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Marijuana goes legal in Washington state

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Well I think that’s good. I mean people would still smoke weeds even tho the weeds were illegal, so I think it’s better than to commit a minor offence. A lot of people will go to Washington to smoke weeds from now on. I guess that helps the economy of the Washington state.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I work as a Human Services professional and I see the effects of substance use and abuse on a daily basis. From the perspective of my personal experience, I see the most harm from cannabis use not in the effect it has on the human mind and body, but in the penalties inflicted on those individuals that are caught using it and the economic burden of enforcement that is placed on the taxpaying public.

As part of my education I have studied the social costs and implications of drugs in America; including the history of the various laws that govern them. As an American, I personally find the Federal laws prohibiting cannabis an embarrassment.

The story is long and sordid so I will refrain from telling it here. But I will provide a link to a paper that gives a very good historical perspective of the issue. The first chapter after the introduction pretty much sums up why I find America’s cannabis laws so repugnant.

http://scholarlycommons.law.wlu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1286&context=crsj

1 ( +1 / -0 )

In all honesty, there is already enough crap out there that is perfectly legal, and many many people already abuse it. There is already excess abuse of alcohol, prescription drugs, illegal drugs, and now legalizing another crap? If they want to smoke the weed, they will get it regardless if it's legal or not,...

Yep. Seems kind of silly to isolate it for no reason.

so what is the difference? Lower price?

Well, that's one difference. Also, more money going to the government, less money having to be expended to enforce it, and greater control over the quality and distribution of it.

Ideally, more people will switch from alcohol abuse to marijuana use. I guarantee that will get a whole passel of abused spouses to cheer on for it.

Do you know the cost of the health care to take care of all of these abuse cases?

Not off-hand. What is the price, and how does it compare to similar situations?

And what benefit for legalizing another crap other can less import from Mexico and Latin America?

Simple. More of the crap being grown here at home, providing more jobs and income to the U.S. It would certainly beat paying farmers to bury their crops.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

cabadaje Dec. 10, 2012 - 04:39PM JST In all honesty, it isn't that I'm pro-marijuana...it's just that in terms of protecting the populace, marijuana doesn't even rank as a priority danger. Hell, if I had to arrest someone, and I had my choice as to whether they were intoxicated, taking pharmaceuticals, or high on weed, I will take the stoner every time. He is the least likely to get violent, the least likely to require medical aid, and the least likely to vomit in the holding cell.

In all honesty, there is already enough crap out there that is perfectly legal, and many many people already abuse it. There is already excess abuse of alcohol, prescription drugs, illegal drugs, and now legalizing another crap? If they want to smoke the weed, they will get it regardless if it's legal or not, so what is the difference? Lower price? Do you know the cost of the health care to take care of all of these abuse cases? And what benefit for legalizing another crap other can less import from Mexico and Latin America?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The police have standards. The Marijuana, for any use, is illegal under federal law. The federal law is still rule of the land which overides any local or state laws.

That's not a standard. It's barely a rule of thumb. In all honesty, in the four years that I was law enforcement, possession or influence of marijuana was never, not once, the primary reason for arrest. At most, it was an addition towards the end of list.

In all honesty, it isn't that I'm pro-marijuana...it's just that in terms of protecting the populace, marijuana doesn't even rank as a priority danger. Hell, if I had to arrest someone, and I had my choice as to whether they were intoxicated, taking pharmaceuticals, or high on weed, I will take the stoner every time. He is the least likely to get violent, the least likely to require medical aid, and the least likely to vomit in the holding cell.

Plus, chances are good that he can bake a mean tray of brownies.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

And yet now, he (Obama) has the utter gall to prosecute others for committing the same crimes he himself committed (but got away with).

Wait, what?

Are we talking about the same President Obama of the United States who said: "The war on drugs has been an utter failure. We need to rethink and decriminalize our marijuana laws ... we need to rethink how we're operating in the drug war."

The same guy who has had two days to slam the hammer down, but who has at most expressed a concern that people would have the sense to not smoke right in front of law enforcement (kind of like "Don't get drunk in front of a cop").

