Colorado passes legalization of recreational pot,

[Baron Von PWN]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/0 ... endment-64

[nietzsche]

I can't wait for the ep of Southpark dedicated to this.

[saxitoxin]

A symbolic victory only. Colorado already legalized medicinal pot and, as soon as dispensaries opened, the Obama administration sent hundreds of federal police backed by armored cars and helicopter gunships in to shut them down, saying federal law preempted the state. They'll bomb Colorado into the stone age before the first joint gets legally lit in Denver.

Since then, the administration has unleashed an interagency cannabis crackdown that goes beyond anything seen under the Bush administration, with more than 100 raids, primarily on California pot dispensaries, many of them operating in full compliance with state laws. Since October 2009, the Justice Department has conducted more than 170 aggressive SWAT-style raids in 9 medical marijuana states, resulting in at least 61 federal indictments, according to data compiled by Americans for Safe Access, an advocacy group.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/2 ... 51744.html

[MegaProphet]

A small step closer to ending the War on Drugs. And it's not just Colorado it's Washington too.

[Baron Von PWN]

A symbolic victory only. Colorado already legalized medicinal pot and, as soon as dispensaries opened, the Obama administration sent hundreds of federal police backed by armored cars and helicopter gunships in to shut them down, saying federal law preempted the state. They'll bomb Colorado into the stone age before the first joint gets legally lit in Denver.

Since then, the administration has unleashed an interagency cannabis crackdown that goes beyond anything seen under the Bush administration, with more than 100 raids, primarily on California pot dispensaries, many of them operating in full compliance with state laws. Since October 2009, the Justice Department has conducted more than 170 aggressive SWAT-style raids in 9 medical marijuana states, resulting in at least 61 federal indictments, according to data compiled by Americans for Safe Access, an advocacy group.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/2 ... 51744.html

symbolic yes, but interesting none the less. How long can the feds keep saying no while an increasing number of states support legalisation?

it hints at a growing momentum for legalisation if votes on legalisation are wining. Presumably political candidates are getting behind the motion as well.

[Nola_Lifer]

If the people voted for legalization then how can the government tell the people no?

[bedub1]

A small step closer to ending the War on Drugs. And it's not just Colorado it's Washington too.

Correct. One of my friends mentioned how great it will be to allow farmers to cultivate Hemp. What a boom it will be for industry, how it will save trees, ensure sustainable forests etc.

I laughed my ass off. The feds might leave some pot-smokers alone, but if a farmer plants acres upon acres of Hemp, the feds will swoop in and burn the place to the ground. These laws accomplish nothing. We need to force the feds to remove Marijuana from the list of Schedule 1 narcotics, and add it to the list that contains alcohol and tobacco. Only THEN can true reform happen.

EDIT: I'd also like to see the Washington State Police arrest the DEA/FBI and charge them with Arson, destruction of property, violation of Washington State laws etc if they torch farmers fields.

[Funkyterrance]

I've got nothing against pot, I've consumed my share. If it makes a Mc Donalds employee's life easier to do his job high, so be it. Just don't screw up my order or heads are going to roll.

[Frigidus]

If the people voted for legalization then how can the government tell the people no?

The state government can't, but send in the FBI and there isn't much anybody on the state level can do. Fun fact, Obama promised before his first election that he wouldn't crack down on drug use in states that legalized it. Turns out he was full of shit but nobody cares.

[saxitoxin]

Video of Obama's paramilitary forces (DEA and Federal Marshals) after they swept through California seizing marijuana and arresting licensed sellers following California's legalization move. Local police initially refused to help the feds with crowd control until Obama threatened to unleash battle-hardened Army troops into the streets of Oakland if they didn't.

[nietzsche]

If the "war on drugs" ended I don't know what would happen in Mexico.

Plenty of idiots with guns and no lucrative business... kidnaping and extortion would skyrocket.

[Commander62890]

If the "war on drugs" ended I don't know what would happen in Mexico.

Plenty of idiots with guns and no lucrative business... kidnaping and extortion would skyrocket.

Yes, organized crime would find another way to make its money... maybe human trafficking?

[Symmetry]

If the "war on drugs" ended I don't know what would happen in Mexico.

Plenty of idiots with guns and no lucrative business... kidnaping and extortion would skyrocket.

Yes, organized crime would find another way to make its money... maybe human trafficking?

That's not what the founding fathers wanted!
















...oh wait, they were pretty much ok with the human trafficking stuff.

[saxitoxin]

Earlier today Obama's Department of Justice issued a statement confirming Obama will use armed police to arrest and imprison anyone caught with pot in Colorado or Washington, regardless of what new state laws say.

The Department of Justice is reminding Americans that marijuana remains illegal — despite ballot measures passed by Washington and Colorado legalizing the substance for recreational use.

The conflict sets up a major clash between the federal government and the states. Obama expressed tepid support for leaving medical marijuana to the states during the 2008 campaign, but the federal raids have continued unabated on dispensaries across the country, and the DOJ never promised to back away from cracking down on recreational distribution of pot.

http://www.politico.com/politico44/2012 ... 48901.html

[Nobunaga]

This is what I don't get. Pot is (generally) illegal. For selling it one can do actual prison time. Smoking it - depends on where you live.

When was the last time you heard or read about somebody smoking a joint, then beating the shite out of their wife and kids?

Now how about alcohol?

It makes no sense.