The Dudeism Forum

Could legalising marijuana save the US economy?

Four decades ago, President Richard Nixon officially launched America's "war on drugs". Generations of US politicians since have continued to crack down on illegal substances, including marijuana.

In his new book, Too High To Fail, author Doug Fine argues that the campaign against cannabis has been expensive and counterproductive.

(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bFu7UxGuvE8/TlbKHR32YBI/AAAAAAAAAV8/RnWRN6kfn5E/s1600/BigLebowski-BIG.jpg)

Burn a J - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19336816

(http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/62438000/jpg/_62438026_109913284.jpg)

Not sure.
But that is not the reason to legalize it.
It makes no sense to have Marijuana classifed as a schedule 1 drug which puts it at the same risk as heroin.
Morphine, Cocaine and Oxycodone and a lot of other very heavy drugs are schedule 2.
Meaning that according to the idiots in charge those are less dangerous than weed,
The point is that the laws against Weed make no sense at all.
And any arguments that it is a "gateway drug" are also lame.
Even if you buy that argument, keeping it legal makes it EASIER for kids to get.
Every underage kid will tell you it is 100 times easier to get weed than Alcohol.
Because they get proofed to buy alcohol.

Don't even get me started.
It's just ridiculous.  

Check out..
http://www.cannabisculture.com/

I used to teach a family law class and the one thing all of the students, conservative and liberal agreed on was how dumb the war on drugs is, and marijuana in particular. Seems like this issue is out of touch with college age kids concerns, and hopefully will end when younger folks make up a larger percentage of the vote. Hope for the future dudes!

http://books.google.com/books?id=KPQVAQAAIAAJ&q=jury+nullification&dq=jury+nullification&source=bl&ots=gErnUusVbu&sig=ziBJ1wxLpeVSUXWoKM2DXTPD-4Q&hl=en&sa=X&ei=o1cwUNLQC-LN6QGstoGwCw&ved=0CDMQ6AEwAA

"Central to the history of trial by jury is the right of jurors to vote "not guilty" if the law is unjust or unjustly applied. When jurors acquit a factually guilty defendant, we say that the jury "nullified" the law. The Founding Fathers believed that juries in criminal trials had a role to play as the "conscience of the community," & relied on juries' "nullifying" to hold the government to the principles of the Constitution. Yet over the last century & a half, this power of jurors has been derided & ignored by American courts, to the point that today few jurors are aware that an important part of their role is, in the words of the Supreme Court, to "prevent oppression by the government."..."

In the last decade or so Jury Nullification has been promoted as a way around marijuana laws....the jury simple returns a verdict of Not Guilty for any marijuana arrests.
8)

If they could just slack up on the law enough to allow for the manufacture of hemp products here that would help a lot.  That's just that side of it. 

They fear hemp, as they fear freedom.

Quote from: cckeiser on August 24, 2012, 12:16:29 AM
http://books.google.com/books?id=KPQVAQAAIAAJ&q=jury+nullification&dq=jury+nullification&source=bl&ots=gErnUusVbu&sig=ziBJ1wxLpeVSUXWoKM2DXTPD-4Q&hl=en&sa=X&ei=o1cwUNLQC-LN6QGstoGwCw&ved=0CDMQ6AEwAA

"Central to the history of trial by jury is the right of jurors to vote "not guilty" if the law is unjust or unjustly applied. When jurors acquit a factually guilty defendant, we say that the jury "nullified" the law. The Founding Fathers believed that juries in criminal trials had a role to play as the "conscience of the community," & relied on juries' "nullifying" to hold the government to the principles of the Constitution. Yet over the last century & a half, this power of jurors has been derided & ignored by American courts, to the point that today few jurors are aware that an important part of their role is, in the words of the Supreme Court, to "prevent oppression by the government."..."

In the last decade or so Jury Nullification has been promoted as a way around marijuana laws....the jury simple returns a verdict of Not Guilty for any marijuana arrests.
8)

They are pretty crafty about that.
It hardly ever goes to trial because for less than an ounce it is a civic violation and if "in public" a misdemeanor. But that's where the nonsense starts. The cops "stop and frisk" so any amount is "in public" and at least a misdemeanor. Then instead of going to trial the judge typically offers a deal where as long as the person does not get arrested again it is completely dismissed after a year.
Of course almost all people accept that and then the cops go back to stopping and frisking virtually randomly and inevitably the same person gets arrested again and now they don't have a trial. It is a crime on their record and they don't have a trial because they took the deal.
They are trying to change the law.
Of course they aren't doing anything about the stupid stop and frisk bullshit which as far as I'm concerned is 100% unconstitutional.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ymxu16J8_m8

(http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/557151_338139002937830_1164272125_n.jpg)

A good video on this on YouTube!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwVbf07pasw

http://weedgeist.blogspot.com/2012/09/gary-johnson-wants-marijuana.html

"It is no secret that presidential candidate Gary Johnson is all for ending the prohibition of marijuana, and he is growing impatient of the current candidate front runners whom show no support for ending the failed war on drugs.