What short of lighting up a doobie are you expecting him to do?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

As a youngster and a student, President Obama was well known for his drug use. He was part of a group called "the Choom Gang", named for their stoner habits. He smoked weed, did coke, etc. In fact, he was famous in the gang for calling "interception!", and grabbing the joint for an extra toke.

And yet now, he has the utter gall to prosecute others for committing the same crimes he himself committed (but got away with). His justice department vigorously pursues growers and sellers, even in states where both are legal.

There is no greater hypocrisy than "do as I say, not as I do."

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Then, do the job you're being paid to do: arrest these criminals, put them in jail and throw away the key.

And add to the already massive tab that the taxpayer is paying to incarcerated non-violent "criminals."

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"It's astonishingly shocking that any person with even the remotest sense of the meaning of liberty would utter such totalitarian/authoritarian tripe."

Well said, Hervé.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Well if you are against cigarettes then you should probably be against marijuana.

I can't believe I'm going to agree with Thomas .... but he's making a lot of sense here.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

This the beginning of the end of Washington as we know it!!

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

RomeoRII,

" if America had followed the examples set by several Asian nations where possession and/or use of any illegal substance is an automatic death sentence."

It's astonishingly shocking that any person with even the remotest sense of the meaning of liberty would utter such totalitarian/authoritarian tripe. The death sentence??? For posession or consumption of a natural plant(non-poisonous ) the use of which predates written human history?? For that matter, so does chewing the coca leaves. Preposterous!

7 ( +8 / -1 )

That's nanograms of THC per ml of blood.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@Nessie

There are blood tests and standards developed and ready to be put in place to check for marijuana intoxication that supposedly can tell the difference between very recent use and older trace amounts like what they test for in urine. They measure nanograms per ml of blood. Colorado was looking at 5ng per ml of blood for their limit.

Although, I've also read that heavy, habitual users could possibly show readings over the limit without being high at the moment.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@sfjp330

"The Marijuana, for any use, is illegal under federal law."

Right, because federal agents such as FBI agents are actively trying to arrest those who are driving while high ? Maybe you should face the reality. How do the police test people for weed ? Saying "Any use of Marijuana is illegal" means there is no standard.

Why is it so hard to understand this simple fact?

Just like consuming small amount of alcohol doesn't take away right to drive vehiles, we should treat weed the same way. Legalize it, regulate it, and tax it.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Right now, the police have no standard when it comes to how to deal with people driving while they are high.

It's very hard to do, since marijuana dissipates so slowly: You test positive long after the high is gone. Not incidentally, the slowness of the dissipation is one of the factors mitigating marijuana's addictiveness.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Hide Suzuki Dec. 08, 2012 - 07:49AM JST Now that it becomes legal in some states, they can come up with certain regulation, how to detect etc like they do with liquor. Right now, the police have no standard when it comes to how to deal with people driving while they are high.

The police have standards. The Marijuana, for any use, is illegal under federal law. The federal law is still rule of the land which overides any local or state laws.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

@sfjp330

Not sure how many times I have stated this but PEOPLE ARE ALREADY SMOKING POT ALTHOUGH IT'S ILLEGAL !!!!! And some of those people are driving while being high.

Now that it becomes legal in some states, they can come up with certain regulation, how to detect etc like they do with liquor.

Right now, the police have no standard when it comes to how to deal with people driving while they are high.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Hide SuzukiDec. 08, 2012 - 06:29AM JST Where does it say it's legal to drive while being high ? It's legal to drink liquor but it's illegal to drive while intoxicated. Weed would be the same.

Legal alcohol DUI in the states is .08. What the courts are saying is that if your not impaired, it's legal to have couple drinks and still drive as long as you are below the legal limit. Will this apply to weed?

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

@sfjp330

Where does it say it's legal to drive while being high ? It's legal to drink liquor but it's illegal to drive while intoxicated. Weed would be the same.

How about sticking to facts instead of making stuff up ?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

How pathetic is this, now that the smelly pot heads have their foot in the door towards legalization they are already launching forward from the "its harmless" to "its ok to drive while stoned". i say B.S. to the stoners and how about growing up and face life without your stinky, disgusting little habit.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

Same here, Herve. As a teenager growing up in the 1960s, the opportunity flourished, but I did not partake. pot and all the rest never interested me.

