Sen. Jamie Raskin, D-Montgomery, and Del. Curt Anderson, D-Baltimore, said their proposed Marijuana Control Act of 2014 would take power out of the hands of drug dealers and channel revenue into public causes like school construction projects and drug and alcohol treatment programs.
“The vast majority of Marylanders have come to the realization that the current war on drugs is failing with respect to marijuana,” Raskin said.
The senator criticized the current laws banning the drug, saying that it drives up the cost of marijuana and enriches drug dealers and international organized crime in a way that could be avoided through government regulation.
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20 comments:
he's right but who's gonna fill all those prison beds? maybe we can outlaw something else, hmmmm, maybe talking on your cell phone while driving?
“The vast majority of Marylanders have come to the realization that the current war on drugs is failing with respect to marijuana,” Raskin said.
It's gone well beyond "is failing". It has worse than failed, supporting the black market and lowering our respect for government.
I agree
Take the power from the cartels
Does anyone seriously doubt that the "taxing" part of it is what Raskin and Anderson are really interested in? "Let's take power from the hands of drug dealers... and turn the government into one!"
I'd like to bring some things to light for those who think this is a good thing for them.
If and when pot does become legal in MD there will be "under the influence" levels placed on it, as w/alcohol. Colorado's new law states that in instances where THC is identified in a driver's blood in quantities of 5ng/ml or higher, "such fact gives rise to permissible inference that the defendant was under the influence."
That's 5 Billionths of a gram in a thousandth of a liter. I equate that with one kid peeing in an Olympic sized pool and calling in polluted. Now., couple that with "most cannabinoids are lipophilic (fat soluble) compounds that are easily stored in fat, thus yielding a long elimination half-life..". That last statement is what law makers are counting on... $$$$$. I have yet to see an explanation as to where these "under the influence" numbers were plucked from. But, they seem damn low to me when medical tests show the affect of pot last no longer then 8 hours.
You may have smoked days ago but, you're still driving illegally and subject to a fine. I think CO's is something like $500.
These Democratic knuckleheads must have been smoking weed when they planned this and when they had their press conference.
1) Does anyone get arrested and jailed for selling/trying to sell booze or tobacco that sidesteps a state's taxes? Yep. After folks find that state controlled weed is now more expensive than what their dealer used to sell will the dealers be back? Yep.
2) When you're in a fender bender can you presume the other driver was under the influence until they submit to a drug test? DUI/DWI levels and testing methods at point of contact and beyond are pretty accurate but alcohol quickly is metabolized. Not so weed. Slow reaction time is slow reaction time.
3) All the jillions of dollars spent on anti-drug and anti-smoking programs are kaput if this passes. The youngest child can smoke out (sorry couldn't resist) the hypocrisy. These idiots want to promote a product that is a smokeable drug; geniuses!
OweMalley's reticence is because it might not poll well for him to openly support weed. Given the chance he'll 'evolve' like OweBama did on sexual topics.
Who else still thinks pot is a gateway to "more dangerous drugs", besides a certain PA in Salisbury?
There are already traffic laws in regards to driving under the influence of a controlled dangerous substance. Only downfall to it right now is needing a DRE, Drug Recognition Expert, to do the test.
Nothing better to do, soooooo, they create something.
Oh, btw, it involves us getting another tax.
I doubt O'Malley signs the bill. I'm all for it, but I bet he sends it back to legislature for some reason so he can let the next governor play politics with it because O'Malley has no stones.
I agree with 10:08pm. This will not stop the drug dealers. They will just offer it at a much cheaper price than the government. The people who buy it on the street now will ccontinue to do so. The people who buy it from the government will be the ones who were scared to try it when it was illegal.
Joe, will you smoke the weed if it gets legal?
This is where are freedoms began eroding and the excuse for increased police militarization comes from. The rate of drug addiction is the same as when the 'War on Drugs' started. What Abraham Lincoln said about alcohol prohibition fits drug prohibition as well. You cannot legislate a man's hunger. It goes against the very reasons this country was founded on.Freedom! End the Nanny State !! Don't give me the lame 'Bad for you' arguments or the 'keep it away from the children' crap or the 'gateway drug' nonsense. Let people be free to screw up. Tobacco is a gateway drug and the early colonies economy was dependent on those profits.
Who cares ? Really ? It's all about tax revenue, as with tobacco and alcohol. It's not a "gateway" drug. It's no harmful than booze. Smoked it during college never tried anything else... Got over it.
Marty just wants to make habit legal....
He must be smokin' the good stuff - based on the crappy legislation that's been coming from him and his Annapahole buddies!
DT article said one reason to legalize is the number of African Americans in jail because of violating drug laws. State is reducing penalties for thugs in school because too many are minority students. Guess if you can't make people follow laws, it's easier just to get rid of the laws. Wonder if shoplifting and the Knock Out game will soon be legal.
The War on Drugs is a waste of time as it was during the 13 years of Prohibition ( the 18th Amendment). As noted, our Politicians are getting rich by the drug trade...so make it legal and tax it!
Other than a cheap (legal) high, what is the point of this conversation? Why are we spending so much time to teach our kids how to get high?
To add to Ginns post @ 8:02 Jan 17,the state of MD will make proof of pot consumption a reason for confiscation of firearms. The insurance companies will use the ridicuously low blood content as an excuse not to pay if a user is involved in an accident even though they used the drug many days before the accident. These are two practical reasons why legalization of pot just opens the door for more control by the state and excuses for the system to screw the consumer.
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