Marijuana Legalization/Decriminalization Efforts

[Zetanio]

People against genetically modified crops that support marijuana are among the stupidest fucking people there are.

Please let big business in as soon as possible, that's the fastest route to getting rid of the negative elements in the marijuana trade.

It'll be a very fast transition over the next 10 years.

[Ksandra]

The trouble is, there's a whole lot of bullshit of organizations both for and against, trying to obscure their motivations. And you generally need to leave it to those who are adapt at sifting past it to get to the reality.
Generally, I don't sit down and research through propositions until a week and a half before the election, so there's the most possible news coverage for digging into things.

Though, with how many there are this go around, I'll probably need to start early.
Considering the number of Cali/LA BGers, we could probably get away with doing an individual thread for the CA ballot.

Please make a thread for Cali props. I did it the last two times and the threads were super helpful, but I don't have time to devote making one this time around.

[Zetanio]

We can use this thread, I mean it doesn't get much action otherwise.

Up to y'all.

[Ragnus]

The bill that's on the ballot has one of the listed reasons to oppose the measure as something along the lines of "It will worsen the already critical opioid epidemic, by increasing drug us in the state"

At this point, I don't see the measure failing to pass. It will be years before pot actually hits stores, but it will open up home grows as perfectly legal like any other plant in the meantime. There's wording in the bill about being high while driving, but there's no actual test to prove that someone is actually high at the moment vs. just having residual THC in their system.

[Day]

i find it absurd, yet inevitable, the kind of proponents that are most ardent about legalizing marijuana are also dragging up the dreaded specter of big agriculture and the natural workings of a regulated market economy as proof the measure should be defeated and instead we ought, in the future, write a bill that will leave us all in serene from-each-according-to-their-ability-to-each-according-to-their-need repose in a Grateful Dead theme commune. spoiler alert, large businesses and companies enter into any viable market and yet somehow those markets truck along with versions of products both high-value and artisan + mass produced and affordable. to wit big agriculture is in the banana game and bananas are cheap and wonderful and i eat them every day without being ground down by market monopolies.

the bill will raise hundreds of millions annually through the excise taxes (revenue presently going to the Mexican cartels who derive roughly 20-25% of their income from selling marijuana to Americans) and reduce annual expenditures by tens of millions as the criminal justice system can stop targeting and jailing potheads, has a pure anarchosyndacolibertarianfreedomisntfree provision allowing individuals to grow up to 6 plants in their own home for private consumption, and in addition to legalizing consumption greatly reduces the sentencing for selling marijuana without a license from a 4 year felony bid in state prison to a maximum of 6 months in county jail and/or a $500 fine. taking money from Sinaloa sicarios to give to addiction treatment centers and at least partially ending the ruinous failure that is the criminalized war on drugs seems a self-evident good capable of surmounting nearly any objection but i guess the fear of Monsanto runs strong in this ridiculous state.

moreover even these ill-formed populist fears of the big bad big agriculture have been explicitly addressed in the proposition as licenses for large cultivators would not be granted for 5 years after ratification, presumably to protect the smaller scale cultivators presently dominating the medicinal trade from disruption.

i am not equal to the task of defining what a 'perfect' legislative bill would look like, but this proposition is a bright shining illumination of don't allow the perfect be the enemy of the good. it will boost state finances, deprive the cartels of much of their income and thereby their power, lessen the criminal justice system's pursuit of nonviolent offenders, and increase the adult citizenry's liberty to do with their bodies as they desire. the financial gain is clear, and the moral gain clearer.

i fucking hate reading your posts

[Zetanio]

i fucking hate reading your posts

Yeah, it's tiring. at least my shitposts are short.

[dasva]

Haven't read the full bill myself but we work for some dispensers and talking to the people in charge there it seems some of the users who are scared of/against legalizing nonmedical use is that it would almost assuredly result in stricter standards in the highly abused "medical" side. Which quickly scanning thru the bill seems to the case though some of it from what it said was just more strictly following recently passed measures on that by doing things like making people go back to a doctor actually following the new guidelines for a new script. And some people who clearly are recreational users are concerned they wont be able to get a bs prescription and have to just own up to being recreational users and maybe pay more (not sure if insurances covers medical)

[Andalusian girls]

Yeah, it's tiring. at least my shitposts are short.

genius is never understood in its own time

[Clash Perez]

there's no actual test to prove that someone is actually high at the moment vs. just having residual THC in their system.

This is pretty much my only real hesitation about recreational use. It's unfortunate that there isn't a test along the lines of an alcohol breathalyzer to gauge the level of intoxication, and until there is one (if ever) I'm not very keen on people partaking and driving.

[Cantih]

Please make a thread for Cali props. I did it the last two times and the threads were super helpful, but I don't have time to devote making one this time around.

I'll start it soonish, my computer is giving me shit in the reliability department.

This is pretty much my only real hesitation about recreational use. It's unfortunate that there isn't a test along the lines of an alcohol breathalyzer to gauge the level of intoxication, and until there is one (if ever) I'm not very keen on people partaking and driving.

Well, California also recently pushed forward on the front of self-driving cars. With any luck, intoxication behind the wheel will become less of an issue sooner than later.

[Zetanio]

It would be highly fortuitous if that happened at the same time.

[Clash Perez]

Worst part of recreational use getting approved in California is that my company will still run random drug tests.

[myreality]

Kratom news
http://arstechnica.com/science/2016/...legal-for-now/

DEA reverses decision on kratom; drug stays legal for now

There was a huge uproar over this. Was obvious the DEA was abusing their power to look for the replacement of marijuana. Sounds like a stretch until you learn just how many people have been using it for a variety of reasons.

[Ragnus]

Worst part of recreational use getting approved in California is that my company will still run random drug tests.

This is basically what I'm thinking the most about. Just because it's legal for recreational use, doesn't mean that you job can't still fire you for having it in your system during a drug test. Even if it's been something stupid like a week since you last lit up.

[dasva]

Yeah all our truck drivers get tested and from what the boss says it's not even his idea he's required to do it.

[Ragnus]

Also, it got mentioned about how someone was sick of seeing friends post about how hemp can replace everything.

There's actually something to that because it's a cheap and versatile plant. Hell, back in the 40s, the US Government even said that if you don't support industrial help, you're a fucking Nazi.

[Roranora]

Don't get me going on industrial hemp. As a huge advocate, it irks me when people overstate its potential, but it is absolutely a premier renewable resource, and we don't make anything with it.

A building material that's carbon-negative, mold-free, and nearly fire-proof -- we should use things like that.

[dasva]

I get that it's pretty awesome material just sick of friends literally posting that it is better in every single way than any other material for anything that we use for basically anything. Any kind of container? Hemp is best. Need to build something sure must use hemp. Oh you want to build an airplane yeah still will work. Oh it's your best tp too and for paper and pretty sure someone once unironically suggested building military submarines with it once <.<.

Similarly while there obvious numerous health benefits I just roll my eyes at the people whole literally think it's a cure to all that ails them... especially when it's most likely made up conditions. Guys smoking a bowl each day totally helped with my totally real but undiagnosed gluten sensitivity as well as the RA that my doctor says I don't have but I'm sure I still have. It also cured my cancer, makes me way smarter, and made America great again.

And sadly those are examples not exaggerations. Well except the make America great again I made that one up but I'd totally expect that out of the couple of stoner Trump supporters I know

[Ragnus]

I... can't argue with most of that last post, dasva.

[thetruepandagod]

Weed gives me boners, It should remain illegal.