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PrintCalifornia sprouts 'green rush' from marijuana
Sat Jul 18, 2009 10:53 AM EDT
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SAN FRANCISCO — A drug deal plays out, California-style: A conservatively dressed courier drives a company-leased Smart Car to an apartment on a weekday afternoon. Erick Alvaro hands over a white paper bag to his 58-year-old customer, who inspects the bag to ensure everything he ordered over the phone is there.
An eighth-ounce of organic marijuana buds for treating his seasonal allergies? Check. An eighth of a different pot strain for insomnia? Check. THC-infused lozenges and tea bags? Check and check, with a free herb-laced cookie thrown in as a thank-you gift.
It's a $102 credit card transaction carried out with the practiced efficiency of a home-delivered pizza — and with just about as much legal scrutiny.
More and more, having premium pot delivered to your door in California is not a crime. It is a legitimate business.
Marijuana has transformed California. Since the state became the first to legalize the drug for medicinal use, the weed the federal government puts in the same category as heroin and cocaine has become a major economic force.
No longer relegated to the underground, pot in California these days props up local economies, mints millionaires and feeds a thriving industry of startups designed to grow, market and distribute the drug.
Based on the quantity of marijuana authorities seized last year, the crop was worth an estimated $17 billion or more, dwarfing any other sector of the state's agricultural economy.
Experts say most of that marijuana is still sold as a recreational drug on the black market. But more recently the plant has put down deep financial roots in highly visible, taxpaying businesses:
Stores that sell high-tech marijuana growing equipment. Pot clubs that pay rent and hire workers. Marijuana themed magazines and food products. Chains of for-profit clinics with doctors who specialize in medical marijuana recommendations.
The plant's prominence does not come without costs, say some critics. Marijuana plantations in remote forests cause severe environmental damage. Indoor grow houses in some towns put rentals beyond the reach of students and young families. Rural counties with declining economies cannot attract new businesses because the available work force is caught up in the pot industry. Authorities link the drug to violent crime in otherwise quiet small towns.
"For those of us who are on the front lines, it's not about pot is bad in itself or drugs are bad," said Meredith Lintott, district attorney in Mendocino County, one of the country's top marijuana-producing regions.
"It's about the negative consequences on children. It's about the negative consequences on the environment."
Still, the sheer scale of the overall pot economy has some lawmakers pushing for broader legalization as a way to shore up the finances of a state that has teetered on the edge of bankruptcy. The state's top tax collector estimates that taxing pot like liquor could bring in more than $1.3 billion annually.
On Tuesday, Oakland will consider a measure to tax the city's four marijuana dispensaries, which the city auditor projects will ring up $17.5 million in sales in 2010. The city faces an $83 million budget shortfall, and expects the marijuana tax to raise $315,000.
Advocates point out that making pot legal would create millions if not billions of dollars more in indirect sales — the ingredients used to make edible pot products, advertising, tourism and smoking paraphernalia.
With a recent poll showing more than half of Californians supporting legalization, pot advocates believe they will prevail. And they say other states will follow.
Tim Blake is the proprietor of a 145-acre spiritual retreat center which holds an annual marijuana bud-growing contest in the heart of Northern California's pot-growing country.
Politicians, he says, are "going to see the economic benefits, they're going to see the health benefits and they're going to jump on the bandwagon."
___
On a property flanked by vineyards, Mendocino County farmer Jim Hill grows marijuana for up to 20 patients, including himself and his wife. He believes passionately in marijuana's purported ability to treat the symptoms of diseases ranging from cancer to Alzheimer's; he says his wife suffers from a serotonin imbalance, and he uses the drug to treat digestive problems and intestinal cramping.
Hill's plants enjoy careful nurturing in a temperature-controlled greenhouse. On a recent spring day, his college-age son spread bat guano to fertilize two dozen 6-foot-tall plants.
Hill is 45 years old; he says he spent $10,000 to set up the garden. Patients receive their drugs free in exchange for helping with his crop.
"It's kind of like living on an apple orchard," Hill said. "You don't pay for an apple."
Though marijuana is cultivated throughout California, the most prized crops come from the forested mountains and hidden valleys of Mendocino, Humboldt and Trinity counties — the Emerald Triangle.
The economic impact of so much pot is difficult to gauge. Authorities say the largest grows are run by Mexican drug cartels that simply funnel money from forest-raised crops back into their own bank accounts.
Still, marijuana money from outdoor and indoor plots inevitably flows into local coffers. Marijuana increases residents' retail buying power by about $58 million countywide, according to a Mendocino County report. The county ranks 48th out of 58 counties in median income but, by counting pot proceeds, could jump as high as 18th.
Businesses benefit from mom-and-pop growers who cultivate pot to supplement their incomes and from marijuana plantation workers who descend on the Emerald Triangle from all over the country for the fall harvest. Pot "trimmers" can earn more than $40 per hour.
In Ukiah, the county's largest city, business owners say the extra cash is crucial. "I really don't think we would exist without it," says Nicole Martensen, 37, whose wine and garden shop is stocked with bottles from county vintners.
The skunk-like smell of marijuana hangs over the town of about 11,000 during the October harvest, when cash registers brim with $100 bills. Sometimes the wads of cash spent in Martensen's shop come dusted with pot.
But Ukiah banker Marty Lombardi says existing businesses cannot compete with pot industry wages for workers. Lombardi's bank does not make loans to anyone suspected of trying to fund a pot operation, but he said most growers do not need them.
"I don't think you or I have any sense for how much money is generated," he said.
Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman says medical marijuana operations that follow state and county laws will face no hassles from his department. His deputies left intact 154 marijuana grows they visited last year, he said
"If you're living in the boundaries, I'm not going to mess with you," Allman said.
Which is not to say that there is no legal risk to growing, selling or buying marijuana. Federal laws still apply, and pot dealings not deemed medicinal are considered criminal by the state.
Local, state and federal authorities pulled up 364,000 plants across Mendocino last year. And the state Department of Justice reported more than 16,000 felony arrests and nearly 58,000 misdemeanor arrests for marijuana offenses in 2007 — the highest numbers in a decade.
