Comments Subscribe to Personal Liberty Digest™ News Feed Subscribe to Personal Liberty Digest™ 

Half Of Americans Support Legal Marijuana

October 19, 2011 by  

Half Of Americans Support Legal Marijuana

A Gallup poll released on Monday says that half of Americans support the legalization of recreational marijuana use, about four times as many as in the 1970s.

The poll found that 62 percent of people aged 18 to 29 support legalization of the drug.  In other age groups, 56 percent of those ages 30 to 49 support legalization, and 31 percent of those 65 and older support it. Women were less likely than men to support marijuana legalization, with 46 percent support among women and 55 percent among men.

Politically, favor for legalized marijuana use was at 69 percent among liberals and 57 percent among those who described themselves as moderates, independents and Democrats. People who said they were conservatives supported legalization 34 percent of the time and Republicans 35 percent.

In the Western United States, where States like California have already seen the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes and a subsequent Federal crackdown on marijuana dispensaries that propagated following the new policy, 55 percent believe full legalization should take place. Those in the Midwest felt similarly with 54 percent support, while only 44 percent of Southerners were willing to lend support for legal marijuana.

The poll results come just about two weeks after a Federal crackdown targeting medical marijuana dispensaries licensed and regulated by State and local governments in California.

Filed Under: Alternative Medicine, Civil Liberty, Liberty News, Staff Reports
Sam Rolley

Staff writer Sam Rolley began a career in journalism working for a small town newspaper while seeking a B.A. in English. After learning about many of the biases present in most modern newsrooms, Rolley became determined to find a position in journalism that would allow him to combat the unsavory image that the news industry has gained. He is dedicated to seeking the truth and exposing the lies disseminated by the mainstream media at the behest of their corporate masters, special interest groups and information gatekeepers.

Facebook Conversations

Join the Discussion:
View Comments to “Half Of Americans Support Legal Marijuana”

Comment Policy: We encourage an open discussion with a wide range of viewpoints, even extreme ones, but we will not tolerate racism, profanity or slanderous comments toward the author(s) or comment participants. Make your case passionately, but civilly. Please don't stoop to name calling. We use filters for spam protection. If your comment does not appear, it is likely because it violates the above policy or contains links or language typical of spam. We reserve the right to remove comments at our discretion.

Is there news related to personal liberty happening in your area? Contact us at newstips@personalliberty.com

  • http://www.gillysrooms.blogspot.com Gilly

    i read with interest all the arguments about legalising marijuana against keeping it a criminal offence and would like to make the following observations in our modern 2011. My experiences dealing with many of my low income earning rooming house tenants of which about 40% are obviously regular weed smokers and about 10% suffer from partial to full blown psychiatric and paranoia problems which need hospital treatment. I am constantly evicting those who won’t conform to my rules and commandments of behaviour in a multi person house, where I have evicted anyone who invites dealers onto my property,but it is obvious that these people has brain damage either caused by excessive weed smoking or had bi polar or other mental health issues prior to smoking weed…I cannot determine the medical chicken and egg process, the fact remains that in Australia we have all the similar problems that must also surely exist in the USA but I don’t see many debate these real issues. But then I feel that your system of criminalising the poor and petty thieves by wasting all your valuable resources chasing, going to court and jailing the addicted who are hooked on it…as a disgrace in your government process. In 2011 your country is living in the dark ages and can you still imagine that in 2050 or 2100 the USA still in this state of stupidity. The facts are that it was government enforcement agencies who FAILED or were too AFRAID of dealing with the drug cartels and let the matter get out of hand in the first place as in similar cases with alcohol and cigarettes many of your citizen are now addicted to smoking weed and now you are punishing the addicted. Your legislators are trying to push the blame on your weaker addicted citizen instead of taking the blame for their human failures. Whilst I don’t suggest I have all the answers, I do suggest reducing the criminality rating of its possession and use by the addicted but ENFORCE the dealing,the driving whilst under influence, the thieving associated by the addicted poor seeking money to by it or other drugs due to the high cost due to your own government prohibition laws. Where is the fair play in your American system which seeks to punish everyone by putting everyone in jail. I find it ridiculous in the extreme watching all your police programs of your police very expert at finding and jailing petty thieves, but FAILING to stop the growing or importation of illicit substances. You should not blame the afflicted in the way you operate your criminal justice system. It is not justice, its called FAILURE. Luckily in Australia… we do not have the severity of jails filled by petty thieves and people in possession of weed or a court system bogged down in weed possession cases or police wasting all their time searching out petty weed possession cases unless it is related to weed dealing and pushing.I suggest that many of your citizens have been led to believe that many government officials are making money via bribes or direct investment in the illicit trade which many government officials are not willing to lose. It matters not that it should be false..it is perception that those against decriminalising legalisation are under always suspicion of guilt.The majority of the public DON’T BELIEVE politicians.Instead of fighting the enemy your government is at war with its own people. Does that make sense to you? I would suggest that if it were legal and less restricted the substance just like common garden weed killer will be regarded as just another brain poison which it is and less people will want to try it because as a prohibited substance which people then think must be good. Let your government instead start an advertising program in your schools and social media showing how weed, cigarettes and alcohol affect the brain in different ways, how it is addictive how all three cause cancers in the brain, lungs, bowel, eyes, show them graphic pictures, but that in some cases weed helps in medical science just like so many other drugs of benefit come from plant species are used to benefit medical science. EDUCATION IS THE ANSWER..NOT PUNISHMENT. WAKE UP AMERICA.

