Should Pot Be Legalized?

by minimus 177 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Elsewhere

  Legalized? Yes. Actually, I prefer the term "decriminalized."

  Some food for thought regarding Legalization vs. Decriminalization:

  http://www.dpft.org/policy.htm

  Basically, Legalization is better because it allows the state to tax and regulate Marijuana. There are absolutely no penalties for the possession or use.

  Decriminalization means Marijuana is still illegal, it is just not dealt with in a criminal manner. Instead it is handled in a manner similar to a traffic ticket.

  There are four primary problems with Decriminalization:

  1. The manufacture, transportation and sale is still handled by violent drug cartels.
  2. Employees can still be fired for using an "illegal substance".
  3. It still entails law enforcement costs.
  4. It deprives the state of tax revenues.

  The open proliferation of the substance on to the public can bring on a lot of its own set of problems.

  This has been proven wrong in markets where drugs have been made legal. Basically, those who consume marijuana will do so whether it is legal or not. (Hence the utter failure of the "war on drugs".
• 

  Big Tex

  I've never tried it, but it is on my bucket list. One of those "one day" sort of things.

  Yeah I do think it should be legalized and then tax the hell out of it. Same with prostitution and porn. Both are going to happen no matter what the government does, might as well help balance the budget with let's say a 50% tax.
• 

  Homerovah the Almighty

  This has been pr oven wrong in markets where drugs have been made legal. Basically, those who consume marijuana will do so whether it is legal or

  not. (Hence the utter failure of the "war on drugs".

  I'm not too sure about that Elsewhere, there has been a recent stiffing up of the Pot laws even in Denmark,

  you would have to agree though that legalizing the sale and marketing of the product and make it lets say available

  for purchased at a controlled Liquor store for example would have the potential of introducing a lot of people that would start

  to have problems with it. This is the biggest argument that opposers make. Just to use the alcohol Prohibition as a parable example.

  More users, more people that start to have problems with it.

  Another problem that arises if it was legalized, you would have the problem of the odor within peoples neighborhoods , people

  that live in close quarters like apartment blocks, pot smoke is not considered by the majority to be a pleasant odor, not by a long shot.
• 

  PrimateDave

  Thanks for that clarification, Elsewhere. I stand corrected.

  Dave
• 

  Homerovah the Almighty

  I guess you have to look at in this perspective if you legalize it you eliminate the criminality of it and it just becomes like a beer manufacture

  and yes it could be taxed just like alcohol and yes the goverments could make some monetary gains in doing so.

  Then you have to handle the consequences of an enormous amount of people uses it, some will responsibly of course and some will not.

  I would have to agree that it would be less costly to the public to put it under control and derive tax from it , but at what cost

  to the health and well being of the general population . One thing that should be noted is that the biggest proponents of it being legalized

  are individuals and groups that are involved with the marketing of it as it is now, either the end product or people that are in the

  selling of seeds and other paraphernalia. They shouldn't really be the ones that people complacently listen to regarding the agenda of legalization.
• 

  PrimateDave

  Homer, how many people die of heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes? There is good evidence that much of this is a direct cause of the standard Western diet with its emphasis on refined fats, sugars, and animal derived products. The reason few complain about this is because it is an accepted part of our culture, almost like water to a fish. If my current moral standards were applied on a legal level, then the CEOs of McD's and B. King would be in serious shit for selling harmful substances supported by a system that institutionalizes animal cruelty and environmental degredation. But, hey, I mind my own business. I'm an adult and I'll even enjoy some fried chicken now and again even if it is bad for me. The only difference with marijuana is that it has become an accepted part of our culture to fear it.

  You make some big assumptions with your post. How can you possibly know for a fact that huge amounts of people will become users if marijuana is generally legalized? Once again, I say quit trying to rule other people's lives! If you really care about others who self medicate with substances that you don't approve of, then find ways to alleviate the root causes of problems instead of attacking the symptoms.

  Respectfully, Dave
• 

  stillajwexelder

  absolutely yes - or at least - decriminalized
• 

  purplesofa

  Yes, I think it should be legalized. You can buy stock now, Help support it and make some money....that's what it all boils down to concerning the legalization is Show me the Money

  How's this one: We are now the first public company in US history to be in the medical marijuana business with The King of Pot as the CEO and Chairman of the Board. The name is Medical Marijuana, Inc. Or stock went from 25 cents to 90 cents the day we made the name change and buying stock in our company is a vote for the legalization of marijuana (and "if" the stock goes up - I can't legally say it will - people can make money in the process - or "if" it goes down people can loose money in the process - that should cover the legal disclaimers). Anyway, the current symbol is CVIV until NASDAQ issues us our new symbol in about a week or so. If you're interested contact your stock broker. If enough people buy stock - we can monetize the American publics desire to legalize medical marijuana and cause a tipping point to end this silly illogical prohibition on medical marijuana. Spread the word. Thanks, Bruce Perlowin - The King of Pot (www.bruceperlowin.com)

  http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Medical-Marijuana-Inc-iw-14841518.html

  Medical Marijuana, Inc. Formerly Club Vivanet (OTC: CVIV) Files Patent Application to Satisfy Governmental and Medical Marijuana Dispensary Needs for Tax Collection in the Medical Marijuana Industry

  • Friday April 3, 2009, 9:00 am EDT

  • Buzz up! </form></form>
  • Print

  Related:

  • Club Vivanet, Inc.

