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Meowwww 07/12/2011 7:54:00 PM
Wow. You actually said something normal and that I agree with. Never thought I'd see the day. Jackass
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DK 05/20/2011 8:14:00 PM
i disagree i think the majority of the country would like to see the country pull itself out of debt without aid of China! why not produce a farmers type market for it instead of allowing the Mexico's cartels to bring is crap ditch weed when we know that the weed we make in America is 10x better than that crap. come on support our sick don't try and make money from the sick like many of the new laws put into place by our president.
think before you type
idiot
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420 guest 05/11/2011 4:28:00 PM
Vast majority?
From a oct 2010 article: While California's marijuana ballot initiative is garnering a lot of attention this election cycle, Gallup finds that nationally, a new high of 46% of Americans are in favor of legalizing use of the drug, and a new low of 50% are opposed. The increase in support this year from 44% in 2009 is not statistically significant, but is a continuation of the upward trend seen since 2000.
If you insist on spewing b/s "facts", go right ahead and be ignorant.
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Jorge Navarro 05/11/2011 4:00:00 PM
Myra,
In reality cannabis is a booming industry and many jobs can come from it. Think about it, dispensaries need a building and electricians. Gardeners are needed to supply the medicine, security officers to keep the dispensaries secure (much like any Walgreens). Gardeners need supplies and people will invest in buying land for growing, others might prefer indoor grows where plumbing equipment, lights, nutrients, and other equipment will be needed. These are all positions that can be filled by people seeking jobs or goods that need to be bought. Not to mention the schools that may open up to employ lawyers, botanists and other professionals who can teach at a cannabis school. This can all increase cash flow and stimulate our local economy. The possibilities are grand.
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Jorge Navarro 05/11/2011 3:49:00 PM
Guess what? We aren't the minority. The country is divided on the issue. Look up some facts, before you speak out of your ass.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/march_2011/americans_still_divided_over_legalizing_taxing_marijuana
http://pewresearch.org/databank/dailynumber/?NumberID=1102
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1548/broad-public-support-for-legalizing-medical-marijuana
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Rodrigo Diaz 05/11/2011 12:31:00 AM
What about alcohol buddy?
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Rodrigo Diaz 05/11/2011 12:30:00 AM
We are going to smoke weed either way, bright eyes!
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Rodrigo Diaz 05/11/2011 12:28:00 AM
So you're saying Marijuana is like driving 100mph and taking Oxycontin (the equivalent of pill form heroine) is like driving 60mph?? Terrific point my friend lol And peeing in public is going 1000mph hahaha
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Rodrigo Diaz 05/11/2011 12:25:00 AM
This is an article on Luther Campbells stance on Marijuana, not on all of his policies. Are you kidding me?
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Rodrigo Diaz 05/11/2011 12:20:00 AM
You just like to oppress others don't you? Hope it feels good man, hope you feel powerful, all you need is a badge and a doughnut.
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Rodrigo Diaz 05/11/2011 12:16:00 AM
Its not about the people that don't smoke it's about the people that do. So get out of here you nazi. I don't drink alcohol, my best friend died drunk driving and I don't like the effects of it on me personally doesn't mean I want to outlaw alcohol. This country is supposed to stand for freedom, what kind of freedom is this? Its one sided. I graduated from the University of Miami so don't tell me I have a limited perspective.
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Rodrigo Diaz 05/11/2011 12:10:00 AM
I'm one of those people trampling into the voting stands. I don't drink alcohol because it makes me violent and my best friend died drunk driving. I feel persecuted because I can't smoke a joint in peace.
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Rodrigo Diaz 05/11/2011 12:08:00 AM
Ur an idiot
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Whitey 04/26/2011 1:01:00 PM
First time in a long time, I actually agree with Luke.
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Sonicpush 04/26/2011 6:18:00 AM
I don't agree with you most often...but on this point you are correct....however, with regulation, taxation and licensing like it's done in Europe (Amsterdam)....which by the way have a couple hundred years head start on our young ignorant society that keep approving, funding and spending using BILLIONS of our Tax Payer Dollars to fight a "Drug War" since Richard Nixon...even more so, a Prohibition War on drugs.....we all remember the last time we tried to Prohibit Drug......who benefited the most?....Mobsters and the Mafia, rum smugglers, etc.
We keep living in this Fairly Tale of "The War on Drugs"....it will never end....it is a multi-billion dollar federal department that employs hundreds of thousands of employees.....you think the Federal Government REALLY? want the War On Drugs to stop? Most likely not.
We will never be able to control human nature and their desires, curiosity and addicts to try things....we will always have folks smoking marijuana and drinking.....however, if you take the taboo away from it, control it in areas where it's allowed to be done...then tax all aspects of it. The War On Drug slowly goes away....and all those Colombian and MExican cartels ares slowly put out of business.
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Poly44 04/25/2011 11:07:00 PM
YOURE AN IDIOT, LUTHER
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Broox12 04/25/2011 12:01:00 PM
uncle luke is gonna win the election regardless you know how many people kno his music here in miami dade alone wtf and now this these young people are going to trample into the voting stands
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Duke27 04/24/2011 8:43:00 PM
Oh the naivety of thinking democracy works correctly in America. The majority of Americans think gay marriage should be legal, and yet we have a state constitutional amendment that bans it. You really would be surprised by how many people smoke marijuana in Dade County. A significant percentage of the marijuana produced in the state is probably produced in Miami. Besides, just because a person doesn't smoke marijuana doesn't mean she doesn't support legalization of the plant. A minority of people smoke tobacco in the country, and it is legal. Why is government even telling us that certain plants are illegal for us to possess? Simply because it can affect how we think? Why is the reasoning not the same for alcohol? Alcohol is responsible for thousands of deaths year, even killing innocent people because of drunk drivers. This drug is no more dangerous than any of our current legal drugs, why waste taxpayer money trying to stamp out an industry that's never going to go away?
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BR Sumbich 04/24/2011 1:58:00 AM
well congratulations that marijuana is not a gateway drug for you.
Unfortunately, millions of addicts across the country do not share the same opinion as you do. In agreement with the millions of drug addicts, are hundreds (or thousands) of studies to support the position that MJ is a gateway drug. Further, no civilized nation in the world has completely legalized marijuana, which in itself speaks volumes.
Believe what you want, but a bunch of users claiming its harmless, just doesn't support a need or cause for legalization..
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04/24/2011 12:53:00 AM
Dude, you really seem to have an anger issue over a harmless plant that could be saving lives and our economy. Give me a break. Take my advice and relax. Maybe smoke a few blunts and then give me your opinion. And MJ is NOT a gateway drug. When I used to smoke weed I have NEVER tempted to try any other drug except for alcohol. Believe me, those other drugs are terrible but I am not going to sit here and listen to someone say the herb is a gateway drug because it is completely false. Your ignorance is not buying anyone over here.
