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ghostsinthemachine

(3,569 posts)
Tue Mar 3, 2015, 03:53 PM Mar 2015

Marijuana to blame for much of the city's (NYC) spike in homicides so far this year

Marijuana is to blame for much of the city's spike in homicides and shootings during the beginning of this year, causing the NYPD to examine a few select precincts as largely responsible for the increases, Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said Monday.

There were 54 homicides for the first two months of the year, a 20% increase from the same time last year, according to NYPD statistics. More than 70% of homicides were the result of a shooting.

And many of these homicides, NYPD officials said, were marijuana-related "rip-offs."


http://www.amny.com/news/marijuana-to-blame-for-many-of-the-city-s-spike-in-homicides-so-far-this-year-1.10001032

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Marijuana to blame for much of the city's (NYC) spike in homicides so far this year (Original Post) ghostsinthemachine Mar 2015 OP
I was almost killed over pot.... ghostsinthemachine Mar 2015 #1
Funny--I "heard" exactly the same thing when I read it. Jackpine Radical Mar 2015 #10
I doubt that was what he meant though ghostsinthemachine Mar 2015 #24
Did your knee jerk libodem Mar 2015 #11
Leggo my Eggo!! eom freeplessinseattle Mar 2015 #30
Sounds to me that it's the lack of legal cannabis OriginalGeek Mar 2015 #2
RIGHT!!!! hobbit709 Mar 2015 #3
No, these were due to the black market that marijuana prohibition is forced into NightWatcher Mar 2015 #4
If people are able to buy it AS CHEAP, or cheaper, at a store FrodosPet Mar 2015 #19
legalize it and... wildbilln864 Mar 2015 #29
Wouldn't happen if it was legal. HappyMe Mar 2015 #5
Reefer madness lives! marmar Mar 2015 #6
Prohibition is to blame for the violence. bravenak Mar 2015 #7
For Proof Of Yout Point, See 1922 to 1932 ProfessorGAC Mar 2015 #18
Sounds more like "rip-offs"are the cause. arcane1 Mar 2015 #8
lol Go Vols Mar 2015 #9
Prohibition is to blame. They don't call it a drug war for nothing, people get killed. Bluenorthwest Mar 2015 #12
Legalize it. Iggo Mar 2015 #13
And just wait til they have to start dealing with the rabbits n/t DefenseLawyer Mar 2015 #14
Message auto-removed Name removed Mar 2015 #16
I live in a medical marijuana state and there is a bunny that lives in my backyard Taitertots Mar 2015 #23
Baked or fried Politicalboi Mar 2015 #26
Baked and fried. Didn't you see Refer Madness? Taitertots Mar 2015 #27
and what 5 of homnicides were committed by the benevolent brotherhood of police? nt msongs Mar 2015 #15
No, Commissioner Bratton you lie. Your stupid and failed drug war is the 100% the cause. TheKentuckian Mar 2015 #17
Always easier to blame a weed that grows in the ground, it cannot testify or hold an opinion. Rex Mar 2015 #20
Clearly something must be done. ohnoyoudidnt Mar 2015 #21
Horseshit BigDemVoter Mar 2015 #22
More proof that it needs to be LEGALIZED. sabrina 1 Mar 2015 #25
I wonder how many homicides were for money. WDIM Mar 2015 #28

ghostsinthemachine

(3,569 posts)
1. I was almost killed over pot....
Tue Mar 3, 2015, 03:54 PM
Mar 2015

Actually in reading this and re jerking my knee I gotta say, Well ya know I almost got killed and know four people who have been killed over pot, so that is true. He is not saying that it causes murder, but that it's illegality and underground economy causes the murders, just like it was during prohibition( at least that is what I am hearing)

Jackpine Radical

(45,274 posts)
10. Funny--I "heard" exactly the same thing when I read it.
Tue Mar 3, 2015, 04:05 PM
Mar 2015

Legalization & regulation could go a long way toward cleaning this up. However, those policies would be detrimental to the police, the prosecutors, and the prisons. As well as all the other complications we know about.

libodem

(19,288 posts)
11. Did your knee jerk
Tue Mar 3, 2015, 04:05 PM
Mar 2015

And hit you in the nose?

I have black eye from my knee jerk reaction and bruises from falling out of my chair.

Lots of injury accidents are caused by misunderstanding it seems.

OriginalGeek

(12,132 posts)
2. Sounds to me that it's the lack of legal cannabis
Tue Mar 3, 2015, 03:54 PM
Mar 2015

that is the cause for these shootings.

Well, that and it's easier to get a gun than a dime bag.

NightWatcher

(39,343 posts)
4. No, these were due to the black market that marijuana prohibition is forced into
Tue Mar 3, 2015, 03:55 PM
Mar 2015

If the people were able to buy it in a store, there'd be no rip offs and therefore no shootings from the above mentioned rip offs.

