Tag: Drug legalization

Pot – Weed – Marijuana – Cannabis

 

That is what is emblazoned on a mailing that we received prior to Christmas. The words are huge and white, followed by “It doesn’t matter what you call it, MAKE IT LEGAL. Immediate action required – send your personalized petition and mail it back today – free!” I looked at my “personalized petition” and it contained the voter’s information printed on the three-fold flyer, of both my husband and I, including our full address, and our voter registration numbers. All we had to do was sign it and pop in the mail, no postage needed! It came from “Make It Legal Florida” in Tallahassee.

It then states that the “form” if mailed, will become a “public record” upon its filing with the Supervisor of Elections, because apparently, it is a planned Amendment. The amendment is titled “Adult Use of Marijuana,” and gives a ballot summary. The big glossy, colored flyer gives some incentives. They are as follows:

  1. The amendment includes “strict rules” to make sure that marijuana products are clearly labeled, childproof, and not advertised to children.
  2. It will help combat the “opioid addiction” crisis and free up law enforcement to protect us from violent criminals and sexual predators.
  3.  It will boost our economy and generate more than a hundred million dollars per year in new revenue to fund important priorities such as schools, healthcare, and public safety. The above words in bold were in bold on the flyer, so they took the time to point out the wonderful benefits of legalization of marijuana in the state of Florida.

Where do I begin? I was deeply offended that this organization dove into our County Records and obtained our and others voting registration records. I live in a state that already has a major drug problem. We are known as the capital of the pill-popping clinics, called pill mills. Just Google pain clinics in Florida and the articles are filled with doctors spreading the addiction of oxycodone across the country, reports if numerous arrests of physicians in the business of writing endless prescriptions for drugs, the increased crackdowns on drug distribution, etc. that go back decades.

Maybe the Court Got this One Right?

 

shutterstock_19836403As noted in yesterday’s The Daily Shot, the Supreme Court finally ruled in the case of Nebraska and Oklahoma v. Colorado, wherein the former states sued their neighbor for undermining federal drug policy and their own drug prohibitions by legalizing marijuana. Having started a fairly lively conversation when the case was filed, I want to make some observations on the outcome. I suspect it’ll mostly remind people why lawyers drive them crazy. Here, in its entirety, is the court’s majority opinion:

The motion for leave to file a bill of complaint is denied.

That’s it. Justice Thomas, joined by Justice Alito, dissented:

What’s Your General Rule on Drug Prohibition?

 

shutterstock_158845502Let me be very upfront here: I’m one of those radicals who thinks we should legalize all drugs.  I’m not just in favor of marijuana legalization, but also the “hard stuff”: heroin, cocaine, LSD, and just about anything else you can think of.  If you’re one of those weirdos who wants to put mescaline in your eggnog, I don’t think there should be a law against it.

We’ve had several awesome discussions recently here on drug prohibition. However, one thing that seems to be lacking, among prohibition advocates is a general principle. So to any of you prohibitionists, I’m issuing a challenge. I’m willing to listen to any prohibition standard you’re willing to propose. What I’d like to hear is a general rule on what the government should and shouldn’t prohibit, but I’m going to add a sticking point: you must apply it across the board to drugs, prescription medications, tobacco, and alcohol.

There it is. Prohibitionists are able to come up with all kinds of arguments, but I’ve yet to hear one that couldn’t also reasonably be applied to alcohol. But, I could be wrong (it happens… occasionally), so let’s hear it: What’s your general rule?