The New York Times Debates Marijuana Law Reform — NORML Weighs In
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May 22, 2009
Today’s New York Times online features a round table discussion on the subject of marijuana law reform.Two years ago we ran a quorum debating the pros and cons of decriminalizing marijuana. Since then, a largely theoretical debate has moved quite substantially toward the realm of reality, with a growing number of states and municipalities having changed their laws.
… So we asked a group of people — Paul Armentano, Mike Braun, Joel W. Hay, Jeffrey Miron, and Robert Platshorn — to think about a national decriminalization of marijuana … and answer the following: What would be some of the most powerful economic, social, and criminal-justice effects?
Here are their answers.
You can read all of the responses, including mine, and leave your feedback for the New York Times here.
78 Responses to “The New York Times Debates Marijuana Law Reform — NORML Weighs In”
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Seeing “New York Times” and “Marijuana law reform” in the same sentence is always a good thing. More change in the past 4 months then the past 4 years.
Re-legalize marijuana
Oh damn, now the new york times people are starting to see the light
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YES WE CANNABiS~
Keeping marijuana illegal only helps push it and keep it in the black market which is the cartels 60% of their profit which leads to this question. Is keeping marijuana illegal not the same as suppling terrorists ? Cause keeping marijuana illegal is exactly what it is doing plain and simple …..Our drug laws aren’t working. Every year, millions of Americans are arrested on drug offenses, yet drugs are more available than ever before. High school students find it easier to get marijuana than alcohol or prescription drugs. And Mexican drug cartels have become rich and powerful, representing a growing threat to our national security.
With our economy struggling, we can’t afford to waste billions of dollars every year on a policy that has failed. There’s only one way to eliminate the drug cartels’ profits. Not to mention that about 90% of America has smoked / still smoke marijuana despite it being illegal . Some are closet smokers while others are not. Also is not this suppose to be “WE The people” and “Land of the FREE” ?
If that is so then why don’t our voices be heard through a nation wide vote? Trying to compare marijuana to cocaine is like comparing milk abuse and the dangers of such to that of alcohol. So if you drink milk you will become more violent and will want to turn to alcohol? Same thing with smoking a joint to becoming more stronger stuff . Yea right if you believe that then I have a great deal on the purchase of the Maccinna Bridge and on the Statue of Liberty. KEEPING Marijuana illegal does not work except to cost us the American tax pay more money by keeping it illegal besides that it is prejidouse and is also wrong for any one who keeps it illegal and support the cartel / black market and terorists . Marijuana should be legalized and taxed while we worry about more serious crimes instead of stupid things like keeping marijuana illegal wasting BILLIONS OF TAX PAYERS MONEY!!!!
I found the responses in favor of legalization far more compelling; however, the problem with this debate is the whole thing IS theoretical. Both sides of the debate are reduced to trying to convince people what WILL happen IF pot is legalized. The trend seems to be moving in the right direction, but no state seems to be willing to be the first to attempt full scale legalization. It is my belief that marijuana will never be legalized at the federal level until the majority of the states have done so. All politics is local.
The arguments from the prohibitionist side pissed me off. Their arguments are filled with ridiculous assumptions, lies, and contradictions. The part that pisses me off is the fact that they get to spread their faulty point of views and many people don’t have the common sense to question it.
If people knew the truth, marijuana would be legal right now, and that says a lot for the reform movement.
gee, hate to be negative,but when I read the words in bracket from the third paragraph: (unlikely, let’s be honest) in reference to national decriminalization of Cannabis, I see clearly the underlying agenda of the NYT…ending Cannabis prohibition, will not happen. And for those of us who know, isn’t the phrase “lets be honest” in relation to the fedstapo’s response to any idea of ending Cannabis prohibition quite the oxymoron. We have a tough road ahead. End the prohibition of the Cannabis plant now!!!
“So we asked a group of people — Paul Armentano, Mike Braun, Joel W. Hay, Jeffrey Miron, and Robert Platshorn — to think about a national decriminalization of marijuana (unlikely, let’s be honest) and answer the following: What would be some of the most powerful economic, social, and criminal-justice effects?”
o ya i just read that quorum. is it just me or could anybody smell the corruption and greed on the pharm guy? hes stinky with it. you guys know how much millions big pharm companys will lose if pot becam legal. LOL no more anti depressesnts needed! Paul hella represented! We may win this damn thing yet.
