderers? Rapists? Now it's a privately run institution - and anyone with money can open one.
There are many ways this country can save trillions of dollars from policing to prison spending - tax marijuana users rather than arrest and ruin their lives. We all know the war on drugs has been a poor excuse to increase policing and imprisonment of racial/ethnic minorities. The truth is, it's become a racial war and the WASPS love to control it.
All very valid points.
However, marijuana DOES interfere with the natural cannabinoid system in our brains, but mostly when your brain is still developing (around ages 13-24). There are studies out there showing that heavy cannabis smokers in adolescence have a much higher percentage of developing Schizophrenia than non-smokers, due to the replacement of unnatural cannabinoids in the brain which interferes with pruning of useless synapses and connections - pruning then goes haywire.
However, this is the ONLY negative surrounding marijuana use. But if legalization were pushed, this could be avoided by adding an age limit much like cigarettes and alcohol. There are also many different methods of dispensing marijuana - bars/taverns system, prescriptions system, etc.
The truth is, and the government knows it, the drug war is a complete failure and has been nothing but a burden on taxpayers shoulders. Kids lives are ruined from possessing a miniscule amount and getting arrested. America has the most prisons in the world - and sadly, most of those are filled with marijuana users and dealers. Weren't prisons made for REAL criminals? Murderers? Rapists? Now it's a privately run institution - and anyone with money can open one.
There are many ways this country can save trillions of dollars from policing to prison spending - tax marijuana users rather than arrest and ruin their lives. We all know the war on drugs has been a poor excuse to increase policing and imprisonment of racial/ethnic minorities. The truth is, it's become a racial war and the WASPS love to control it.
And if legalized and controlled, it would be more difficult for the underaged to access. Statistics show kids can get weed easier than cigarettes or alcohol. I mean the guy on the street isn't asking your kid for an ID. But the smoke shop definately would in order to protect his license.
The drug trade is currently the largest source of funding for criminal organization, terrorist networks, cartels, and street thugs in their violent activities, and marijuana is the most valuable product in this trade; one of the most valuable crops in the US, more valuable than corn or wheat. Let's face it: This is very telling of the demand for drugs - it isn't going away. As long as there's a demand for these products there will always be someone to profit from them. It doesn't matter how many bullets, police officers, or soldiers we throw at the drug trade, someone will always be there to provide a supply if there is opportunity to profit, and as long as its illegal those people will always be criminals who resort to violence and destruction to further their goals.
Legalizing marijuana not only frees up tens of billions of dollars worth of resources annually at the federal, state, and local levels, but also decreases the amount of resources available to criminal organizations making them less dangerous and less expansive at all.
Drug use destroys lives. Its true. Some recover from addiction, others don't. Ask yourself, though: Would you ever try injecting heroin or smoking crack just because it was legal? Of course not. We're not stopping anyone from performing these acts by making them illegal, we're just making it possible for criminals to fund violent activities through prohibition.
What's the difference between alcohol prohibition and drug prohibition? Better weapons and military-inspired tactics.
It's as simple as this...."criminalizing pot prohibits our ability to pursue happiness".
Bottom line is this, when alcohol was illegal we had the worst gang wars and violent times in american history along with the economy falling on it's face. The EXACT same thing is going on now. If marijuana is legalized, regulated,and taxed most of your street dealers will start businesses and pay taxes that weren't in the system. Also the product that they will be providing will be taxed as well.That's a 200% tax increase!! The economy would see a very quick and positive recovery from one single action. Many jobs would be created due to the shear volume of out of work farmers needing farmhands to harvest the crops.Americans will be working. Unemployment will fall dramatically!! There is no downside to ending prohibition,unless organized crime is tolerated in the country we love so dearly.....
x
Personally, I feel it needs to be legalized much the same way as alcohol. If that cannot be, we need to make tobacco and alcohol illegal. If something has a death statistic it's probably not a good thing to license and sell. In America, our elected government has determined they have the right to control what you put in your body. Known perscriptions are passed out after not recieving FDA testing by your doctor. My father was on 22 medications including depression pills and blood pressure meds. Nasty combo it was, after a few years it nearly killed him.
These are the drugs that need mediation and attention. Not a natural plant that through legalization allows for even healthier production and scientific study. The government we have in place is a total waste of time, all of them are taught how to tell us what we want to hear. After a few years most will return to being sheep and doing as the money tells them. Alcohol and tobacco companies help FUND their campaigns, but there is no marijuana industry to pay them off. They don't care to start one either, because alcohol and tobacco don't want competition. Anyone ever consider that? Most potheads aren't lushes and that envelops the entire demographic. Absent-minded and maybe a bit goofy yes, but angry and violent no. A drug that kills you for merely being AROUND someone doing it is okay, yet one with viable medical use can't be legalized nationally to do just that help cure disease?
