http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2009/03/state_should_sell_pot_and_tax.htmlState should sell pot and tax it, legislators say

A renegade group of legislators in the House wants the state to grow, dispense and assess a tax on medical marijuana.

"Oregonians have voted to authorize the use of medical marijuana, yet the Legislature has failed to provide adequate safeguards for citizens who have a legitimate need for it," said Rep. Carolyn Tomei, D-Milwaukie, in a prepared statement.

House Bill 3274 would levy a $98 per ounce tax on marijuana, to cover the state's production and distribution costs.

"Many patients have no assurance that their marijuana is not laced with pesticides or other toxic chemicals," said Rep. Jim Thompson, R-Dallas. "If passed into law, this legislation will implement safe standards to dispense the drug through a tightly-controlled system."

Rep. Ron Maurer, R-Grants Pass, and Rep. Chris Harker, D-Beaverton, are also sponsors of the bill.

Now that's what we call bipartisanship.Exactly. Instead of spending a fortune trying to police it, just take over the business. That is the sort of level-headed thinking that I'm frankly surprised to see from a politician.

Marijuana (use and growth) has been decriminalized in San Francisco for years now and it has had no adverse effects at all. The same is true for a number of other California cities. California's budget woes would be history if we simply legalized, took over, and taxed the industry.

Nice. :) There are hints that drug policy may change under Obama. We shall see.

Nice. :) There are hints that drug policy may change under Obama. We shall see.
I certainly hope so. Our policy since "Just say no" has been a complete disaster by just about any metric. It's done far more harm than good but, hey, at least it's expensive.

Yeah, there is some policy changes coming on that one, as well as other federal laws decriminalized in certain states in other various bakgrounds, to prevent the Feds from raiding facilities in states like California where medical Marijuana is held grown, etc. It is one of those the Fed is overreaching on areas like that. Think of it like this, the age of consent of sexual intercourse federally is 18. States, then, decriminalize it to 16 for the minimum prosecution level, but, then the Fed steps in to prosecute an 18 year old kid for banging his 17 year year old girlfriend and putting him away for 20 years.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7886780711843120756

Obama is a CFR frontman he won't change anything. Watch The Obama deception at the link above.

Must be a happy moment for conspiracy whackos. They get a whole new cast of characters to make up stories about.

Nothing is made up. He has done nothing but lie since he got in.

And this is a change of pace how exactly?

Anyways, if anyone remember the change.gov citizen's book thing where people got to post their own ideas and then be rated up/down... 2 out of the top 3 dealt with legalizing marijuana / stop spending federal money on policing it in 'legalized' states.

And this is a change of pace how exactly?

Anyways, if anyone remember the change.gov citizen's book thing where people got to post their own ideas and then be rated up/down... 2 out of the top 3 dealt with legalizing marijuana / stop spending federal money on policing it in 'legalized' states.
J, good to see you still here my friend.

Anyway, duh.

Half of all inmates are in prison for non violent drug offenses. The Drug War is a huge jobs program. Imagine if half the cops, half the prison guards, half the lawyers, and half the judges had to actually find a real job. Not counting half the news media talking heads vomiting on you about how such and such drug bust went on...

Some of them would even have to work at Walmart, stocking shelves or pushing carts.

But imagine the public money we would save. Balanced budget?

It will not happen, of course. Because like I said half of the entire Prison System Industry would be put of work. And they have good lobbyists, lawyers, and unions.

Oh, and not to forget nurses. Prison nurses make the bankiest of bank. 70 an hour now. Did you just read the news where there was an audit of a Californian prison that has 400 beds, when the auditor said they could get by with only 100. 400 beds is like 100 RNs, 24 hours a day. And that is like keeping it the same as it is.

They make these laws because you want them.
They build these prisons and staff them because you want them.
They are

They're trying to build a prison,
They're trying to build a prison

Following the rights movements
You clamped on with your iron fists
Drugs became conveniently
Available for all the kids
Following the rights movements
You clamped on with your iron fists
Drugs became conveniently
Available for all the kids

I buy my crack, i smack my bitch
Right here in Hollywood

Nearly 2 million Americans are incarcerated
In the prison system, prison system,
Prison system of the U.S.

They're trying to build a prison,
They're trying to build a prison,
They're trying to build a prison,
They're trying to build a prison,
(For you and me to live in)
Another prison system,
Another prison system,
Another prison system,
(For you and me)

Minor drug offenders fill your prisons
You don't even flinch
All our taxes paying for your wars
Against the new non-rich
Minor drug offenders fill your prisons
You don't even flinch
All our taxes paying for your wars
Against the new non-rich

I buy my crack, i smack my bitch
Right here in Hollywood

The percentage of Americans in the prison system
Prison system, has doubled since 1985

They're trying to build a prison,
They're trying to build a prison,
They're trying to build a prison,
They're trying to build a prison,
(For you and me to live in)
Another prison system,
Another prison system,
Another prison system,
(For you and me)

They're trying to build a prison,
They're trying to build a prison,
They're trying to build a prison,
For you and me,
Oh baby, you and me

All research and successful drug policies show
That treatment should be increased
And law enforcement decreased
While abolishing
Mandatory minimum sentences
All research and successful drug policies show
That treatment should be increased
And law enforcement decreased
While abolishing
Mandatory minimum sentences

Utilizing drugs to pay for
Secret wars around the world
Drugs are now your global policy
Now you police the globe

I buy my crack, i smack my bitch
Right here in Hollywood

Drug money is used to rig elections
And train brutal corporate sponsored
Dictators around the world

They're trying to build a prison,
They're trying to build a prison,
They're trying to build a prison,
They're trying to build a prison,
(For you and me to live in)
Another prison system,
Another prison system,
Another prison system,
(For you and me)

They're trying to build a prison,
They're trying to build a prison,
They're trying to build a prison,
For you and me,
Oh baby, you and me

Oh, one other thing.

I have never had a patient who ODd on marijuana.
I have never met a nurse who has had a patient who ODd on marijuana.


We have all had patient's who have ODd on Tylenol, alcohol, and meth.

Half of all inmates are in prison for non violent drug offenses.And a good deal of the "violent" ones are there directly or indirectly on account of the illegality of drugs.

I don't see gangs shooting each other over the right to distribute Tylenol, or tobacco addicts robbing people so they can get their next fix.

Have you ever been to a prison? Maybe 1 out of 10 people there are actually dangerous to society in some fashion. Most are there for bullshît reasons, sometimes even dumber than drug violations (like parole violations). And don't get me started on "sex offenders".

The real criminals are the "family values" crowd who started this nonsense, they should swap places with all the current prisoners, and our society would make the greatest leap in ages.