Pot: Not just for losers any more

[The Senator]

Go ahead and make it legal. Pay no attention to hopped-up stuckincincy on the highway laughing, drifting into your lane and causing a crash, or happy-happy stuck giggling as he crosses the interstate median at 65 mph and hits you head on. Whee!

 

 

Oops! The legalization folks seem to think that everybody will stay home and commune with the trees and flowers... "my bad."

Clearly, you need to wrap a big spleef and toke away, as methinks you may be misinformed. I have never, EVER, seen a pot-smoker drive in the manner you describe while solely under the influence of pot. Methinks a hooched-up, laughing stuckincincy is much more likely to drift into my lane or giggle as he hits me head-on.

 

A 'hopped-up', pot-smoking stuckincincy is much more likely to drive like this...

 

[The Dean]

Now it is for losers' babies too

 

Still think pot is no big deal?

 

 

Yes.

 

No, I lied. It's GREAT! A huge plus in our society!

[The Dean]

Right. No big deal. Untold thousands, millions live in producing nations, and are killed, beaten up. They see their nations controlled, with no hope except to produce the stuff or die or live a miserable existence. Kidnapping, murder, torture are the order of the day.

 

U.S. production? Wow, what a nice bunch there.

 

 

We have this idea - "make it legal and all problems go away." Right, once more.

 

 

Each time one take a puff, there is blood, a trail of tears behind it. Fact.

 

 

Almost all the pot I smoke is locally grown. Same when I was in SF. Grown by good old American marijuana farmers.

 

Think globally, smoke locally!

[Alaska Darin]

Go ahead and make it legal. Pay no attention to hopped-up stuckincincy on the highway laughing, drifting into your lane and causing a crash, or happy-happy stuck giggling as he crosses the interstate median at 65 mph and hits you head on. Whee!

 

Oops! The legalization folks seem to think that everybody will stay home and commune with the trees and flowers... "my bad."

Incredibly bankrupt argument.

[The Dean]

I love some of these, too:

 

http://www.google.com/images?q=baby+with+b...440&bih=741

[The Senator]

Right. No big deal. Untold thousands, millions live in producing nations, and are killed, beaten up. They see their nations controlled, with no hope except to produce the stuff or die or live a miserable existence. Kidnapping, murder, torture are the order of the day.

 

U.S. production? Wow, what a nice bunch there.

 

 

We have this idea - "make it legal and all problems go away." Right, once more.

 

 

Each time one take a puff, there is blood, a trail of tears behind it. Fact.

Yes, certainly prohibition solved myriad societal ills. Just ask Al Capone and the rest of 'the mob'.

[Pete]

I love some of these, too:

 

http://www.google.com/images?q=baby+with+b...440&bih=741

the old alcohol and weed double standard

[Pete]

Harry Anslinger can go !@#$ himself

[PromoTheRobot]

Right. No big deal. Untold thousands, millions live in producing nations, and are killed, beaten up. They see their nations controlled, with no hope except to produce the stuff or die or live a miserable existence. Kidnapping, murder, torture are the order of the day.

 

U.S. production? Wow, what a nice bunch there.

 

 

We have this idea - "make it legal and all problems go away." Right, once more.

 

 

Each time one take a puff, there is blood, a trail of tears behind it. Fact.

Because there is an lucrative illegal market for their product in the USA. Make it legal here and the illegal market dries up. See: Prohibition.

 

And if we are suddenly so concerned with human rights, why not look closer at the diamond trade, or even the trade in rare metals used in electronics like cell phones. Every call you make there's a trail of tears there as well.

 

PTR

[Chef Jim]

Because there is an lucrative illegal market for their product in the USA. Make it legal here and the illegal market dries up. See: Prohibition.

 

And if we are suddenly so concerned with human rights, why not look closer at the diamond trade, or even the trade in rare metals used in electronics like cell phones. Every call you make there's a trail of tears there as well.

 

PTR

 

So what you're saying is that if we legalize pot here anyone involved in the pot trade is just going to go out of business. That's a pretty naive thought. You can be pretty sure that the marketing of harder drugs will be greatly increased.

[Pete]

Each time one take a puff, there is blood, a trail of tears behind it. Fact.

settle with the hyperbole J. Edgar. This is utter bull ****

[The Dean]

So what you're saying is that if we legalize pot here anyone involved in the pot trade is just going to go out of business. That's a pretty naive thought. You can be pretty sure that the marketing of harder drugs will be greatly increased.

 

 

Yup. Just look at those moonshiners.

 

Oh...wait.

[Fingon]

So what you're saying is that if we legalize pot here anyone involved in the pot trade is just going to go out of business. That's a pretty naive thought. You can be pretty sure that the marketing of harder drugs will be greatly increased.

