CBS (Yes CBS) Asks: Time For Marijuana Legalization?

[kpete]

Time For Marijuana Legalization?
Andrew Cohen: Economic Crisis Spurring Politicians To Talk About Legalizing Pot

Feb. 25, 2009 | by Andrew Cohen

(CBS)

After generations of defending capital punishment and marijuana possession laws on moral, ethical and religious grounds, after years of declaring that the death penalty acted as a deterrent against violent crime and that pot smokers were more dangerous to society than, say, alcohol consumers, all of a sudden thanks to our economic crisis more and more mainstream powerbrokers are considering dramatic changes to our criminal justice system.

The New York Times today has a late-arriving piece by Ian Urbina which posits that lawmakers in several states are considering abandoning the death penalty because it’s just too expensive and cuts into other law enforcement priorities. State officials are beginning to acknowledge that they can more productively spend their budget funds on cracking unsolved cases or ensuring better police protection than on keeping pot smokers in prison or fighting for decades with capital defendants. This, Urbina writes, is forcing a sea-change around the nation:

“Last year, in an effort to cut costs, probation and parole agencies in Arizona, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Jersey and Vermont reduced or dropped prison time for thousands of offenders who violated conditions of their release. In some states, probation and parole violators account for up to two-thirds of prison admissions each year; typical violations are failing drug tests or missing meetings with parole officers.

As prison crowding has become acute, lawsuits have followed in states like California, and politicians find themselves having to choose among politically unattractive options: spend scarce tax dollars on expanding prisons, loosen laws to stem the flow of incarcerations, or release some nonviolent offenders.”

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/02/25/opinion/courtwatch/main4828659.shtml

[tekisui]

1. knr!~ Let's keep this drumbeat going!

[Fovea]

2. It's got my

K&R.

I want legalization!
And I want reparations for losses sustained by this immoral policy.

[sarcasmo]

3. We voted thumbs up here in Michigan, was more than 60-40 win. Kick and Rec.

[ProgressiveFool]

4. At this point, can anyone actually offer a good reason not to? /nt

[Gman2]

7. YUPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!

There is no test that will say you are X amount of stoned. Therefore, only zero tolerance is possible. SO, you have a jerk cut in front of you and you hit and kill, you will go down for manslaughter. Patients get a marinol prescription, about 30 dollars a piece, and buy two tabs and keep the bottle. In case of accident. And if you want to work, you must get a prescription for marinol to show tester. Even then, likely you will be unemployable. They intend to make pot legal and almost impossible to attain, but from growing. And then, only the well heeled have extra and secure space. Look what they did when they made the first official supply network. You need a full corp with board to include a health pro. And tight security etc etc etc. It aint over. But I will content myself with Holder vowing NOT to raid dispensories and patients.

[nebenaube]

10. myth

they could let you get stoned and play in a driving simulator that throws accidents at you. If you survive the test without incident they could reduce the charges. They can detect the concentrations present with a blood test. In fact that is exactly what they do in Va. They just can't do it with a cheap urine based test.

I think many would give up driving in exchange for the freedom, peace of mind and medical benefit.

[druidity33]

26. I never got a driver's license...

and that's part of the reason why. Grew up near Public Transport, always had friends that drove, always been poor, etc. Many reasons to not drive, but ffor me the safest place to smoke has always been at home.


:shrug:

[varkam]

14. What would be so bad about zero tolerance for DUI?

On one hand, you might just be a *little* stoned - but on the other hand you get legalized marijuana. Seems like a fair trade-off to me.

[fascisthunter]

15. don't know of any accidents caused by marijuana usage

of course this is all rhetorical anyways.

[Baikonour]

25. *shrug* I don't know about you or everyone else

But I drive a whole lot better when I'm high. I tend to speed and drive recklessly when I'm not.

[NM Independent]

9. Wall street will create a "munchies bubble?"

:shrug:

[Bounty_full]

20. I can

When voters smoke pot, only pot smokers will vote, if they bothered. They used to call it bread and circuses, anything to distract from a motivated, critical review of what their leaders are up to.

[NM Independent]

5. A great quote from a comment at the link:

"Two of my favorite things are sitting on my front porch smoking a pipe of sweet hemp, and playing my Hohner harmonica."

