Do we really want decriminalization??

YEARS for growing?? holy shit guys. Check out the NORML website to see the marijuana laws in your state. Over where im at, if your growing 100 grams or under, its a 100 dollar ticket, and they take your shit. If its 101-1000, it a F1, but you still just get a slap on the wrist n probation, plus they take your shit. You have to actually be greedy as fuck in order to get locked up where im at for cultivation. It fuckin sucks knowing that the laws vary so much from state to state. I guess thats why they consider "technically" my state a decriminalized state, but it aint, so fuck that shit.

N from what im reading here, how everyone is just talking about wanting to not get in trouble for growing their plants, or not get in trouble for burnin one up, that everyone is FOR DECRIMINALIZATION. If weed is straight up decriminalized, then everyone can do all of these things without having to worry about getting arrested ever again. For those of you who think that hemp is an invalueable resource, and could solve alot of our economies problems, your right, but thats where LEGALIZATION would come in to play. And yeah, alot of you are right, were a LONG, LONG way from legalization, and i know in some of your minds, that sucks, but seriously, if your lookin to just grow a few or smoke a few, then your in luck, cuz decriminalization is right around the corner IMHO. I think Obama is gonna do alot of good for the smokers community, personally. N im happy with decriminalization, and id be just as happy if it stayed that way until im old n grey personally. IT sucks to sound all selfish i know, but most smokers pretty much only care about not gettin caught or in trouble for doin what their doin

N while i care about the environment, and i care about all the good that hemp can do for our country, i also think that they can use hemp for its resources just as easily now as if they could if it were legalized. I mean, they sell hemp rope in stores, n i dont see anyone getting arrested for distributing THAT shit - so why not the same poeple that make hemp rope, develop more hemp clothing, use hemp as a renewable fuel resource, use hemp in all the good ways that i can be used, only do it RIGHT NOW instead of waiting for a law to change. Since when has the gov't cared so much about a law that they refuse to find some way around it to reach a common goal?? I think that all of this can be accomplished with mere decriminalization, and not taking it to the next level...

Lots of good points made here on both sides. Some are pretty close to what "MIGHT" be the world where pot is legal, The Pharmaceutical, Law Enforcement, and Corrections industries will not let that happen without a fight, and MAN, can they fight. I doubt very seriously that the NORML war chest comes anywhere NEAR the the funds available to those who would keep Pot illegal. Mane is right. Pot will NEVER be legal in the USA as long as there is more money to be made by keeping it illegal. Pot has been PROVEN time and again to be an innocuous drug with many beneficial properties. We have demonstrated how legalization would be a positive thing, generating BILLIONS of otherwise untaxed dollars, reducing the grossly overcrowded prison population so that the truly violent could be kept safely away, how the plant itself holds promise to be used in a host of industries and the ability to be an effective alternative to some rapidly depleting resources.
The entire argument FOR legalization makes so much sense, and has very few, if any, legitimate arguments for keeping it illegal. There are a HOST of other products on the market today that are WELL KNOWN to have addictive properties, cause SERIOUS health problems, and WILL kill you if used long enough. Just listen to the list of possible side effects of some of the drugs the FDA approves.
SO.........Given that there really is NO logical reason to keep marijuana illegal (or even criminalized in then first place), And that with Pot use there are few, if any, of the social issues created by the use of other, more dangerous, YET LEGAL drugs, just WHY is it still illegal? It all boils down to the prime motivator....MONEY! There is more money to be made off pot by keeping it illegal. If our illustrious leaders found that they could profit MORE by legalization, bet your ass that they would not even put it to the people for a vote. They would legalize it. If someone found that you could get high on beach sand, and suddenly everyone wanted it, it would become illegal until the gov't figured out what was in THEIR best interest.
But the war on pot is SO interwoven into the fabric of our society that MILLIONS would be affected by sudden job loss alone. Back in the late 70's, Pot came dangerously close to legalization. R.J. Reynolds and Phillip-Morris had, at one time, FIELDS of pot growing, marketing strategies, and packaging were already in place in anticipation. What happened? NADA.
But IF it were ever legalized, I don't see the govt taking over production. They are gonna get their "pound of flesh" thru excessive taxation (Surprise!). I do see the large corporations getting involved, however the comparison to the beer industry has alot of merit. I believe that there will be the "Anheuser-Busch's" and there will be the "Sam Adams" as well. It's like anything else. There will be those who cater to the masses, and those who cater to a more discriminating clientele. Quality (and THC content) will go thru the roof as research comes out of the basement, and an ever increasing demand for better dope.
Look at where we are now, thru our own underground efforts and our own finances. What could some of you achieve if you had almost unlimited funds available for research? That could very well happen if pot were to be legalized. I can see the Govt setting minimum standards of quality, especially where medical pot is concerned. We'd only be able to legally buy "grown in the USA" pot, because pot from those "Other" countries wouldn't have our stringent standards of quality (Bullshit) but it eliminates the extra competition of imported dope.

