Lets End Marijuana Prohibition

[AlternativeSolutionsPlus]

"The marijuana movement is unique insofar as it is morphing into a full-fledge industry that will market a product, create jobs, generate taxes all while aiding and assisting qualified patients."

 

Top Ten Reasons to End Marijuana Prohibition

by Taxing and Regulating Marijuana

MPP Blog - We change laws

 

1. Prohibition is a complete failure — marijuana use is mainstream and widespread. When the federal government

first effectively prohibited marijuana in 1937, relatively few Americans had even heard of it. Today, according to 2009 U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services data, over 100 million Americans admit to having tried it (16.7 million in the last

month), and every year, the Monitoring the Future survey finds that over 80% of high school seniors say marijuana is easy to

obtain.

 

2. Prohibition is an immense waste of public resources, while marijuana taxation would bring in much-needed revenues

in these tough economic times. According to 2010 estimates by Harvard University economist Jeffrey Miron, replacing

marijuana prohibition with a system of taxation and regulation would yield $20.1 billion in government savings and increased

tax revenues. Another researcher, Jon Gettman, estimates lost tax revenues caused by marijuana’s prohibition at $31 billion.

 

3. Prohibition sends an incredible number of Americans through the criminal justice system, ruining countless lives.

According to the FBI, since 1995, there have been more than 11.2 million U.S. marijuana arrests, with 858,408 in 2009

– significantly more than for all violent crimes combined. 88% of these arrests are for possession – not manufacture or

distribution. According to a study of prisons in four midwestern states, one in ten male inmates will be raped while in prison,

and up to 27% of female inmates may be subject to rape and sexual assault.

 

4. Under prohibition, marijuana offenders are subject to harsh collateral sanctions, even those who are not imprisoned.

Because of a marijuana conviction, offenders may be deemed ineligible to adopt a child, serve as a foster parent, participate

in public housing and food assistance programs, earn a professional license, receive student loans or a driver’s license, serve

on a jury, possess a firearm, or vote. It is unjust that some marijuana users face these lifelong consequences, while those lucky

enough not to be caught can go on to become U.S. governors, presidents, or Supreme Court justices.

 

5. The arbitrary criminalization of tens of millions of Americans who consume marijuana results in a large-scale lack of

respect and rejection of the law. For many of the 104 million Americans who have tried marijuana, it’s illogical and unjust

that marijuana use is illegal, while more dangerous substances, such as alcohol, are legal and regulated. The disparity in the

treatment of these substances, as well as the economic and racial disparities in prosecution and sentencing, break down

societal respect for the law and law enforcement.

 

6. There is no evidence that imposing criminal penalties on marijuana use reduces its use. The National Research

Council found that “perceived legal risk explains very little in the variance of individual drug use.” In 2008, the World Health

Organization found that in the Netherlands, where adults are allowed to purchase and possess small amounts of marijuana,

both teen and adult marijuana use is significantly lower than in the U.S., where marijuana is illegal.

 

7. Prohibition makes control impossible. Producers and sellers of marijuana are completely unregulated. Unlike licensed

businesses that sell liquor or tobacco, marijuana sellers operate virtually anywhere and have no incentive not to sell to minors.

Prohibition guarantees that marijuana cannot undergo quality control inspections for purity and potency, creating possible

health hazards as a result of contamination by pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, molds, fungi, or bacteria, as well as the lacing

of marijuana with other drugs or formaldehyde. Under taxation and regulation, producers and sellers would be licensed and

zoned accordingly.

 

8. Marijuana prohibition breeds violence. Currently, the only sellers of marijuana are criminals. As in 1920s Chicago, since

disputes cannot be solved lawfully, violence is inevitable. According to a BBC report based on Mexican government data ,

since 2007, more than 34,000 people have been killed in Mexican drug cartel-related violence. Those purchasing marijuana

illegally also may face muggings and other violence.

 

9. Prohibition is bad for the environment. Because marijuana cultivation is illegal, unlicensed, and carries felony charges, it

often takes place in environmentally damaging locations such as national parks and wilderness areas. Under taxation and

regulation, marijuana sales would be relegated to regulated, licensed businesses, which would cultivate in legally zoned areas.

 

10. Marijuana is safer than alcohol. Unlike legal substances such as water, alcohol, Tylenol, and prescription opiates, marijuana

has never caused a single medically documented overdose death in recorded history. Alcohol causes over 300 overdose

deaths each year, and in 2007 (the latest year for which data is available), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control reported 23,199

“alcohol-induced deaths” and no marijuana deaths. The British government’s official scientific body on drug policy concluded

that [legally regulated drugs] alcohol and tobacco are “significantly more harmful than marijuana. ” American law treats

alcohol as if it were safer than marijuana, encouraging people to drink.

 

Top Ten Reasons to End Marijuana Prohibition

by Taxing and Regulating Marijuana

Marijuana Policy Project • www.mpp.org

[+wolfgang]

not into regulations,but some very valid points.

[asignman]

I agree with wolf. Just decriminalize it. Grows wild on the side of the road in many states. How ya gonna regulate that?

