On The Legalization of Cannabis

[thehoodedsmack]

Any posts after mine that are debating 4/20 will be infracted.

So he made a thread about it.

This thread is for the discussion of the justification behind the legal status of cannabis, as well as discussion of ideas pertaining to its legalization, decriminalization, or even strengthened criminalization.

In order to better organize and compare the views of those partaking in discussion, I would like to ask that those who do include in their first post a quoted summarization of their particular stance, preferably in a non-standard color, to allow people convenient and visually noticeable access to the arguments they are for and against, while separating it from the rest of the quotes in the thread. Example:


It is my belief that the criminalization of cannabis is a self-fulfilling effort to strengthen the anti-drug budget, and provide cheap fodder for the privatized prison system that is growing worldwide.

I believe that a beneficial system could be maintained wherein cannabis was legalized to the fullest extent, and regulated in a similar sense to tobacco, prohibiting the sale to minors, and taxing the production of those who market cannabis commercially. Apart from that, anyone should be allowed to cultivate cannabis for their own personal use.

It is my deepest desire that conversation can be ket lively and respectful in this thread, and that we will all come to learn something about ourselves, each other, and the way that cannabis impacts the world. Discuss.

[Aerowyn]

Legalizing cannabis would do a great deal of good for the country. Regulate it, package it, and tax it. Voila. TONS of revenue.

And the leftover hemp can make stronger, more durable rope, and you can make a more efficient paper product. You can make the same amount of paper with LESS hemp. It's eco-friendly and faster to grow and harvest for hemp/paper than trees.

People who want to smoke pot are already out there smoking it; it's not as if it's impossible to find. And as far as it goes as being a "drug," it's actually rather tame. Tamer than cigarettes, even. It's non-addictive (to clarify: PEOPLE get addicted to it because of a weakness in character, like people get addicted to gambling. The drug itself does not make one become physiologically dependent like harder drugs). Less people would be going to jail for drug trafficking/possession, which means we as taxpayers wouldn't have to be as burdened with it.

All things considered, if cigarettes are legal (and much more harmful to your health), pot should be too.

Of course, I don't smoke pot, and never intend to. But it's stupid for the government to make such a big deal out of it.

[Dwood]

Of course, I don't smoke pot, and never intend to. But it's stupid for the government to make such a big deal out of it.

Just look at mexico and see how well that regulation and legalization is holding out.

[thehoodedsmack]

Reminded by Aerowyn's mention that she has never used cannabis, I have added a poll. Please pick the two answers that best correspond with your situation.

[sleepy1212]

It is my belief that the criminalization of cannabis is a self-fulfilling effort to strengthen the anti-drug budget, and provide cheap fodder for the privatized prison system that is growing worldwide.

I believe that a beneficial system could be maintained wherein cannabis was legalized to the fullest extent, and regulated in a similar sense to tobacco, prohibiting the sale to minors, and taxing the production of those who market cannabis commercially. Apart from that, anyone should be allowed to cultivate cannabis for their own personal use.

agreed. I also would add the prevention of gang related crime, see: Laredo, TX.

I disagree with the idea that it is not addictive. It may not be your typical chemical dependency complete with painful withdraw symptoms like heroin but it is addictive. Lack of physiological addiction does not preclude psychological addiction which can be just as powerful as the former and harder to treat.

I also do not harbor any delusion that marijuana smokers will act more responsibly than people who drink. There will always be abusers of substances, legal or not. The abusers of any substance do not represent the average consumer.


Just look at mexico and see how well that regulation and legalization is holding out.

Mexico regulating anything is laughable and doesn't compare to the US. Which makes me wonder...

Who lives in a country where cannabis is legal/not legal?

[Choking Victim]

I believe there's more benefits than drawbacks to the drug being legalized. Taxed distribution would generate a lot of revenue, as everyone said, and with the economy in such a bad place right now it's even more of a reason to do so. The medical benefits of the drug speak for itself, chemotherapy patients and aids victims can take it to stimulate hunger, glaucoma sufferers for pain and so on. Some people might counter this argument saying that consumption of the drug (via smoke inhalation) are more harmful than beneficial, but these people don't understand that there's multiple ways to ingest it. THC is fat soluble so it can be baked into foods (delicious brownies) and eaten, a healthier and more effective way of consuming it. I always felt it was wrong for the government to tell me that I can't ingest a plant that can be grown by anyone, and grows wild in some parts of the world. It's alot less incapacitating than alcohol, so driving under the influence isn't really that big of a deal with this substance.

