Ny state should be legalizing marijuana
The stupid federal law against marijuana needs to go. It's less harmful than alcohol and it's suppose to be a state by state issue.
If California legalized it(which probably isn't gonna happen because of the stupid feds) do you think ny should follow?
Legal weed a tenent of the modern Whig Party
If you were to visit www.modernwhig.org, you'd see that legalizing pot is part of the national modern whig platform, "regulated and heavily taxed by the government". A few of thas state committees have already decided NOT to inlclude that in their state plaforms ( Ohio and Florida) , we havent had a debate amongst ourselves here in NY yet, but I am torn....
Intuitively, Getting Uncle Sam involved in "regulating and heavily taxing" pot simply seems wrong. I dont think it will " cure our financial ills" as many espouse.
Second, a quick and dirty, field expedient test for being stoned would be required. I dont mean a urine test or a blood test, or a hair follicle test that would indicate I smoked weed 20+ years ago while at University, but a simple test to see if you've smoked weed int he last hour.
The legalization of pot, to my mind's eye, seems to be a personal responsibility issue. Meaning that it is symbolic of citizens gaining back some lost freedom, but at the same time, we have to prove to be responsible with these new found freedoms. I.e, I don't want my kids' bus driver "flying a bird" before she drives the bus in the morning! We'd have to treat it like hard whiskey, from an enforcement point of view.
And I just don't cotton to heavy regulation and taxation. This is like growing tomatoes in your backyard and selling them at the farmers market. The taxation comes when it is sold ( and I would like to see the local sales tax doubled on weed sales with local law enforcement getting part of the vig), and on your income tax when you declare the income on the weed you've grown. I can't see why we'd make it more overly complicated. Growers licenses, sure, for more commercial operations, but not much more "regulation".
Anyway, its not anywhere near close to a front burner issue with NY Whigs,( and if it where we'd be labled fringe nuts and discounted) but I am curious and look forward to the point where the state committee can actually have a policy debate about it. I'd like to ask a few more LEOs what they think.
One of the last LEOS I asked said, " Hey, I'm going to get an ounce for my retirement party!". I kid you not. Personally, I wouldn't mind being about to smoke a joint here and there, without fear of losing my job due to drug testing. Also would prfer to buy it from a local licensed grower , than the same dude that sells cocaine illegally.
BTW,. I have often thought that one main reason weed may be a "gateway" drug is simply its distribution. You have to go "underground" to buy weed, and its often the same circle that nastier harder drugs are sold in. Yet if I could buy a pouch from my neighbor, it would be an entirely different scenario and the "gateway" aspect, imho, would be over. Additionalyy, by making it legal, yet enforcing underage sales penalties ( like you lose your growers/distributors license FOR GOOD), I think we'd actually mitigate kids smoking weed. One thing I'll say from personal expereince, weed is not good for the unstructured mind, or for those youth and others that are trying to decide on a life path. A 48 yr old successful businessperson is one thing, a confused 16 yr old kid is quite another.
Lastly, I would be in favor of a "homegrown" provision, where you can grow it here on US soil, but we'll still cap your ass for trying to sneak it ( or anything else) across the border.
To reiterate, I view it as returning some freedoms back to the citizens, but we must ensure we also act responsibly with our new freedoms. So its part of a much bigger "master plan" of rolling back the encroachment of government ( which saves beuacoup $$$$ btw), and also of fostering greater personal responsibility amongst our citizens.
These are my opinions and mine alone, and not those of the NY Whig Party. Yet, I like to hear more of your thoughts on it.