Marijuana might just be the biggest cash crop in the nation & the proceeds of the sales go unregulated to whom?

Plus all the taxes we pay to support a war and criminal justice system against something that the people obviously will use regardless. What a huge waste

I would rather see Cannabis sold through legitimate businesses that pay taxes to support schools, police and roads.

Puff puff pass that Phillie.

I agree that pot is a cash crop. I'm not sure what you are trying to say in that second sentence.

Don't kid yourself that legalizing pot will pay for any support for schools, police or roads. Has alcohol taxes paid for any of that? Alcohol is the most widely available drug and the most widely taxed. It hasn't paid for anything other than state general fund welfare programs. Neither will any of your prospective pot revenues pay for anything.

The money the states got from the tobacco lawsuits wasn't spent the way it was supposed to be spent. It went into the general coffers and was spent on entitlement programs. That basically means supporting the welfare state.

States entered the gambling business years ago via lotteries with the promise that revenues will pay for schools and many other things. None of that bullshit has happened. The states are raking in billions of dollars. Taxes have still gone up...up...up...up and up over the years. There has been no tax relief. There has been no property tax relief. Yet the states are still making billions off of gambling.

What the hell makes you think legalizing pot will save you a single penny in taxation? It will eventually wind up costing you so much more money because of expanded government drug treatment programs and the expansion of the welfare state.

Let's come back to reality. No taxpayer is going to see a single penny saved by making pot legal. It will wind up costing them dearly in the pocket.

Ah, the infamous slippery slope argument. Never compelling, but a favorite of neocons everywhere. Good call, snuffie.

Good call.

The reason that those alchohol taxes and revenues from lotteries, etc. are not going directly towards what they should be is a matter of accountability in those governements and not a matter of whether or not those revenues are there. A pot tax would be the same way.

Tell us...."your last statement stating it will wind up costing them dearly in the pocket"

How?

Take the dollars spent on enforicing drug laws for pot users and dealers.

Take the tax revenue generated by legitimizing it.

Consider the boost in the economy that will come from growing, marketing, and selling it.

And consider that people who smoke pot will do it regardless of its legality. (yes, kids too).

Consider that even now, if you want to get weed, it's WIDELY available, even in schools.

Show me the down side of this that is not all cop / war on drugs propaganda that has been shoved down your throat since your teen years.

Madman, you're one of the biggest "don't beleive everything you read / consider the source" advocates here, yet on this subject, you're buying into all the bullshit the government has spewed about marijuana use.

From FARK's worst coupon contest:

"The nationalist does not go on the principle of simply ganging up with the strongest side. On the contrary, having picked his side, he persuades himself that it is the strongest, and is able to stick to his belief even when the facts are overwhelmingly against him. Nationalism is power-hunger tempered by self-deception. Every nationalist is capable of the most flagrant dishonesty, but he is also — since he is conscious of serving something bigger than himself — unshakeably certain of being in the right."

--George Orwell, Notes on Nationalism

http://orwell.ru/library/essays/nationalism/english/e_nat

Its everyones obligation to tell a free person what they can and can not put in their body when it puts that persons life and health at risk.

Well done. That is an exceptionally accurate description of Madman.

Dasvedanya, Komrad! Well said!

Would you like me to hold your place in the bread line?

Read the entire essay. It's scary. You might have to sift through a lot of dated and somewhat obscure reference, but the essence of the essay is as fresh as ever. Even beyond 1984, Orwell's words have the infinite capacity to scare the living shit out of me.

Uhhh, I said bullseye...

When the general population is too ignorant and naive to realize that what they are doing is wrong; it is the requirement of a select few to protect, educate and care for the less informed.

You think you're one who decides? Were you voted in there, or just decide to take on that role for the good of humanity?

It is a basic human responsibility to care for people who can not care for themselves.

You wouldn't let a 4 year old child run around your house with a loaded gun. The boy doesn't know that the gun can kill or hurt someone he loves. It is the same in this case.

I also like Orwell, Shahram.

There is a huge problem with applying that quote to me. My position regarding legalizing marijuana is the majority position held by most people in this country.

The majority of the population does not want marijuana legal. Maybe a lot think it is OK for medical marijuana purposes, but people do not want pot to be legalized. They do not want the government telling their children it is OK to be a stoner.

That Orwell quote is more appropriate for the people on your side of this debate.

Whee.

From the same essay (It's like it was custom-written!):

"Obsession. As nearly as possible, no nationalist ever thinks, talks, or writes about anything except the superiority of his own power unit. It is difficult if not impossible for any nationalist to conceal his allegiance. The smallest slur upon his own unit, or any implied praise of a rival organization, fills him with uneasiness which he can relieve only by making some sharp retort. If the chosen unit is an actual country, such as Ireland or India, he will generally claim superiority for it not only in military power and political virtue, but in art, literature, sport, structure of the language, the physical beauty of the inhabitants, and perhaps even in climate, scenery and cooking."

Mmmm.

Curry & taters.

I just got a stiffy.

I'm just so glad that you're here to show me how to tie my shoes. What would I do without you...whoever you are.

I can't believe I'm actually asking this question, but in this case, it seems absolutely warranted:

Why do you hate America?

Oh, him, he's one of the select few.. :rolleyes:

I don't

I do hate Sharia law though

Wow...

Yes, Ireland is a very beautiful and scenic country. They also do seem to be an attractive race of people. They have a high percentage of attractive women, especially in the South and places like Cork.

However, marijuana is illegal in Ireland.

HERE\'S Dr. Gieringers opinion on the matter. MM, where'd you get your smarts again?