In These Times: An End to the War on Weed?

[marmar]

An End to the War on Weed?
Marijuana advocates believe legalization is on the horizon.

By Nathan Comp


As a medley of border violence, recessionary pressure, international criticism and popular acceptance steadily undermines America’s decades-long effort to eliminate drugs and drug use, the U.S. movement to legalize marijuana is gaining unprecedented momentum.

Once derided and dismissed by lawmakers, law enforcers and the law-abiding alike, marijuana reform is sweeping the nation, although the federal government appears committed—at least for the time being—to largely maintaining the status quo.

A week after Attorney General Eric Holder announced in March that raids on state law-abiding medical marijuana dispensaries would end, the Drug Enforcement Agency effectively shut down a San Francisco dispensary, claiming it violated both state and federal laws.

But to paraphrase Victor Hugo, not even the strongest government in the world can stop an idea whose time has apparently come.

Indeed, support for legalization is at an all-time high, and continues to grow. In 1969, just 12 percent of Americans favored legalizing marijuana, the Holy Grail of cannabis advocates; this number had tripled by 2005, according to a Gallup poll. Barely three years later, another poll showed 44 percent of Americans support legalization. ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/4370/an_end_to_the_war_on_weed

[Merlot]

1. "...an idea whose time has apparently come." Indeed!

I don't even smoke but if we decriminalize MJ, I will be SO happy. No more locking up pot smokers to make money for the prisons. No more wasting money on stupid enformcement laws.

Then we can grow and utilize hemp for paper and more.

[Enthusiast]

2. The fact that marijuana

is illegal adds to its value, big time. Legalizing it would be a serious blow to the economy because it is now the most valuable crop in several agricultural states, including California. Legalization would cause marijuana to lose more than half its value overnight. JMHO

[Warren Stupidity]

3. Um, uh, I don't know where to start...

how about here: none of that black market inflated value is currently taxed. Instead we citizens pay an indirect tax in the form of the DEA bill and Prison Industrial Complex bill (are they different?) apportioned to marijuana persecutions on every black market marijuana transaction. So I'll accept your analysis without reservation: marijuana would lose more than half its value overnight, and follow that with the obvious conclusion that marijuana could lose ALL OF ITS VALUE overnight and we taxpayers would be way ahead.

[Enthusiast]

4. Well, there is that.

But real people make real money from growing and selling marijuana. And law enforcement is paid to stop it. It has become a tangled web. If some clandestine farmer in Kentucky finds his marijuana crop suddenly worth 1/4 what he expected it would be a real blow to his income. I know, it is all speculation at this point.

[Warren Stupidity]

5. It ain't so tangled.

We citizens in aggregate would save billions in PIC costs. Farmers would indeed make less on their crop, AS THE RISK WOULD BE REMOVED from the business of growing marijuana. The current high profits (pun intended) are based on the risk of incarceration and/or confiscation that goes with growing pot. Legalized it would become a more normal agricultural product. Oh well, there is no free lunch.

[Lethe]

6. industrial hemp will be legal too, which will be more valuable than marijuana to the economy

recreational and medical marijuana sales will pale in comparison to industrial hemp revenue. Hemp is great for farmers and the environment.