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InvisibleveggieM

Registered: 07/25/04
Posts: 17,538
[CAN] New Report: U.S. Government Data Demonstrates Failure of Cannabis Prohibition
    #13302297 - 10/07/10 02:45 AM (13 years, 7 months ago)
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More reasons to legalize the sale of marijuana
October 7, 2010 - Vancouver Sun

New Report: U.S. Government Data Demonstrates Failure of Cannabis Prohibition

Many people find it ironic that while we've increased the regulation of tobacco in recent years, we are also discussing decriminalizing marijuana. After all, why are we getting tougher on a legal substance, and softer on an illegal one? Isn't this contradictory policy making?

It might seem so, but our policy ought to be informed by the evidence -- by what works. And we know that our approach to tobacco has led to a significant decrease in tobacco use, while our approach to marijuana has led to the opposite.

So perhaps, in order to do what works and to save ourselves from contradiction, we ought to take the same approach with marijuana as we do with tobacco -- and its twin vice, alcohol.

This is one of the suggestions made by the International Centre for Science in Drug Policy in Tools for Debate, a report released today on the results of the American government's criminalization of cannabis.

While the report focuses on the U.S. as a result of California's Proposition 19 (Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis), it contains much of relevance to Canada.

The report advises that while there has been much discussion of the impact of marijuana prohibition, there has been little assessment based on U.S. surveillance systems. In an attempt to fill that void, the authors considered U.S. government data concerning anti-drug efforts, drug production and consumption.

As for anti-drug efforts, the report notes that the annual overall budget for the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy increased by more than 600 per cent (inflation adjusted) over the last two decades -- from $1.5 billion US in 1981 to $18 billion US in 2002.

While not all of this money was directed toward anti-marijuana initiatives, the increase in the budget coincided with a 150-per-cent increase in cannabis-related arrests and a more than 400-per-cent increase in cannabis seizures.

One might think that would lead to a decrease in availability and consumption, but in fact the opposite occurred. According to the University of Mississippi Cannabis Potency Monitoring Project, the estimated THC content of cannabis rose approximately 145 per cent, from 3.5 per cent in 1990 to 8.5 per cent in 2007. Moreover, U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency data suggest that during those same years, the retail cost of cannabis decreased from $37 US per gram to $15 US per gram. It's not surprising, then, that cannabis use among Grade 12 students rose from 27 per cent in 1990 to 32 per cent in 2008.

Clearly, increasing prohibition has had just the opposite effect as was intended.

Additionally, it has fuelled the multibillion-dollar gang-controlled illegal drug market, and all the violence that goes with that.

But fortunately, there are alternatives, ones that we have been employing with considerable success in the fight against tobacco and alcohol.

The report notes, for example, that certain measures, such as limiting the days and hours of sale of alcohol, and limiting the number of alcohol outlets in an area have been associated with lesser alcohol use.

Further, regulated and controlled availability of lesser-strength alcohol products has reduced the market for higher potency liquor. And restrictions on marketing, as well as clear labelling and health warnings on products, have helped control both tobacco and alcohol use.

These measures could also help to control marijuana use in a regulated market. They would almost certainly make marijuana less available to minors, since the vast majority of them report that it is currently very easy or fairly easy to obtain the drug.

And it goes without saying that a regulated marijuana market would provide enormous tax revenues, and substantially reduce law enforcement expenditures. That would leave governments with a lot of extra money, which could be used to further efforts in developing and implementing evidence-based drug policy.

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InvisibleveggieM

Registered: 07/25/04
Posts: 17,538
Re: [CAN] More reasons to legalize the sale of marijuana [Re: veggie]
    #13302334 - 10/07/10 03:16 AM (13 years, 7 months ago)


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OfflineMickalopagus
living in perverty
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Registered: 07/06/04
Posts: 15,084
Last seen: 48 minutes, 45 seconds
Re: [CAN] More reasons to legalize the sale of marijuana [Re: veggie]
    #13302457 - 10/07/10 05:11 AM (13 years, 7 months ago)

that video is making it impossible to read this thing, keeps redirecting me


--------------------
notapillow said: "you are going about this endeavor all wrong. clear your mind of useless fear and concern. buy the ticket, take the ride, and all that.... "

ChrisWho said: "It's all about the journey, not the destination."