Sparky Rose sits in the federal prison in Lompoc, serving a 37-month term. Law enforcement officials insist he is one of many sellers who have used the medical marijuana law as a guise for old-time drug dealing. Rose does not disagree, although he would like to think he helped some legitimate pot patients in the process.
A one-time Web designer, he started out in 2001 making $15 an hour as a "bud tender" working the counter at an Oakland club. Four years later, he was overseeing a dispensary chain with stores in seven cities, 283 employees and sales reaching $5 million a month.
That's not as much as it seems, he says. Much of the money went to pay salaries, to purchase equipment and to buy 200 pounds of marijuana each week.
Rose says he was making $500,000 a year before his 2006 arrest, a sum he considers fair given the chain's volume and the risk he assumed as the company's public face. Before opening a new location, he would meet with local officials and police to get their implicit OK.
"We operated out in the open, and the feds knew who we were and they let us do it for four years, so as time goes on you get this comfortable feeling," he says.
"While I was still in the business, a lot people would ask me, 'I'm thinking about starting a club, what advice do you have?' "And I'd say, 'The biggest warning is sooner or later, you will start to think it's legal.'"
___
Even people accustomed to buying marijuana over the counter are impressed when they visit the Farmacy, a dispensary-cum-New Age apothecary with three locations in Los Angeles. Decorated in soft beige and staffed by workers in lab coats, the Venice store sells organic toiletries, essential oils and incense along with 25 types of pot stored in glass jars, including strains such as Beverly Bubba and Third Eye.
Anyone can shop there, but to buy the cannabis-infused gelato, olive oil, soft drinks and other "edibles," customers must show a doctor's recommendation, have the information verified by the doctor's office and obtain a patient identification number for future visits.
During a two-hour span, the dozen or so customers who made a purchase all bought pot products and paid the 9.25 percent state sales tax on top of their purchases. The clubs, which are not supposed to turn a profit, call their transactions "donations."
Allen Siegel is 74; he is dying of cancer and wants to try smoking marijuana to ease his pain without knocking him out like prescription drugs do. So his wife, Ina, brought him to the Farmacy for his first visit as a legal pot patient.
"You go in there and they have so many choices," she says.
California's "green rush" was spurred by a voter-approved law 13 years ago that authorized patients with a doctor's recommendation to possess and cultivate marijuana for personal use. Although a dozen other states have adopted similar laws, California is the only one where privately owned pot shops have flourished.
Los Angeles County alone has more than 400 pot dispensaries and delivery services, nearly twice as many outlets as Amsterdam, the Netherlands capital whose coffee shops have for decades been synonymous with free-market marijuana.
Promoted as a way to shield people with AIDS, cancer and anorexia who use marijuana from prosecution, the 1996 Compassionate Use Act also permitted limited possession for "any other illness for which marijuana provides relief."
The broad language opened the door to doctors willing to recommend pot for nearly any ailment. In a survey of nearly 2,500 patients, longtime Berkeley medical marijuana advocate Dr. Tod Mikuriya found that almost three-quarters of the patients used the drug for pain relief or mental health issues.
Dispensaries began selling marijuana, although they were risking federal charges. Some operators have become less fearful since U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said this year that the Justice Department would not target pot operations following state laws, reducing the risk of random federal raids that existed under the Bush administration.
California's pot dispensaries now have more in common with a corner grocery than a speakeasy. They advertise freely, offering discount coupons and daily specials.
Justin Hartfield, a 25-year-old Web designer and business student, founded WeedMaps.com, where pot clubs and doctors who write medi-pot recommendations list their services and users post reviews. Hartfield says the year-old site brought in $20,000 this month, an amount he expects to double in August.
Hartfield exhibited at THC Expo, a two-day trade show at the Los Angeles Convention Center that attracted an estimated 35,000 attendees in June. There was hydroponic gardening equipment and bong vendors and bikini-clad models wearing leis made of fake marijuana leaves.
Like just about everyone else connected to the cannabis trade, Hartfield has a letter from a doctor that entitles him to buy medical marijuana from a dispensary. But he sees no point in pretending he is treating anything more than his taste for smoking weed.
"It is a joke. It's a legal way for me to get what I used to get on the street," he said.
He recalls telling the doctor who provided the referral that he suffered from insomnia and anxiety, though neither was true. As he signed the paperwork, the doctor "congratulated me like I was getting my degree from Harvard."
___
What would happen if marijuana was legal — not just for medical uses, but for all uses?
Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco, wants the state to tax and regulate all pot as it does alcohol. State Board of Equalization chairwoman Betty Yee, a supporter, projects the law would generate $990 million annually through a $50-per-ounce fee for retailers and $392 million in sales taxes. (The state now collects $18 million each year in taxes on medical marijuana.)
The state would not start collecting taxes on marijuana under Ammiano's bill until the federal government lifts its restrictions on the drug.
That's not enough for pro-pot activists who want Californians to vote next year on a proposal that would allow adults to legally possess up to one ounce of pot and allow cities to sell and tax the drug.
"Local governments are malnourished and in need of revenue badly," said Aaron Smith, state policy director for the Marijuana Policy Project, which advocates legalization. "There's this multibillion-dollar industry that's the elephant in the room that they're not able to tap into."
Lintott, the Mendocino prosecutor, is not convinced that legalization would put an end to the underworld's marijuana operations. She argues that big-time growers would never bother filing tax returns. "Legalizing it isn't going to touch the big money," she says.
But others predict the black-market business model would fall apart.
Large-scale agri-businesses in California's Central Valley would dominate legal marijuana production as they already do bulk wine grapes, advocates argue. Pot prices would fall dramatically, forcing growers to abandon costly clandestine operations that authorities say trash the land and steal scarce water.
And legalization, supporters insist, would save state and local governments billions on police, court and prison costs.
But others survey California in 2009 and say the cannabis future is now. Richard Lee has parlayed a pair of Oakland dispensaries into a mini-empire that includes a marijuana lifestyle magazine, an "adult consumption" club, a starter plant nursery and a three-campus marijuana trade school. Oaksterdam University's main campus is a prominent fixture in revitalized downtown Oakland.
