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veggie

Registered: 07/25/04
Posts: 17,538
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Top 10 Reasons to Legalize Marijuana in California 1
#13424994 - 11/02/10 06:05 PM (13 years, 6 months ago) |
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Proposition 19 Backer Richard Lee's Top 10 Reasons to Legalize Marijuana in California November 1, 2010 - Huffington Post
Proposition 19 ('The Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010') looms as other states look to California as a bellwether of marijuana legalization. I got in touch with Prop 19's chief promoter and originator Richard Lee and asked him to outline his top 10 reasons for marijuana legalization. Here's what he said:
1) Ending the black market would decapitate drug cartels in Mexico Passing Proposition 19 will lower violent crime and undermine dangerous cartels by carrying off their biggest cash cow. Regulating marijuana means taking control of the California's most profitable agricultural product by wresting its oversight and profitability away from violent criminals and putting it into the hands of responsible members of society. According to federal estimates, 60 percent of Mexican drug cartel revenue comes from marijuana sales. The drug cartels that control so much of the marijuana trade have murdered 30,000 people in Mexico over the past four years alone. Creating a legal market and a legal means of production and distribution for cannabis in California will ensure that there is transparency and accountability in business transactions.
2) Ending marijuana arrests will save money California wastes hundreds of million of dollars every year on marijuana arrests. As a result, our courts and prisons are clogged with small time, nonviolent offenders. Worse still, many are sent back to prison every year for violating parole by smoking pot. By legalizing marijuana, law enforcement budgets will no longer be burdened by targeting individual marijuana users.
3) Taking cops off the marijuana beat will make our streets safer By passing Proposition 19 we will eliminate the profitability of the illegal market and diminish the power of underground drug criminals. Police will no longer have to spend countless hours arresting, detaining and prosecuting people for nonviolent marijuana crimes. Between the money saved and the new revenue that comes from taxing marijuana, police will be free to focus on protecting the streets.
4) Legalization and taxation will generate billions of dollars in revenue for California Marijuana is already the largest cash crop in California. At $14 billion, it is more that five times as large as the wine industry, and all that money is untaxed. According to the State Board of Equalization, legalizing and taxing marijuana will generate an estimated $1.4 billion in new tax revenue for California. Every city and county in California will have the right to determine how much to tax marijuana within its borders. At the state level, legislation has been introduced by Assemblyman Tom Ammiano that would put a $50 tax on every ounce sold.
5) Ending prohibition will protect the environment Proposition 19 means going green for California, but not just in the way you might think. When Californians are allowed to produce cannabis for their own personal consumption, there will undoubtedly be a number of environmental benefits. For one thing, marijuana formerly produced in Mexico will soon be produced locally, doubtlessly saving hundreds of thousands of miles in transportation and oil usage. But even more important than that, legal production and distribution means California can get clandestine marijuana grows out of our defenseless public lands. These illegal operations cause human disruption in the least accessible of lands and most fragile of ecosystems, and on top of that, without regulation there is no control over fertilizer and pesticide use. Our current approach not only seeds our public preserves with an invasive weed, but it also promotes a serious threat to our water quality. Proposition 19 would make such illegal grow operations impractical and unprofitable, protecting endangered species of plants in the Golden State.
6) Legalization and control will make it harder for kids to buy pot Far from making marijuana harder to get, the current prohibition actually drives an entire market underground where it is controlled by criminals who will do anything to collect a profit.
As former San Jose Police Chief Joseph McNamara explains: Today, because it is illegal, teenagers have an easier time buying pot than beer. For any high school student, trying to purchase a six-pack without ID means being turned away by a liquor store owner who is concerned with losing his license. The same can't be said for drug dealers who exploit prohibition to profit off our kids.
7) Changing our marijuana laws will end racial inequality in marijuana arrests Recent studies by the NAACP and the Drug Policy Alliance highlight the devastating impact of the war on marijuana on minority communities. In major California cities, Latinos and African-Americans are arrested up to 12 times the rate of whites, even though federal surveys regularly show that whites use marijuana at the highest rates.
8) Regulating marijuana will create jobs Bringing the marijuana industry above ground and taxing it will generate billions in state and local tax revenue that will be used to fund police, teachers, and firefighters. An estimated 60,000 new jobs will be created to sustain the newly legal marijuana industry.
9) Ending criminalization of marijuana users will stop people from getting records that block financial aid or employment Every year thousands of students lose the ability to pay for college because of federal laws that tie drug convictions to financial aid eligibility. Similarly, employers can turn down otherwise qualified job applicants because of past marijuana convictions. Passing Proposition 19 will strike a blow for common sense so that people are evaluated on their academic and professional performance.
10) Starting a national movement Passing Proposition 19 will spark a national movement to end marijuana prohibition across the country. Voters and policymakers in other states will be holding their breaths in the wake of marijuana legalization in California, as the topic of taxation and regulation becomes a legitimate part of political discourse. As the public discussion continues to move out of the realm of B-level comedy routines and into more serious political forums, the people arguing in favor of the prohibition status quo will soon be required to back up their message with sound science instead of scare tactics. When the rest of the country sees the tremendous financial benefits from law enforcement savings and tax revenues, and when the rest of the country realizes that the sky won't fall under a system of cannabis regulation, those who were previously afraid to speak out about marijuana will feel emboldened, empowered and politically justified to bring this conversation to their own communities.
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nachohippie
asshole



