Ark. Lawmaker Suggests Legalizing Marijuana

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Permalink Reply by Yvonne Oxford Dougherty on November 23, 2009 at 7:45am

Marijuana should be legal. It is harmless except to the "toker." It should be regulated and taxed (think of all the new governmental income it would generate. ) We should let people out of prison for it. It is a harmless crime. It should be on the same level as alcohol. At the very least, it should be legalized for medicinal use - especially for those patients with cancer who are undergoing chemotheraphy and radiation. Disclaimer: I do not partake and have always been against using it for personal use accept for cancer patients. But, I am practical. It costs too much money to police and we could tax the hell out of it and gain much needed revenue.

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Permalink Reply by ghc on November 23, 2009 at 12:54pm

I think most people from "our generation" know that pot is no worse than alcohol or maybe even less. I can't believe people are still being locked up for smoking weed. The hypocrisy! So far as I'm concerned, it should be legal and regulated same as alcohol in regards to age limitation and driving. And forget the medical angle, just legalise it, tax it, and let the tokers out of jail. And FYI, I haven't smoked the stuff in 30 yrs

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Permalink Reply by guitarman on November 23, 2009 at 7:31pm

I know of a person who was on Chemo and said the only way she could stomach food was by smoking marijuana first. She died eventually. If it helped her then why should it be illegal?

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Permalink Reply by Chris Eaton on November 23, 2009 at 9:27pm

One problem with legalizing marijuana is that it's physical effects can last up to 24 hours, while you may only notice it for 2 to 8. If marijuana use increases so does the amount of impaired drivers on the roadway.

I do agree that there is a huge tax income potential.

One side effect of marijuana that many cancer patients know of is it's anti-nausea effects. Unfortunately those effects can cause alcohol poisoning when you are drinking and toking at the same time. Your body does not give the the same signals when it's time to quit, i.e. throwing up and refusing to take in anymore of the juice.

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Permalink Reply by Dave Hall on November 24, 2009 at 11:41am

I don't smoke it myself, but I agree it should be legalized. I think the reason it hasn't is because it would be impossible or darned hard to tax. It is as easy to grow as tomatoes and I think it would be back to the old moonshine and revenuers scenario. Cigarettes are easy to tax because most tobacco is grown and managed by large entities. True we could grow our own tobacco and roll our own cigarettes but let's face it cigarette smokers like the filters and the selection of the market and fall for the "branding" that large corporations spend a lot of money to establish. Pot on the other hand can be easily grown, sold, rolled and smoked by Mom and Pop small America indoor gardens. Just my opinion.

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Permalink Reply by Harper on November 24, 2009 at 12:02pm

Shelli,

I’m one that has abstained from voting simply because I’m not qualified. I’ve never tried it, though I’ve said if I live to be 70 I might give it a go just to see what all the hoopla is about.

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Permalink Reply by Yvonne Oxford Dougherty on November 24, 2009 at 12:08pm

Chris:
If a person with cancer chooses to smoke pot and drink alcohol at the same time, I have no problem with that. Anything to avoid the pain and nausea. I've watched too many family members suffer and die with cancer to be concerned about the effects of marijuana on their systems. Morphine, demerol, oxycodon and all of those other controlled narcotics just don't ease all of the pain nor the nausea.
I can't take NyQuil without it causing me to become inebriated for 48 hours after taking. That's why I avoid the stuff. But, it's legal. If a person gets stoned and drives while under the influence (whether it be 2 or 48 hours later) they ought to be charged same as a person under the influence of alcohol or NyQuil.
Dave,
Mom and Pop would be able to grow it just like they grow tomatoes in their backyard. The rest of us lazy bums who don't plant have to go to Wal-Mart and buy our maters and pay taxes on them. Pot will eventually be just like maters at Wal-Mart. It sure could be fun watching the effects of home grown pot on the dirty, rotten squirrels, rabbits, and other wild varmits who steal maters and other edibles from folk's back yards.
Heck, you can make your own beer, wine, and white lightening if it is under a certain amount and you don't distribute.
Legalization might stop some of these drug wars going on at the Mexican border because it wouldn't have to be imported any longer.
Von

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Permalink Reply by Shelli Russell on November 24, 2009 at 12:17pm

Here's the results of a day and a half of voting, let's get some more. Or is a small percentage of the population voting enough to make any old decision?

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Permalink Reply by ghc on November 24, 2009 at 12:51pm

Could you imagine a high racoon wandering around your yard with the munchies? Hide the donuts and twinkies :-)

Yvonne Dougherty said:

Chris:
If a person with cancer chooses to smoke pot and drink alcohol at the same time, I have no problem with that. Anything to avoid the pain and nausea. I've watched too many family members suffer and die with cancer to be concerned about the effects of marijuana on their systems. Morphine, demerol, oxycodon and all of those other controlled narcotics just don't ease all of the pain nor the nausea.
I can't take NyQuil without it causing me to become inebriated for 48 hours after taking. That's why I avoid the stuff. But, it's legal. If a person gets stoned and drives while under the influence (whether it be 2 or 48 hours later) they ought to be charged same as a person under the influence of alcohol or NyQuil.
Dave,
Mom and Pop would be able to grow it just like they grow tomatoes in their backyard. The rest of us lazy bums who don't plant have to go to Wal-Mart and buy our maters and pay taxes on them. Pot will eventually be just like maters at Wal-Mart. It sure could be fun watching the effects of home grown pot on the dirty, rotten squirrels, rabbits, and other wild varmits who steal maters and other edibles from folk's back yards.
Heck, you can make your own beer, wine, and white lightening if it is under a certain amount and you don't distribute.
Legalization might stop some of these drug wars going on at the Mexican border because it wouldn't have to be imported any longer.
Von

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Permalink Reply by Dave Hall on November 24, 2009 at 6:59pm

I'm a little out of touch with the market value of pot but I wonder if it would be a lot cheaper if legalized.

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Permalink Reply by Symira Collins on November 25, 2009 at 1:48am

They should legalize it because the war on drugs is fighting a losing battle anyway. For every dealer they lock up at least 5 more spring up. It will never stop and it will get worse. One day what is going on at the border in Mexico will be happening in the United States. It is so easy for people to get automatic weapons these days. And people are doing anything that comes to mind these days. Greed has gotten so out of control that a person will kill you quick about some money. Marijuana does not cause as much damage as alcohol or other hardcore drugs. The only crimes a person on marijuana is going to commit is eating all your food up and running your light bill up watching tv. And those are not crimes. And it would generate hella tax money.

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Permalink Reply by Shelli Russell on November 25, 2009 at 10:41am

OMG, Symira! "Eating up all your food" is cracking me up!

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