Rabbits Getting Stoned? Yes It Is Political

[Mermaid]

[Baruch]

And fall disproportionately on the poor and black.

That is a feature, not a bug ;-(

[AllPurposeAtheist]

On the serious side of it, let me share a brief outline of my arguments against the Neo-Prohibition.

1. Threat of imprisonment doesn't keep most of the people who want to use drugs, from using them anyway.
        A. It turns everyday citizens into criminals

2. The sentences are way out of proportion to the “crime.”

3. The “crime” is essentially, having too much fun.
        A. Use of some natural drugs, for pleasure, could be considered a natural extension of the “pursuit of happiness,” one of our supposedly inalienable rights.

4. Use of drugs is not equal to abuse of drugs.

5. Addiction is a health issue, not a crime.

6. It costs billions to investigate, prosecute and incarcerate users and low-level dealers.
        A. Drug prevention and rehabilitation programs seem like a better use of the money.

You seem to forget that the drug war IS a job creator for guards, cops, lawyers, cartels and the multitude of companies that are in on the drug use detection business . Someone's shitty luck is someone else's windfall..

[Baruch]

CIA has profited in Nam and Afghanistan from the drug trade.  Supposedly they use it to launder money, so the enemy won't know what we are up to.

[drunkenshoe]

Sometimes I wonder how the majority of people percieve marijuana specifically among all drugs.

Not that I know a lot, but according to my experiences, most people who argue against the legalisation of marijuana literally know nothing about it more than it is some sort of a drug that makes people high.

[stromboli]

Sometimes I wonder what the majority of people percieve marijuana specifically among all drugs.

Not that I know a lot, but according to my experiences most people, who argue against the legalisation of marijuana literally know nothing about it more than it is some sort of a drug that makes people high.

I on the other hand know a whole lot about it, including how to grow it, and am for the legalization of it. And it alleviates my wife's pain and allows her to have more mobility, which works for me.

[drunkenshoe]

I on the other hand know a whole lot about it, including how to grow it, and am for the legalization of it. And it alleviates my wife's pain and allows her to have more mobility, which works for me.

Yes, I know. I remember you mentioning it. Definitely, if something has a meedicinal usage it should be legal.

[Baruch]

Big Pharma doesn't like herbs and spices ;-)

[stromboli]

The headline in the local paper today said the medical marijuana bills are moving forward, so there is hope. We already have access to pot, but it would be nice for it to be legal. Nobody here including the cops really give a shit about it any more. If you are caught with it, unless it is more than a few grams, you likely get only a fine. Not many people getting jailed over just possession.

There have been several instances and reports of using Cannabinol in some form or other for seizures and the governor has allowed the use of it for pediatric patients, so we are getting there.

[stromboli]

The Mormon church (naturally) came out and opposed one of the 2 bills. One bill would legalize THC for medicine, the other non-THC for use. Since Utah is a theocracy, the first bill is probably dead in the water. Doesn't matter. If the second bill passes, some useful result might happen.

And it is still available from "other sources".

[Solomon Zorn]

You seem to forget that the drug war IS a job creator for guards, cops, lawyers, cartels and the multitude of companies that are in on the drug use detection business . Someone's shitty luck is someone else's windfall..

You're absolutely right. But my argument is that this incarceration industry, whose windfall is funded by tax-dollars, is a waste of billions, keeping untold numbers of harmless, happiness-pursuing citizens from being productive at all (since they're incarcerated). It's a lose/lose situation.

And I don't think most voters are going to reason that drugs should be illegal, just so that we can keep the prosecutor's office busy. Most of the time, they probably have too many cases for them to handle properly anyway.

President Obama has, at least, noticed the epidemic drug-related incarceration problem. The winds of change may be shifting.