FrodosPet

(5,169 posts)
19. If people are able to buy it AS CHEAP, or cheaper, at a store
Tue Mar 3, 2015, 07:34 PM
Mar 2015

Just like cigarettes in New York, if the legal product is expensive from taxes, then the illegal market will still be significant.

https://www.vice.com/read/i-spent-a-day-with-a-guy-selling-illegal-cigarettes-on-the-streets-of-nyc-1023

I Spent a Day with a Guy Selling Illegal Cigarettes on the Streets of New York
October 23, 2014
by Solange Uwimana

It's a cloudy and cool September morning on Staten Island when I make my way to Bay Street looking for someone to sell me illegal cigarettes. I don't smoke, but ever since Eric Garner's haunting death here a few months ago after the police approached him for selling "loosies"-individual, untaxed cigarettes-I've wanted to know how easy it is to find someone who will sell me illegal smokes on the street.

~ snip ~

Lato is unhurried and nonchalant as he sells Newps to a dozen or so people on the street in the hour we stand there talking. Newport was the second-best selling brand of cigarettes nationwide behind Marlboro in 2013. It's also the only brand Lato is selling this morning.

~ snip ~

"Everybody on Staten know that Bay Street right here is the market for cigarettes," he tells me. "Everybody on Staten Island know if you want to pay $8 for a pack of cigarettes, go to Bay Street. Any place else is $9 and better."

That's an amazing deal in a town where the average price of a pack of smokes is somewhere around $13. I've seen them listed for as low as $11 in Harlem and as high as $15 in Midtown. Those prices include the state excise tax of $4.35, as well as the city's local tax of $1.50. That makes New York the most expensive state in which to buy cigarettes.

~ snip ~
 

bravenak

(34,648 posts)
7. Prohibition is to blame for the violence.
Tue Mar 3, 2015, 03:58 PM
Mar 2015

Remember the violence during alcohol prohibition? Same shit is going on right now with other drugs. Tha site did not load for me.

ProfessorGAC

(64,422 posts)
18. For Proof Of Yout Point, See 1922 to 1932
Tue Mar 3, 2015, 05:47 PM
Mar 2015

In nearly every big city, but particularly here in Chicago (bang bang).

If booze had been legal, the gangs here would have slowly evolved in size and scope. Instead in one fell swoop, the toughest, angriest and most ruthless gained control.

Just silly how anyone could not have learned this obvious lesson.

 

Bluenorthwest

(45,319 posts)
12. Prohibition is to blame. They don't call it a drug war for nothing, people get killed.
Tue Mar 3, 2015, 04:12 PM
Mar 2015

And of course this is the NYPD who is willing to kill someone for selling a cigarette.

Response to DefenseLawyer (Reply #14)

 

Taitertots

(7,745 posts)
23. I live in a medical marijuana state and there is a bunny that lives in my backyard
Tue Mar 3, 2015, 08:03 PM
Mar 2015

Last edited Tue Mar 3, 2015, 09:16 PM - Edit history (1)

She/He tried to walk into my house a couple times when I had the door open to bring in groceries.

God help us if that little guy/girl starts getting baked.

 

Taitertots

(7,745 posts)
27. Baked and fried. Didn't you see Refer Madness?
Tue Mar 3, 2015, 09:15 PM
Mar 2015

That rabbit is going to be laughing and dancing to jazz music in no time.

 

Rex

(65,616 posts)
20. Always easier to blame a weed that grows in the ground, it cannot testify or hold an opinion.
Tue Mar 3, 2015, 07:37 PM
Mar 2015

The War on Drugs will be remembered as one of the biggest social failure ever implemented by any nation anywhere. Nothing went along with it, no rehabilitation or ways to improve drug laws. Just SMASH THEM WITH A HAMMER.

This is why we cannot have nice things.

ohnoyoudidnt

(1,858 posts)
21. Clearly something must be done.
Tue Mar 3, 2015, 07:44 PM
Mar 2015

How many people where shot over illegal marijuana in Colorado and Washington so far this year? I think there's an obvious solution.

BigDemVoter

(4,149 posts)
22. Horseshit
Tue Mar 3, 2015, 07:56 PM
Mar 2015

Yeah, like we're supposed to believe that somebody is going to take several bong hits and then get murderous and take off with a pistol and chainsaw!

WDIM

(1,662 posts)
28. I wonder how many homicides were for money.
Tue Mar 3, 2015, 09:44 PM
Mar 2015

Maybe we should make money illegal people are killed for money everyday.

As everybody said above this type of violence is a direct result of prohibition. People will still be robbed for it when it is legal but no more so than money.

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