Why is it that i can show you twenty healthy people over 70 years of age that smoke cannabis and almost none that are alcoholics , smoke tobacco . The Gate – Way theory regarding marijuana doesn’t work nor your lies about marijuana does not work with me either . Show me facts supporting your lies . I’ve just shown you facts on marijuana . You’ve given us none .
eND Prohibition NOW!
Medical Marijuana is necessary in all 50 STATES!
Let the Goof Balls who smoke recreationally destroy them selves but us mature adults even immature adults that know the truth behind Mary Jane should not be prohibited from lighting up. We’ll pay taxes sure, its an easy plant to grow. Great market. Foods, teas, etc. Vaporizers? anyone. This debate can last all day(s), if there were a debate. We all know the pros+cons of Mary k.
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The paper of record, meet my papers of record. I would bet almost everyone on the editorial side of the times has met Lady Jane, danced with her, and asked for more.
The way to legalization is for everyone who smokes or has smoked to admit it, share their grass with their neighbors and friends, and be as open as possible. Only then will the country see that their friends, their Aunts and Uncles, their next door neighbor, tokes up, enjoys it, and isn’t hurt by it.
Then, hemp legalized, taxes collected, products produced, in a few years the country will ask itself “What was all the fuss about?”
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Decriminalization of MJ won’t change a damn thing in the eyes of the public but we will simply not hang out with none users.
I haven’t seen this much open debate on cannibus (debate is the best way to get the truth out there). It looks like ignoring the problem isn’t going to make it go away. The more the truth about cannibus and hemp is known the sooner society will change this distructive policy by demanding that the correct thing to do is eliminate prohibition.
“professor of Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy in the School of Pharmacy at the University of Southern California”
He had the most BS in his argument, and for good reason. Pharmacies would lose MILLIONS if marijuana became legal. They are probably the strongest lobbyists for the prohibition side. What would you rather choose, a joint with no side effects, or a pill with tons of side effects?
Thought so..
ok im a huge pot activist and i think i have the way to get it legal. for anyone that smokes they would kno that some people just cant get high (paranoia, nausea, or just dont get baked) well if u were to legally smoke u would have to go for a “evaluation” and that would keep both sides happy there would still be those “pill heads” and there would be legal smoking.but until there is a pro-pot president,senate, house of reps, there will never be legalization of marijuana so that was the best “common grounds” i could find. the best thing that always makes me laugh when people debate about pot is “so if marijuana is legalized what will happen to all the people that work in lumber mills and paper factorys and oil refinarys and all the things that would shut down with the mass production and full use of the plant?” and i always say the same thing”where are the new factorys gunna get the workers, out of thin air? no from the paper mills and lumber factorys and oil refinarys, cause it may be smaller but the amount we would have to produce, farmers would need more help, more shipments which means more feul(with marijuana legal hemp seed oil which is the most EFFICTIANT way of feul and cleanist)which means even if we shut down pill plants and oil refinarys there would still be extra jobs in the “hemp plants” but no matter what i say here is goin to change the fact that us that know pot isnt bad were always wrong hell the goverment wont even go to hempseed to avoid WAR so i personally think we need a huge rally in washington dc for days for them to realize that we are serious about this. they need to realize that will help america. america owes so much money to the rest of the world its sick but u know whats funny the combined sales of marijuana and ciggeretts(not sayin there good) but with the combined sales our national debut would be done in 3 years and our state taxes would get lower. as of right now every person in there life is goin to pay over 36k dollars and thats only if the goverment stops all the stupid crap there doin in the world so if it doesnt then i have a feelin something they could of stopped now is goin to change america(revolution) because we are not free in america, it is a posh prison. hell ive talked to immagrants that say they would rather be in brazil havein the chance of gettin killed everyday then live here and the only reason there here cause the money doubles down there which is also hurting america not that im against immagrants cause we are all immagrants but, with eased up laws most would stay here and spend the money in america cause when we legalize marijuana things will be diffrent youll be able to close off whole streets for days for partys eveyone will be in a better place, all im sayin is that if this keeps goin things cannot go on like this forever we are slowly becoming a bad country and i think the only thing to save us is marijuana without its legalization we will become a 3rd world country thats slowly becomin a plutocracy (even moreso then it already is) u can see it in small towns there being abanded WHOLE TOWNS!! cause the goverment cannot fund them, schools being shut down, how are we supposed to have a thriving country if noone can read?write?comprihend?! like a said before 3rd world PEOPLE DONT LET IT HAPPEN FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT CAN VOTE, VOTE FOR A PRO-POT GOVERMENT SYSTEM!!!