Registered: 09/19/09
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Re: Top 10 Reasons to Legalize Marijuana in California [Re: veggie]
#13425298 - 11/02/10 08:12 PM (13 years, 6 months ago) |
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#1 prop 19 will have no effect on the blackmarket pot trade in California people will still illegally buy pot from friends and family because they will not want to pay taxes on a plant they can grow them self.
#2 possession of 1 oz is already an infraction you can not be arrested for possession of 1 oz already in California.
#3 see number 2 police can not arrest you for possession so there will be no decrease in arrest
#4 a illegal market will still be as alive as it is currently and may even expand with countless new growers producing product witch if sold would be a illegal black market
#5 Mexican cartels will most likely expand operations on national forest land endangering outdoor enthusiast and further destroying the environment because their market is mainly on the east coast
#6 marijuana regulation will do nothing to reduce the underground black market it will create
#7 once again possession of 1 oz is already only an infraction prop 19 will do nothing to reduce arrest
#8 regulation marijuana under prop 19 will reduce jobs by exposing company's to loss of federal funding if they do not test for marijuana use even if the employee is a medical user the prop does nothing to support patient rights in the work place
#9 once again pot is not a misdemeanor in California it is an infraction and will not show on record
#10 the only thing good that MIGHT come of this law
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send guns, money ,lawyers, and drugs its been a long night everything i post is a lie im a pathological liar
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Invisible_Woe


Registered: 05/25/07
Posts: 11,709
Loc: Mabase
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Re: Top 10 Reasons to Legalize Marijuana in California [Re: nachohippie]
#13425370 - 11/02/10 08:22 PM (13 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
nachohippie said: #1 prop 19 will have no effect on the blackmarket pot trade in California people will still illegally buy pot from friends and family because they will not want to pay taxes on a plant they can grow them self.
#2 possession of 1 oz is already an infraction you can not be arrested for possession of 1 oz already in California.
#3 see number 2 police can not arrest you for possession so there will be no decrease in arrest
#4 a illegal market will still be as alive as it is currently and may even expand with countless new growers producing product witch if sold would be a illegal black market
#5 Mexican cartels will most likely expand operations on national forest land endangering outdoor enthusiast and further destroying the environment because their market is mainly on the east coast
#6 marijuana regulation will do nothing to reduce the underground black market it will create
#7 once again possession of 1 oz is already only an infraction prop 19 will do nothing to reduce arrest
#8 regulation marijuana under prop 19 will reduce jobs by exposing company's to loss of federal funding if they do not test for marijuana use even if the employee is a medical user the prop does nothing to support patient rights in the work place
#9 once again pot is not a misdemeanor in California it is an infraction and will not show on record
#10 the only thing good that MIGHT come of this law 
so are you against prop 19?
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nachohippie
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Registered: 09/19/09
Posts: 2,623
Loc: right around the corner
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Re: Top 10 Reasons to Legalize Marijuana in California [Re: Invisible_Woe]
#13425386 - 11/02/10 08:24 PM (13 years, 6 months ago) |
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yes i think it is a law that is full of problems for california and it is being supported by corporations like agramed who are trying to take over the pot industry in the guise of legalization
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send guns, money ,lawyers, and drugs its been a long night everything i post is a lie im a pathological liar
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Invisible_Woe


