Dem Rep. Jared Polis calls on Congress to end marijuana prohibiti

[kpete]

Source: Raw Story

Dem Rep. Jared Polis calls on Congress to end marijuana prohibition

By Sahil Kapur
Wednesday, March 30th, 2011 -- 12:26 pm

WASHINGTON – Speaking alongside industry advocates, U.S. Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO) called Wednesday for Congress to end the prohibition on marijuana, stressing the need to reduce drug violence while hailing the medical cannabis market's capacity for growing the economy.

"Ending the failed policy of prohibition with regard to marijuana will strike a major blow against the criminal cartels that are terrorizing Americans and Mexicans on both sides of the border," Polis said at the National Press Club, in response to a question from Raw Story.

"It's been estimated that the drug cartels drive about half of their revenue from marijuana, so I think it would reduce the violence by half, and reduce the money that fuels the criminal enterprises by half."

Organized by the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA), a lobbying and trade group for the industry, the event featured anti-prohibition advocates and owners of medical marijuana businesses speaking out against the burdensome federal regulations they face.

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/03/30/dem-rep-jared-polis-calls-on-congress-to-end-marijuana-prohibition/

[AKDavy]

1. "National Cannabis Industry Association"

The in-the-face-of-power irony of an industry organization for a substance that is illegal under federal law.

When is Power going to get a clue? Marijuana laws are a national joke on those who think they can control personal behavior.

[ixion]

2. "the criminal cartels that are terrorizing Americans"

Indeed... chief among them being the DEA.

[think]

3. It would reduce stress in so many ways

.....

[drokhole]

4. Yep, which would be a very bad thing for fear-mongerers.

[No Elephants]

5. ......

"The prestige of government has undoubtedly been lowered considerably by the prohibition law. For nothing is more destructive of respect for the government and the law of the land than passing laws which cannot be enforced.

It is an open secret that the dangerous increase of crime in this country is closely connected with this."


Albert Einstein, "My First Impression of the U.S.A.", 1921

[iwishiwas]

6. Thanks for the quote. Einstein was right.

[timo]

7. the cartels

would not go away, they would just dig in deeper, they already have branched out waaayyy beyond drug trafficking, and they have even been operating in other countries besides mexico and the states..:(