Posted on 02/03/2012 10:57:07 AM PST by gabriellah
In 2011, Gallup reported that 62% of 18-29 year olds and 50% of the general public supports the legalization of marijuana; 69% of liberals and even 34% of conservatives also support such measures. Obviously the pro-pot movement has taken root in the American populace and especially in the minds of Millennials (even managing to infiltrate the minds of the most conservative among us).
Myth #1: Legalization Would bring in Enormous Tax Revenues
The Heritage Foundations Charles Stimson published an extensive legal memorandum urging for the failure of the RCTC Act of 2010, which would have legalized pot in California. This memorandum debunks the myth that legalization would eliminate the black market for marijuana and would bring in enormous revenue, therefore stimulating the economy.
Dr. Rosalie Pacula, a drug policy expert at the RAND Corporation for over 15 years, testified that under the California law: There would be tremendous profit motive for the existing black market providers to stay in the market. The only way California could effectively eliminate the black market for marijuana is to take away the substantial profits in the market and allow the price of marijuana to fall to an amount close to the cost of production. Doing so, however, will mean substantially smaller tax revenue(Stimson 9).
In other words, simple economics expose the assumption that drug dealers would voluntarily enter the legal market, when the cost of production is virtually zero. In fact, it was calculated that an individual will be able to produce 24,000 to 240,000 joints legally each year (Stimson 9). This is more than any individual could possibly consume, and it is encouraging individuals to sell pot on the side, subverting taxation. Why would anyone buy marijuana legally when they would have to pay a higher price for it? It would be a much higher price considering California proposed a $50/ounce tax on top of the list price. Why would drug dealers leave the black market when they dont have to?
Fiscal conservatives should not be lured into such intellectual inconsistency. We are not going to solve the budget crises and pay off our $15 trillion debt with whatever change is left from a feeble government attempt to tax the un-taxable.
Myth #2: Marijuana is a Victimless Drug
Marijuana has a history of being linked to crime in the United States and throughout the world. 60% of arrestees test positive for marijuana use in the United States, England, and Australia (Stimson 6). And while many pro-legalization advocates argue that most of these marijuana users are people arrested for non-violent crimes, they fail to note that marijuana usage is strongly correlated with cocaine and other more serious drugs, as well as murder, assault, money laundering, and smuggling (Stimson 5-6). Surely, legalization advocates do not believe that all marijuana users are little angels?
In fact, in Amsterdam, one of Europes most violent cities, pot is legal and a prevalent aspect of society (Stimson 6). Heritage reports that Officials are in the process of closing marijuana dispensaries, or coffee shops, because of the crime associated with their operation (Stimson 6).
Californias partial legalization via usage of medical marijuana is beginning to show the same effects. LAPD reports that areas surrounding cannabis clubs have seen a 200% increase in robberies and a 130.8% increase in aggravated assault (Stimson 6). A drug that increases crime doesnt exactly qualify as victimless.
In addition to this, local communities where neighborhoods and residential housing are dominant will be adversely affected. Residents who live in areas with extensive marijuana usage have repeatedly complained about the incredible smell put off by the plants. Even worse than the smell though, is the growing crime rate in residential areas which is induced by theft of marijuana from yards where it is grown (Stimson 6).
It may be ideologically convenient for some to oversimplify the issue as a violation against individual liberty, but when all the facts are presented, it is obvious that the only liberty being violated is the blatant disregard for property rights, law, and order.
Myth #3: Marijuana = Alcohol
Legalization advocates link marijuana and alcohol as equally mild intoxicants, suggesting that they deserve equal treatment under the law. However, as the above research suggests, marijuana is more dangerous to the health and safety of society.
For better or for worse, alcohol as been part of human history for millennia. Typically, individuals responsibly self-monitor their consumption thereof. Alcohol has also been regulated by cultural norms rather than by government. Society, culture, and religion have proven to be the best regulators of alcoholic consumption. The same cannot be said of marijuana as seen in the information presented earlier.