Romeo, where did you come from? It sounds like you were hooked on the 'Reefer Madness'-style warnings given to high school kids. Your first post did give your age away: "weed fiend". I burst out laughing - it was like someone had been frozen in time since 1958.

Marijuana is largely on a par with alcohol as a drug. Long term abuse is not good for you, and abuse in one's teens can have serious side effects. An adult recreational user will be fine. With the added benefit that unlike alcohol, you cannot smoke yourself to death in a single session.

Your call for the death penalty for possession is hilarious. You may as well hang someone for having a beer. Just relax a bit.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

I am in one of the states legalizing casual Marijuna use.

I have alredy told my kids I could live with this as long as they never try other serious drugs including coke. Well, they are already grown up, married and have kids. They never tried and are very streight. I guess I did right. Marijuna is okay, but stay away from these bad ones. Trying the bad one just once (temptation) is a beginning of downfalls. Never, never try other bad ones.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I just want to say that the world is changing. Now in the world nobody could sure what is right or wrong. People think things in different standpoint, then they will draw different conclusion. It will be good for this people but bad for others. If there is a perfect law to make what is right or wrong. If there is a perfect law, the world would has no argue. There is no perfect law in the world so the world is in confusion and going more confuse

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Romeo RII please read this

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Causality

before writing another word here

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Stand by to see Seattle become the new Mecca for hippies and pot heads from all over America.

Ummmm I take it you have never been to Washington State before? Hippies and Rednecks everywhere, god bless 'um.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Nice news, after so much bad news out there!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Stand by to see Seattle become the new Mecca for hippies and pot heads from all over America.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Well if you are against cigarettes then you should probably be against marijuana.

However this war on drugs is stupid.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Many here hold different views, but legalizing yet another drug in addition to alcohol and cigarettes appears as decline in society to me. I guess that with the current illegal consumption of various drugs it was inevitable, so the real failure was allowing drug use and acceptability spread to such levels.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

If you have never taken pot, than you probably wouldn't understand this, but pot doesn't make people violent or aggressive like how alcohol does. It also doesn't impair your motor functions as badly as alcohol impairment does, and that's legal.

So you mentioned two guys dead from attempting to rob a marijuana farm. Well let me ask you this, if state-licensed stores are able to sell this stuff and people are able to buy it, how would this result in more problems compared to the past when drug cartels or individual growers are the only people supplying and gaining money from this; many of whom always have to carry a gun in order to protect themselves from shady business partners and police and narcotics. State and federal police and law-enforcement organizations for almost a century have utilized billions if not trillions of Tax-payers' money to find and destroy these plants which you consider "drug" or "poison", when it actually has been growing and developing naturally in nature; Where humans have been using this for thousands of years.

In other areas where Marijuana is deemed illegal, many people are turning to other kinds of narcotics, such as spice K2 also known as synthetic weed. The contents of which is still to be determined by scientists who don't have any idea on what the chemicals known as JWH will do to users if used for long term. More and more kids are turning to this since it's difficult and illegal to purchase weed and that synthetic weed is easy and legal to purchase at liquor or smoke shops.

You mentioned that the US should follow countries in Asia on punishing individuals possessing drugs. Well this method may prevent a lot of people from purchasing narcotics however, there is still a high level of drugs being moved and sold all throughout Asia. From hearing personal experience of people I have talked to, there are still a high element of drugs being sold and traded in China, as well as in Taiwan and Japan and South Korea. Yeah the punishment is brutal, but people still take the challenge and risk and would rather take the risk of selling chemical narcotics such as pills, speed, coke, K, rather than sell weed since it's much harder to detect. You may believe that people living throughout regions of Asia don't take drugs. Sadly, the truth is far from what you may expect. Drugs are still being sold in the streets throughout Tokyo as well in other major cities around the world. The sad thing is, it is the more harmful substances such as E, cocaine, and other chemical-filled pills that are sold rather than weed, which produces chemicals in your brain which are reacted naturally and can be filtered out rather than the previous.

