Posted on 02/20/2002 6:08:45 AM PST by Magician
My first reaction is WHY NOT?
It’s a question of common sense.
Our marijuana laws do not work. They never have, and they never will.
Their stated goal being to rid society of the so-called affliction of marijuana use, the harsh reality is that since prohibition, usage rates have increased drastically.
Either we legalize it, and fast, or we get busy locking up millions of Canadians. With one out of three Canadians admitting to having tried marijuana, we may very well be locking up our best and brightest, not ruined by drugs, but ruined by the criminal sanctions that go with getting caught for what amounts to a common social practice. I can’t even begin to count how many elected officials admitted to having used it, yet everyday hundreds of average citizens are arrested for marijuana offences.
So, why are there so many users, and why is marijuana so easy to acquire?
In a strange twist, prohibition is to blame.
When a product is illegal, the profit margin skyrockets. Prohibition turns an agricultural product (a plant that’s very easy to grow) into a drug worth its weight in gold. Without prohibition, marijuana would cost pennies to produce. No wonder some adventurous modern day prospectors are setting up in their own back yards and basements to try and get in on the gold rush. Who could blame them? They aren’t hurting anyone, they’re making good money, and most of all customers are willing, grateful participants in the process.
We must come to grips with the fact that the demand for marijuana is never going away and find a better way of dealing with it. Imagine the billions of dollars spent on marijuana and enforcement going to more noble causes like health care and other social programs.
The general public understands this. Support for legalizing marijuana recently reached the much sought after 50%+1 majority. Recent polls show that 51% of Canadians support legalizing marijuana, a slim, but very real majority.
And with more and more advocates, the trend is just taking off. Several European countries like Belgium, Switzerland, Holland and Germany are successfully leading the way towards tolerance with legislation aimed at helping drugs users, not by treating them as criminals, but as human beings deserving of respect. There is no reason why Canada should lag behind. We should be on the cutting edge of this new international movement.
Now it is time to step onto the world stage and assert our sovereignty by legalizing marijuana once and for all. I would venture a friendly wager that the international community would stand by Canada on this issue. Our inevitable success would then make us a world leader in marijuana reform—an example for others to follow.
(I can hear it already): But marijuana is dangerous!
For the record, marijuana is NOT dangerous. It is no worse than coffee and much safer than alcohol. Marijuana is also much less addictive then cigarettes. Chronic use is rare as the majority do not smoke it everyday. Try that with tobacco!
What little risks that may be present with marijuana are no worse then any other risks deemed "morally acceptable". Should we ban music because, if played too loud it might hurt your hearing?
French fries and gravy are far more dangerous for our health then marijuana. Should we ban fast food and send overeaters to mandatory fitness camps?
Who are we, as a society to judge? What exactly are marijuana users guilty of? Who are they hurting? What have they done wrong?
To deny marijuana users the right to choose what they want to consume is nothing more than an arbitrary decision based on moral values, not public interest......
Legalization does not mean promoting use. It means providing medical care, support, education, quality standards and proper labeling. We then trust that responsible adults will make their own choices. This is what makes legalization healthy for our society. At least legalization would force retailers to be accountable for what they sell.
Under prohibition, the government has waived its responsibility for the well being of marijuana users, and is only responsible for their arrest and persecution.
This total disregard for their rights drives a wedge between them and the rest of society and breeds contempt for our legal institutions. If society does not tolerate pot smokers, how are pot smokers supposed to tolerate society? This does not make for a healthy social climate and even less a basis for sound policy.
If a policy so deeply flawed as prohibition not only fails to reach its goals, but actually makes the situation worse, it should be radically changed.
Prohibition is the problem, and legalization the solution.
In places where marijuana is tolerated use actually decreases.
Of course, don’t count on the politicians to have the courage to change the law—it’s not in their nature. Look instead to the Supreme Court. That is where most significant legal change comes from anyway. Gay rights and abortion issues were resolved there, and, some time this year our land’s highest court will also rule on the constitutionality of marijuana prohibition. I strongly urge government to make a wise decision and end this madness now. Millions of bright, productive, patriotic pot-smoking Canadians are counting on it.
Most sincerely, Marc-Boris St-Maurice Le Parti Marijuana
Sorry that went soaring above your head as it did. I try to write at a low comprehension level to help people like you understand better.
Sorry! Will be glad to write even lower for you as if to a 7 year old so you understand next time. It is my joy to help you when I can.
Does throwing an otherwise law-abiding, peaceful person in prison with violent criminals; seizing all of their belongings; and generally ruining their life for smoking a doob fall into that category?
In order to be simple and to keep the spirit of the original document intact they went with re-interpretation!
Drug legalization IS a liberal's issue. Look on their site and it is a level 20 on a scale of up to 10!
The right to abortion.
Legal transfer payments.
The war on drugs.
No right to free association for buisness owners.
etc etc
What do these things have in common? They all increase the power of the state. I hope you like your allies in re-interpretation
It really isn't logical to be amazed. The very founder of this forum (the guy in which whose house we are guests) has stated on several occasions that he is in opposition to the WOD.
Perhaps you are the one who should leave, you favor 're-interpretation'.
Many here worship humanism in there if it feel good do it mentality.
I'm sure all computer using radical Libertarians, illegal drug users, crime lords and terrorists are being monitored by the FBI.
You overestimate the FBI. They must set prioritys. Yesterday you seemed sane. What happened? Now you are calling for FR to censor views you disagree with.
Could any of you actually produce some liberals who want to relegalize? All I've heard is Barney Frank (he doesn't want to relegalize) and Jocelyn Elders (an x42 cabinet member whom I haven't bothered checking out). Who are you thinking of? Hillary? The Hero of Chappaquidic? Wellstone? Who?
The GOP opposed the MJ tax act on Consistitutional grounds back when FDR and Anslinger were pushing it. Was the Republican Party liberal back then and became conservative later?
Yeah, gotta smash that pesky First Amendment thingy, right? You're just another arrogant, immature, inexperienced self-absorbed punk from OC and, based on your poor grammar and syntax, sound more like a brain-dead recovery movement Nazi with a public school education who skateboarded too much without a helmet between classes and AA/NA meetings.
Your saying you'd prefer the 2000+ amendments! Fine, just would get more confusing.
Am I mistaking the jist of your post?
Or a helluva lot fewer federal laws. (which was the point, wasn't it?)
Your fellow Woddie, Ol' Sparky, said that James Madison was stupid for allowing states to have criminal laws, rather than providing for national uniformity.
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