    • Emoke

      Good post Gilly,

      I believe in education not coercion. Drugs should not be legalized as much as the laws criminalizing them should be overturned. Hand in hand with that people should be held responsible for their actions and not let off because they are victims of their circumstances. If you do something to hurt someone else you should pay the price regardless of whether you grew up in the projects or the suburbs.

  • MayBlitz

    I say we build more prisons then track down all these pot heads and lock them up. We could force them into internment camps for reeducation. Then make em work on farms to pay back the cost of incarceration.

    • vicki

      Or we could clear out all the non-violent pot users and then hunt down and imprison all those who would deprive us of our Creator given rights. Might still have to build more prisons though.

  • 4-just_us

    Our government has no right to interfere with my habits ,
    morality or my risk taking as long as I am not a threat to others.
    I have a right to smoke, drink,inject,pierce, mutilate or commit
    suicide. I just happen to own my own body. Nobody has a right to
    my body except me unless I hurt others. My body should be the
    epitome of freedom, but unfortunately mommy and daddy government
    think otherwise.

    • vicki

      Well said. We are a SOVEREIGN People. Individually. Unfortunately people on both the left and the right continue to push big government to force their desires and habits on the other and the rest of us.

      We have to realise the political battle is NOT left vs right. It is
      100% government vs Constitutionally LIMITED government vs 0% government.
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4r0VUybeXY

  • Coal Cracker

    Let’s get real folks. You need to vote for Ron Paul. He could be your answer to the MJ debate. Get the Gov’t out of our hair. We don’t need the feds to baby sit us. You all have the right to grow your garden.

    • DaveH

      Ron Paul 2012!

  • JD

    I always liked the qoute from Eddy Murphy ” Cocaine is Gods way of telling you that you make too much money “. Drug use goes across all levels of society its just the sad fact that most of the rich and famous can get away with it with nothing more than a check into rehab , a public apology and 10s of thousands into the pockets of lawyers . The poor go to prison for lesser charges because they are not rich and famous, we call that equallity under the law . All I know is that as a relatively small nation by population we have more adults in prison than China and Russia combined , also more children incarcerated than the rest of the world combined . Something is just wrong with this situation .

    • http://?? Joe H.

      JD,
      Part of those children in prison are like the 12 year old that just injured his brother and then the mother googled and Emailed and screwed around long enough that the little two year old died of injuries caused by his brother. The Drs examining the little one later said had the boy been brought in right after it happened, there was no question the boy would have lived! now the twelve year old gets tried as an adult and has a very good chance of spending his life in prison! The Biatch of a mother should be there instead of HIM!! SHE killed that little two year old, not the twelve year old, who only severely injured him!!