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04/24/2011 12:42:00 AM
Hey loser, what you may not know is there are a lot of people in favor of legalizing marijuana. Not just in Florida, but everywhere. The reason why weed is illegal is because of the asshole tobacco and alcohol companies. MJ has never been known to cause death while tobacco and alcohol kills thousands every year. We could be saving billions every year if we just legalized a plant and hemp can be used for multi-purposes. Educate yourself about the herb before you come and post this ignorant BS talk.
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04/23/2011 9:07:00 PM
Most of those other nations you are talking about were pushed into prohibiting marijuana by the USA. Our crooked Government has used every trick in the book including bribes and threats to force marijuana prohibition on other nations!
Anyone that doesn't know marijuana has legitimate medical uses must not be able to read! If it has no medical uses why does the US Federal Government provide marijuana to few medical patients at taxpayer expense?
Why does this Federal agency (National Cancer Institute (NCI) a division of the National Institute of Health, which is itself one of the 11 component agencies that make up the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) proclaim medical use for marijuana in treating cancer? http://coloradoindependent.com/80826/federal-agency-proclaims-medical-use-for-marijuana-in-treating-cancer
Most of those organizations that call marijuana a "gateway drug" make money from marijuana prohibition! There is NOTHING about marijuana that causes people to use other drugs! That LIE has been so completely debunked and for such a long number of years that I'm surprised anyone even brings that "gateway" NONSENSE up anymore!
From: http://www.jackherer.com/thebook/chapter-six/
“Eli Lilly, Pfizer and others stand to lose at least a third of their entire, highly profitable, patent monopoly on such drugs as Darvon, Tuinal, Seconal, and Prozac (as well as other patented medications ranging from muscle ointments to burn ointments, to thousands of other products) because of a plant anyone can grow: cannabis hemp.
Isn’t it curious that American drug companies and pharmacist groups supply almost half the funding for the 4,000 Families Against Marijuana type organizations in America? The other half is supplied by Action (a federal VISTA agency) and by tobacco companies like Philip Morris, and by liquor and beer makers like Anheuser Busch, Coors, etc., or as a public service by the ad agencies that represent them.”
Simply stated, the Federal Government is conspiring with pharmaceutical companies, alcohol companies, tobacco companies, petroleum companies and other crooked corporations, to use unconstitutional Federal marijuana prohibition laws to insure that you needlessly buy products that have been proven beyond any shadow of doubt to be harmful and often deadly, instead of allowing you to legally grow and/or buy a nontoxic plant that is safe and effective. Meanwhile uncle SHAM forces unconstitutional healthcare legislation on you and threatens to severely punish you if you don’t buy mandatory health insurance.
MARIJUANA PROHIBITION IS A SHAM AND A SCAM!
It's not a matter of pro-marijuana policy reformers being right and the rest of the world being wrong! The problem is FAR too many people have been BRAINWASHED by crooked corporations and the crooked politicians they buy and the billions of tax dollars these crooks have unlawfully wasted on untruthful anti-marijuana media campaigns.
Do some research and look at other sources that the Government! The Government is so corrupt you can't believe much they say about anything! Google: "why is marijuana illegal" and read up on the well documented facts!
Why is the most useful plant known illegal? It’s illegal because crooked corporations that buy crooked politicians fear competition from superior, safer and more environmentally friendly hemp products and because our Constitution ignoring Government loves to oppress jail and steal from the people! Alcohol, tobacco, petroleum, cotton, timber, chemical and pharmaceutical companies, just to name a few, all see marijuana as unwanted competition because marijuana/hemp/cannabis produces superior more environmentally friendly products than the overpriced, harmful, toxic, often deadly products marijuana prohibition forces everyone to use. The best way for We The People to regain our Constitutional rights and liberty is to demand to be governed strictly according to the Constitution and to demand a complete ban on corporate lobbying. We are supposed to have Government of, for and by THE PEOPLE, not of, for and by corporations and the crooked Constitution shredding politicians they buy! Corporations are NOT people and unconstitutional is ILLEGAL!
Marijuana does not cause aggressive behavior. Marijuana does not cause dangerous driving. Marijuana does not cause cancer, brain damage or any serious health problems. Marijuana prohibition does not keep kids away from marijuana, illegal dealers don’t ask for ID. Marijuana is not a “gateway drug”, there is absolutely NOTHING about marijuana that causes people to use other drugs. Marijuana is not addictive. In fact marijuana is one of the safest substances known! Marijuana is SAFER than many foods we consume and give to our kids all the time! Exactly what good is this prohibition doing and who is benefiting from it?
What % of marijuana consumers beat their wife because of the effects of marijuana? What % of marijuana consumers go to a marijuana party and end up in a fight because of the effects of marijuana? What % of marijuana consumers get in a drunken stupor and spend the night in a gutter? What % of marijuana consumers pass out and stay right where they fell long after they soil their pants? What % of marijuana consumers end up choking to death on their own vomit? Exactly 0%!
The cops and the politicians know marijuana is no threat to society but they keep screaming their fear mongering marijuana lies at every opportunity. Did you ever wonder why? It's because of corruption and greed!
On March 22, 1972 the Richard Nixon-appointed, 13-member National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse recommended the decriminalization of marijuana, concluding:
“[MARIJUANA'S] RELATIVE POTENTIAL FOR HARM TO THE VAST MAJORITY OF INDIVIDUAL USERS AND ITS ACTUAL IMPACT ON SOCIETY DOES NOT JUSTIFY A SOCIAL POLICY DESIGNED TO SEEK OUT AND FIRMLY PUNISH THOSE WHO USE IT.”
Richard Nixon chose to ignore the advice of his own well qualified, expensive, taxpayer funded, commission and start the modern escalation of criminalizing marijuana consumers. The lies he promoted have done much harm! He started the “war on drugs”, which is actually a violent unconstitutional war against nonviolent citizens, which are no threat to their selves or society and a war on everyone’s Constitutional rights and liberties. He did this acting as a tyrant, in response to nonviolent anti-Vietnam war protests by We The People, which largely consisted of young American marijuana consumers. No president we have had since Nixon has sought to right these unconstitutional presidential actions, instead every one of them has allowed this unlawful unconstitutional tyranny to continue.
In 1988, after reviewing all the SCIENTIFIC and MEDICAL evidence presented in a lengthy lawsuit against the government’s prohibition of medical marijuana, the DEA’s own administrative law judge (Judge Francis Young) wrote:
“MARIJUANA, IN ITS NATURAL FORM, IS ONE OF THE SAFEST THERAPEUTICALLY ACTIVE SUBSTANCES KNOWN. IN STRICT MEDICAL TERMS, MARIJUANA IS SAFER THAN MANY FOODS WE COMMONLY CONSUME.”
