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 ...
You keep deliberately missing the point, statist. The Feds should respect state laws when state laws are within the enumerated powers of the Constitution and the 10th Amendment.
A goofy looking scrambled-brained mutt.
If you know the answer, why did you ask me?
Why don’t you answer the question? It’s a simple one on a Constitutional website.
I won’t respect laws that make drugs legal. I won’t expect anyone else to respect them either.
I'm not a Paulbot.
So tell me where in the Constitution that the Fedgov has the power to regulate what someone grows in their own basement for their own use.
I really hope you don't fall back on Wickard for that.
And yet another dodge.
Alcohol is legal.
It took a Constitutional amendment to make it illegal on a national level.
So why can the Feds declare pot to be illegal without similar action?
You keep refusing to answer that question. Typical for a drug warrior.
“I oppose legalizing drugs’’< And logic like this insures there will always be a “war on drugs’’.
So yuo think that everyone MUST share your view or else?
Pretty lame, coming from someone who has yet to articulate his rationale for the Fedgov to ban personal pot cultivation.
Nope. Never said that. We’ve had a drug war in America for going on a hundred years. What is the standard of failure?
No doubt with a glass of Scotch in-hand. And then complain that others want to ban cigarettes and guns. I've got news for ya kiddies...you ceded that principle by supporting te Drug War. The rules are clear: The government taketh away if enough people are convinced it's a good thing for them to do so. The ball is in play...don't get whiny when others take a swing.
Fascinating. What concrete forms will this nonrespecting take? Will you take the personal initiative to lock users of legal drugs in your closet?
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