All without legalization.
"It's like here's reality, and here's the law," Lee says. "The culture has gone so far beyond the law, people have gotten used to being able to get quality product. They are not going to go back."
© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
68 Votes- Enjoy this article? Help vote it up the 'Vine.
Published to:
- Marcus Wohlsen's Column, All of Newsvine
- Groups: Alternative Health & Wellness, California Issues, Marijuana News
- Regions: United States , San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose
 | California Sprouts 'Green Rush' From Marijuana | The Huffington Post | Sat Jul 18 | 4 |
- Public Discussion (202)
- Alternative Health & Wellness
- California Issues
- Marijuana News
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2.7
{"commentId":8281899,"authorDomain":"breezerb06"}
In one paragraph of this article I found a string of mistruths and lies about the dangers of this plant:
|"The plant's prominence does not come without costs, say some critics. Marijuana plantations in remote forests cause severe environmental damage."| - This is total BS. No way could you compare REAL enviromental damage such as clear cutting in our forests or the near total destruction of the Gulf marine life from upstream farms caused by pesticides and fertilizers courtesy of Monsanto and Dow among others to a plant that needs no chemical pesticides. The recent TV special on MSNBC tried to paint the pathetic picture of a few propane tanks and some black water hoses being left behind by mexican growers as evidence of enviromental damage. What a joke! Plus, you can't grow large scale enough on public lands to justify the false dangers that the authorities and media are trying to promote. If you're lucky you might be able to hide about 20 in trees and shrub but you won't be seeing an acre of neatly lined rows. It's playing the fear mongering card - Mexican Cartels are Ruining Our Beloved National Parks! Any idiot could see through this scare tactic.
|"Indoor grow houses in some towns put rentals beyond the reach of students and young families.| - I simply do not understand this statement. I would be led to believe that it is the cutthroat capitalist mentality that has put rentals beyond the reach of these people and not a secret indoor garden somewhere. Where are the facts to support this ridiculous statement?
|"Rural counties with declining economies cannot attract new businesses because the available work force is caught up in the pot industry."| - Oh come on, there are a MILLIONS of people out of work. If these rural counties were pressed to find able workers all they have to do is make a call out to the nearest town or city and they would have more than enough jobseekers to find their vacant positions.
|"Authorities link the drug to violent crime in otherwise quiet small towns."| - Once again, base it with facts. I'm sick of the AP and every other major news organization spouting this dubious information without mentioning statistics or any mere FACT. This is an example of modern yellow journalism and it's intent - which is to misinform and to ultimately confuse you. To be honest, the rising crime is more due to rampant unemployment, devastated property values, and the availability of alcohol and hard drugs (meth, coke, etc.) to bored young kids living in small towns with little or nothing to do. If they were getting stoned, I guarantee that would not be causing "violent" crimes.
This is crap journalism if you make these statements without backing them up. It is time to debunk these lies and start looking at the situation thru a clear lens. But it starts with you Mr. Wohlson and all other "ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITERS".
{"commentId":8281899,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"breezerb06"}
- 4 votes
#26 - Sat Jul 18, 2009 2:37 PM EDT{"commentId":8282254,"authorDomain":"DaVoh"}
You are really spreading the word
{"commentId":8282254,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"DaVoh"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":8282331,"authorDomain":"hhabilis"}
Mexican Cartels are Ruining Our Beloved National Parks! Any idiot could see through this scare tactic.
Not to mention that if reefer were legal, the cartels would no longer have an incentive to grow in the parks: they'd be out of business (the pot business, anyway).
{"commentId":8282331,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"hhabilis"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":8283626,"authorDomain":"breezerb06"}
Thanks for the support DaVoh, Mr. Hooper, Tailbird Tits, and others. It's time we draw a line and say enough to the blatant falsehoods and have it no longer tolerated to spew the same line over and over in one's shallow defense of this insane policy. I would like to go so far as to make it punishable to deny the truth about hemp and cannabis together. Make these irresponsible journalists think before they write in the future. Sorry, I hope not to appear too radical but I am sick and tired of this debate. I've been listening to it for over 30 years and I'm tired of it. I'm a proud smoker (no tobbacco) and I am a kind and peaceful man because of it.... albeit a little frustrated at the slow pace of reforming our pot laws.
{"commentId":8283626,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"breezerb06"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":8281932,"authorDomain":"ckfeather79"}
An eighth-ounce of organic marijuana buds for treating his seasonal allergies?
Wow, I didn't know it could treat allergies. How do you get a RX for this?
{"commentId":8281932,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"ckfeather79"}
- 5 votes
#27 - Sat Jul 18, 2009 2:40 PM EDT{"commentId":8282057,"authorDomain":"DaVoh"}
How do you get a RX for this?
Not sure, i'm still looking.
{"commentId":8282057,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"DaVoh"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":8282101,"authorDomain":"thadeau"}
not looking hard enough
{"commentId":8282101,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"thadeau"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":8282219,"authorDomain":"DaVoh"}
i'm all ears
{"commentId":8282219,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"DaVoh"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":8282429,"authorDomain":"thadeau"}
if ur in california you should have no problem finding "alternative medical care" in your area. try google.
{"commentId":8282429,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"thadeau"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":8284825,"authorDomain":"DaVoh"}
I'm on the other side of the tracks, :'-(
{"commentId":8284825,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"DaVoh"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":8285203,"authorDomain":"thadeau"}
ouch. that sux.
{"commentId":8285203,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"thadeau"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":8285860,"authorDomain":"DaVoh"}
No worries, zanyzazu got me covered
{"commentId":8285860,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"DaVoh"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":8282456,"authorDomain":"animallovernwriter"}
Don't go green, go Mary Jane.
{"commentId":8282456,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"animallovernwriter"}
- 1 vote
#28 - Sat Jul 18, 2009 3:22 PM EDT{"commentId":8284423,"authorDomain":"JohnStark"}
How about "Don't just go green, go greeeeeeen!"
30 years ago, "Go for the Gold," would have worked too but that's probably outdated now.
