Legalized Marijuana

[rvg]

Prohibition is a failure. The status quo is changing, as the recent ballot initiatives have shown. The USA has passed the tipping point at which more that 50% of the population sees the madness of criminalizing a popular and comparatively safe recreational drug.
And you can't put it on the hippies and pot-heads. Last estimate was that only 3.9 million Americans smoke pot regularly. That means there are a lot of people like me, who see a stupid, failed, obstinate, counter-factual policy for what it is.

Why would I support something from which I don't stand to gain anything and potentially lose something? Why in the world would I do that? It makes no sense to me.

[Lemur]

Why would I support something from which I don't stand to gain anything and potentially lose something?

Could you please be more specific? What do you "potentially lose" by allowing a few of your friends and neighbors to purchase and consume marijuana legally? And what do you "stand to gain" by continuing a massively expensive, failed policy of prohibition?

Note that the average cost for incarcerating a marijuana smoker is $23,000 per year. And because our jails are full of these non-violent perps, states are forced to either expand their prison budgets and facilities or release violent criminals to make room for all of the pot heads. Where is your benefit?

[rvg]

Could you please be more specific? What do you "potentially lose" by allowing a few of your friends and neighbors to purchase and consume marijuana legally?

By having a marijuana dispensery in my town for instance. 18 year olds (or 21 or whatever) smoking it openly. Recreational use of it does not make my state a better place for me.

And what do you "stand to gain" by continuing a massively expensive, failed policy of prohibition? Note that the average cost for incarcerating a marijuana smoker is $23,000 per year. And because our jails are full of these non-violent perps, states are forced to either expand their prison budgets and facilities or release violent criminals to make room for all of the pot heads. Where is your benefit?

The current policy can certainly use some work. However, the substandard policy doesn't mean that legalization is needed. It just means that the policy needs to be retooled by punishing the dealers more and punishing the users less. Users can be dealt with by high fines and no jail time, while the dealers should be looking at life w/o parole.

[Lemur]

18 year olds (or 21 or whatever) smoking it openly.

Public intoxication is already a crime in most states. I seriously doubt you would be subject to legions of weed-smoking teens or young adults toking up in public.

The current policy can certainly use some work.

No, the current policy is a failure by any objective measure. I challenge you to find me a metric -- any metric -- that indicates marijuana prohibition is a success. On any level.

[rvg]

No, the current policy is a failure by any objective measure. I challenge you to find me a metric -- any metric -- that indicates marijuana policy is a success. On any level.

It makes access to the drug more difficult and more importantly it keeps the drug branded as socially unacceptable. When you're trying get a job you have to pass a drug test. Smoke pot == no job. There are of course ways to beat the system, but the point is that it discourages the drug usage. I like that. I'd like it to stay that way.

[Lemur]

It makes access to the drug more difficult and more importantly it keeps the drug branded as socially unacceptable.

That's an assertion, not a metric. Please, find me a measurable impact or result of marijuana prohibition that indicates the policy is a success.

[Idaho]

That's an assertion, not a metric. Please, find me a measurable impact or result of marijuana prohibition that indicates the policy is a success.

I understand where rvg is coming from. For him, the very fact of illegality is a measurable success. He will remain unconvinced even if legalisation was implemented, reduced drug use and harms and saved money.

[Idaho]

Heh... We aren't going to convince you.

People are already using it in your town. Usage in the medium term won't increase. The difference is that people will pay tax on it and the money won't go to organised crime.

Try and squeeze supply eh? What does that do to price again... And where will those boosted profits go...?

[rvg]

Heh... We aren't going to convince you.

People are already using it in your town. Usage in the medium term won't increase. The difference is that people will pay tax on it and the money won't go to organised crime.

Try and squeeze supply eh? What does that do to price again... And where will those boosted profits go...?

This isn't anything personal, mind you. I do not believe drugs to be a positive influence on our society. Alcohol is tolerable because it is so deeply ingrained in our culture. It's grandfathered in if you will. That however does not mean that I should vote to open the doors for other drugs.

That's an assertion, not a metric. Please, find me a measurable impact or result of marijuana prohibition that indicates the policy is a success.

Not a metric perhaps, but good enough for me to stick to my view. Not trying to win any converts.

[Idaho]

Why would I support something from which I don't stand to gain anything and potentially lose something? Why in the world would I do that? It makes no sense to me.

What would you lose?

There are many potential gains.