Judge Young's "Opinion and recommended ruling, Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Decision of Administrative Law Judge", also said:
"7. Drugs used in medicine are routinely given what is called an LD-50. The LD-50 rating indicates at what dosage fifty percent of test animals receiving a drug will die as a result of drug induced toxicity. A number of researchers have attempted to determine marijuana's LD-50 rating in test animals, without success. Simply stated, researchers have been unable to give animals enough marijuana to induce death.
8. At present it is estimated that marijuana's LD-50 is around 1:20,000 or 1:40,000. In layman terms this means that in order to induce death a marijuana smoker would have to consume 20,000 to 40,000 times as much marijuana as is contained in one marijuana cigarette. NIDA-supplied marijuana cigarettes weigh approximately .9 grams. A smoker would theoretically have to consume nearly 1,500 pounds of marijuana within about fifteen minutes to induce a lethal response.
9. In practical terms, marijuana cannot induce a lethal response as a result of drug-related toxicity."
Watch Irvin Rosenfeld who gets his marijuana from the Federal Government destroy all the lies about marijuana consumers being lazy and unproductive. Watch him destroy all the lies about long term heavy marijuana use being harmful. Learn the truth about marijuana: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvzX8aNwxgM
Listen to these high ranking narcotics officers expose the harms and waste of the drug war. Learn the truth about the drug war. It is a FAILED HARMFUL UNCONSTITUTIONAL UNLAWFUL VIOLENT WAR AGAINST NONVIOLENT CITIZENS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LayaGk0TMDc
The World Health Organization Documents Failure of U.S. Drug Policies http://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/90295/
MARIJUANA PROHIBITION AND THE ENTIRE DRUG WAR ARE A SHAM AND A SCAM!
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jsknow 04/23/2011 8:15:00 PM
I agree with most of what you said but according to Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), Who know the drug war probably as well, or better than any drug policy reform organization on earth, the USA spends roughly 70 Billion tax dollars every year on the drug war.
Since marijuana accounts for roughly half of all drug arrests, it's safe to say marijuana prohibition alone is costing / WASTING about 35 Billion US tax dollars per year.
On top of that you have to add in all the JOBS AND PROFITS that could be produced in a legal cannabis / hemp / marijuana market. Highly nutritious food, safe effective medicine, a far safer recreational drug than either alcohol or tobacco, environmentally friendly fuel, paper, fabric, building materials… in fact, over 50,000 products that are more environmentally friendly and superior to products marijuana prohibition forces everyone to use can be efficiently and domestically produced from this amazing plant.
Now hold on to your hat because the first time I read this it took me a while to process it too, just like it does most people but once you think it through it makes a lot more sense than what we're doing now.
At Law Enforcement Against Prohibition they have a saying: "You pick out the drugs you want sold to kids on playgrounds and those are the drugs we need to prohibit."
When you prohibit any drug people want, you don't eliminate it from society you just create an illegal, often violent, black market TRADE for that drug. Prohibition has NEVER wiped out ANY drug and it probably never will. In fact, use of most prohibited drugs either remains about the same as when they were legal or it increases slightly.
There are no "evil" drugs, every one of them have legitimate uses and the vast, VAST majority of those that consume drugs, both legal and illegal, never get addicted or cause any serious problems for their selves or society. Those that get addicted need a Dr. NOT a cop and for those that consume drugs and harm others, we already have legitimate laws on the books to deal with that. I’ve NEVER heard of anyone being EXCUSED from prosecution for harming others, providing drugs to kids or driving under the influence BECAUSE they were using drugs, have you?
Rational drug regulation in a legal market, based on the actual scientific evidence of potential harm from each individual drug are what works best for society. Certainly some people will develop drug addictions and have other problems stemming from drug use in a legal market but roughly the same number have those problems in an illegal market too and with a legal drug market, those people wouldn't be driven under ground, we wouldn't be wasting $70 Billion per year criminalizing them and we wouldn’t be funding criminals, gangsters, terrorists and illegal aliens with hundreds of Billions of dollars in tax free illegal drug money every year. In short, we could and should deal with those that have true drug problems exactly the way we deal with people that have problems with the once illegal drug alcohol. Adults that don’t harm others or cause any serious harm to society, should be allowed to consume whatever they like in a FREE Country. After all who owns your body, you or the Government?
'If people let the government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny.' ~Thomas Jefferson.
It’s an undeniable FACT that the vast majority of so called “drug-related” violent crime is caused by the prohibition of drugs, rather than the drugs themselves. It was the same during alcohol prohibition. Alcohol prohibition created violent criminal organizations just like every other drug prohibition has. These violent crimes should be labeled PROHIBITION RELATED, not drug related. Ending alcohol prohibition is exactly why you don’t see shootouts over that once ILLEGAL drug TRADE any more. THE YEAR ALCOHOL PROHIBITION ENDED VIOLENT CRIME FELL BY 65%!
Take a look at the way the Swiss have dealt with their heroin problem. In Switzerland they set up Government clinics where heroin addicts can go and get pharmaceutical grade heroin. If they don’t have the money to pay for the drug it’s free. That instantly put every illegal heroin dealer in that Country out of business… they can’t compete with free. Anyone that wants heroin can go into a Government clinic up to 3 times a day and inject it. There are medical personnel on hand and anyone that wants to kick their habit is given counseling and help toward that goal. THE RESULTS ARE THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A SINGLE HEROIN OVERDOSE THERE IN MORE THAN 13 YEARS. SWITZERLAND HAS THE LOWEST AIDS AND HEPATITIS INFECTION IN ALL OF EUROPE. CRIME FELL BY 60% BECAUSE NO ONE IS STEALING OR PROSTITUTING THEIR SELF TO PAY FOR THEIR HEROIN AND AFTER A 10 YEAR STUDY, THEY DOCUMENTED THAT THERE HAS BEEN AN 82% DECLINE IN NEW HEROIN USERS. Does our drug war seem like better policy than that? No one went to jail, no one had their Constitutional rights violated and no one got killed. This program is far less expensive than what we are doing and far less harmful.
TRUE DRUG ADDICTION OF ALL TYPES SHOULD BE HANDLED AS A MEDICAL PROBLEM NOT A CRIMINAL PROBLEM. Drug use should not automatically be considered abuse or addiction. If a person kills or drives when they are too intoxicated to drive safely, or breaks any legitimate law, we already have Constitutionally compliant rational laws on the books to deal with those problems and if a real danger to society is recognized like it was with drunk driving, then those laws certainly should be rationally adjusted accordingly.
