"Decriminalize Marijuana," Says Rhode Island's Largest Newspaper
Ongoing efforts to reform marijuana laws in Rhode Island received a huge endorsement today from the state’s largest newspaper. In this editorial, the Providence Journal calls for the decriminalization of marijuana, writing that “[t]he pursuit of nonviolent marijuana users puts enormous strain on the justice system, feeds corruption and wastes taxpayer dollars that could have been used more effectively elsewhere.”
This call for sensible marijuana reform comes just days before public hearings will be held by the state’s Marijuana Prohibition Study Commission, which was set up by the state Senate last year to study the cost of marijuana prohibition in Rhode Island. Last week, a bill to change the penalty for possession of marijuana from up to six months in jail to a civil fine was introduced into the state House, where nearly half of the representatives signed on as co-sponsors.
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Cannabis is a very safe substance. It is impossible to die from consuming pot in any form. On the other hand, virtually every pharmaceutical drug has potentially serious side effects and thousands die from them every year. A visit to the National Center for Disease Control website proves it. Marijuana/ cannabis is not even mentioned there.
As the debate rages, you may notice that the prohibitionists crying the loudest stand to lose a lot of money if pot is legalized; drug rehabs, alcohol , tobacco , pharmaceuticals , lawyers, prisons , the DEA, ONDCP, NIDA and any police drug task force.
People who use cannabis as medicine shouldn't have to be taxed.
With a federal bureaucracy that now uses the enforcement of the laws against marijuana as justification of over 80% of it's 15 billion dollar budget ,we can expect to have to take the right to use marijuana,both as a medicine and for recreation,one state at a time.
Even now,with 14 states having medical marijuana laws in place and the Attorney General having a "medical" marijuana policy,the ONDCP refuses to allow marijuana to be removed from Schedule 1.
And the DEA and National Institute of Drug Abuse refuse to allow Universities and medical researchers permission to do any studies that show either the safety of marijuana or any medical.
applications for marijuana.
It is a clear conflict of interest. If marijuana is legalized,or even removed from Schedule 1,they lose control of the studies and clinical testing of marijuana.
I say it's high time to fully legalize pot. Not just reduce the
penalties for its use or possession. Only fully legal products of any kind can be regulated, taxed and controlled by any government agency.
Speaking of taxing pot, it seems to me that non- marijuana users would be in favor of taxing pot. Around these parts, taxing someone else's vice is very popular.