{"commentId":8284423,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"JohnStark"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":8282566,"authorDomain":"themick90068"}
Alurs pointed out opium to compare to herb. Thats Like comparing the alcohol in vanilla extract with bacardi 151.
Opiates are intensely physically and psychologically addictive. Herb can be psychologically addictive, but there are so many other over the counter drugs in our over prescribed nation that are far more dangerous, addictive and prone to abuse the Herb.
As with prohibition, the laws make it instantly a big market ,criminal enterprise. The laws have actually made producers refine it to the point that it is many times more powerful than it was decades ago, because under 100 plants is such a lesser crime than having more.
Herb can be grown be used right off the plant. Not the same as manufactured opiates and cocaine,though eating it produces stimulative effects but is not physically addictive.
the reason it is still illegal is that phizer or some other can't regulate its distribution.
It has no natural enemies, it grows virtually anywhere, its by products are commercially viable .Acre of Hemp produces for more paper,pulp and oils than any slow growing trees, because it replenishes so fast.
We should grow up and relieve those criminal enterprises of the billions the trade yields. It worked for Alcohol,a far more insidious drug.
{"commentId":8282566,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"themick90068"}
- 5 votes
#29 - Sat Jul 18, 2009 3:33 PM EDT{"commentId":8282659,"authorDomain":"alur7"}
I'm not unfamiliar with it. LOL, without revealing too much, I worked for a major artist with many years on the road. Some in the band woke up smoking pot the way I drink coffee and they continued all day long. It's nice to have a profession in which you can do that, like professors, teachers, and many others, however, some of us just grew up. Some of my fellow band members are not in the business anymore and frankly they are worth much with their years of lack of motivation. I guess it affects people differently, but I've seen wasted lives.
{"commentId":8282659,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"alur7"}
{"commentId":8282843,"authorDomain":"alur7"}
I left the word "not" from my statement, "...frankly they are not worth much with their years of lack of motivaition."
{"commentId":8282843,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"alur7"}
{"commentId":8282846,"authorDomain":"aine"}
As far as lack of motivation goes, Irv Rosenfeld's court testimony refutes that notion.
{"commentId":8282846,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"aine"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":8283904,"authorDomain":"hoopdedoop"}
I stand corrected! I watched that video just now, very good video! I am changing my mind about the motivation issue because of it.
{"commentId":8283904,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"hoopdedoop"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":8284067,"authorDomain":"dcstone01"}
That was a great video...thanks Aine
{"commentId":8284067,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"dcstone01"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":8290258,"authorDomain":"alur7"}
Aine MacDermot Thanks for the video. I didn't think the debate was about using marijuana for medicinal purposes, but the video is appreciated.
I wonder in 30 years after the legalization of mj, will there be lawsuits against the companies from people whose lives were affected in one way or the other resulting in ads and campaigns against its use? LOL, just when we get rid of cigarettes, there arises another vice. Morals and fads come and go like the tides.
{"commentId":8290258,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"alur7"}
{"commentId":8292274,"authorDomain":"aine"}
Smoking marijuana isn't a fad, mankind has been doing that for at least 5,000 years. Early usage is thought to have been for pagan religious/mystical purposes, as well as traditional textile and rope production. The United States Constitution is written on hemp paper. Cannabis use has nothing to do with morality either, though that tactic was what began alcohol prohibition.
{"commentId":8292274,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"aine"}
- 5 votes
{"commentId":8292903,"authorDomain":"prompt"}
The United States Constitution is written on hemp paper.
Actually not true. However, the Declaration of Independence was drafted on hemp paper and I think perhaps the Constitution may have been as well.
{"commentId":8292903,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"prompt"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":8305234,"authorDomain":"aine"}
Hemp played a key role in the early days of the United States. The Puritans grew high quality hemp in the 1600's. By the time of the revolutionary war, its cultivation was considered the patriotic duty of American farmers!
Betsy Ross made the first American flag from hemp fabric.
The Founding Fathers, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, were hemp farmers. The first U.S. patent was issued to Thomas Jefferson for his hemp threshing machine.
The first two drafts of the Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution were written on hemp paper. The final drafts are written on animal parchment.
Levi Strauss made the first pair of jeans from lightweight hemp canvas.
Until the late 1800's, virtually all of our cloth and paper were made from hemp.
Correction, "was written" on hemp paper, since the actual writing did take place using hemp paper, the final draft was on parchment.
{"commentId":8305234,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"aine"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":8282591,"authorDomain":"oneforall"}
Marijuana use has spread because it satisfies a basic need of the human condition. For most, is a natural desire to escape for a brief time from the travails of life without becoming a blubbering incoherent sot. Some people do not react well to the poisonous effects of alcohol and they seek an alternative without all of the adverse physiological effects. The seek a less toxic alternative without all of the potential side effects of alcohol or pharmaceuticals. The ban of cannabis infringes upon a person's inherent right to pursue happiness; it's ban is in direct conflict with constitutional protections. The need to use such substances is both natural and beneficial in the treatment of many maladies. The ban of cannabis and alcohol was both criminal and unnatural as evidenced by the repeal of prohibition and the spread of marijuana use, despite the threat of criminal prosecution. Why was there no constitutional amendment like prohibition to ban cannabis?
{"commentId":8282591,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"oneforall"}
- 6 votes
#30 - Sat Jul 18, 2009 3:34 PM EDT{"commentId":8283467,"authorDomain":"sandygayle"}
Why was there no constitutional amendment like prohibition to ban cannabis?
It is classified with heroine, making it come under federal jurisdiction. The head of the FDA has the authority to do that even if such classification is not based on science. (Upheld by the Supreme Court a couple of years ago.) If the states would wake up to that fact they could challenge the classification (unequal treatment under the law), claim states rights, legalize and tax.
{"commentId":8283467,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"sandygayle"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":8284673,"authorDomain":"JohnStark"}
As far as lack of motivation goes, Irv Rosenfeld's court testimony refutes that notion.