Trying to lock up every drug user or eradicate every plant that produces illegal drugs from planet earth are completely unattainable irrational goals. We simply cannot afford to lock up every drug user and even if we could the vast majority go back to using drugs when they are released. Some countries even went so far as to execute drug users and even that has not succeeded in accomplishing a “drug free” country.
AT SOME POINT WE HAVE TO REALIZE THAT A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO USE DRUGS AND IMPLEMENT RATIONAL DRUG POLICY BASED IN SCIENCE AND FACTS, WHICH MINIMIZES THE HARMS WITHOUT DEVASTATING SOCIETY, BANKRUPTING THE NATION AND TRASHING OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND FREEDOM.
Most drugs are made from weeds which, without prohibition would be of far less financial value. According to a documentary by Walter Cronkite, all the plants needed to supply an entire year’s worth of the heroin consumed in the US could be grown on about 50 square miles almost anywhere on earth and the entire year’s worth of heroin could be transported in a single cargo plane. Doesn’t it make more sense to have doctors treat the addicts and rational laws to deal with drug consumption and the related harms like drunk/intoxicated driving than to try and stop heroin or any other drug’s production? It has to because law enforcement has only been able to prevent the production or transportation of about 10% of the heroin and all other illegal drugs according to their own estimates.
If you can show me ANYTHING good the drug war has accomplished when it comes to reducing drug related death, disease, crime and drug use… anything at all, that has significantly improved in any drug related area over a long period of time, I’d appreciate you telling me what it is.
In 1913 when all drugs were completely legal in the US and anyone of any age could buy any drugs in any quantity at their local general store and so called “snake oil” salesmen legally traveled the Nation pushing the most powerful drugs available, 1.3% of the US population was addicted to drugs. Despite over 1 trillion tax dollars being wasted on drug prohibition, tens of millions of Americans being arrested, ever increasing harshness of penalties and all the other harms that have resulted from our failed drug prohibition policy, today 1.3% of our population is STILL addicted to drugs. THAT’S 0% IMPROVEMENT.
Once the voters have the honest facts about drugs and drug policy, 80% support drug policy reform that implements the ONLY long term proven methods of effectively dealing with drug use and addiction – “HONEST DRUG EDUCATION AND RATIONAL LEGAL DRUG REGULATION”.
Look at tobacco. That is the ONLY real success in US history when it comes to significantly reducing drug related death, disease and drug use. According to Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, roughly half of all tobacco users have stopped using that often deadly and highly addictive drug in the last couple of decades. We didn’t prohibit tobacco. We didn’t have a war on tobacco users. This amazing feat was accomplished through HONEST DRUG EDUCATION AND RATIONALLY REGULATING THE LEGAL USE OF TOBACCO. The drug war has NOT reduced use of ANY illegal drug BY 50%, NOT A SINGLE ONE!
Because of the inflated prices of illegal drugs CAUSED by PROHIBITION the profits between the point of production and the point of sale can be as much as 17,000%. DRUG PROHIBITION IS A SELF PERPETUATING POLICY THAT DRAWS PEOPLE INTO THE ILLEGAL DRUG TRADE LIKE A MAGNET BECAUSE OF THE ENORMOUS PROFITS DIRECTLY CAUSED BY PROHIBITION. Alcohol prohibition created the same unnecessary, wasteful and harmful problems as every other drug prohibition. We should learn from the mistake of alcohol prohibition and do what works!
The only way to end the crime, corruption waste and other astronomical harms of the drug war is to LEGALIZE ALL DRUGS, LEGALIZE THEM AND REGULATE THEM RATIONALLY ACCORDING TO THE REAL DANGER EACH DRUG PRESENTS TO SOCIETY, FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS. THAT WILL INSTANTLY PUT EVERY ILLEGAL DRUG DEALER OUT OF BUSINESS .
Because of drug prohibition, criminals, gangsters and terrorists are effectively put in complete control of the illegal drug trade. They decide which drugs will be sold, what the profit margins will be, how potent the drugs will be, how pure or contaminated the drugs will be, where the drugs will be sold and what age their customers will be. The more dangerous a drug is, the more reason there is to regulate it rather than prohibit it! Drug prohibition and the drug war are colossal failures! DRUG WAR policy has done NOTHING to effectively reduce drug related death, disease, crime, addiction or drug use!
Legalizing and rationally regulating drugs is NOT a solution to our true drug problems but legalizing drugs IS an ironclad, well proven solution to our ILLEGAL drug TRADE related CRIME AND VIOLENCE PROBLEMS. With rational legal drug regulations the authorities and legitimate, well regulated businesses are in control of the drug trade instead of violent gangsters, criminals, terrorists and illegal aliens. That’s a huge step in the right direction and ONCE REGULATION IS IN PLACE WE CAN EFFECTIVELY DEAL WITH OUR REAL DRUG PROBLEMS
“When you FUND something you get more of it” ~ Ron Paul. Does anyone really think we need more criminals, gangsters, terrorists and illegal aliens? If not, then why FUND them through drug PROHIBITION? Legalizing drugs is NOT going to make an honest citizen out of every criminal but it’s certainly going to take away a source of funding for them that is currently in the hundreds of BILLIONS of tax free dollars every year!
Through rational drug regulation we will end the astronomical unnecessary, totally preventable harms to society, families and individuals that is currently being inflicted on all of us because criminals, gangsters and terrorists are being financed through drug prohibition policy. Rational drug regulation replacing prohibition is EXACTLY why we no longer have alcohol dealers getting in shootouts on our streets and the multitude of harms that directly resulted from the drug alcohol being prohibited. Illegal prices simply can’t compete with a legal market. That’s why you don’t see ANY large scale illegal alcohol dealers today.
Prohibition equals additional crime, corruption, death, disease, waste, increased drug use, increased drug addiction and the shredding of Constitutional rights. Drug regulation equals far better control and IS THE ONLY policy through which we can end the illegal drug TRADE and effectively reduce drug addiction and the multitude of other TRUE drug problems. We’ve got enough to deal with just trying to manage the problems directly caused by some drug users. We certainly are NOT accomplishing ANYTHING good by creating a whole list of drug PROHIBITION related problems that wouldn’t even exist in a legal market!
WE THE PEOPLE HAVE HAD IT WITH OPPRESSIVE, CONSTITUTION SHREDDING, DRUG WAR POLICY.
THE EVIDENCE IS CLEAR. AFTER ALMOST 100 YEARS OF CRIMINALIZING DRUG CONSUMERS. PROHIBITION HAS COMPLETELY FAILED, IT IS HARMFUL AND IT IS WASTEFUL! Prohibition sounds good on the surface but when you look at PROHIBITION’S long history, there are far better, less harmful and less expensive ways to deal with drug use and addiction… AND NO ONE HAS TO BE KILLED OR HAVE THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS VIOLATED IN THE PROCESS!
