Marijuana Legalization Bills Introduced In Massachusetts

[fishbones]

Originally Posted by JohnnyD

For a state that has one of the highest unemployment rates in the US and is on its way to bankruptcy, I'm surprised they aren't trying to follow in California's (and now Mass') footsteps with legalizing and taxing.

It is however, interesting that *no one* showed up in opposition. There was quite the uproar here when that proposal was put on the ballet and again after it passed. The most opposition seems to come from Law Enforcement and Extreme Conservatives (yeah, a bit redundant to say). I can understand the Law Enforcement concerns, but I question why a group who's founding principle is "less government, less regulation" would be against policy that represents that principle.

Johnny, you know which way I lean and I'm all for decriminalization. I think it's less of a government issue and more of a moral issue for the Extreme Conservatives. Keep in mind how people in the bible belt states feel about what they consider morality issues (even though they don't always practice what they preach).

[JohnnyD]

Originally Posted by fishbones

Johnny, you know which way I lean and I'm all for decriminalization. I think it's less of a government issue and more of a moral issue for the Extreme Conservatives. Keep in mind how people in the bible belt states feel about what they consider morality issues (even though they don't always practice what they preach).

I completely agree with you. The hypocrisy of the opinion is what is astounding to me. This country was founded by what could be declared as "Extreme Conservatives." People that wanted the minimum amount of government and felt that as long as their personal liberties did not encroach on those of another person, they should be left to do as they please.

Given that, many people with the same "moral standards" that state pot should be illegal, have no issues going home and having a beer after work. If you take the government declared legality/illegality out of the discussion and put both pot and alcohol at the same level for comparison, any moral argument against pot can be directly transferred over as an argument against alcohol.

The flourishing of the Mob and gangs in this country is often attributed to Prohibition in the 1920s. In the 1930s when Prohibition was repealed, many mobsters were forced to "play it straight" because their source of revenue had been removed.

We're living that same scenario right now. I would much rather the pot head, who's going to buy dope anyway, go down the street and pay a clerk or grow his own stash - then for that same pot head to go down the street and put more money in some gang member's pocket.