California residents...legalize it

End prohibition. Please vote in November. Hopefully the other 49 will take heed.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE62O08U20100325

So what are you gonna do when the big, bad federal government comes around and starts waving around the commerce clause?

Looks like it's time to buy stock in snack food companies!

It's already borderline legal here, fully legal with a nominal medical license (in reality, you just pay a doctor $70 and get one, few questions asked). FedGov doesn't like that, and the DEA violently raids our collectives (think of them as pot-marts), which are fully legal businesses per California Prop 215. I can't imagine the FedGov's treatment of the situation changing too much even if the state moved to fully legalise pot and dispense with any pretense of criminality.

Of course the Federal Government won't change their stance.

That would mean they respect state rights.

Such a stance hasn't existed since the Civil War started.

What effect does smoking MJ have on your ability to drive a car safely, and how long does it last? Are there any good ways of testing for it, such as with alcohol?

To me, that is the biggest issue in legalizing it. Even though I personally don't and wouldn't use it, I'm not going to require other people refrain if they want it. (Which is the same as my position on nicotine.) But there definitely needs to be protection for others, and strict rules to prevent it being sold, given, shared or otherwise made available to minors.

Purportedly (i.e. I read it in High Times so the source is a bit biased), smoking pot (up to a certain point) improves your ability to drive. Essentially, you get so paranoid, that you pay more attention to what the hell it is your doing. Get enough weed in you, and the last thing you want to do is to drag yourself off the couch and drive somewhere, so you're unlikely to be a danger behind the wheel.

Again, according to High Times, there were studies which indicated that there's a fairly simple test based on eye pressure (IIRC, you put something like a contact lens on the eye to measure pressure) that could be used to tell if someone was stoned or not. The government quashed the studies when someone pointed out that smoking pot would be useful for treating certain eye diseases which are characterized by pressure building up inside the eye.

I would say High Times might be somewhat biased in their reporting. It affects your reflexes, sensory perception, and short-term memory, if nothing else. There are of course degrees to everything (Does one beer mean you're driving drunk? No.), but I can't condone much MJ consumption in combination with driving.

One wonders if President Obama would be inclined to do so.

If he were, this could very well become a landmark state's rights case.

Well, if High Times says it, it must be true! LOL.

I'm sorry, I'm not buying that marijuana improves your skill at driving. That being said, if it doesn't decrease it, then there's no reason to legislate on that score.

Oh, and the Supremacy clause will soon be called into play. The Feds are going to have to sign off on this.

I'd LOVE to see this come into play though - the states should be telling the Feds to get out of their business on a regular basis.

In any case, if any state can get away with thumbing its nose at the federal government right now, it is California. (Of course, by the time this can be voted on, California's influence in Congress might be seriously diminished, with Nancy Pelosi nothing more than a representative from the minority party...) I would love very much for someone to do it, not so much because I am in favor of legalizing marijuana (I don't mind legalization, provided it includes sufficient protections for others, but it's not a priority to me since I have no more use for MJ than for nicotine), but because I would like to see some limits on Congress' ability to do anything and everything under the pretense of "interstate commerce."

Blaze up!

I'm supporting this is for no other reason than to stick a finger in the eye of the Feds.

In my fantasy world, I live long enough to see buying local land to grow MJ for profit become perfectly legal and hassle-free.

^ It is entirely possible that that is not fantasy. It is by no means a certainty, but it is enough of a possibility that I would not at all classify it as a fantasy.

Come on Cali! You've fucked up your gun situation and pissed of your gays, but this is your chance to shine! Show us the way!

I wanted to put together a "Something for Everyone" initiative to put on the ballot here.

It would...

1. Legalize gay marriage.
2. Decriminalize marijauna.
3. Change the law to 'shall issue' for CCW.
4. Require a balanced budget.
5. Abolish carpool lanes.

None of these (probably) has 50+% support of the California public, but I bet that together they would be a landslide.