Edit: Ohh and the legal implications for the drug are ridiculous right now. People being jailed and made out to be murderous criminals, having their lives ruined over possessing a plant, it's absolutely unjustifiable.

[jcap]

I think it should be legal to possess, but illegal to sell without a license (I think it's actually legal to sell with a license currently, but the government simply doesn't issue any licenses). It should be illegal to smoke in public and to sell to a minor too. Tax it and make sure that the sales are reported.

[SnaFuBAR]

I think legalization would be the best economical decision. Los Angeles County is already deep in debt and worrying about paying fire and police departments. Recently it lost 75 million dollars. The money spent on pursuing convictions on use/posession and employing the manpower to fight a losing "war" on cannabis is absolutely ridiculous. Turn that money-hole into some state income. Goddam.

[sleepy1212]

I think it should be legal to possess, but illegal to sell without a license (I think it's actually legal to sell with a license currently, but the government simply doesn't issue any licenses). It should be illegal to smoke in public and to sell to a minor too. Tax it and make sure that the sales are reported.

That was an old law that was overturned in the 30's by the SC. It basically gave license to sell/posses but it required you already possess in order to get the license which means you had to break the law to comply with the law. It was overturned for violating the 5th amendment. Marijuana was later criminalized in the Controlled Substances Act.

[paladin]

In Wa, you can grow medicinal marijuana with a license. I think you can have up to 16 plants

[ICEE]

Of course, I don't smoke pot, and never intend to. But it's stupid for the government to make such a big deal out of it.

See, this is an opinion that I can agree with. You don't have to be a pothead to recognize that it isn't something worth making a huge deal about. To be honest, I doubt that the number of smokers would go up considerably (permanently that is) if cannabis were legalized. Drugs are something that cannot be stopped (Like guns :D but that is for a different thread) even if you want to. Even if they were banned entirely, people would still be getting them into the country just as easily as they are now.

I think that marijuana should be legalized for personal use, but not legal in public (for the same reasons as cigarettes are outlawed in public places, as well as secondhand highs).

Theres a time and place for weed. There will always be losers who get addicted to it and waste their lives, same as with alcohol, but thats no reason the rest of us shouldn't be able to enjoy it every now and then.


Just look at mexico and see how well that regulation and legalization is holding out.

Mexico is an awful example.

[bravo22]

Legalize it with proper regulation, basically the same way western countries handle the sale of alcohol. Don't sell it to minors, tax it fairly, and also raise awareness about the dangers of addiction through education. We've already helped a lot of people stay away from tobacco cigarettes by properly educating schoolchildren about its dangers, so if we take the same approach with marijuana, we can reduce the risk of people doing stupid things resulting from addiction.

I don't smoke it, but I see more problems with criminalizing it than with legalizing it.

Plus, legalizing it would put the drug cartels out of business, and save a lot of children from getting enslaved to make the dope, and improve public safety in some Latin American countries since these guys can't employ their private armies anymore.

Islam forbids intoxicants for recreation, whether it's alcohol or marijuana or whatever, so in Abu Dhabi where I live, the drug problem is tiny compared to western countries as the population is largely Muslim. But in more liberal societies and cultures, it's a different story, and thus different attitudes need to be taken.

Besides, marijuana is legal in the Netherlands, and afaik the Dutch have pretty normal lives - legalizing the stuff has not turned the entire country into potheads. I suspect this is because the majority of the populace has been properly educated about how addiction can be dangerous.

As for people turning to crime to fund their drug addictions - well, attacking the drugs will not do a damn thing! If you want to solve this problem, fight the actual crime itself. Start by employing more cops to patrol the streets. A drug addict is far less likely to mug the innocent pedestrian for money to buy drugs, if he knows there are cops watching.

Anyway, I can never understand the western fascination with getting high (seriously, why waste money on something so pointless?), but hey as long as they don't turn violent in the process I'm fine with it.

[annihilation]

I think they should legalize it.

It would bring in extra money and save some.

They should have better things to do than arresting drug addicts and drug dealers.
And actually put tax payers money to good use.

[Aerowyn]

I disagree with the idea that it is not addictive. It may not be your typical chemical dependency complete with painful withdraw symptoms like heroin but it is addictive. Lack of physiological addiction does not preclude psychological addiction which can be just as powerful as the former and harder to treat.