IT'S FAR PAST TIME TO CHANGE THIS HARMFUL CRIMINAL DRUG WAR PROHIBITION POLICY!
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Carlos 04/23/2011 8:12:00 PM
Myra, a Mayor has no control over gas prices, OPEC does. Tax credits for private insurance on you tax filing is a federal issue. What Luke is saying makes sense. Why tie up a court and prison system with people caught with small amounts of herbs when you have more serious issues and a extremely crowded prison system. He's not talking about legalizing it, he's talking about decriminalizing it should you be caught with less than a ounce(28 grams).
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Carlos 04/23/2011 7:46:00 PM
You'd be very surprised at how many people smoke herbs.Don't underestimate what you call the minority. we may just be the majority.
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Skyhawk 04/23/2011 1:32:00 PM
Your logic is flawed Flozell.
The dangers of one act do not justify or admonish the dangers of another.
It makes as much sense as saying that because people die in car accidents at 60 mph, it is OK to drive 100mph.
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Myra Luz Moreno 04/22/2011 11:32:00 PM
Instead of worrying about legalizing marijuana or not, worry about how high the unemployment rate is , due to this the crime rate has skyrocketed , so many people losing their homes/apartments, people are having to max their credit cards just to be able to provide food for their families, gas prices : it's ridiculous , for those who have private insurance for our loved ones should have a tax credit when it is time to file our taxes, we need someone who really wants to help the community !
Myra Luz Moreno
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jsknow 04/22/2011 10:46:00 PM
Are you so naive as to think marijuana prohibition is working?
Anyone that wants marijuana is already getting it.
The Government estimates the marijuana trade in the USA is roughly the same size as the beer trade! Marijuana consumers are all around you all the time everywhere you go... have any of them ever harmed you?
Legalizing and rationally regulating marijuana is not adding another harmful intoxicant to society, legalizing gives people the legal opportunity to make the SAFER CHOICE! Marijuana is not harmful at all!
There has NEVER been even one credible scientific study that proved marijuana causes ANY serious health problems or harms to society!
Alcohol, tobacco, many Rx drugs, many over the counter drugs, even caffeine, aspirin and non-aspirin, can all be deadly and are well documented as being the direct cause of hundreds of thousands of deaths in the USA every year! NO ONE EVER DIED FROM MARIJUANA and they never will, marijuana is NONTOXIC! Many have died from marijuana PROHIBITION!
Before you start whining, lying and spewing more, anti-marijuana "the sky is falling" hogwash about marijuana causing car accidents, read this link and learn that the claim of marijuana causing accidents is just another anti-marijuana propaganda LIE:
The Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, Hartford Hospital in Connecticut and the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine document that MARIJUANA DOES NOT CAUSE DANGEROUS DRIVING:
http://peaceandloveism.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=4692 (Read the article not just the link!)
The ONLY harms associated with marijuana ALLl come directly and COMPLETELY from marijuana PROHIBITION!
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BR Sumbich 04/22/2011 9:38:00 PM
And before you go spouting off about the Netherlands, I will state fact that it is Illegal to grow OR transport Marijuana it in the Netherlands. If there's weed is in the Netherlands, laws were broken getting it there.
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BR Sumbich 04/22/2011 9:33:00 PM
Nearly EVERY (or perhaps all) civilized nation(s) has laws prohibiting and/or restricting Marijuana. The FDA states in no uncertain terms that marijuana is a drug, and has no clinically proven medicinal value. Hundreds of organizations call it a gateway drug. Yet the largest majority of those see it as harmless are ironically the ones who are using it.
The truth is easy to see.
So tell you what, go right ahead and smoke your weed. You are right and the rest of the world including the FDA is wrong.
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Lakerenegade 04/22/2011 9:27:00 PM
So you are disputing the opinion of the FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION and nearly EVERY CIVILIZED NATION in the world? Marijuana is a drug with side effects, with no medicinal value. Period, end of story.
Marijuana is Illegal for a reason. Expand your mind by reading.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legality_of_cannabis_by_country
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Guest 04/22/2011 6:33:00 PM
Hey Luke, who would you rather have voting for you? A minority of those individuals who think weed should be legalized, or the vast majority who thinks it should remain the illegal substance that it is?
If you insist on falling on the sword, go right ahead and support such a ludicrous position.
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marva lightbourne 04/22/2011 3:02:00 PM
legal marijuana ?, and your comment in this weeks new times states you would tackle mortgage fraud.. what about homeowners with property taxes concerns, this is one of the reason why carlos Alvarez was recalled, I really want to know how SERIOUS you are about running this race, taking nothing for granted, and setting the issues at hand that the citizens are worried about (..jobs /unemployment, the highest in the state, violence across the board & all that it entails, foreclosures & that mess, jackson health care system..) & the list goes on..you need to be more visible, not taking NOTHING for granted in these 3-4 weeks left before the election, I initial supported MS. HELEN WILLIAMS for the mayor, who was very serious, but she just couldn't raise the $2.600, qualifying fee needed..I attended the IBEW on last monday, and 8 of the candidates showed up, even though it was dismal turnout..this is TOO SERIOUS to be taken for granted !!.......concerned citizens committee, inc. liberty city
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Be Smart Not Mad 04/22/2011 2:28:00 PM
It is a question of priorities. I am sorry if you have a drug addict in your family or if you had a bad experience on some drug in your life that made you take some irrational stance on this topic.
While we are stripping funds from education (Jfrybergh) and many other PROACTIVE POSITIVE long-term success factors, we spend $7.6 Billion every year in a battle against marijuana and in excess of $15 Billion in the overall "war on drugs" every year in this country. Lets put this in terms that are simple. If we just eliminated the budget for fighting marijuana we could hire another 150,000 teachers at 45,000 a year. While Federal law does trump state law....enforcement is left to the states primarily and if the federal government pulls another $100,000,000 operation to bust Tommy Chong then so-be-it because they will face the voters on that one eventually but at least the state would gain freedom to fight real crime and eliminate wasteful spending.
Personally, I would prefer to spend this money on education and teachers NOT chasing "pot heads" who are primarily peaceful, everyday joes just like you and me who work hard to support families. I would prefer to be a "pothead" over an alcoholic without question. Cocaine is an evil drug. Heroin in a evil drug. Marijuana is mild relaxation tool that truly helps a certain group of people and regardless if you are in that group of people or not they do nothing to hurt you.
Marijuana was initially lobbied to be banned in the US by the paper industry in the early 1900's due to the fact that hemp was a far more cost effective model that threatened to take down the Rockefeller of this industry whose name slips my mind at this time but you can Google if you want to learn more about it.