Bottom line, as long as our current government is in power, it aint gonna happen. Our past and current elected "leaders" have had over 250 years to figure out how to squeeze every last cent from public coffers for their own enrichment. Look at our current situation. What really pisses me off is that they can rape us with impunity. The entire current presidential administration should have been impeached and charged with a host of illegal activities. Shit, Nancy Pelosi took presidential impeachment off the table when she was made speaker of the house. How the fuck can that happen? The slate needs to be cleared, all of the Bushes, Kennedy's, and other political dynasties need to be replaced with people who would WORRY about being elected. Right now, no matter who gets elected, the raping of the public is gonna continue, it will just be a matter of who is first, and who gets sloppy seconds.
Everyone in the USA wonders why the USA is a joke, or even detested in the rest of the world. Do you reckon it could be that in around 300 years our elected officials have taken an ideal, a vision of a free society, and corrupted it for personal gain at the expense of the people.

WOW, sorry so long, but that shit needed saying. (At least I feel better now!!)

hellraizer30 said:

well I live in alaska and your rong about that three plants in flower 3 in veg no more than a ounce of dry pot in your house any more is a fellony
and trust me they will hang you by the balls if they get you with it, becouse those are medical amounts and theres only 40 people here that
have cards there strick and ive searched for month for a doctor with
no luck plus you must have aids or canser or a major live threating
disease so dont think for a moment alaska is cool with the system we have.

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Not trying to argue with you, I'm not an authority on the matter, and I don't live there. But I get my info off of Norml.org:

"Possession of less than 25 plants is protected under the Alaska Constitution’s right to privacy (See Ravin v. Alaska). Possession of 25 or more marijuana plants is “Misconduct involving a controlled substance in the fourth degree” and is punishable by a fine of up to $50,000 or five years in prison."

I just looked up the penalties for Ga. Right now, if they walked into my house, I'm looking at 1 to 10, no fine. OK, It's illegal, and thats the penalty for breaking that law.
But WTF is up with these "aggravating" factors? Like here in Ga, if they can prove that you used a telephone during your grow, and discussed pot, thats ANOTHER crime in and of itself, carrying 1 to 4 and must be served CONSECUTIVE to any other sentence handed down. God forbid they try and say my son helped. Thats ANOTHER minimum mandatory 5 years. (engaging the services of a minor)

And thats not even considering loss of drivers license and or any other professional licenses.

To what end do they heap additional charges like these on a person? Is 1 to 10 not enough? These laws seem to be more geared to imprison us FOR A GOOD LONG WHILE, punishment far and above what could remotely be described as a punitive measure.
For all you poor bastards that live in Fla, (I am SOOO glad I moved!!) I got a question... What is the single largest industry in the state? Citrus?, Tourism? Cattle? (WD ranch) NO!!! It's corrections and prisons. TRY and find a county that doesn't have at least one correctional facility. And while you're the guest of one of these fine establishments, you're gonna need to use the phone, and buy essentials and a few luxuries. The private companies that run the phones and "commissary" are fucking you HARD, and guess who is a majority share holder in this company? Bob Barker, for one, and LAURA BUSH.
Yeah, unless things change drastically, we are FUCKED for another 4 years. Well, I'll tell ya right now, They aint gonna hurt ME!!! I'm off to buy some lube. BRB!!

yea GA got harsh laws, my bruh got 9yrs for growing.

Shit is crazy here.

Fuck that do a search on ohio and move here thats stupid and let me guess gross sexual inposition...ie screwing little kids is still only punishable up to 30 days that just seems to be the trend man ohios laws are lax just stay away from schools and shit round kids and if ya get caught with less that 3 plants its a missdemenor less they way more than 1000 gms no manditory time till over 5000 or 20000 gms one of the two...I never grow more than afew pounds so I'm strait or was I've been busted before so I'm familiar with the penaltys now I might get screwed on a second offense thing cause nobody list penaltys for repeat offenders but I really don't care I'm launching an attack on the war on drugs...I'm growing and I'm teaching all my old friends too and hopefully they'll turn someone else on ect ect ect it will never be decriminalized till you get all the alcohol money tobacco money and phamacutical money dry up in washington cause those are the rich with the most to lose if it's decriminalized or legal to much bull shit holding us all back to much money being spent to hold good things back so old money can get richer so just teach evryone to grow and flood the streets with real good herbs so no one goes nuts stresses out and kills someone wondering why why do they fuck us all of us not even just smokers but everyone that isn't with their agenda sorry to rant can't spell ripped as hell the only perk to legalization is all the cops that would be out of a job unemployment will go up 1% in every state due to the cops no longer being needed

nathenking said:

specialkayme. bro, not that many people are incarcerated for MJ brother, sorry, been there and didnt meet but one person in prison that was thrown in for MJ. Meth cocaine and Heroin is the main reason for high drug related incarcerations.

