Pro-marijuana TV ads push legalizing and taxing pot as California budget fix

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Glasnos wrote:

the only sane policy left is to legalize pot and drugs. It would be nice if we could prevent drug use, but we can't ... and it only results in a huge drain on police manpower, and drug related gangs and violence. Stop the madness ... and legalize and tax the drugs ... and set up drug counseling with just half of the money saved.

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Donna Atlanta GA wrote:

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If you could prove that state and local municipalities would make more money from legalized drugs as they do now from minor drug arrests and offenses, you might be able to get the laws changed. Otherwise, forget it. It's all about the money.

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Distant Thunder wrote:

The Mexican drug cartels may not like this plan.

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stella007 wrote:

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Can u spell lobbyists? Beverage distillers fear pot
as they well should.

Donna Atlanta GA wrote:

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If you could prove that state and local municipalities would make more money from legalized drugs as they do now from minor drug arrests and offenses, you might be able to get the laws changed. Otherwise, forget it. It's all about the money.

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Glasnos wrote:

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We spend enormous amounts of money on drug enforcement and trials and incarceration. I'm feeling too lazy to look them up now, but something like 65% of those in prison are drug related ... and I think something like 30% of those are marijuana. We would see tremendous savings if we legalized drugs. You'd see a very steep decline in violence, muggings and killings as well.
Law enforcement is against it, because you'd see a huge drop in number of enforcement officers needed, and their budgets slashed.

Donna Atlanta GA wrote:

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Have you ever been arrested for a minor drug offense? If you said no, then you're unaware of the "industry" that goes on in and around the legal system.
From the moment you're arrested the dollar amount is adding up. First there's bond, then there's an attorney, then there are fines and court costs that must be paid. You will probably be ordered to take drug education classes at your expense. You will probably be on probation and that will cost you money every month. If you were arrested while you were driving, most likely you'll lose your license (which will cost money to get back) and have to take DUI classes (at your expense). If you're ordered into Drug Court, that will cost you money every couple of weeks.
It's a huge industry and a lot of little entities have their fingers in the pie.
And going to jail is as much of an "expense" as you might think. Like public schools, jails are paid by the 'head'. The more inmates there are the more money the jail gets from state and federal funds. The more money that is earned the more that can be spent on police cars, street and correction officers, etc. Jails will keep those beds filled any way possible, hence the number of inmates there on piddly drug charges. Drug arrests are easy money-makers for the legal system. There is an industry to maintain and the thought of legalizing the product of that industry makes those who work in, around and with the legal system shiver with fear.

stella007 wrote:

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Can u spell lobbyists? Beverage distillers fear pot
as they well should.

too droll to troll wrote:

The history behind the prohibition of hemp is long and convoluted for a plant that has well-served mankind for thousands of years. One can read Jack Herer's book The Emperor Has No Clothes or do web searchs and find that pharms and big business (DuPont and the conglomerate IG Farber) wanted Cannabis totally banned for a myriad of reasons.
But what is undeniable, is that Cannabis is the biggest cash crop in California, Hawaii, and the mid-south (can't recall if it is Tennessee or Kentucky).
Think of that! More potential revenue than wheat, soy, corn or tobacco.
Yet, agencies like DEA still yammer that it cannot be decriminalized. Because???...it is a gateway drug or some similar horsesh*t argument.