Legalize it?
Raw Story is reportingPoll: Majority of Americans support legalizing marijuana with
“52 percent came out in favor, with 37 percent against. The poll was commissioned by the conservative-leaning O’Leary report.”
and with Medicinal Marijuana currently wafting it’s way through the Minnesota Legislature I can’t help but wonder if the Federal Government is doing a major disservice to the states by not legalizing, taxing, and regulating. It’d certainly put to rest the issue of medicinal marijuana once and for all.
Minnesota is already considered a state that has decriminalized non-medical cannabis
What do you think?
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You forgot an option: legalize it, don’t bother trying to tax or regulate it.
The plant is called weed for a reason. From what I understand, it is _extremely_ cheap and easy to grow (if you don’t have to do crazy advanced hydroponic setups to hide your farm). I am highly skeptical that any tax revenues gained will offset cost of the enforcement that you’d have to do to make sure that people are actually paying said taxes.
The only downside to taking a totally hands-off approach is unscrupulous sellers passing off dangerous product. If stoners are worried about that sort of thing, they can just grow their own. (and, obviously, some sort of quality certification for medical marijuana would be required, to make sure that the supplies for those people who _need_ the stuff will be safe and of the appropriate potency).
@sparklemotion That’s an interesting approach, especially since the government doesn’t try to tax or regulate home beer brewers who brew purely for personal drinking pleasure.
@Sparklemotion – In regards to "legalize it, don’t bother trying to tax or regulate it." I had considered that option, but felt that "Keep it illegal – Lower penalties" could achieve the same thing. The advantage being there would be some legal controls e.g. people wouldn’t be able to smoke in public, a grower could only have 20 plants, etc while doing virtually no enforcement. I think NY and a few places did this in the 70’s.
"The only downside to taking a totally hands-off approach is unscrupulous sellers passing off dangerous product"
That’s always the fear, but it seems like an urban myth. I haven’t heard of a single case where that’s happened so I think the approach of either Decrim or legalize it and do nothing would both work.
@Greg – Great example. In places where homebrewing is illegal they try almost the same scare tactics as with pot.
@David – as a homebrewer, it makes me feel all oogey inside to think that there are places where it’s illegal can you give me an example or two I can do more research?
I’m guessing that the "right" answer here, is somewhere between strict regulation, and total laissez-faire. I just worry when I see ideas like "tax and regulate" because of the implication that marijuana is the source of some huge revenue stream that the government is squandering right now… I really don’t think there is that much money in it from a governmental perspective (there’s an insane amount of money to be _saved_ by not locking up potheads though).
I think it’s illegal in Kentucky, for example. Here’s a nice lookup by State
"I really don’t think there is that much money in it from a governmental perspective"
I agree, in a way. Not much money when compared to the huge levels of money the gov’t deals with, but I’ve heard the tax revenue from medicinal in Ca has been a minor boon of sorts.
Sometimes I think the real *money* (from a gov’t perspective anyway)is in continuing to fight against pot. There sure are a lot of Drug Task Forces,Forfeiture and Seizure revenues,training,equipment, departmental budgets and so on that is gained by the fight.
It’s easy to forget the Gov’t isn’t in the business of making money, it’s in the business of spending our money, which they see as "revenue".
Though I totally agree on the cost savings or even shifting the money to fight more serious drugs.
In case anyone was wondering, my vote was "Get a haircut, hippy!"
I’m not sure who we think we’re kidding with medical marijuana. If people with terminal illness want to smoke a joint, more power to them, but in most cases it’s not what doctors would consider the most effective treatment.
I don’t have an issue with legalization, but let’s call a spade a spade. People want to make it legal because they enjoy smoking it. And why shouldn’t they?
To keep Cannabis illegal while tobacco and alcohol are dispensed freely is murderously stupid.
http://tinyurl.com/Henningfield-Benowitz
http://www.google.com/search?&q=tashkin
Any questions?
Richard Steeb
San Jose, California
@emilysaysso – I think richardsteeb has some reasons as to "why shouldn’t they?"
@richardsteeb – Good points.
"Any questions?"
Of course.
Does the Tashkin research cover usage with a vaporizer? I’m told there’s no smoke.
Re:Henningfield-Benowitz: I presume your believe alcohol,caffeine, and any drug that has the potential for dependence (including prescriptions) should be illegal?
If so, kudos to you.