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On the Legalization or Not of Marijuana »

Posted by: Wil 10 months ago

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The alcohol vs. marijuana question is so speculative as to be nearly useless beyond a thought experiment. So we assembled a group of folks with expertise in this area and asked them a much more targeted pair of questions: Should marijuana be legalized in the U.S.? Why or why not?

Read Full Story at freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com

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mntnman44410 months ago

I just finished watching the democratic debate.
DUMP HILLARY NOW!!!
When the question was brought up about the decriminalization of marijuana,Sen Chris Dodd's suggestion that we decriminalize was raised and the moderator asked which candidates opposed it.Hillary's hand shot up like a rocket! Edwards said it would send the wrong signal.No!... are sending the wrong message!You show your ignorance on the subject by equating decriminalization with legalization,there is a big difference and niether one of you know what it is.
Hillary is sending the wrong message because she is showing that she is just another politician who is afraid to find out the facts and determine what is best for society for fear of being labeled "pro drug" by the very people who have dragged our country down.
There is not a chance in hell that I would vote for such a closed minded phony politician.
Dodd/Richardson for the democrat nomination!
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  Grrr10 months ago
  
  Although I think Dodd/Richardson is still a bit close to the status quo for my taste!
  If I had my druthers, Kucinich or Gravel. Among the 3 front runners, I have to give Obama the nod. He seems to at least appreciate a common sense approach to policy. At any rate, I doubt anti-prohibition will be the policy platform that decides my vote this time around.
  Do you realize that if they had given the 2000 election to Gore, it would be at least decriminalized RIGHT NOW?!
  That more than any other factor may have contributed to the extreme lengths they were willing to go to in order to upset that outcome.
  Before terrorism, there was just too much money being made from the drug war by the military/industrial complex to let it die without a replacement. They got that in spades!
  Some of the largest contributers to anti-marijuana lobbying efforts are Prison Guard Unions.
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    mntnman44410 months ago
    
    I would prefer someone like Kucinich or Ron Paul,I never really cared for Dodd ,I thought he was a publicity seeker.But I have seen him in interviews and I do believe he has a vision...and being the first to suggest decrim helped a bit also.Richardson ,I believe is open minded enough to listen to the facts,he just ordered his state Health Dept to comply with the new medical mj law and begin preparing to grow and distribute it to patients after they refused to do it at first.
    The main reason I want change is because of the destruction of our rights.It is not a free America when paramilitary storm troopers can burst into your home and hold your family at gunpoint just for having a weed.
    As far as decrim,it's better than nothing but I still believe that using marijuana is not a crime,never was and never will be.
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mntnman44410 months ago

As it states in the article,nobody cares about facts or studies,but here's one anyway...
The National Academy of Sciences produced a study that breaks down the three directions we can go in.
Complete prohibition (current policy)
Partial prohibition (decriminalization)
Regulation (legalization being neccessary)
The study is non-biased and explores the options in a sensible way.
An Analysis of Marijuana Policy...
http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/library/stu...
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  earthlingerer10 months ago
  
  I favor a real decriminalization, but with severe penalties for trafficking, distributing, and sale/diversion to minors.
  Allow someone to grow and possess an amount which could supply a family for one year.
  Legalization just has too many hurdles, and getting there would enable a lot of fascists, totalitarians, neo-cons, and other evildoers to realize a few of their dreams on the way.
  With the laws, including the US Constitution and UN treaties considered, decriminalization is the only possible route.
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    Grrr10 months ago
    
    I agree, earthlingerer. Besides, if they outright legalized it, how much you want to bet they try and put you on a registry and make you carry a card?
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lindawilliam6 months, 2 weeks ago

When I'm finished with this project, I'll delve into learning how to make my own article. http://mp3adrenaline.com/serial_/the_v/
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