My advice....smoke a few joints, relax, and listen to some Bob Marley. If you still are so angry about this drug then you probably have an anger issue or you are one of those people who thinks your opinion is the only one that matters. Spend my money on education, not imprisoning harmless citizens.
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Flozell 04/22/2011 2:13:00 PM
You know, Florida is a pill mill. America is fine as long as large corporations are making money from selling vicodin and oxycotin. But a plant is illegal. Cigarettes are legal and are killing people daily. Luke is right.
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BR Sumbich 04/22/2011 10:32:00 AM
Sorry George, there is NO scientific proof as you claim.
Actually the opposite holds true according to the FDA in 2006.
A past evaluation by several Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and National Institute for Drug Abuse (NIDA), concluded that no sound scientific studies supported medical use of marijuana for treatment in the United States, and no animal or human data supported the safety or efficacy of marijuana for general medical use. There are alternative FDA-approved medications in existence for treatment of many of the proposed uses of smoked marijuana.
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BR Sumbich 04/22/2011 10:29:00 AM
PURE BS.
THE FDA came out with FACTS in 2006. Instead of believing someones opinion, I would suggest cut and pasting the below link.
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/2006/ucm108643.htm
A past evaluation by several Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and National Institute for Drug Abuse (NIDA), concluded that no sound scientific studies supported medical use of marijuana for treatment in the United States, and no animal or human data supported the safety or efficacy of marijuana for general medical use. There are alternative FDA-approved medications in existence for treatment of many of the proposed uses of smoked marijuana.
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BR Sumbich 04/22/2011 10:18:00 AM
Marijuana changes your mood and alters perception, which is EXACTLY what any drug does. Because it comes from a plant (as well as cocaine and opium) is meaningless. If you want it legal, good luck running it through the FDA.
And to the aspiring politician, I will remind you that FEDERAL LAW trumps STATE LAW. A lesson you should already know.
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Spliff 04/22/2011 1:33:00 AM
Marijuana is NOT a drug it is a medicinal herb.
I guess you think alcohol & tobacco are good for you. No one has ever overdosed on "Pot"
Look what alcohol (drinking) did the other day when a friend of mine was killed in a bar in Ft. Lauderdale. You need to get out of the way
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Jfrybergh 04/22/2011 1:21:00 AM
YES, LETS LEGALIZE YET ANOTHER DRUG SO WE CAN DUMB UP MORE PEOPLE SO WE CAN FALL FURTHER BEHIND IN THE WORLD STANDING. GROW UP POT HEADS!!!
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Spliff 04/22/2011 12:59:00 AM
sign me up. I will help to get out the vote
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Spliff 04/22/2011 12:55:00 AM
Legalize it and I will help to advertise it Uncle Luke for Mayor I'm down with that
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JackHarlequin 04/22/2011 12:40:00 AM
I agree. I am also not a smoker or a toker, but Luther is right. It's a stupid waste of time and a great deal of money. And it's pointless. You're not going to hold back the ocean.
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Carlos 04/21/2011 10:26:00 PM
Duncan, not working or driving stoned? Not I. No sir. I will not work or drive without being under the influence.lol.
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Carlos 04/21/2011 9:51:00 PM
A proclamation was issued today,
By the government of the USA,
Up to 99 years in jail,
For illegal possesion and sale.
Oh how can they say that theyre right when theyre wrong,
I guess theyve never been stoned!!!
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04/21/2011 6:40:00 PM
Gov. Gary Johnson of New Mexico announced his candidacy today (April 21) for president of the U.S. Near the top of his list of campaign themes: Legalize marijuana. Just FYI.
See: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/21/gary-johnson-2012-presidential-campaign_n_852008.html
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Lmc_rac 04/21/2011 6:12:00 PM
omg...they need to get over the use of hootchie.... so many more viable things to get all riled up over....and...yes i am...very very very long time....i have 3-degrees...music,accounting...& a shrink...who do u think we smoked in college with?? yes the teachers & profs...they had the money to purchase...i made my way thru college doing it..no biggy...always,always always had a job...never was fired.ppl w/sleep disorder can benefit...alot of ppl didnt like it cause it put them to sleep..ok...still cant sleep...go for it...these pills to make up sleep have 14 side-affects....goodness....
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George G diaz 04/21/2011 11:47:00 AM
Tell it like it is, there is scientifical documented proof of the benefits of marijuana. The social stigma that has been applied by the U.S.Govt. is a great propaganda that is played out. Gradually we are realizing that Luke's point is shared by many. Remember prohibition, lets regulate it and tax it. We did it with tobacco and alcohol. Preach on hermano! and get back-up.
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Kargold 04/21/2011 5:47:00 AM
Absolutely, the law must be changed. Too many young women and men have their lives ruined because they were caught with aa small amount of cannabis. The police should be free to protect us from violent, dangerous criminals, not worry about busting some folks who are hungry and amused.
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04/21/2011 5:17:00 AM
- this just in ...
http://www.ashandburn.com/main/?p=4228
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04/21/2011 4:20:00 AM
Something better change quick cuz Rick Scott wants to privatize more state prisons....lobbying for stiffer fines means ricky getting fatter pockets cuz of the increase of inmates! O don't forget pam bondi pockets too!!
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Surfernorman 04/21/2011 3:35:00 AM
dam right, kts been a long loosing war so just joosen up a little and see what comes of it, if theres more positive than negative then this is the example Cali. started and other stated should all be trying out and then working out the fine lines for where and when to prosecute someone.
today is 4:20- I dont smoke anymore but people around me didn't let me forget about today HAAHaa!!
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Wwrigle2 04/21/2011 1:35:00 AM
Cities, countys & states Of The U. S. can't legalize something illegal by federal laws, cause federal lawa are the highest laws and authority in this nation!!!!
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jsknow 04/20/2011 9:52:00 PM
Marijuana/hemp/cannabis is a plant, not a man made drug. Neither the FDA nor any other Government agency has Constitutional authority to outlaw a God given natural plant!
Our laws are based on NATURAL rights. Natural rights come from nature and nature's God. Natural rights are UNALIENABLE! According to the founders of this Country no person, nor the Government has the right to take away natural rights.
From the Declaration of Independence:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain UNALIENABLE RIGHTS, that among these are LIFE, LIBERTY and the PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, DERIVING THEIR JUST POWERS FROM THE CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED —
That WHENEVER ANY FORM OF GOVERNMENT BECOMES DESTRUCTIVE OF THESE ENDS, it is the RIGHT of the PEOPLE to ALTER OR ABOLISH IT, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. BUT WHEN A LONG TRAIN OF ABUSES AND USURPATIONS, pursuing invariably the same Object EVINCES A DESIGN TO REDUCE THEM UNDER ABSOLUTE DESPOTISM, IT IS THEIR RIGHT, IT IS THEIR DUTY, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.
