Time to Legalize Marijuana

Colorado initiative is common sense

Voters have a big decision to make this November. In fact, it is very similar to a decision Colorado voters had to make exactly 80 years ago. In 1932, the people of the state considered the pros and cons of alcohol prohibition, ultimately choosing to end that failed experiment.

This fall, the question is whether to continue the possibly even more irrational policy of marijuana prohibition.

The similarities between alcohol prohibition and marijuana prohibition are striking: both policies were devised to control the behavior of adults, but neither reduced consumption of marijuana or alcohol. In both cases, prohibition has enriched cartels, empowered gangs, and made otherwise law-abiding adults criminals.

There is no arguing whether limited law enforcement resources would be better spent combatting violence and other crimes that actually cause harm to others, but instead 10,000 Coloradans are arrested, prosecuted, and burdened with criminal records each year.

In addition to wasted law enforcement resources, our state is quite literally throwing away tens of millions of dollars each year that could be collected in tax revenue. The Colorado Center on Law & Policy estimates that Amendment 64 could result in more than $100 million in tax revenue annually, with the first $40 million going to rebuild Colorado's crumbling schools and build new schools.

Amendment 64 makes the private use and possession of marijuana legal for adults 21 years of age and older; establishes a system in which marijuana is regulated and taxed similarly to alcohol; and allows for the cultivation, processing, and distribution of industrial hemp.

But more than that, Amendment 64 is an evidenced-based approach to repair the terribly flawed policy of marijuana prohibition that is based not on fact, but on fear.

In 1971, President Nixon handpicked a national commission and tasked it with taking a hard look at marijuana. They approached the subject objectively and produced a comprehensive report. Their conclusion? The harms of marijuana are quite limited, and the use of marijuana by adults should not be considered a criminal offense.

Many studies have since supported that conclusion, and yet reefer-madness style scare tactics are still used in an effort to frighten Colorado's voters.

It is time to replace the ineffective and wasteful policy of marijuana prohibition with a more sensible approach.

Please vote "yes" on Amendment 64 to regulate marijuana like alcohol.

Betty Aldworth is advocacy director for Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, the Yes on 64 campaign in Colorado. Follow the organization on Twitter at @COmarijuana2012.

A Note from Politix: We want to offer our users high-quality, informed perspectives from outside writers. We're excited to bring you Guest Posts from top writers, elected officials, thought leaders, organizations and others. We'd love to make Politix a welcoming place for activists, intellectuals and others to contribute their views, so please help us grow by keeping your comments respectful and on topic.

Should states legalize marijuana and regulate it like alcohol?

[CODE1]

NO NO NO NO NO and then NOOOOOO again, are you crazy, NO !!!!

[dances-weebles]

okay... why?

[Kptpredsfan]

im with dances-weebles, this is a political discussion site, you need reasons or its just ranting.

[XLP]

Agreed....and again no no no no.....hell no!!!!

[1hardcorerepub]

@Kptpredsfan kinda like you needing a job instead of mooching off your girlfriend deadbeat.

[dances-weebles]

@XLP okay, again... do you have any reasons, or are you simply into shouting nonononononononononononono. does it make you feel good or something?

[CATTLEPROD]

YES they should. I think the annhueiser busch company is the biggest lobbyist against it. I wonder why.

[Kptpredsfan]

you are totally correct that they have been against it from day one, also the american chemical industry. check out a book by Jack Herer called The Emperor Wears No Clothes, he really calls out DuPont for their part in criminalizing hemp and marijuana.

[Fishbone345]

Phizer is against it too. Same wonder.

[SkepticSimian]

The largest obstacle to legalization is the criminal justice / prison-industrial complex. Prohibition is their cash cow.

[Quantummist]

http://www.jackherer.com/thebook/

[PayThatCEO]

I used to believe this too, but think about it this way. What would stop the alcohol industry from also selling marijuana? They should WANT to see it legalized so they could go into the business. It's a goldmine waiting to happen, and these companies would be the first to jump on the bandwagon.