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just to set the record straight for ya. maybe you didn't see anyone in prison for it but with these numbers i am sure there are a ton of people sitting for mj..

Police arrested a record 872,721 persons for marijuana violations in 2007, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's annual Uniform Crime Report, released today. This is the largest total number of annual arrests for cannabis ever recorded by the FBI.
taken from : Marijuana Arrests For Year 2007 - United States Marijuana Party

the only perk to legalization is all the cops that would be out of a job unemployment will go up 1% in every state due to the cops no longer being needed

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in my opinion here, i think the cops could actually focus on true crime if mj was decriminalized. there are more arrests to do with MJ per year that violent crime combined.. to me it says they would have to stop busting potheads and focusing on the real criminals.

For me it's about freedom and the pursuit of happiness. Those things that our country is supposed to stand for and why so many have given their lives for that ideal.

Just let me grow my little garden and smoke my herb. leave me the fuck alone.

tokinman said:

just to set the record straight for ya. maybe you didn't see anyone in prison for it but with these numbers i am sure there are a ton of people sitting for mj..

Police arrested a record 872,721 persons for marijuana violations in 2007, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's annual Uniform Crime Report, released today. This is the largest total number of annual arrests for cannabis ever recorded by the FBI.
taken from : Marijuana Arrests For Year 2007 - United States Marijuana Party

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Thanks for finding the statistics that I was too lazy to find myself.

thelastpirate said:

For all you poor bastards that live in Fla, (I am SOOO glad I moved!!) I got a question... What is the single largest industry in the state? Citrus?, Tourism? Cattle? (WD ranch) NO!!! It's corrections and prisons. TRY and find a county that doesn't have at least one correctional facility. And while you're the guest of one of these fine establishments, you're gonna need to use the phone, and buy essentials and a few luxuries. The private companies that run the phones and "commissary" are fucking you HARD, and guess who is a majority share holder in this company? Bob Barker, for one, and LAURA BUSH.
Yeah, unless things change drastically, we are FUCKED for another 4 years. Well, I'll tell ya right now, They aint gonna hurt ME!!! I'm off to buy some lube. BRB!!

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A cried a little. Florida sucks so bad, im geting the fuck outta here asap.

tokinman said:

in my opinion here, i think the cops could actually focus on true crime if mj was decriminalized. there are more arrests to do with MJ per year that violent crime combined.. to me it says they would have to stop busting potheads and focusing on the real criminals.

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Kenbud said:

For me it's about freedom and the pursuit of happiness. Those things that our country is supposed to stand for and why so many have given their lives for that ideal.

Just let me grow my little garden and smoke my herb. leave me the fuck alone.

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Thats exactly my point. It is well known and commonly accepted by the majority of the American public that marijuana/cannabis/pot is generally not harmful when used responsibly. At least not nearly as harmful as other, legal substances. If a poll were taken, I'd be willing to bet that the vast majority of Americans would disagree with the illegal status of pot, and are against the war on drugs in general (Not everyone, but a large majority).
So if the majority of the public either doesn't care one way or the other, or support MJ legalization, just how is it possible for the government to get away with saying that it's dangerous, and that the people want it illegal? They are pissing on our leg, and telling us it's raining!!!!! The fucking media has lost ALL credibility and objectivity. The govt uses the media to paint a picture very different from reality, and the media will spin any subject to favor the government, and promote their agenda. (and lets not forget sensationalizing an otherwise unnewsworthy event like a grow bust) The govt feeds the public so much fear mongering, they have the public looking behind every door and rock for dangers like Pot manufacturers (Not growers), gangs and of course the grandaddy of nebulous foes........Terrorists!!! (Oh MY!!!) WTF constitutes a "terrorist"? Well, since I am scared to death of GHW, and McCain for that matter, doesn't that make them terrorists? They sure as hell terrify me!

When you're in jail for 7 years for cultivation, I'd like to see you talk about how decriminalization is bad.