Posted on 01/12/2013 5:01:28 PM PST by Wolfie
Patrick Kennedy sees ‘mad rush’ to legalize marijuana
Ex-congressman’s cautionary efforts provoke pushback
DENVER — Not all Coloradans appreciated former Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy harshing their buzz Wednesday with his anti-marijuana effort.
Mr. Kennedy received a mixed reception at the unveiling of Project Smart Approaches to Marijuana, known as Project SAM, which seeks to spread information about the medical and public-health drawbacks of legalizing marijuana.
“Project SAM was created because we were concerned about the mad rush to legalization in this country and the false dichotomy presented as policy,” Mr. Kennedy said. “Incarceration or legalization. Lock ‘em up or let ‘em use. This is not where we want this debate to devolve to. … We need a more enlightened, thorough and thoughtful discussion and policy debate.”
Immediately beforehand, Mason Tvert, Colorado’s best-known legalization advocate, held a news conference outside the Denver Press Club where he accused Mr. Kennedy of hypocrisy for lecturing the public on marijuana even though the Kennedy empire was built on liquor.
“Why is it that someone who is an heir to an alcohol fortune would want to keep an alternative to alcohol that’s less harmful illegal?” said Mr. Tvert, who ran the successful Amendment 64 campaign. “This is an effort to keep marijuana illegal when the public is overwhelmingly stating to recognize that it doesn’t work.”
He displayed a sign that purported to show the distinctions between “Marijuana Sold by Stores” and “Alcohol Sold by Patrick Kennedy’s Grandfather.”
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Could you translate that into normal debate?
Normally I expect liberals to bring children into the debate.
Or are you yet another person who believes the 10th Amendment should be shaped to fit your views?
I think he’s trying to get in on the ground floor by pretending to be anti-. Then he will be converted. With his connections, he could own the place.
Me too.
For once a Kennedy is right, and if anyone knows about drugs and addiction it is a Kennedy.
So who has the proper Constitutional authority to ban pot. The feds? Or the states?
So do you support leaving intrastate mj decisions to the states per the 10th Amendment, YES or NO?
they be experts on that
I know many of them. I have seen their descent, I have seen those who once were intelligent become Beavis and Butthead.
No.
I also do not think the federal government has to go along with it.
If you say so.
That’s what I say. Society works better when some people sit it out.
There are limits to every right where a line must not be crossed. I drw that line at creating a nation of Cheech and Chongs.
So you are basically saying the fedgov has the enumerated power to ban pot, over the will of states.
Please show where in the Constitution they have that power.
A novel approach. Please provide a Constitutional argument for such.
I can drive my car.
To go for more dope.
Whack out the country so they will be drugged. :) No gun even fired.
No, I am saying that the federal government doesn’t have to go along with it. If there is reason for the feds to arrest, say an illegal alien, and he is a pot dealer - then that guy is in violation of federal law.
You are too wampy to admit you are giving the fedgov powers not enumerated to them.
I see I am dealing with yet another so-called conservative who wants the fedgov to have powers not enumerated to them, as long as the usurped powers pleases them.
Ta-ta, point made.
OK, an American citizen is growing pot in their own basement for their own use. No commerce, let alone interstate commerce, involved.
Please show where in the Constitution the feds have the enumerated power to say that person cannot do such, especially when their state such as Colorado under the 10th has said they are legally OK - under state law - to do such.
And please, answer the question without falling back on unrelated topics such as illegal immigration.
The feds can’t do anything if the person didn’t do anything to get ensnared in the federal web.
but morally it might as well be
an American citizen is growing children for their own use..
if the person didn’t get caught in a federal case, then its not going to happen right?
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