Schwarzenegger signs California marijuana decriminalization bill

Originally posted by Chamberf=6
reply to post by Aquarius1

 

I wonder what the effect on Mexican drug gangs would be? (rhetorical)
Think of all those that are in prison, too, for third strikes over possession.

It can only make a positive effect, as far as three strikes which is a ridiculous law, it isn't a law in Michigan BTW, I know it is in California, don't know about other states. To have people in prison for non-violent crimes like this is awful, it ruins lives and turns some into real criminals.

reply to post by Intelearthling


The issue at hand is not if pot is good or bad for you, the issue is should a government be using everyones tax dollars to stop people using it while at the same time allowing drugs such as alcohol and nicotine -,which are responsible for huge numbers of deaths each year, to be perfectly legal..
If people want to abuse their bodies, let them - it is their body and trying to stop them at eveyone elses cost is a losing battle as the war on drugs has shown.
Also the effects of being stoned actually wear off the more regularly you smoke - most daily tokers go about their daily work and life and people dont even realise they are 'wasted'
It is when a non regular smoker tokes up they get so blazed they can not function they then assume this is the high everyone else experiences and therefore can not understand why anyone would attempt to do anything while high.
The end of the day the benefits of pot out way the risks. Yes mixing pot with your education is a big no no but pot being legal or illegal is not going to change which kids try it.

Originally posted by jrod


I applaud Schwarzenegger for doing this. It makes sense fiscally and I hope this will lead the way for other states and cities to change the way the look at simple possession of cannabis. I still think legalization is a decade or more away, without a doubt this is a step in the right direction and California will save money with issuing civil citations for possession of less than an ounce. Hopefully by local town will take note and realize they too can make money simply issuing tickets without the cost and time wasting court proceedings and incarceration.

www.examiner.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Now if only they could dismantle the totalitarian gun laws and over-regulation Calif, could be really on its way to rejoining the other more sensible states

reply to post by jrod


I wouldn't get your hopes up Cali. We did that up here in Canada a few years ago. But once the Liberal goverment was turfed and replaced with the Conservatives, they scrapped decriminalization of small amounts of Marijuana.

The "War on Drugs" and prison systems make too much money from sending innocent people to jail for simple posession.

Hate to rain on your parade, but there is a very good chance this won't last.

Originally posted by solarstorm

Originally posted by Wildbob77
I think that all drugs should be legalized.

My logic is as follows. Anyone can get just about any drug any time they want currently. True drug addicts commit violent crime to get money to spend on drugs.

Legalization of drugs would take the bottom out of the drug market. It would take the profit incentive out of selling drugs. It would bankrupt the criminal gangs that control the drug trade including the Taliban that gets much of it's funding from selling opium.

We could then make treatment available, for free, to all people addicted to drugs. I think that it should still be a criminal offense to drive while under the influence.

I read once, that 85% of crime is tied to drugs. Legalize drugs, get rid of most crime.

I see this as a good first step.

BTW, I do not advocate drug use. I just don't think that the current prohibition does anything to decrease drug use and actually makes drugs use...glamorous.

Unfortunately your arguement holds no water when a pregnant woman is using hard illegal drugs. Unfortunately your arguement holds no water when someone is being raped while under the influence. Just respectfully pointing out those 2 instances...Im sure there are more.

edit on 1-10-2010 by solarstorm because: (no reason given)

edit on 1-10-2010 by solarstorm because: no reason needed...gramatical

what he means, as the facts state is that 75% of all those in prison in the usa are victimless drug related crimes such as posession or sales. It's why 25% of the worlds prison population is in the usa prisons. You honestly don't believe all these people deserve this do you?
All those fatherless families? Are these Americans that much more morally bankrupt to deserve surveillance and imprisonment? There are studies showing potheads have less accidents and less traffic infractions.
They are naturally over courteous.
Some of these posts are straight from the demon marijuana scripts written for them in Hearsts propoganda 60-70 years ago

It's going to get legalized in November here in California. The initiative system is the same way the the Prop 215 medical marijuana got passed. If the federal government trys to say against the actual citizens of the state hell might break loose.

I am not a pot smoker. Tried it. Didn't care for it. We might take this as a farewell gesture from the gov as Arnold only has a few months left in office (he reached term limit). Now if he'd only strike down our motorcycle helmet law for adult riders!

Very impressive that he has done this. Now, they should take it a step further. Hemp is such an incredible material- utterly green and beneficial to the soil it is grown in. It isn't just tax revenue. Think about the boon to the economy & jobs produced by large, as well as small scale farming. By extension, it could bring back actual industries & manufacturing to the US; fuel, high grade cooking oil, textiles- industrial materials & wearable fabrics, a SAFE feed for livestock, paper goods, possibly publishing...LONG list. All without the need for chemical enhancements and pesticides. All completely biodegradable. That is plus the bonuses of shutting out that sector of the drug cartels (possibly reducing incursions into the US to some extent), savings in time, personnel & expenses for prosecuting a completely nonviolent & victimless crime and tax revenues from personal consumption and added business.
There's going to be HUGE corporate lobbying against this at the federal level and the timing (right before the mid term elections) couldn't be better. No doubt they know they will have to fight for it. This took conviction & guts on the governor's & the legislators' parts. Good for them!!

reply to post by DogsDogsDogs


Funny you should mention Hemp. I was going to as well with all the reasons you stated, but for some odd reason, I thought it would be off topic... What is the irony there eh?

