Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Article Source: msnbc.com
from:msnbc.comLegalizing marijuana could help California get out of debt, assemblyman says
Seeded on Tue Feb 24, 2009 9:26 PM EST (msnbc.com)
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Ok now this needs" Air Time"!
if this were put into legislation it would be a very very controversial subject and matter not only within the state but also state to state and state to federal as well. if we legelaized marijuana in california and its illegal in nevada.. wouldnt the same drug dealers be able to profit off of the fact that they could drive over a border line and buy whatever he will..
does this not just spark more convroversy between parties..?
Curious...Lets say this law passes. So a person goes to California and gets high. They come back to thier home state and have marijuana in thier system. Urine test etc...
Have they broke a law?
I understand what you are saying about the state to state conflicts "Just a little chipper", however, in your example you use Nevada and California and I want to illustrate some conflicting laws between these neighboring states that are currently in effect:
1st and most obviously GAMBLING. Legal in Nevada (seen in every gas station, grocery store, etc.), only legal in special circumstances in California. This seems to work just fine for both states and governing parties. I believe since it is not prohibited in California but regulated instead there is not a demand for under ground casino's or betting lounges in California.
2nd PROSTITUTION. Legal in some areas of Nevada NOT in California. Nevada is benefiting from cash flow stimulating (pardon the pun) the economy and in California tax payers are paying for enforcement (valuable police time and resources) and accomodations (jail time, paperwork, meals, public defenders, etc) for the persons who choose to pursue prostitution or engage in the extra curricular activity with prostitutes. Also, there are less sex related crimes in Nevada and popular opinion is attributing credit to the accessability of sex.
Smoking cigarettes: Legal pretty much anywhere in Nevada and no where in California (even in a privately owned establishment where smoking is acceptable like a bar). Again, a silly waste of resources to enforce. If an establishment owner chooses to allow it and they are the person that would absorb the loss OR gain in income by allowing such activity (as patrons can choose to go some place else) then what business is that of the government to monitor.
I myself am a live and let live, judge not lest thee be judged, type of person. I do not engage in some of the mentioned above but I can see the benefits to the freedom of chose to engage in the activities for the participant and/or society.
The same for smoking marijuana. Honestly, I believe it to be a safer activity than drinking alcohol which is legal. If you have ever had a couple more than anticipated you may be able to atest to this statement. Marijuana users are typically mellow and easy going people, alcohol users typically rowdy, loud, and drama. The medicinal benefits of marijuana have proven to alleviate pain, stress, and help with increasing the appetite of a chronically or terminally ill person.
California legalizing the use of marijuana would prove to the rest of the states to be more beneficial to the government as far as income and to citizens preferring stress relief that doesn't end up in a fist fight or jail cell (wasting resources AGAIN.). Therefor I believe legalizing marijuana in California will create a chain reaction across the U.S. and the state to state issues would be short lived.
My question is the same as Ken 913909:
"...So a person goes to California and gets high. They come back to thier home state and have marijuana in thier system. Urine test etc... Have they broke a law?"
Will travel documentation be sufficient to prove you did not actually break your state law? OR citizens of states that do not INITIALLY legalize marijuana use are breaking a law by having THC in their systems in their home state so therefor may not smoke marijuana regardless? How is this viewed now as a US citizen when traveling back from Amsterdam after enjoying the culture there?
I think I babbled for longer than necessary on this one, sorry.
Other states which are also in financial trouble will be watching this closely, I'm sure. Also, California owes me a tax reefund, but so far no $. Keep the I.O.U. and I'll be happy to accept my reefund in reefer!
Finally some common sense. I would love to see this pass. Not only would it piss off the feds even more than they already are, but it would finally bring this issue to the forefront. The reason we have drug violence is because the feds prohibit narcotics and fight the losing drug war. This type of legislation would lower the cost of the product dramatically pushing the cartels out of the business as profits would be much smaller. Why can't the US government wake up and start seeing the value cannabis has. While we're at it, go ahead and approve hemp which has no THC in it. Hemp is the worlds most dynamic plant which could help replace plastics, oil and paper products from trees.
Why waste money fighting the marijuana trade? People are going to smoke marijuana whether its legal or not. Might as well tax and regulate it.