America isn't a nation of the free and brave. It's citizens are held in the grip of beuracratic's and their red-tape with an axe to grind against anyone who doesn't get in line and shut up. I'm tired of eating @!$%# from our elected officials, maybe its time for the second American Revolution.
Sadly, the legal things in America are more dangerous than illegal marijuana. Alcohol kills tens of thousands of people every year through alcoholism (which is considered a disease and now known to be genetic), drunk driving accidents, binge drinking, etc.
Also, tobacco related deaths, from lung cancer to heart disease, has killed millions. Both are highly addictive AND dangerous for your bodies in every possible way. As a professor once called them "dirty" drugs because they infect every pore and organ in your body.
Marijuana - in over 5000 years - has not had one single recorded case of overdose. It's impossible which makes it unique, since nearly every drug has the possibility of overdosing. Comparatively, someone who drinks too much alcohol in one sitting can die.
Also, aggression is heavily tied to alcohol. It still remains a mystery as to WHY it triggers aggression (possible amygdala mechanics, etc.), but remains a FACT that alcohol CAN induce aggression.
Lastly, FDA approved drugs is third in causes of drug related deaths. Their death counts are higher than alcohol or tobacco related deaths. So, we have tons of legal prescription drugs that can cause all sorts of f'ed up things - and they're broadcasted all day on every tv channel for every other commercial. "Feeling depressed? Take Seroquel." After this initial opening statement, the commercial then is completed with 5 minutes of side-effects. "May cause suicidal thoughts and feelings, may cause heart disease and heart attacks, may cause liver failure, may kill you..." Ironic isn't it?
The government is willing to funnel cash into legal operations that kills more people than marijuana directly has. And the truth is, the violence from the drug war is only a ''side-effect" of the government's brilliant plan to ban the world's most favorite drug.
Marijuana is not the deadly weed that makes people want to kill eachother (ironically, alcohol DOES have that effect on many people). It
And now, they're rebanning marijuana federally to states - starting with California. Medicinal marijuana dispensaries now have less than 40 days to shut down or the federal government will shut them down.
Why does science always get pushed into the dark by the government? It's pitiful. Medical marijuana has been proven time and time again to help with many diseases - especially in recovery of chemo. patients with cancer (induces appetite). The world is round. Alcohol & tobacco kills. Everyone loves marijuana. And marijuana is not dangerous (at least not as dangerous as the legal drugs out there).
I'm so tired of this whole "debate". The more I've learned about "dope", the more it's become clear that it's a terrible danger to somebody, but I have no ****ing clue who that somebody is. Big pharma, perhaps? Government lackeys reselling what they claim to destroy? Who knows.
My son is 10 and has autism, seizures, and beats himself bloody to the point that he can't live with us anymore. And after trying dozens of drugs, we gave cannabis a shot. Too bad we know nothing about it, and couldn't figure out the right dosing in time. A few times, the dose was given at the right time and worked amazingly well -- he didn't simply get calm, he focused and explored his environment. He smiled again. But we don't know enough to do it right, so he has to live in a group home where they WILL NOT administer an illegal drug, period. Because the nation is stuck debating science, my kid is taking all kinds of meds that offer minimal benefit and serious risks.
See if you really want to be left speechless.
Looks like my links were removed :(
Search google for "alex needs help videos", it's the first link
i know cannibis works well for the conditions you listed above. i wish they could just give it to him.
i hope things change soon.
To bad you don't live in a medical marijuana state. CO. dispensaries sell candies & foodstuffs made w/high grade hemp oil. Manufacturers are working on ways to regulate strength, so dosing can be easier (light pain management w/minimal affect on cognitive abilities vs. mega pain suppression, stop throwing my guts up so I can sleep). Marijuana has many legitimate medical applications, unlike alchohal or cigarettes. I hope your son can get the help he needs someday soon.
wow, a national 77k signature petition gets to Obama but NYCCAN's 80k signature petition in NY alone gets ignored. Anyone can see the decriminalization of marijuana is coming. and so it should, millions of Americans use it on a regular basis. Making something people will use anyway, illegal, only creates areas for crime and the police state to thrive.
Since NORML's WH Petition was the very first one to hit the magic 5k signature mark, we are all waiting for the answer! Some of us wonder if the recent ATF memo to gun sellers that Medical Marijuana Patients are NOT allowed to bear arms in America now, or the recent DEA busts in CO have been our message.. Some nice Norml posters in one of the marches of the 99% would be a good idea either because if we dont hand Obama a couple million in bribes we probable will stay nothing but a nuicence to him. Will you march with us? check to see the City closest to YOU!
www. occupytogether .org