Im sorry, but I think that this article is a bunch of shit. The Pharm. Guy is saying what he is saying based on what he will lose it pot is legal. The DEA guy is actually stating facts, but here’s the thing. The people from Norml.com and Mpp.org really need to shift away from the comparison of pot with Alcohol/Tobacco and just tell the people that the reason they are being compared is not because they are similar but the fact that pot is illegal while 2 of the world’s deadliest substances are very very legal. And as for the DEA man’s statement about all us parents out there looking out for the best interests of their children, well…look at this…I have my daughters report card and MAP test results…she has never missed one day of school the whole time in school, she has had straight As in every class *except for the fact she cant run the mile in PE class under the standard government made time so she got a B* and she is in the top 4%of students in missouri for scores on the MAP tests…Hmmm…Sir, I smoke pot…my girl smokes it…we are full time employees, matter of fact, I have been Employee of the month at least once EVERY year since I have been working…started at age 14…oh and i started smoking pot since I was 12…I know it is too early to start but I did..and guess what I CAN STILL OUT WORK YOUR ASS MR. DEA…I WOULD WORK A CIRCLE AROUND YOU AND STILL BE ABLE TO SMOKE A JOINT, SCREW MY WIFE, SMOKE ANOTHER, AND WORK A 12 HOUR SHIFT (WITHOUT GETTING HURT OR OTJ INJURY)…
sorry about the long post…these people are really starting to piss me off…if they want to be bullies and a bunch of hypocritical pussies..then they really need to shut the FUC up!
Cannabis prohibition is the greatest civil rights violation since slavery, BAR NONE! Medical marijuana and the push for it , like decriminalization, are not going to bring us any closer to reversing this violation. They will onlt slow things down for what should be the ONLY goal – FULL LEGALIZATION!!! Then, medical marijuana won’t be an issue as anyone over 21 will be able to get it, and those under 21 who need it will be able to use it under parental supervision.
Lets get this poll to #1 another Obama poll site.http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/2762-4049
There is no serious struggle to legalize cannabis. If there was, then we would here proposals about what exactly complete legalization would look like. How would it be distributed? How would it be consumed? Until some kind of marketing model is presented that people can argue over, then nothing is happening. Total legalization is a false front to prevent decriminalization. Decriminalization would enable consumption by informed and educated users and restrict distribution away from vulnerable passive users. Distribution is the problem. Currently, the Drug War serves only to put money in the hands of organized crime. Decriminalization would strangle off the source of money from criminal distribution and especially the money crossing US borders. Local distribution would always exist and be policed as a nuisance and fined where complaints turned up problems. People could grow it themselves for personal use any time they wanted to up to a certain number of plants. The price of the plant product drugs would drop dramatically and the lure of black market distribution would follow.
Arguments for legalization without confronting the issue of distribution and consumption are without substance. Decriminalization without legalization can only serve to confront distribution, which is really what the Drug War can only rationally be about. But the Drug War irrationally focuses on the consumer, not the distributors. The Drug War is arguably the creation of organized crime, carefully engineered to empower them, make law abiding citizens vulnerable and put money in their pockets
Obamas polls can kiss my ass, my grass is growing regardless what he thinks, or anyone else for that matter.
Email PROHIBITIONIST Governor PAWLENTY in Minnesota, he has vetoed the medicinal marijuana bill:
tim.pawlenty@state.mn.us
(Or subsitute “High law enforcement costs” or “High prison rates” for “Drug Cartel violence” in the solution analysis below)
Drug Cartel violence is caused by demand for illegal drugs.
Based in this lets analyze the possible solutions for drug violence.
Cause: “Demand for Illegal Drugs”
is satisfied only when both of the following conditions hold:
1)there is a demand for drugs
2)the drugs are illegal
If either of these conditions is not met, the drug violence will not exist. Therefore there are 2 solutions:
1)Eliminate demand for drugs
2)Make drugs legal
Solution 1, “Eliminate demand for drugs” would involve changing the thought patterns of every person in the present and in the future who thinks they might want to use illegal substances, and the thought patterns of those who see an opportunity to sell illegal substances.
