California Proposition 19 - A Citizen's Initiative to Legalise Cannabis

[aunt_helen]

Legalization won't create more users. Weed is the easiest thing to attain as it is; I can get it more easily than Adderall or any other legal prescription drug, and I can buy it on Sunday, which I can't do for alcohol in my state. In high school it was MUCH easier for me to get pot than booze.

What it will do is allow another crop to come under state/federal control as far as regulation and taxing. Revenue will be made. The safety of everything involved - from the individuals who grow and sell, to the quality and purity of what is available for purchase - will go up. It would afford the country a chance to grow a very useful domestic resource. The only drawback I see is that it's another industry that will fall under a systematic administration that may or may not fuck everything up, like the farming subsidies in this country have fucked up our diet, health and international trade. I think this should go hand-in-hand with ending corn subsidiaries. Get the American food producers off high fructose corn syrup, start growing cannabis, keep it domestic, and allow citizens to grow for personal use regardless of reason. I honestly can't see a downside.

"I hate stoners" and "people will drive inebriated" are really not the topic here. People are, have been, and always will be, dumb. There are no lack of things for people to waste their lives on, get into car accidents, freak out, harm themselves or others - all perfectly legal. Education, treatment, moderation, and balance, folks.

[fluxquanta]

Originally Posted by aunt_helen

"I hate stoners" and "people will drive inebriated" are really not the topic here..

But I really do hate stoners. As you pointed out, smoking weed is not unique or rare, but the culture of stoners who think it is is fucking insufferable.

[amyuilani]

Originally Posted by fluxquanta

But I really do hate stoners. As you pointed out, smoking weed is not unique or rare, but the culture of stoners who think it is is fucking insufferable.

Pot smokers and "stoners" are not one in the same. Why punish all pot smokers because of the perception of a few?

[doctorsleep]

Increase in use?

Yeah, thats bullshit.

if you make it legal its not cool anymore.

[fluxquanta]

Originally Posted by amyuilani

Pot smokers and "stoners" are not one in the same. Why punish all pot smokers because of the perception of a few?

For the same reason everyone thinks flamboyant girly men represent all gays.

[L2EQ]

Originally Posted by kaligula

A quick search didn't show up any previous threads!

As a foreigner, I hope Prop 19 passes, because this would likely set the ball rolling on legalisation worldwide.

I can understand, however, if a Californian believed that this initiative reduced their overall rights to the possession of cannabis.
I'm sure there are a similar number of people who believe that there will be a great cost to society from the increase in use that would likely result from the decrease in prices.

Do we have any Californians? Anyone else like to express a view?

I just voted and I live in Cali. Yes on Prop 19 here, but I am doing it to hopefully cut down on some of the violence in Mexico by stopping the need to import weed across the border. There is a full on brutal war going on 40 miles south of us, and its scary shit. Empty mines filled with tortured headless bodies, severed heads lined up at police stations, people impaled alive, cops hands burnt off in acid before being killed.

I smoke a little but not enough for that to be the reason why I want it legalized, I can afford the $100 ticket if I get caught.

The real issue is its a fucking plant.... You WILL NOT stop people from growing it. The war on drugs has cost more than if they would have just bought every grow-op in Cali. The war is over - you lost.

[DudeEMETIB]

Originally Posted by aunt_helen

Legalization won't create more users.

Yes it will. I don't think it'll be significant, but there is definitely a percentage, however small, of people who are too chicken shit to try it because it's illegal and would once it's not, and will like it enough to continue.

It's definitely not about how easy or not it is to get, those who want it can have easy as hell.

That aside, I completely agree with you.

[marina]

I'm in Cali and I voted for it. So did most of my co-workers, my friends, my boyfriend and my grandma. The prison overpopulation problem is insane, and we really need the money. Not only from taxes, but from tourism.

[picard102]

I'm excited to see the meltdown if it passes. With the looming economic crisis and the continued splintering of Americans, any state vs federal rights fight is going to be highly entertaining to watch.

[fluxquanta]

Originally Posted by picard102

I'm excited to see the meltdown if it passes. With the looming economic crisis and the continued splintering of Americans, any state vs federal rights fight is going to be highly entertaining to watch.

Agreed.