Tax-and-regulate marijuana idea gets some support (-not)

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ^ | February 10, 2006

[presidio9]

Proponents of a petition legalizing small amounts of marijuana launched their campaign Tuesday, recruiting volunteers, serving snacks and urging Nevada voters to support a "tax-and-regulate" proposal on the November ballot.

"Our marijuana laws don't work," said Neal Levine, executive director of the Committee to Regulate and Control Marijuana. The group is largely funded by the Washington D.C.-based Marijuana Policy Project.

This is the latest in a string of legalization efforts backed by the group. In 2002, Nevada voters overwhelmingly rejected a petition that would have legalized up to 3 ounces of marijuana. A similar petition failed to qualify for the 2004 ballot.

The latest incarnation of the petition, which allows adults to possess 1 ounce of marijuana, was signed by 86,000 people and put before the 2005 Legislature, where it found little support.

Lawmakers declined the chance to approve it and sent it back to voters.

Levine said he thinks this time around the initiative petition will find more support than the 2002 effort, which lost in a 61-39 percent vote.

"It's a different petition this time. We've made sure it has sensible safeguards built in," he said.

The proposal allows people 21 and older to posses 1 ounce of marijuana in their homes - the same amount allowed under Nevada's medical marijuana law. It would allow the state to license marijuana growers, distributors and retailers. The maximum penalties for selling or giving pot to a minor and for vehicular manslaughter while under the influence of drugs and alcohol would double.

Levine said the goal is to regulate a drug that is used widely, rather than spend millions arresting and prosecuting users who rarely commit crimes.

Ben Graham, lobbyist for the Nevada District Attorney's Association, called Levine's argument a "fraud upon the public."

"The facts simply do not bear that out," he said. "The law enforcement community does not expend an inordinate amount of resources dealing with personal marijuana use."

[DumpsterDiver]

Tax-and-regulate marijuana

Government would tax it to high heaven while regulating the THC right out it.

[sgtbono2002]

*****The group is largely funded by the Washington D.C.-based Marijuana Policy Project. *****

Is this group in turn largely funded by George Soros?

[A CA Guy]

Irresponsible, would grow addiction and would act like a cancer upon our society from the children on up.

These people are as bad as the Mexican drug runners IMO.

Anyone interested in self medicating for recreational purposes has to be the biggest loser on the planet.

[A CA Guy]

I think you are right. And supported by social liberals I am sure like many libertarians.

[presidio9]

Ssshh. You can't say those things here. They're true.

[MonroeDNA]

Sounds good to me. I'd vote for it.

[presidio9]

Congradulations, you're a libertarian.

[MonroeDNA]

Yup. Registered Libertarian, actually.

[presidio9]

Have you checked out Liberty Post?

[Know your rights]

Government would tax it to high heaven while regulating the THC right out it.

Taxes on liquor haven't encouraged any sizeable black market ... and government certainly hasn't regulated the alcohol out of liquor.

[Know your rights]

Irresponsible, would grow addiction and would act like a cancer upon our society from the children on up.

Just like legalizing alcohol did? Take your Chicken Little rants to tinfoilhat.com.

[Know your rights]

"The law enforcement community does not expend an inordinate amount of resources dealing with personal marijuana use."

Expending ANY law enforcement resources on this non-rights-violating act is inordinate.

[presidio9]

Newsflash: Marijuana and alcohol are NOT the same thing.

[Know your rights]

Irresponsible, would grow addiction and would act like a cancer upon our society from the children on up.

Just like legalizing alcohol did?

Newsflash: Marijuana and alcohol are NOT the same thing.

Correct ... alcohol is more addictive and, unlike marijuana, systematically increases violent behavior.

[presidio9]

Correct ... alcohol is more addictive and, unlike marijuana, systematically increases violent behavior.

You may be right, but we're not talking about alcohol here, so it's irrelevant.

[Know your rights]

we're not talking about alcohol here

Yes, we're talking about a less addictive and less socially disruptive drug ,for which A CA Guy's hysteria is therefore even less grounded in reality.

[presidio9]

I'm still failing to see what that has to do with alcohol.

Personally, my life would be exactly the same if alcohol were illegal too. Would that solve the problem for you?

[A CA Guy]

IMO, give up the recreational drug lust and take on conservatism instead of the social liberal philosophy of "IF IT FEELS GOOD, DO IT"!