11 ounces a month.. That is so incredibly higher then any regular "Pothead" .. $4400 a month at CA prices?! And not only is the speaker highly motivated if you watch the video, he also sounds a lot more on the ball and smarter then the average American. Yet like everything else, the collective insanity that pervades America today will cause 90% of the people who watch it to not change their opinion one bit.
(not to mention that his family tree is simply amazing).
Wake up people, when you're presented with direct facts and you choose to totally ignore them, you're the one that's stoned. Let's call it media mass hysteria syndrome. Anyone who believes that there still exists a free press that has no other motivation then the truth is not only self deluded, but slowly being systematically driven to clinical insanity.
"It might be a fact, but I still don't have to believe it." If you can say this, then yes, you're insane by the dictionary definition. Yet millions of people do exactly that every day.
Media gets bigger and bigger every day yet it also gets harder and harder every day to find the actual truth of an issue, ask yourself why instead of being a parrot.
{"commentId":8284673,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"JohnStark"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":8287167,"authorDomain":"oneforall"}
It is classified with heroine, making it come under federal jurisdiction. The head of the FDA has the authority to do that even if such classification is not based on science.
That is a problem SandyGaylebecause international drug treaties prohibit any one nation from reclassifying drugs without being held in violation. The U.S. has become a nation of legal interpretations rather than a nation of laws. The federal government always seems to find ways to manipulate legal opinions in their favor while trampling on the rights and liberties of the people. There is nothing that the federal government can't do if it so chooses, but the laws make it nearly impossible for the people to initiate change or to depose incompetent leaders, even when they lumber into an illegal war or violate the basic intent and fundamental principles of the constitution.
How can a mandatory drug test not be considered self-incrimination without twisting the fifth amendment like a pretzel? Inconsistency, complexity, and inequity are lethal ingredients in any legal system because the create fear and distrust in the minds of the people which will ultimately lead to a lack of faith and confidence in the legal system.
{"commentId":8287167,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"oneforall"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":8282778,"authorDomain":"hoopdedoop"}
Responding to my own statement: "people who partake of marijuana 'tend' to have less motivation"
So do people who eat turkey sandwiches. So let's ban turkey sandwiches before our entire civilization collapses!
{"commentId":8282778,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"hoopdedoop"}
- 3 votes
#31 - Sat Jul 18, 2009 3:51 PM EDT{"commentId":8282860,"authorDomain":"alur7"}
LOL, and I liked turkey.
It is funny how some groups advocate posting every item on a food label, ban cigarettes and lawful advertising of a legal product, go nuts with some good old fashioned smog emissions, yet don't want any regulation when it comes to drugs. It makes my head spin.
{"commentId":8282860,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"alur7"}
{"commentId":8283162,"authorDomain":"Rixar13"}
Yeah, sing me up for the cookie too.
1} An eighth-ounce of organic marijuana buds for treating his seasonal allergies? Check.
2) An eighth of a different pot strain for insomnia? Check.
3) THC-infused lozenges and tea bags? Check and check, with a free herb-laced cookie thrown in as a thank-you gift.
{"commentId":8283162,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"Rixar13"}
- 1 vote
#32 - Sat Jul 18, 2009 4:23 PM EDT{"commentId":8283256,"authorDomain":"sandygayle"}
Substance that is the leading cause of death in the United States--nicotine.
Substance that is the second leading cause of death in the United States--alcohol.
Deaths caused by cannabis--ZERO.
We stopped trying to control the first two and started taxing them. I'm all for taxing the tobacco and alcohol industries the amount they add to the cost of healthcare.
Tax cannabis--of course. Control cannabis--of course. Uncontrolled cannabis is what we have now and that can be problematic. We need education on its proper use, and we need to discourage its use among those under 21. We need to know the symptoms of addiction, as apart from regular use.
I would love to see real research on proper doses for what ails us. For example, arthritis responds best to ingested cannabis. It is the cannabinoids, not the THC that reduces the inflamation and helps with the pain. It would be good medicine to promote and use strains lower in THC and higher in the cannabinoids when it comes to those types of illness. By the way, Chinese medicine prescribed cannabis for arthritis 4000 years ago.
In 1972 (or thereabouts) the NIH reported that cannabis suppressed the growth of cancer cells. That information itself was suppressed and the government banned all further research along those lines. Imagine what we might have accomplished with 35 years of research.
If we used a fraction of the money spent on warring against marijuana for research into these issues we could develop policies that are both reasonable and humane. The laboratory of use in the United States already tells us it is safer than alcohol. Wouldn't it be nice to know just how safe?
Why is it illegal now?
Timber industry, cotton industry, alcohol industry, Monsanto, DuPont, pharmaceutical industry, petroleum industry, law enforcement industry. Some of these are only to prohibit hemp--talk about deception.
{"commentId":8283256,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"sandygayle"}
- 6 votes
#33 - Sat Jul 18, 2009 4:30 PM EDT{"commentId":8283798,"authorDomain":"breezerb06"}
Well stated SandyGayle! What strange bedfellows they all make, don't you agree? I find it fascinating that a mere plant - a weed much less, is enough of a threat to have these entities partner up with each other and wage such an uncompromising war for so long.
{"commentId":8283798,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"breezerb06"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":8287572,"authorDomain":"oneforall"}
Even international drug commissions recognize that nicotine and alcohol pose greater risks than cannabis, LSD, or Ecstacy but the rules and definitions are so convoluted and entrenched that even these drugs cannot be classified in any way that makes sense.
{"commentId":8287572,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"oneforall"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":8288150,"authorDomain":"thadeau"}
nobody has ever died directly from using ecstasy, lsd or mj. people have died while ON these substances, but from other causes.
{"commentId":8288150,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"thadeau"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":8290398,"authorDomain":"sandygayle"}
I think there is a saying that Politics makes strange bedfellows. Not too strange. Cannabis makes better paper than wood, better fabric than cotton, is a safer stress reliever than alcohol (less fattening too), makes better medicine than the pharmaceuticals, makes stronger plastic than oil, requires little commerical pesticides or fertilizer. You better believe they all pony up with their share of lobbyists. Oh yes, in California it is the prison guards who have one of the strongest lobbies against legalization.