“With the state in the midst of an historic economic crisis, the move towards regulating and taxing marijuana is simply common sense. This legislation would generate much needed revenue for the state, restrict access to only those over 21, end the environmental damage to our public lands from illicit crops, and improve public safety by redirecting law enforcement efforts to more serious crimes”, Assemblyman Ammiano said. “California has the opportunity to be the first state in the nation to enact a smart, responsible public policy for the control and regulation of marijuana.” Being a California resident for at least 1 year I hear is a supplimental ammendment to A.B. 390 not exactly sure about those exemptions...I know if you own property that you reside in you're considered a resident instantly. Hope this helps
Prohibition does not work. Demand will lead to a supply and the fact that it's illegal means that you can't have the protection of the police. So what do you do when some one tries to rob you or steal your product if it's illegal for you to have it? You have to use violence. What do ruthless people do when they have millions of dollars at stake? They use violence. The same exact situation that arose out of the prohibition of alcohol has arisen in the trade of drugs. Organized crime makes billions of dollars and the government wastes billions fighting it. Why is it so hard for people to see the direct correlation of prohibition and organized crime? Then there is the whole issue that in order to grow the crops people are destroying parts of our national parks. Despite all the efforts of the brave men and women that serve to uphold the current laws this practice continues unabated due to the huge profits at stake. People have been smoking and eating pot since before biblical times. You can not stop it so you might as take it away from organized criminals and tax it HEAVILY.
I think they should legalize pot Everywhere it will help us with our economy downfall. anyways pot is better than tobacco and alcohol put together.
I think legalization in all states is the only way to go. If you are over 21 then it should be your choice.
Release those people from jail that are there on Marijuana convictions, make it legal to grow your own, end the drug traffic .....please!
Question...
How are they going to keep people from growing/selling their own weed?
Can marijuana help the economy?
It is interesting to see the opportunities that can arise out of crisis. So many things can slip under the radar as we are glued to the chaos on our nightly news. The Bush/Cheney administration used their crisis to wage war and make many of their friends at Halliburton and Blackwater very rich. The current administration is taking a different route. A reversal of the ban on federal funding for stem cell research, the closing of Guantanamo, and a scheduled withdrawal for the troops in Iraq have happened in a short amount of time. These could easily be major fighting points in any election year, yet it all takes a back seat to our ailing economy. Something else may slip under the radar that has the potential to help heal our sick economy. The legalization of Marijuana has made strides in the last few weeks that never would have happened under the last administration. Normally this would be a highly debated idea, but in our current state the process may go unnoticed until it is complete.
In 1996 California was the first of 13 states to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes. President Clinton put in federal restrictions allowing the government to shut down suppliers. President Bush took this one step further and allowed raids on suppliers and growers. These raids continued into this January and February. During a press conference last week our new U.S. Attorney General, Eric Holder, stated that such raids will no longer be a part of president Obama's policy as he does not intend to use federal resources to circumvent state laws. Since then governor Corzine of New Jersey has said that he would sign medical Marijuana legislation if it came across his desk, adding the Garden State to the list. Personally I do not feel that anyone, government official or health care agency, should have the right to stop a doctor with an M.D. from prescribing a drug to a patient if they feel it is warranted.
This brings me to my final point. A recent report from MSNBC has revealed that San Francisco Assemblyman Tom Ammiano is proposing a bill that would legalize all marijuana, not just medical, in the state of California for anyone over the age of 21. Government statistics estimate that California residents spend approximately $14 billion in purchasing marijuana illegally each year. Ammiano's bill can be found here. A $50 per ounce levy and sales tax would total an estimated $1.3 billion in revenue for the state each year. Imagine what would happen if all 50 states legalized it. Think of the billions of dollars that could be generated on sales that are already happening illegally anyway. Don't forget how much money we would save if we did not arrest, prosecute, and jail people for marijuana charges. It would save every major city time and money in their war on drugs. In such difficult financial times, should states be denied money that could easily flow from the sale of marijuana? Will this slip under the radar if the economy keeps doing poorly or will it be highly debated in the public spotlight first? California will be the test run. Best of luck to them.
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