TheAgitator.com
And No One Was Ever Murdered Over a Michelob Deal Gone Bad
Tuesday, November 24th, 2009The Washington Post reports that support for legalizing marijuana is gaining momentum. The article includes this fun quote from Bruce Mirken of the Marijuana Policy Project:
“…there is a reason you don’t have Mexican beer cartels planting fields of hops in the California forests.”
Thanks to Bob Ewing for the tip.
At this point, all I feel I need to do is sit and wait for this to happen already.
It’s a shame that it’ll take another 2-3 million arrests, 100+ billion dollars in enforcement, and another 10-50 (depending on how it’s taxed) billion in missed tax revenues before we get legalization.
Funny to think of that loss with this economy. Fucking pathetic politicians.
Speaking of which, what if we were to criminalize light beer in the same bill? Think that would get MADD on board?
I call it win-win.
Maybe they just go to bars a little up the scale from the ones I frequent…
The article opens with the ballot results from Maine. Those people up there still perplex me. They’ll allow you to get high if you’re doctor gives you a note, but God-forbid you marry the person you’re in love with!
I can’t wait until MJ is at the very least decriminalized. At least it’s a start on our war against the war on drugs!
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/11/da-will-prosecute-dispensaries-even-if-la-does-not-ban-sales.html
Until douche bags like Cooley stop their blatant politically motivated “I’m tough on crime” routine so they can seek a higher office this bs will continue. Here in LA, everyone who favors legalization does so because of the possible tax revenues available. I think that’s totally the wrong approach. It should be legalized simply because…it should be. It’s a plant. Whenever these fools pull out the “criminals use marijuana therefore marijuana is bad” argument, they should be called on it by simply saying: “it’s a plant.”
“Mexican cartels are controlling…..” It’s a plant.
“Our children are at risk of dying…” It’s a plant.
“Violent criminals are time and time again arrested with…” Uh, It’s a plant Bob.”
in defense of bruce, his last name is spelled ‘Mirken’.
“Here in LA, everyone who favors legalization does so because of the possible tax revenues available. I think that’s totally the wrong approach. It should be legalized simply because…it should be. It’s a plant.”
I agree, though that’s a reason to be pissed off at those blocking access to that plant, not those that have been requesting legality for as long as it’s been illegal and would favor and protest with any voice that will be heard. I would be that most of those people don’t care about the tax revenue, but they know that it will get, if nothing else, their politicians’ attention.
I would BET… not be.
I’ve been following the comments to that article for a couple days now. The prohibitionists over there are incredibly outnumbered, and outclassed. Its nice to see that. :-)
@| claude | November 24th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
“incredibly outnumbered” surprises me a litte.
“outclassed” doesn’t surprise me at all.
It goes against my pessimist nature, but i think legalizing marijuana is the first domino that leads to decriminalizing or outright legalizing other drugs.
Once people see a drug legalized in their lifetime and the sky doesn’t fall, they’ll become more open to legalizing the other substances. So much propaganda and rhetoric has been built up on marijuana being this evil gateway drug over the years. It makes sense that once that gate opens and nothing bad happens your going to start reevaluating the stuff on the other side of the gate.
Personally I have nothing against legalizing Marijuana as long as I don’t have to smell it.
And I have the same adversity to Alcohol and Tobacco.
I think being under the influence of Marijuana should be treated like being under the influence of Alcohol: Totally inacceptable in mostly the same situations, socially and criminally. It is currently overcriminalized to the detriment of society and the benefit of it’s popularity.
Tobacco is a distraction at worst in a professional setting, although your health will suffer in the long run.
Hopefully logic prevails and these practices die out en masse within my lifetime, but that’s a high hope indeed.
“Personally I have nothing against legalizing Marijuana as long as I don’t have to smell it.”
You would actually choose to make a criminal out of your fellow citizens over something like a “smell”?
Ehhh.
In the workplace? If it’s unacceptable to have perfume on, it’s damned unacceptable to smell like a pothead.
I don’t find the smell of any of the three vices I mentioned pleasant. At all. Not for what it smells like, nor what it represents.
All I’m saying is that if the new laws still respect people’s right to not have to deal with people under the influence of it (using the logic behind most public drunkenness laws) then I’m for it.
Unless you are the business owner, I would posit that your boss is the one who should determine what is acceptable and what is unacceptable in the workplace.
random guy
“It goes against my pessimist nature, but i think legalizing marijuana is the first domino that leads to decriminalizing or outright legalizing other drugs.”
It is the number 1 “gate way drug” after all. ;)
Akusa:
“All I’m saying is that if the new laws still respect people’s right to not have to deal with people under the influence of it”
Another “there should be a law” type…..
I’m willing to bet you wouldn’t know whether someone was under the influence or not most of the time. This is contrary to alcohol. Because the two are completely unlike eachother. Apples and oranges.
Also, you do realize that you don’t have to smoke it. Thus you don’t have to smell it. The main reason it is smoked is the fact that it is expensive and sometimes difficult to aquire. Smoking requires much less material to feel the effects of the plant. Legalization would help negate your olfactory issues. Speaking of smells. I don’t like smelling bad breath. It makes me almost vomit. Maybe there should be a law….
“I don’t find the smell of any of the three vices I mentioned pleasant. At all. Not for what it smells like, nor what it represents.”
But your statement was related to you only supporting there not being a law on your personal preference regarding a “smell”. Part of being an American, more specifically, a freedom loving American is understanding and accepting that people are going to do things that you dont personally approve of. Thats ok because you are going to do things that others dont personally approve of. Either way its just something that someone else doesnt personally like. It doesnt affect them other than a certain pet peeve of some sort. As soon as you can justify a law based on something that you dont personally like, rest assured someone else will use that same basis to justify a law regarding something you do that they dont like. A free society doesnt really live and thrive like that. It devolves into a society that regulates every aspect of your life thru the use (read: misuse) of law that still pretends to call itself a free society.
No one is really advocating that anyone be legally permitted to work stoned, so thats a straw man argument. Thats an employer choice. Obviously for some jobs any form of intoxication is not a good idea. I can also see certain professions where it could be a plus. Lets say you work in advertising and need to come up with an ad campaign for some product or service. A good stoning session (LOL) might bring out some very creative ideas.
As far as driving stoned, google marijuana+sdlp for some studies on actual impairment while driving on grass.
Jokes on you, I’m not American :)
I just want to know why no person arrested for the use of ANY drug has ever used the argument that such arrest (and all that follows arrest) violates his/her unalienable right to self ownership. Seems pretty obvious to me — my body, my choice; and use of any drug violates no one else’s unalienable rights.
I think you might have taken me a bit too literally anyways.
Replacing the current overcriminalization of merely glancing in the direction of Marijuana with one that criminalizes abuse of it is still a good step in the right direction and helps legitimize it further for those that want it. It’s a huge step backwards in the fight to take tobacco out of vogue, but probably still a step forwards to improving overall health by bringing it out of the conditions that aggravate the danger.
I prefer not to have contact with people that partake. That is my choice, my point is that I would support anything that doesn’t infringe on my right to not have to deal with you.
You seem not to have considered second-hand smoke at all.
@ 11 random guy
I dunno. Since 1933, not much else has been legalized, has it?