[idlbeokay_bob]

Sure, I can't wait to break out those old Cheech and Chong LPs and talk about tax relief.

[Thunderchicken]

Dave's not here. :-)

[TheLoneRanger]

Again I advise all those potheads to get up early on election day and light up.

[Kptpredsfan]

YES they should! If you think marijuana is worse than alcohol, then you need to only look at the deaths caused by each. Alcohol kills thousands and thousands of people every year, yet no one is calling for it to be outlawed. Marijuana is so safe it is BEING USED MEDICALLY. Also how many other members and writers on this site have been screaming for less spending and increased revenue? THIS DOES BOTH!!! saves money on the law enforcement side and creates a big new tax income. I live in Tennessee and it is already one of the top if not the top money making crops, imagine how much better farmers could be if they could produce not just personal use crops but industrial hemp. Hemp can make paper or rope or lotions or thousands of other products. I truly hope colorado starts to wake up america out of this "reefer madness" stereotype that marijuana has unfairly gotten.

[Thunderchicken]

"Hemp can make paper or rope or lotions or thousands of other products."

I've had this conversation with others on this site. I understand the hemp is a superior fiber to cotton. As rough as I am on cotton work clothes, I'd like to try hemp jeans.

[XLP]

Wow that's long. It is being Abused medically. It can't be regulated and determined safe for use because there are so many strains. This isn't the pot hippies remember from the 60's. It is dangerous and has the potential to be extremely dangerous.

Incidently I have never met an intelligent pot smoker. They may be out there and I am not sure which came first; dumb and lazy or pot head. But it appears to make people feel ok with doing nothing with their life.....well except getting a check and voting for Obama. Just kidding demoncrats. But not about the getting a check.

[Cheenoguy]

@XLP Actually it has been shown to be safe for consumption and never has been shown to actually be dangerous.
Intelligent pot heads? No. Intelligent regular users but not over users? Tons. Intelligent drunks? Not very many. Intelligent people who regularly drink but not to excess? All over the place.
It hurts no one, has medical benefits, and the economic costs of fighting its use are just not worth it.

[Fishbone345]

@Thunderchicken I'm curious myself, for much the same reason. I've tried jeans that supposedly enforce the knee area, and got the same result, holes in the knees. I'd be willing to try superior fibers if they really panned out.

[Thunderchicken]

@Fishbone345

You can buy hemp jeans for $115 plus shipping. But they're more like fashion jeans than work jeans. Hence the nutty price. For now I'll stick with Wranglers. They've given me the best value.

[Thunderchicken]

Legalize it. Regulate it.Tax it. And severely penalize anyone who abuses it.

[marine1]

think about this. if you really want to screw it up, let the goverment bureaucrats get involved and it will end up like 3.2 beer.

[Thunderchicken]

@marine1

Actually the 3.2 beer thing was overblown.(At least in MO.) One was measured by volume, the other by weight. 3.2 wasn't much different than 5%. The difference was 0.2% but I can't remember what was measured which way.

But yeah the government would probably screw it up. Hell they'd loose money on a candy store in a grade school.

[marine1]

@Thunderchicken a candy store in grade school, only you would come up with that

[dances-weebles]

or worse yet, like the tobacco industry. taxed beyond belief and regulated to the point that the purity of it is cut until there's hardly any tobacco in it... and you can't use it anywhere.

i was listening to a report the other night which proved that the quality of the air in passenger air liners is much worse since smoking has been disallowed in planes. when people were smoking the air was changed on the entire plane every 2.5 minutes... now it's changed only a few times per hour. because of this the air is much dirtier, and bacteria/virus filled. what they did accomplish, however, is to save the airlines a great amt. of money because changing the air costs fuel.

[dances-weebles]

@Thunderchicken well, according to the australians, the irish, and the brits, american beer (even at its full strength) is like having sex in a canoe. it's f'n near water.

