Colorado Legalizes Weed for Recreational Use

[Katzndogz]

What do you want made from hemp? Go buy it.

 

[KNB]

Oh? "Go buy it"? Yeah, from China. The majority of hemp products available in the US were made in China.

The single largest supplier of U.S. imports of raw and processed hemp fiber is China.
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL32725.pdf

We spend billions of dollars each year to eradicate the same plant that we import from Communist China, while there is more Cannabis being grown in the US than before the war on drugs began. That's just brilliant logic. It's like how red state voters hate big government but want the DEA to use drones with heat vision technology to look inside of our homes to find marijuana growing in a closet and run no-knock drug raids with heavily-militarized SWAT teams.

Brilliant, brilliant red state logic. Let's not legalize "Marihuana" again like we did to STOP HITLER, but let's keep spending billions each year like real fiscal conservatives on wiping out Cannabis Sativa so we can buy that same plant from China.

 

[Wry Catcher]

The Walking Dead will be a documentary.

Get those kids hooked young, you have an addict for life.

Really? You know this to be true? It's not just fear mongering? How do you know so much about the future? Are you psychotic; err...Freudian slip, mea culpa, I may have meant psychic?

There is some truth to your comment - accidents happen. Putting kids into religious instruction can be benign or can create a monster. Monsters come in all shapes and sizes, Eric Rudolph, Scott Roeder, Ted Cruz (to my knowledge he hasn't killed anyone yet), Michelle Bachmann, and the other Charlatans you worship.

Tell us oh wise one, why is MJ illegal and we still allow the sale of alcohol and tobacco? And why do the purveyors of alcohol and tobacco, proven to be deadly drugs, advertise to minors? Do you think, err. sorry another misstatement, do you believe they have every right to do so and yet the grower and seller of pot does not? If so, why?

 

[kaz]

do you believe that we should have no regulation over any product or service?

One area that I differ from harder core libertarians is that I believe that government requiring reasonable disclosure about the products and services we buy to be a legitimate function of government. So for example, if you go to the supermarket, it's reasonable to require companies to disclose their food handling practices. I would put no requirement what those practices be, only that they be accurately disclosed so consumers can decide for themselves. But no, as long as disclosure is honest, then there should be no restrictions on the products themselves.

Ask yourself, when do you trust a lawyer who's in political office instructing a bureaucrat to make your choices for you more than you trust making your own choices? The correct answer is never, and that's how frequently it should be done.

Another way to do it would be to have a "government approved" label. It would be a crime to put government approved if it is not. That way, if you do trust government, they can still make your choice for you.

interesting POV. my first question, before i respond, would be: how do you enforce your rules?

First, exactly like we enforce privacy policies now, which is actually one of the most effective government regulations. The government requires almost not privacy, but it says companies must have privacy policies. The companies it as gone after are for violating their own policy. That would be the model. Companies can discriminate in hiring, handle and source food, however they want. Government just replaces what they have to do now with requirements they have and post policies, then they use their own policies as the bar. What you say, you better do.

that said. if every producer was simply required to disclose, do you not think that some would either evade or disclose so poorly that the poor would eat...well...poorly?

That's why government can in my view require certain specific policies. If they don't provide a policy or don't answer the specifics they are required to disclose, they haven't followed the law. For other policies, sure, they could be vague. But if you go to Food Lion and and they don't have clear cleanliness policies for meat handling in their deli and Harris Teeter does, isn't that going to influence your shopping choice?

 

[kaz]

what?

are you for no regulation? of anything? just asking.

Of drugs, no, no regulation. As I said though if you commit crimes on drugs then you are responsible for those crimes. I am good with drug testing for welfare. But government has no business regulating what people do with their own bodies.

again, an interesting POV. so basically, you stand for the proposition that any mind state, altered or not, is legal, so long as you don't commit a crime...is that right?

Yes. And if you do crack and murder someone, you could be charged with first degree murder because you chose to do the crack even if you didn't chose to do the murder in a normal state of mind. It's not a defense.

It's about holding people accountable for their choices. You can choose, but you are accountable. Liberalism is about making people's choices for them, then having society responsible for their choices.

 

[percysunshine]

Is there a lawyer in the house?


My recollection of federal law regarding mary jane is that it is part and parcel of the commerce clause in the Constitution. The purchase or sale is a taxable event requiring a 'Tax Stamp' from the Federal Government (Treasury Department) to be considered a legal transaction. Is there some sort of agreement with the State of Colorado that the Federal Government will not enforce Federal Tax laws on this issue?

 

[Wry Catcher]

Is there a lawyer in the house?


My recollection of federal law regarding mary jane is that it is part and parcel of the commerce clause in the Constitution. The purchase or sale is a taxable event requiring a 'Tax Stamp' from the Federal Government (Treasury Department) to be considered a legal transaction. Is there some sort of agreement with the State of Colorado that the Federal Government will not enforce Federal Tax laws on this issue?

