Barny Frank Wants To Legalize Pot

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

The U.S. should stop arresting responsible marijuana users, Rep. Barney Frank said Wednesday, announcing a proposal to end federal penalties for Americans carrying fewer than 100 grams, almost a quarter-pound, of the substance. "The vast amount of human activity ought to be none of the government's business," Frank said.Full Story Here: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/07/30/fra...uana/index.html

[Suited_Up 2]

Don't smoke it, but it'd be nice.Will never happen, but it'd be nice.

[grocery_mony 9]

No money in pot if its legal and it would take big bites out of the liqour, pharmaceutical industries so nope, wont happen.

[Mercury69 3]

What kind of a Republican IS this guy lol?I completely agree, though, that way too much time, effort and money is wasted on marijuana related "offenses". When was the last time you heard of a marijuana caused car crash or hold up job? The smokers are too freakin' chilled out for that. The worst I've heard, lately, is that story about the guy who wanted to use pot to bet at some casino...Go after the cocaine, heroin, meth, exctasy, etc...Or maybe the CIA has too much invested in those areas...

[CaneBrain 97]

No money in pot if its legal and it would take big bites out of the liqour, pharmaceutical industries so nope, wont happen.

There would still be money in pot. Gov't could tax it like cigs. Barney Frank has been on this kick for a while now. Other places that have decriminalized pot have been success stories (Amsterdam, parts of Canada).The costs to police pot are too high. Salaries of cops, costs from paying judges, court clerks, probation officers, jail cells, etc......when the gov could be making money off it instead.This change is long overdue and yet I am sure it wont happen for a long time if ever. Never forget this country was founded by Puritans and not a lot has changed.

[solderz 0]

No money in pot if its legal and it would take big bites out of the liqour, pharmaceutical industries so nope, wont happen.

Seriously one the dumbest statements I've read in a while. Are you trying to state that the government currently makes money by pot being illegal? The only argument for this I could even conceive of is government seizures, but if you think that the assets seized is greater than the assets spent in enforcing the laws, you are sadly mistaken.Legalize it. Tax the hell out of it. You solve two problems: help shrink the the current state budget shortfalls occurring due to property values decreasing and you've removed some of the profit making ability from gangs and organized crime.

[Sal Paradise 57]

What kind of a Republican IS this guy lol?

the kind thats a democrat.

[YonYonson 156]

should happen, but i doubt it ever will.

[runthemover 40]

organized crime.

mmmmmmmmm. organized crime

[CaneBrain 97]

Seriously one the dumbest statements I've read in a while. Are you trying to state that the government currently makes money by pot being illegal? The only argument for this I could even conceive of is government seizures, but if you think that the assets seized is greater than the assets spent in enforcing the laws, you are sadly mistaken.Legalize it. Tax the hell out of it. You solve two problems: help shrink the the current state budget shortfalls occurring due to property values decreasing and you've removed some of the profit making ability from gangs and organized crime.

qft

[vbnautilus 49]

The bill does not legalize the sale of marijuana. It only decriminalizes possession of small amounts.Would be a funny situation to be able to have it but not to buy it, but this is probably an easy place to start with a law since it doesn't run into some of the economic issues people have raised here. The resolution would not address laws forbidding growing, importing or exporting marijuana, or selling it for profit. The resolution also would not speak to state laws regarding marijuana use.

[timwakefield 69]

What kind of a Republican IS this guy lol?

Rep. = RepresentativeIt should really say Rep. Barney Frank (D, Mass.). Yeah, he's from Massachusetts alright. Oh and he also is the guy for legalizing online poker.

[AmScray 354]

Just wondering- has anyone ever made a compelling case as to why alcohol should be permitted but marijuana not?Ever?Like, OK, we have to concede right off the top that 75% of the population are retards and will support whatever is most familliar to them. Since marijuana has been illegal since before our grandparents time and they don't have the requisite critical thinking skills to formulate an opinion based on logic and reason, we know where the opinion of the "masses" will fall.Presuming that the remaining 25% of people who actually posses some modicum of intelligence can be divided politically about equally- I'd say 11% Conservative, 14% Liberal- and these are the people who comprise the intelligentsia in this country and formulate opinion thusly, for the life of me, I cannot figure out how pot has remained illegal for this long and is likely to remain so for the foreseeable future.

[LongLiveYorke 38]

for the life of me, I cannot figure out how pot has remained illegal for this long and is likely to remain so for the foreseeable future.

Easy solution: 75% is waaaaaay overestimating the general public. I'd say it's over 90%. Really, there are a bunch of frickin morons out there.

[no not baxter 0]

one timeeeeeee

[Tparks86 0]

No money in pot if its legal and it would take big bites out of the liqour, pharmaceutical industries so nope, wont happen.

I completely agree that cannabis could and should take a huge bite out of liquor and pharmaceutical industries if it were legal. I also understand why you would assume that it will never become legal for those reasons. However, it is that kind passive negativity from everyone that will keep it that way. If you care at all (which I obviously do) about this issue, then write letters to your congressmen and learn more about representatives that will vote in favor of ending the drug war and legalizing cannabis. It's going to happen eventually, IMO.Cannabis is the number one cash crop in California and it's not even legal. Too many states are starting to open their doors to medicinal marijuana and that is the fast track to legalization.I don't mean to sound cheesy. I just think its important that you don't give the establishment what it needs to grow - passive, grumpy, and cynical citizens.

