The Marijuana Legalization Thread
It looks like Vermont is close to legalizing the possession of small amounts of pot, but not its sale.
I understand the intent I think (to eliminate arrests of stoners), but overall it makes no sense - what they're doing is maintaining the illegality of a huge underground economy, while protecting the consumers of this economy.
Is there any other place where we do this?
Anyway, it'll be interesting to watch what happens. Hopefully a first step to legalization.
drummerboy said:
what they're doing is maintaining the illegality of a huge underground economy, while protecting the consumers of this economy.
Is there any other place where we do this?
Gun sales?
Maybe, but I don't get it.
jersey_boy said:
drummerboy said:
what they're doing is maintaining the illegality of a huge underground economy, while protecting the consumers of this economy.
Is there any other place where we do this?
Gun sales?
Ron Paul resurfaced to express his disgust at Sessions' crusade on Smerconish. By the way, where did Rand disappear to? I always thought his dad was much cooler. Often made me think of Ross Perot without the pie charts.
Gambling/sports betting
jersey_boy said:
drummerboy said:
what they're doing is maintaining the illegality of a huge underground economy, while protecting the consumers of this economy.
Is there any other place where we do this?
Gun sales?
Rand Paul has made statements that this is a State rather than a federal issue.
Morganna said:
Ron Paul resurfaced to express his disgust at Sessions' crusade on Smerconish. By the way, where did Rand disappear to? I always thought his dad was much cooler. Often made me think of Ross Perot without the pie charts.
I still don't get it. Both ends of illegal betting are subject to prosecution, aren't they?
yahooyahoo said:
Gambling/sports betting
jersey_boy said:
drummerboy said:
what they're doing is maintaining the illegality of a huge underground economy, while protecting the consumers of this economy.
Is there any other place where we do this?
Gun sales?
terp said:
Rand Paul has made statements that this is a State rather than a federal issue.
Morganna said:
Ron Paul resurfaced to express his disgust at Sessions' crusade on Smerconish. By the way, where did Rand disappear to? I always thought his dad was much cooler. Often made me think of Ross Perot without the pie charts.
He's been very quiet lately. No quotes on camera. Wonder where he would stand if impeachment became an issue.
The states rights issue is interesting. Conservatives want states rights on abortion but not on drugs. I'm also intrigued that they approve of the freedom to be heavily armed, which has the potential to endanger others, but endangering one's own health, not allowed.
I simply don't get the panic about a person using drugs. Drink yourself into a stupor, even in a public place, fine. Sit on the coach with a joint and you are a menace to society.
Odd.
How many times have you participated in an illegal betting pool at work or with friends? And how many times did the police show up to arrest someone?
drummerboy said:
I still don't get it. Both ends of illegal betting are subject to prosecution, aren't they?
yahooyahoo said:
Gambling/sports betting
jersey_boy said:
drummerboy said:
what they're doing is maintaining the illegality of a huge underground economy, while protecting the consumers of this economy.
Is there any other place where we do this?
Gun sales?
point taken - I'm not really up on my gambling arrests stats - but the difference is that betting is still technically illegal, while in Vermont's case, the consumer will be explicitly decriminalized.
Maybe a distinction without a difference...
yahooyahoo said:
How many times have you participated in an illegal betting pool at work or with friends? And how many times did the police show up to arrest someone?
drummerboy said:
I still don't get it. Both ends of illegal betting are subject to prosecution, aren't they?
yahooyahoo said:
Gambling/sports betting
jersey_boy said:
drummerboy said:
what they're doing is maintaining the illegality of a huge underground economy, while protecting the consumers of this economy.
Is there any other place where we do this?
Gun sales?
long time no posts, but that's because what I thought would be a fast moving issue sort of got stuck somewhere.
But apparently, we're very close now.
Saw this today
Hope everyone checks out my op-ed on marijuana legalization.
I'll vote to legalize marijuana if these 2 things happen | Opinion
www.nj.com
I really like the idea of taxation of recreational cannabis being used to support the medical cannabis industry and patients as well as for further research. Medical cannabis is NOT covered by insurance, unlike opioids. It would also be useful to use the taxes to support Continuing Ed opportunities and credits for medical personnel, psychotherapists, etc as we all need updating on how best to meet our clients' needs with the advent of widespread access to cannabis. Some of the funds could also go to supporting public facilities for detox, rehab and outpatient treatment of addiction in general.
