Let’s skip the medical marijuana dispensary syndrome and simply legalize marijuana for adult use in Vermont. The Vermont legislature, like other states have outdated themselves with the implementation of marijuana dispensaries. They are not sensible solutions to set guidelines to dispense marijuana to people as patients.Moreover, it sets the terrible precedent that marijuana is best prescribed. The guidelines enacted by the legislature border on the ridiculous. Setting limits on the number of “patients” allowed to receive a license, and setting limits on the list of ailments that physicians can prescribe for their patients literally defeats the purpose of using marijuana as a medicine for a broad spectrum of people.
Similarly, decriminalization of marijuana in as much is telling us that marijuana for adult personal use is elementally a crime! It’s just another form of criminalizing marijuana consumers.
Regulating and licensing marijuana for adult consumers along the “alcohol model” makes the most sense. Once adults can make their own choice, like alcohol consumers do, they can decide if they wish to use it for personal reasons or medical reasons, unencumbered by the irrational and draconian limits set on dispensary, patient licensing and low fine procedures by the legislators. The Vermont legal codes for dispensaries and decriminalization are not very well thought out and they suffer from a timidity to take the obvious steps for a real adult consumers solution.
Not too long ago I read an article where it was reported that Governor Shumlin expressed a need to examine Colorado and Washington state’s legalization policies for future consideration here in Vermont. When Marijuana Resolve first began its public outreach for decriminalization we did so with the understanding that decriminalization and medicalization of marijuana are inferior steps to the real and obvious goal: legalization of marijuana for an adult consumer market. Okay. We played ball back then because decriminalization and medicalization were the only games we could play to get the legislature’s attention.
We were well aware that the Marijuana Resolve team and many public supporters favored the legal regulation of marijuana as the right thing to do. This unnecessary circuitous path that state legislatures take to change the marijuana laws reminds me of a quote from Winston Churchill who said, “You can always count on the Americans to do the right thing, only after they’ve tried everything else.”
An addendum to the aforementioned op-ed
The case for the legalization of marijuana for our adult consumers is growing stronger each day. The Vermont legislature will reconvene in January. Perhaps now is the time to let Governor Shumlin and the legislators to do the right thing. After all, don’t you think we’ve done enough harm to Vermont adults with these draconian marijuana laws?
These recent articles are supportive of this –
World’s First Marijuana Retail License Issued In Colorado: Recreational pot shops are expected to open their doors for the first time in history on January 1, 2014: Full story: http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/worlds-first-marijuana-retail-license-issued-colorado
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FLORIDA, Uruguay — Pot connoisseurs of the world take note: Uruguay is about to go where no country has gone before by legalizing the cultivation and distribution of marijuana, with the left-of-center government regulating all facets of the trade.
The initiative runs sharply counter to the Obama administration’s anti-drug policies, which criminalize the use of marijuana, heroin and cocaine and rely on tough interdiction tactics to stop the flow of drugs from Latin America: Full story: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/pot-growers-celebrate-as-uruguay-legalizes-cultivation-and-consumption-of-marijuana/2013/10/23/f8044fc6-3bfe-11e3-b0e7-716179a2c2c7_story.html
Why Stop There?
Why not just legalize it all. Since this is proof that it is a “gateway” drug.
http://www.reformer.com/morelocalnews/ci_24868206/2-arrested-heroin-charges-westminster
Reformer article not supportive of gateway conspiracy theory
The Reformer article link you provide is not something I would use to support sensible marijuana laws or other drug laws.
Assuming a small amount of marijuana present during a heroin arrest to support the notion of marijuana as a gateway drug is ridiculous.
Being born is a gateway drug
Humans are explicitly innately drug-consuming animals.
It is clearly established that marijuana is not a gateway drug; in part, because the so-called lone “gateway drug” claim is entirely a myth.
Drug-free is nonsense. Moderation in drug consuming behaviors is not nonsense, but more to “the” point.
Human behavioral choices are much too diversified than to have the advent of human drug activity narrowly channeled through the consumption of a single drug.
So, you think that a small
So, you think that a small amount of marijuana found during a heroin bust is proof that marijuana is a “gateway” drug? Marijuana is not a gateway drug to anything.In a nation where a huge portion of our citizens are addicted to prescription drugs and our young children are being medicated on a daily basis because of the dangerous tendency of the medical community to diagnose every kid who might learn a little differently or who is a day dreamer as having ADD or some form of autism we have much bigger problems – drug wise- to worry about than a little weed. Do you know any adults who aren’t taking some kind of prescription drug? Probably many drugs- some necessary, of course. But we are a country of over medicated, over diagnosed people. The pharmacuetical companies are making billions of dollars on the over use of prescription drugs. Marijuana is the very least of our problems. It’s a harmless substance that could bring in much needed revenue if it were legalized.
