anyone vote for marijuana initiatives?

[$tinkle]

we have one: amendment 44, which states:An amendment to section 18-18-406 (1) of the Colorado revised statutes making legal the possession of one ounce or less of marihuana for any person twenty-one years of age or older.

full text (http://www.elections.colorado.gov/WWW/default/Initiatives/Title%20Board%20Filings/Results%2072.pdf)i voted for it, if for no other reason to make our marijuana laws more consistent with our tobacco & alcohol laws.

[I Are Baboon]

None on our ballot.

I did vote for the town to spend $7 million to buy a parcel of land so 110 new houses won't be built on it.

[T-Dog]

That's basically how it was when I lived in Alaska in the 80's- trouble was, possesion of that amount was still illegal under federal law, and folks still got busted that way. The statute has since been voted down, and it's illegal again.

[$tinkle]

op-ed from safer colorado (http://safercolorado.org/pressroom?id=1161414001)

also, i'm finding text that our current statute reads: "The following marijuana offenses will continue to be illegal under state law if Amendment 44 passes...for individuals 18 years of age or older, transferring any amount of marijuana to a person under 15 years of age."

most confusing is this: it will still be illegal to grow, buy, or sell marijuana. is this sneaky back-door legislation to use possession as probable cause for distribution? something's not right here.

[LordOpie]

...trouble was, possesion of that amount was still illegal under federal law, and folks still got busted that way.

true, but two points:
1. Denver passed this law last time, now it's on the state ballot. If it passes, it could really get the ball rolling to the federal level.
B. Denver cops are instructed to not bother anyone with an ounce or less unless the person is committing other crimes. I'm thinking that on the state level, that this would now fall outside the jurisdiction of local cops, so only federal law enforcement can bust you.


I don't understand why they don't just put the selling rights in the hands of the alcohol and tobacco corporations for, say, 15 years. Then start opening up the market.

[N8]

true, but two points:
1. Denver passed this law last time, now it's on the state ballot. If it passes, it could really get the ball rolling to the federal level.
B. Denver cops are instructed to not bother anyone with an ounce or less unless the person is committing other crimes. I'm thinking that on the state level, that this would now fall outside the jurisdiction of local cops, so only federal law enforcement can bust you.


I don't understand why they don't just put the selling rights in the hands of the alcohol and tobacco corporations for, say, 15 years. Then start opening up the market.

but what if xxxxxxx has a scale on him too..?

[BurlyShirley]

So if a federal agent catches you with less than an ounce in CO, what happens?

[peter6061]

So if a federal agent catches you with less than an ounce in CO, what happens?
You're still fukced.

I'm not a user, but can't understand why they don't make it legal, and tax the hell out of it. Make the same rules that apply to alcohol, apply to pot and get over this whole thing. Users will be happy. Even with the tax, it will probably be cheaper than it is now, and they stand to make a sh1tload of money on it. The only people it hurts are the druglords that they want out of the equation anyway. .02

[Transcend]

Agreed. Pot, however, is the only drug that I think should be legalized. Most of the others are too socially destructive to be made legal. Pot is less harmful than both tobacco and alcohol.

[Westy]

No initiatives but I voted for a guy named Weed.

[peter6061]

I voted to allow Westy to marry his brother.

[Westy]

I voted to allow Westy to marry his brother.

Bah, brother is already married. My second cousin Carry is pretty hot, but all she talks about are shoes and doesn't have a mute button.

[LordOpie]

So if a federal agent catches you with less than an ounce in CO, what happens?

If a Fed Officer just happens to see you, nothing since he's probably off-duty.

But if he catches you with it, then he was chasing you for some other reason than mere possession... go directly to Fed AssPound Prison, do not collect $200.

[Zark]

Nothing on the CA ballot this year. We had the 215 bill and got the Med MJ bill passed. Pot should be legal, that should be obvious to anyone with more than two neurons firing (sorry N8)

Decriminalization should happen for ALL drugs though.
I'm not saying you should be able to buy heroin at the corner store.
But treating things as a medical problem and mandating treatment instead of jail sentences would reduce the money spent on courts and warehousing addicts.

Hard drugs are sending billions of dollars to crime lords and funding terrorists. Take the funding away and make the addict face the doc and write a scrip and get on a treatment program. I know it isn't quite that simple, but lets face it PROHIBITION DOES NOT WORK! This is historically proven. Lets find a better solution, one that doesn't put the money in the hands of thugs and criminals.

[BurlyShirley]

Can you imagine all the "agriculturalists" out there who would become farmers. haha! I think if it were legalized, the entire US would become about pot. Pot in the news every day, pot taxes, tourists coming for pot, pot, pot, pot....
You ****ers are obsessed with it as it is.

[Westy]

Can you imagine all the "agriculturalists" out there who would become farmers. haha! I think if it were legalized, the entire US would become about pot. Pot in the news every day, pot taxes, tourists coming for pot, pot, pot, pot....
You ****ers are obsessed with it as it is.

I remember a time when you would say the same thing about beer.

[Transcend]

Can you imagine all the "agriculturalists" out there who would become farmers. haha! I think if it were legalized, the entire US would become about pot. Pot in the news every day, pot taxes, tourists coming for pot, pot, pot, pot....
You ****ers are obsessed with it as it is.