But keep in mind that anything can really be psychologically addictive. Pot, gambling, sex, washing your hands, etc. But that's a personal thing. It's not the drug lending to the addiction; it's the person.

PS. way to go with the poll guys, voting on every answer is win?

[Heathen]

for medicinal, for paper, cloth, for fun. Legalize it.


E: oh, and fyi, its not addictive.

The high is, but thats quite alright.

[EX12693]

God created ALL plants. For us to use. So I am. Why is there objection?

[annihilation]

Okay then.
Let's all go eat some Posion Ivy and strange berries!
Then let's go swimming in an active volcano.
We'll be fine. I mean, God did create it and all.

Also, God does not exist. Making you're argument invalid.http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/6706/coolfaceemot.png

[Dwood]

Religion != idiocy

EX that statement did not fall under religion.

[CN3089]

On The Legalization of Cannabis

yeah sure why not just don't expect to not get looked down upon


God created ALL plants. For us to use. So I am. Why is there objection?

there is no god, deal with it~

[Mass]

Just look at mexico and see how well that regulation and legalization is holding out.

Mexico's solidity as a state is at risk and people are being murdered constantly because of the drug policies of the United States. The total prohibition of hard drugs and marijuana paves the way for a massive black market, and makes possible large criminal organizations which feed North American appetites and feed on American wallets. If cannabis is worth so much more per acre than tomatoes or other local crops, why would Mexicans grow anything else? After all, with all that drug money and the lack of simple restrictions on combat weapons in U.S. border states, protecting that crop is still more profitable than tomatoes, especially considering you have a 9/10 chance of hitting the market if you do it right.

Simply speaking, the continuous human catastrophe formerly known as the "War on Drugs" is a self-fulfilling prophesy. Moreover, It's really sad how you don't realize policies you support result in the ongoing deaths of innocent people ( and a lot who aren't...) outside our borders.

Thanks

[FreedomFighter7]

Mexico's solidity as a state is at risk and people are being murdered constantly because of the drug policies of the United States. The total prohibition of hard drugs and marijuana paves the way for a massive black market, and makes possible large criminal organizations which feed North American appetites and feed on American wallets. If cannabis is worth so much more per acre than tomatoes or other local crops, why would Mexicans grow anything else? After all, with all that drug money and the lack of simple restrictions on combat weapons in U.S. border states, protecting that crop is still more profitable than tomatoes, especially considering you have a 9/10 chance of hitting the market if you do it right.

Simply speaking, the continuous human catastrophe formerly known as the "War on Drugs" is a self-fulfilling prophesy. Moreover, It's really sad how you don't realize policies you support result in the ongoing deaths of innocent people ( and a lot who aren't...) outside our borders.

Or, you could, you know, just stop doing drugs.

Nevertheless you make a good point.

[Cojafoji]

Anyone looking for the positive side of drug legalization, please see Portugal (http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=portugal-drug-decriminalization).

[ICEE]

we're not talking about legalizing heroin here. we're talking about weed

[Cojafoji]

we're not talking about legalizing heroin here. we're talking about weed
In the eyes of every politician, marijuana is just as bad as heroin.

[NuggetWarmer]

Even though most people use marijuana to get high, there are tons of other uses for it.

Medicine, cloth, plastics, metals, food, oil, and more.

[Bodzilla]

"ALL RESEARCH AND SUCCESSFUL DRUG POLICY'S SHOWS THAT TREATMENT SHOULD BE INCREASED
LAW ENFORCEMENT DECREASED WHILE ABOLISHING MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCES."

System of a down had it right back 2001.
and Coja thats a good link man, didnt knot about that in portugal

[bravo22]

I disagree about decreasing law enforcement, after all legal or not there's still the huge problem of junkies turning to violent crime to fund their habits.

Keep employing more cops, but deploy them to actually patrol the cities and watch the junkies to make sure they can't mug people or break into houses. Stop trying to hunt down a marijuana garden while innocent people are getting assaulted on the other side of town. As my uncle in BC said, if you want to fight the crime resulting from drug addiction, then fight the crime, not the drugs. The problem is that the authorities are working too hard on tracing the drugs while the crime goes up, and not deploying enough manpower to fight the crime. If police are watching every corner, those bums will think twice before committing crimes. Those who are that stupid that they try to commit the crime anyway will either end up in handcuffs or in a grave depending on how violent they are.

