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Assembly committee OKs bill to legalize marijuana
LA Times ^

Posted on 01/12/2010 11:55:53 AM PST by traumer

A proposal to legalize and tax marijuana in California was approved by a key committee of the Assembly this morning, over the dire warnings of police chiefs and prosecutors.

The Public Safety Committee voted 4-3 to approve AB 390 by Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco), who said the bill would provide tax revenue to the state and regulation of the drug. The new law includes a requirement that users be at least 21 years old.

The measure next goes to the Health Committee, but proponents worried it would not be acted on by that panel by Friday's deadline, which would require the proposal to be reintroduced to be heard this year by the full Assembly. "The way it exists now is harming our youth,'' Ammiano said. "Drug dealers do not ask for ID. We need to regulate something that has gone chaotic, has resulted in carnage. I understand it's not everybody's cup of tea.''

Assemblyman Danny Gilmore (R-Hanford), a former CHP commander, said the $50 tax on each ounce of marijuana sold to pay for drug education and treatment is not worth the grief that will be caused by legalization.

"We're going to legalize marijuana, we're going to tax it and then we're going to educate our kids about the harm of drugs. You've got to be kidding me,'' Gilmore said. "What's next? Are we going to legalize methamphetamines, cocaine?''

The measure was opposed in testimony today by several police chiefs and law enforcement officials including Bob Cooke, former president of the California Narcotics Officers Assn., who predicted it would lead to an increase in crime. "The mere consideration of an attempt to trade human misery for tax dollars smacks of the cynical throwing away of countless human beings,'' Cooke told the committee.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimesblogs.latimes.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: dude; waitwhat

1 posted on 01/12/2010 11:55:58 AM PST by traumer
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To: traumer

The stupidest and most corrupt legislative in the US


2 posted on 01/12/2010 11:57:23 AM PST by notaliberal (Palin supporter)
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To: traumer

The stupidest and most corrupt legislature in the US


3 posted on 01/12/2010 11:57:46 AM PST by notaliberal (Palin supporter)
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To: traumer

California is billions of dollars in the hole and the hole is getting deeper and our legislators find time to deal with this “compelling” issue?

Idiots from front to back and top to bottom.


4 posted on 01/12/2010 11:58:37 AM PST by freedumb2003 (Communism comes to America: 1/20/2009. Keep your powder dry, folks. Sic semper tyrannis)
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To: traumer
Sure. Why not?

Next: subsidize it.

ML/NJ

5 posted on 01/12/2010 12:01:40 PM PST by ml/nj
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To: traumer

Recreational sex?
Russian Roulette?
Street Drag Racing?
Jumping from Golden Gate Bridge?
Etc -


6 posted on 01/12/2010 12:09:25 PM PST by jongaltsr
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To: traumer
Police department pockets and prosecutors hardest hit...

I'm sick and tired of these nanny-state laws telling free people what to do in their free time.

There’s not one “good” reason to do many things to some people. Why grill a 5lb filet mignon, why go for a drive in a classic car, why bbq a whole hog, why gamble, why drink a vintage whiskey, why go hunting/fishing, why make love in a non-missionary position. I can go on forever.

All of those things can be very dangerous and some people think they are stupid or a waste of time. YOU have the right to pursue what makes you happy AND accept personal responsibility if you interfere with someone else’s rights. That is the foundation of freedom.

Prohibition laws have been used as the basis for countless nanny-state legislations and unconstitutional expansions of the federal government. That is enough reason to tear the laws down.

7 posted on 01/12/2010 12:11:16 PM PST by varyouga (2 natural disasters, zerO action. Obama doesn't care about white people!)
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To: traumer
Maybe if they all just get really, really stoned, their problems will all just disappear.

What? That doesn't happen?

8 posted on 01/12/2010 12:12:27 PM PST by ClearCase_guy (We have the 1st so that we can call on people to rebel. We have 2nd so that they can.)
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To: traumer
The measure was opposed in testimony today by several police chiefs and law enforcement officials including Bob Cooke, former president of the California Narcotics Officers Assn., who predicted it would lead to an increase in crime. "The mere consideration of an attempt to trade human misery for tax dollars smacks of the cynical throwing away of countless human beings,'' Cooke told the committee.

Conflict of interest. These people financially benefit from these laws. They should have no say in making them.
9 posted on 01/12/2010 12:18:22 PM PST by microgood
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To: traumer

This is classic. On one hand, our liberal gov’t friends blame big tobacco companies for health problems. They launch don’t do drugs campaigns. They have pushed no smoking ordinances everywhere in this state and city (Los Angeles).

Now, as if all the other actions they took didn’t happen, they want to legalize marijuana.

You just have to shake your head at the hypocrisy.


10 posted on 01/12/2010 12:18:55 PM PST by SideoutFred (B.O. Stinks...it really does)
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To: jongaltsr
:o)
11 posted on 01/12/2010 12:42:03 PM PST by traumer
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To: varyouga
Well said.
People can take care of themselves if given the chance.
No one questions the war on drugs for being a ineffective money pit that props up corrupt law inforcement.
12 posted on 01/12/2010 12:45:27 PM PST by GranTorino
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To: SideoutFred
I’m not anti-tobacco but hemp is cleaner and safer from a smoke basis.

Tobacco smoke produces sticky tar nano-particles that penetrate and stick to everything permanently (including lungs). Tobacco also “soaks” up and holds radiation from soil. These are the reasons tobacco is very cancerous and hemp is not. There has never been a confirmed case of cancer caused only by hemp.

For those reasons, hemp also does not stick to objects and fabrics as much. I have a friend that smokes only hemp regularly at home and it smells like a non-smoking home 1hr after smoking. If I go to a tobacco smoker’s home, it always smells until the walls are repainted.

13 posted on 01/12/2010 12:54:04 PM PST by varyouga (2 natural disasters, zerO action. Obama doesn't care about white people!)
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To: traumer
Despite proclamations to the contrary, I can't see the feds *not* interfering with a recreational MJ legalization scheme in CA or anywhere else.

If this passes, look for Holder to reverse his position and DEA raids to commence.

14 posted on 01/12/2010 1:16:59 PM PST by bassmaner (Hey commies: I am a white male, and I am guilty of NOTHING! Sell your 'white guilt' elsewhere.)
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To: varyouga

Interesting. As far as the smell goes, I can smell marijuana smoke very easily and it seems to linger in cars, etc of people that choose to do it. At least in my experience.


15 posted on 01/12/2010 1:48:39 PM PST by SideoutFred (B.O. Stinks...it really does)
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To: traumer

I’ve never done drugs of any kind so I may not understand the ramifications of making them legal but I have to ask if this is worse than the legalization of baby killing.


16 posted on 01/12/2010 5:36:21 PM PST by Will we know the moment
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