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 Posted: Sat Jun 05, 2010 9:00 pm
In November California is having vote on whether or not to make recreational weed legal, gimmie your take on it folks. I'm personally for it.
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Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 8:23 pm
I'm so for it, and I'm moving to CALI when i get age 21
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Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2010 4:28 am
I'm sure it goes without saying, but we're all over it. Even the mainstream media is getting in on it -- the angle seems to be something like "we have no other way to balance the state budget; if potheads are begging to pay taxes on pot, why not let them close the budget deficit and finance public education?"
We'll see what November brings, but this might just pass.
Of course, we won't be able to enjoy it for very long -- it'll have to go before the Supreme Court to determine if states have the right to do something like this, and I don't think that result's predictable yet.
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Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 2:57 pm
Worth noting:
The L.A. Times Legalizing pot would free up police to fight violent crime, law enforcement group saysSeptember 13, 2010 | 2:47 pm
Legalizing marijuana would put a big dent in drug cartels and free up police, prosecutors and judges to go after violent crimes, a law enforcement group said Monday in endorsing Proposition 19, the marijuana legalization measure.
Proposition 19's passage in November would decriminalize an estimated 60,000 drug arrests made in California each year, said former Orange County Superior Court Judge James Gray.
Beat police would have more time to go after burglars, robbers and those committing violent assaults, he said.
On-the-job experience demonstrated the futility of trying to enforce laws prohibiting the possession and use of small amounts of cannabis, Gray said at a news conference held by Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, a nonprofit organization supporting Proposition 19.
"I was a drug warrior until I saw what was happening in my own courtroom," said Gray, a former federal prosecutor.
Current laws are making pot more readily accessible to youngsters than would be the case if it were regulated and taxed by the government, similar to tobacco and alcohol, Gray said.
Juvenile gangs use pot sales as a recruiting tool, he said. Gray was joined by former San Jose Police Chief Joseph McNamara in arguing that much of the money flowing to violent drug cartels comes from the illegal sale of marijuana.
Citing White House statistics, McNamara said 60% of cartel money stems from marijuana. Those who argue that a black market would remain aren't paying attention to history, McNamara said.
After the prohibition on alcohol was repealed, bootleggers disappeared, said McNamara, now a research fellow in drug policy at Stanford University. Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, based in Massachusetts, was formed a decade ago by Neill Franklin, a veteran narcotics officer who viewed the war on drugs as a failure.
Proposition 19 would make it legal to grow, possess and use up to an ounce of marijuana for personal use. It would also permit state and local governments to regulate and tax retail sales for adults 21 and older. State officials estimate passage could generate up to $1.4 billion in new tax revenue per year.
Active law enforcement groups, including the California Police Chiefs Assn., are opposed to the measure, saying it would increase usage and promote crime. Gray, the retired judge, said he believes that many in law enforcement support legalization but are afraid to say so because of political pressure on the job.
"They have a political job, so they can't tell the truth," Gray said. "People are free to speak out honestly only after they are retired."
And I might as well point out, for anyone who wasn't aware of it, we've got a list of resource links in the guild-specific subforum, so the curious are welcome to look into the aforementioned organization, L.E.A.P., as well as several others. wink
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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 3:22 am
Oho, and the Governator makes things interesting!!
Schwarzenegger approves bill downgrading marijuana possession of ounce or less to an infraction
As NORML summarizes, "Senate Bill 1449 amends the California Health and Safety Code so that the adult possession of up to 28.5 grams of marijuana is classified as an infraction, punishable by no more than a $100 fine — no court appearance, no court costs, and no criminal record."
On the one hand, this will take effect in January, regardless of whether Prop 19 passes or not. w00t. On the other hand, the psychological effect on voters -- and mind you, I'm just guessing here -- could be that more are likely to vote it down, seeing it as redundant. Which it isn't -- 1449 basically says pot's still illegal, much like jaywalking is illegal. While the state stands to save oodles of money by not prosecuting potheads, I have to say that the state budget is in such a mess that we desperately need the windfall that legalizing and taxing cannabis would bring. We need the money for infrastructure (i.e. properly maintaining things like, oh, natural gas lines and water mains), for education (from primary right up through post-secondary, honestly), for services like the DMV and Child Welfare (let's face it, those employees need to be paid -- no one in their right mind is going to step up and work those positions for free), and on and on and on.