The original proposal was to divert the tax into the pension funds. Doing this will lessen the likelihood of other taxes being raised to fund the pensions when the funds run dry.
nakaille said:
I really like the idea of taxation of recreational cannabis being used to support the medical cannabis industry and patients as well as for further research. Medical cannabis is NOT covered by insurance, unlike opioids. It would also be useful to use the taxes to support Continuing Ed opportunities and credits for medical personnel, psychotherapists, etc as we all need updating on how best to meet our clients' needs with the advent of widespread access to cannabis. Some of the funds could also go to supporting public facilities for detox, rehab and outpatient treatment of addiction in general.
An easier route for insurance coverage would be for the Feds to remove the legal bans on any use, even for medical purposes. That's why insurance can't cover it now. I like the idea of using the tax funds to deal with the inevitable increase in the number of abusers needing treatment.
High taxes on legal marijuana could be enough to keep the black market thriving (and reduce net taxable sales.) https://money.cnn.com/2017/10/31/news/economy/california-cannabis-tax-fitch/index.html
Yeah, they've got to do the tax carefully.
I like McKeon's idea about a state bank.
Well, well. Looks like New Jersey finally came to an agreement.
Not too many details that I can find yet, but I think I heard on the radio that it will be voted on later in the month. No word on when it would actually take effect.
The bill passed both committees and a full vote is expected this Monday. If approved, expect about a year before available for sale.
I heard on the radio today that Codey is voting no. I guess he figures folks will do better in prison than working and supporting families. What a piece of ****!
Klinker said:
I heard on the radio today that Codey is voting no. I guess he figures folks will do better in prison than working and supporting families. What a piece of ****!
too bad. I generally like Codey.
Klinker said:
I heard on the radio today that Codey is voting no. I guess he figures folks will do better in prison than working and supporting families. What a piece of ****!
Codey needs to retire.
AYFKM?
How can the Black community (or their representatives anyway) be against this? Freaking morons. I guess they prefer that people continue to be locked up for possessing a plant. Jeebus.
drummerboy said:
AYFKM?
How can the Black community (or their representatives anyway) be against this? Freaking morons. I guess they prefer that people continue to be locked up for possessing a plant. Jeebus.
It's a little more complicated than that. Some may resent that, in order to have decriminalization and reform of the penalties for possession (not to mention rectifying the racial disparity in arrests to begin with), they have to agree to full legalization.
there was a lot of cowardice and ignorance on display this week. From some of the quotes I read, there are apparently a lot of elected officials who still believe pot is a "gateway" drug. And others were making the curious claim that legal weed will bring criminal activity to their towns. As if people in their towns aren't currently engaged in the criminal activity of buying, selling, or consuming weed.
drummerboy said:
AYFKM?
How can the Black community (or their representatives anyway) be against this? Freaking morons.
Your mama
nohero said:
drummerboy said:It's a little more complicated than that. Some may resent that, in order to have decriminalization and reform of the penalties for possession (not to mention rectifying the racial disparity in arrests to begin with), they have to agree to full legalization.
AYFKM?
How can the Black community (or their representatives anyway) be against this? Freaking morons. I guess they prefer that people continue to be locked up for possessing a plant. Jeebus.
I still think it's a pretty retrograde position. They're fearful of the evil weed. They have a chance for a great win here, and they're messing it up.
Folks should give Senator Codey a call and let them know what they think of his moral cowardice.
(973) 535-5017
drummerboy said:
nohero said:I still think it's a pretty retrograde position. They're fearful of the evil weed. They have a chance for a great win here, and they're messing it up.
drummerboy said:It's a little more complicated than that. Some may resent that, in order to have decriminalization and reform of the penalties for possession (not to mention rectifying the racial disparity in arrests to begin with), they have to agree to full legalization.
AYFKM?
How can the Black community (or their representatives anyway) be against this? Freaking morons. I guess they prefer that people continue to be locked up for possessing a plant. Jeebus.
Nah. That's not the issue at all, but you know that, right? Right?
I was going to write something about the War On Drugs and the racist drive to fill up for profit prisons with Black and brown people and then maybe slip in a little something about arrest rates for Black folks in states that have legalized weed still being 3X that of white folks. And then cap it off with a link to some Black entrepreneurs who are being denied licenses/permits to enter into this new billion dollar market because they... wait for it... that's right, they have weed related arrests on their record.
Then I was going to explain that the law never treats/sees/benefits Black and brown folks the same way it does white folks. That's why Black law makers know that the only way to ensure that communities that were ravaged by decades of unfair policing and sentencing based on a racist 'drug war', actually benefit from any new legislation.
Yeah, I was going to do all of that and then I realized that you have the same letters on your keyboard that I have on mine and that if you really wanted to know why Black folks are suspicious you could simply type four words in that box- "legalized" "weed" "black" "people" and faster than you could light a fatty, pages and pages of info would appear. Crazy right?
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MTP Daily. Chuck Todd and Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington discussing it.