[Dan_Tien]

I think the war on marijuana has been going on for over 100 years and it has failed. It's time to admit it, stop spending massive amounts to combat it while enriching thugs and causing the deaths of law enforcement personnel and the deaths and imprisonment of harmless citizens. I don't see a problem with taxing people who want to sell it for a living, but it will be very hard to tax individuals who grow it for their own use. I do not believe that marijuana makes people violent, but I do believe that it has harmful effects on people's health and it makes people lazy and unable to concentrate. For those reasons, if it is legalized then its legal use should be restricted from minors, it should still be illegal to drive under its influence, there should be no protections from being fired from a job for testing positive for its use (especially in jobs like transportation where other's lives depend on the employee) and people should not receive unemployment insurance or welfare if they test positive for its use. If you prefer to sit at home smoking a bong, watching TV and eating chips instead of working then you should not get public assistance to do it.

[Thunderchicken]

"but it will be very hard to tax individuals who grow it for their own use."

Grower's license. Get caught without it and it's a big fine AND jail time.

[Dan_Tien]

@Thunderchicken It is legal to grow tobacco without a license and it is legal to make beer and wine for your own use (at least in my state). All of those are taxed when sold by vendors, but not taxed when grown for personal use. Why should marijuana be different if it is legalized?

[Sammy271]

@Dan_Tien I agree Set up the same structure as for wine and beer [200 gal/yr for individual use only] and very stiff fines/jail time for those who grow beyond limit and/or with intent to sell

[Thunderchicken]

@Dan_Tien

As you said, the supplies and ingredients for other vices are taxed. I don't see a way to do that with pot. I've never heard of someone growing personal use tobacco. That aspect never occurred to me.

[marine1]

@Dan_Tien Because goverment sees to many $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ to not protect their unfair share.

[Kellso]

YES

[dances-weebles]

no... all states, and the federal gov't should decriminalise pot... not legalise it. the gov't shouldn't regulate it, or tax it... they should ignore it. if they wish to fight drugs which cause harm, fine and dandy; have at it, i say. pot, however, is completely harmless.

[GetAwake]

This is really a no-brainer. It's refreshing to see Px come off of a guest-contributor whose only agenda may be sticking-it to those thugs at Big Pharma. I'm glad that I caught this before I left the house this morning, because this umbrella will come in handy with all of the flying pig-s**t that's sure to be falling outside.

[Joe-Revis]

4:20 365 24/7 Legal Freedom Peace

[mike677]

It's long overdue to legalize marijuana for adult use, it causes far less harm than alcohol and prescription medications, the only reason it has not already been legalized is because of the fear mongers of the DEA.

[Denizen_Kate]

The DEA isn't the only villain in the cannabis prohibition. Follow the money -- read the list of those organizations and companies who are footing the bill for the ads to keep it illegal. You'll find big brewers like Anhauser Busch and big pharmaceutical companies like DuPont and Phizer.

[MRMacrum]

@Denizen_Kate Drugs are big business on both sides of the legal line. The criminals, the banks, the drug enforcement agencies, at the least would lose out if even pot was made legal. There is just too much money being made under the table and above to get any kind of support from government or the financial world. Never mind the cartel types. I feel the violence associated with drugs is more the fault of the government than the users who ingest.

[Denizen_Kate]

@MRMacrum -- hold on ... let me put this bong down before I respond ...

Cannabis users are the most non-violent people on the planet. We feel too good to make trouble for anyone.:-)

[MRMacrum]

@Denizen_Kate I could see where violence might be a serious buzz kill. ............ Uh wait a minute,,,, where was I..............Oh yeah, pot makes you stupid. But it's a fun stupid.

[Denizen_Kate]

@MRMacrum - It only makes you stupid if you use it all day every day. Sort of like alcoholics versus social drinkers.

[Calfkiller]

Let me guess know Obama is pro marijuana? I wonder if that was the october surprise

[dances-weebles]

all intelligent people are pro pot.