Solution 2 would involve changes to legislation and/or new legislation.
THE REPORT. CANNABIS: THE FACTS, HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE LAW. by: kenn and joanna d’oudney
google it and buy it
I found this info at crrh.org
According to the Notre Dame University publication, The Midlands Naturalist, from a 1975 article called, “Feral Hemp in Southern Illinois,” about the wild hemp fields that annual efforts from law enforcement eradication teams cannot wipe out, an acre of hemp produces:
1. 8,000 pounds of hemp seed per acre.
When cold-pressed, the 8,000 pounds of hemp seed yield over 300 gallons of hemp seed oil and a byproduct of
6,000 pounds of high protein hemp flour.
These seed oils are both a food and a biodiesel fuel. Currently, the most productive seed oil crops are soybeans, sunflower seeds and rape seed or canola. Each of these three seed oil crops produce between 100 to 120 gallons of oil per acre. Hemp seed produces three times more oil per acre than the next most productive seed oil crops, or over 300 gallons per acre, with a byproduct of 3 tons of food per acre. Hemp seed oil is also far more nutritious and beneficial for our health than any other seed oil crop.
In addition to the food and oil produced, there are several other byproducts and benefits to the cultivation of hemp.
2. Six to ten tons per acre of hemp bast fiber. Bast fiber makes canvas, rope, lace, linen, and ultra-thin specialty papers like cigarette and bible papers.
3. Twenty-five tons of hemp hurd fiber. Hemp hurd fiber makes all grades of paper, composite building materials, animal bedding and a material for the absorption of liquids and oils.
4. The deep tap root draws up sub-soil nutrients and then, when the leaves fall from the plant to the ground, they return these nutrients to the top soil for the next crop rotation.
5. The residual flowers, after the seeds are extracted, produce valuable medicines.
Our farmers need this valuable crop to be returned as an option for commercial agriculture.
While marijuana is prohibited, industrial hemp will be economically prohibitive due to the artificial regulatory burdens imposed by the prohibition of marijuana. When marijuana and cannabis are legally regulated, industrial hemp will return to its rightful place in our agricultural economy.
Hemp may be the plant that started humans down the road toward civilization with the invention of agriculture itself. All archaeologists agree that cannabis was among the first crops purposely cultivated by human beings at least over 6,000 years ago, and perhaps more than 12,000 years ago.
Restoring industrial hemp to its rightful place in agriculture today will return much control to our farmers, and away from the multinational corporations that dominate our political process and destroy our environment. These capital-intensive, non-sustainable, and environmentally destructive industries have usurped our economic resources and clear-cut huge tracts of the world’s forests, given us massive oil spills, wars, toxic waste, massive worldwide pollution, global warming and the destruction of entire ecosystems.
Prohibiting the cultivation of this ancient plant, the most productive source of fiber, oil and protein on our planet, is evil. In its place we have industries that give us processes and products that have led to unprecedented ecological crisis and worldwide destruction of the biological heritage that we should bequeath to our children, grandchildren and future generations.
Restore hemp!
The worst thing about marijuana is the law, specifically the definition of marijuana.
First of all, marijuana must be defined with simple plain language, then it can be decriminalized by removing it from Schedule 1. With so many people suffering economically, medically, and legally because of marijuana prohibition, clearly the time is right for a reasonable definition of marijuana.
Cannabis is a plant with a myriad of uses, while the definition of marijuana is conflated with cannabis, and embodies an entire paragraph of legalese, with subparts, exceptions, and sinister connotations.
There is a simple definition which implicitly permits the States to tax and regulate the many uses of cannabis, and maintains the historically popular understanding of marijuana.
Just update the definition in Section 802, Item 16 of the Controlled Substances Act:
The term ‘marihuana’ means all parts – of the smoke produced by the combustion – of the plant Cannabis Sativa L.
Period.
Andrew: Well said man, it’s only a matter of time till the people get what they want. It’s completely asinine to illegalize hemp for that matter just because it’s part of the cannabis genus (is it genus or species? ha) but anyways yea like I said. In the context of our politicians, it’s appalling how back n’ forth our politicians have been on the views of the cannabis plant. First, saying that it makes one violent, causes “Negros to seek relations with white women…” then taking hemp (not herb) to use for our soldiers for clothing etc. in WWII (Hemp for Victory), then in the sixties that it destroys Americas will to fight against the communisits….I mean Jesus Christ, are people that unable to research and find these inconsistencies/lies? And mind you I don’t mean to sound condesending but damn, what is so wrong with questioning our government? Because we all know how morally sound they can be.