  • jopa

    I always see the comment, sure the half that don’t pay taxes.The majority of that half are senior citizens that have already paid their fair share, people not earning a decent wage that do not qualify to pay and the folks raising a bunch of kids that make them eligible for deductions.It’s not all cut and dry like some like to portray this particular scenario.

    • Raggs

      jopa… My God.. man you finally made some sence!

      The people that have paid for years into the system that are in the retirement age have paid a fraction of what they will recieve in benefits… It is a NO-BRAINER… You have a couple of steps to go but by cracky your getting it!.. Let’s all throw in some oblama-care to top this off with…

  • http://Google Ray F

    I am of the Greatest Generation so they say. I must apologize for the poor job we have done teaching our children right from wrong. We have educated them very well if they desired to learn. HORSE SENCE is another matter. Of course we guess it has always been that way. I am not very swift but I have worked and been in touch with the public sense I was thirteen. I HAD one brother become a million air and another die a tramp. This brother just never figured out the simple thing if it hurts your body don’t do it.
    We people who love our Country and Families just DO NOT make up reasons to justify bad choices to satisfy bad habits. SORRY FOLKS

    • DaveH

      So you didn’t make the bad choice to further the race to tyranny by allowing our Government another excuse to grow ever larger?

  • Song

    all of this coming on the news that as of January the government is banning the very affordable, very effective inhaler Albuterol. yeah government! Thank you so much for all of your oversight into our lives! Please note the sarcasm!

    • http://marcum1@wildblue.net coal miner

      Song,
      Anoher drug that is effective in treating heron addiction.It is illegal in the United States.It has no known side effects.

      I want to emphasize that Ibogaine is not a cure for addiction, so please do not be under that impression. This article was written to help explain how beneficial …

      http://www.stopheroinwithdrawal.com

  • http://marcum1@wildblue.net coal miner

    Oct 18, 2011 · (Reuters) – Half of Americans now support legalizing marijuana use, a … found 70 percent of Americans favored making it legal for doctors to prescribe marijuana …

    http://www.orlandosentinel.com/health/sns-rt-us-marijuana-usetre79h3yv-20111018,0,7796538.story

    • http://marcum1@wildblue.net coal miner

      The Many Uses of Hemp Hemp is one of the most useful plants on Earth. For thousands of years, humans have used parts of the hemp plant for food, textiles, …

      http://www.informationdistillery.com/hemp.htm

  • No fool

    Half the people do not pay any taxes either. I wonder if there’s a direct correlation.

  • DOK

    To Gollege Boy,
    Right on, there are many,many more people like you. That is why it kills me to see posts like what The Real Bob posted.

  • Charles bond

    Everyone that smokes pot voted to make it legel and that must be half of the people, with many from other countries……………… Charles of Waveland, MS.

  • jopa

    You would think our big government would send our police out looking for real criminals rather than looking for residue in someones ashtray.Just think of the billions of dollars wasted on the whole legal system because someone had a joint on their person.I would be more worried about the guy that had a few shots of whiskey and got behind the wheel or was carrying a gun.Alcohol just tends to have a much more negative effect on a person.I still believe we should have the choice for either though.

    • http://marcum1@wildblue.net coal miner

      jopa
      Hemp anyone?Just think the billons of dollars we could save as a fuel source..

      As we all know, there have been growing concerns over the years about finding alternative sources of fuel. After a lot of research, hemp was actually found to be a viable fuel source.

      http://www.ehow.com/way_6107296_hemp-oil-fuel-alternative.html

    • RonS.

      I was waiting for the “Gun” statement.
      I don’t understand why it’s soooo scarry.
      One shouldn’t be considered a “bad” person
      just because one carries a gun.
      Everyone carrying wepons fosters respect.

  • Patriot II

    Why should MJ be illegal and Alcohol Legal?

    I say Make MJ legal and Tax it. Duh!

