The legalization tide rises...

"State legislators in Rhode Island and Maine will announce bills tomorrow to legalize recreational marijuana, a spokesperson for the Marijuana Policy Project announced today."

"MPP says that "similar proposals will be submitted in at least two other states — Vermont and Massachusetts." A ballot iniative legalizing medical marijuana passed in Massachusetts last week with more than 60 percent of the vote. Maine voters voted to expand the state's 1999 medical marijuana law in 2009 to include dispensaries. The Rhode Island legislature passed medical marijuana legislation earlier this year."

http://reason.com/blog/2012/11/14/state-legislators-in-rhode-island-and-ma#comments

And so it begins.

Carne Seca said:

And so it begins.

Click to expand...

Indeed. It is going to be fun to watch the feds try to contain this move toward freedom. I expect our southern neighbors to legalize cannabis fairly soon as well.

I think the Feds will double down and bring the fight to many a front door. Too much to lose because we aren't just talking about marijuana legalization. While dope walks in the front door, Hemp is going to come in with it. Marijuana becoming legal is a major blow, but Hemp becoming legal is a game changer.

I think that due to the growing support the SCOTUS may take a death penalty stance on the issue and say let the states figure it out.

imagine if we could replace a conservative justice and get cannabis sent to the SCOTUS and re-legalized on a federal level (as i feel it should be, fuck states rights on this one).

it could conceivably happen with obama in office now, but stood no chance of happening if mittens weaseled into the oval shaped room.

good point, It still needs re-classification at the federal level. Maybe find all drug classifications unconstitutional.

Obama is going to go on the warpath, oh wait he is always on the warpath, but this time against MJ. Oh wait, he was already on the warpath against MJ, but he told his people that he wasnt so regardless of what happened, he wasnt. But now we can say it straight out, Obama's administration is AGAINST MJ.
Wonder if all his loyal followers who visit this site will join with him....

http://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/ondcp-fact-sheets/marijuana-legalization

Recently, there have been increasing efforts to legalize marijuana. The Obama Administration has consistently reiterated its firm opposition to any
form of drug legalization. Together with Federal partners and state and local officials, the Office of National Drug Control Policy is working to reduce the use of marijuana and other illicit drugs through development of strategies that fully integrate the principles of prevention, treatment, recovery, and effective supply reduction efforts. Proposals such as legalization that would promote marijuana use are inconsistent with this public health and safety approach.

althor said:

Obama is going to go on the warpath, oh wait he is always on the warpath, but this time against MJ. Oh wait, he was already on the warpath against MJ, but he told his people that he wasnt so regardless of what happened, he wasnt. But now we can say it straight out, Obama's administration is AGAINST MJ.
Wonder if all his loyal followers who visit this site will join with him....

http://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/ondcp-fact-sheets/marijuana-legalization

Recently, there have been increasing efforts to legalize marijuana. The Obama Administration has consistently reiterated its firm opposition to any
form of drug legalization. Together with Federal partners and state and local officials, the Office of National Drug Control Policy is working to reduce the use of marijuana and other illicit drugs through development of strategies that fully integrate the principles of prevention, treatment, recovery, and effective supply reduction efforts. Proposals such as legalization that would promote marijuana use are inconsistent with this public health and safety approach.

Click to expand...

Notice how all the enthusiasm was just kinda lost after this post?

UncleBuck said:

imagine if we could replace a conservative justice and get cannabis sent to the SCOTUS and re-legalized on a federal level (as i feel it should be, fuck states rights on this one).

it could conceivably happen with obama in office now, but stood no chance of happening if mittens weaseled into the oval shaped room.

Click to expand...

Even if the feds step aside, this will still be a states' rights issue. If a state wants to make it illegal, it has the constitutional authority to do so. I remain unconvinced that Obama will do anything here to get the feds out of the cannabis prohibition business.

spandy said:

I think the Feds will double down and bring the fight to many a front door. Too much to lose because we aren't just talking about marijuana legalization. While dope walks in the front door, Hemp is going to come in with it. Marijuana becoming legal is a major blow, but Hemp becoming legal is a game changer.

Click to expand...

I don't think fear of hemp is a major driver for prohibition. Hemp's a good crop, but it isn't magical. It competes with but doesn't excel trash pine as a biomass/paper crop, and there are better oil crops. People are talking as if growing hemp could solve our energy problems. I don't believe it. cn

desert dude said:

Even if the feds step aside, this will still be a states' rights issue. If a state wants to make it illegal, it has the constitutional authority to do so. I remain unconvinced that Obama will do anything here to get the feds out of the cannabis prohibition business.

Click to expand...