In addition to its lack of historical precedent in Americas historical experience, marijuana also has much more severe health effects than alcohol. 1) marijuana is far more likely than alcohol to be cause addiction, 2) it is usually consumed to the point of intoxication, 3) it has no known intrinsically healthful properties (it can only relieve pain and artificially at that), 4) it has toxins that can result in birth defects, pain, respiratory damage, brain damage, and stroke, 5) it increases heart rate by 20% to 100% elevating the risk of heart attack (Stimson 4).
In relation to history, economics, and health, marijuana is nothing like alcohol.
Conclusion: Conservatives should not be afraid to combat the growing sentiment that supports the legalization of marijuana. Economics, historical precedent, and conservative principles are all on our side. It is up to unashamed, unapologetic young conservatives to articulate that message and continue to stand for ordered liberty.
Which of these guys are not conservatives?
Tom Tancredo
http://www.westword.com/2009-10-29/news/tom-tancredo-wants-to-turn-marijuana-into-the-toke-of-the-town/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDi8UXojlMY
Bob Barr
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-barr/federal-drug-war-rethough_b_125458.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPRPRmr8G4I
Grover Norquist
http://counterpunch.org/gardner01292006.html
Pat Robertson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQi7A5MW2kQ
Thomas Sowell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZbHndilYsI
I've been lurking this thread and haven't gotten torked at your comments. You're just wrong but that's ok. I smoked enough pot to fill a barn when I was growing up. Smoked it morning, noon and night. My brain wasn't scrambled. I was a straight A student and a member of the National Honor Society year after year. No brag, just fact.
The claims made in this article and other studies cited in this thread by other posters are just so full of bull that I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
BTW, as for the addiction claims, I stopped smoking it cold turkey many, many years ago. I never missed it at all. Now, my beer on the other hand, what do they say? FMCDH :-)
“Unsafe in Any Amount”
Who are we now, Ralph Nader? Since when is it government’s job to keep us 100% safe?
Google it yourself....
No, what you are is a poster on a rant fest. That can't seem to say you were wrong...after being proved wrong over and over again.
You will have the last word.
Not all are liberials, some are libertarian Paul types. Yeah I know it’s adorable...
I can vouch for this - was at a Scorpions concert last year here in IL and yes, there was plenty of smokin going on ~
Well perhaps never met you. I did not say anything in my posts about addiction. My God People defend this you must, but speak against it I will.
Concerts seem so sterile these days.....no soul.
One?
You have to start with a premise.
The premise is "You own your own body."
What follows from that gives certain types of people the willies.
Here's your sign.
Welcome to the thread. You’re late.
Way up thread I predicted someone might say Buckley. Lots of dopers loved Bill Buckley.
But there is two things wrong with your answer.
1. He’s dead.
2. He was no conservative.
Advice from a detestable NOOB (as if all the other labels and epithets weren't enough! LOL)...The place to quit, traditionally, is when one is ahead. Quitting when one is flailing...well, you're more familiar with that than I.
Sorry for the harshness, but you gave me a "last word challenge"...grounder for a triple.
P.S. ... You were just owned, by a STONED opponent, in a "legalize weed" debate.
He slides into home...HOME RUN!! Please tip your waitresses, ladies and gentlemen... ;^)
Here's another sign.
Thank you, now go to your room
De-criminalization of marijuana would cost the corporate media elites billions in advertising revenue becuase alcohol sales would plummet. Politically connected special interest groups like for profit prisons and the prison guards union would also suffer. However, farmers would benefit from being allowed to grow industrial hemp and manufacturing workers would benefit from making consumer goods from industrial hemp.
Making marijuana illegal just to enrich the Alcohol Industry, Corporate Media, and the Incarceraton Industry is a perfect example of why crony capitalism is bad for a free market economy.
and how much thc does any plant variety have? how has that plant been bread?
puff? what the heck measure is “puff”? puff of cigar? cigarillo? joint? roach?
even pot heads know that since they go to their “medicine” store and buy different variants which mix and match.
sell the lies to the stoners.
there is ZERO control of such dosage.
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