Well. That's the conflict as I see it, at least. Kudos to Arnie... I think. I honestly can't tell if his motivation is to try to find a compromise the majority can live with, or to derail the momentum of the surprisingly well-supported Yes on 19 movement. confused
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Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 10:43 pm
If it passes, I will seriously have to consider moving to Cali, earthquakes or not.
Otherwise, I'm still in love with Hawaii, though I didn't actually get to try any bud while I was there. SO I am sad for that. Florida has AMAZING bud though. I really don't know which I like more. FL or Cali (bug quality wise). From what samples of each I've had. So far, the Cali bud has been more hairy and the FL bud has had more crystals.
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Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 11:40 pm
Indie Tits If it passes, I will seriously have to consider moving to Cali, earthquakes or not. Otherwise, I'm still in love with Hawaii, though I didn't actually get to try any bud while I was there. SO I am sad for that. Florida has AMAZING bud though. I really don't know which I like more. FL or Cali (bug quality wise). From what samples of each I've had. So far, the Cali bud has been more hairy and the FL bud has had more crystals.
Hawaii's medical cannabis law is pretty much the same as Cali's as I recall, as far as that goes. I've no idea how the herb itself is over there, though -- but Hawaiians seem very friendly and laid-back in general, so I'm sure that they must grow a good herb. ninja
I've never really heard of Florida as a ganja destination or known for cultivating... then again, any marijuana infraction in Florida comes with mandatory jail time, if I remember right, so... *shrug* I assume it's just not really talked about? Like Fight Club -- but for making peace. xp
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Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 9:28 am
This has been a huge debate for us up in humboldt. A lot of us are really against the legalization because it might ruin the economy here and take the industry away from the community. We're very anti-industry here. And no one wants to buy their weed from wal-mart. But I personally, I am for the legalization. But I feel like it will be like how Alcohol was back in the day. When it was big taboo and black market status. I feel like when pot gets legalized itmight be a tad crazy at first cus everyone(ignore the use of a general sweeping statement) will be smoking pot. But over time I think it will settle down much like alc.
Pot really isnt that bad of a drug. It actually has medicinal purposes. I, myself, have a 215 card and it has really helped me with stress and my arthritis and other joint troubles. But I def. believe weed should be highly watched at first to ensure everything runs smoothly.
:3
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Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 1:43 pm
So I hear... problem being that 19 allows cities and counties to set the exact regulations for the area, so a Wal-Mart situation -- a huge corporation, that is -- isn't really possible. It would allow for businesses like Amsterdam's coffee shops, but that's about it. Otherwise, it'd be a matter of private cultivation.
Two interesting items of note, though. I don't know if you get Westways, but in this month's issue they have their recommendations on the propositions. They only weigh in on... three, I think it was. For 19, the Auto Club says to vote no, because they believe it will lead to more drivers under the influence. *facepalm* The other thing I found interesting was the recommendations from the CTA (California Teachers' Association): they only list props 20-27. No mention at all of 19. I can't decide if it's that the measure isn't one they feel would affect education (in which case, I'm not sure any glasses would be enough for short-sightedness to that degree) or if the plain fact that too many teachers are themselves 19 supporters and even recognized medical cannabis patients. whee
And L.A. Times recently did a piece on the Emerald Triangle (Pot growers are a new crop, if you're interested).
I'm not sure how 19 will do at the polls, though... it's pretty vaguely written, so predicting what its passage would mean is tougher than it should be. For example, you wouldn't be able to smoke it in public except at specific locations (coffee shops), only in the privacy of your own home. But it can't be consumed in the presence of minors. So... does that mean if you're a parent, you can be prosecuted for having it? Wouldn't that make the law discriminatory? And how do you determine marijuana intoxication in a DUI situation? It's not something a breathalyzer can measure. And there's still the little problem of federal laws, especially now that AG Holder's come out saying they'll be enforced, regardless (which is interesting, since a couple years ago he was the one saying medical marijuana patients in green states wouldn't be prosecuted -- then turned around and started cracking down on dispensaries).
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