Your post made me curious and in looking into the 1937 MJ Stamp Act I came across this interesting bit of trivia:

"Some parties have argued that the aim of the Act was to reduce the size of the hemp industry[7][8][9] largely as an effort of businessmen Andrew Mellon, Randolph Hearst, and the Du Pont family.[7][9] The same parties have argued that with the invention of the decorticator, hemp had become a very cheap substitute for the paper pulp that was used in the newspaper industry.[7][10] These parties argue that Hearst felt that this was a threat to his extensive timber holdings. Mellon, Secretary of the Treasury and the wealthiest man in America, had invested heavily in the Du Pont family's new synthetic fiber, nylon, a fiber that was competing with hemp"

Link: Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Billy000]

Colorado legalized weed for recreational use. This is horrible! One of those deviants said they were going to get a bag and, I quote "watch stupid movies and play video games". These menaces to society must be stopped! They are a danger to us all and snacks everywhere!

Colorado resident here. I bought myself a gram yesterday

Although to be honest I am not proud myself...

 

[KNB]

Right-wingers always want to try to argue that legalizing marijuana will create some kind of dystopic stoner zombie nightmare reality but guess what?

Marijuana was grown and used by the entire world and wasn't outlawed in the US until 1937. So where were all of those stoner zombies going on cannabilistic murder sprees?

Marijuana was legalized in 1942 to save the world from the Axis of Evil. You're only lying to yourselves if you think people weren't getting high in the 1940s. There wasn't a national or even state-wide outbreak of rampaging stoner zombies.

Since marijuana was outlawed, marijuana use has gone up. Shouldn't there be daily stories about people smoking weed and going crazy and killing and eating people? Why aren't there daily stories of marijuana addicts killing and raping and eating people? Because smoking marijuana doesn't cause any of that. It never did and it never will.

 

[BlindBoo]

Is there a lawyer in the house?


My recollection of federal law regarding mary jane is that it is part and parcel of the commerce clause in the Constitution. The purchase or sale is a taxable event requiring a 'Tax Stamp' from the Federal Government (Treasury Department) to be considered a legal transaction. Is there some sort of agreement with the State of Colorado that the Federal Government will not enforce Federal Tax laws on this issue?

The 1937 Marijuana Tax Act was declared unconstitutional in 1969.

Why did it take a constitutional amendment to outlaw the sale of alcohol? Yet the Federal Government was able to make a back room deal (without consulting the medical profession) and legislate it to illegality.

 

[Harry Dresden]

Making it legal should make it harder for kids to get thier hands on it (unless thier parents are stoners and let thier kids do it). If the legal supply takes over most of the market, the remaining underage customer base simply isnt big enough to supply enough profit to those who would continue it underground.

That being said, if the legal market is so expensive due to taxation that the underground market still has a large enough of age customer base, then any of the effects I listed above do not happen.

Stoner parents GIVE pot to their five year olds. Stoners poison their own pets with pot. Stoners are stoners, they don't stop being stoners because they have kids. They make sure the kids are stoners too.

And your proof is...? Wait, I forgot: you don't do "proof", kitty. You prefer pulling things from your rectum!

especially when it comes to talking about pot....

 

[Harry Dresden]

Get a bag, watch stupid movies and hold out their hands for the next welfare check. You can't expect potheads to go without. Greedy rich people who work should support them.

Not everyone who smokes weed, even on a fairly regular basis, is a pothead.
It spans all ages, races, income levels, education levels.

your wasting your time H.....Katz is the type of person that the cult classic...."Reefer Madness" was produced for....

 

[Katzndogz]

Is there a lawyer in the house?


My recollection of federal law regarding mary jane is that it is part and parcel of the commerce clause in the Constitution. The purchase or sale is a taxable event requiring a 'Tax Stamp' from the Federal Government (Treasury Department) to be considered a legal transaction. Is there some sort of agreement with the State of Colorado that the Federal Government will not enforce Federal Tax laws on this issue?

No. If you know anything about this or even looked it up the federal laws are in full force and effect. The DOJ has just said they would not enforce federal laws in states that have legalized pot to the extent of state law. They have given their word for all that's worth.

In Colorado it is illegal under state law to use pot in public. Which would mean that public use would violate state and federal law. The police in neighboring states are watching the highways very carefully for users to cross into their states where pot is still illegal. Users would violate both state and federal law.

 

[Katzndogz]

Get a bag, watch stupid movies and hold out their hands for the next welfare check. You can't expect potheads to go without. Greedy rich people who work should support them.

Not everyone who smokes weed, even on a fairly regular basis, is a pothead.
It spans all ages, races, income levels, education levels.

your wasting your time H.....Katz is the type of person that the cult classic...."Reefer Madness" was produced for....

I've seen too much of it, personally. Users deserve a big bullet right between their eyes.

 

[Jarlaxle]

You deserve a prefrontal with a rusty nail, psycho.

 

[Harry Dresden]

Not everyone who smokes weed, even on a fairly regular basis, is a pothead.
It spans all ages, races, income levels, education levels.

your wasting your time H.....Katz is the type of person that the cult classic...."Reefer Madness" was produced for....

