Legalize Marijuana Sales Say B.C. Experts

[iscooterliberally]

Source: CBC News Canada

A coalition of prominent B.C. police officers, health professionals, legal experts and academics is calling for the legalization and regulated sale of marijuana.

The group Stop the Violence, which includes former B.C. Supreme Court justice Ross Lander and B.C.'s former chief coroner Vince Cain, has launched a high-profile political campaign to "end the cannabis cash cow of organized crime."

Panel member Dr, Evan Wood, of the B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, says marijuana prohibition is fuelling gang warfare, and school children now have easier access to pot than either alcohol or cigarettes, because of the reach of organized crime.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2011/10/27/bc-stop-the-violence-marijuana-coalition.html

---

Two days ago it was the President of Colombia. Today it's Canada. I think we need an entirely new government here in the US. One that actually represents people rather than money.

[msongs]

1. legalize grow your own - eliminate drug dealers and government leeches nt

[loudsue]

52. GREAT idea!! That would solve a whole list of problems. n/t

[MADem]

2. Barney Frank has been poking at this issue for several years now.

It will happen in time. Maybe after the next election--who knows? It sure as hell won't happen BEFORE it.

[the other one]

3. The other day my father, who is 73, said:

This country will not have an open and honest debate about the issue until 80% of the people favor legalization.

Personally, I think that number might have to be 99%

[yurbud]

60. the 1% will be those who profit from illegality, which is the same 1% that profit form everything

else.

[tridim]

4. Legalization is one of the most obvious general solutions there is.

Now that 50% of Americans want it, it's a no-brainer.

Our current government does NOTHING, so it's not surprising that they wont do anything about Cannabis.

[SteveM]

5. It's good to keep the ball rolling, even if the U.S. government acts predictably:

Rolls over, farts, and goes back to sleep.

[russspeakeasy]

6. If Obama would just say he's against it, we could get it passed.

[iscooterliberally]

7. I think he's got too much to let go of.

All that power and money. The one who has the biggest addiction problem is our Federal Government. They are totally addicted to the war on drugs. The DEA from it's very start has had to make up lies in order to justify it's existence. The first step is just getting the Executive Branch to admit it has a problem. Unfortunately the pay checks of too many people are dependant on keeping this bullshit going.

"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his job depends on not understanding it." - - Upton Sinclair

[Warren Stupidity]

12. I think he has no courage at all about anything.

[truedelphi]

38. The folks over at Big Pharma always want marijuana illegal, othrwise they cannot maximize the

Profits on the cannibinoids they are patenting.

And the banks need pot to be illegal as they make a fortune from money laundering.

And then so many politicians need the money from the "cleaned up " cartel member who lives inside the USA and owns a bank, or two.

The whole corruption of our nation by the drug situation is a crime. The only way to rid ourselves of the corruption is to make marijuana legal.

And unfortunately for all of us, Obama relies on money from Big Pharma and money from the "cleaned up" cartel members as much as anyone else in the Political Sphere.

[snagglepuss]

8. I have to wonder whether foreign and domestic drug cartels have lobbyists in DC.

[SteveM]

19. IIRC, all treaties in which the U.S. is a signatory require other countries...

as well as the United States to maintain legal prohibition of drugs, with any move toward legalization a reason to break treaty obligations.

Prohibitionists like treaties; they can lay down any stink they want to within the provisions.

[iverglas]

64. oh, do learn something

Before our current right-wing government came to power, simple possession of cannabis would very probably have been decriminalized in Canada had it not been for the sabre-rattling south of the border.

We were directly threatened with retaliation in the form of interference with cross-border movements of people and products if we dared to go against the US on that matter.

Canada and other countries have taken the position in the past that the Single Convention does not apply to simple possession:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_Convention_on_Narcotic_Drugs#Possession_for_personal_use

Who is the engine behind demands that compliance with the Convention requires that simple possession be outlawed?

Okay, you get 10 guesses, starting now.

The Convention doesn't really require the US to do this; the US uses the Convention to require that everybody else do it.

Get a clue.

[Uncle Joe]

9. Kicked and recommended for common sense, logic, compassion, sanity, respect of liberty

and fiscal responsibility.

Thanks for the thread, iscooterliberally.