This is the thing that always kills me.. We dont have to dive into long schpeels ranting and raving about pros and cons. Just look at the present. Nothing stops an adult from buying a 12 pack, or a suitcase, or a truck full of alcohol or cigarettes. You can buy as much as you want. There is no limit, there is no questions but: 1. Are you old enough? 2. Do you have the money? Now, with that in mind, someone please tell me the difference of the same adult sitting in their living room drinking a beer, or smoking a joint?
Why presently would they be taken to the ground, cuffed, booked, and treated like a criminal for the latter?
Take it from a college boy that was busted playing guitar hero high, this is wrong. The laws/social punishment(of people that dont see through the propaganda) does far more harm than the “crime” its self.
Keep up the good fight good people,
Peace,
Tyler D.
I recently realized something of importance . I sent letters to my congressmen and sentor alike. I get back letters thanking me,but… They always say “I don’t agree with your view..” This got me thinking. This is where WE THE PEOPLE make our mistakes. If I am one of many many thousands sending a letter to them and they reject what I say,then are they not rejecting all those many many thousands…or millions who also sent letters? They are allowed thier belief, but their belief does NOT trump the veiw of the people. They are in that position to resonate the voice of the people, not resonate thier voice over the people. This is how they keep power over us,by making us believe thier voice is more important than our own.
I say to the people,STOP this by responding to them. Telling them they are there to do the will of the people,not do their will!
thats alot of seeds Im gonna have to pick out!.
Prohibitionists often try to justify their position by their concern over the children. Ideally, perhaps, no one’s child would ever feel the need or desire to use mind or mood-altering substances. By the same token, if one is so inclined, any objective consideration leads to the conclusion that they would be better off using pot than booze, but for the legal penalties. Pot carries much lower health risks than does booze, is less likely to lead to troublesome behavior, and is not physically addictive. But our official government policy is to steer people away from pot and towards booze.
I agree with many of the above comments about people going public about their pot use. The foundation of continued prohibition will be continued ignorance and bigotry. The current policy will be difficult to change until it becomes irrefutable to the general public that responsible and productive people also smoke pot and that smoking pot does not make you a loser.
What has to change is the public image of pot smokers as stoned-out goofballs who dont know why they are here or how they got there.
Marijuana is not a health issue it is a ethical issue. What part of the US govt lying to you, do you believe in?
Start telling the truth! Legalize
Just so everyone knows, this “Pharmacy” guy in the debate has a Bachelor of ARTS, a master of ARTS and a PhD in ECONOMICS…NO Medical Background!!! He just happens to have scored a job working for a school of pharmacy! How about someone with a Doctor of pharmacy from the pharmacy school? or a doctor of medicine, or even a PhD in Pharmacy???
…Just so you know how to view his comments…not as a medical/health professional!
Another false front in confronting prohibition is the myth of “hemp” versus “marijuana”. There is no such thing and there has never been any such thing as a “hemp” plant that is used strictly for fiber and seed oil production. There is no such thing as a cannabis plant that yields only marginal values of THC in the leaves and flowers. The cannabis plant that was once the backbone of fiber and plant oil production all over the world was and is the exact same plant that yielded flower and leaf that was consumed for its psychoactive effect. Decriminalization of the psychoactive part of any cannabis plant certainly means complete license free legalization of agricultural production of any of the non-psychoactive parts of the plant.
That’s nice but I feel my freedom as an American has been taken away. I still do not understand why our lawmakers can make a law based on racism and 70 years later its still there. I know from reading it is all about the money just like the state where they passed medical only to have the governor of the state veto the bill. Wonder how much they paid him to keep the money flowing into their pockets??
i just sent this letter to Johnny Isakon Sen.(Ga) send it to your senators. maybe it will help us out who knows. but were almost at the and of this tunnel so lets push thru till we see it
Senator Isakson, regretably, I did not have a chance to vote for you in this previous election, however that will not deter my faith in your ability to hear the voices of the people in our great state, and to let them be heard.
