lequebecfume
09-26-2010, 04:26 AM
Sunday Forum: Times readers favor legalizing marijuana in California
Sunday Forum
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 09/26/2010 12:00:00 AM PDT
Be reasonable
How much longer must we try to legislate morality ? It never worked with alcohol, and it will ultimately fail with marijuana. There are many users, and they should be allowed to use a drug that is much less dangerous than alcohol.
Other advantages: the state can collect taxes on legalized pot, and we can save the cost of drug prosecutions, including punishment of users for nonserious "crime." We can then use limited police availability for serious crimes -- theft, violence and murder.
I am not a pot user, but I own remote country land where pot growers sneak in to plant. The sheriff can't keep up with them, but it is a hazard for me when I visit my place. The growers are of course armed and dangerous.
Please let us be reasonable and legalize recreational marijuana.
Albert J. Rothman
Livermore
Cripple cartels
Legalize marijuana. The 40-year war on drugs has been a dismal failure and worse. In 1972, the war on drugs was raging in towns around Mexico City with no result except to enrich the drug cartels and kill innocent and not so innocent folks.
The war on drugs has caused the crime that surrounds illegal products like marijuana. Eighty percent of the cartel income comes from marijuana sales to the United States.
is the cause of this crime, these crime syndicates and the deaths of tens of thousands of both the innocent and guilty.
It is for this reason marijuana should be legalized and quickly.
This simple act would cripple the cartels by removing 80 percent of their income.
Joel Olney
Livermore
Safety is issue
Oh yes! If things aren't bad enough already, just what we need is a bunch of people stoned out-of-their-minds driving around on our roads and freeways.
So, if this initiative passes, we will have to watch out for both drunks and potheads. I am voting a resounding no on this one. Public safety is the issue here.
Dawn Muse
Pittsburg
Complicated issue
This is very controversial and I'm still trying to decide. Many astute and erudite friends have told me that the idea of recreational marijuana legalization is the epitome of ubiquitous guilessness and unrestrained naivete to the point of astronomical misanthropy.
Conversely, I usually agree wholeheartedly with others who insist that pusillamity has no place in the culmination (albeit fraught with much apogee and opposing perigee of thought) of the potentially maelstromic journey to a reasoned decision, obviously bathed in unshaded intellectual sunlight.
As a corollary, argumentively labeled a parallel by some, unjustly deemed to be misguided by others, parts of the above two ideas, obviously ignoring the egregiously ridiculous lack of specific melding of some characteristics contained, could well result in a compatible and harmonious ballot marked in the voting booth.
I earnestly but humbly suggest that if all voters analyze carefully my words above, they forthwith will easily find the correct decision.
Martin A. Easton
Clayton
Yes to Prop. 19
I think marijuana should be legalized in California for the simple reason the local governments, which are from the hippie era, are destroying our constitutional freedoms and it will make them realize this coming November that by vote on the ballot we will win the battle and the war of legalizing marijuana. Say yes to Proposition 19.
Jonathan Winchell
Lafayette
No to legalization
Although medicinal marijuana has been known to relieve pain in many debilitating illnesses, it has been determined to have a negative effect on patients with pre-existing immune deficits.
Additional studies strongly suggest that marijuana affects brain function and memory. It was also concluded that those patients will be less capable to fend off respiratory conditions while at the same time attempting to cure those and other diseases.
As advertised, even the popular blue pill has its own list of side effects.
Others argue that decriminalizing marijuana for those 21 and older would save billions of dollars from being wasted by law enforcement and the courts. It would also generate huge amounts of money in tax revenue.
But questions remain whether marijuana leads to harder drugs. Will legalization of the herb stop the drug cartels or will they find other substances to traffic?
As never before, we need clear-thinking people guiding our younger generation to be ready to meet life's many challenges rather than escape from reality to become potheads and losers.
Under the pretense of saving money, making something legal does not make it morally right.
Irene Lynch
San Ramon
Decriminalize pot
This decades-long experiment in social and cultural self-destruction via police-state neo-prohibition, aka "the war on drugs" must end, especially regarding marijuana.
We can try state initiatives like Proposition 19, but better yet, let's pass legislation properly reclassifying marijuana from schedule one to schedule five, or just declassify it completely.
It's really that simple to do, but politically difficult for our weak-willed mainstream politicians.