[Bodzilla]

you dont fight the crime, you fight the cause's of the crime or it will just keep happening.

What your proposing is what they've been proposing for the last 30 years and hey newsflash, it hasnt worked.

[Cortexian]

Aerowyn pretty summed up my stance on the subject.

The revenue gain alone would almost be worth it if Cannabis was legalized and packaged under Government laws. The people who want to smoke it are doing so and there are hardly any more negative effects than smoking cigarettes.I've tried it before and I disliked it as much as I dislike cigarettes. Sure, the effects are nice but I have a problem with the inhalation bit and I've never been able to smoke (anything) without almost dying from coughing... Now that I've had a Pnumothorax incident I don't think I'll be smoking much of anything from this point on. That said there are other methods that don't suck as much to use...
http://leimg.lancersedge.com/images/26660297551223892821.gif

[ICEE]

brownies, brah

[DarkHalo003]

I don't know if cannibis is exactly in league with the difficulty to regulate and stick a price on as Pot is for the gov't, but I honestly wish it would stay illegal, simply because I'm not pro-smoking and think that legalizing something like Pot can cause issues in society. Now the issues are up to you to think about. I really just think adding another type of smoke into my air space makes things too complicate and unhealthy.

[Bodzilla]

but it's not in your airspace though?

Thats the thing i dont get about the entire affair. It's a personal thing that effects people on an individual basis.
I'll never understand why so many people care about what other people are doing in their own bedroom and the reason why we think we should legislate it.

[SnaFuBAR]

I don't know if cannibis is exactly in league with the difficulty to regulate and stick a price on as Pot is for the gov't, but I honestly wish it would stay illegal, simply because I'm not pro-smoking and think that legalizing something like Pot can cause issues in society. Now the issues are up to you to think about. I really just think adding another type of smoke into my air space makes things too complicate and unhealthy.
So, just because you're not pro-smoking it should stay illegal? Because your idea that weed legalization can cause issues in society has no evidence in supportive it should stay illegal? What are the issues to think about? I do not nor have ever known violent consumers of weed. None of them rob or steal to support a habit. It is not a gateway drug. So please, enlighten me what the "issues" are?

Making it illegal is what causes the issues. It gives power to cartels, it drains resources for state governments to fight, it keeps people jailed for possession and overcrowds jails for a non-violent "crime" with non-addictive substance! It is entirely wasteful to combat a social habit that has no real ill effects on society.

You think weed smoke is going to pollute your air? That's entirely laughable. Don't sit in a room with a smoker of any kind and you won't have problems. the air outside isn't going to be thick with weed smoke if it's legalized. If that's your train of thought, you should tell people to stop industrialization, stop driving cars, stop raising cows, but you won't.

[sleepy1212]

You think weed smoke is going to pollute your air? That's entirely laughable. Don't sit in a room with a smoker of any kind and you won't have problems. the air outside isn't going to be thick with weed smoke if it's legalized. If that's your train of thought, you should tell people to stop industrialization, stop driving cars, stop raising cows, but you won't.

Agreed. It's mentalities like these that lead people on tirades about cigarettes, and pretty much anything they think should be regulated/criminalized because it simply "gets on their nerves."

[Choking Victim]

It is not a gateway drug. So please, enlighten me what the "issues" are?
The reason it's considered a gateway drug is because it's illegal. If it was legal, our opinions towards it would be no different than that of alcohol and cigarettes. That said, I wholeheartedly agree with you.

[Cojafoji]

The reason it's considered a gateway drug is because it's illegal. If it was legal, our opinions towards it would be no different than that of alcohol and cigarettes. That said, I wholeheartedly agree with you.
But then again, if you look at people who have addictive personalities, and are actively seeking help for problems with say, meth, coke, or heroin, and you asked them what the first drug they did was, they'll probably tell you it was marijuana.

This is from personal experience. I've known and dealt with a couple of addicts, as I'm sure all of us have.

edit: This was a devils advocate statement, as I'm pro legalization.

[Choking Victim]

But then again, if you look at people who have addictive personalities, and are actively seeking help for problems with say, meth, coke, or heroin, and you asked them what the first drug they did was, they'll probably tell you it was marijuana.