[Calfkiller]

@dances-weebles Hey we agree on something! my new brother from another mother! I believe the only reason it is illegal is because they cannot accurately tax it. You can tax cigarretes and beer but not pot. It would take a serious effort on an individuals part too produce enough tobacco to use regularly. Same thing with Beer, it's not reasonable to try and make enough beer to stay drunk on. On the other hand, any hillbilly that can grow tomatoes can grow pot in my opinion as good a 90 plus percent of the pot that is available commercially. That is the problem with trying to tax it. with the cigs and beer it's much more reasonable to simply by them and pay the tax. I've grown tobacco I know. Growing and harvesting alone is a major effort. I couldn't even tell you how to process it to make cigs with it. Combating marijuana is an industry in itself. How many billions of dollars are made available by the gov't every year to law enforcement? quite a few. Proving my point: who enforcing the laws against moonshiners? The ATF, why would alcohol and tobacco and Firearms be lumped together? Taxes. what do they do when they bust a still? Tax the individual based on the quantity.

[dances-weebles]

@Calfkiller then again,'moonshine' is only illegal if you're selling it. if you make it for your own use it isn't taxed... the same with beer and ale.

if it were legal to grow your own pot, then there'd be no reason to sell it, of buy it unless you were too lazy to throw a handful of seeds in your mother's flowerbed. you also mentioned that anyone can grow pot as good as commercial, when the fact is that all of the pot you buy from a dealer has been cut with other herbs such as oregano, and whatever else, thus what you grow is more pure, much stronger, and of much higher quality. homegrown'll knock your ass off.

another really good point that you have raised is that combating pot is an industry in and of itself. if that money were taken and dumped into the budget it'd help ease the national debt.

[Calfkiller]

@dances-weebles Roger that on the debt issue. yeah simply cutting the males greatly increases the potency. I live in Tennessee as a poster said earlier, it is said to be the number one cash crop in the state. there is alot of money spent on finding it that would go a long way to fixing many of our problems. Not everyone can grow tomatoes though. If they legalized it most people would be more than happy to pay healthy taxes on it simply to avoid the legal troubles. I agree about the taxes on the alcohol. Would be dangerous to have unlimited access to shine. Beer an ale would take alot of effort to produce enough of in my opinion. I think they weigh that in, that people would be willing to pay the tax to save the effort. It's complete idiot logic to me that alcohol is legal(and far far more hazardous to your health) and pot is demonized. I would strongly consider any parties candidate that would be open and honest with discussing the issue. If Gary Johnson weren't a third part I would vote for him. I think we are pretty much established as a two party system.

[dances-weebles]

@Calfkiller here where we live there are between 12 and 15 viable political parties on the ballot. it gets a bit confusing, but it makes people be slightly more honest in what they promise. (until they get elected, anyway) in fact, most of then don't even make any sort of promises. they campaign with fliers that include their photo, their electioneering number, being thrown into your garage and stuffed into your mailbox and with obnoxious sound cars driving around in the streets blasting out jingles that have nothing to do with anything at all, except for their name and number... no public debates, and no television or radio ads.

[1hardcorerepub]

Respectfully disagree. Gateway drug to all other drugs.

[dances-weebles]

*lol*

[Fishbone345]

Proof? Or do all your statements just claim to be right?

[Locutus]

As the old saying goes "Mother's milk leads to heroin". Weed is the least dangerous of ANY recreational substance out there. So why are cigarettes and alcohol legal and it is not?

[1hardcorerepub]

@Fishbone345 Proof that it is not?

[1hardcorerepub]

@Locutus Because tobacco products are legal and the ban on alcohol was repealed.

[NormalFlora]

Yes, legalize it!! We need to de-fund the Mexican drug gangs and empty out our prisons!!!

[D_T_Liberty]

No! It is a drug damnit! We spend so much money trying to stop illegal drug dealings, we shouldn't give in now!