However, there is one particular grievance that I would express to you, but first I would like to tell you a little about myself. I am a United States Marine. I dont have much at all, I am also trying my best to find gainful employment, and at the same time getting progrssively sick more with each passing day.
This country has fallen to shambles, more and more people are out of work, with no health insurance.
There must be some way to fix these problems, and i believe that the best way to solve these is to re-legalize cannabis for medical usage, clothing and fuel industries, and private cultivation and purchase by responsible adults. You and I both know that our great state, the state of Georgia was the first state to approve of medical cannabis and is also one of the few states with a cannabis tax stamp law. Why not use these resources to stimulate economical gain, by for one upholding one of the original American traditions? If our founding fathers thought it right to industrialize cannabis, then why cant we do the same? Sir, it is your duty to let the people’s voices be heard, not just yours. And when sixty percent of our your people wish for one simple law to be changed for the betterment of their way of life, shouldnt you listen?
I hope you take this letter seriously and so do all the millions of Georgians, and cannabis activists nationwide that will be recieving this letter as well.
We will overcome senator, but not without your help. So please consider your people and our wishes. And also remember we put you in your senate seat, we voted for you. We own YOU, not the other way around. we make sure that YOU get a paycheck. We just want ours in return.
Sincerely,
a U.S. Marine that went through sand, barbed wire, losing friends, and a family so that you had a comfortable seat so sit in.
thank you.
@11 “will”
“eND Prohibition NOW!
Medical Marijuana is necessary in all 50 STATES!
Let the Goof Balls who smoke recreationally destroy them selves but us mature adults even immature adults that know the truth behind Mary Jane should not be prohibited from lighting up. We’ll pay taxes sure, its an easy plant to grow. Great market. Foods, teas, etc. Vaporizers? anyone. This debate can last all day(s), if there were a debate. We all know the pros+cons of Mary k.
“Let the Goof Balls who smoke recreationally destroy themselves”??
You can’t “destroy yourself” “recreationally” with marijuana. In accordance to getting rid of the problem; if you don’t know what you’re talking about, it might be best to not say anything at all. The “problem” would be when people open their mouth to speak before actually knowing anything at all about the things they talk about. I understand you get hyped up by listening to other people talk, but that doesn’t give you the right to chime in whenever you feel it’s OK, because when you say nonsense like that, it really makes us all look bad. I have Epilepsy and I smoke pot both medicinally and recreationally. I will not tolerate your stigma so leave it off the internet and keep it to yourself.
A letter to Wolf,
Dear Wolf, I thank you sir for your actions of joining the US military and for risking your life for the sole purpose of American Freedom. Without people such as yourself and your fallen friends, this country would not be what it is today. I grew up in a family that was torn apart from the crying sounds of friends, the load explosions, and the babies crying. My father has PTSD. He was in Vietnam. He watched hundreds of his friends and commorades die right next to him, all in one day. I wish every US citizen could live the way I lived for one day. Wondering if a loud bang was going to set off the PTSD, if a baby’s cry in the local store would make my dad flash back to Nam. I remember a time when I was 8, and my mom and dad had gotten into an arguement, and my mom stomped back to her room and slammed the door very hard. The noise echoes throughout the house and I heard it in the basement. My dad heard it and hit the floor, PTSD had kicked in to full-mode and he was back in Nam. I watched my father run through the woods with an AK-47 assult rifle, killing those “VC”. My mom went out next to find him. She had in her hand a joint. I dont know what happened out there and I dont know if I ever really want to. All I know is that the MJ calmed my father down and brought him back to reality. I also remember a time in West Virginia when I was about 11 or so, my mom and dad again were in an arguement. My dad had hurt my mom in the middle of the night while he was dreaming one of his dreams about Nam. My dad loves his family and would die for any one of us, even if we just asked him to, So he got the idea that if he were dead, the family would be better. I sat in my room for like 7 hours listening to the sound of a gun being loaded and unloaded, and imagining the aftershock of what was about to happen. Again, my father smoked a joint and was back to his loving self. Some people will say my dad is a horrible person, I grew up and lived my father’s pain since I was 7. He is a god in my eyes. As are you Wolf. I cannot give you your friends back. I cannot give you your sanity or the many nights of dreams a joint, but the American government can. I will fight till I die if need be to legalize pot. I saw what it did for my father and his illness. Why can something that can do “magic” like that be soooo wrong in people’s eyes? So back to the letter, I thank you my fellow American. Welcome Home and I hope that as a citizen of this great country, we the people, make you proud and happy that you risked your life for WE THE PEOPLE!
to number 38, that was a kik ass letter. and number 39, ya that pissed me off too. who ever wrote the recreational marijuana destruction post can KISS millions off peoplels ass. WAT A DIK.