Registered: 05/25/07
Posts: 11,709
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Re: Top 10 Reasons to Legalize Marijuana in California [Re: nachohippie]
#13425455 - 11/02/10 08:34 PM (13 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
nachohippie said: yes i think it is a law that is full of problems for california and it is being supported by corporations like agramed who are trying to take over the pot industry in the guise of legalization
QQ its a start legalization of other things didnt go so well in the begining....to me the bottom line is, i get to smoke legal pot and it brings revenue to cali...and honestly i highly doubt (as lazy as alot of people are) that people would look around for black markert dealers when they can just go to their fucking store...i mean people still make money off of moonshine but then again so does the Gov't idk im pretty messed up but it seems like a great idea to me..
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nachohippie
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Registered: 09/19/09
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Re: Top 10 Reasons to Legalize Marijuana in California [Re: Invisible_Woe]
#13425486 - 11/02/10 08:38 PM (13 years, 6 months ago) |
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if a fith had a $50 tax like a oz will if Richard lee has his way as he has suggested people sure would buy more moonshine. look at the early colonial history of moonshiners and see that it was done as a way to avoid taxes to the govt. a black market to avoid taxes
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send guns, money ,lawyers, and drugs its been a long night everything i post is a lie im a pathological liar
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Invisible_Woe


Registered: 05/25/07
Posts: 11,709
Loc: Mabase
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Re: Top 10 Reasons to Legalize Marijuana in California [Re: nachohippie]
#13425501 - 11/02/10 08:40 PM (13 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
nachohippie said: if a fith had a $50 tax like a oz will if Richard lee has his way as he has suggested people sure would buy more moonshine. look at the early colonial history of moonshiners and see that it was done as a way to avoid taxes to the govt. a black market to avoid taxes
well what do you want? crime happens people will always use the black market... i would much rather walka round with an OZ not worrying about getting caught while having some black market sellers putting themselves at risk rather than having to deal with the black market people...
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nachohippie
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Registered: 09/19/09
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Re: Top 10 Reasons to Legalize Marijuana in California [Re: Invisible_Woe]
#13425509 - 11/02/10 08:42 PM (13 years, 6 months ago) |
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as it stands now you can walk around with a oz in your pocket and it is not gonna get you arrested
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send guns, money ,lawyers, and drugs its been a long night everything i post is a lie im a pathological liar
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Santi
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Registered: 10/05/10
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Re: Top 10 Reasons to Legalize Marijuana in California [Re: nachohippie]
#13425586 - 11/02/10 08:53 PM (13 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
nachohippie said: as it stands now you can walk around with a oz in your pocket and it is not gonna get you arrested
Which, lets be honest, is pretty 'fair'. Although I think this prohibition should be ended, I definitely believe it's on it's way. If California passes Prop 19 then within 10 years I suspect half of the states will have some sort of referendum/proposition/etc.
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Invisible_Woe


Registered: 05/25/07
Posts: 11,709
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Re: Top 10 Reasons to Legalize Marijuana in California [Re: Santi]
#13425803 - 11/02/10 09:24 PM (13 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
Santi said:
Quote:
nachohippie said: as it stands now you can walk around with a oz in your pocket and it is not gonna get you arrested
Which, lets be honest, is pretty 'fair'. Although I think this prohibition should be ended, I definitely believe it's on it's way. If California passes Prop 19 then within 10 years I suspect half of the states will have some sort of referendum/proposition/etc.
-------------------- These are not the answers you should be questioning.
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nachohippie
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Registered: 09/19/09
Posts: 2,623
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Re: Top 10 Reasons to Legalize Marijuana in California [Re: Invisible_Woe]
#13425886 - 11/02/10 09:35 PM (13 years, 6 months ago) |
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No nation has a legal pot status according to wiki just decriminalized witch we have in california
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send guns, money ,lawyers, and drugs its been a long night everything i post is a lie im a pathological liar
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