[kestrel91316]

10. Full legalization NOW. Regulate it like alcohol and tobacco, and tax it to fund regulation.

[SteveM]

24. I would be careful about including "tobacco"...

There is an aggressive and well-funded move to bring tobacco under the massive, expensive and failed social engineering of Prohibition, Inc. In my home town (Austin, TX) there will soon be a move to ban smoking tobacco IN PUBLIC; streets, sidewalks, parks, etc. I speculate that once this is done, then a move will be made to prohibit smoking within one's residence if children live there as well. I think the tobacco prohis have marijuana's status in mind when they propose these laws. On a further note, there is a significant and growing trade in smuggled cigarettes (from over the Mexican border, from Reservations, etc.) to avoid the already high taxes.

"Taxes" is "Prohibition" spelled a different way.

I support full legalization NOW, as well. I have updated my files by participating in 2 public demonstrations advocating legalization, and I do my individual part as well by smoking. In public. During the day. At my age, what are they going to do? Ruin my career?

[NICO9000]

49. I haven't had a cigarette in 20 years and this upsets me

Seems to me, that banning smoking on the street is an authoritarian tactic done in the name of "public health." The government in Austin are going way too far with this one. Why don't they just ban the sale of cigs altogether?

[SteveM]

63. Oh, they would "ban the sale of cigs" if they thought they could get away...

with it. But it probably isn't legal at this point; I don't know. In any case, even the prohis within the tobacco ban "movement" probably see the roiling corruption and criminality which would reek to the surface if they did. Incidentally, at least 2 cities in California have for several years now banned public smoking of cigarettes.

It is an authoritarian tactic, because prohis tend to be authoritarian.

"The surest way to work up a crusade in favor of some good cause is to promise people they will have a chance of maltreating someone. To be able to destroy with good conscience, to be able to behave badly and call your bad behavior "righteous indignation" -- this is the height of psychological luxury, the most delicious of moral treats."
ALDOUS HUXLEY (1894-1963), Chrome Yellow, 1921.

[bloomington-lib]

11. After watching Ken Burns Prohibition

I see it as being even harder to legalize than I previously thought. Regular citizens, as well as politicians, openly defied prohibition. People like Al Smith as well as others drank and dared to be arrested. They weren't and I don't think politicians or even most people in general will try that out with pot. There just aren't the same amount of people that believe it's their right or part of their tradition to smoke pot. I don't think it's impossible, just more difficult.

One thing I thought after watching it was what if they tried doing the same with marijuana as they did with beer at the start of re-legalization of alcohol. I believe beer under a certain alcohol content was legalized first along with wine. I would easily accept "weak bud" with low THC if I could have it legally. I'm sure whenever it happens, that's how it will be.

[iscooterliberally]

14. The Ken Burns special was great.

I watched it too. I don't think the THC thing would really work with MJ though. It's too easy to grow really. It would be cool to see thousands of people surround the office of drug control and all light up at the same time though. The thing that I think makes this different is the fact that back in the 80s they changed the law allowing the military to send their surplus tanks and whatnot to the local law enforcement agencies. They also can pretty much take whatever they want when they serve a search warrant. All cash and personal property can be seized and it's tough to get back. I doubt that our founding fathers would approve of this one bit. :eyes:

[SteveM]

25. Gin, gays, guns, ganja; now tobacco: Prohibition IS the addiction.nt

[iscooterliberally]

27. +1. Prohibition is the addiction indeed!

:fistbump:

[truedelphi]

36. Great little talking point. Thanks fo that. n/t

[iscooterliberally]

40. Thanks to SteveM for that. I got it from him. n/t

[slay]

30. It really was quite excellent

i turned it on one night on PBS and thought i'd watch 10, maybe 15 mins of it and ended up watching the whole ep, and then the series. one of the key points i took away from it was - you can't legislate morality - people like sex, people like to drink, smoke pot, and explore altered states from time to time - and the government has no right to stop us as long as we are not endangering others.

[musiclawyer]

13. CA and COL will lead the way

I have no doubts. 2012. Then the house house of cards will fall

[OnlinePoker]

15. The issue was voted on in 3 States last year and all of them turned it down.

"The people", or at least a majority of the voting public are against legalization. The government is representing the people in this case. I have no idea why.