As the former governor of New Mexico (a bordering state with Mexico), Gary Johnson saw first hand the crime activity that spilled over into the US across the border. Illegal drugs were more accessible in his schools due the war on drugs and all crime was climbing because of it."

Quote from: cckeiser on August 24, 2012, 12:16:29 AM
http://books.google.com/books?id=KPQVAQAAIAAJ&q=jury+nullification&dq=jury+nullification&source=bl&ots=gErnUusVbu&sig=ziBJ1wxLpeVSUXWoKM2DXTPD-4Q&hl=en&sa=X&ei=o1cwUNLQC-LN6QGstoGwCw&ved=0CDMQ6AEwAA

"Central to the history of trial by jury is the right of jurors to vote "not guilty" if the law is unjust or unjustly applied. When jurors acquit a factually guilty defendant, we say that the jury "nullified" the law. The Founding Fathers believed that juries in criminal trials had a role to play as the "conscience of the community," & relied on juries' "nullifying" to hold the government to the principles of the Constitution. Yet over the last century & a half, this power of jurors has been derided & ignored by American courts, to the point that today few jurors are aware that an important part of their role is, in the words of the Supreme Court, to "prevent oppression by the government."..."

In the last decade or so Jury Nullification has been promoted as a way around marijuana laws....the jury simple returns a verdict of Not Guilty for any marijuana arrests.
8)

There's a similar concept in English law where a jury has the right to aquit a defendant for ANY reason they choose. It has been used in high profile weed prosecutions. We have more power than we realise. It would be a fascinating experiment if cannabis was fully legalised in say one state. I suspect that the fears of conservatives would prove to be unfounded. We really need to trust people more.

Quote from: cckeiser on September 30, 2012, 03:31:55 PM
A good video on this on YouTube!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwVbf07pasw

The dude makes a lot of sense!

Hopefully after 16 October, there will be at least a tiny breakthrough. If Americans for Safe Access win their case against the DEA. Sure, it would be for medical marijuana only, but at least it's a start. I just think it's a ridiculous thing, keeping it illegal. I probably wouldn't try it anyway, but damn, it's not worth it.

Make it legal,tax it,use hemp products for paper,clothes,fuel...I have been preaching this for years..What a boost it would be...products,JOBS,money...I think it would help..spending tons of cash to keep it out is a fucking waste,and its not working...
Making it legal?..I mark it an 8,all the way around.

Nah.The Taliban would just turn into capitalists,create a monopoly and screw us that way.Still,I s'pose it's better than blowing us up.Or was that some Irish blokes.What year is this?

Quote from: Stever on October 23, 2012, 04:34:01 AM
Make it legal,tax it,use hemp products for paper,clothes,fuel...I have been preaching this for years..What a boost it would be...products,JOBS,money...I think it would help..spending tons of cash to keep it out is a fucking waste,and its not working...
Making it legal?..I mark it an 8,all the way around.

the thing is that hemp and marijuana differ slightly.  Hemp has little to no thc content.  The problem is that either way you slice it the law hates cannibas.  Just hemp alone would do wonders.  Clothing, plastics, food, cosmetics for the female types.  It would create jobs.

Colorado marijuana regulators sign off on pot tourism

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/02/19/marijuana-regulators-ok-pot-tourism-idea-in-colo/#ixzz2LZV7348b (http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/02/19/marijuana-regulators-ok-pot-tourism-idea-in-colo/#ixzz2LZV7348b)

DENVER ?  Marijuana tourism is on the way to Colorado, under a recommendation made Tuesday by a state task force to regulate the drug made legal by voters last year.
But Colorado should erect signs in airports and borders telling visitors they can't take pot home, the task force recommended.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/02/19/marijuana-regulators-ok-pot-tourism-idea-in-colo/#ixzz2LZVFk07B (http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/02/19/marijuana-regulators-ok-pot-tourism-idea-in-colo/#ixzz2LZVFk07B)

And there is new hope for my state as well! Woo Hoo dudes...thinks are finally looking up!
PA State Senator Daylin Leach Formally Introduces Marijuana Legalization Bill Today in Harrisburg

http://blog.norml.org/2013/02/11/pa-state-senator-daylin-leach-formally-introduces-marijuana-legalization-bill-today-in-harrisburg/ (http://blog.norml.org/2013/02/11/pa-state-senator-daylin-leach-formally-introduces-marijuana-legalization-bill-today-in-harrisburg/)

Today, Pennsylvania State Senator Daylin Leach will formally introduce a bill to tax and regulate marijuana in Pennsylvania.