    • john t

      you sound like a real weinner, duhhhh

      • DaveH

        No, the Real Weiners are those who champion the futile Drug Wars which have been going for 40 years with no end in sight, and no success in sight. The Drug Wars which have enriched the worst segment of society — The Drug Lords, and which have given the Government an excuse to terrorize and kill hundreds of innocent victims. The Drug Wars, which have given the Government a foot in the door to suspending our Constitutional rights and cost our country about $35 Billion per year . And for what? Illegal drugs are blamed for 17,000 deaths a year. Prescription drugs are blamed for 32,000 deaths a year. Alcohol is blamed for 85,000 deaths a year. And tobacco blows them all away (435,000 deaths per year).
        You’ve been swindled people. It’s all about money and power. The Leaders could care less about your well-being.

  • http://GrowLife-PhotoTron.com Mike

    Interesting,

    In all these years, has the authorities even put a dent in the illegal drug trade and use? The answer is NO, and it will always be NO. Legalizing marijuana would solve many issues, first, and probably most important is that it would put the big durg smugglers out of business in Mexico and Columbia to name just two. With drug wars raging, and the Fast and Furious debacle, it is time to legalize marijuana and look at all the benefits.

    First, no one has died from marijuana that I know of, so like alcohol, it should be handled the same way as far as DWI is concerned. Second, driving the price down is easy given this grows like a weed, and with hydroponics advances such as GrowLife-PhotoTron.com, anyone can the highest quality chemical and pesticide free weed in their kitchens putting a huge dent in the drug wars. It would allow the release of hundreds of thousands of prisoners who were arrested and convicted on pot possesion charges, and this would save hundreds of millions to help bail out states who are almost all bankrupt. Third, it would free up law enforcement, and this would allow the country to trim costs involved with enforcement, saving millions more locally. Forth, look at the potential tax revenues that could be generated. Tax marijuana like cigarettes, but even higher and gov. could generate hundreds of millions to help with deficit or healthcare issues which are bankrupt. Noting makes more logical sense then legalizing the marijuana industry for it would also cut into the illegal meth labs profits and the hard drugs industry. A better win win doesn’t exist as I see it.

    • vicki

      You would think that the war on Alcohol (Prohibition) and it’s total failure would have been a clue. But no, the human desire to control other peoples behavior is too strong. Or people really are as dumb as they seem and we should be VERY thankful that our Constitutionally LIMITED Republic lasted for just over 75 years.

      Ah but that was well over 100 years ago. sigh.

      • DaveH

        Vicki,
        You must not be very blissful.
        But those others are, lol.

    • vicki

      You would think that the war on Alcohol (Prohibition) and it’s total failure would have been a clue. But no, the human desire to control other peoples behavior is too strong. Or people really are as dumb as they seem and we should be VERY thankful that our Constitutionally LIMITED Republic lasted for just over 75 years.

      Ah but that was well over 100 years ago. sigh.

      • vicki

        oops sorry for the double post. Not sure what I did.

  • http://na Jim

    MJ is a drug, anyone thinking it doesn’t affect you like any other drug does then your wrong. Ask the police, doctors(not in CA though). I saw a driving test done with different drugs, alcohol, and the two combined and all three test showed severe reduction in physical and phycilogical affects. Any weakening of your judgement or fantasy you want to take is just going to ask for abuse. Why have all these so called clinics popped up in CA with all kinds of abuse. That is just what this country needs right now is half the population high on pot doing nothing productive.

    • john t

      your comment so far, by far stands out more than any of the others and makes them look like they are pickin their noses. this substance should be legal only for medical use only and not made readily available for the general population, period. we have way too many deranged and physically demented individuals driving god knows what. and a hazzard waiting too happen. i say no to legalizing that garbage.

      • vicki

        John. Why then are you and Jim not advocating the prohibition of Alcohol? Why are you and Jim not advocating the prohibition of ALL drugs (All 3 of them :) )

    • steve

      jim ur a idiot many hard working people use it i do i dont drink never had any probley with it in 40 years . i dont use any other drugs 7 ive never had a problem with it .unlike achole or leagle pills . it was put here by GOD for us to enjoy as its been used for centuries

    • http://?? Joe H.

      Jim,
      Is steve a good enough example of what you say??? I think he needs another joint!! Or a few less!!

      • Jay

        lol, poor stevie!

  • James

    Does being conservative mean you only smoke one joint a day?