  MARINA DEL REY, CA--(MARKET WIRE)--Apr 3, 2009 -- Medical Marijuana, Inc. formerly Club Vivanet (Other OTC:CVIV.PK - News) announced today that it filed a patent application for its invention, that potentially satisfies various governmental and the medical marijuana dispensaries' needs for tax collection in the medical marijuana industry.

  Related Quotes

  Symbol	Price	Change
  CVIV.PK	1.13	+0.04

  Tax Remittance

  Using this new invention, the "Point of Sale" System will recognize the dispensary's tax ID number and the tax rates for state and local taxes as well as provide "Automated Clearing House" (ACH) settlement of the taxes to the proper financial institutions. The state sales tax amount is sent to a database and at the end of the day all money in the sales tax database is cleared and posted through an "Automated Clearing House" (ACH) to the state and other appropriate governmental agencies for that day's collected sales tax. The remaining funds are sent to the dispensary's account or other designations.

  The Company proudly introduces a Stored Value Platform System with a full slate of inter-active Financial Services made readily available through a patent pending delivery system, a Stored Value Debit Card.

  This Stored Value Platform System will provide verifiable solutions for an inter-agency approach to manage the difficult task of Revenue and Taxation Collection for the Emerging Medical Marijuana Industry.

  Taxability of Medical Marijuana Transactions

  In February 2007, the California State Board of Equalization (BOE) issued a Special Notice confirming its policy of taxing medical marijuana transactions, as well as its requirement that businesses engaging in such transactions hold a Seller's Permit. According to the Notice, having a Seller's Permit does not allow individuals to make unlawful sales, but instead merely provides a way to remit any sales and use taxes due. BOE further clarified its policy in a June 2007 Special Notice that addressed several frequently asked questions concerning taxation of medical marijuana transactions.

  About the Company

  Medical Marijuana, Inc. (currently undergoing a 1=10 forward split and symbol change to reflect its new name in the stock market) is positioned to take advantage of opportunities as they appear in the emerging legal medical marijuana industry through an enhanced payment gateway introducing verifiable levels of enhanced security. A trend is in place that clearly indicates medical marijuana is quickly becoming a legal enterprise in need of various solutions in numerous areas.

  Solutions

  Plastic debit cards or medical revenue cards are supplied to the Medical Marijuana Dispensary (or Collective/Co-op as they are legally designated in California). The customers of the dispensary are issued the closed loop "Stored Value Card" (SVC). This "Stored Value Card" (SVC) is loaded for the customer by tendering cash to the Dispensary clerk. The Dispensary clerk will load up the new card for the customer using the "Point of Sale" (POS) System which will also recognize the dispensary location, as well as tax rates for the appropriate government agencies.

  Advantages

  Having a secure platform for the full service engagement of all financial services directly accessed through on integrated system, allows for a much more secure and confident transaction between customer, vendor and supplier.

  The ease of access to certifiably secure transactions lessens the risk of loss at each level of the transaction. Users are empowered, operators are empowered and Government Agencies are more confident in assuring their collection of taxes and fees while secure in the function of financial interactions.

  Operators have the benefit of establishing deeper and more meaningful relationships with their customer base. As such, the operators' ability to enhance their revenue generating capabilities is much greater with the full access to the suite of financial services provided by our vast networked platform. This enables full creative expansion within any sector to a retail operator of which these facilities may choose to engage.
• 

  Mickey mouse

  LOL @ Ninja....and yes, Pot should be legalised.
• 

  Homerovah the Almighty

  Well its true Dave that there are many institutionalized products that are sold in the market place that are known to have dire effects

  on to the consumers and there have been recent changes for example of saturated fats being removed from the consumption chain.

  I know it hits at are civil liberties to consume what we what to consume, I guess the question comes in do we bring something that has

  a bad consequences for the greater population in a whole where a substance is more than likely going to be abused just like alcohol is. ?

  And it can be assured that there would be a storm of young people that would be the target consumers just the way alcohol is marketed to.

  Thats an absolute given .

  The very root cause of the problem is young people experimenting with substances , its been said that marijuana is a gateway drug to more

  harder drugs like cocaine and heroin and I would have to agree with that, just to use an example there was a Television journalist program

  recently done on the Drug invested streets of Vancouver focusing on prostitutes who were drug attics and everyone said they first started

  with pot and then they moved on to the more harder drugs like crack cocaine and heroin. So introducing even more people to pot could

  very well create more people users of the more harder drugs and potentially create attics of those drugs.

  So should we then have an attitude of apathy and say well its their own darn fault for starting into hard drugs.

  As for myself I probably wouldn't have tried acid and cocaine if I hadn't first been a casual pot smoker, it goes with norm I guess.

  Like I've said before there are consequence to be considered legalizing pot, the people that make theses kinds of decisions

  have to consider them all, and not only just the responsible mature people like me or yourself.

  By the way I support the use of marijuana for medical reasons.