At first I think you are right, but i think that the novelty would wear off after a year or 2 (maybe less - insert stoners and short attention span joke here). The same way it eventually did when alcohol was re legalized. I think you'd find it was more in the news today, than it would be then. No more nonsense "teenagers busted with bags of pot!" news reports.

You'd need to become a licensed grower, have you crop tested etc, much the same as farmers do now. Hell, use the pot tax profits and permit profits to fund all of the protectionist/aid that farmers are currently receiving.

[BurlyShirley]

I remember a time when you would say the same thing about beer.

Me specifically, or were you around for prohibition? How OLD are you? haha!

[LordOpie]

There's a strong lobby against legalizing pot. I forget the lobby group's name, but their based in Amsterdamn!

[kidwoo]

Amsterdamn!

dayum

[Kihaji]

Agreed. Pot, however, is the only drug that I think should be legalized. Most of the others are too socially destructive to be made legal. Pot is less harmful than both tobacco and alcohol.

How can you quantify that though. The same arguments that are being used for pot can be used for every single drug out there. "If it wasn't illegal people wouldn't have to do illegal things to get it" "It only hurts the user, everyone else currently harmed is because of it's illegality".

You would have to legalize everything, which honestly, I see no issue in, given that certain other things happen along with it. Such as a lowering of tolerance in DUI's(which mostly cover all chemical imparements now) to be zero tolerance, anything over a reccomended dosage of cough syrup and your license is gone, for good. Tax the hell out of it(including alcohol and tobbaco) and use it for education, not just about drugs but for schools to do with what they need to. Allow insurance companies to raise rates based on usage, etc etc.

Basically, legalize it all, and make people pay the consequences and the responsibility if they do want to imbibe in the luxury.

[EOBF]

Basically, legalize it all, and make people pay the consequences and the responsibility if they do want to imbibe in the luxury.

So you want the government to legalize crack, heroin and anything else you care to take, then institute a zero tolerence policy?

[jimmydean]

We passed medical pot a long time ago.

[Jeremy R]

So you want the government to legalize crack, heroin and anything else you care to take, then institute a zero tolerence policy?

When trying to understand the logic remember that most of the people who want all drugs to be legal are on them when they type.

[Transcend]

How can you quantify that though. The same arguments that are being used for pot can be used for every single drug out there. "If it wasn't illegal people wouldn't have to do illegal things to get it" "It only hurts the user, everyone else currently harmed is because of it's illegality".

You would have to legalize everything, which honestly, I see no issue in, given that certain other things happen along with it. Such as a lowering of tolerance in DUI's(which mostly cover all chemical imparements now) to be zero tolerance, anything over a reccomended dosage of cough syrup and your license is gone, for good. Tax the hell out of it(including alcohol and tobbaco) and use it for education, not just about drugs but for schools to do with what they need to. Allow insurance companies to raise rates based on usage, etc etc.

Basically, legalize it all, and make people pay the consequences and the responsibility if they do want to imbibe in the luxury.

If you think that port, crack, heroin and meth are even on the same scale, you need to read a few medical journals. I'd prefer not to have to pay for the welfare and medical care of hopelessly addicted addicts. There is a big difference between physically addictive and physchologically addictive substances.

Please educate yourself on the topic, and no, getting high and personal experience doesn't count in this case.

[LordOpie]

So you want the government to legalize crack, heroin and anything else you care to take, then institute a zero tolerence policy?

i'm confused... legal, zero tolerance... something doesn't add up.


ya know what, if riding a motorcycle without a helmet is legal, then why not crack?

[JohnE]

Wait, what was the question?

[SkaredShtles]

<snip> I see no issue in, given that certain other things happen along with it. Such as a lowering of tolerance in DUI's(which mostly cover all chemical imparements now)
How would you suggest that police do a local sobriety check for someone suspected to be under the influence of pot? And I'm talking a test that will stand up in court...

[LordOpie]

How would you suggest that police do a local sobriety check for someone suspected to be under the influence of pot? And I'm talking a test that will stand up in court...

dude, there are always solutions if people want to find them. I forget the product, but there's a device that reads blood alcohol level by reading your eyes.

[Upgr8r]

How would you suggest that police do a local sobriety check for someone suspected to be under the influence of pot? And I'm talking a test that will stand up in court...

have the officer question the driver while eating a bag of Dorito's or a Twinkie :biggrin:

[golgiaparatus]

We didnt have anything lke that...

We had one for allowing alcohol sales on election day (seriously)... I really dont thing those ballots are that hard to fill out so I voted yes.

[SkaredShtles]

dude, there are always solutions if people want to find them. I forget the product, but there's a device that reads blood alcohol level by reading your eyes.
I'm just pointing out that there are things which seriously need to be considered when talking about decriminalization that often aren't discussed.

The Colorado mary jane measure got quite a beatdown.

[SkaredShtles]

have the officer question the driver while eating a bag of Dorito's or a Twinkie :biggrin:
That's actually a *really* good idea. :D

[LordOpie]

have the officer question the driver while eating a bag of Dorito's or a Twinkie :biggrin:

outstanding!