Why not?

[Asher]

I honestly am dumbfounded. With the recent news of the 4 deaths in Alberta from the RCMP officers raiding a grow-op, the debate has ignited again.

The buzz is now all about how evil Marijuana clearly is.

Why is it banned? When demand for it is so high, and so many people use it (its use is increasnig in Canada last I checked), why do we still make people go to shady dealers for it? Why do we create this massive, profitable black market that profits organized crime and breeds violence?

The responsible thing to do is legalize the possession of, and distribution of, and growing of, marijuana. Eliminate the black market, regulate it, and tax it.

The only reason marijuana is a 'gateway drug' is because it forces users to deal with dealers, who likely try to push them into harder, more expensive drugs.

We need to legalize marijuana, and we need to educate people about it.

It's irresponsible to do otherwise. Four brave RCMP officers lost their lives to a career criminal who is using the black market for marijuana to make money. Remove that source of income from these scumbags, use the tax money from marijuana and put it directly in the health care system instead.

[Asher]

Also, one word: "Prohibition"

[chequita guevara]

No disagreement from me.

[Whaleboy]

Likewise, nice treatment of it Asher

[Agathon]

Let's all get wasted!!!

[alva]

Read the history on why it got banned banned in the first place, interesting read. As usual it's a case of "follow the money".

- tabak lobby
- farming lobby
- clothing lobby

[Urban Ranger]

Legalise drugs

[Atahualpa]

The question arises however what the criminals will do once you take their source of income.
It's not that they'll stop being criminal. They'll find other sources and I bet they wouldn't be legal.
So maybe the state thinks that as of now they are doing least harm. Also heavy taxation and a tough price leads to people still visiting the well established black market, who will just make things cheaper.

just a thought...

Anyway, there is low chance for it to happen given the pressure they put on regular smokers nowadays.

[Agathon]

What it really means is that the government wants to stop people having cheap fun.

You could add to the pro-pot lobby the makers of comfortable couches and the manufacturers of snack cakes.

[C0ckney]

Originally posted by Atahualpa
The question arises however what the criminals will do once you take their source of income.
It's not that they'll stop being criminal. They'll find other sources and I bet they wouldn't be legal.
So maybe the state thinks that as of now they are doing least harm. Also heavy taxation and a tough price leads to people still visiting the well established black market, who will just make things cheaper.

legalisation would destroy the black market. think of it this way, when the government puts taxes up on beer, you don't ring round your mates asking if anyone has any carling for sale, you sit in the pub and complain a little about the price increase.

in any case the price of every drug would drop a huge amount if they were legalised, which is kinda scary, considering how cheap some drugs are anyway

[Wezil]

Originally posted by C0ckney


legalisation would destroy the black market. think of it this way, when the government puts taxes up on beer, you don't ring round your mates asking if anyone has any carling for sale, you sit in the pub and complain a little about the price increase.

in any case the price of every drug would drop a huge amount if they were legalised, which is kinda scary, considering how cheap some drugs are anyway

If it were legalised, the price would rise. Canadians absolutely LOVE excessive taxation and no government in the land (provincial or federal) would pass up that cash cow.

The point to be addressed is what way do we want to go on this issue? Our feds think decriminalising is a good idea. Less punishment for using but to enforce strict laws against cultivation. This makes no sense. Where does the government think users are going to get their supply?

Any Libs want to defend this policy?

[C0ckney]

nah, i'm pretty sure the price would come down, it's all down to economies of scale and middle men.

some people grow gear at home, but there's only so much you can fit in a house, without it becoming very obvious to the outside world what you are doing. these people tend to sort out their mates at retail prices, which covers their costs and makes them a few quid on the side. of course a lot of weed comes from much bigger warehouse plantations or from fields, a lot is imported. however to get this stuff to the end user, it has to go a lot of people (and believe me, i mean a lot) and all of these people will be making some money off it, right down to the geezer who buys a few ounces and sells it off in 1/8s. there is money to be made even at this level.

now if it were legalised, all these small time growers and middle men would be cut out. a big company isn't going to buy from some dude with half a dozen plants in his room, and they're not going to let it pass through ten people's hands to get to the shops, so yes i think it would be very much cheaper

[Ben Kenobi]

One of my closest friends almost died a month ago, from a bad reaction to his meds. He's a paranoid schizophrenic who before he got onto proper meds used to self-medicate with pot. Pot just made his mental illness even worse, and is much more difficult to treat.

So I fail to see why we should encourage more people to harm themselves than we do now.

[Sava]

legalize it

[Verto]

Asher the computer geek joins the unemployed commies for the common goal of legalizing pot.

I blame Apple.