?This past November, the people of Washington State and Colorado voted to fully legalize marijuana,? said Leach. ?It is time for Pennsylvania to be a leader in jettisoning this modern-day prohibition, and ending a policy that has been destructive, costly and anti-scientific.?

Quote from: cckeiser on February 21, 2013, 04:39:08 PM
It is time for Pennsylvania to be a leader in jettisoning this modern-day prohibition, and ending a policy that has been destructive, costly and anti-scientific.

I agree with the cause, surely I do, but third in line is not exactly a leadership position. Was he wasted when he said that?

Can't finish this right now, my dick's on fire. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MAfDXN45d0)

This is reason enough.

http://onpoint.wbur.org/2013/02/20/cost-of-prison (http://onpoint.wbur.org/2013/02/20/cost-of-prison)

Quote
The USA is number one in the world when it comes to the number of people in prison. Bigger than China. Bigger than Russia. America?s prison population is tops. 2.2 million. Bigger than fifteen American states. And its incarceration rate is number one. Three times ? triple ? any other nation?s. All that American imprisonment is very expensive. And very debatable when it comes to effectiveness, fairness ? to justice itself. Now states across the country are reconsidering the mandatory sentencing policies and more that filled those cells. This hour, On Point: slimming down American prisons.

When it comes to criminalization/decriminalization/legalization of any drug the gummint simply needs to put down the law and step away from it. Because what we have here in any case is a Private Property Issue. And there is no more private piece of property than the human body we all walk around in. I say total legalization of all drugs of abuse, sell 'em over the counter at Wally World, let people have as much of any drug(s) as they want. If somebody ODs on heroin my guess is that Darwin would have picked that schmuck off sooner rather than later. The side benefit is you legalize all the drugs and street gangs disappear overnight. They no longer have anything to sell that a person can't buy at the corner store. And sure, tax the shit out of it. Tax it like alcohol and cigarettes. Will that end our financial woes? Hell no! Those are part of the plan.

I'm not sure that all street gangs would disappear, but they'd sure as hell be hurt by it. However, as a non-toker that's for the legalization, I look at it at pretty much the same way. It's your body, do with it as you will. I'm sick of my tax money going to waste on courts and cops looking to bust someone who wants a little while of getting out of his own body.

It just makes no sense to me.

Fuckin aye the government will make money off of it man, look at the way they tax alcohol and cigarettes with their fascist "sin tax" man.

But I will GLADLY pay that fascist sin tax to be able to legally enjoy such a wonderful herb. 8)

Dealers may go out of business, or maybe they'd just have to start paying taxes on it lol. But I'm sure the hemp/smoke industry would bring in a tremendous amount of money to our economy and provide thousands if not millions of people with a job.

Plus a whole lot of good dudes would be able to take it easy knowing that their jobs would be safe from u/a terminations, so long as they weren't using some other substance but that would be their business and not mine lol. :)

I'm for legalizing just to get the hemp market back on track.  Hemp is a far better option then tree's for a majority of everyday products.  Forget the actual numbers but I think it's something like 2 acres of hemp produces 4 times more paper then 2 acres of tree's and requires 5 times less effort in manpower and machinery to process.  Heck I'm pretty sure the US constitution was printed on Hemp Paper lol

Ropes, fabrics, clothes, books, paper...  They used it for just about everything back in the old days and I'm pretty sure it's considered a more sustainable and quicker refreshing resource then waiting for the redwoods to mature and grow. 

If there was a way to develop a plastic derivative with hemp that would actually break down instead of just dividing into microscopic particles and forming a garbage dump in the middle of the sea we'd be all set. 

But the mood is changing.  I wouldn't be surprised in the next 5-10 years seeing a reversal on the Marijuana section of the "drug war"

One of the biggest complaints on any drug taken is the damage to the body and the knock on effect on health provision. If they legalise cannabis you will probably need to declare it for health insurance which will then put you premium through the roof

Quote from: Bobby Milligan on May 16, 2021, 06:31:23 AM
There is a lot of money in the marijuana market. If everyone paid taxes for it, then I think the United States would become richer!

fuckin' eh, man! A cash machine!