{"commentId":8290398,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"sandygayle"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":8291859,"authorDomain":"oneforall"}
Oh yes, in California it is the prison guards who have one of the strongest lobbies against legalization.
Incredible. I would have pegged the pharmaceutical companies for that title, but cannabis is big business for law enforcement and private prisons. It's just difficult for me to comprehend the mindset of someone who would campaign to put more people in cages just to protect their jobs.
{"commentId":8291859,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"oneforall"}
- 6 votes
{"commentId":8292326,"authorDomain":"aine"}
Not only put people in cages, but deny others medicine that could relieve their pain or inflamed tissues or migraines or the effects of Graves Disease.
{"commentId":8292326,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"aine"}
- 5 votes
{"commentId":8283967,"authorDomain":"doza023"}
hollywood is already dropping dead from every known drug they can can their hands on (Michael Jackson)... do they really need another drug readily available????
{"commentId":8283967,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"doza023"}
#34 - Sat Jul 18, 2009 5:29 PM EDT{"commentId":8284235,"authorDomain":"whatsthetruth52"}
Mike, If you look at the deaths, most of them are from LEGAL prescription medication prescribed by a doctor and abused. Not many are from illegal drugs and I have never heard of a death by marijuana overdose. Please enlighten me
{"commentId":8284235,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"whatsthetruth52"}
- 6 votes
{"commentId":8284194,"authorDomain":"bigbugy"}
I wont go far as to say pot makes you do dumb things,
but I did get fired from the M&M co. for throwing away all the W"s:~
Ok folks seriously though,poloticians see it like this.They can get more money out of anti-pot laws from fines,court cost, state and federal dollars to fight the bogus war and on andon and on...Theres already big money being made by those who profit by drug laws and they have no desire to cut their own throats to please a few million citizens that need it or want it for recreational use.
It all comes down to dollars and sense.Now if all states follow Californias lead there can be big bucks made by the government,while police agencies could lay off the dead wieght that normally persues pot related crime.
{"commentId":8284194,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"bigbugy"}
- 2 votes
#35 - Sat Jul 18, 2009 5:50 PM EDT{"commentId":8284241,"authorDomain":"behindmyscreen"}
Dude... the anti-pot laws cost more money. They lose money on fighting pot.
{"commentId":8284241,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"behindmyscreen"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":8284383,"authorDomain":"dcstone01"}
Yet Behind My Screen, the lawyers, judges and prisons make lots of money prosecuting/defending, and imprisoning these 'law breakers'...
Not to mention the police provide a service too, the city gets money back when the police 'write that ticket'...so sure they lose money, but it's found by financially ripping-off the 'victim/criminal'....
And let's not forget about the 'forfeiture/asset seizure' laws that take away vehicles, furniture, personal items and houses...someone somewhere is making a mint when that stuff is 'sold'...
{"commentId":8284383,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"dcstone01"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":8284395,"authorDomain":"thadeau"}
And let's not forget about the 'forfieture/asset seizure' laws that take away vehicles, furniture, personal items and houses...someone somewhere is making a mint when that stuff is 'sold'...
land of the free.........
{"commentId":8284395,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"thadeau"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":8297757,"authorDomain":"bigbugy"}
Behind My Screen,
dcstone picked up exactly what I was saying.The only money lost with drugs laws is the tax payer not the ones on the recieving end as dcstone points out.There is the prison industry(corporate)health care providers for inmates(corporate)The food industry that provides jails and prisons(corporate)Judges,District Attorney Offices,Lawyers,Police at all levels from local to federal.This list is vast of those who suck the life out of the tax recources available.
Do you really think they want to put an end to drug laws that keep their pockets full?Not in the real world.Just think of all those jobs lost by legalizing just pot.The numbers would be staggering.Billions and Billions back in the tax drawer for more needed programs and funding for essentials.
{"commentId":8297757,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"bigbugy"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":8284597,"authorDomain":"bonz691"}
I just wanted to point out that even Walter Cronkite was for marijuana legalization,,,there is an article on it at the NORML web site, Mr.Cronkite wrote an article about it in 2004 check it out!
{"commentId":8284597,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"bonz691"}
- 5 votes
#36 - Sat Jul 18, 2009 6:23 PM EDT{"commentId":8284856,"authorDomain":"DaVoh"}
Mr.Cronkite
My favorite and good article too, thanks
{"commentId":8284856,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"DaVoh"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":8285716,"authorDomain":"dvrotolo"}
Da Voh...here sweetie.....<ZZZZZZ>~~~~ have a good day!
{"commentId":8285716,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"dvrotolo"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":8285782,"authorDomain":"DaVoh"}
Zanyzazu, you're my only friend!
{"commentId":8285782,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"DaVoh"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":8285514,"authorDomain":"sierramountains"}
And alcohol is wonderful???
Let's get beyond BS talk!!!
In Nam, we had boozers and pot heads. The unspoken code was to not show up to duty hung over, loaded or do anything on patrol. So booze works for rednecks so it is OK. And everything else is un American?
And then back in the day, guys would take government issued Kool cigarettes (proud sponsors of and getting rich from the war) and soak them in opium.
And the Republicans will want to keep marijuana beyond reach before their corporate sponsors like Phillip Morris or the billionaire multinational Pharmaceutical companies come up with marijuana cigarettes out of dispensers everywhere or a THC pill you can take and pay for to make those b#stards even richer.
Legalizing marijuana would (1) get rid of the Mexican drug cartel out of California. (2) raise taxes that otherwise would not be there. (3) Relieve the war on drugs from marijuana surveillance and marijuana busts and concentrate their time on Meth, Heroin, and Cocaine., where it should have been for a very long time now.
A legal marijuana trade would mean commercial marijuana growers would have to declare profits on their income tax forms. That means paying taxes for a change.
I guess busting terminal patients for marijuana is so much easier than confronting a meth lab or a heroin Asian triangle, which in plain English means pit bulls and guards with the state of the art combat weapons.
