Is Marijuana Decriminalization Overdue?

[Proton Soup]

Here's a radical idea...let the families police the problem.

If someone of ANY age is arrested for SELLING (small quantities) drugs...instead of jail...reduce government benefits by 50% to the immediate family, second offense reduce to 25% and 3rd offense...cut off all benefits to the immediate family.

Instead of putting the money into the court system...open drug rehab centers that the entire family can visit and work through problems...with the incentive of keeping government benefits and with the possibility of INCREASED benefits if everyone in the family tests clean for 3 mos, 6 mos, etc.

Families need help, communities need help and attitudes and environment need to change...make the problem unacceptable and provide clear incentives to make a change.

lol, that is an excellent recipe for getting the whole family into the business. you not only arrested a breadwinner, you took away their bread.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Did anyone see the investigative report last night about pot growers Mendocino County? If they were all shut down, allegedly the county would go broke.

The reality of the economics is really hitting home; esp with the recession.

 

[LowlyPion]

Here's a fun observation:

Marijuana Legalization More Popular than Key Conservative Leaders

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/a...ore_popular_than_key_conservative_leaders.php

 

[Proton Soup]

Here's a fun observation:

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/a...ore_popular_than_key_conservative_leaders.php

yeah, but liberals enjoy oppressing the public with the police as much or more than conservatives. and marijuana is the easy way into a vehicle or residence.

 

[WhoWee]

lol, that is an excellent recipe for getting the whole family into the business. you not only arrested a breadwinner, you took away their bread.

I would argue that the needs of the group outweigh the needs of one irresponsible member. If the "bread" is baked by Uncle Sam...you better do what you need to keep it comming.

But, if that's the way they choose to help with the problem (everyone start selling drugs...then cut them ALL off (from government funding social security/disability/medicare/Section8/food stamps/EIC and whatever else)...next! It's not an unreasonable requirement...don't allow anyone living under your roof to break the law or you lose your benefits.

For the "poor little misunderstood rich kid" that chooses to deal drugs to pay for his habit (or meet girls or whatever?)...use the opposite approach...increase dad's taxes by 25% if he doesn't deal with the problem the first time.

Rich or poor...keep it in the family.

 

[dlgoff]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/25/health/main3874664.shtml

For $200 and the cost of two required textbooks, students learn how to cultivate and cook with cannabis,...

You think the textbooks are copies of High Times? I remember seeing this magazine back in the 70s. I wonder if it still exist?

 

[LowlyPion]

You think the textbooks are copies of High Times? I remember seeing this magazine back in the 70s. I wonder if it still exist?

http://hightimes.com/

 

[mbisCool]

An article about two bills in the state of Washington made the cover of the Seattle Times just the other day, they would make possession a fine payable by mail; not that they will go through. One reason argued was that Washington should wait till the Federal Government takes marijuana out of schedule 1. Since congress won't even pass a bill to stop the prosecution of medical marijuana patients I see this as unlikely in the forseeable future :(

Its up to the west coast to change the country!

 

[Ivan Seeking]

This is what we saw.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/28281668?__source=vty|marijuanainc|&par=vty

Pot growers thrive in Northern California
Cash crop now accounts for two-thirds of Mendocino County economy

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28354324/

 

[Proton Soup]

You think the textbooks are copies of High Times? I remember seeing this magazine back in the 70s. I wonder if it still exist?

walk in your local barnes and noble or books-a-million and you will find books on the shelf that explain how to grow pot, and how to do it discretely.

 

[dlgoff]

walk in your local barnes and noble or books-a-million and you will find books on the shelf that explain how to grow pot, and how to do it discretely.

Thanks but no.

 

[z0rn dawg]

Instead of putting the money into the court system...open drug rehab centers that the entire family can visit and work through problems...with the incentive of keeping government benefits and with the possibility of INCREASED benefits if everyone in the family tests clean for 3 mos, 6 mos, etc.

Isn't this discussion about marijuana? From what I understand, marijuana is not physically addictive. Your brain has no physical need to use it. (It all has to do with dopamine and some other stuff.) That being said, rehab centers are usually for physically addictive drugs, not something like marijuana.

Families need help, communities need help and attitudes and environment need to change...make the problem unacceptable and provide clear incentives to make a change.

I totally agree that communities need help. However, drugs are looked down upon. I think it's just a different community or group that looks down upon it. It's a way of life for some people though. If the community in which they live does not look down upon it though, why should the user?

 

[mbisCool]

When I got a court ordered drug assessment at a treatment center it was a joke. The place is obviously for people with real drug problems eg. heroin. You go to benefit from group session and the questions they ask are obviously directed to real drug abusers such as getting withdrawals when you discontinue...

My biggest withdrawal symptom, periodic boredom?

I don't think sending kids to outpatient for marijuana really does anything...

 

[mbisCool]

A friend of mine was pulled over the other day. The washington state trooper confiscated her pipe, lighter, about 3/4 ounce of marijuana, not her scale which is covered in keif, and didnt cite her for anything. I suspect foul play here!

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

Ivan I've been hearing commercials on the radio lately for a company that sells hydroponic equipment for organic growers. I think your links spread a bit of light on that.

A friend of mine was pulled over the other day. The washington state trooper confiscated her pipe, lighter, about 3/4 ounce of marijuana, not her scale which is covered in keif, and didnt cite her for anything. I suspect foul play here!

that's common in some places around here. some cops don't realyy care that much about marijuana use but they have to do something or they can get in trouble. just last night at work I had to call the police on a resident who turned out to be on probation and whose apartment was very obviously hotboxed. the officer gave him a hard time and threatened to search the apartment but decided in the end that he had better things to be doing.