Quote:A group of US representatives plan to introduce legislation that will legalize marijuana and allow states to legislate its use, pro-marijuana groups said Wednesday.
The legislation would limit the federal government's role in marijuana enforcement to cross-border or inter-state smuggling, and allow people to legally grow, use or sell marijuana in states where it is legal.
The bill, which is expected to be introduced on Thursday by Republican Representative Ron Paul and Democratic Representative Barney Frank, would be the first ever legislation designed to end the federal ban on marijuana.
Sixteen of the 50 states as well as the District of Columbia have legalized the use of marijuana for medical purposes.
But planting, selling or commercially distributing marijuana remains illegal under federal law.
Last year, California citizens voted not to legalize recreational marijuana use, although the debate continues in about half a dozen other states.
Three weeks ago a group of ex-presidents of Latin America as well as former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan denounced the failure of the global war on drugs and called for urgent changes, including the legalization of cannabis.
Between 1998 and 2008, worldwide consumption of opiates increased 35 percent, with cocaine use growing 27 percent and marijuana use growing 8.5 percent, according to the Global Commission on Drug Policy.
June marks the 40th anniversary of the "War on Drugs" launched by President Richard Nixon in 1970, the first major US anti-drug initiative.

CrazyForDex Wrote:Sweet. Doubtful that it'll pass, but that would be pretty cool for a lot of reasons.

ShiKage Wrote:Eh... I'm not exactly excited for this. I'm more against it, but that's probably because I don't do it.

ShiKage Wrote:Eh... I'm not exactly excited for this. I'm more against it, but that's probably because I don't do it.

xLeviathan Wrote:Why does that mean you're against it? I mean, I do do it, and I'm just curious. Wouldn't you just be not for it or against it?

EDIT: Thanks for moving the topic btw.

xLeviathan Wrote:Mainly that I'll get to toke so much more easily...no more hunting new dealers down.

But that isn't the point! It could be bad, too, for the existing dealers and people. Companies move in and dealers move out and they add pomegranate to the plant to make it "better," yet worse for you. Well, blah at that. However, the benefits far outweigh the negatives IMO.

I picked this up from the Drudge Report and they don't seem happy. They tried to cast the story in a negative light at the Democratic Party. Hah! What a joke...

Erich Wrote:I just have a feeling this is going to push society further down the pomegranatepipes, more than it already is. Booze already has its.. affects, and cigs reap lives like the reaper himself. But.. Weed is different, it doesn't kill directly, if at all. It simplifies. It won't kill anyone directly, but it'll evoke a slow dumbness over society.

ShiKage Wrote:I'm completely against drugs of any kind used for getting high or whatever. Hell, I'm against getting drunk as well, but that's another story.

CrazyForDex Wrote:Well that reason and the large amounts of tax revenue that would be available. I bet that some companies would add things to it, but there would definitely be an "organic" type of weed somewhere out there.
@Your last point, there is always someone out there that tries to do that -.-

Erich Wrote:I just have a feeling this is going to push society further down the pomegranatepipes, more than it already is. Booze already has its.. affects, and cigs reap lives like the reaper himself. But.. Weed is different, it doesn't kill directly, if at all. It simplifies. It won't kill anyone directly, but it'll evoke a slow dumbness over society.

Erebus Wrote:I'm for it and I don't do it. Prohibition has been shown time and time again that it doesn't work. Let the idiots that want to do be idiots, natural selections a mean b*tch anyway.

Legalize and moniter.

Though in all honesty I think Ron Paul is just trying to get votes with since he's already been out casted by a lot of "hardcore" republicans... then again when doesn't a politician do something for votes...

White Wrote:Not a fan. I know there's a huge clamoring for legalization but I think it'll certainly show the extent of it's negatives if legalized.

White Wrote:Not a fan. I know there's a huge clamoring for legalization but I think it'll certainly show the extent of it's negatives if legalized.

White Wrote:Not a fan. I know there's a huge clamoring for legalization but I think it'll certainly show the extent of it's negatives if legalized.

Erebus Wrote:If you're willing I'd like to request a list.

xLeviathan Wrote:Indeed, me too. Even one thing would be great. There's already tens of millions of smokers in the U.S. Surely it would have reared it's head by now, don't you think?

@Cancambo: Federal law supersedes state law, always. That's why the feds can legally raid medical MJ dispensaries in CA. Just because it's legal to grow and sell in California doesn't mean much if the federal government decided to enforce their antiquated laws.