I've seen too much of it, personally. Users deserve a big bullet right between their eyes.

see.....she believes it.....geezus....i dont know if i should laugh or feel sorry for her...you did not see nothing Katz.....the movie aint truthful....

 

[Harry Dresden]

Not everyone who smokes weed, even on a fairly regular basis, is a pothead.
It spans all ages, races, income levels, education levels.

your wasting your time H.....Katz is the type of person that the cult classic...."Reefer Madness" was produced for....

I've seen too much of it, personally. Users deserve a big bullet right between their eyes.

you havent seen shit Katz.....the movie is kinda exaggerated to the point were its a joke....so i dont know how you have seen people like that personally.....

 

[oreo]

Is there a lawyer in the house?


My recollection of federal law regarding mary jane is that it is part and parcel of the commerce clause in the Constitution. The purchase or sale is a taxable event requiring a 'Tax Stamp' from the Federal Government (Treasury Department) to be considered a legal transaction. Is there some sort of agreement with the State of Colorado that the Federal Government will not enforce Federal Tax laws on this issue?

All retail and medical marijuana shops in this country do pay Federal taxes--even though the Federal Government is well known for shutting a lot of them down. Obama went into California--and shut down one Medical Marijuana place that was paying $600K in federal taxes.

I believe you're referring to the "interstate commerce clause"? The 10th amendment to the U.S. Constitution regarding states rights. The interstate which prohibits marijuana crossing state lines--but allows us to grow--cultivate and sell it here.

Coloradoan's are a different breed of Republicans than the rest of the country. While typically fiscally conservative--we noted in our state--even my district which is heavily republican along with Colorado Springs in El Paso County--being the church capital of the United states voted to legalize Marijuana in this state.

Because--we saw the taxpayer cost and injustice of throwing someone in jail over marijuana. We learned all about the medical values of it. We also learned that it is the least dangerous drug--over alcohol and tobacco--and has never put anyone into an emergency room for an overdose. Very much unlike hard core drugs--prescription drugs and alcohol.

We also like the tax revenue--the new Colorado jobs for Coloradoans associated with growing and cultivating it--and it being Coloradoan's that have to pass a criminal background check-- versus the violent Mexican drug cartel that are now in charge of marijuana distribution in this state. We see ourselves as helping to put the violent Mexican drug cartels out of business, as they grow it on the cheap in Mexico--bring it up here to sell, and the profits from their marijuana are used to manufacture Cocaine--Crack Cocaine--Meth and Heroin.

Most of the new state tax revenue--estimated at 167 million will be going to our schools. All of these things together is what put marijuana legalization over the top in Colorado.

 

[KNB]

Let's go over this again because some people seem to have missed it.....

AMERICA LEGALIZED MARIJUANA TO STOP THE HOLOCAUST.

That means that marijuana doesn't CAUSE mass murder and genocide. It is used to STOP mass murder and genocide. Is this really too difficult to comprehend?

Push "play", pay attention, and shut up about how evil "Marihuana" is for the rest of your lives:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1oFcgLfgV0]Hemp For Victory (1942) - YouTube[/ame]

Don't Americans love Israel? Israel was created in 1948 after the US and its allies defeated the Axis with the help of legal, taxed "Marihuana" plants. If America had not legalized and taxed the dreaded drug menace "Marihuana" after Pearl Harbor, the US would not have won World War II and Israel probably wouldn't exist today.

There also probably wouldn't have been as much of a "baby boom" so most of you wouldn't have been born. How about that? "Marihuana" legalization is one of the main reasons why America won World War II, created Israel, and you were born.

So please, Republicans, learn something (anything at all) before talking about it like you're an expert.

 

[martybegan]

Is there a lawyer in the house?


My recollection of federal law regarding mary jane is that it is part and parcel of the commerce clause in the Constitution. The purchase or sale is a taxable event requiring a 'Tax Stamp' from the Federal Government (Treasury Department) to be considered a legal transaction. Is there some sort of agreement with the State of Colorado that the Federal Government will not enforce Federal Tax laws on this issue?

The 1937 Marijuana Tax Act was declared unconstitutional in 1969.

Why did it take a constitutional amendment to outlaw the sale of alcohol? Yet the Federal Government was able to make a back room deal (without consulting the medical profession) and legislate it to illegality.

it didnt take an amendment to make alcohol illegal locally. There were plenty of dry states and counties before prohibition kicked in. The amendment idea was due to the fact that prohibition supporters knew they needed the power of an amendment to override the inital backlash they knew was coming from urban areas. They figured once people saw how wonderful the world got that prohibition would become self enforcing.

This quote from JD Rockerfeller, a intial supporter of Prohibition and a 3rd generation tee-totaler himself, sums up the problem with it:

“When Prohibition was introduced, I hoped that it would be widely supported by public opinion and the day would soon come when the evil effects of alcohol would be recognized. I have slowly and reluctantly come to believe that this has not been the result. Instead, drinking has generally increased; the speakeasy has replaced the saloon; a vast army of lawbreakers has appeared; many of our best citizens have openly ignored Prohibition; respect for the law has been greatly lessened; and crime has increased to a level never seen before.”