No reason to be unconvinced. Obama doesnt need your vote anymore and can say it loud and clear. His administration is against legalization of cannibas. The facts have shown it for 4 years, now his mouth says it as well.
I also like how he bragged about how much oil was being produced in the USA during the debate, 2 days after election announces he is closing 1.4 million acres of oil bearing land.

Thats why I love America, at the end of the day if enough voices are heard there is nothing the FEDs can do at all, theres way more of us than it is them. When enough states have legalized it as Washington and Colorado have, the FEDs will be forced to stop because whoever is in office will realize they are making our country look stupid to the entire world by raiding homes for something thats legal.

They are only raiding peoples homes to scare the rest of the states from trying to vote for it, but its not working as you can see.

althor said:

No reason to be unconvinced. Obama doesnt need your vote anymore and can say it loud and clear. His administration is against legalization of cannibas. The facts have shown it for 4 years, now his mouth says it as well.
I also like how he bragged about how much oil was being produced in the USA during the debate, 2 days after election announces he is closing 1.4 million acres of oil bearing land.

Click to expand...

The point is Obamas administration is "OPEN MINDED", thats why I voted for the guy. He isnt focused on legalization of marijuana right now because its true there are waaaay bigger fish to fry right now. BUT, if we didnt have to handle the big fish that we do right now, I can guarantee you Obama would be legalizing and regulating marijuana use. The guy is completely open minded to anything, he sits down and looks at the pros and the cons of the situation.

With marijuana being the situation, we all know there are waaaaaaaaay more pros than cons when it comes to marijauana. So in Obama's book that would equal LEGALIZATION. Once again, thats why I voted for the guy, open minded

althor said:

No reason to be unconvinced. Obama doesnt need your vote anymore and can say it loud and clear. His administration is against legalization of cannibas. The facts have shown it for 4 years, now his mouth says it as well.
I also like how he bragged about how much oil was being produced in the USA during the debate, 2 days after election announces he is closing 1.4 million acres of oil bearing land.

Click to expand...

In 15 years we will not import any oil and instead will be exporting oil

ChesusRice said:

In 15 years we will not import any oil and instead will be exporting oil

Click to expand...

I will believe that when I see it, the "not import any oil" part. I know we will be exporting oil, we already do export oil.

althor said:

I will believe that when I see it, the "not import any oil" part. I know we will be exporting oil, we already do export oil.

Click to expand...

No Althor, we have seen that you and the others who believe as you do find it impossible to ..."believe it when you see it". Hell, Romney and Ryan still don't believe what they see quite clearly, that there was a mandate against their ideology. Now what makes us think that you will manage to identify the truth any more clearly now than at any time during this election cycle?

I don't know if we will be exporting more oil but we may well be exporting more gasoline - and there goes the rightist "well Obama is keeping us from building any more refineries" nonesense.

canndo said:

No Althor, we have seen that you and the others who believe as you do find it impossible to ..."believe it when you see it". Hell, Romney and Ryan still don't believe what they see quite clearly, that there was a mandate against their ideology. Now what makes us think that you will manage to identify the truth any more clearly now than at any time during this election cycle?

I don't know if we will be exporting more oil but we may well be exporting more gasoline - and there goes the rightist "well Obama is keeping us from building any more refineries" nonesense.

Click to expand...

Why am I being lumped in with Romney and Ryan? I am nothing like either of those two. Not even close.
What have I been shown evidence of that I closed my eyes to? If anything the reverse is true. Even in this very thread there are people saying how Obama would support legalizing MJ when the whitehouse has said he will not.

althor said:

Why am I being lumped in with Romney and Ryan? I am nothing like either of those two. Not even close.
What have I been shown evidence of that I closed my eyes to? If anything the reverse is true. Even in this very thread there are people saying how Obama would support legalizing MJ when the whitehouse has said he will not.

Click to expand...

Vote for them Althor? did you believe the polls? Did you believe that Obama is making gas prices rise? Didn't you believe that Obama was causing our economy to faulter because "we don't know what is going to happen next"? it's been a while, was that you?

canndo said:

Vote for them Althor? did you believe the polls? Did you believe that Obama is making gas prices rise? Didn't you believe that Obama was causing our economy to faulter because "we don't know what is going to happen next"? it's been a while, was that you?

Click to expand...

Actually, no I did not vote for them. I didnt vote at all. If you continued to follow my posts, within weeks of the vote I was sick of their constant lying. I wont vote for outright liars. I believe Obama policies make gas prices rise, yes I do, still do. You have some facts to show otherwise? When I say facts, facts everyone agrees with, not that can be contested by 20 different "facts".
Now we know what is going to happen next. Are you paying attention at all? Our economy is screwed man, sorry you dont see it.
400k+ unemployment benefit applications last month. Even with Sandy it is astronomical.

I dont know anything about the polls, never acted as if I did.

Now, show me some facts to change the facts I already know about them and I will be willing to change my mind.