[iscooterliberally]

16. "..a majority of the voting public.." - that's the problem.

I honestly believe that the majority of our general population is really for legalization. They just don't show up at the poles. Also if enough people have seen what I have seen they would be screaming at their reps about this now. It really is an outrage the way law enforcement treats American citizens these days.

[RainDog]

18. California had Prop. 19 in the last election. what other states voted on legalization?

currently, 1/3 of the states in this nation have legal medical marijuana.

in advance of Prop. 19, Ahnuld entirely decriminalized marijuana, not just medical marijuana, for personal use. Prop. 19 had some strong opponents - the Beer industry, for example, was against it.

for more than a decade, an overwhelming majority of Americans have favored legal medical marijuana - that number now stands at 81%.

as of the last poll on this issue, 50% of Americans support full legalization while a minority 46% do not - and those who do not are primarily among the elderly and social conservatives who also don't support things like women's rights and freedom of religion - so, you know, they're probably not going to come around until someone they know is dying of cancer and gets relief from pain via medical marijuana - that's the way it goes with those sorts - and, in fact, after the Attn. Gen of Utah got cancer, tho he states he didn't use mmj, he came around to seeing that it should be legal because of the relief from suffering he saw in his fellow cancer treatment sufferers.

The govt. is not representing the people on this issue.

The govt. is representing big business on this issue - the alcohol industry, the pharmaceutical industry, the private prison industry. The more that Americans hear the truth - that cannabis is less harmful than alcohol, less harmful than pharmaceutical substances used for some of the same reasons, that cannabis use declines in nations without criminal penalties - the more Americans realize they've been lied to for too long and it's time to stop wasting BILLIONS on criminalizing a substance that is less harmful than aspirin.

[JVS]

34. The alcohol industry should re-think its stance.

People here at DU like to paint use of pot and alcohol as an either or situation. In my experience it's really more of a two great things that go great together. Nothing like a cold beer to ease the cotton mouth. I've already seen DiGiorno's pizzas that are packed with cookie dough to make some desert. If they could get a combo pack of 24 pack of Budweiser or MGD and 10 pack of joints into the grocery store, then you'd be able to count on a huge segment of the population showing up at the store each Friday evening to grab the pizza/cookies and beer/joints.

[iscooterliberally]

35. +1 - I couldn't agree more.

The beer industry needs to wake up on this one. The two go hand in hand.

:toast:

[truthisfreedom]

51. Sell pot at the liquor stores. The liquor giants could easily get into the pot business.

Branding pot with Coors would certainly help sell it.

[JVS]

54. Well the tobacco industry would probably get into the pot business quickest.

They've got the machines, the packaging, etc. all ready to go. But selling smokes at the beer or liquor store is a time honored practice. They'll just put a few more shelves behind the counter.

[Mojeoux]

61. NO tobbacco industry. WE ARE the industry ready and waiting for legalization

The growers now are like fine wine makers, or 5 star chefs. They have skills knowledge and abilities and years of hands-on experience.

[JusticeForAll]

33. I'm confused by your post

Arizona, of all places, approved it medically in 2010.

http://www.azfamily.com/news/Ariz-medical-marijuana-measure-passes-with-over-4000-votes-107810369.html

[RainDog]

45. actually that was the THIRD TIME Arizona approved medical mj

they voted for it and their legislators refused to comply. so, they voted to make their legislators have to comply.

and then they voted for it yet again.

not every state allows initiatives on the ballot.

those that do have overwhelmingly expressed support for legalized medical mj and EVERY TIME legislators have tried to stop such initiatives from implementation. iow, it's the legislators, not the American people, who are against cannabis. or, rather, they are paid well to be against it.

what's so sad it that, even at this time, after 70 years, legislators vote to uphold a law that was founded upon nothing more than racism and corporate corruption. but that's conservatism for you, no matter which side of the aisle it comes from.

[truedelphi]

44. In California, the people of the state turned it down because of the

Wording that was used.

No one could really explain what the wording of the proposition meant. Woul dpeople face even hgher penalties, if they got caught with the "wrong" amount than they do now.

It' s NOT that people are against legalizing it -they need the law written in a very clear way.