In conclusion, pot being legalized would probably do more good than bad. A pot head would more likely buy more food in a local convi store than rob it. A pot head would probably enjoy his or her work better than a alcoholic. A pot head would be much nicer and react nicely to people than an alcoholic. However being a pothead can make you forgetful of things. Smoking weed can make you withdrawn to certain social situations or paranoid over certain situations. Weed may possibly make you more content with life, therefore some people may turn out lazy or unmotivated. So legalizing weed can have some good and bad effects. Hopefully the good will overt the bad, and State and federal anti-narcotics can utilize their resources on tracking other illegal and harmful substances. Hopefully our society will turn out better.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

It may surprise you, but in my life, despite innumerable opportunities, I've never partaken in any illegal substances.

Same here, Herve. As a teenager growing up in the 1960s, the opportunity flourished, but I did not partake. pot and all the rest never interested me.

MHO, the U.S. war on drugs would have been more successful if America had followed the examples set by several Asian nations where possession and/or use of any illegal substance is an automatic death sentence. Now, states are raising the white flag by making a Class 1 narcotic legal. Watch for the federal government to step in and squash these bad laws.

Similar doesn't mean identical.

Not according to federal law.

RR

-8 ( +2 / -10 )

RR, the law classifying pot as a class 1 substance is just plain bad legislation created out of fear mongering

Also, the vested interests of the bev lobby.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

RR, the law classifying pot as a class 1 substance is just plain bad legislation created out of fear mongering and bootstrapping like you are doing. In time, this error in classification like all bad laws will be corrected.

We are witnesses to the change, and I am happy to be around to see opinions being expressed and people voting out of reason rather than because of fear.

I can only conclude that the voters in Washington and Colorado are more enlightened.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Cultivation also needs to be legalized. Stuff the taxation. Are your garden vegetables taxed?

If you sell them they are, in some states. And tobacco is taxed no matter where you grow it, assuming that you sell it.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@Nessie

That's true.

I guess some people might grow weed at home but either way, that will get rid of or at least reduce drug money going to gangs and drug cartel.

That alone would be a great benefit.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

RRII,

Similar doesn't mean identical.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Alcohol prohibition ended similarly

Different issues, Herve. At the federal level, marijuana is still a Class 1 narcotic; the same as herion and morphine. Alcohol was never put in that category. After Colo. goes legal next month watch for the feds to lower the boom; both outside and inside the court room.

RR

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

Saying pot use causes people to be criminals is like saying alcohol causes military folks to commit crimes in Okinawa.

Both are fallacies.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

RRII, It may surprise you, but in my life, despite innumerable opportunities, I've never partaken in any illegal substances. But, I absolutely support the individuals' right to do so. That's liberty.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Can't wait to see the first commercial ads in WA state newspapers..

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Why would there be a large untaxed black market ? I have never heard of "untaxed black market" for cigarettes or beer. I assume weed would be the same probably.

@Hide

Good question. It's hard to make good home brew or ciggies. It's relatively easy to grow good weed at home. That's the difference.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I cant wait to one day spend a week or so in Seattle, buy some of the finest the city has to offer, legally. Go back to my hotel room, smoke and chill, legally

Seamus, you might want to read up on Washington state's anti-smoking laws before booking your ticket. All hotels in that state are now smoke-free.

RR

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

RRII,

" federal will trump state on this issue. The days of these pot laws in Colo. and Wash. are already numbered. Just sayin'."

Wrong, again. Alcohol prohibition ended similarly. Cultivation also needs to be legalized. Stuff the taxation. Are your garden vegetables taxed?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Congratulations Washington! The west coast continues to lead the way.

This will be the first of many.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Nowhere in the article does it say that the two men who were trying to rob the grow site were high. That's just a biased assumption by RR.

Even if they were, which it does not say at all, as someone already pointed out, blaming the weed is like blaming the alcohol when a liquor store gets robbed. It's completely nonsensical.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

RomeoRII: Hide, murder from the result of pot heads trying to steal marijuana from one another is a violent crime.

Dinosaur.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I cant wait to one day spend a week or so in Seattle, buy some of the finest the city has to offer, legally. Go back to my hotel room, smoke and chill, legally. Go out, see a live show, have a few cold brews, go back to by hotel, smoke some more and sleep knowing that I have done nothing illegal and wake up the next day very refreshed. In truth its been years since I did pot, why....as I got older the whole finding, sneaky, shady feeling just didn't work for me, too much stress. Why go too jail for something thats never caused me any harm or to anyone round me?.