And the ending of prohibition didn't hurt the mafia? No, legalizing marijuana will not eliminate cartels, or gangs, but it will take away a large portion of their income.

 

 

Chef, your argument is akin to resisting the elimination of prohibition, because the mob would increase racketeering. Marijuana sales make up 50-60% of Mexican cartel profits. I find it extremely hard to believe that the cartels will be able to weather the legalization without severely reducing manpower/bribes/arms.

 

It's no coincidence that organized crime was at its height under prohibition, and its no surprise cartels are at theirs, now.

[Chef Jim]

Yup. Just look at those moonshiners.

 

Oh...wait.

 

Comparing moonshiners to the amount of money the mexican drug cartels are making is a stupid comparison. You pull that much revenue from them they will most certainly find it in other drugs. Sure as hell not going to start selling tacos.

[Chef Jim]

And the ending of prohibition didn't hurt the mafia? No, legalizing marijuana will not eliminate cartels, or gangs, but it will take away a large portion of their income.

 

 

Chef, your argument is akin to resisting the elimination of prohibition, because the mob would increase racketeering. Marijuana sales make up 50-60% of Mexican cartel profits. I find it extremely hard to believe that the cartels will be able to weather the legalization without severely reducing manpower/bribes/arms.

 

It's no coincidence that organized crime was at its height under prohibition, and its no surprise cartels are at theirs, now.

 

So you're telling me that the end to prohibition did not increase mob activity in other areas? Who the hell do you think built Las Vegas. Why do you think drug use skyrocked after prohibition ended? Yeah, they'll just pack up their bags and become farmers.

[Fingon]

Comparing moonshiners to the amount of money the mexican drug cartels are making is a stupid comparison. You pull that much revenue from them they will most certainly find it in other drugs. Sure as hell not going to start selling tacos.

Where exactly are these customers going to come from? It's not like the cartels can get on TV and advertise heroin. The cartels went to marijuana simply because there isn't a big enough customer base for hard drugs in the United States.

 

So you're telling me that the end to prohibition did not increase mob activity in other areas? Who the hell do you think built Las Vegas. Why do you think drug use skyrocked after prohibition ended? Yeah, they'll just pack up their bags and become farmers.

 

Really, Chef? Show me the mobster who buys $125,000 gold belt buckles for his cronies. Oh wait, you can't. There was never a point in American history that organized crime was more powerful than prohibition. The richest men in America are no longer mobsters for a reason.

[Chef Jim]

Where exactly are these customers going to come from? It's not like the cartels can get on TV and advertise heroin. The cartels went to marijuana simply because there isn't a big enough customer base for hard drugs in the United States.

 

And hence my remark regarding the marketing of harder drugs. No they went to marijuana because the process to "manufacture" is cheaper. And to say there is not a market for harder drugs in the US leads be to believe you weren't doing coke in the 80's.

[The Dean]

So you're telling me that the end to prohibition did not increase mob activity in other areas? Who the hell do you think built Las Vegas. Why do you think drug use skyrocked after prohibition ended? Yeah, they'll just pack up their bags and become farmers.

 

 

Yes, the mob started moving into LEGAL activities, as well as expanding their illegal package. But the mob was hurt by prohibition, no doubt. Moonshiners were virtually totally put out of business. (OK there is NASCAR.)

 

If your argument is, there will be unknown and unintended consequences (as there are with any action), well: Duh and yawn.

 

The obvious and intended benefits from legalization almost certainly more than outweigh any possible issues that need to be dealt with should they arise.

[Fingon]

And hence my remark regarding the marketing of harder drugs. No they went to marijuana because the process to "manufacture" is cheaper. And to say there is not a market for harder drugs in the US leads be to believe you weren't doing coke in the 80's.

 

Number of people who use coke: 1.5 million

 

Number of people who smoke marijuana: 26 million

 

 

But yeah, the cartels can just flood the market with cheap cocaine. Oh wait, they buy it from the Colombians.

 

Guess what Chef? Heroin is very cheap and very pure right now, but people aren't doing it. How are they suppose to market it?

[Chef Jim]

Yes, the mob started moving into LEGAL activities, as well as expanding their illegal package. But the mob was hurt by prohibition, no doubt. Moonshiners were virtually totally put out of business. (OK there is NASCAR.)

 

If your argument is, there will be unknown and unintended consequences (as there are with any action), well: Duh and yawn.

 

The obvious and intended benefits from legalization almost certainly more than outweigh any possible issues that need to be dealt with should they arise.

 

No the mob moved into selling drugs, big time. They went from one illegal activity to the other. That's where the money is. And you can be pretty sure that the marijuana cartels will go into harder drugs if/when marijuana is legalized. If you're cool with that unintended consequence I can't help you.