In 1996, California legalized medical marijuana at the ballot box. We were told dogs would sleep with cats, rats with human brains would be developed (oh, sorry, that's Christine O'Donnell NOW); everyone would be driving stoned; nurses would be stoned when you come out of surgery; the world would end. None of that happened, of course, and all is moving along smoothly.
Now that a legalization for ALL purposes is on the ballot, the same old tired nonsense is being trotted out. Take a look.
Simultaneously, we refuse to take "personal responsibility" (where are Republicans when you need them?) for the havoc we are creating in Mexico, where people are dying by the thousands; an entire town's police force just quit today -- all to satisfy OUR demand for drugs. And, the government (where is my "freedom" and "liberty" now you Tea Partiers?) says "take our drugs -- don't take yours." "Our drugs are making multi-nationals fabulously wealthy -- have YOU take YOUR Viagra or Cialis today?"
Can we just grow up please? Admit prohibition does not work (just ask Al Capone) and let's take a mature approach to marijuana? And stop the killing in Mexico?? After all, I am pro-life!
Norm
www.normangoldman.com
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While the feds bluster about the superiority of federal over state law, they know that the beginning of the end of prohibition is upon them. They were impotent to stop Prop 215 in 1996, and that only legalized marijuana use for 10%-20% of the 3.3 million adult Californians who use cannabis.
Now, with Prop 19 we're legalizing it for 100% of the adults. And that legalization comes with language that forbids state and local law enforcement from "seizing, attempting to seize, or threatening to seize" lawfully cultivated marijuana, taking from the feds their footsoldiers for any raids, like they've used in the Prop 215 raids. And even the local boneheads like LA Sheriff Lee Baca knows damn well that state and local cops don't enforce federal laws, a precedent that has been set by the US Supreme Court regarding Prop 215.
Prop 19 takes away that "probable cause" used to so often harass young people and people of color. Prop 19 lowers the price of marijuana to remove that enticing criminal profit. Its time has come.