- Abraham Lincoln (from a letter written by Lincoln during his presidency to the head of the Hohner Harmonica Company in Germany)

Gotta love good ol' honest Abe :smoke:

[Z_I_Peevey]

6. I want a T-shirt with that quote!

Seriously. I'd never heard that one before.

[NM Independent]

8. And another

"Roll, Roll, Roll a Joint,
When You've got the Time,
Take a Toke, and Hold the Smoke,
And Blow You're Fu*kin' Mind....."



I read every comment on that story. Out of 18 pages there were only a handful of "arguments" against (mostly personal opinions).

[Greyskye]

12. Had to look it up to believe it.

Hey Abe, what'cha got under that hat? :hi:

[hootinholler]

16. Wow! First I heard that quote. n/t

[defendandprotect]

19. Ys, yes, yes . .. yes, yes, yes, yes . . . yes, yes, yes, yes, yes ---!!!

and down with the prison industry -- !!

[Greyhound]

11. Wouldn't it be a great irony if we finally get this because the parasites believe

it will keep the rabble off the streets as they realize who's been gaming the system?

Whatever the reason, it will be welcomed. Could be bad news for the alcohol industry though.

[Uncle Joe]

13. Next up, the need to outlaw "for profit prisons" or the same pressures

to criminalize the American People in some new form, via corporate lobbying will present them selves again.

So for long as some private corporation profits from imprisoning the American People, draconian laws in the "land of the free and home of the brave" will be a ever present danger.

[Royal Sloan 09]

17. K & R,

Yes, We Cannabis!

solution = Legalize

:kick: :smoke: :hippie:

[ms liberty]

18. K&R n/t

[femrap]

21. Think of the $$$ the gov't would

make taxing and selling it!!!! Think of the crime that would stop!!!! And there's no cost to growing it....it's a WEED after all.

This has been and is a complete NO BRAINER. Legalize it and by next month we can balance the budget!

I still want 'My Drug Reality Show.' Two houses are side by side...one house filled with 6 guys and as much booze as they want. The next house, another 6 guys with a bong. Watch and learn, America.

Fights, destruction, and mayhem in house #1. Giggling, music, TV, funny stories, and many pizzas delivered in House #2.

[downindixie]

22. Simple,come up with a

better test. In the past before breath test,there were the officer's testimony in court that gave the judge an idea as to the intoxification of the person charged.of course I know about the facts presented,can be contrived by the officer.

[quidam56]

23. It's way past time to legalize marijuana

this is ridiculous putting people in prison for marijuana and the likes of Bernie Maddoff and Stanford getting away with a real crime. Michael Vick was released on house arrest today because of "overcrowding", but if you have an ounce of pot off you go to serve prison time...

[Optical.Catalyst]

27. Prison cells are expensive

They should be reserved for people who murder or molest children, not for the victimless crime of possession of marijuana.

[Baikonour]

24. Everyday for the past few weeks, marijuana has been in the headlines.

And I'm loving it.

[Oldenuff]

29. I have noticed that as well...

It's very interesting to see this occurring...it gives me hope as well.I would hazard to guess that with all the attention it is getting,perhaps it has to do with "softening up" those who might not support it otherwise?The more we hear about the positives of legalization,the more apt people are to accept it...(if they hadn't before)


If a law is unjust, a man is not only right to disobey it, he is obligated to do so.
-Thomas Jefferson

The oppressed should rebel, and they will continue to rebel and raise disturbance until their civil rights are fully restored to them and all partial distinctions, exclusions and incapacitations are
removed.

Thomas Jefferson

[Tyler Generation]

31. We were just discussing the ammount of headlines

at my house too. It almost feels like it could be one of those things where a big sea change occurs. Of course marijuana has been mainstream amongst the middle class since the 60's now. That's almost 50 years of cracking away at the disinformation and propaganda. It's just a common sense thing really, I mean what point could you make for legalization that isn't completely obvious?

[edc]

28. Oh yeah

:smoke: Since global civilization is collapsing because of stupid, greedy assholes, it might be nice to smoke a joint without worrying about being locked up by the same stupid, greedy assholes.

[ooglymoogly]

30. Hmmmm....why didn't I see this op....too late to rec

this important post. I scan the home page at least 10 times a day, I should have noticed this post dammit.

[Imagevision]

32. How many people do you know or read about who OD'd on weed, some say it's better then valium?