Posted on 11/07/2012 9:01:24 AM PST by SeekAndFind
DENVER/SEATTLE (Reuters) - Colorado and Washington became the first U.S. states to legalize the possession and sale of marijuana for recreational use on Tuesday in defiance of federal law, setting the stage for a possible showdown with the Obama administration.
But another ballot measure to remove criminal penalties for personal possession and cultivation of recreational cannabis was defeated in Oregon, where significantly less money and campaign organization was devoted to the cause.
Supporters of a Colorado constitutional amendment legalizing marijuana were the first to declare victory, and opponents conceded defeat, after returns showed the measure garnering nearly 53 percent of the vote versus 47 percent against.
"Colorado will no longer have laws that steer people toward using alcohol, and adults will be free to use marijuana instead if that is what they prefer. And we will be better off as a society because of it," said Mason Tvert, co-director of the Colorado pro-legalization campaign.
The Drug Policy Alliance, a national advocacy group that backed the initiatives, said the outcome in Washington and Colorado reflected growing national support for liberalized pot laws, citing a Gallup poll last year that found 50 percent of Americans favored making it legal, versus 46 opposed.
Supporters of Washington state's pot legalization initiative declared victory after the Seattle Times and other media projected a win for marijuana proponents.
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
My point was that both and all do great damage; I was objecting to saying alcohol is more damaging than pot. it’s different in ways I suggested, but not more.
The boozer culture as you call it came from European culture so Prohibition here was only a failed govt. attempt at control. The Germans love their beer for example. Alcohol does it’s share of damage is very true. But it’s been legal since the beginning of time except for that brief period here.
Marijuana was made illegal in the USA partially for racist reasons, since it was a black culture thing.
The FR Prohibitionists don’t seem to be able to see the similarities, but the DW is failed policy. Why were our ancestors able to end failed policy but it is not possible today is what I wonder. So even if the FR Prohibitionists can’t really allow others to have freedoms they dislike you’d think they’d at least recognize the value of ending failed policy.
Land of the free. Or so they say anyway..... Selfish people.
I think a lot of prohibitionists also see the fight against drugs as a fight against evil.
I’m on the side of live and let live, but I see their point.
Many of them say so. They need to realize that we can't win a governmental fight against evils that people actively seek to inflict on themselves.
Man, all this talk of doobie is making me hungry. I’m headed to the vending machine - duuudes.
You're exhibiting unacceptable signs of ungroupthink. We can't make a drug-free utopia omelette without breaking some granny-and-her-dog eggs, you know.
I see it to...evil is live backwards!!!!
...if you think your living, you’re really just evilling!!!
I missed this momentus news.
I hope scumbags in those states are too high to vote in 2014.
In Washington State they passed the gay marriage AND the legal pot laws. Gives the following Bible verse a whole new meaning:
Leviticus 20:13 ‘If a man also lie with a man as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be stoned...”
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.
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[Artistic license used to replace “put to death” with “stoned”.]
BFD, there’s no real victory here. Most of the dopers want Socialism, not Liberty.
Except for the libertarians.
Have you smoked much pot...just curious?
I can tell you from a half century of observing up close and personal that both in excess are not good for you...pot and alcohol.
But that alcohol in excess is far far far far far far far far worse that marihuanna
You are could not be more incorrect, marijuana makes folks lazy and procrastinate and at uber doses impairs driving particularly for the unadapted. It is more subtle as a rule.
Alcohol in anything beyond moderation is a stupifying anesthetic that brings out the worst in human nature more often than not and the long term abuse damage is very self evident.
The problem folks on this forum have is that they think marijuana is just hippies..lefties
That is bullshit...I know hundreds of pot smokers in Dixie and frankly quite a few small scale growers too...90% voted against Obama...they may lean libertarian but they aren’t that stoned.
Yankee pot smokers...who knows...it’s the culture not the pot for northern liberals.
I smoked pot from 1971-1984 and 1989-90 and I damn well might again if I could get wifey to take a puff if the kids are all put up
anyone on this forum think I’m not aconservative or repsonsible that knows me..at 55?
I got nothing against you but this reefer madness crap here is silly
we are faced with utter defeat and no road back...and the majority demographic here still has it’s head in the sand...I would not worry about pot
prohibitionism is communism
prohibitionism is communism
I have smoked pot. It was so good, and was so much better than alcohol in so many different ways, that I decided that if I continued smoking it, I’d never amount to anything.
I think that sums it up in a nutshell. American is a country built on ambition. Marijuana is the killer of ambition.
Alcohol is what it is. I know the damage. I’d rather the street-fighter than the man that can’t answer the bell.
I know my mom couldn’t.
You’re speaking about yourself and your mom
I and others got plenty accomplished and smoked pot
I have seen folks drink who could not get out of bed
Your issue is about mom and
M:ine is perhaps about my childhood best friend and drink
I don’t equate laziness on quite the same level as alcohol destructiveness
However I would not have desired a drunk or lazy stoned parent either
I quit pot when it got in the way.....after carefree high school and college
I never liked drink
I did rather enjoy opium tar but its not exactly conducive to my role in life with so much responsibility
Hence the only addiction left for me ..... the fair split tail....or rib if u prefer
Same one many years now.....finer she is than the best sensemilla ever was
Well, apparently something did! (Maybe it was TV).
Any time you let the government regulate anything an adult willingly consumes, you let the government regulate everything an adult consumes.
That is not the case in Dixie Gene
I know scores of pot smokers and growers here
99% conservative traditionalist....course I’m older
I have pals in Michigan too...huge medical grow county at the top of the. Ring finger
County voted 60% Romney
Even with a college in town
Pot is for hippies can be a canard
You know me...I would smoke a little with my wife if we were alone fooling around if the planets align....its just fun....I got way to much to do to go chronic
I’m no hippie
Hell I’m the devil here...at least on Pc ethnic stuff..lol
It's even worse than that - it undermines the entire message of limited government. For the swing vote to give a fair hearing to that message, the message must be consistent ... or swing voters will write it off as just another con job.
I grew up in NorCal in the 1970’s. It wasn’t just mom. It was everybody’s mom, and then some.
You admitted pot led to opium, and I think that’s the major objection to legalizing it. It’s a gateway drug. Almost nobody disputes the research on it.
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