In Schedule I, the drug or other substance must have a high potential for abuse, which marijuana doesn't compared to legal alcohol, meeting the Schedule V definition of low potential for abuse relative to the substances in schedules I-IV.
In Schedule I, drugs have no currently accepted medical use in treatment and lack accepted safety protocol for use under medical supervision; clearly both of these stipulations have long been inapplicable to marijuana which conforms to the schedule V definition of accepted medical uses.
For proof, one need only ask a dying hospice patient, whose lucidity is retained while their medical complications are assuaged by marijuana, but not by morphine.
Let's decriminalize, regulate and tax marijuana; pardon all nonviolent marijuana inmates so real criminals aren't being released; and regain community respect for law enforcement.
Ed Chainey
Richmond
End war on weed
The war on weed (cannabis) has been burning taxpayer's money for more than 40 years. It's pushed growers farther into the wilderness or indoors. Gangsters have become rich, tax-free.
The economy is based on supply and demand. People should try using their brain to diminish the demand, not just firepower against the supply. It only raises the price. Is that what you want?
Politicians constantly want to raise taxes on my home, car, truck and everything I purchase to maintain them. This cannabis tax will cost me absolutely nothing. I'm always being asked to vote yes on tax measures. Here is my first yes vote.
Bruce R. Peterson
Lafayette
Reasons to legalize
Marijuana should be legalized for recreational use. There are many reasons but space permits only a few:
Marijuana will no longer be a gateway drug to the black market if it is legalized. This will reduce exposure to harder black market drugs.
Proposition 86, a tobacco tax, was opposed by law enforcement because law enforcement believed a black market would result from the tax, and law enforcement said black markets increase crime.
That being the case, how much lower will crime be with regulated licensed dealers selling taxable marijuana to adults than the current prohibitionist black market distribution system where children sell to other children so gangs can profit and influence their lives?
Once legal at the state level, marijuana can also be taxed at the local level. If the Rand Corporation's estimates are accurate and the cost to produce one ounce is $50 then there could be up to $100 tax per ounce and still sell below current prices undercutting black markets and also, perhaps, saving a cop's job in your town.
Finally, end the uncomfortable obvious hypocrisy that often accompanies this question: Why is marijuana illegal and tobacco and alcohol legal?
Glenn White
Dublin
Sunday Forum
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 09/26/2010 12:00:00 AM PDT
Be reasonable
How much longer must we try to legislate morality ? It never worked with alcohol, and it will ultimately fail with marijuana. There are many users, and they should be allowed to use a drug that is much less dangerous than alcohol.
Other advantages: the state can collect taxes on legalized pot, and we can save the cost of drug prosecutions, including punishment of users for nonserious "crime." We can then use limited police availability for serious crimes -- theft, violence and murder.
I am not a pot user, but I own remote country land where pot growers sneak in to plant. The sheriff can't keep up with them, but it is a hazard for me when I visit my place. The growers are of course armed and dangerous.
Please let us be reasonable and legalize recreational marijuana.
Albert J. Rothman
Livermore
Cripple cartels
Legalize marijuana. The 40-year war on drugs has been a dismal failure and worse. In 1972, the war on drugs was raging in towns around Mexico City with no result except to enrich the drug cartels and kill innocent and not so innocent folks.
The war on drugs has caused the crime that surrounds illegal products like marijuana. Eighty percent of the cartel income comes from marijuana sales to the United States.
is the cause of this crime, these crime syndicates and the deaths of tens of thousands of both the innocent and guilty.
It is for this reason marijuana should be legalized and quickly.
This simple act would cripple the cartels by removing 80 percent of their income.
Joel Olney
Livermore
Safety is issue
Oh yes! If things aren't bad enough already, just what we need is a bunch of people stoned out-of-their-minds driving around on our roads and freeways.
So, if this initiative passes, we will have to watch out for both drunks and potheads. I am voting a resounding no on this one. Public safety is the issue here.
Dawn Muse
Pittsburg
Complicated issue
This is very controversial and I'm still trying to decide. Many astute and erudite friends have told me that the idea of recreational marijuana legalization is the epitome of ubiquitous guilessness and unrestrained naivete to the point of astronomical misanthropy.
Conversely, I usually agree wholeheartedly with others who insist that pusillamity has no place in the culmination (albeit fraught with much apogee and opposing perigee of thought) of the potentially maelstromic journey to a reasoned decision, obviously bathed in unshaded intellectual sunlight.