This debate is fueled on BOTH sides by many assumptions as to what end repealing Prohibition might accomplish. What we need is to just try it and see. Anti-prohibitionists want to give you the best case scenario, which I would be inclined to agree with, conversly, prohibitionists will lie and distort facts to equate legalization to the apocalypse. Corporations are machines that will run on any fuel-oil, tobacco, alchohol, pharmacueticals etc. Legalization would just shift the market to a new venue.
What we need are buisiness men who are unafraid to look into possible uses and manufacturing opportunities presented by cannabis and hemp. We need big pharma to look at how much profit they can glean from such efforts instead of clinging to their more dangerous alternative drugs. In addition, the goverment has to realize that the average american is to complacent and/or busy to go through the effort it would take to grow quality cannabis. We could raise our own cattle, vegetables and run our own dairys yet we choose the ease and convenience of going to the grocery store for these items. the same could be say of entertainment. sure we could take years to learn to program our own software or film our own movies but we choose to purchase already made products.
My logic is simple and can give rest to the entire argument. We are policing activities that don’t need policing. We are searching for profit through evil means and greedy practices. We are allowing our own rights to be violated and hiding from our own shadows. I would hope that as a species we can learn to accept that we are superior to all this petty behavior and eventually adapt to the world around us, a world that no matter how much you arrest, burn or prohibit will have cannabis in it.
Supervisors To Discuss Next Step In Medical Marijuana Law Controversy
http://iblowminds.com/2009/05/25/supervisors-to-discuss-next-step-in-medical-marijuana-law-controversy/
The public uproar in favor of cannabis legalization is a joy to watch and participate in. Many of us have been activists for decades, sending futile letters to political leaders, drug czars, editorial pages, always with the same dismissive response…until this year. What a dramatic, sudden shift in public opinion! Change is happening so quickly now that I’ve begun to believe that this versatile plant will soon regain it’s rightful place as an abundantly utilized helpmate for humanity.
NYC…LEGALiZE NOW!!!
im tired of seeing people gettin arrested for small possesion~ Waste of Taxpayers Money
Well, here’s a little piece of news I would LOVE NORML to pass around…:
apparently the Netherlands are going to close prisons for lack of criminals.. how refreshing
http://www.radionetherlands.nl/currentaffairs/090520-Dutch-prison-closures
this letter is to jj.
thank you sir, for your kind words, i too know what it is like to have a father with PTSD. my father fought in iraq, and came home a totally different man. upon coming out of the army he was perscribed a barrage of different meds. clonopin, trazedone, citalopram, naproxen, and about five others, that i cant pronounce.
i cannot tell you how many times he woke me up during the night screaming, and crying. once he bauled his eyes out to me about the things he saw and did. and all i could do to comfort him and hold himlike a child, while tears streamed down his face.
the reason he was like this was because he didnt get his prescrip in time. the next day, he went off the deep end. he wouldnt move out of the bed and if anyone came near him, he went nuts.
all of the meds that he is on are highly concentrated opiates, that he is unkowingly addicted to. and when he doesnt get them he goes into the same kind of withdrawal symptoms that heroin addicts go thru.
however, when i smoked a joint with my old man for the first time, the real him came out. not the PTSD or anything like that. he was happy and his back wasnt hurting anymore. he was the most loving and pleasant person to be around.
so like you i will fight this war till the day i die.
not for just me but for the people like our fathers
and our brothers in arms.
i dont know why theycan perscribe a man so many drugs, derived from one of the most deadly drugs on earth.
so jj, again thanks for your letter, and please give your father a welcome home from me.
thank you
i got cought with 6 grams of weed in Vermont. i checked the link it says less that 2 oz would be 500$ fine and 6 mnt jail.
any idea?
i have my court in july
#11: I’m not sure if you are being sarcastic but if you really knew the truth about marijuana you wouldn’t say that recreational users are “destroying themselves”. I really hope you are just doing a bad job at being sarcastic otherwise you’ve made yourself look dumber than some of the prohibitionists that troll this website.
http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3156-4049