[NICO9000]

50. To be fair, those were in the mid-term election where hardly anyone votes

I'm in CA and I'm sure the pro-pot initiative would have passed in 2008. I think it's going up again next year, so a larger turnout should help immensely.

<fingers crossed>

[RainDog]

17. One republican, Lamar Smith, is keeping a bill out of the House

that would decriminalize marijuana at the federal level and would allow states to deal with this issue as they see fit.

he is a petty tyrant who obviously thinks it's his right to dictate to the entire world. he needs to be voted out yesterday.

[defendandprotect]

22. Elites/Corporations/MIC/CIA need to keep RW in place to keep the Drug War going -- !!!

[Ezlivin]

41. I got a joint with his name on it

And I carry a fully-loaded bong.

[DreamSmoker]

20. Invasion of California

I believe we got Obamas answer to this..

Won't budge.... same Business as usual..

Now has double down recently on U.S. anti Drug Policies both national and International..

Not only has Obama broken his word on Medical Cannabis..
But has added even more force to the DEA... The Gods of Drug Control for Americans..

[defendandprotect]

23. We need to end Drug War -- and Obama's reign -- !!! FAST -- !!!

[truedelphi]

37. You said it, I applaud it. n/t

[SteveM]

29. Obama carried on from Clinton. nt

[redqueen]

31. Yep, Clinton pulled the same crap, because he worked for the same people...

and I don't mean 'we, the people'.

[SteveM]

62. Democrats have learned a bad habit well by cowing on this issue...

Now, the rest of us have to fight this thing uphill.

[provis99]

21. and Harper responds by building more prisons for weed smokers.

https://peterkieser.com/2011/03/11/stephen-harper-expanding-prisons-in-canada/

[hughee99]

26. Once we figure out a way for Wall St. and Big Pharm to make a ton of money on this

it will be legalized.

[SteveM]

28. The molten core of the Far Right's hatred of "liberalism" is the counter-culture...

of the 60s, and the most hated symbol of a hated culture is the smoking doobie.

This was made clear during the so-called "Gingrich"* revolution within the Congress some 20 years ago, and has fueled the passions of the Far Right ever since. The Right has made this clear, even as "liberal Democrats" have hush-hushed their own constituency about issues that the Right can hammer them with, and illegal drugs is the quintessential object of hatred.

The Right KNOWS they can cow-down Democrats on drugs. Legalization efforts will have to deal with BOTH PARTIES, and involve constant, militant defiance. Those wishing to find and exercise effective strategies would be well-advised to join and follow the Marijuana Policy Project's efforts, and to learn from the GLBT community on how to organize, pressure, get back up after being knocked down, and to keep throwing punches. And though some will not like it, we can learn as well from the NRA, GOA, etc. on how to uproot opposition and see to it that it doesn't sprout back.

This is a serious FRONT-burner issue.
___________________
*An admitted 60s pothead himself.

[LiberalLovinLug]

32. never happen

And I live in BC.
The conservative "Liberal Party" in government in BC, as well as the federal Conservatives, will never listen to this common sense as their base would never forgive them.

The more liberal "NDP Party" in opposition, both federally and provincially, would never do it because the MSM would have a field day and the NDP has to prove that they are also "tough on crime", "pro-family" and "anti-drugs". Its a no win. The Democrats in Washington have the same dilemma. Its just an issue that is too small on the scale of things and not worth it politically.

Either way, in the USA or Canada, at most every level its the same scenerio. Marijuana is just an issue to be used as a prop to prove how "family friendly" and macho they are. Its an easy pick because there is no big (and legal) industry that they can profit from either through taxation or political contributions. They have no huge lobby as the alcohol lobby. If they legalized it, all that would mean is that a lot of people would grow it themselves. They'd never make much of a profit from a government store as underground competition from the street would still be there, and any government store would have to pay union wages and charge taxes on top of it.

Simply put, any government of ANY stripe realizes that the political benefits from being against legalization trump any support they'd receive from doing the right thing socially. I don't know what would change that. Its sad.

Maybe if Monsanto developed a GM pot seed that destroyed other "heritage seeds" somehow, and they had the exclusive rights to the industry....maybe then politicians would entertain the idea.