{"commentId":8285514,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"sierramountains"}
- 8 votes
#37 - Sat Jul 18, 2009 7:41 PM EDT{"commentId":8288169,"authorDomain":"thadeau"}
i agree with you about everything but focusing on meth cocaine and heroin. legalize it all! if somebody wants to kill themself, then so be it. who are we to stop them. we need population control anyway.
{"commentId":8288169,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"thadeau"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":8285780,"authorDomain":"ace666"}
More money is always good.
{"commentId":8285780,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"ace666"}
- 1 vote
#38 - Sat Jul 18, 2009 8:08 PM EDT{"commentId":8285818,"authorDomain":"DaVoh"}
More money is always good
But having an endless supply of reefer the gov't provides, that's priceless my friend
{"commentId":8285818,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"DaVoh"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":8288505,"authorDomain":"breezerb06"}
I'll provide that myself and to hell with your taxes! Taxes of which the money is used to fund war and our immoral military/police state. I say no more!
{"commentId":8288505,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"breezerb06"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":8285838,"authorDomain":"crash22"}
Come on America don't we already have enought stupied people in our country! "oh, smoking this helps my migrains!" Well I think we are all learning the hard way now there is no magic medication because they all come with side effects and maybe we are screwed up and brain dead because we were smokin pot in the first place! The only solution to our health care system is sleep died and exercise! So all you fat, stupied, pot smoking Americans need to get off the fat butts, exercise, and think of ways of making money that would improve our nation as a whole!
{"commentId":8285838,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"crash22"}
#39 - Sat Jul 18, 2009 8:13 PM EDT{"commentId":8285939,"authorDomain":"DaVoh"}
So all you fat, stupied
I normally wouldn't call you out on such minor error, BUT I GOTTA, you misspelled stupid twice, migraines, enough, and a few more, i got tired of counting. Either your finger keeps hitting more than one key or you're not that brilliant. Which is it?
{"commentId":8285939,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"DaVoh"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":8286001,"authorDomain":"bstnky1"}
Crash 22, use the spell check (it looks like ABC with a check mark under it). It works well, I use it all the time.
{"commentId":8286001,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"bstnky1"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":8285958,"authorDomain":"bstnky1"}
I had to laugh at the environmental damage comment in this article. I just don't see miles of forest land being plowed under for pot farms any time soon. And no one is going to want to smoke any one's pot if it has been sprayed with pesticides. Pot should be legalized, treated like any other agricultural product, taxed, and regulated just like tobacco. Unlike tobacco, there should be no crap added (like the cigarette companies do to smokes). This would create jobs and generate revenue for local governments. If people can buy pot legally, it would put the dealers out of the pot business. Not the solution to all of our drug related problems, like turf wars (over drug sales) but it would be a start.
{"commentId":8285958,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"bstnky1"}
- 2 votes
#40 - Sat Jul 18, 2009 8:23 PM EDT{"commentId":8291266,"authorDomain":"miracles777"}
"I had to laugh at the environmental damage comment in this article."
Hi,
I recently saw an article on TV that showed the illegal grows in the hills of the "Emerald Triangle" It showed chemical fertilizer containers that were not disposed of properly and were leaking into the soil. It showed existing plants and trees that were cut down to allow growing space that in turn had allowed erosion to take away that natural nutrients needed by the native vegetation etc... I saw what they mean about "environmental damages" and was saddened by it. I live in a state where mj is illegal and I can only get "street" weed and now I'm very concerned by the unknown chemicals that were used in it's growing.
I do believe that legalization would help drive out the illegal growers who are forcing illegal Mexicans and their families to grow or die and use whatever chemicals they need to grow bigger, better, faster no matter the cost.
I wish I could live in a state where this argument can even happen! You GO California and lead the rest of us into the future!
{"commentId":8291266,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"miracles777"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":8293178,"authorDomain":"breezerb06"}
Miracles - What you saw was probably a very isolated incident and to be honest with you I think it was staged. Considering how smokers scrutinize the quality of their weed, I doubt very much pesticides being used on a large scale is a legitimate point in the legalization argument. Even the Mexicans across the border know that if they spray their product with chemicals then no one will buy it. The competition for quality is increased so much more than in the past so just seeing fertilizer containers at a clandestine grow site looks quite bogus. This is propaganda. Marijuana is not corn or wheat and really does not need the amount of fertilizers that those crops need to survive. It is one of the most tough and rugged plants living and just needs water. Especially if you are growing in an untouched area, you would have more than enough soil nutrients available for good growth - especially in the Emerald Triangle.
Also, there is no "street" weed. There are 2 kinds available to most Americans - The premium indoor strains and imported, outdoor strains (mostly Mexican schwag) that vary in quality from crappy brown brick schwag to minty greenish/brown schwag. Hashish, which is not available to most Americans is another category but thanks to the evolution of refining our domestically produced cannabis, we now have a strong domestic category along with the traditional foreign varieties (Afghani, Morrocan, etc.). Foreign hash is rare since the DEA has shut down major transportation routes to the US but if you get your hand on good Morrocan or Afghani hash then consider yourself lucky indeed. Since everything is still illegal (and yes it is still illegal in CA), the classifications of cannabis and hashish are absent from the consumer (not the user). It is a true shame that most people do not know about the wide range of flavors available - or should I say unavailable.
{"commentId":8293178,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"breezerb06"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":8286848,"authorDomain":"dandr004"}
7-Eleven and In-and-Out will have serious issues dealing with the potheads, if the hash is legalized.
Just saying.
{"commentId":8286848,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"dandr004"}
- 1 vote
#41 - Sat Jul 18, 2009 9:48 PM EDT{"commentId":8286888,"authorDomain":"victoriarwood"}
Goodness. First I read the article. Then I had an epiphany. My spouse has hi ocular pressure - one step this side of full-on glaucoma. This is thoroughly documented by his ophthalmologist. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I've got equal documentation for my ongoing anxiety disorder - treated properly, and well under control, so don't worry.
Suddenly dawned on me that we could have our "cards" tomorrow with no prob! Hadn't even though about it until I started reading through the comments.
I "caved" years ago, to set a good example for the kid, and because of all the negative stigma attached. I turned to "alcohol" in the form of good red wine. As lovely as that is, it's expensive. I would like to have the alternate choice, because I feel better in the morning, among other things.