[dances-weebles]

no... it's not a drug. cocaine is a drug, heroin is a drug, meth is a worse drug... pot is an herb and has no ill effects on the human body, nor on the mind.

[Fishbone345]

You are right about one part. We spend a ton of money trying to combat it.
Money that could be spent elsewhere.

[TheLoneRanger]

We are long over do to re-instituting outlawing alcohol production, consumption, sales and distribution.

[wes2021]

The war on drugs has changed to the point that the lagest enemy is produced by pharmaceutical companys.how do we combat when they have a liscence to deal.marijuana is just a casualty of a ongoing lost cause.cartels and gamble are the face of the war on drugs.just one frustrated american to another

[Denizen_Kate]

@TheLoneRanger -- You're kidding, right?

My twist on an old saying: those who refuse to study history deserve to repeat it. The last time we had a federal prohibition on a recreational drug (alcohol), we ended up with organized crime and income taxes. Please be careful what you wish for.

[cpier14]

I reluctantly say YES. The law is out dated and has failed if it were legal Believe it or not it would be better regulated and the dipshits in DC would be happy to tax your buzz right out of it, and it would also take a hell of alot of money out of the hands of the drug cartels. Only problem the cartel in DC would be getting it can't have it all I guess.

[dances-weebles]

that's why we don't want it to be legalised... but decriminalised. no taxes, no regulations, no nothing. just ignore it completely.

[cpier14]

@dances-weebles never happen unless uncle sam can be the pusher

[dances-weebles]

@cpier14 that's exactly what we're trying to avoid

[tpayne502]

I dont smoke pot or do any other drug but I think if you was to create jobs and and add something that will work towards helping get us out of this deficit we are in, I think pot would be a good thing to legalize. I think if we do first off there should be HUGE penalties for breaking the rules/laws that are set in place.. But think about the jobs that would create, look at marijuana inc on msnbc, the places that grow the pot have hundreds of workers, now imagine every state doing it. Not to mention the STATE taxes they pay they don't pay federal taxes right now because it is illegal, but take what they do pay in state taxes add federal taxes to it and multiply it by all 50 states. That equals a big help to our government.

[Fishbone345]

Not to mention all the prisoners that wouldn't exist due to small time busts.

[DARSB]

The prohibitionist position seems to be it's better to tolerate organized crime and its attendant violence. There's a moral to that somewhere...

[Realthinker]

Remind me to stay off CO roads. Now in addition to drunk drivers we will have legally stoned drivers to contend with. Goody.

[PuroChorizo361]

I don't think you've heard of the DUI law buddy. If a person can carry a case of beer unopened why not weed? It's still gonna be illegal to drink and drive as to smoke weed and drive. I thought you were a real thinker...

[wes2021]

Stay out off colorado roads,the freedom is more than you can handle

[Denizen_Kate]

Realthinker, that isn't a very good comparison. The differences between human behavior under the influence of these two drugs is vast. While alcohol loosens inhibitions and increases agressiveness, cannabis has pretty much the opposite effect. Most users tend to consume it at home AFTER making a run to the grocery store for whatever munchies they enjoy. Pop in a movie, sink into the sofa, and relax. Not much DUI involved.

[Realthinker]

@PuroChorizo361 Mt brother was a police officer. Oh course I've heard of the law. The law that doesn't keep drunk drivers off the road will not keep stoned drivers off the road either. My experience tells me they will be on the roads in spite of the law, and there will be an increase in such traffic if it is legalized.

[PuroChorizo361]

@Realthinker "Highly" doubt it. Lol

[Keyjo]

It's beyond time to legalize marijuana.
Once Christ turned water into wine. Today, he'd be growing some prime bud!

[Denizen_Kate]

Sung to the tune of Janis Joplin's Mercedes Benz song:

Oh lord, won't you buy me some outrageous dope
'Cause you know that when I'm high, lord,
that's the only time I have hope.
Gimme some of that EYE-talian sticky bud
That's been blessed by the Pope
Oh lord! Won't you buy me some outrageous dope.

:)