Will marijuana ever be legalized in Texas?

[boutons_deux]

‪New Bill to Tax and Legalize Marijuana in D.C. Could Solve Budget Deficit

As U.S. lawmakers look for ways to balance the national budget, a new bill formally introduced to the D.C. council this week may provide the answer as a major source of tax revenue.

The bill aims to legalize possession of marijuana for adults over 21, regulate sale and licensing and tax the transactions in order to help generate much-needed tax revenue in the nation's capital.

Initiated by Councilman David Grosso, the bill would eliminate criminal penalties for possession and potentially generate a large new revenue stream by authorizing the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA) to license business to produce, process and sell marijuana – with a 15 percent excise tax levied on its sale to go toward substance abuse prevention programs, Wamureported.

Colorado and Washington passed similar laws in 2012 and will begin issuing licenses later this year.

According to Dan Riffle, director of federal policies for the Marijuana Policy Project, marijuana prohibition has been a disastrous public policy failure:

"The District has the highest marijuana possession arrest rate in the country, with black residents more than eight times as likely to be arrested than whites, even with similar levels of use. Despite spending millions of dollars to make thousands of arrests and ruin countless lives, marijuana is almost universally available. It’s time for a smarter approach,” he told Wamu.

http://www.alternet.org/activism/new...ter898716&t=11

[xmas1997]

‪New Bill to Tax and Legalize Marijuana in D.C. Could Solve Budget Deficit

As U.S. lawmakers look for ways to balance the national budget, a new bill formally introduced to the D.C. council this week may provide the answer as a major source of tax revenue.

The bill aims to legalize possession of marijuana for adults over 21, regulate sale and licensing and tax the transactions in order to help generate much-needed tax revenue in the nation's capital.

Initiated by Councilman David Grosso, the bill would eliminate criminnal penalties for possession and potentially generate a large new revenue stream by authorizing the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA) to license business to produce, process and sell marijuana – with a 15 percent excise tax levied on its sale to go toward substance abuse prevention programs, Wamureported.

Colorado and Washington passed similar laws in 2012 and will begin issuing licenses later this year.

According to Dan Riffle, director of federal policies for the Marijuana Policy Project, marijuana prohibition has been a disastrous public policy failure:

"The District has the highest marijuana possession arrest rate in the country, with black residents more than eight times as likely to be arrested than whites, even with similar levels of use. Despite spending millions of dollars to make thousands of arrests and ruin countless lives, marijuana is almost universally available. It’s time for a smarter approach,” he told Wamu.

http://www.alternet.org/activism/new...ter898716&t=11

This is in D.C., not the Feds or the whole U.S.

[Dude]

I've sparked up in quite a few States and never worried about any laws.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Arkansas only narrowly voted down a medical marijuana proposition in the last cycle

It's probably not as far off as most would think

I'm just guessing that it went like every other marijuana prop where the prison industrial complex poured enough money into it for it to barely lose and could have poured a lot more money into getting it struck down if need be.

[symple19]

I'm just guessing that it went like every other marijuana prop where the prison industrial complex poured enough money into it for it to barely lose and could have poured a lot more money into getting it struck down if need be.

Tbh, I didn't follow it very closely. I just saw the final tally, which was incredibly close considering how much of a backwoods, jesus-loving state Arkansas truly is.

Much like gay marriage/rights/acceptance, this is an issue that's slowly but surely worming its way into the American consciousness. What results is an ever-growing base of people who smoke bud, a voting bloc that crosses party lines, and doesn't adhere to traditional demographics. Even dirty money can't stop that kind of tidal wave, otherwise it would have in Co/Wash

Imo, the days of pot prohibition are numbered... In all the states. Look for Alaska and Rhode Island to be next

[Death In June]

Once it gets out of hand, I have a feeling the federal government will step in and put a stop to it. They love a tight leash on their controlled substances and I don't see that mindset changing for a while.

[xmas1997]

New Mexico and New Jersey too.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Tbh, I didn't follow it very closely. I just saw the final tally, which was incredibly close considering how much of a backwoods, jesus-loving state Arkansas truly is.

Much like gay marriage/rights/acceptance, this is an issue that's slowly but surely worming its way into the American consciousness. What results is an ever-growing base of people who smoke bud, a voting bloc that crosses party lines, and doesn't adhere to traditional demographics. Even dirty money can't stop that kind of tidal wave, otherwise it would have in Co/Wash

Imo, the days of pot prohibition are numbered... In all the states. Look for Alaska and Rhode Island to be next

I don't buy it yet. Marijuana laws are still enforced more harshly and capriciously than they've ever been in America and people in congress who are owned by the PIC regularly put bills forward to make weed laws even more severe.

With illegal gay marriage, it was just a cheap gimmick Republicans used to get votes by pretending they gave a about "protecting marriage" by keeping gay marriage illegal. There wasn't an industry with deep pockets that had an economic interest in keeping gay marriage illegal like there is with marijuana.

[symple19]

I don't buy it yet. Marijuana laws are still enforced more harshly and capriciously than they've ever been in America and people in congress who are owned by the PIC regularly put bills forward to make weed laws even more severe.

With illegal gay marriage, it was just a cheap gimmick Republicans used to get votes by pretending they gave a about "protecting marriage" by keeping marriage illegal. There wasn't an industry with deep pockets that had an economic interest in keeping gay marriage illegal like there is with marijuana.