So many of you have made excellent points I never even would have considered. Such is the nature of the Vine. I just got smarter.
Our local dispensary, I've heard, rocks. Particularly the bakery. That's pretty slick - get munchies while doing away with them at the same time.
Nice to see so many of my friends here. Thanks for the insightful discussion.
{"commentId":8286888,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"victoriarwood"}
- 4 votes
#42 - Sat Jul 18, 2009 9:52 PM EDT{"commentId":8287044,"authorDomain":"themick90068"}
2 groups of people you will not likely see violence at ;
a pot party
a strip club.
Scratch that, I did see a wicked catfight between 2 strippers at Jumbo's Clown Room.
{"commentId":8287044,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"themick90068"}
- 3 votes
#43 - Sat Jul 18, 2009 10:10 PM EDT{"commentId":8287174,"authorDomain":"DaVoh"}
I did see a wicked catfight between 2 strippers at Jumbo's Clown Room.
Sounds like my kinda place
{"commentId":8287174,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"DaVoh"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":8287263,"authorDomain":"victoriarwood"}
(Got a dandy strip club article on my column if interested.)
Sorry, AP reporter. Off topic. But it is a good story.
{"commentId":8287263,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"victoriarwood"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":8287949,"authorDomain":"king-negro"}
{"commentId":8288010,"authorDomain":"oneforall"}
Even Barack Obama failed to recognize the impact that legalization of cannabis could have on the economy and I'm not referring to the sale and distribution of cannabis products. This article is about cannabis commerce in California, but moreover it is about optimism. When people are stripped of their rights and freedoms, especially those things which offer relief and comfort, they withdraw and become depressed. This is not rocket science but simple psychology.
Now California is experiencing a resurgence in trade and innovation as they struggle to incorporate their largest cash crop into the marketplace. The people are enthusiastic and energized now that the spectre of prosecution for medical marijuana has been lifted. With so many of us feeling depressed over the devastating effects of the recession, people need something to energize them so the can start to recover.
A malaise has fallen upon the nation because of wars, economic strife, and distrust in government and institutions, and legalization of marijuana may be one of the only ways to re-energize the people and create new avenues of opportunity. It was mistrust and uncertainty which pushed people away from the marketplace and it will take major reforms to bring them back. Even if conditions aren't improving, it certainly wouldn't be a crime to make them feel like they are. Free the people and revitalize America.
{"commentId":8288010,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"oneforall"}
- 4 votes
#45 - Sun Jul 19, 2009 12:06 AM EDT{"commentId":8288185,"authorDomain":"thadeau"}
couldnt have worded it better. you should run for office.
{"commentId":8288185,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"thadeau"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":8288525,"authorDomain":"king-negro"}
{"commentId":8288646,"authorDomain":"king-negro"}
{"commentId":8289922,"authorDomain":"beckylonneman"}
So now we have states becoming drug dealers. Wonder how they will compete with the Mexican drug lords.
{"commentId":8289922,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"beckylonneman"}
#47 - Sun Jul 19, 2009 8:37 AM EDT{"commentId":8290147,"authorDomain":"Brad-Leclerc"}
Cheaper, easier access, and no legal drama....I'd say they're likely to do OK.
{"commentId":8290147,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"Brad-Leclerc"}
- 7 votes
{"commentId":8290917,"authorDomain":"miracles777"}
High All!
I'm new here so please bear with me... ,>)
I'd like to talk a little about mj being a "gateway" drug. In my opinion the "system" is more of a "gateway" to harder substances than mj is.
I was born with a predispostion towards addiction and addictive personality disorders. In 2001 I received a dwi for alcohol. Even though it is a legal substance and my breath test was barely over the limit, I recieved a 2 year probation that did not allow me to be anywhere near drugs or alcohol and I was subject to random ua's. During that time I had NO problem staying away from alcohol but still missed my occasional high on weed.
Unfortunatly, mj stays in the body at detectable levels for up to 30 days. I couldn't afford a random ua that would violate my probation and many of my "friends" suggested drugs that only stayed in my system for up to 72 hours. In the area I lived in at that time, meth was making it's appearance and is only detectable for 72 hours so needless to say I tried it and....ended up in prison.
I never gave a "dirty" ua but the personality changes that occured within myself and my circle of friends became a bruttal, ugly and criminal fact. In no time at all my behaviour was out of control and the circle of friends who used to spend summer "daze" at the beach, smoking a little weed, became a circle of methmouthed inhuman criminals who would have sold their own mothers for their next meth high.
All I really wanted was a joint but feared the 30 days of being "dirty" So, in my case, fear of the "system" led me to worse drugs than mj ever would have and behaviour that never entered my thoughts on weed. I'm not the only one who has used worse drugs because of the 30 day thing. I know MANY who just want a little mj buzz but....
On the economics of legalization I have a question...what would stop huge corporate owned farms from popping up everywhere to grow such a profitable crop and thereby pushing the small farmer out? We have just about lost our American dream of being able to be a small business owner to the huge corporate conglomerates. Just look at our small family owned farms who can no longer get loans to plant their fields, while corporate owned farms are gobbling up the land, the crops and the "stimulus dollar"
I am for legalization but believe we would need some limits on how much could be grown on any acre of land. Keep it in the families and let us "little" people have a chance at the American dream.
Take the "crime" out of the equation and the true criminals won't have a place to play.
{"commentId":8290917,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"miracles777"}
- 6 votes
#48 - Sun Jul 19, 2009 11:06 AM EDT{"commentId":8291359,"authorDomain":"dcstone01"}
Well, let me be the first to say, Welcome to Newsvine, miracles...there are many wonderful people in all walks of life, thoughts, beliefs, backgrounds and persuasions from around the world right here on NV.
Just follow the Code of Honor and have Respectful Debate and you should be fine here...Join some groups that you have an interest in and of course make lots of friends...
{"commentId":8291359,"threadId":"629570","contentId":"3036971","authorDomain":"dcstone01"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":8299925,"authorDomain":"newcombe-hall"}
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