Comments on: It is time to reclassify marijuana

By: StevenMitchell1

StevenMitchell1 — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 16:33:46 +0000

Ironically, another Reuters headline in “Disbarred Florida lawyer caught after 26 years on run in drug case” was just hunted down and seized by U.S. Federal agents in Mexico for having fled from a 27 year sentence for “marijuana smuggling”. Well at least he didn’t defraud investors out of an estimated $1.5 billion worth such as the former CEO of Refco, who only got a 16 year sentence and bankrupted one of the largest commodities companies in the World. The judge even gave the Refco CEO time at home for a couple of months before starting his sentence. That was so considerate of her. But this poor lawyer who smuggled marijuana probably isn’t going to a Federal 4-star prison either.

By: magzab

magzab — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 21:57:25 +0000

Legalize pot and see this country a nicer, happier, and safer place to live. Less people will abuse there kids, less shootings, less medical bills, and less road rage. That’s just to name a few. Not to mention the tax revenue to pay down the deficit. This is the elephant in the room.

By: CaptnCrunch

CaptnCrunch — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 13:04:08 +0000

Good job shining light on a dark corner Walker. A primary problem with legalization at this point is all the privately contracted probation and prison services. There is money involved and the current receivers are going to be loathe to give it up.

We’ve wasted trillions of dollars and thousands of man lives losing the war on drugs. God I hope we wake up soon!

By: mccallumjohn21

mccallumjohn21 — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:12:16 +0000

The US has the highest incarceration rate in the world. Locking up more of it’s citizens than China locks up of there citizens. The US is the exact opposite of the b.s. land of the free that is taught in schools. The founding fathers would have never believed in drug laws or in agencies like the DEA or DHS. The US is a police state. There are endless violations of the 4th amendment made by law enforcement everyday throughout the US. It is past time to end drug laws. In 2010, the govt. spent 15 plus billion on the drug war. Even if there were an increase of welfare recipients from erasing drug laws, it would still be far cheaper than spending the insane amount of money on prisoners and drug law enforcers.

Even if there were an increase of auto accident deaths, it would still be far less deaths than those who die in gangland shootouts and those who rob and kill to get money to buy drugs. It makes me sick to hear blind patriots that claim the US is the freest nation on earth but believe in imprisoning a fellow American over recreational drugs. The puritan mindset in the US today would find major disagreement with the founding fathers over drug laws. Thomas Jefferson cultivated poppy plants for opium, as did many others in the colonies. No govt. should have the right to imprison a citizen over what they consume. The govt. does not care about your health, that’s a ruse, just a cover for them, they make money by using prison labor to manufacture products dirt cheap with the profits going to a select few wealthy elitists.The majority of Americans have no idea that they were snowed into accepting a new form of slavery called the drug war. Do some research, you will never be taught the truth about real history in school or college.

By: byrond2

byrond2 — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 23:25:08 +0000

@spca, it seems that first, you have a problem with motor vehicle safety. Cars have been used by people for about 100 years, while marijuana has been used by people for about 10,000 year. Since marijuana has never directly caused deaths due to its low toxicity, and cars cause thousands of deaths every year, it is clear that cars are much worse. Second, I have not seen any scientific evidence that demonstrates that marijuana makes people more violent. And it really isn’t very “mind altering”. It’s not much more “mind altering” than a triple shot of espresso, at least at reasonable doses. I do wonder about this excessive use of Xanax, however.

By: SeeView

SeeView — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 21:42:45 +0000

“it is regarded as a possible habit-forming substance”.

So is lip balm.

By: spca

spca — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 19:36:18 +0000

absolutely NOT. we already have enough traffic deaths due to alchol, cell phones and rage drivers. adding mind alterating drugs to the pot is insane. history shows that illegal drugs of all types are associated with all types of violent crimes

By: byrond2

byrond2 — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 19:03:36 +0000

I meant ‘mescaline” not “mescalin” above. Besides that, I think it’s important to consider that the US government may be much more open to legalizing marijuana as a recreational substance versus categorizing it as a medicine. Like alcohol and tobacco, it is a natural substance. If you leave grape juice out in the open for a few days, yeast in the air will turn it into wine. Tobacco and marijuana are simply natural plants that can and will be used recreationally. I’d prefer to think of marijuana more like a safer version of alcohol that’s about as dangerous as caffeine. Coffee, too, is of course a natural plant that is used as a recreational, mind-altering drug, and it’s really amazingly popular.

By: byrond2

byrond2 — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 18:31:55 +0000

Here’s the subtle problem. Marijuana is a whole botanical, unlike most of the “substances” on the list. Take mescalin, a schedule one substance. This individual substance is found in high concentrations in the San Pedro cactus. The San Pedro cactus is not on the list, and therefore it can be legally grown and sold for decorative purposes. A main issue is that marijuana contains about 70 cannabinoids in addition to THC. All cannabinoids, which are essentially unique to marijuana (also hemp), are schedule 1 substances. Therefore, marijuana must be removed entirely from the list, as all of the cannabinoids will not be researched for safety any time soon.

By: MikeParent

MikeParent — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 15:56:55 +0000

Marijuana Prohibition was conceived, born and nurtured from lies, greed and racism. Nothing has changed that fact. Of Course we should legalize it, save tens of billions and stop arresting millions, annually.