Politics: Paul-Barney Bill Would Legalize Marijuana Federally

shafty023 writes "It would appear Ron Paul (R-TX) and Barney Frank (D-MA) are going to be presenting a bill to legalize marijuana and thus end the failed war on drugs finally if it gets passed. What chances do you all think this bill has in the Senate and House or even surviving the president's veto pen?" Note that there would still be plenty of drug war left to go around, even if (as this bill sets out to accomplish) the Federal government stops chasing marijuana.

How about making cigarettes illegal instead?

[dicobalt]

Not a high enough cancer rate to be illegal?

Re:Obama's too conservative

[jgtg32a]

The fact that marijuana is 100% safe

100% safe, huh? Not if you have a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia, it can increase your chances of developing it by 10x. There are also some other correlations, but then again correlation != causation. Really all I'm getting at is lets not call it a wonder drug with no downsides.
http://www.schizophrenia.com/prevention/streetdrugs.html [schizophrenia.com]

BTW I am in favor of legalizing it

Re:Contact your representative!

[Nikkos]

However you can increase the odds by contacting your Senators and Representatives and telling them unequivocally that if they don't support this legislation, then you don't support them.

Re:Tip of the Iceberg

[Opportunist]

I know I'm a radical in this matter (as in many) but I'd legalize all of them. Yes, if you want to, shoot that heroin up your vein, for all I care everyone has the right to kill himself in the way he prefers. Slow and painful with drugs, hey, if that's your venue, more power to you.

Keep it out of the hands of kids, make sure that school teach about the risks (and please, not the "say no to drugs" bull that's been circulated. Inform, don't try to scare, kids are smarter than that) and if they still want to get hooked after they turn into adults, let them. Who are we to dictate how a person may kill himself? Make sure drugs are available and affordable and if people want to throw their life in the gutter, at least they won't go around mugging others for money to finance it.

Re:"Screaming, Mindless Christians" ??

[Rob the Bold]

'When the bible talks about "loving thy neighbor" it's talking about the person actually doing it.'

"The Lord above made man to help is neighbor, No matter where, on land, or sea, or foam. The Lord above made man to help his neighbor-but / With a little bit of luck, With a little bit of luck, When he comes around you won't be home! "

Re:It does not go far enough

[geekoid]

AS soon as all drugs where legalized, the gang problem will go away. Large corporations will grow it, makes in, manufactures cheaper, faster and with precise dosage. Gangs can even hope to keep up.

Tax it, put money into rehap, stop putting non violent offenders in prison.

Re:Obama's too conservative

[DerekLyons]

Additionally, legalization will allow users to know exactly WHAT is in the pot their buying.
 
Why would Joe Potsmoker want to go buy from some random dealer down the street and have to guess to the quality and contents, whereas if it were legal nobody would pick a dealer over going down to the store and picking some up that you know for sure is good quality and has met the regulations laid out by the authoritative body assigned to do so.

You either live in another universe, our you're seriously mentally altered (by birth or excessive substance use). I can't be 100% sure what's in my milk for fucks sake. What makes you think Big Marijuana is going to be any different from Big Tobacco, Big Dairy, Big Food, or any other commercial entity?

Re:Plants belong to the States

[vinn01]

Please explain how it is "perfectly" constitutional. The Congress shall have the Power to lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States. . .” . Are you going to claim that the regulation of plants falls under the general welfare?

Recall that the Constitution grants powers. And only those powers granted by the Constitution are supposed to be exercised by the US government.

Re:"Screaming, Mindless Christians" ??

[IICV]

Oh for fucks sake. Quit feeling persecuted. To be an American president you at least have to pay lip service to Jesus.

Indeed! We've actually reached the point where the American population is more willing to vote for an openly homosexual President than they are to vote for an openly atheist President. This is progress [people-press.org], of a sort, but still - 61% of respondents said that they are less likely to vote for an atheist, compared to 33% saying that they are less likely to vote for a homosexual.

Re:Not legalize

[aitikin]

Legalizing it at the federal level allows the states to make it illegal within the state. For example, it is illegal to brew your own beer in Alabama, but the federal government legalized production "for personal or family use," however the great state of Alabama (read as sarcastically as possible) considers this to be dangerous and unhealthy. If you really doubt that, there's a great video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVqnUf8NH6g&feature=player_embedded [youtube.com] highlighting some of their debate over a bill to allow homebrewing.

True. True.

[Weezul]

You guys drifted slightly form the original comment's theme however, which is :

America's War on Drug is the fault of American Christianity precisely because they codify everything is this ridiculous & stupid religious morality play, public health issues, personal choice issues, medical issues, economic issues, scientific issues, educational issues, everything. If not for American Christianity, the War on Pot would be nothing more than some anti-Mexican racist rhetoric decades ago.

As an aside, I back off from criticizing christianity only when discussing some person like Jimmy Carter, who engages in major charitable works both intelligently & effectively. I respect Carter's motivations, and avoid insulting them, specifically because I respect his works. Yet, most American Christians, even mainlines ones, tacitly support the American Taliban by accepting bullshit Christian moralistic rhetoric, equating Christianity with morality, etc. And there should be no verbal quarter for them. Btw, I've just bough a stuffed velociraptor toy to dress in swaddling clothes as "Baby Velociraptor Jesus" this Halloween. :)