    • DaveH

      I don’t think they know what Conservative is.
      True Conservatives want smaller Government. We don’t get that with the Drug Wars.

  • TheRealBob

    This means that over half of Americans are fools. These are probably the same half that voted for maobama.

  • Raggs

    Betcha a dollar that these same people that want marijuana to be legal are at the same time thinking that the government should provide “FREE” ( taxpayer funded ) marijuana… Yet another entitlement program for hippies… I’m surprized that Blooming idiot in NY is not passing out “FREE” marijuana to the occupy protesters.

    • eddie47d

      I’ve never heard of free marijuana Raggs unless someone would be growing it themselves. So what are you trying to stir up now?

      • Raggs

        I was expecting a reply from you hours ago but that didn’t happen as planned… “FREE” marijuana to the recipients of yet another tax payer funded entitlement program that is forced upon the American people by the government .. ie a subidized monopoly.. And the one thing that you will never be able to comprehend Mr.ed is that the ONLY reason that mary is illegal is that the government has not yet figured out how to tax it.. When this will be a “taxable” commodity then and only then will it be deemed legal.

    • Mad Max

      Raggs I don’t know what planet you are from, but all the commies I know are people that use sobriety as a prop for why they deserve govt. dependency checks. Anyone that smokes pot realizes right away that Carl Menger has all the answers to Carl Marx, and that a faulty inflated labor value can never truly work. Besides the War On Drugs came strait out of the Communist Revisions by Vladimir Lennon, and according to Communism Marijuana precipitates “free market thinking” away from planned and regulated labor. In America the War on Drugs will make it impossible to have “Free Markets”, it interferes with “consumer Sovereignty”, it also places an inflationary value on what is essentially an inelastic good. Hey Raggs what segment of the GDP would that fall under, and what exactly is the comparative ratio of the sum of productive GMP districts verses any other state. Also I know way to many union busting free market pot smokers to let you get off clean saying potheads are some kind of commies. You have some nerve, but it’s people like you that breed communist modalities with your population control, and fear mongering, and who are these idiots that don’t understand that if we go to war in the near future, and win we lose financially through inflation, and without a fruitful exports economy as well as a reliance on imports to sustain our current markets the Fed will wreak havoc with targeted stimulus that will rapidly redistribute wealth by stripping currency of it’s value, while redistributing huge amounts of newly created inflationary currency. Would you still support the War on Drugs if you knew that you could lose financially, that quite possibly your retirement funds could evaporate right when your ready to use them, and how much research do you really do into the cause and effect of creating the welfare state. Do you even know that we have paid 55% of all income taxes on “War” since 1916, and as the founding father Thomas Paine once said “a great nation wages war to raise taxes, and never the other way around”, Occupy Wall Street is full of Cronies NeoCon Proggressives who want to team up to dum down our generation(20′s), to try, and recreate communal appathies, because now all the young “pot heads” want to opt out if social security, we want to gradually end medicare(commie care), we want the government out of the markets( end corporate subsidies), we want to end the failed wealth redistribution that is the income tax, we want dramatic revisions to current tax code. Our generation wants to revise monetary banking policy, and it’s fascists like you that want to put everyone into a category, and implement more interventionist “nanny state” authoritarianism. So when you go to sleep at night just remember that you said No to Freedom, because you couldn’t have your conditions that essentially made this a country that is less free than it has ever been since 1789, and while your trying to create 1984, just remember that some people still care about 1776. Is illegalizing Marijuana worth your freedom, and is it worth turning America into a communist nation? Communist’s have consistantly advocated for the harshest criminal penalties for drug use, they use dependency on the state to punish people more swiftly, and absolutely by stripping an individual of all property just for knowledge of drug use. Is this who we want to become? The welfare state is a state grown hand in hand with the drug war state(the nanny state). Do you want to live in a communist society with so many behavioral constraints like a War on Drugs, a War on This, or a War on That, how do you think authoritarianism takes control of a society anyway?

      • Mad Max

        The sum of all GMP’s in California compared to any other state.

      • Raggs

        K max.. I’m waiting…

        I don’t use the stuff and I don’t give a hoot if you do. I don’t care if you are a queer.. But JUST because you think that it is ok for you does not mean that it is ok by me. Now stuff that into your pocket.

