Drug WarRant

Scott Morgan has a good post: Why Legalizing Marijuana Protects Young People, where he quotes from a parent in Psychology Today:

As a parent, I ask myself, “what are the dangers to teens?” And, what are the likely scenarios? If pot is still illegal to anyone under 21, how will teens get it? I think the most likely scenario is the same as beer and cigarettes. Older brothers and sisters, with IDs, will legally buy packaged marijuana cigarettes at gas stations and share them with younger ones on Friday night parties. As a parent, I ask myself, “how do I feel about this?” And… after a little thought, I actually feel better knowing my child is with trusted friends, ingesting measured substances than on a corner at night buying an illegal substance from a stranger.

Exactly – a rational thought process.

One additional benefit that parents might consider. Under prohibition, if their child has a joint and is caught, the consequences can be much worse to their future.

Stephen Colbert, in his usual style, takes on the privatization of the prison industry, and manages to get in a few good digs (including mention of the Juvenile sentencing for kickbacks scheme in a private detention center).

Link

Medical marijuana users in Maine will be able to buy their pot at licensed dispensaries after voters approved a bill that expands the state’s existing medical marijuana law.

The new law allows patients to buy marijuana at nonprofit dispensaries. It also expands the medical conditions under which people can be prescribed the drug.

In unofficial returns, Question 5 was leading 60 percent to 40 percent with half of precincts reporting.

Link

BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. — The skiing town of Breckenridge voted Tuesday night by a margin of nearly 3 to 1 to legalize the adult possession of marijuana.

Breckenridge voters passed Measure 2F, which removes criminal penalties from the town code for the private possession of up to one ounce of marijuana by adults 21 and older. The ordinance also removes criminal penalties for the possession of bongs, pipes and other drug paraphernalia.

It passed 73 percent to 27 percent.

Perhaps the leaders of California’s law enforcement community, that has spent so much time and money fighting against any kind of reform of marijuana laws, would be willing to explain this:

Via MPP

Peter Hitchens

Don’t read this unless you’re interested in raising your blood pressure.

Continue reading →

… and not very well

Mr Brown backed Mr Johnson’s decision and defended the right of elected ministers to reject the advice of scientists at times. He said: “On climate change, or health, for example, we take the best scientific advise possible. But in an area like drugs we have to look at it in the round.

In the round? Ah, yes, I see here you have proved that 2+2=4. But, you see, in this area, we have to look at it in the round, so I declare it to be 3.

Lots of random “for the children” and “mixed messages” nonsense, and then.

He rejected the argument that cannabis is less harmful than alcohol and cigarettes.

“We’ve seen brands of cannabis that are distorted by other products and ingredients. That’s one of the reasons why it’s important to send a message that drug abuse is not acceptable and a criminal offence.”

(Yeah, your spliff becomes dangerous when cannabis is mixed with tobacco, but that’s because of the tobacco.)

There’s so much wrong with those sentences…

If you live in Maine, you have a chance to vote for the following today:

Question 5 reads: “Do you want to change the medical marijuana laws to allow treatment of more medical conditions and to create a regulated system of distributions?”

According to Leavitt, the goal of the new legislation is “to provide legal access for qualified patients who couldn’t access their medicine through the 1999 Maine Medical Marijuana Act.”

For those of you (like myself) who have not had the chance to see a first-class medical marijuana operation, here’s a nice look (Via Scott Morgan)

It’s also the potential vision of what a post-legalization distribution method could be.