This is from personal experience. I've known and dealt with a couple of addicts, as I'm sure all of us have.

edit: This was a devils advocate statement, as I'm pro legalization.
My roommate could have been the poster boy for the whole "Marijuana is a gateway drug" campaign, but he's no longer like that. I agree that most hard core addicts will say marijuana is the first drug they've tried, but I'm arguing that it wouldn't be that way if the drug was legalized in the first place. It would simply be regarded as just another social norm like cigarettes and alcohol, not something that leads to shooting up heroine and other hard drugs.

[SnaFuBAR]

There's no way you could ever label marijuana as a gateway drug. THC is a non-addictive substance and does not create dependence. People who use hard drugs and started with marijuana may have used it first because of the cost and ease of getting it. They also have addictive personalities. There is no physiological dependence with THC. Psychological dependence is the issue with people who have addictive personalities. The same can be said of alcohol and cigarettes.

[DarkHalo003]

So, just because you're not pro-smoking it should stay illegal? Because your idea that weed legalization can cause issues in society has no evidence in supportive it should stay illegal? What are the issues to think about? I do not nor have ever known violent consumers of weed. None of them rob or steal to support a habit. It is not a gateway drug. So please, enlighten me what the "issues" are?

Making it illegal is what causes the issues. It gives power to cartels, it drains resources for state governments to fight, it keeps people jailed for possession and overcrowds jails for a non-violent "crime" with non-addictive substance! It is entirely wasteful to combat a social habit that has no real ill effects on society.

You think weed smoke is going to pollute your air? That's entirely laughable. Don't sit in a room with a smoker of any kind and you won't have problems. the air outside isn't going to be thick with weed smoke if it's legalized. If that's your train of thought, you should tell people to stop industrialization, stop driving cars, stop raising cows, but you won't.
Issues? Abuse. Simple over-smoking and the habits that form from it. It DRAINS money like a mosquito drains blood. I know people who spend their entire account on Pot and they regret it because they have no money. "BUT WAIT THAT WON'T HAPPEN!!!!" Yeah, it will. Just like a cigarette smoker pays a shit ton for all of the cigarettes they smoke, a Cannabis smoker would pay near the same for "recreation." And people imprisoned for having Pot usually are the trafficers, the ones who sell it, which is the more illegal side to things. The reason why it's illegal is because the gov't can't slap a sticker on it and name it theirs entirely.

This is what I generally mean by issues:

But then again, if you look at people who have addictive personalities, and are actively seeking help for problems with say, meth, coke, or heroin, and you asked them what the first drug they did was, they'll probably tell you it was marijuana.

This is from personal experience. I've known and dealt with a couple of addicts, as I'm sure all of us have.

edit: This was a devils advocate statement, as I'm pro legalization.
I know addicts, especially one who does meth and is in prison, drained his parents of their money through attorneys, and is basically a shell right now through all of his addictions. He was a brilliant kid too. I think that simple things lead onto to more dangerous habits. STUFF GETS ABUSED Snaf and the last thing we need is a next generation of kids who smoke even more so to where their lungs look no different then cigarette smoke; and I'm not just saying they've smoked it once or twice neither. You catch what I mean? My argument is about Health. I know our lungs take in a lot of crap daily, but like I said, shit gets abused.

Also, Pot wreaks. I honestly don't want to be smelling it everyday like I smell cigarette smoke.

[ICEE]

I don't understand why people seem to think that morally reprehensible = must be outlawed.

Alcohol is not moral. It is not, and should not be illegal.

Prostitution is not moral. It is not (IN NEVADA) illegal, though whether or not it should be legal is for another thread.

To be honest, I don't think its the government's place to force morals on us. Marijuna may very well be immoral, and for people like dwood who believe it is wrong, MORE POWER TO YOU. However, in my opinion it is not your right, nor the right of the government to keep another man from doing it. (exceptions to this philosophy include things that hurt others... etc. Not a bulletproof maxim but applicable to this discussion)

It is not the role of government to tell us not to be stupid. It is not the role of government to force us to be moral. It is not the role of government to keep us from hurting ourselves. It is the role of government to keep us safe from forces outside of our personal control, to maintain peace. Marijuana is FAR from dangerous to peace. In fact, if the whole world was high, we'd be too busy making cookies and watching cheech and chong to do anyone any harm. (or any good)

[SnaFuBAR]

@ DarkHalo

You can make the same exact argument of anything else that can be psychologically addictive like gaming, sex, gambling, etc. Your argument can't be strictly applied to the use of marijuana, so again, show me real issues. Issues that are specific to smoking weed.