Interestingly, one of the byproducts of the growing libertarian tilt to the Republican party is support for legalization/decriminalization. Tom Tancredo was a major proponent of the push in Colorado to legalize. Let's hope those states don't it up and set a good precedent for others to follow, tbh

I could be wrong, but I expect the trend to continue.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

That libertarian tilt in the Republican party is less independent and free thinking than everyone gives it credit for. It's a bunch of re s who think they're anti-Corporation while they're owned and controlled by Koch Industries. Once the Koch Brothers decide to reel in the anti-drug movement if they feel their stake in private prisons is threatened and have their libertarian think tanks start publishing propaganda about why marijuana is evil, those "free thinking libertarians!" will flip on the issue.

[symple19]

That libertarian tilt in the Republican party is less independent and free thinking than everyone gives it credit for. It's a bunch of re s who think they're anti-Corporation while they're owned and controlled by Koch Industries. Once the Koch Brothers decide to reel in the anti-drug movement if they feel their stake in private prisons is threatened and have their libertarian think tanks start publishing propaganda about why marijuana is evil, those "free thinking libertarians!" will flip on the issue.

I recognize the Koch's are a huge influence in the Libertarian shift, but I just can't credit them with being influential with the types of bowl-smoking joe's who I've come into contact with over the years. Your prototypical, blunt-smoking bro can't even spell CATO, much less tell you what it is. They just know that legalizing weed makes sense and are willing to head to the polls to support that belief.

It's also a major activist movement, which, like I said, crosses party lines. The Koch's only have sway over conservative libertarian types, which are probably only a third (just a guess) of those who vote to legalize. Iirc, there were 100k (or so) more votes for legalization in Colorado than there were votes for Obama, who won the state.

That's significant, imo.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

I recognize the Koch's are a huge influence in the Libertarian shift, but I just can't credit them with being influential with the types of bowl-smoking joe's who I've come into contact with over the years. Your prototypical, blunt-smoking bro can't even spell CATO, much less tell you what it is. They just know that legalizing weed makes sense and are willing to head to the polls to support that belief.

It's also a major activist movement, which, like I said, crosses party lines. The Koch's only have sway over conservative libertarian types, which are probably only a third (just a guess) of those who vote to legalize. Iirc, there were 100k (or so) more votes for legalization in Colorado than there were votes for Obama, who won the state.

That's significant, imo.

I credit them for it because there was absolutely no libertarian shift until Obama took office. If this libertarian shift was genuine it would have started while Bush was in office. The fact it suddenly popped up once Obama did nothing other than continue Bush's policies yet former Bush supporters became libertarians who are steaming mad over Obama's policies tells me the libertarian movement is manufactured by the Kochs. Once the Republican party takes back control of the white house the libertarian movement we see will vanish quicker than a fart in the wind and be as quiet as it was under Bush.

[symple19]

I credit them for it because there was absolutely no libertarian shift until Obama took office. If this libertarian shift was genuine it would have started while Bush was in office. The fact it suddenly popped up once Obama did nothing other than continue Bush's policies yet former Bush supporters became libertarians who are steaming mad over Obama's policies tells me the libertarian movement is manufactured by the Kochs. Once the Republican party takes back control of the white house the libertarian movement we see will vanish quicker than a fart in the wind and be as quiet as it was under Bush.

Not much I can say to this other than I hope you're wrong.

I really think that the marijuana issue is stronger than the money those de able brothers throw around like confetti

[xmas1997]

Ironically enough one of the biggest opponents of legalization is organized crime itself. They probably have a huge lobby in Washington.

[symple19]

Ironically enough one of the biggest opponents of legalization is organized crime itself. They probably have a huge lobby in Washington.

OC is a huge reason legalization failed in Cali. They knew they would lose profits if it happened

[exstatic]

It will be legal and regulated in the US in my lifetime tbh

It already is, but if you mean EVERYWHERE in the US, you may have underestimated the closed conservative mind. When I moved to TX in 1984, I went to the mall on Sunday, and it was ing closed. They still had Blue laws on the books when most civilized states repealed them during/after WWII, so going by that, it could be 40-50 years, maybe longer, until the Bubba south catches up.

[Jacob1983]

Think of all the so-called anti-marijuana politicians in the Senate and House of Representatives. How many of them do you think get money and favors from criminals and the mob by being anti-marijuana and for the drug war?

[symple19]

Think of all the so-called anti-marijuana politicians in the Senate and House of Representatives. How many of them do you think get money and favors from criminals and the mob by being anti-marijuana and for the drug war?

If I were you I would I would ingest a pound of insecticide

[Jacob1983]

You gonna pay for the insecticide?

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

You gonna pay for the insecticide?

Gladly.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

It already is, but if you mean EVERYWHERE in the US, you may have underestimated the closed conservative mind. When I moved to TX in 1984, I went to the mall on Sunday, and it was ing closed. They still had Blue laws on the books when most civilized states repealed them during/after WWII, so going by that, it could be 40-50 years, maybe longer, until the Bubba south catches up.

I just moved here and couldn't in believe I wasn't allowed to buy alcohol a half hour before football started

[leemajors]

I just moved here and couldn't in believe I wasn't allowed to buy alcohol a half hour before football started

You can before noon if you order food at the same time.

[xmas1997]

I wonder if the federal government will ever legalize it, much less the states.

[The Reckoning]

I wonder if the federal government will ever legalize it, much less the states.

it doesn't. for example the drinking age is actually set by the states, but the feds bribe states with funding to set it the same across the board.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

You can before noon if you order food at the same time.

Who the goes to order beer at a restaurant before noon , that part makes no sense. If I'm buying beer before noon on a Sunday, it's because I'm on my way to go watch football with people.

jeebo s saying they want small government and are anti-nanny state yet think the government should tell people when we can/can't buy alcohol.