Should marijuana be decriminalized? CNN poll.

[alfredo]

So far so good.

http://www.cnn.com/

[Maine-ah]

1. decriminalizing it, is a step in the right direction

but isn't there a difference between making it legal and decriminalizing it? It could still be a civil offence, I think. It needs to be legalized.

[alfredo]

8. Decriminalizing would make it such a low priority, you'd have to be

doing something stupid to get cited.

It was a $5 fine in Ann Arbor Michigan when I lived up there.

Make it legal to possess, but keep it illegal to sell the processed product. Live plants and seeds can be sold.

[paulsby]

9. decrim'ing it is a way to use the slippery slope

iow, it's a step towards full legalization. it also means if you are smart enough not to sit on a bus and blow MJ smoke in people's faces, you'll be ok. iow, smoke it. don't be obnoxious about it. decrim means it becomes a civil infraction, correct. like a $50 fine with no chance of jail or arrest. it's a reasonable compromise. i, like many police, support decriminalization.

[Xicano]

11. Yes

Decriminalizing it pretty much drops it down from a felony or misdemeanor to an infraction, similarly to a traffic violation and probably depending on quantity and other circumstances. One of the main differences from decriminalizing vs legalizing is regulation and taxation. It will still not be able to be sold and taxed in stores like alcohol and tobacco.

Someone else can correct me if I am wrong, but, that is the way I understand the difference.

[obliviously]

2. 62% Looking good!

[opihimoimoi]

3. 2 to 1 yes over no

[napoleon_in_rags]

6. 3 to 1 against prohibition now.

62% support total decriminalization, 17% medical decriminalization.

[opihimoimoi]

12. Lets not forget KAWA....needs a boost in sales

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BewGqEQtUGA&feature=related

watch a whole tribe mellow out

[tridim]

4. 1 oz is already decriminalized in Denver

But yea, it should be federally decriminalized too. Then legalized.

[napoleon_in_rags]

5. Wow, 81% say yes, or yes for medical use! nt

[ixion]

7. yes... should never have been criminalized in the first place

imo...

[shanti]

10. c'mon obama, you can do it!

universal health care and the legalization of cannabis. it's the right thing to do! make your mark!

[Hekate]

13. 63% Yes + 16% medical use

Should marijuana be decriminalized?
Yes 63% 11545
No 21% 3765
Only for medical use 16% 2967
Total Votes: 18277

[countmyvote4real]

14. Polls favor universal healthcare at over 70% and look how that's going.

I'm not encouraged, but at least I can still find access to weed. (legally or not)

[charlie]

15. Legalize, dammit

You can't tax or create businesses with something illegal, and pee-in-a-cup employers will still penalize people who want to enjoy a toke.

[frog92969]

16. Marijuana doesn't destroy lives

Marijuana laws destroy lives

[workinclasszero]

17. Totally legal would be better

Its such a joke that alcohol is legal and pot isn't. If it were the other way around, the world would be a better place.

Most of the people in prison for violent crimes were drunk when they committed their crime.

50,000 or so people die on the roads every year because of drunk drivers.

But you see big business could not control it as well as booze so it remains illegal.

The states and the feds could raise hundreds of millions or more in taxes on it to pay for health care and other social programs but aww hell no!

Idiots.

[optimal-tomato]

18. Internet Poll = Worthless Web Traffic Bait n/t

[ingac70]

19. Legalize it. Tax the shit out of it. n/t

[1]

20. ummm... i love y'all and your internet polls. that is not how you win this issue...

my father would say grow the fuck up.

but, i'll leave that for y'all to decide.

heh...

[alfredo]

26. It's just passing time. None of us see any importance to the polls.

[Patchuli]

33. And how would you propose to "win this issue?"

BTW, welcome to DU. :hi:

[madokie]

21. done

Should marijuana be decriminalized?
Yes 65% 24290
No 19% 7272
Only for medical use 16% 5900
Total Votes: 37462

[JonLP24]

22. It doesn't matter if I vote 'yes' which I did only because I was curious of the results

They MIGHT mention it on TV for 5 seconds or so with the obligatory "this isn't a scientific poll" poll line but it is meaningless. Even if us legalizers win the vote it's not going to matter because they aren't going to legalize or decriminalize Cannabis. Sorry, I've pretty much lost hope until more people take on the issue. But I support legalization as well as decriminalization.

[intaglio]

23. as of now 64% legalise

and another 16% medical use

[Echo In Light]

24. 64% to 19%. Our Reps clearly serve their intere$ts over The Peoples

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

25. And 80% for decriminalization in some form if you add for medical use. Outstanding!

[Union Yes]

27. 65% + 17% med

knr

[me b zola]

28. done

Should marijuana be decriminalized?

Yes... 65%... 116397

No... 18%... 33110

Only for medical use... 17%... 30343

Total Votes: 179850

[Mythsaje]

29. Everyone make sure to read the accompanying story...

It's good news.

[alfredo]

36. Got a link? found the link at the results

[madokie]

30. Still at 65% yes

Should marijuana be decriminalized?
Yes 65% 129299
No 18% 36549
Only for medical use 17% 33258
Total Votes: 199106

[gleaner]

31. Gave it a yes....

It is not as harmful as alcohol, and does have many medical uses as well.

My husband and I cared for my mother in her home during the last years of her life. She was dying of congestive heart failure. She also had gastrointestinal problems and it was hard for her to eat. Her doctor prescribed a small shiny round white pill which consisted of the active ingredients of marijuana which had been extracted and marketed by a pharmaceutical company. She took two before each meal and was able to relax and enjoy her food. After she had gained enough weight to be healthier, the doctor gradually discontinued the medication. Mom continued to eat well on her own as long as she stuck to bland foods.

Because it went through the hands of a pharmaceutical company though, it cost $200 for a one month supply. Many drug stores wouldn't sell it because they thought it was "immoral," so we had to go east of the sun and west of the moon to find a store that was in the business of selling medicine and not morality. I heard later from my mother's doctor that the drug company that was selling it, had pulled it off the market due to pressure from the Bush government and its concomitant religious groups.

That was a shame, but the greater shame was that we could not grow it ourselves or buy it from someone who did grow it and give it to my Mom the way nature intended and for either a nominal fee or for nothing. I have thought it should be legalized for years, but it makes a great hobby horse for the conservatives as they ride down their fantasy paths to hopeless addiction to substances like, say Oxycontin? What about it Rush? You start by sparkin' the bud?

[slay]

32. 81% YES! - Counting pure "yes" and "for medical"

I vote pure Yes but either way - only leaves 18% saying no.. 18%!!! That's lower than Bush's lowest approval numbers! Weed wins by a landslide! Hello? Lawmakers - PAY ATTENTION!!! :smoke:

[alfredo]

34. If the results were 60/40 I'd discount the results. This is really lopsided.

[madokie]

35. 66% yes now

Should marijuana be decriminalized?
Yes 66% 193122
No 18% 53830
Only for medical use 16% 46993
Total Votes: 293945

[Baclava]

37. 66% - Yes - Why isn't the government listeing to the voice of it's people?

Isn't that how it's supposed to work?

[alfredo]

38. Because the voice of the people don't send them on junkets or give them

$1,000 handshakes.

[wildbilln864]

39. done and kicked. too late to r. nt

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

40. I wonder what percentage of adults in America have tried it at one point in their lives

I'll bet it's higher than our society would care to admit and that even many conservatives, fundies, cops, and strict law-and-order types have partaken at one time or another.