Of course if you're not a financially responsible person or mature enough to handle your finances ANY habit will be very expensive! Like I said, present SOCIAL problems specific to WEED rather than INDIVIDUAL problems applicable to ANYTHING. You can't equate a METH ADDICT to a MARIJUANA SMOKER. If you believe marijuana is a gateway drug, you need to really actually educate yourself about it rather than listening to scare-tactic propagandist media. Making decisions for everyone else's health is NONE of your business.

Looking at the prohibition era, apparently the government still has lots to learn.

Again, trafficers and possesors are incarcerated because it's illegal. If it weren't illegal, there wouldn't be such a problem, would there? No, of course not. trafficers are linked to cartels which also involve far mor heinous crimes. You bankrupt the cartels, you stop a lot of problems associated with them.

Drug trafficing and cartels are a major social problem, again, initiallized by the illegalization of marijuana use.

[Heathen]

oh, & never smoked it, but think it should be legalized.

[Bodzilla]

I know addicts, especially one who does meth and is in prison, drained his parents of their money through attorneys, and is basically a shell right now through all of his addictions. He was a brilliant kid too. I think that simple things lead onto to more dangerous habits. STUFF GETS ABUSED Snaf and the last thing we need is a next generation of kids who smoke even more so to where their lungs look no different then cigarette smoke; and I'm not just saying they've smoked it once or twice neither. You catch what I mean? My argument is about Health. I know our lungs take in a lot of crap daily, but like I said, shit gets abused.
You can Abuse your body with water if you really want to.
we should ban it too.

:ugh:

Thats a terrible unconstructive and non practical way of approaching a problem. I just dont see why poeple always point the way and say that Prohibition is the way to go, when you consider the fact it's never worked, ever, for thousands of years it's never worked, it's not going to just magically start working SO WHY DO PEOPLE PROPOSE THIS?
EVER

Isnt the definition of insanity Doing the same thing twice and expecting a different result?
well what the fuck do you call prohibition!

[Maniac]

Been smoking for lots of years, i become a very different person when i dont have weed.
I do consider myself to be reliant on the effects of pot for emotional stability (yes i do understand how bad that is), but on the other hand i have a very addictive personality and can obsess over almost anything.

As for the gateway thing, from my experiences i have found that more often than not when you are younger and buying pot, there will often be other drugs on offer, its mostly older dealers who specifically sell only weed, and you dont get to meet them till later.
This can make the temptation of buying other drugs greater, imo.

Pot should be taxed to fuck. and i should also be allowed to buy cheap reefer from native reserves.

[TVTyrant]

if the drug was legalized in the first place. It would simply be regarded as just another social norm like cigarettes and alcohol,
See, I don't think that smoking is a social norm anymore, at least not here in the Pacific Northwest. Around these parts people who smoke cigarettes are generally considered to be idiots and disgusting. And I don't think I would want marijuana to be a social norm. I know a ton of people who all they do is lay around, smoking pot. They don't have jobs or go to school or anything. That's what's wrong with it.

However, I do think it should be legalized, if only because I think that its commercialization would both make it "un-hip" and give a ton of cash flow to state governments in the US.

[thehoodedsmack]

Keep in mind, guys, that if cannabis was legalized, the price would go down tremendously.

Today, the price of cannabis averages at over $300 an ounce. Tobacco, on the other hand, costs about $1 per ounce.

While it would still bring in money for your respective governments, the ease of personal production and legalization would push cannabis to a cost lower than tobacco, so be sure not to treat it like a cure-all.

[ICEE]

Taxes on it would be very very high I assume, since many people still consider it to be criminal, the government could probably get away with taxing it ridiculously. Over time, it would come down

[Cojafoji]

Taxes on it would be very very high I assume, since many people still consider it to be criminal, the government could probably get away with taxing it ridiculously. Over time, it would come down
Even if it's highly taxed, we're not talking about anything over 20%. PA has one of the harshest liquor laws in the country, so let's apply their base tax, which is 18%. I'm way to wired now, but if we applied the appropriate production costs to it (from another cash crop with the same type of selective breeding, care and harvesting + refinement [drying, curing etc]), and then added the tax, I'm sure it would probably keep the same price that it has on the street.

THS, this is a preliminary statement. I'll be checking back with appropriate figures later today.

