19 posts tagged “marijuana”
If lawmakers really wanted to address marijuana use, they would regulate and tax pot like they do tobacco.
According
to a new report released by the Centers for Disease Control, fewer
Americans are smoking cigarettes than at any time in modern history.
"The number of U.S. adults who smoke has dropped below 20 percent for
the first time on record," Reuters reported. This is less than half the
percentage (42 percent) of Americans who smoked cigarettes during the
1960s.
Imagine that. In the past 40 years, tens of millions of
Americans have voluntarily quit smoking a legal, yet highly addictive
intoxicant. Many others have refused to initiate the habit. And they've
all made this decision without ever once being threatened with criminal
prosecution and arrest, imprisonment, probation, and drug testing.
By
contrast, during this same period of time, state and local police have
arrested some 20 million Americans for pot law violations -- primarily
for violations no greater than simple possession. And yet marijuana use
among the public has skyrocketed.
With a recession in sight, the case for legalizing marijuana and taxing it for government revenue seems more practical than ever.
Voters dealt what may be a fatal blow to America's longest-running and least-discussed war -- the war on marijuana.
On Tuesday, largely under the radar of the pundits and political chattering classes, voters dealt what may be a fatal blow to America's longest-running and least-discussed war -- the war on marijuana.
Michigan voters made their state the 13th to allow the medical use of marijuana by a whopping 63 percent to 37 percent, the largest margin ever for a medical marijuana initiative. And by 65 percent to 35 percent, Massachusetts voters decriminalized the possession of up to an ounce of marijuana, replacing arrests, legal fees, court appearances, the possibility of jail and a lifelong criminal record with a $100 fine, much like a traffic ticket, that can be paid through the mail.
Worcester Telegram & Gazette
Question 2 seeks to replace criminal penalties for possession of one ounce or less of marijuana with a new system of civil penalties, to be enforced by issuing citations. The new system would exclude information regarding this civil offense from the state’s criminal record information system (CORI). Offenders age 18 or older would be subject to forfeiture of the marijuana plus a civil penalty of $100. Offenders under the age of 18 would be subject to the same forfeiture and, if they complete a drug awareness program within one year of the offense, the same $100 penalty.
Proponents of Question 2 say changing the penalties for possessing small amounts of marijuana would free police up to focus on serious crimes, rather than arresting 7,500 people annually for marijuana possession. Taxpayers would save $30 million a year in arrest costs.
“Question 2 would not increase marijuana use,” said Whitney A. Taylor, campaign manager for the Committee for Sensible Marijuana Policy. “Eleven other states have similar laws and have shown no increase in marijuana use.”
Opponents include most law enforcement agencies.
“Marijuana decriminalization is an endorsement of substance abuse and dangerous criminal activity, and sends the wrong message to young people,” said Michael O’Keefe, district attorney for the Cape and Islands, and president of the Massachusetts District Attorneys Association.
Here are 2 former law enforcement officials that are voting YES ON 2;
(MOLALLA, Ore.) - The Merck Manual indicates 20 percent of women and 12 percent of men will suffer clinical depression. This is a rather depressing world we’re living in.Antidepressant drugs are among the most prescribed medications but their adverse side effects can often be paradoxically lethal with suicide being prominent.
Todays TV news presents a new electromagnetic machine for depression which stimulates the brain which probably causes cannabinoid secretions which makes patient subjects feel better. It had better, a treatment series costs 6 thousand dollars.
Well, I have a surprise for some people. The U.S. Govt says cannabis as an alleged drug causes euphoria which (surprise surprise) causes euphoria which is addicting. Imagine, a very safe replacement for amphetamine, once the most prescribed and addicting mood stimulants being replaced with cannabis.
People who smoke marijuana do not appear to be at increased risk for developing
lung cancer, new research suggests.While a clear increase in cancer risk was seen among cigarette smokers in the study, no such association was seen for regular cannabis users.
Even very heavy, long-term marijuana users who had smoked more than 22,000 joints over a lifetime seemed to have no greater risk than infrequent marijuana users or nonusers.
The findings surprised the study’s researchers, who expected to see an increase in cancer among people who smoked marijuana regularly in their youth.
“We know that there are as many or more carcinogens and co-carcinogens in marijuana smoke as in cigarettes,” researcher Donald Tashkin, MD, of UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine tells WebMD. “But we did not find any evidence for an increase in cancer risk for even heavy marijuana smoking.” Carcinogens are substances that cause cancer.
Tashkin presented the findings today at The American Thoracic Society’s 102nd
International Conference, held in San Diego.
read more digg story
Recently, the campaign to pass a marijuana decriminalization initiative in Massachusetts began airing two new TV ads.
In the ads, retired police officers urge voters to pass the initiative next month.
In one ad, Sergeant Howard Donahue, a 33-year veteran of the Boston Police Department, says, “Take it from a cop who walked the beat. Please vote yes on Question 2.”
This is the first in a series of ads released across the commonwealth, featuring law enforcement officials arguing for the passage of Question 2. This ad features Lt. Tom Nolan, a 27-year veteran of the Boston Police Department. Lt. Nolan describes the impact of the permanent criminal records residents are saddled with for minor marijuana possession offenses, and concludes: "I entered law enforcement to catch bad guys, not to deny someone an education for life just because they made a mistake."
A 33-year veteran of the Boston Police Department, Sgt. Howard Donahue is also an outspoken supporter of Question 2. As he notes in this ad airing across Massachusetts, he does not support the legalization of marijuana, but that is not what Question 2 proposes. Question 2 is a simple, commonsense reform that will allow police officers to focus on serious, violent crime and free up law enforcement resources.
But that hasn't stopped them from saying Question 2 on the Nov. 4 ballot, which would make possession of less than an ounce of marijuana punishable by a civil fine without placement on permanent criminal records, is wrong-headed, the newspaper said.
The prosecutors told the Globe they have learned from their mistakes and say they worry that decriminalizing marijuana possession would lead to more drug use, benefit drug dealers, increase violence on the streets and create safety hazards on the roads.
read more digg story
The list of medical uses for marijuana (Cannabis Sativa) continues to grow. The Journal of Natural Products recently published a paper outlining the newly isolated antibiotic effects of the class of molecules known as cannabanoids. This group includes the non-psychoactive cannabichromene, cannabigerol, and cannabidiol but also includes...
minor marijuana offenders, dealing with juvenile marijuana use in a
stricter yet more responsible way, and saving taxpayers an estimated
$30 million a year, Question 2 will work for Massachusetts."
30 million dollars a year savings for taxpayers!!!
"According to Harvard economist Dr. Jeffrey Miron, Question 2 (decriminalization of small amounts of marjuana) will
save taxpayers almost $30 million a year in arrest, booking, and basic
court costs alone. And this doesn't include any additional court costs,
probation costs, or loss of taxable earnings due to a person's
inability to work or to go to school after the loss of a driver's
license.
Question 2 will keep these funds where they belong -
in community coffers, where they're needed for local programs and to
fight violent, serious crimes. Additionally, all fines generated will
stay in the community where the offense occurred.
Question 2 is a good, modest public policy proposal
that will conserve taxpayer resources and remove these outrageous,
unfair lifelong penalties."
Tom Kiley is a former first assistant attorney general and a practicing attorney for 38 years.
Please vote YES on Question 2!!! Read Tom Kiley's entire op-ed piece by clicking here,
"Op-ed: A Responsible Change to an Unfair Law"
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