The Great Depression the New Recession Alcohol and Cannabis

[dragonrider]

Well firstly I dont need a history lesson as I know as well as you do the effects of the prohibition, as does your former president from the Kennedy's.

I certainly didn't mean to lecture you on history, but it sounded like you were questioning whether alcohol prohibition was a good comparison to marijauna criminalization. I just wanted to clarify why I think it was a good comparison.

And the alcohol was in reference to your comment now that I look back and re-read your previous post about making your own spirits post reference to government control.

When I wrote that, I was responding to the earlier post by Brainface, "You need to buy alcohol because it only comes from stores. But weed is a plant that comes from the ground."

I was just saying you can make alcohol at home legally too. You don't have to buy it in stores. Most people do buy it in stores, but some make it at home. Probably the same thing would happen with marijauna if it were legal.

but now lets elaborate on your theory that legalizing marijuana would reduce taxes and law enforcement against it. So pot is the only war on drug then? thats an interesting conclusion.

I didn't make that conclusion --- you made that conclusion. Please don't put words in my mouth and then say I'm wrong. I said that if weed were legal, then the governemnt would save money on catching, prosecuting and imprisoning people for pot crimes that would no longer be illegal. I think that is true. Even if the rest of the so-called "War on Drugs" were to continue the same as it has, it doesn't change the fact that there would be a savings from not having to enforce pot laws if pot were legal.

So when they stop sniffing out dope, you think there going to give all that money back and cut taxes for federal "war on drugs" campaigns and programs, giving it back to the people?

I dont think so..

Again, that's another thing I never said. I said the government would save money. I didn't say they would gve it back to us. I agree with you there --- I don't think they would necessarily give it back.

Then you have all those drug offenders (marijuana) in those nice, tiny little steel cages. sitting patiently, brewing in hate and irritation, wouldnt that be swell, just letting them free back on the street. of course they will, what other option do they have? its legal now...

Well, the fact is those people locked up for marijuana crimes are getting out eventually no matter what. I doubt there are many people in prison for life without possibility of parole for strictly pot crimes. So, yeah, they may be a bit screwed up after their prison experience, but in my opinion they should never have been in there in the first place. And I don't see any good reaaon to keep sending more into prison for the same crimes, just to get screwed up by thier prison experience and eventually be let back out. It is another one of the social costs of criminalization. We end up sending people to prison for relatively harmless marijuana crimes, and while they are there they get turned into REAL criminals and get let back out. I think we should stop doing that.

but besides that, theres a million things that could be adjudicated but its just not feasible. unfortunately our country is a bit lackadaisical and change is not a easy transition here. our culture, and society at that, is far to free and unafraid of consequence. the balls of steel mentality is quite abundant, whether you like, or believe it or not.

unlike other countries, we had made a choice against it, and it stuck, but luckily for those medical users, they got themselves a break. A much needed one for some, but only in the great state of California. We cant induce a lower drinking age or legalization of drugs, because people are irrational. they are inconsiderate and some are just plain ignorant. the effects of legalizing pot would excavate the fear from those whom hid in their bedrooms smoking spliffs and keeping their dark secret, others freely amongst friends and family, but in the public eye they knew would be blackballed.

I know this because I have seen it, I have lived in many countries, democratic and communist, and I know how changes like this effect its society.

Im a free loving smoker just like im sure all of you are, but unfortunately theres a saying in the army, "theres always one", and thats very true. because unfortunatley theres always going to be one, that fucks it up for everyone else.

But keep the peace, love one another and enjoy your lives. whether you smoke or not I to feel you shouldnt have to hide or be ashamed (in a figurative way) of the good buds you smoke. If it helps you for whatever reason I hail you, and hope that your troubles or conditions can like mine, be blown away by thick green smoke.

cheers

Well, you are probably right that legalization is not very likely. And you are probably right that it wouldn't suddenly make smoking weed socially acceptable. But that doesn't mean there are not good reasons why it should be made legal.

dragonrider Reviewed by dragonrider on 01-31-2008. The Great Depression the New Recession Alcohol and Cannabis All the talk about a looming reccession Stimulus Packages and rebates gave me pause to look back at history. Reccesions and Deppresions are cyclical things that have always been apart of american history. Looking back at the the great deppression of the late 20's and 30's people faced dire times where drought ruined the midwest, banks were not trustworthy and businessmen where leaping from their skyscrapers. They people of america maintaned their resolve and government created jobs through Rating: 5