[sleepy1212]

^probably need to throw in a federal tax on that

[ICEE]

in more conservative states, I would be completely unsurprised to see the taxes on it hit 30 or even 50%. The concept of legalizing marijuana absolutely gives the government an opportunity to tax the fuck out of a highly popular product thats gone unprecedented since the end of prohibition of alcohol. They'd be able to get away with it too, since even with massive taxes we probably would be paying roughly the same amount for it that we do now, and without the worry of getting caught.

[thehoodedsmack]

Remember that if cannabis was legalized, anyone could produce it, within their own homes, cheaply, and without fear of arrest. Anyone producing it commercially would only be able to mark up the price in accordance with the convenience of getting it instantly. Any more, and people would turn to producing it themselves. It would be nowhere near today's street value.

Or, if the government decided that only they and those they commissioned could produce it, then street value would decrease, as a reaction to the price of government sanctioned cannabis. The benefit of the illegal act would shift from acquiring a banned substance, to acquiring it for cheap. The government would then be forced to lower their prices to combat the cartel competition.

The invisible hand, gentlemen. Cannabis has a high street value because it is illegal. The risk of producing it isn't money, but prosecution. If it is legalized, in any way, the overinflated price will drop accordingly.

[Bodzilla]

Remember that if cannabis was legalized, anyone could produce it, within their own homes, cheaply, and without fear of arrest. Anyone producing it commercially would only be able to mark up the price in accordance with the convenience of getting it instantly. Any more, and people would turn to producing it themselves. It would be nowhere near today's street value.

Or, if the government decided that only they and those they commissioned could produce it, then street value would decrease, as a reaction to the price of government sanctioned cannabis. The benefit of the illegal act would shift from acquiring a banned substance, to acquiring it for cheap. The government would then be forced to lower their prices to combat the cartel competition.

The invisible hand, gentlemen. Cannabis has a high street value because it is illegal. The risk of producing it isn't money, but prosecution. If it is legalized, in any way, the overinflated price will drop accordingly.
Exactly what i was going to say, Good post +1

[Dwood]

Which in the end is why you'll never see a federal law unbanning marijuana unless it's for cheap: no control.

[TVTyrant]

I don't think we'd legalize it's production for everyone. I think it would be a federally registered process. And here's why: laced weed. I know several people who have bought a dub from their grower buddy, only to have a really bad experience because that guy put something else on the stuff. I think in the US it would be more like the tobacco industry where corporations would grow, market, and sell the product. That's why I said earlier that it would make the drug less "hip", because now it would be tied to greedy ass corporations. It wouldn't be some massive piece of legislation that would free up the use of cannabis. Instead, it would be doing the trhingh that most pot smokers want the least, which would be making it a commercial by product, as well as its sale now giving a large profit to a country that most demonize, especially those inside the US.

BTW, pot dealers are greedy anyways. Why else would they put shotshell traps and hang fish hooks from trees in national forests?

[Choking Victim]

This made me so physically sick, I just had to post it.

RbwSwvUaRqc

Basically the cops bust into a house, shoot the owners dogs in front of his children, and arrest him. Why? for a small amount of cannabis, a pipe with some resin in it, and a grinder. Which one of you opposed to legalization thinks this is right?

Also, the parents were charged with "child endangerment" for having marijuana with children in the home.

Marifuckingjuana = child endangerment
Storming a house and firing guns in the vicinity of children != child endangerment

That's fucked up.

[=sw=warlord]

Wow, that is fucking sick.
That is fucked up beyond recognition.

[k4is3rxkh40s]

Wow, that is fucking sick.
That is fucked up beyond recognition.

Sort of strays off topic, but I dare any politician to say that this wouldn't affect a gamer the same way as a person who doesn't. I had to pause it 3 times just to get through the whole thing, I felt so sick to my stomach.

Keeping with the topic, this is absolutely absurd. I personally don't smoke, but the law has gone way too far for something so minuscule. Hell, even Salvia(a hallucinogen) is legal, and can cause actual harm to people with mental conditions like schizophrenia, of which usually goes undiagnosed until symptoms occur later in life. Especially in "3 Strike" states, people are sent away for life for petty possession. The government is making too much money off of this as-is, and is too stubborn to admit they're wrong, so nationwide legalization in the US would really surprise me.

[Bodzilla]

Lets not bring in extreme gross over-reactions and class them as the norm.

Lets not sensationalise things people.