Revenue
So I’m clear, marijuana should be legalized because it will bring in much needed revenue?
Seems pretty clear but...
I think KAlden, Cgrotke, and other people, likely have more than “one” good reason why marijuana should be legalized for adult consumption. Much needed Revenue is certainly one good reason to do so.
That's certainly not what I
That’s certainly not what I said or even implied. Marijuana should be legalized because it’s a sensible move. It’s not a “hard core” drug; it isn’t a gateway drug as previously stated in this thread; it has known medical benefits for a variety of long term, debilitating illnesses; I’ve never known of heard of anyone who overdosed on marijuana (unless we’re talking about eating several dozen brownies or taking a really long nap) It does not come with any of the dangers or destructiveness of other drugs or alcohol. And, sure- if legalized it would provide a large and much needed increase in our tax revenue. I know and have know many, many people who use marijuana -some have been using it for decades. None of them has ever killed anyone with their car; never robbed a gas station at gun point to get money for a couple of joints; never murdered anyone who was ‘holding out’ on their marijuana supply. The resistance to legalize this substance is archaic, ridiculous and over analyzed. It’s time to legalize this and move on to more important issues -of which this country has no shortage of.
Gateway drug?
A few years back, I was in a rehab program for drug addiction. My drug of choice was a popular gateway drug known as cheap red wine.
One of my friends was there for heroin addiction. He revealed in “group” that he had never tried marijuana or alcohol.
I guess his gateway drug was tobacco.
Revenue
Colorado saw just over $5 million in sales in their first week of being legal. 25% tax means over a million in revenue for the state. If that holds up, they’ll be bringing in over $50 million in tax revenue each year – and and saving even more by not arresting or locking up marijuana users. It looks like their tourism will be up, too, bringing in more rooms and meals and purchases of other things.
Brattleboro and Vermont should be pushing for this revenue stream.
Correction:: VT Assembly - Both Sides of the Aisle
I’m very peripherally involved with marijuana now, but I am in touch with some legislative intent. There is talk of a “legalization study” this session and then possible action in 015.
There is a growing consensus for legalization on both sides of the aisle, both Houses, and, both republicans and democrats.
If it waits until the 015 session, that would mean that VT cannot benefit from increased marijuana taxes and income until up to 3 years from now.
This state assembly is lacking in boldness of marijuana and hemp issues for many years now.
Unfortunately, like other states, they also lack the composure one gets from a history of confidently tackling the subject.
Most supporters in VT “have not” spoken to or called their legislators. When this Assembly hands it out to us in incremental baby-steps, that population has no one to blame but themselves.
Hemp: {I am out of touch with what’s happening to “hemp” in Colorado, but legal industrial hemp stands to benefit and a good follow up in any state with legal marijuana. If a state can defy the Fed’s on marijuana, they will likely also defy the Fed’s on hemp.}
Marijuana prohibition laws going up in smoke
An Alaska citizens’ group is pushing to legalize recreational marijuana, which would make it the third state to do so after Colorado and Washington.
{{DRAT !! It’s embarrassing to see that VT is not in the forefront of one of the greatest sociological changes in the modern era.}}
The proposal similar to one passed in Colorado legalizes the growing, buying and consumption of marijuana for adults ages 21 or older.
Read full story: http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/09/us/alaska-recreational-marijuana-push/index.html?hpt=hp_bn1
Interesting quotation
Remember Prohibition? Well, there are not too many people alive now who do remember it. But it had come to pass, through a Constitutional Amendment no less, due to the diligent work of the Temperance Wing of the Republican Party. (Indeed although the center of the original Republican Party was that of the anti-slavery Whigs, both the nativist “No-Nothings” and the Temperance Movement also were there at its beginnings. That accounts at least in part for the long association of the Republican Party with both recreational mood-altering drug (RMAD) illegalization and anti-immigrant legislation of various types at various times.)
That Prohibition was aimed at alcohol, of course. But before it, around the turn of the 20th century, 15 states had prohibition of one kind or another for tobacco use. The major difference with those Prohibitions and the modern so-called “War on Drugs” — really a war on certain users of certain drugs — was that the former criminalized importation and sale of the target drugs, while the latter also criminalizes possession and use. STEVEN JONAS MD, Public Health Physician, Stony Brook University, NY
Aisle vs isle
Vidda, I think you mean ‘aisle’ not ‘isle’ unless there is flooding up in Montpelier worse than we can imagine.
lol !
No, Montpelier is not an island!
Thanks A!
From the Horse's mouth
“See, if you look at the drug war from a purely economic point of view, the role of the government is to protect the drug cartel. That’s literally true.” – Milton Friedman