Most of our Country's founders were Christians. References to them basing our highest laws on Christian doctrine can be found in their documents and engraved all over our monuments. They provided freedom of religion in the Constitution, not prohibition of religion!
From founders own Christian Bible:
Ge:1:1: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Ge:1:11: And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
Ge:1:12: And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. (Here God Himself through his profit Moses, declares herbs that yield seed to be good.)
Gn:1:29: And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. (Cannabis provides some of the most nutritious foods known to mankind and God Himself gave it to us and said we could consume it.)
Ps:104:14: He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;
Ps:104:15: And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart. (The cannabis plant can produce both oil and bread, as well as medicine, paper, fuel, fabric, building materials and over 50,000 products for the “service of man”.)
Eze:34:29: And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more. (It is widely believed that world hunger could easily be wiped out by cultivating the easily grown cannabis plant, which grows well almost everywhere on earth. Renown = famous, can anyone think of a more famous plant than cannabis?)
Mt:15:10: And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:
Mt:15:11: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. (Many Christian preachers teach that the body of a Christian is the temple of God and that Christians should not defile the temple of God, both of which are Biblical but many also say things like alcohol, tobacco, marijuana and other consumed substances defile the body/temple. Here and in several other references in the Bible Jesus Himself completely debunks that notion.)
Marijuana prohibition is so thoroughly unconstitutional that a first year law student should be able to successfully argue a case to abolish marijuana prohibition in the Supreme Court based on the first amendment right to freedom of religion alone! “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”.
There are many legitimate Constitutional arguments against marijuana prohibition, like equal protection under the law. How can the Federal Government supply a handful of medical marijuana patients with marijuana, at taxpayer expense and criminalize everyone else that possesses it?
This tyranny can only continue if WE THE PEOPLE allow it to continue. It’s time we put a stop to this unconstitutional marijuana prohibition tyranny forever!
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jsknow 04/20/2011 8:18:00 PM
All drugs should be legal and regulated according to the potential harm/danger each individual drug presents to society and consumers of the drug.
Mr. Jefferson said it very well:
'If people let the government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny.' ~Thomas Jefferson
Who owns your body, you or the Government?
Think about how drug prohibition has been used as an excuse to trash our Constitutional righs and liberties. It's exactly like Mr. Jefferson said it would be, we have allowed the Government to control what we consume and we are living under tyranny because of it.
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Thatguy1689 04/20/2011 6:41:00 PM
legalize coke too!! woooo!!
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Ttsturrup 04/20/2011 5:48:00 PM
me and brothers used to sell well in carol city.
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BR Sumbich 04/20/2011 8:00:00 AM
forget about the medical MJ angle. It will never get past the FDA clinical trials, which is REQUIRED to put any drug on the market.
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04/20/2011 2:20:00 AM
LOL!!!!
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04/20/2011 2:13:00 AM
Well its about time someone spoke up on this issue. The herb is harmless and has never been known to cause death. Tobacco and alcohol are way worse substances and MJ could save Florida's economy in so many ways. To think Florida doesn't even have medical MJ legalized yet is ridiculous. Keeping the herb illegal is only costing the tax payers more and busting people for a joint is not effective. Whether you are a toker or not, this law is ridiculous. Legalize it, it is time.
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jsknow 04/19/2011 9:59:00 PM
The proper course for us to take here in Florida is full legalization. Why waste time and money on baby steps toward legalization when we can be efficient and do it right the first time. I’ve been researching marijuana and marijuana prohibition for several years and there is overwhelming scientific, historical, medical, business, political and most importantly, Constitutional evidence proving that marijuana is no threat to society or individuals and that it should be legal for FREE people to use as they see fit without any possibility of prosecution whatsoever.
If someone injures others or their property while under the influence of marijuana, we already have legitimate just laws to deal with that. Employers, NOT the Government, should regulate business policy, just like they do with alcohol and Rx drug use. Under age use should be regulated just like alcohol is. In the absence of harming others, there should be no criminal penalty whatsoever for growing, consuming, possessing, or any other use of this plant for personal use by FREE people and for whatever purpose they choose.
Current beer and wine policy is a good model for “marijuana” (high THC strains). Grow all you want for your own use, unrestricted and unregulated, just like you can make your own beer and wine. Commercial uses should be rationally regulated for public safety but we must NOT allow over-regulation or excessive taxes, licenses or other excessive Government restrictions. Alcohol is undeniably far more dangerous than marijuana. There is absolutely NO rational reason whatsoever to regulate a safer substance more strictly, or even as strictly than we regulate a more dangerous substance.
Since “commercial hemp” (low THC strains) are useless as a drug because of their very low THC content, hemp should be regulated like potatoes, corn or any other plant/crop. These are the strains that produce the bulk of the products that can be made from the cannabis plant.
Criminalizing FREE people for using a safe nontoxic natural plant, that it is impossible to overdose on and which can produce very nutritious food, safe effective medicine, a far safer recreational drug than either alcohol or tobacco, environmentally friendly fuel, fabric, paper, building materials, and over 50,000 superior more environmentally friendly products than those we are forced to use because of marijuana prohibition, is despicable.
Probably the most important thing marijuana/hemp/cannabis can do for FL is produce countless green jobs from a local natural renewable environmentally friendly resource. The Government is well aware of this and We The People must work within our system of Government to force them to act accordingly. The key is mobilizing the masses and educating the voters.
Marijuana prohibition exemplifies in graphic detail, the absolute wrong and in fact, unconstitutional, wasteful, harmful and un-American path, We The People have allowed our legislators to take. It’s time for us (THE PEOPLE) to demand our Constitutional rights and liberties. The Government is not our master, it is our employee! Every business owner knows an unsupervised employee is often going to take advantage of their position. Our Government has become wasteful, harmful and contradictory to the governing principals of our Nation and our State. Only our strong persistent civic actions can change that.
The Constitutional right to freedom of religion, free speech, a free press, to keep and bear arms, to be secure in your person, house, papers and effects against unreasonable search and seizure, to life, liberty and property, to be protected from having your property taken by the Government without due process of law and without just compensation, to confront the witnesses against you, to be protected from excessive bail, excessive fines, cruel and unusual punishment, to vote and others have been unjustly denied to tens of millions of Americans in the name of marijuana prohibition. The very right to be governed equally under the law has been shredded by marijuana prohibition. There are a handful of medical marijuana consumers that the Federal Government supplies with marijuana at taxpayer expense, while simultaneously criminalizing everyone else that uses or even possesses marijuana.