Well done Washington State and soon Colorado.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

@Nessie

"although there will still be a large untaxed black market."

Why would there be a large untaxed black market ? I have never heard of "untaxed black market" for cigarettes or beer. I assume weed would be the same probably.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@hide

Marijuana is not addictive, it's medically proven. Cigarettes are way worse, which is legal.

Cigarattes are way worse in terms of both harm and addiction, but marijuana is mildly addictive. No need to make things up, Hide.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_dependence

IIt creates legitimate jobs, farmers, retailers.

That's true.

Extra tax revenue to governments instead of drug makers keeping all the profits.

Kinda true, although there will still be a large untaxed black market.

"War on drugs" ... hasn't worked for 40 years ?

Extremely true.

The ligitimate problems of legalization are issues of traffic safety, the small increased changes of mental illness among those already prone to mental illness and the lack of mitivation that cannibis use can cause. These are less than with alcohol, although that's more of an argument on tighenting up alcohol restrictions.

On balance, legalization is not a panacea, but it's a good idea.

@RR

Then, do the job you're being paid to do: arrest these criminals, put them in jail and throw away the key.

People should not have downvoted this comment just because they disagree with it. There's too much of that on Japan Today. Downvote for incivility, factual error and specious reasoning, please, people. Don't downvote someone for holding different views.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

@RomeoRII

"murder from the result of pot heads trying to steal marijuana from one another is a violent crime."

So ? Can you not read ? PEOPLE ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES ARE ALREADY SMOKING POT !!!!!!

War on drugs has't worked in the last 40 years. By legalizing it, we can control it and create tax revenues and legitimate jobs.

It is illegal now and it hasn't stopped people from smoking it.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Romeo.. smoke a bowl and chill dOod. I mean you take ibuprofen i assume? That has killed more people than any weed I have ever smoked.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

This is how Prohibition ended - states repeal first, Feds have to follow. Good news. although doubt this trend will ever make it to Asia in my lifetime.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

if/when it does go to the SCOTUS, then, well, THEY'LL be the judges of that. Just sayin.

Herve, federal will trump state on this issue. The days of these pot laws in Colo. and Wash. are already numbered. Just sayin'.

RR

-13 ( +0 / -13 )

OMG, so you found one case where people commit crimes while high.

Heh, one case that was directly cited in this story (which you obvoiusly did not read).

I said "Marijuana doesn't make people commit violent crimes", this is true.

Hide, murder from the result of pot heads trying to steal marijuana from one another is a violent crime.

RR

-12 ( +1 / -13 )

@RomeoRII

OMG, so you found one case where people commit crimes while high. Some people are violent whether high or not. I said "Marijuana doesn't make people commit violent crimes", this is true.

I never said Marijuana prevents all violent crimes.

But go on and keep preaching how evil Marijuana is , as typical conservatives do with wrong information from the 60'.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

RomeoRII,

As you pointed out about the robbery bit in the article, violent people will do violent things. For example, banks and other businesses get robbed, women(and men) get raped, and innocent people get assaulted or murdered. But in none of those cases does the "loot" get vilified. The attackers do so to take violently from others. Vilify the attackers, by all means.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

" As I posted earlier, the U.S. Supreme Court will be addressing this issue and overturning the law."

Saying it doesn't make it so. And if/when it does go to the SCOTUS, then, well, THEY'LL be the judges of that. Just sayin.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

time for a visit

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The weed fiends are already violating the law by smoking it in public (as pointed out in this article for those whom haven't read it).

As I posted earlier, the U.S. Supreme Court will be addressing this issue and overturning the law.

RR

-12 ( +0 / -12 )

From this story:

police said two masked men who tried to rob a large pot-growing operation in a residential garage were shot and killed outside of Tacoma.

Marijuana doesn't make people commit violent crimes

Right, Hide, riiiight.

RR

-12 ( +0 / -12 )

Get you facts right RomeoRII.