      • DaveH

        Max,
        You are indeed Mad. But I love it. Good comment.
        You wore me out. I think I need a nap.

      • Raggs

        You are really out there somewhere…

        All that I said was that the only reason marijuana is not legal is due to the fact that the government does not yet have control over it in the form of tax and if they ever had that control factor over it they would use it and in order to subidize it in a form of an entitlement program as a tax on the people that have no choice but to accept it. Now just WHAT THE HELL are you talking about?

      • Fed up

        Wow Dude, That’s a mouth full. I love it! I don’t believe I’ve ever heard it described that way and it falls right in line. You go dude.

    • DaveH

      I’ve puffed once on one marijuana joint in my life. Other than that, I’ve never done any drugs, Raggs. I don’t even take aspirin. But I’m smart enough to know that if people want to do something like that, you can’t stop them. For anybody who wants to actually “think” (that rare commodity these days) about the prohibition issue:
      http://mises.org/books/prohibition.pdf

  • CP

    First, marijuana was criminalized so the police would have a legal reason for rousting Mexican citizens who were legally working in the U.S. Now the DEA wants to keep it criminalized to justify their jobs. It has far fewer health effects than the LEGAL drug, alcohol, and has been the cause of far fewer deaths. Has anyone out there ever heard of death by marijuana overdose? Legalize, regulate, and tax, and get rid of a good part of the war on drugs. The more of these drugs you do that to, the fewer DEA offices you will need, and the more money the federal government will have coming in to apply to all these outstanding debts no one can seem to figure out how to pay.

  • Jurgy Meister

    far out, man

  • http://PersonalLiberty JWomack

    I believe that legal use would cut down on crime and drunk driving, as well as the accidents from drinking. You don’t have to go out of your house. You can plan ahead if you choose to relax and use it as a recreational substance and do what you usually do at home.

    • Robert Smith

      Alcohol should also NOT be used on the road or with any other activity that might endanger another.

      It’s the ACT of doing something that is dangerous to another, not the holding of recreational drugs, that should be punished.

      Rob

  • http://www.bfdipso.com Bob

    How about some focus on THE 50% THAT DO NOT SUPPORT legalizing cannabis?

    • Robert Smith

      They don’t have to participate.

      However, in a FREE society prohibition is a bad thing.

      Rob

      • Bus

        Legalize it, tax it raise a little revenue, but the cartels out of business- then those that aren’t on a continual buzz can get all the jobs, make all the money, and own all the capital.

        As some of us learned in the book “The Little Prince” it doesn’t do much good to pass laws that can’t be inforced.

      • Carol

        And make sure that those of us who are allergic to it can have free medical treatment when we get sick. One whiff of it and I have a raging sinus infection that can last up to 3 weeks. And since this was a Gallup Poll, I don’t believe the 50% any more than I believe the percenteges of any other Gallup Poll.

      • Robert Smith

        Carol says: “One whiff of it and I have a raging sinus infection that can last up to 3 weeks.”

        Really? Does tobacco do the same thing to you?

        Sounds to me like YOU as a minority of one should change YOUR life to avoid pot rather than imposing YOUR frailties upon the rest of us.

        BTW, pot is NOT a germ or virus. The “infection” sounds to me (I’m not a doctor though) like it might be coincidental.

        Rob

    • http://www.gewbiz.com Guyte

      Let that 50% be free to pay the legal fees, law enforcement fees and the cost to keep and support the one’s in prison.

      Imagine the tax dollars saved being paid to our law enforcement, political and judicial system.


    • http://www.headprimer.com kantstanja

      Those 50% have had their day in the sun by scrutinizing the other 50% for wanting to do something that is at the very least, their right.. Now it’s their turn to ridicule you huffers who would continue to ban all puffers.. Step aside.. Step aside..

  • Vicki

    For a TRULY free people the possession of ANYTHING created, grown, obtained without fraud or theft, can not be illegal.

    The ENTIRE war on (some) herbs is just another George Orewellian war on XXX.

