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Americans overwhelmingly say marijuana should be legal

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Re: Americans overwhelmingly say marijuana should be legal

#81

Post by sneak »

viraptor wrote: post #75
sneak wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your response illustrates my point nicely: Drunk driving is illegal; alcohol possession and sale is not, nor should it be. Child abuse and neglect is already illegal, regardless of drug laws.

We don't have a good comparison right now... because allowing a good computation is considered a bad idea. Selling alcohol to people who obviously are going to drink and drive, people who are aggressive and drink is restricted in some places though. The issue is that we expect most people to have a drink once in a whole and continue with their lives as usual. We can't realistically expect recreational heroin use with…

We also can't realistically expect recreational alcohol use with no long-term issues either: alcohol kills about 100k people per year in the USA.

That's not a reason to ban it. The issues are caused by the user, to the user. If users are causing issues to others (violence, theft, drunk driving, et c), those are separate and already-illegal things that can and should be enforced. Arresting people for possession is basically like arresting them for pre-crime: "some other people who possessed similar things later went on to commit actual crimes, so you go to jail out of fear" is not a sane approach.

The possession and use of substances for the human body is plainly the wrong place to legislate: the war on drugs in the US has been a costly, racist, unmitigated disaster.

Re: Americans overwhelmingly say marijuana should be legal

#83

Post by ajmurmann »

redisman wrote: post #10
toomuchtodo wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Imho, a significant part of the problem is gerrymandering [1]. A certain party has outsized influence because of gerrymandering (but this shouldn’t absolve moderate/corporate Dems of their failings either, especially with Biden opposing legalization; read the room my dude). 1.8 million voters over the age of 55 age out every year, and election cycles are every two years. We’ll get there eventually (on Medicare for Al…

It’s part of the problem but both parties have had total control in the last 5 years and yet nothing has been passed on the federal level. The problem is that all the representatives are in the over 75 yo group

> both parties have had total control in the last 5 years

Neither party had total control. Now everything gets fillibustered. You only get around it with 2/3 majority or if you can turn it into a budget-related bill and get it through budget reconciliation.

Re: Americans overwhelmingly say marijuana should be legal

#84

Post by chmod600 »

paxys wrote: post #42
GeekyBear wrote: post #29

Oddly, Biden is a bigger holdout against full legalization than Congress. >Biden’s blunt opposition to marijuana legalization https://www.vox.com/22387746/biden-marijuana-weed-legalizati...

Funny enough in this case how Kamala Harris feels might be more important, since she'll likely cast the deciding vote in the Senate. I can't see Biden vetoing the legalization bill if it passes both chambers, regardless of his personal views.

Why do you think the Senate will tie?

Re: Americans overwhelmingly say marijuana should be legal

#85

Post by paxys »

protomyth wrote: post #44

I still don't understand how DUI is going to work? The testing doesn't seem to have kept up with the desires of the public.

I don't think anyone has been able to conclusively say that marijuana legalization actually increases the percentage of smokers in any state where it has been implemented.

Re: Americans overwhelmingly say marijuana should be legal

#86

Post by paxys »

ianai wrote: post #21

I come to it from the view of prohibition being a known source of power for cartels. I suspect if the various prohibitions were relaxed enough (and safely) that cartels would lose a lot power. Could see less immigrants fleeing cartel violence? But I fear legalization too. I fear people taking it too far and forcing a backlash and a new prohibition.

What even is taking marijuana "too far"? It has been legal for >66% of the country in some form for many years now, and society has not descended into chaos.

Re: Americans overwhelmingly say marijuana should be legal

#87

Post by chmod600 »

Stevvo wrote: post #57
chmod600 wrote: post #46

It is becoming increasingly hard to justify a prohibition on gun ownership due to marijuana use. These two issues will clash soon.

How are the two issues related at all?

If you use marijuana, you either need to lie on the form required to buy a gun, or the gun store won't sell it to you. Also, in theory, if you have a gun and use marijuana, you are a prohibited person in possession of a gun, which is a serious crime.

Re: Americans overwhelmingly say marijuana should be legal

#88

Post by dumbfoundded »

wwweston wrote: post #16

I've supported legalization efforts in two states. But I kindof have regrets, now. And in fact, if I were in charge, I might leave it as an infraction. I don't really want it to be illegal, but as far as I can tell, the same thing that happens to cigarette smokers happens to weed smokers: perspective on the fact that smoking is the atmospheric equivalent of peeing in the pool is lost. And I wake up like I did last ni…

This is a pretty silly way to think about the issue. Loud music, dogs barking, kids running around on the floor above you, smoke of any kind, a bed frame hitting the wall repeatedly. I wouldn't rethink the legal status of music, dogs or children because of some bad neighbors.

Re: Americans overwhelmingly say marijuana should be legal

#89

Post by wcchandler »

I’m fairly convinced we’re only about 5-10 acquisitions away from cannabis becoming legal via the legislative branch.

There’s 3 larges sectors that are still holdouts. Healthcare, alcohol, and tobacco industries.

Healthcare will never flip because there’s almost no revenue for them. The only thing they might be able to do is partner with Bayer and license/patent specific strains.

Tobacco exists because it’s addictive. CBD and hemp already offer sedative natural alternatives that are healthier and safer for the consumer. If you find anybody taking Wellbutrin or any drug that can cessate the nicotine withdrawal, they can easily kick the habit via cold turkey, or substitution.

Finally the last big industry is alcohol. I could talk about this pivot for hours but ultimately, look at what AB/InBev is doing. What have they poured millions of r&d into lately? Seltzer drinks. Edibles are expected to be the largest growth segment of the legal cannabis industry for the next 10 years. I already see it in various circles. Seltzer drinks are easily the next step for the alcohol industry. The issue now is how are these cards going to fall. Will they try to pace their way and drop tons of r&d into the legalization/testing efforts or will they try to leverage all of the existing infrastructure that exists in the legal cannabis industry?

That’s why I think we’re only about 5-10 acquisitions away from finding the answer. And once we have the answer, legalization will easily fall afterward.

Edit to add: Biden is doing a great job but this wasn’t one of his bullet points. He might have a difference of opinion. He might pursue something at the federal level. But I’m not counting on it. I fully believe that if these acquisitions happen before 2022 we’ll see it on ballots.

Re: Americans overwhelmingly say marijuana should be legal

#90

Post by [deleted] »

sneak wrote: post #63
viraptor wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They could be our own to destroy if that didn't impact people around you. It's the same with DUI - causing a crash doesn't only destroy your life. Or getting addicted to the point you can't care for your children.

Your response illustrates my point nicely: Drunk driving is illegal; alcohol possession and sale is not, nor should it be. Child abuse and neglect is already illegal, regardless of drug laws.

[deleted]
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