As a corollary, argumentively labeled a parallel by some, unjustly deemed to be misguided by others, parts of the above two ideas, obviously ignoring the egregiously ridiculous lack of specific melding of some characteristics contained, could well result in a compatible and harmonious ballot marked in the voting booth.
I earnestly but humbly suggest that if all voters analyze carefully my words above, they forthwith will easily find the correct decision.
Martin A. Easton
Clayton
Yes to Prop. 19
I think marijuana should be legalized in California for the simple reason the local governments, which are from the hippie era, are destroying our constitutional freedoms and it will make them realize this coming November that by vote on the ballot we will win the battle and the war of legalizing marijuana. Say yes to Proposition 19.
Jonathan Winchell
Lafayette
No to legalization
Although medicinal marijuana has been known to relieve pain in many debilitating illnesses, it has been determined to have a negative effect on patients with pre-existing immune deficits.
Additional studies strongly suggest that marijuana affects brain function and memory. It was also concluded that those patients will be less capable to fend off respiratory conditions while at the same time attempting to cure those and other diseases.
As advertised, even the popular blue pill has its own list of side effects.
Others argue that decriminalizing marijuana for those 21 and older would save billions of dollars from being wasted by law enforcement and the courts. It would also generate huge amounts of money in tax revenue.
But questions remain whether marijuana leads to harder drugs. Will legalization of the herb stop the drug cartels or will they find other substances to traffic?
As never before, we need clear-thinking people guiding our younger generation to be ready to meet life's many challenges rather than escape from reality to become potheads and losers.
Under the pretense of saving money, making something legal does not make it morally right.
Irene Lynch
San Ramon
Decriminalize pot
This decades-long experiment in social and cultural self-destruction via police-state neo-prohibition, aka "the war on drugs" must end, especially regarding marijuana.
We can try state initiatives like Proposition 19, but better yet, let's pass legislation properly reclassifying marijuana from schedule one to schedule five, or just declassify it completely.
It's really that simple to do, but politically difficult for our weak-willed mainstream politicians.
In Schedule I, the drug or other substance must have a high potential for abuse, which marijuana doesn't compared to legal alcohol, meeting the Schedule V definition of low potential for abuse relative to the substances in schedules I-IV.
In Schedule I, drugs have no currently accepted medical use in treatment and lack accepted safety protocol for use under medical supervision; clearly both of these stipulations have long been inapplicable to marijuana which conforms to the schedule V definition of accepted medical uses.
For proof, one need only ask a dying hospice patient, whose lucidity is retained while their medical complications are assuaged by marijuana, but not by morphine.
Let's decriminalize, regulate and tax marijuana; pardon all nonviolent marijuana inmates so real criminals aren't being released; and regain community respect for law enforcement.
Ed Chainey
Richmond
End war on weed
The war on weed (cannabis) has been burning taxpayer's money for more than 40 years. It's pushed growers farther into the wilderness or indoors. Gangsters have become rich, tax-free.
The economy is based on supply and demand. People should try using their brain to diminish the demand, not just firepower against the supply. It only raises the price. Is that what you want?
Politicians constantly want to raise taxes on my home, car, truck and everything I purchase to maintain them. This cannabis tax will cost me absolutely nothing. I'm always being asked to vote yes on tax measures. Here is my first yes vote.
Bruce R. Peterson
Lafayette
Reasons to legalize
Marijuana should be legalized for recreational use. There are many reasons but space permits only a few:
Marijuana will no longer be a gateway drug to the black market if it is legalized. This will reduce exposure to harder black market drugs.
Proposition 86, a tobacco tax, was opposed by law enforcement because law enforcement believed a black market would result from the tax, and law enforcement said black markets increase crime.
That being the case, how much lower will crime be with regulated licensed dealers selling taxable marijuana to adults than the current prohibitionist black market distribution system where children sell to other children so gangs can profit and influence their lives?
Once legal at the state level, marijuana can also be taxed at the local level. If the Rand Corporation's estimates are accurate and the cost to produce one ounce is $50 then there could be up to $100 tax per ounce and still sell below current prices undercutting black markets and also, perhaps, saving a cop's job in your town.
Finally, end the uncomfortable obvious hypocrisy that often accompanies this question: Why is marijuana illegal and tobacco and alcohol legal?
Glenn White
Dublin