Should Cannabis Be Made Legal?

[Brickjectivity]

I'd put an age limit upon the purchase of it and restrict sales to locations that don't sell groceries. That would save a lot of money, avoid a lot of useless legal processes and searches, and it could help the aging and those in pain.

In addition I'd take prison off the menu for any drug addiction. This is an equality issue. Rich people are treated differently by the government system when it comes to drug addiction, because they have money. The people in the system try to equalize things, but they are apparently not able to. 'Poor' people go to prison just for having an addiction, but rich people have alternatives. Since it is unequal justice it should be taken off of the books.

 

[Rick O'Shez]

I used to have an opinion on this but I seem to have forgotten it.....

 

[LuisDantas]

I'd put an age limit upon the purchase of it and restrict sales to locations that don't sell groceries. That would save a lot of money, avoid a lot of useless legal processes and searches, and it could help the aging and those in pain.

In addition I'd take prison off the menu for any drug addiction. This is an equality issue. Rich people are treated differently by the government system when it comes to drug addiction, because they have money. The people in the system try to equalize things, but they are apparently not able to. 'Poor' people go to prison just for having an addiction, but rich people have alternatives. Since it is unequal justice it should be taken off of the books.

Drug use as a mechanism for redistribution of wealth and pruning out those who can't handle it?

I suppose it can work, after a fashion. But I will not be caught supporting that. The social costs are simply unacceptable, unthinkable even.

 

[oldbadger]

Drug use as a mechanism for redistribution of wealth and pruning out those who can't handle it?

Hello Luis..... you know that I am in favour of 'delegislation', or repealing of all bans for drugs, allowing for 'heavy' drugs by prescription and minor drugs through off-licenses, etc.

I do realise that there is a massive cost to such a policy, but I know that the present cost, fueling the drug-barons and distribution 'trees' are very very bad.
1. Any kid can buy drugs, here in England, but they are dealing with and thru back street pedlars, and there is no control over what is in the products.
2. The cost of policing useless drug laws is utterly crazy. The police need to be focusing on other types of crime, imo.
3. The victims of the drug 'scene' are legion, and I honestly couldn't guess at the cost in victims with a drug ban repeal, but I have to believe that the gangs would need to disperse, the problems would be more visible, the jails able to take more violent-criminals, etc etc.

I suppose it can work, after a fashion. But I will not be caught supporting that. The social costs are simply unacceptable, unthinkable even.

We need to pay attention to the results of 'drug-freedom' in other countries, and focus on the social costs that have already been identified?

 

[Revoltingest]

I can only wonder _how_ bad those effects are. You make it sound like trench war.

I don't "make it sound like" anything in particular.
But it's beyond the scope of this thread to detail the effects of the War On Drugs for you.
Ask many here in Americastan on both the left & the right, & you'll find a surprising amount of common ground on this.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

I don't "make it sound like" anything in particular.
But it's beyond the scope of this thread to detail the effects of the War On Drugs for you.
Ask many here in Americastan on both the left & the right, & you'll find a surprising amount of common ground on this.

This is true.

Medicinal marijuana will be available in the state of Illinois starting on January 1. I know plenty of people who will benefit by having their appetite back and can keep food down, and don't have to take an entire cocktail of prescription meds to have a basic functional life.

What the bigger and more important issue we have now is how state rights and the DEA are clashing now that we have recreational use legal in some states, medicinal use legal in others, and no legal use in many others. What power trumps what, then? At a certain point, much like same sex marriage, the federal government will have to bend to these liberties that had been denied before.

For the record, I vote for the legalization of cannabis. That's one stance that I've maintained for the last 20 years, though. Even when the idea of marijuana legalization was considered radical (that has changed in the last 5 years, it seems).

 

[Brickjectivity]

Drug use as a mechanism for redistribution of wealth and pruning out those who can't handle it?

I suppose it can work, after a fashion. But I will not be caught supporting that. The social costs are simply unacceptable, unthinkable even.