    • http://www.gewbiz.com Guyte

      You Rock Vicki, Power too you

  • s c

    Sam, there’s no good reason to wink at the use of ‘recreational’ marijuana. Medical marijuana, on the other hand, is a completely different matter. Medical marijuana serves multiple purposes, including 1) give cancer patients an appetite 2) glaucoma patients and 3) anyone enduring the insanity of chemotherapy.
    People who support ‘recreational’ marijuana have no sympathy from me. I don’t look at it as a potential felony, but there’s more to life than
    using marijuana for fun or entertainment.
    As for the idea that states can use the sale of marijuana to help take the pressure off locations where revenue is needed, talk to someone who lives in California about that utopian dream. California’s #1 cash crop is marijuana.
    Ergo, if they can’t or won’t get it right, then screw ‘em. Governor Moonbeam might get bright enough to tackle the matter, but I doubt it. He’s too busy turning California into an illegal alien’s ‘paradise.’ Idiot!

    • Robert Smith

      From sc: “People who support ‘recreational’ marijuana have no sympathy from me. I don’t look at it as a potential felony, but there’s more to life than using marijuana for fun or entertainment.”

      Same thing for alcohol. Do you oppose that?

      BTW, if you are conservative why do you tolerate government interfearence in a recreational drug with minimal problems?

      Rob

      • Nanette

        Got that right, Robert!

      • http://www.headprimer.com kantstanja

        I really don’t support full legalization even though I indulge and I’ll tell you why.. Legalization will only fill the pockets of the g’ment coffieurs with outrageous pricing and taxes and as such will NOT deter illegal distribution because of competition.. and what will the states do with this windfall? Your guess is as good as mine.. For instance, what happened to all that revenue from lotteries (in states that allow it) that was supposed to go to the education system? Why are they saying the education system is going bankrupt? I don’t know.. The same with tax proceeds from cigarettes, got me.. Now with pot being legal, big time taxes will be laden onto it in order to save our?… You got me again. No! let’s keep our legal system honest by NOT giving them MORE revenue to pigeon hole for THEIR rainy day, instead simply lower the criminal schedule of it(adapted by the USNO). Right now it’s at schedule 1 along with heroin, LSD and PCP).. Allow it to fall to schedule 3 or even 2 so that a certain amount can be consumed in the privacy of your homes and prevent unscrupulous g’ment officials from abusing it’s legality as they have with lotteries and cigarettes.. WHERE ARE THOSE REVENUES??
        “George Washington enjoyed an occasional pipe while growing marijuana in his garden”.

      • Robert Smith

        Let’s see… You’ve concluded that government is worse than criminals.

        Rob

      • DaveH

        She’s correct in that conclusion.

      • simian pete

        I sure don’t understand why growing MARIJUANA is illegal ! You can grow it in your small vegetable garden in the burbs. You can grow it in the rural areas and sell it on the roadside. That’s the way it should be. I hear you can make anti cancer medication from it. You don’t smoke it ! You can make anti cancer medicine out of it !! Also the legal male Hemp plant (they sell it in the health food stores) makes good nutritious shake mix…. I think the female plant got all the anti-cancer chemicals in it ..

        Why buy it and tax it at a store ? WHY EVEN TAX IT ? (Except for sales tax).
        That would just raise the price. Your better off growing it ….

        So I feel we should just legalize growing marijuana first and no special taxes on selling it !!

    • College Boy

      SC – I’ve always liked what you’ve had to say, but this is where we disagree.
      People currently “legally” abuse alcohol and tobacco (for fun and entertainment), which causes way, way, way more deaths per year than MJ ever has.
      It sounds like your reference to California doesn’t take into consideration the fact that California has had financial, immigration, entitlement, and Democratic problems a lot longer than it has had legalized MJ.
      I thought you were a little more open-minded than that.

      I’m a 45 year old, born and raised Texan.
      I’ve been faithfully married to the same wonderful woman for 24 years.
      Our children are A/B Honor Role students that are involved in several extra-curricular activities, Band, sports etc.
      My family believes in God.
      I have been in a professional career for over 20 years, currently making $150,000/Yr.
      I’ve never been arrested.
      I have owned my own home for 16 years.
      I am Conservative and Libertarian.
      I am perfectly healthy (thank you God)
      I raise farm animals and tend to a huge vegetable garden.