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InvisibleLe_Canard
The Duk Abides


Registered: 05/16/03
Posts: 94,392
Loc: Earthfarm 1 Flag
Re: [CAN] New Report: U.S. Government Data Demonstrates Failure of Cannabis Prohibition [Re: veggie]
    #13302610 - 10/07/10 07:12 AM (13 years, 7 months ago)

$217 billion dollars! Good grief! That could've gone to schools or to feed the poor. :facepalm:

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Offlinemakaveli8x8
Stranger
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Registered: 02/28/06
Posts: 21,636
Last seen: 7 years, 11 months
Re: [CAN] New Report: U.S. Government Data Demonstrates Failure of Cannabis Prohibition [Re: Le_Canard]
    #13302737 - 10/07/10 08:02 AM (13 years, 7 months ago)

it is going to feed the poor think of all the police that would be living in cardboard boxes if they couldn't steal from honest americans


--------------------
We were sent to hell for eternity :hellfire: Ø:omgawesome:h®
We play on earth to pass the time :foreheadslap:

Over-population the root of all Evil-brings the Elites Closer to the gates.

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OfflineEdgeChaos
Still a stranger

Registered: 08/04/06
Posts: 2,071
Last seen: 6 years, 9 months
Re: [CAN] New Report: U.S. Government Data Demonstrates Failure of Cannabis Prohibition [Re: Le_Canard]
    #13303231 - 10/07/10 10:40 AM (13 years, 7 months ago)

Quote:

ToiletDuk said:
$217 billion dollars! Good grief! That could've gone to schools or to feed the poor. :facepalm:





What are you? Some kind of socialist? :crazy2:


I don't like how the article relates rising cannabis potency with illegality. This is something that would have happened regardless of it's legal status.

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InvisibleLe_Canard
The Duk Abides


Registered: 05/16/03
Posts: 94,392
Loc: Earthfarm 1 Flag
Re: [CAN] New Report: U.S. Government Data Demonstrates Failure of Cannabis Prohibition [Re: EdgeChaos]
    #13303358 - 10/07/10 11:08 AM (13 years, 7 months ago)

Naw, I'm just saying all that money could have been better spent on other things besides trying to stop people from smoking a plant.

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OfflineEdgeChaos
Still a stranger

Registered: 08/04/06
Posts: 2,071
Last seen: 6 years, 9 months
Re: [CAN] New Report: U.S. Government Data Demonstrates Failure of Cannabis Prohibition [Re: Le_Canard]
    #13303897 - 10/07/10 01:01 PM (13 years, 7 months ago)

I agree with you. I was joking.

Another recent article said per year we could be saving 88 billion. I'm no economist but it's starting to seem like the only reason we are still in debt is because of this "war".

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InvisibleGerman Kahuna
Facepalmer of Stoopid
Male User Gallery


Registered: 10/31/08
Posts: 15,798
Loc: On a Chemical Vacation
Re: [CAN] New Report: U.S. Government Data Demonstrates Failure of Cannabis Prohibition [Re: EdgeChaos]
    #13304400 - 10/07/10 02:56 PM (13 years, 7 months ago)

Quote:

EdgeChaos said:What are you? Some kind of socialist? :crazy2:




I am. And yes, if all that money would have went into public health care and education then the US would be in a much better state than it is in now. Very fucking sad that the US has spent billions on putting totally harmless stoners in prison for so many years. What an utter disgrace.


--------------------
"Vegetarian" [ /ˌvedʒəˈteəriən/] - Ancient slang meaning "village idiot who can't hunt, fish or ride".

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Offlineblujay
pass it b*ch!
Male User Gallery


Registered: 04/01/09
Posts: 5,120
Last seen: 8 years, 9 months
Re: [CAN] New Report: U.S. Government Data Demonstrates Failure of Cannabis Prohibition [Re: German Kahuna]
    #13304427 - 10/07/10 03:03 PM (13 years, 7 months ago)

Quote:

German Kahuna said:
Quote:

EdgeChaos said:What are you? Some kind of socialist? :crazy2:




I am. And yes, if all that money would have went into public health care and education then the US would be in a much better state than it is in now. Very fucking sad that the US has spent billions on putting totally harmless stoners in prison for so many years. What an utter disgrace.




I think the bigger issue is us taking on unwinnable wars period. Cutting our military "defense" budget would get us a lot farther out of debt.


--------------------

wat man rly

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