[Restorium2]

Thanks MMP, your propaganda machine knows no bounds.... They sure know how to throw you under the bus when they want something. LOL

 

Currently, the only sellers of marijuana are criminals. and poisoners that sell to kids. MPP forgot all about medical when they swapped hats to go for the big money. Their metamorphosis is amazing to watch. Like a butterfly turning into a worm. LOL

[AlternativeSolutionsPlus]

Thanks MMP, your propaganda machine knows no bounds.... They sure know how to throw you under the bus when they want something. LOL

 

Currently, the only sellers of marijuana are criminals. and poisoners that sell to kids. MPP forgot all about medical when they swapped hats to go for the big money. Their metamorphosis is amazing to watch. Like a butterfly turning into a worm. LOL

 

I caught that also, but dismissed it because of their need to appeal to a national level. But we do hear you.

[Restorium2]

I caught that also, but dismissed it because of their need to appeal to a national level. But we do hear you.

Nothing new. Just look at that Arizona medical marijuana law.... All dispensary and no patient grows. Hows it feel to be a door mat? LOL

Their 'national appeal' would put patient growers out of existence.

[AlternativeSolutionsPlus]

Nothing new. Just look at that Arizona medical marijuana law.... All dispensary and no patient grows. Hows it feel to be a door mat? LOL

Their 'national appeal' would put patient growers out of existence.

 

Thank you for your observation and insight. That is why I so enjoy these forums, it presents the opportunity to hear everything from all sides of the equation. Take care and good luck. And please continue to share any thoughts or observations you have, comments like yours breath life into these forums.

[Restorium2]

Thank you for your observation and insight. That is why I so enjoy these forums, it presents the opportunity to hear everything from all sides of the equation. Take care and good luck. And please continue to share any thoughts or observations you have, comments like yours breath life into these forums.

Thanks and will do. Been here since '08, MMMA member #7. Have the card to prove it. 7th paying member of the MMMA. Take care and good luck to you too.

[Kevin]

It's cannabis, not marijuana. When they gonna get it through their heads. A plant. Not a drug. Cannabis.

 

The 'M' word is steeped in decades of hatred & racism. Cannabis. Call it what it is.

[AlternativeSolutionsPlus]

It's cannabis, not marijuana. When they gonna get it through their heads. A plant. Not a drug. Cannabis.

 

The 'M' word is steeped in decades of hatred & racism. Cannabis. Call it what it is.

 

Kevin you are right, cannabis somehow morphed into a slang that we now have accepted as "marijuana". The history of this word is fascinating, but you are correct marijuana should be at least medical marijuana which is two steps above "pot". Uphill battle for acceptance what can you do except just keep doing what you are doing.

[Kevin]

I can't understand why we, patients, caregivers & advocates of cannabis continue to disrespect cannabis & perpetuate their hate filled word as the name for our God given healing medicine. I just don't understand it.

 

Please, may we all strike the vicious 'M' word from our vocabulary.

 

 

 

Cannabis Victory in 2010

[Dr. Bob]

The state calls it Marihuana, many call it Marijuana, it is called cannabis stativa and cannabis indica in the textbooks. Names have the connotations we put to them, it doesn't change what it is.

 

Changing the name isn't going to give it acceptance, bringing it into the mainstream will. I believe the legalization issue will not occur until several things happen. We need about 4% of the population using MMJ medically. We need a card holder on every jury. We need at least 10 more states to legalize the medical use of cannabis, and we need cannabis, marijuana, or marihuana removed from the Controlled Substance Act and left up to the individual states. Then (about 20 years down the road) we can talk the end of prohibition.

 

Right now we need to do the ground work of getting folks that qualify signed up legitimately (defensible in court), we need to publish the positive results of cannabis therapy. We need to educate physician so the primary care doctors get on board. When it comes into general acceptance with primary care doctors, public acceptance will follow and so will additional states. Then we lobby to have it removed from the CSA.

 

Then we can seriously start hoping for the end of prohibition. Let's continue to hammer the ground work.

 

Dr. Bob

[+Silverblue]

Heavy-handed, blown out of proportion, narrow-minded, short-sighted legislation is being created by thosed who think they have the right to pick on sick people, in the name of protecting the public, they're only protecting themselves and their greedy self interests. IF ANY of these laws pass, those tyrants will see their political career days be numbered. Keep the voters informed of what's really going on, don't let the tyrants use their rhetoric to turn the voters against us. The voters are being lied to as usual. I wish I could do more to help, it's so frustrating.

 

Sb

[AlternativeSolutionsPlus]

Just keep on doing what your are doing; talk about it, post it, write about it, and send letters to your US and Michigan Senators and Representatives. The more letters they recieve the more they become aware of the strength of the movement against the proposed bills. If everyone who belongs to the MMMA and this forum took the time to send one letter to each of their respective US Senators and Representatives along with their Michigan Senators and Representatives the volume of written support would bury them. I personally this weekend used BB's form letter and mailed a letter, not only to their Washington Offices but to their local offices here in Michigan. Take those 6 letters and multiply it times the amount of members here and the numbers can be great. I even addressed one to the Governor to make it 7. Good Luck.