• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Alaska moves another step closer to August marijuana-legalization vote

danarhea

Slayer of the DP Newsbot
DP Veteran
Joined
Aug 27, 2005
Messages
43,602
Reaction score
26,256
Location
Houston, TX
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Conservative
Alaska moved one big step closer Tuesday to a public vote on legalizing marijuana.
On Tuesday, a ballot initiative campaign to decriminalize and regulate pot reached the signature threshold necessary under state election law to put the issue on the Aug. 19 primary ballot.

In a poll, 55% of Alaskans are in favor of legalization. The dominos are falling, one by one, folks. Texas is not too far behind either. This week Rick Perry said that he was in favor of decriminalization right here in Texas. Soon we will have plenty of room in our prisons for REAL criminals. Let the trend continue. I'll drink smoke to that.

Article is here.
 
In a poll, 55% of Alaskans are in favor of legalization. The dominos are falling, one by one, folks. Texas is not too far behind either. This week Rick Perry said that he was in favor of decriminalization right here in Texas. Soon we will have plenty of room in our prisons for REAL criminals. Let the trend continue. I'll drink smoke to that.

Article is here.

This is perfect. The government wants fewer people because of Obamacare to work and now they can sit at home getting stoned and eating Doritos. Here's a stock tip. Buy Frito Lay.
 
When will they start to legalize the rest and end the mafia paradise?
 
In a poll, 55% of Alaskans are in favor of legalization. The dominos are falling, one by one, folks. Texas is not too far behind either. This week Rick Perry said that he was in favor of decriminalization right here in Texas. Soon we will have plenty of room in our prisons for REAL criminals. Let the trend continue. I'll drink smoke to that.

Article is here.

Drugs should be legalized period. High risk drugs should be treated as prescription medicine.
I'm afraid that smoking and drinking would then be prescription drugs. ;)
 
This is perfect. The government wants fewer people because of Obamacare to work and now they can sit at home getting stoned and eating Doritos. Here's a stock tip. Buy Frito Lay.

That's always been the liberal plan.
 
There is probably even more support for that here but the Conservatives won't risk their tough on crime image, even if its is just pot smokers. All political parties in B.C. support I believe as that is where most of the weed in North America is grown.
 
There is probably even more support for that here but the Conservatives won't risk their tough on crime image, even if its is just pot smokers. All political parties in B.C. support I believe as that is where most of the weed in North America is grown.

I don't agree with that assessment. Alaska is one of the reddest states in the Union, and they are overwhelmingly for it. Even Rick Perry favors decriminalization.
 
I don't agree with that assessment. Alaska is one of the reddest states in the Union, and they are overwhelmingly for it. Even Rick Perry favors decriminalization.

I'm talking about our Canadian Conservatives. Their entire campaign was based around being tough on crime and most of the people in our overpopulated prisons are there for marijuana charges. The Criminal Code is a federal matter so legalization would have top be passed through the Conservative majority.
 
most of the people in our overpopulated prisons are there for marijuana charges.

Please cite your source for this.

It's doubtful the conservatives will still be in power after the next federal election, so decriminalization could happen within a few years.
 
In a poll, 55% of Alaskans are in favor of legalization. The dominos are falling, one by one, folks. Texas is not too far behind either. This week Rick Perry said that he was in favor of decriminalization right here in Texas. Soon we will have plenty of room in our prisons for REAL criminals. Let the trend continue. I'll drink smoke to that.

Article is here.

WTF, they have nothing better to do there. Might as puff up a spliff. :2razz:
 
In a poll, 55% of Alaskans are in favor of legalization. The dominos are falling, one by one, folks. Texas is not too far behind either. This week Rick Perry said that he was in favor of decriminalization right here in Texas. Soon we will have plenty of room in our prisons for REAL criminals. Let the trend continue. I'll drink smoke to that.

Article is here.

That is in fact good news and the more states legalizing the better as far as I am concerned.

However your projection is a little off. State legalization means little as long as the federal government is interfering with it's war on drugs. Possession of marijuana is also a federal crime. The federal government helps to finance state and local law enforcement and one of the results they expect in return is arrests for drug charges. This ultimately results inb the problem you recognize of people in prison needlessly for non violent drug charges.

Until we can end he war on drugs, abolish the DEA and office of drug enforcement policy, and repeal those federal laws I fear the positive changes in state law like Alaska are meaningless.
 
That is in fact good news and the more states legalizing the better as far as I am concerned.

However your projection is a little off. State legalization means little as long as the federal government is interfering with it's war on drugs. Possession of marijuana is also a federal crime. The federal government helps to finance state and local law enforcement and one of the results they expect in return is arrests for drug charges. This ultimately results inb the problem you recognize of people in prison needlessly for non violent drug charges.

Until we can end he war on drugs, abolish the DEA and office of drug enforcement policy, and repeal those federal laws I fear the positive changes in state law like Alaska are meaningless.

I disagree. Two states now have legal weed. This is going to be a case where states, one by one, legalize weed, and when enough states have done it, then a tipping point will be reached, and the Federal government will then abandon it's position of keeping marijuana illegal.
 
I disagree. Two states now have legal weed. This is going to be a case where states, one by one, legalize weed, and when enough states have done it, then a tipping point will be reached, and the Federal government will then abandon it's position of keeping marijuana illegal.

I see little or no historic precedence for this.

The federal governments position on this is all about the money. Obama has been rumored to be pro legalization but has never taken any steps to end the federal drug war even though he could have. In fact he has allowed the DEA and drug czar to enforce federal drug laws in draconian fashion such as shutting down medical marijuana clinics in California.