[grocery_mony 9]

Seriously one the dumbest statements I've read in a while. Are you trying to state that the government currently makes money by pot being illegal? The only argument for this I could even conceive of is government seizures, but if you think that the assets seized is greater than the assets spent in enforcing the laws, you are sadly mistaken.Legalize it. Tax the hell out of it. You solve two problems: help shrink the the current state budget shortfalls occurring due to property values decreasing and you've removed some of the profit making ability from gangs and organized crime.

Of course the government doesnt make money off of it but they sure make money with the competition(alchol, pharamceuticals). This tax the hell out of it wont work because any retard can grow pot. Hence no money in pot if its legal. Legal pot would take to much money out of to many peoples pockets.

[Tparks86 0]

Of course the government doesnt make money off of it but they sure make money with the competition(alchol, pharamceuticals). This tax the hell out of it wont work because any retard can grow pot. Hence no money in pot if its legal. Legal pot would take to much money out of to many peoples pockets.

Yeah, I just can't agree with that. There would be an entire industry created around it. You obviously have no idea the endless products that can be made with THC in it, and if hemp were to follow - that's a whole new ball game. Taxing marijuana would be an insane revenue booster, and the economy would thrive from the industry that would replace the street corner and gas station deals done by teenagers and high school dropouts all over the country.

[Jeepster80125 0]

Seriously one the dumbest statements I've read in a while. Are you trying to state that the government currently makes money by pot being illegal? The only argument for this I could even conceive of is government seizures, but if you think that the assets seized is greater than the assets spent in enforcing the laws, you are sadly mistaken.Legalize it. Tax the hell out of it. You solve two problems: help shrink the the current state budget shortfalls occurring due to property values decreasing and you've removed some of the profit making ability from gangs and organized crime.

Think harder then. What about the cost to the offender who gets a ticket, etc. It's the same way that police departments get a lot of their budgets from DUI arrests.Also, it is my belief that you have no factual basis whatsoever with your claim about government assets in seizures versus money spent enforcing laws. Care to cite a source?

[Tparks86 0]

check it hereEstimated (in 2006) 35 BILLION dollar cash crop. Keep in mind that is with its ILLEGAL status.Last year there was almost 1 Million people arrested for Marijuana related offenses.Your arguments fails because even if there are 30 million more people ticketed for possession and fined - that money can't compensate for the tax dollars spent to house these 980,000 "criminals".

[grocery_mony 9]

check it hereEstimated (in 2006) 35 BILLION dollar cash crop. Keep in mind that is with its ILLEGAL status.Last year there was almost 1 Million people arrested for Marijuana related offenses.Your arguments fails because even if there are 30 million more people ticketed for possession and fined - that money can't compensate for the tax dollars spent to house these 980,000 "criminals".

What you fail to comprehend is its a 35 billion dollar cash crop BECAUSE of its illegal status. If its legalized the cost of growing a pound of your own would be <$10.

[Petoria 0]

Just wondering- has anyone ever made a compelling case as to why alcohol should be permitted but marijuana not?Ever?Like, OK, we have to concede right off the top that 75% of the population are retards and will support whatever is most familliar to them. Since marijuana has been illegal since before our grandparents time and they don't have the requisite critical thinking skills to formulate an opinion based on logic and reason, we know where the opinion of the "masses" will fall.Presuming that the remaining 25% of people who actually posses some modicum of intelligence can be divided politically about equally- I'd say 11% Conservative, 14% Liberal- and these are the people who comprise the intelligentsia in this country and formulate opinion thusly, for the life of me, I cannot figure out how pot has remained illegal for this long and is likely to remain so for the foreseeable future.

BFT. lolBarney Frank supports legalizing marijuana, poker, and gay marriage ( at least I assume he does, bc he is gay). He seems to be on the right track, get the government out of our sh*t. I'm not sure if it's been mentioned yet, but he was interviewed in a PocketFives Podcast a while back defending online poker. Might be worth checking out also.

[Tparks86 0]

What you fail to comprehend is its a 35 billion dollar cash crop BECAUSE of its illegal status. If its legalized the cost of growing a pound of your own would be <$10.

Well, this bill that's being proposed has nothing to do with growing your own. I still don't see how we can overlook the amount of tax money being saved by legalizing it. Drug cases clog the courts and render law enforcement completely helpless. Lawyers and judges days are being wasted constantly. 1,000,000 marijuana prisoners costs the tax payer 20-40 million dollars a year just to house them.

[Jeepster80125 0]

From Drugsensehttp://www.drugsense.org/wodclock.htmMoney Spent on the War On Drugs this Year 11,696,884,192 Federal17,954,654,264 State$29,651,670,567 TotalImpossible to tell how much of this is just for pot, but whatever that nonzero number is, it's pretty big.It's easy to tax alcohol and cigarettes at the point of sale, but how does anyone propose we tax marijuana?It's very very hard to make my own alcohol, but damn easy to grow a plant if I want to. I'm for legalization btw.

[grocery_mony 9]

Let me also state for the record that I am 100% for the legalization of marijuana and do believe marijuana can replace a tonne of pharmaceuticals that have severe side effects. I remember hearing that marijuana was first prohibited in the US because of the cotton industry lobbying for its ban because hemp was far supperior to cotton. Its always been about the money and there is no way to make money on legal marijuana.