The facts so overwhelmingly support legalization that 80% of Law Enforcement support legalizing once they know the truth. That’s a well documented fact based on years of nationwide and worldwide surveys of Law Enforcement personnel, after they attend a Law Enforcement Against Prohibition presentation. There is no doubt that even a larger percentage of the public will support legalizing once they know the truth. The ONLY way they will ever know the truth is if WE THE PEOPLE educate them.
This is a call for grass roots civic actions by We The People. If you’d like to help end marijuana prohibition leave a message on yahoo messenger, or send an email: jsk32210@yahoo.com
If you’re not willing to take action and help change the awful marijuana policy that has plagued our State and our Nation for many decades, you have no right to complain when you or someone you know or love is harmed because of it! Every citizen is harmed by marijuana prohibition, not just those that use marijuana as a recreational drug. We are all funding this unconstitutional prohibition with tens of Billions of tax dollars every year and everyone is losing Constitutional rights and liberties because of it. No other policy in the history of this Nation has harmed The People, our Constitutional rights and our FREEDOM as often or as severely as marijuana prohibition. That’s a well documented fact NOT an opinion.
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04/19/2011 9:57:00 PM
In 1996 California passed the Compassionate Use Act protecting patients using medicinal cannabis on the recommendation of a licensed physicians. The Know Nothings did the wailing and gnashing of teeth, with their hysterical rhetoric promulgating every sort of farfetched nonsense that the Know Nothings are well know for using, which of course included the prediction of skyrocketing heroin addiction.
Since 1996 the rate of Californians in treatment" for any substance to the general population decreased by almost 10% with the nominal total of in "treatment" rising a little under 5% and the population increasing just under 16%.
The number in treatment for opioids decreased by 47.1% from 69,092 in "treatment" to 36,702. Tack on the population increase and that number is even more stunningly impressive.
http://wwwdasis.samhsa.gov/webt/quicklink/ca96.htm
http://wwwdasis.samhsa.gov/webt/quicklink/ca09.htm
While not as impressive California also reported a decrease of those in "treatment" for cocaine addiction by around 18.5%
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Pitufo Calderon 04/19/2011 9:39:00 PM
IM WITH LUKE ON THIS ONE-WORRY ABOUT ALCOHOL AND NICOTINE-AND LEAVE THE SWEET LEAF ALONE.
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04/19/2011 9:35:00 PM
Carlos, ease up. Except for that one nuance TL has the brass ring of intelligent deduction firmly in his grasp. I think he means the violence resulting from the assignment of the cannabis production, distribution, and quality control to organized criminal syndicates which are definitely real. While TL needs to grasp that what the black market vendors are distributing is irrelevant to their violence it isn't uncommon for outsiders to refer to black market generated violence as "Mare E. Wahna related"
With the exception of the extreme absurdity of the thought of a pothead jonesing so badly that he steals to cure it. Now that's just inane.
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04/19/2011 9:27:00 PM
You gotta be amazed that the Know Nothing prohibitionists have the nerve to act as if their sad lack perception is somehow anything other than ethically bereft and morally bankrupt.
We're not going anywhere.
We're not going to quit enjoying cannabis.
We've got just a short hair less than a century of evidence supporting the assertion that it's a fool's errand to try to stop us.
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Jasmaine35 04/19/2011 7:51:00 PM
they say that weed is a gate way to other drugs... i dont think its true its a gate way to mickey dee's, burger king and other fast food places... "c'mon son, we got other serious crimes to worry abt"
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04/19/2011 7:06:00 PM
Marijuana is the safest drug with actual benefits for the user as opposed to alcohol which is dangerous, causes addiction, birth defects, and affects literally every organ in the body. Groups are organizing all over the country to speak their minds on reforming pot laws. I drew up a very cool poster for the cause which you can check out on my artist’s blog at http://dregstudiosart.blogspot.com/2011/01/vote-teapot-2011.html Drop in and let me know what you think!
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Carlos 04/19/2011 6:41:00 PM
Luke for Mayor!! Hell, Luke for President!!!
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Carlos 04/19/2011 6:38:00 PM
Tl, violent crime related to pot? Stealing to support an addiction? To Pot? What rock did you just crawl out from under?
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Tlborell 04/19/2011 6:27:00 PM
Luke is in good company (check out the late conservative William Buckley and his views) but might I respectively suggest that Luke does not go far enough. Legalize it totally....I am not a pot smoker, but when one weighs the costs of keeping pot illlegal (crime, violence, police, jails, etc.) versus the costs to merely educate the public and treat those few who might become addicted, it makes absolutely no sense to not legalize.
We can suggest social sanctions for over-use of pot (i.e.; can't be under the influendce on the job, while driving, etc..... but no criminal sanctions for use on private property or manufacture or growing). Legalization would put all drug dealers out of business immediately, stop all violent crime related to pot and all crime related to stealing to support an addiction.
tlborell@aol.com
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ellie 04/19/2011 6:02:00 PM
oh,by the way.....went to college for 6yrs..stoned after my classes..& guess what..we smoked with our teachers..they are the ones who could afford it...i have 3 degrees....accounting..music...& head-shrinker....always always had a job...i am a geat musician(keyboards piano sing) so tokers are not useless..
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carlie 04/19/2011 5:52:00 PM
I SO AGREE...COME ON PPL....WE GOT MORE STUFF TO WORRY ABOUT SERIOUS STUFF... 1/2 OUNCE OF THE GREEN ,OMG...GIVE ME A BREAK...LETS ALL GO HOME & WATCH DIRTY DANCING...(SHE IS 13 HE IS EARLY 20'S....) GOOD MOVIE,BUT ...........
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Carlos 04/19/2011 4:47:00 PM
Not only do I function while stoned, I graduated from UF in 78 with a 3.95 GPA. How about you Ms_leace? Whered you go to school? BTW, I dont mean JR High.
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Carlos 04/19/2011 4:28:00 PM
Lady you are the one with major issues here. I smoke because I enjoy it and I will continue smoking. Who is we? Are you in Uncle Poops campaign? Or are you just a hard up windbag?
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Chuck 04/19/2011 4:01:00 PM
Ms_leace: Maybe you should go smoke a joint or two with Carlos and see if that stick magically falls out of your rectum.
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Ms_leace 04/19/2011 3:42:00 PM
If you can function and think clearly while stoned, CLEARLY, you have your own major issues. You should get that checked. If in your right state of mind you are worthless, we don't really want to win you, or your kind, over. Thanks anyway, but you can stay right where you are. Good luck to you.
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Carlos 04/19/2011 3:21:00 PM
Uncle Poop, you finally are making "sense" Pun intended! I agree with you 100%. Smoking a joint is no crime. I've nbeen a toker for well over 30 years and have never been involved in a accident because of the magic herb. I can function and think clearly when I'm stoned. No spinning rooms, no puking, no hangover. Keep this up and you might just win me over.