Personally, I think Arnold is trying to appease enough supporters of Prop 19 to avoid its passage in November. This is a stopgap measure imo.

Well at least we know now that hes not just a cybernetic organism from the future, he has a little human inside. Marijuana could save the world, if you dont know what im talking about, smoke a joint.


'Roll a man a spliff and he'll be high for a day, teach him how to grow and he'll be high for life'
FREE THE WEED

Originally posted by RicketyCricket
reply to post by saltheart foamfollower

 

Prop 19 is about the legalization, but, the folks in Northern California rely on the money generated by growing operations. If it is legalized, the entire "Emerald Triangle" will lose tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars every single year. The balance needs to be struck properly. I would personally love to see it pass, but doubt it will happen in a month.

will it? Millions? Much of the product grown in NorCal is sold out of state, or in clubs with fixed prices. it being decriminalized or legalized will take a while to effect any of the mid-level growers up north. Sure, some if the bigger operations who sell in bulk to rich guys in la may effected, but not in the way you characterize it.

I agree that it wont happen overnight, or in a month. the market takes a while to find a balance, and thats what this is about, ultimately.

Originally posted by solarstorm

Originally posted by Wildbob77
I think that all drugs should be legalized.

My logic is as follows. Anyone can get just about any drug any time they want currently. True drug addicts commit violent crime to get money to spend on drugs.

Legalization of drugs would take the bottom out of the drug market. It would take the profit incentive out of selling drugs. It would bankrupt the criminal gangs that control the drug trade including the Taliban that gets much of it's funding from selling opium.

We could then make treatment available, for free, to all people addicted to drugs. I think that it should still be a criminal offense to drive while under the influence.

I read once, that 85% of crime is tied to drugs. Legalize drugs, get rid of most crime.

I see this as a good first step.

BTW, I do not advocate drug use. I just don't think that the current prohibition does anything to decrease drug use and actually makes drugs use...glamorous.

Unfortunately your arguement holds no water when a pregnant woman is using hard illegal drugs. Unfortunately your arguement holds no water when someone is being raped while under the influence. Just respectfully pointing out those 2 instances...Im sure there are more.

edit on 1-10-2010 by solarstorm because: (no reason given)

edit on 1-10-2010 by solarstorm because: no reason needed...gramatical

What is sad is that person doing the raping in your anology under current law would probably get a couple years while a repeat drug offender might be locked up for the good majority of his life. THIS is why the war on drugs around here is complete ludacris. If I am an adult and I choose to smoke a natural herb in my own time, which by the way is not nearly as impairing or unhealthy for you as alcohol, why should I be punished by law when there are MUCH worse out there that need taken care of.

Good job to Arnold. This is a step in the right direction for all of America.

Originally posted by kommunist
reply to post by jrod

 

I wouldn't get your hopes up Cali. We did that up here in Canada a few years ago. But once the Liberal goverment was turfed and replaced with the Conservatives, they scrapped decriminalization of small amounts of Marijuana.

The "War on Drugs" and prison systems make too much money from sending innocent people to jail for simple posession.

Hate to rain on your parade, but there is a very good chance this won't last.

Actually, it's been in effect in numerous place si the states for years now, including areas in Mississippi, Colorado Alaska and Montana. etc.

en.wikipedia.org...

Also, last time i was in canada, cops didnt seem to care about pot AT ALL. And it costs half as much as in the states.

Originally posted by Intelearthling
reply to post by saltheart foamfollower

 

From my observations I can say that a student that is high in class WILL NOT achieve anything near where student that's not high. If you'll look at the school drop outs, almost 100% of them is getting high and has lost all motivation for studying. Theyv'e given up on life. Nothing productive comes from sitting around and being stoned.

you are mixing correlation with causality. I am not aware of any studies that have shown that smoking weed will cause low achievement in school. It could very well be the other way round, that low achievement in school causes them to be attacted to smoking weed.

I think the governator did this for support subconsciously. I don't think he really gave a rats *** about what was right or wrong in his mind. Maybe he did, I don't know him too well, just my opinion. I HATE THAT WORD

post by saltheart foamfollower[/url]

From my observations I can say that a student that is high in class WILL NOT achieve anything near where student that's not high. If you'll look at the school drop outs, almost 100% of them is getting high and has lost all motivation for studying. Theyv'e given up on life. Nothing productive comes from sitting around and being stoned.

Then how does one account for my high school class valedictorian being a total pot head? Or some of my best college professors?

reply to post by jrod


Good for Cali and Arnold

All we need now is for the Fed's to lay off trying to control individual state laws when each sate should be able to mandate their own laws, period. We do elect people for a reason don't we?

Sure doesn't seem like it anymore...

Originally posted by justadood
post by saltheart foamfollower[/url]

 

From my observations I can say that a student that is high in class WILL NOT achieve anything near where student that's not high. If you'll look at the school drop outs, almost 100% of them is getting high and has lost all motivation for studying. Theyv'e given up on life. Nothing productive comes from sitting around and being stoned.

Then how does one account for my high school class valedictorian being a total pot head? Or some of my best college professors?

Don't bother, they are obviously just one of the less educated on the matter of THC and it's effect on your brain.

There was actually a study done awhile back and some students actually got higher grades when consuming small amounts of marijuana before class. I'll see if I can find a link to it.

All I have to say is smoke em if ya got em! good for arnold and cali.