      Ready for this? – I’ve smoked marijuana regularly (almost daily) since I was 17 years old.
      I seldom drink alcohol, but I do occasionally in social settings.
      I’ve never tried any other drug and have no desire to.

      The reason I mention all of my qualities of a responsible person above, is to point out to those that are brain-washed with the “Reefer Madness” propaganda of last century, that MJ is not a gateway drug, and is not
      keeping me from being a devoted husband, a dedicated father/employee, and a responsible person in general.

      If the US would legalize MJ:
      1. It would damned-near put the Mexican drug cartel out of business.
      2. It would dramatically lessen the cost burdens on: TAXPAYERS $$$
      a. Police
      b. Courts
      c. Prisons
      d. The Federal Governments Trillion $ “War on Drugs”
      3. And it would actually increase tax revenues.

      Less money spent to fight it, more revenue coming in for other things.
      In the end it would cost a lot less to treat people for an addiction than to incarcerate them.

      My personal opinion is that it should be a States Rights issue.
      But that’s the Libertarian side of me coming out.
      If we had States Rights (on a number of issues besides MJ prohibition) instead of one-size-fits-all Federal laws, it wouldn’t take long before we as a nation would soon find out which states laws worked the best.

      • Nanette

        Most astute and complete commentary, College Boy! If i could, i’d still be smoking today (I’m 60 yrs old) . . . but it’s illegal in Texas. I, too, have some creds: a B.A. in Psychology, a certification in computer programming, and am working on a M.S.H.H. (Master of Science in Holistic Health). MJ is good for you. All statistics show it. The Feds just want to continue to rile up the population so that eventually they can cause more rioting, delclare martial law, be successful in feeding us only their “approved” food (GMOs and whatnot — might as well eat cardboard), living in their “approved” areas (who-knows-how-many people in a FEMA camp), buy THEIR drugs (so that we all MUST continue going to “doctors” who know so little about how the human body works, and so forth, and so forth. Yes, heaven forbid that we actually use a “drug” that’s good for us — can’t have that!!!

      • rick love

        college boy is a very wise man !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Bob from SoCal

      Just legalize all drugs. Stop throwing people in jail or prison for a victimless crime. Just don’t let them be high or drunk in public or driving. The prisons will be emptied, saving the taxpayers billions. The more freedom we have as a people the better off we are. In the early 1900′s using drugs was not a crime. As a result the country did not fall apart. Of course in every society there will be bad apples, but that is not a good reason to restrict the rights of everyone. The corporations that own private prisons don’t want this to happen. Neither does law enforcement that makes millions in confiscating property. I vote for freedom!

      • cawmun cents

        I agree with you mostly.
        However I maintain that the victimless crime thing is hogwash.
        90% of the criminals I know smoke weed.
        They engage in crime…totally unrelated to marijuana while being high on it.
        My point is that people who are in prison for drug related crimes dont always reflect other crimes in their past.
        The information may be incomplete.
        For you or anyone else to overlook or take for granted that fact is dangerous.
        You need complete information to make a decision based on these things about legalization.

        Do I think pot is necessarily a gateway drug?
        No.

        But to assume that stoners dont commit other crimes while high is just stupid.I have been present while it happened.
        Just saying that some or most of these people in prison are there for no good reason ignores the fact that often people cop to a lesser charge to get out of a more serious one.
        Please dont think me ignorant enough to be able to figure that one out.
        -CC.

      • cawmun cents

        last line should have read:”Please dont think me too ignorant to figure that out.”-CC.

      • DaveH

        Cawmun,
        He did say “victimless” crimes. People who commit crimes against others would still pay the legal price (as they should). It shouldn’t matter if they’re high or not if they harm other people, they should pay the price.

    • Ron

      And reason # 4 it was discovered back in 1974 that Marijuana kills Cancer cells!! don’t belive me Google it.

    • Ron

      in case you can’t find the web site on google http://www.safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=748

blog comments powered by Disqus

All Categories

Bottom