The Federal government profits in more ways than one by waging a war on it's own citizens in the name of fighting drugs. A dominoe effect of states legalizing it would have little influence on the federal government whcih views the states as provinces or territories anyways.
 
This is perfect. The government wants fewer people because of Obamacare to work and now they can sit at home getting stoned and eating Doritos. Here's a stock tip. Buy Frito Lay.

They don't want fewer people to work, they want people to be able to decide for themselves if they want to work without the burden of considering if they'd be able to acquire insurance without it being through their employer.

Case in point. I have an uncle who owns a successful small business (florist shop) and his wife worked as a nurse. Even though neither of them wanted her to work. They both wanted her to stay home with their daughter as a stay at home mother. The reason she continued working? Because he has had past issues with his liver, and even though he's fine now, he could not find health insurance before ObamaCare that would insure him with his "pre-existing condition". So his wife had to continue working so that they could all be on her plan, that way they'd never have to worry about an insurance company coming behind and dropping them down the road if he got sick again. So now she is able to stop working, because she wasn't working for the money anyways, and be a stay at home parent, and they are able to sleep soundly because they now that if he gets sick again, they don't have to worry about getting dropped and having huge bills laid on their lap.


So please understand the issue before talking about it and do us all favor.
 
They don't want fewer people to work, they want people to be able to decide for themselves if they want to work without the burden of considering if they'd be able to acquire insurance without it being through their employer.

Case in point. I have an uncle who owns a successful small business (florist shop) and his wife worked as a nurse. Even though neither of them wanted her to work. They both wanted her to stay home with their daughter as a stay at home mother. The reason she continued working? Because he has had past issues with his liver, and even though he's fine now, he could not find health insurance before ObamaCare that would insure him with his "pre-existing condition". So his wife had to continue working so that they could all be on her plan, that way they'd never have to worry about an insurance company coming behind and dropping them down the road if he got sick again. So now she is able to stop working, because she wasn't working for the money anyways, and be a stay at home parent, and they are able to sleep soundly because they now that if he gets sick again, they don't have to worry about getting dropped and having huge bills laid on their lap.


So please understand the issue before talking about it and do us all favor.

I understand the issue. Your relatives have decided to attach themselves to the federal teat and now other people have to work to subsidize them. If people actually buy into this job lock nonsense it will end the American dream for millions and we won't be a nation of haves and have nots. We will become a nation of workers and leaches with everyone owned by the all powerful Federal government.
 
I understand the issue. Your relatives have decided to attach themselves to the federal teat and now other people have to work to subsidize them.

They have always and will continue paying for their own health insurance. They are not being subsidized by anything. He owns a successful business and could have went out and afforded his own insurance on his own, but it was hard to find one that would cover a person with past health problems, or one that wouldn't drop him right away if he happened to get sick again. His family has purchased a plan and they are paying for it themselves with no subsidies.

You don't understand the issue and it shows when you open your mouth.
 
sure there's no historic precedence, The Netherlands are hardly comparable to the US, if only in terms of size. But people's opinions about legalization have definitely been changing and I agree with danarhea that eventually a tipping point will be reached when government just will not be able to continue with their policies. Although I think you're description is fairly accurate of the current situation.
 
It should definitely be legalized, even for recreational use. If an adult wants to smoke marijuana, why shouldn't he/she be able to? It's really not so different than having a couple of beers after work or something.
 
This is perfect. The government wants fewer people because of Obamacare to work and now they can sit at home getting stoned and eating Doritos. Here's a stock tip. Buy Frito Lay.

What makes you think many more people will smoke pot if legal than now? Anybody that wants to smoke does.

Some people may try it but just like cigarettes and alcohol, not everyone likes it and continues. Not only that, there's a huge difference between use and abuse.

It's completely hypocritical (and useless) to keep pot illegal.
 
Alaska has a huge alcohol problem, especially in the more remote villages. This might actually help.
 
What makes you think many more people will smoke pot if legal than now? Anybody that wants to smoke does.

Some people may try it but just like cigarettes and alcohol, not everyone likes it and continues. Not only that, there's a huge difference between use and abuse.

It's completely hypocritical (and useless) to keep pot illegal.

I agree. People just love to make sound as if it's somehow any worse than cigarettes or alcohol yet there is no evidence of that at all.
 
Having known a fair share of Alaskans in my lifetime I simply don't see why this vote is necessary. :2razz:
 
What makes you think many more people will smoke pot if legal than now? Anybody that wants to smoke does.

Some people may try it but just like cigarettes and alcohol, not everyone likes it and continues. Not only that, there's a huge difference between use and abuse.

It's completely hypocritical (and useless) to keep pot illegal.

What makes me think that? Personal experience. Pot makes you complacent and lazy. Knock yourself out. It's your life.
 
What makes me think that? Personal experience. Pot makes you complacent and lazy. Knock yourself out. It's your life.

I dont use pot and dont plan to. It's already legal here.

I asked why you thought alot more people would be smoking it than now. Your personal experience about how it makes you feel is noted, but not necessarily how it affects everyone that uses it.
 
I dont use pot and dont plan to. It's already legal here.

I asked why you thought alot more people would be smoking it than now. Your personal experience about how it makes you feel is noted, but not necessarily how it affects everyone that uses it.

I've used it before, but not since I was a teenager. I've also drank alcohol, and in my personal experience alcohol makes a person MUCH more messed up and out of control than marijuana does. I can't imagine how much marijuana I would have to smoke to get as screwed up as I would on 5 alcoholic drinks, probably pounds. :lamo
 
Back
Top Bottom