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| Think Outside The Box, Decriminalize Marijuana |
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Posted by CN Staff on December 31, 2006 at 21:53:35 PT Editorial Source: Juneau Empire 
Alaska -- A government report suggests that the market value of marijuana grown in the United States now tops $35 billion, making it this nation's largest cash crop, even more valuable than staples such as corn or soybeans.It would seem to us that after years of trying to eradicate, interdict and stomp out marijuana - and spending lives and countless billions of dollars in the process - that it may be time to consider another approach. After all, the marijuana market is demand-driven and demand does not appear to be fading. Besides, $35 billion in product is a lot of value to leave unregulated and untaxed. Activists are pushing for marijuana to be scratched from the list of serious Schedule 1 drugs, such as heroin, and be legalized, policed and taxed like tobacco and alcohol, the Los Angeles Times reports. It is difficult to side with those who want to legalize marijuana. Goodness knows, we already have enough mind-altering garbage for sale legally in the United States, but the reality is that Prohibition did not work and the effort to stamp out marijuana is not working either. Despite all the government's efforts, it is available to just about anyone, in any part of the nation. We can continue to prosecute the War on Drugs, continue the business-as-usual, futile cat-and-mouse game despite its obvious failings, or we can search for a new way that could lead to destruction of the marijuana cartels and the crime they breed. At the same time we could be fattening the treasury and ensuring the safety of users. It is well beyond time to think outside the box. This editorial appeared in The Voice of the Times. Source: Juneau Empire (AK) CannabisNews -- Cannabis Archives Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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| Comment #9 posted by Hope on January 01, 2007 at 12:09:00 PT |
| I've noticed something lately about some of them. Some local ones to. There's another reason some of them love prohibition. The prohibition and all it entails, gives some prohibs a real superiority complex that they love. They won't want to give that up. They love it. It's not the drugs or the addiction or anything. It allows them to look down on other people. Horribly so. It's a cold, nasty thing to see and I've seen it. Those prohibitionists really are the real low-lifes. But oh how they like to think they are pristine wonderful and anybody who has touched a doob is just so low in their eyes...and they actually love it and they love attacking and judging the people they judge so harshly. They relish having someone they can look down on and put down. It's creepy. But I've seen it. We all have. Happy New Year, Kaptinemo! [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #8 posted by FoM on January 01, 2007 at 11:21:22 PT |
| If we looked close enough we might already have a law against happiness. Just kidding. Seriously if we weren't so afraid of the government we might be able to have a really good country. I wish that Insurance Companies told us what coverage we really need and when it's time to put in a claim it will be paid without trouble. I wish that people weren't made guilty of something before they even do something wrong. Prevent, prevent prevent is really control, control and more control. [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #7 posted by kaptinemo on January 01, 2007 at 11:06:58 PT:
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| That would be un-'Murikan! Jeez, if people were happy instead of constantly afraid that their next illness might bankrupt them, or their job disappear thanks to it being off-shored, or some artificial and wholly uncessary calamity caused by gub'mint interfered with their lives, then, they might begin to become real activists! They'd demand more control over their lives! They might even decide to go after the people who've made their lives miserable courtesy of the system those people set up at the expense of everybody else! My God, we can't have people happy in this country! They might take over! I am reminded of a popular joke in Russia during the Brezhnev Era: Communist Party leader Premier Brezhnev is taking his mother in his private limousibe on a tour of his fancy dacha on the Black Sea, his apartments in Red Square, the acces to special stores that the average Soviet citizen couldn't get into, etc. His mother is very impressed, but then asks him "Leonid, what if the Communists come back?" I ask, "But what if the patriots come back?" The DrugWar would be among the first casualties, for you are either sovereign over your own body, or The State owns your @$$. Just as there's no such thing as being a 'little bit pregnant', there's no such thing as being a 'little bit' free, either... [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #6 posted by FoM on January 01, 2007 at 10:32:46 PT |
| Maybe if they legalized Cannabis we would see a winning float in the Rose Bowl Parade in the future. I do love to dream. Pretty flowers everywhere. I can imagine the aroma it would produce. When the Parade is over all the flowers could be used by people and that would make many people smile. Now that would be efficient! [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #5 posted by kaptinemo on January 01, 2007 at 10:21:17 PT:
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| It was pointed out here years ago that when the media would begin making the (screamingly, painfully, in-your-face obvious!) parallel between alcohol Prohibition and cannabis prohibition, the game would be up. In the past two years we have begun to see that connection begin to manifest, albeit in a talk-around sort of way. Now that connection is being made, and boldly so. This article is a good example. This places prohibs in a double bind, from which they can only look ever more foolish with their protestations. If they say, as some of them have tried, that we must maintain cannabis prohibition at all costs, then the obvious parallel between alcohol Prohibition is made. If some of the prohibs (with incredible degree of self-delusion matched only by true psychotics!) try to say that alcohol Prohibition would have succeeded had it been prolonged- as the DrugWar has been - they'll be laughed off the street. Some prohibs, having seen this coming, try to re-style themselves as 'preventionists', but their lack of ability to prohibit illicit drugs is matched by an equally proven inability to 'prevent' any illicit drug use. Checkmate. But of course, just like the diehard temperence movement members before them who still (yes, unbelieveably, there are still a few around, but they're a dying breed) refuse to accept that since their premise was wrong, all their efforts were doomed to failure, today's DrugWarriors will insist to their dying day that if more effort, more time and more money (and more of our civil rights were sacrificed on the altar of their false god) we could have had their idea of utopia. Some folks will never learn... [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #4 posted by Hope on January 01, 2007 at 09:24:55 PT |
| seeing the light of the truth in the matter. It's hideous that this war keeps going. We don't need anymore Drug War Victims...or Collateral Damage...as they like to call it. If we don't see a serious law change this year...we will certainly be seeing more widespread discussion and perhaps more people waking up to the truth. That's a great good and improvement on the way things have been. Voices "crying in the wilderness" about this thing are increasing. I'm very thankful and very glad. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #3 posted by FoM on January 01, 2007 at 08:14:21 PT |
| You're right. That's a good thing. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #2 posted by John Tyler on January 01, 2007 at 07:52:49 PT |
| This newspaper article (along with other we have seen recently) recognizes the fact that Prohibition has failed badly and that the only way to remove the criminal element, etc., etc. is to legalize the cannabis industry so that is can be controlled, and taxed. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by FoM on January 01, 2007 at 06:53:07 PT |
| It isn't a great article because it isn't a pro marijuana article but one based on money but it's a good beginning. [ Post Comment ] |
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