Ind. state senator wants study on legalizing pot

[mrjarrell]

Actually, the good senator wants a study on a number of facets on the issue, up to and including legalisation. It's a long overdue conversation for Indiana to have. Unfortunately, with the current makeup of the house and senate it is unlikely to really go anywhere or result in any changes. Republicans are drug warriors at heart, no matter what their constituents might want. It will be nice to see it actually get a hearing, tho. Maybe there are a few rational minds out there that want to see things change.

Ind. state senator wants study on legalizing pot | The Indianapolis Star | IndyStar.com

 

[ATOMonkey]

No way, if you legalize drugs, people will be high all the time, driving their cars, and killing each other. Just like when they legalized booze. It was the end of civilization.

 

[tom1025]

No way, if you legalize drugs, people will be high all the time, driving their cars, and killing each other. Just like when they legalized booze. It was the end of civilization.

Yeah because nobody is already doing this now since its illegal.

 

[indykid]

ATOMonkey, purple is your friend.

You would think people would learn from history, but as the saying goes, those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. The war on Alcoholic beverages really turned out great. Lots of people dead, lots thrown in jail over something that many people wanted.

Marijuana is not much different. Legalize it, TAX IT, and make it no different than alcoholic consumption. Driving while intoxicated by alcohol is illegal, but people do it. You can't stop people who don't care what the law is. Treat marijuana use exactly as alcohol is treated and watch the cost of prisons go down, and watch violent crime go down.

 

[iwearcowboyboots]

Yeah because nobody is already doing this now since its illegal.

ATOMonkey posted that in an extremely dark shade of purple.

 

[Blue Tile Spook]

Actually, the good senator wants a study on a number of facets on the issue, up to and including legalisation. It's a long overdue conversation for Indiana to have.

I support the conversation - it does need to be had. I don't support the study. There have been enough studies completed to choke a horse.

And I don't want a committee formed to "study the issue" as .gov is wont to do. If this senator wants to propose a bill, let him do his homework, write the bill and send it to committee for discussion.

 

[rambone]

Karen Tallian FINALLY gets something right. About bloody time.

 

[rich8483]

as far as im concerned the necessary studies and experiments have already been done.

-look at our own prohibition attempt at alcohol
-the drug policies of different countries and how it affects their society
-the fact that we are supposed to be a free society.
-and as if it really matters, the affects of the drugs directly on the human body are well documented.
-police records showing how many were arrested just for having drugs b/c something bad might happen but didnt. vs the amount of criminals that actually did violate some one elses rights and were not on any drug to speak of.

 

[mcolford]

Honestly, I say legalize, tax the living hell out of it, use that to pay off debt.
The key would be regulation. If there were a way to limit how much people use (as the long term use can screw you up) would be the difficult part. I personally, would not use it. Smoked some in high school, now, wouldn't touch it. But honestly, like mentioned, if people want to smoke it, they will. Why not use this as a means for the government to get out of some debt.

It wont happen though, so oh well.


-MColford

 

[rambone]

Honestly, I say legalize, tax the living hell out of it, use that to pay off debt.
The key would be regulation. If there were a way to limit how much people use (as the long term use can screw you up) would be the difficult part. I personally, would not use it. Smoked some in high school, now, wouldn't touch it. But honestly, like mentioned, if people want to smoke it, they will. Why not use this as a means for the government to get out of some debt.

Its a plant that grows out of the ground. I prefer not to have the Garden Police breaking down doors to collect taxes. The government shouldn't have anything to do with it.

 

[Bunnykid68]

Honestly, I say legalize, tax the living hell out of it, use that to pay off debt.
The key would be regulation. If there were a way to limit how much people use (as the long term use can screw you up) would be the difficult part. I personally, would not use it. Smoked some in high school, now, wouldn't touch it. But honestly, like mentioned, if people want to smoke it, they will. Why not use this as a means for the government to get out of some debt.

It wont happen though, so oh well.


-MColford

Long term use of alcohol can screw one up too, dont worry to much about that with marijauna.

Also, remember even if one is on prescription drugs legally they can and have been charged with driving under the influnece.

 

[Mike H]

I agree its been studied to death. Write legislation and move on from there.

 

[machete]

Honestly, I say legalize, tax the living hell out of it, use that to pay off debt.

i hate taxes,,, why should a plant be taxed to hell????

 

[Bunnykid68]

i hate taxes,,, why should a plant be taxed to hell????

Only taxed if you sell it for profit would be fair. Just like selling anything else.

 

[ol' trucker]

Honestly, I say legalize, tax the living hell out of it, use that to pay off debt.
The key would be regulation. If there were a way to limit how much people use (as the long term use can screw you up) would be the difficult part. I personally, would not use it. Smoked some in high school, now, wouldn't touch it. But honestly, like mentioned, if people want to smoke it, they will. Why not use this as a means for the government to get out of some debt.

It wont happen though, so oh well.


-MColford

They don't want to get us out of debt.or they wouldn't be doing all the dumb things that they are still doing. they will never make it legal because then they lose power over something. They want the debt to keep rising,so the dumb masses have to rely on them. thus they have MORE POWER. everything that is going on is not because of money,it is because of POWER.

 

[SemperFiUSMC]

I agree its been studied to death. Write legislation and move on from there.

I disagree. There are contradictory studies on the health affects. There are no studies on the socio-economic affect of legalization, AFAIK.

I'm for a study, and if the results are favorable, a plan to legalize.

 

[Bunnykid68]

How could you study the socio-economic effect without making it legal. The people smoking now are going to keep smoking. I mean just because they made it legal or even decriminalized it, I do not think I know many people that would start smoking it because the government said OK let's fire it up boys nad girls.

 

[indyk]

how about this?

tax it! and take it off of the current schedule 1 , I dont think it needs to be classified amongst Meth, crank, Angel dust and LSD.... perhaps needs to be move down towards tobacco and alcohol. This move to classify it as Schedule 1 was simply political.

 

[machete]

Only taxed if you sell it for profit would be fair. Just like selling anything else.

grow your own cucumbers,,,grow your own weed,,,use what you want,,,sell the rest...

republicans would die before they allow weed to be sold at a roadside farmstand along with the sweet corn and tomatoes...

this all is an outgrowth of a really bad and scripturally wrong strain of christianity that got a foothold about 400 years ago...

republicans talk all about property rights and limited government,,,but theyre the first so get a national guard so big that they use it to destroy your property...

 

[mcolford]

I agree that alcohol plays hell on the body, but if you use half a brain, and dont drink like a fish in water, you will be fine. The problem with pot is its more addictive, and brain damage cant be undone! Working in mental health, I get to see the end results of drug use, and brain damage due to drugs is about impossible to deal with.

And as far as taxing it, HELL YES! Pot is by no means a neccessity, its.. I guess a luxury? Maybe we could use the revenue from this alleged legal marijuana, because we all know its FOR A PROFIT, ande maybe cut down on some of the taxes elsewhere, oh lets say PROPERTY TAXES, or another tax that seems to be a pita.

But, like mentioned, it wont get passed.


-MColford