State law does not trump Federal law.

Depends on how high I decide to get. Smoking a half gram in an hour effects me about as much as a 4oz serving of white wine would you. The biggest difference is that I'm less likely to want to drive as I'm more cognizant of the impairment. Usually if I'm fully muddle headed about 2-4 hours to clear up, preferably with rest. Even then, I'm pretty careful. Can't tell you about roadside.

Currently in Ontario, cigarettes are restricted to age of majority (19), and fines for retailers are up to $5000 for not id checking anyone appearing under 25.
Thing is, that it is so easy to grow, that it may as well be rescheduled under food and drug acts. There's not really a need to sell finished product as much as seeds or juvenile plants.

I plan to vote for it come Nov. even though I do not smoke. The truth is this underground economy exists and bringing it up into the light will make society safer since it will get rid of the organized crime element plus about 60% of the smuggling down by the Mexican cartels is in MJ so taking away 60% of their revenue will help make Mexico safer as well. Plus the MJ can be grown here and best of all taxed, taxed, taxed. The money is already being spent on it so why not make it above board and let the tax man get a share of it? It will mean lower taxes (or at least more money for services) for the rest of us.

ledain report-1972

Old info though.

Unless marijuana use is specifically banned by the Constitution, it would appear that the 10th Amendment would disagree with your statement.

I suspect this isn't a coincidence.

I suspect legalizing marajuana is right around the corner as the FedGov desperately needs a new and potentially popular product to tax the fuck out of in order to pay for healthcare.

I guess we'll see.

Marijuana should be legalized.

It is illogical to ban a naturally grown substance with far fewer side effects than alcohol, and leave alcohol legal.

In addition, it is illogical in today's economy to cut off a viable and relatively harmless revenue stream.

Thirdly, legalization of marijuana would help cut the crime rate and allow my comrades and I to focus our attention on stopping terrorism and natural disasters. Even I cannot stop a marijuana trade on the Mexican border and save thousands of lives in Haiti at the same time.

And?

It's not like I was making an opinion on whether it should be legal or not. I was merely stating what I believe we are heading towards.

For the record, I think it should be legal for adults. I also think there needs to be huge consequences for operating under the influence...particularly if someone is hurt or killed.

I agree there should be enormous consequences.

Though I suspect such cases will be very rare.

Apply the same regulation and taxation as tobacco. Make a dent in traffic from Mexico, reduce prison populations, free up law enforcement to deal with real crime.

It's about damn time.

If it is passed I am curious to see several effects:

1. How quickly other states will do the same, particulary western states like Oregon, Colorado, and Nevada who have had similar referendums on ballots in the past, and what could be the first east coast state to more forward with this.

2. Any federal actions either via law enforcement or Supreme Court.

3. Prices. Currently the Medical Clinics make a killing charging street prices when the have no risk or middlemen. I would think the owners of those clinics will hate to see it legalized recreationally. Even if they tax the shit out if it, with competition the price will go down compared to street or clinic prices.

4. Will there be "dry counties" in California like with alcohol in the bible belt? Seems that there is an opt-out for local governments similar to strip club zoning.

Well, lets just hope it passes to get the ball rolling. I'm in my 40's and would love to be able to peacefully purchase MJ with a variety of choices before I get too old. I will happliy pay tax, not smoke while driving or in resturants, whatever. It's a fucking mission at my age to get it, and choices are limited to what whoever has at the moment with the ever present risk factor. Plus, whenever I meet a new guy they think I'm a fucking cop. While beer drinkers stroll in and out of a 7-11 with a 6-pack without flinching. So unfair it's silly.

I'm not holding my breath though, I was a little kid in the 70's and don't remember but many people tell me they all felt like legalization was around the corner back then.

Did garamet just say something that I agree with?

Techman would have loved this thread

In any event, I completely agree with legalization, at least to those over 21, same as alcohol, even though I haven't smoked pot in nearly 30 years.