The US has lost out for a long time due to backward Fed restrictions.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

@RemeoRoll

I will state obvious facts:

People all over the country already smoke Marijuana in the United States on a regular basis. Marijuana is not addictive Unlike Cocaine, Marijuana doesn't make people commit violent crimes "War on drugs", "Say no to drugs" campaign has not worked in the last 40 years Marijuana is a big revenue source for gangs and drug cartel from Mexico By legalizing it, that money would go to farmers, retailers and governments instead of drug dealers

Please tell me, why legalizing Marijuana is a problem in any way

6 ( +7 / -1 )

The USSC will eventually overturn this law.

RR

-15 ( +0 / -15 )

This law will eventually go to the USSC and the "tyrant, jihaddi, global warming denier despots" sitting on the bench will overturn it.

Stay tuned.

RR

-16 ( +0 / -16 )

Although this is a step in the right direction, it's just a first step, and further lifting of prohibitions will be required to restore liberty(true liberalism ) including legalization of production, distribution, and public consumption(including alcohol) as the current laws prohibit " imbibing in public places where the consumption of alcohol is already banned, remain illegal."

Restore Liberty!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

It's legal now so people don't have to go to drug dealers.

Hide, did you even read this article? It states:

But for now, it remains a crime to sell, cultivate or even share one’s own stash

RR

-11 ( +3 / -14 )

RomeoRLL, is your post supposed to be sarcastic? It sounds similar to a tyrant, jihaddi, global warming denier, etc. At the very least, it is misinformed and at the worst, fascist.

The current Federal law is similar to alcohol prohibition which allowed criminals (which included the Kennedy family) to supply the demand for alcohol or created criminals out of people making alcohol. Under prohibition repeal, the non-criminal supply increased to displace the so called criminal element. We can only expect the same with this law. People will be happy enough to grow it themselves and not have to pay anyone, criminal or legal vendor. Legitimate vendors will also spring up allowing the government raise additional tax revenue. Criminals will eventually be pushed out of the scene by a concept called freedom. The lack of freedom creates a vacuum that is filled by the criminal element. You propose to maintain that vacuum and have disparaged those who do smoke pot. The voters have spoken and now you propose that their choice should not count. Sounds like something out of a despot. People can have freedom and can be free as long as it doesn't violate the despot's concept of freedom.

A 2005 report supported by 500 economists and Nobel Laureates estimated that the reduction in "crime" fighting will save the U.S. $8 billion dollars, and the taxation of pot will also generate $6 billion. In total, there is a projected benefit in excess of $14 billion dollars, let alone the loss productivity of incarcerating nearly 20 million U.S. citizens for a non-violent crime.

Classifying pot as an equivalent danger as heroin, cocaine, or other hard drugs has always been to economically support industries that would be displaced, like cotton industry, the oil industry, the alcohol industry, the tobacco industry.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

@RomeoRII

Marijuana is not addictive, it's medically proven. Cigarettes are way worse, which is legal.

"The only way weed fiends can get their fix is to be part of a criminal chain of distribution." Huh ? It's legal now so people don't have to go to drug dealers.

This is great news.

It creates legitimate jobs, farmers, retailers. Extra tax revenue to governments instead of drug makers keeping all the profits.

Or would you rather keep "War on drugs", "Say no to drugs" which hasn't worked for 40 years ?

11 ( +12 / -1 )

RomeoRII the war on drugs is lost and only makes things worse. It has brought us meth and bath salts. Please tell me what all of those trillions of dollars has done? Also the USA has more people in prison than Communist China because of the war on drugs. Now it is not illegal on the state side and only the feds will arrest. The state and local police do not have to help them. So this will cause tension between the national state and local governments. The national government should give in to the will of the state.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

the U.S. Justice Department position that growing, selling or possessing any amount of marijuana remained a federal crime, regardless of any changes in state law.

Then, do the job you're being paid to do: arrest these criminals, put them in jail and throw away the key.

RR

-20 ( +2 / -22 )

Great news. Enough said.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

If dope smokers can only buy it through state-approved medical marijuana shops -- which only people with a prescription can -- how are the others who are addicted to that poison suppose to get it?

This is a very bad law. The only way weed fiends can get their fix is to be part of a criminal chain of distribution. If there was ever a time for the U.S. federal government to step in and overrule an insane law, it's now.

RR

-18 ( +1 / -19 )

And then the dumb feds will step in and quash state rights. The west coast of NA never looked more appealing though. Anyone hiring over there?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

About time I'd say.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

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