Why would re-distribution of wealth result? Maybe I don't understand what you mean. We have wealthy and poor here, but I'm counting the middle class as poor since legal support is so expensive. A lawyer costs about 100$ just for a small amount of their time. Its truly ridiculous, and if that were not the case I wouldn't be able to make the argument that the system unfairly protects the wealthy. Here it does. No matter what the crime they are accused of a middle class person is disadvantaged.

I'm not from Brazil, so I don't know what the impact would be there. I hope I am not talking about something that would help USA at the cost of Brazil. I also don't understand how legalization of Marijuana would impact people there or create a redistribution of wealth.

 

[LuisDantas]

I don't "make it sound like" anything in particular.

You state outright that it is worse than legalization would be, so it does bring some sort of impression, even if it may well be not what you wanted it to be.

But it's beyond the scope of this thread to detail the effects of the War On Drugs for you.
Ask many here in Americastan on both the left & the right, & you'll find a surprising amount of common ground on this.

I see that, but it is so very difficult to understand how that can be.

 

[Revoltingest]

I see that, but it is so very difficult to understand how that can be.

A small glimpse....
I recently toured Jackson State Prison. My host explained that most prisoners
were there for drug violations. This is a huge commitment of state resources.

 

[LuisDantas]

Why would re-distribution of wealth result?

Because drug traffic is lucrative and destructive. It has become a quick way towards better earnings for quite a lot of people, at least here in Brazil.

And it does channel the money of some of the richer people somewhat towards the poorer people.

Quite frankly, it does help in getting rid of some of the less deserving people as well... although the benefits are questionable at best.

Maybe I don't understand what you mean. We have wealthy and poor here, but I'm counting the middle class as poor since legal support is so expensive. A lawyer costs about 100$ just for a small amount of their time. Its truly ridiculous, and if that were not the case I wouldn't be able to make the argument that the system unfairly protects the wealthy. Here it does. No matter what the crime they are accused of a middle class person is disadvantaged.

Well, you see, I do not support drug use. Ever. So I fail to see the point. I literally don't understand what you are arguing.

I'm not from Brazil, so I don't know what the impact would be there.

It would be very destructive, in perhaps innovative ways. Rio de Janeiro, at least, would be a very different place. Police itself might well resist legalization out of the loss of influence, I dunno.

People are much too used to drug used here, as well, albeit with important differences.

I hope I am not talking about something that would help USA at the cost of Brazil.

Eh. If only.

I also don't understand how legalization of Marijuana would impact people there or create a redistribution of wealth.

Difficult to predict. Perhaps the only significant effect would be further encouraging the use of other drugs.

 

[Revoltingest]

More info...
War on Drugs Costs American Lives and Liberties | Cato Institute

 

[LuisDantas]

A small glimpse....
I recently toured Jackson State Prison. My host explained that most prisoners
were there for drug violations. This is a huge commitment of state resources.

Sure. It is supposed to be.

I take it that you believe that it woud be better not to criminally prosecute them?

 

[Revoltingest]

Sure. It is supposed to be.
I take it that you believe that it woud be better not to criminally prosecute them?

Yes. Legalize drugs. Let them be sold in a regulated market (safe & taxed).

 

[LuisDantas]

Yes. Legalize drugs. Let them be sold in a regulated market (safe & taxed).

Sorry, no can do. I will simply not support that.

 

[Revoltingest]

Sorry, no can do. I will simply not support that.

That's OK.

 

[Vinayaka]

Maybe, just maybe, the situations in Brazil and US are different. Just sayin ... Canuckistan is different again.

 

[LuisDantas]

Maybe, just maybe, the situations in Brazil and US are different. Just sayin ... Canuckistan is different again.

They certainly are, in many and important ways. But some things simply do not change that much from a place to another.

 

[Vinayaka]

Here's one difference, although it might be insignificant ... List of countries by incarceration rate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Revoltingest]

Here's one difference, although it might be insignificant ... List of countries by incarceration rate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Woo hoo!
We're #1...we're #1!

 

[Vinayaka]

Woo hoo!
We're #1...we're #1!

And around half are drug offenses, not to mention those that are related to drug wars.