[iscooterliberally]

39. We are starting to get an industry back in the US.

The Feds are trying to shut it down now though. The irony is that prohibition really isn't tough on crime, nor is it pro family. It actually creates more crime that didn't previously exist, while taking resources away from real crime. Instead of going after murders and rapists, we're taking down the weed industry. I'm down at the other end of the continent where we had sex offenders living under bridges, but our jails are stocked full of marijuana growers. I understand where you're coming from though. I hope I get to see a change in my lifetime, but I'm not banking on it either.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

42. the problems is Canadians are basically sensible people.

[sarcasmo]

43. Tax it, and Legalize it . The cartel and gang money will dwindle when green is legal.

[and-justice-for-all]

46. Yes yes yes...nt

[Jim_Shorts]

47. Here is how you get it legalized

#1 Progressives need to start screaming bloody murder that they want criminal penalties increased to 30 years hard labor for any trace of marijuana mixed in with pocket lint.

#2 Have someone slip Tim Geithner a five spot to tell Obama he would like to smoke a joint with him in the oval office once in a while.

FBI will make an announcement of legalization the next day.

[demigoddess]

48. Canadians are so smart! wish we could legalize it here.

I am waiting.

[red dog 1]

53. A Guide to the Drug-Legalization Movement. (National Families In Action)

http://www.nationalfamilies.org/guide/mcnamara.html

[RainDog]

55. trollish link

that doesn't work. --- but I looked it up for myself.

this is a George Soros controls the world bullshit of the lowest caliber site.

you and others who don't want to consume alcohol or cannabis should not. you also need to get the fuck out of other adults' lives - not just this issue - take your social conservative bullshit and eat it.

the links on this site to studies are old - they fail to bring up the most recent medical studies that indicate a health benefit, they don't include links to information about drug use in nations with de facto decriminalization...

iow, this is a propaganda site for right wingers in your failed link.

[red dog 1]

56. Hey, Asshole!...I'm no troll....I made a mistake listing that NFIA link..

Hey, raindog, cut me some fucking slack,will 'ya? My "failed link" was a mistake on my part, OK? .I fully support the legalization of marijuana; and I am totally AGAINST the Obama administration's raids on medical pot dispensaries, which might well cost him the election next year.

I fucked up listing the National Families in Action...you are right...it does look like a right-wing anti-drug organization....I Googled Joseph McNamara, former police Chief of San Jose, and their website came up, with a profile of him, and their Google item said "Legalize Drugs", so. I assumed they were for legalization;

McNamara was the first Police Chief in the nation to advocate the legalization of marijuana, 25+ years ago, when it was not as popular an idea as it is today.

He took a lot of heat for it, too.

I was just trying to show that even former large city Police Chiefs are for the legalization of Pot, that's all.

The website for the "Legalize Marijuana" petition is:

http://petitiononline.com/legalize/petition.html/

[RainDog]

58. consider your slack has been cut

but you might want to read what you're posting before you do.

but you're right - LEAP - Law Enforcement Against Prohibition - favors legalization too.

The only people who don't favor legalization at this time, for the most part, are social conservatives (i.e. mostly bible thumpers) in the democratic and republican parties.

If you post a link to a right wing site, you can expect to get flack for it, tho. so, again, know what you're posting... common sense.

[red dog 1]

57. NORNL's Legalize Marijuana Petition # 1

I made a mistake in above post # 54 "A Guide To the Drug-Legalization Movement", which is part of a right-wing organization called National Families In Action.(NFIA)

The mistake happened when I Googled former San Jose, Ca. police Chief Joseph McNamara, and the NFIA was the 2nd link down, listed as "Drug-Legalization....Joseph McNamara"

I assumed (wrongly) that the NFIA was FOR the legalization of Marijuana, as Joseph McNamara has been for over 25 years; and I just wanted to show that even a few big city police chiefs were for the legalization of pot.

National Organization For the Reform of Marijuana laws has an on-line Petition To Legalize Marijuana.

"NORML's Legalize Marijuana Petition # 1"

http://stashnorml.org/normls-legalize-marijuana-petition-1-legalization-hal.

[MrSlayer]

59. My dad was a cop for thirty years and he always advocated legalization.

He wouldn't lock anyone up for pot. And he always said he'd rather police a Grateful Dead show than an Eagles game. Potheads never caused trouble but drunks always would.