Tystick Posted August 29, 2012 Author Share Posted August 29, 2012 Gotta love how these published "studies" have become such a waste of time. tl;dr paraphrasing of that article: Pot "may" "might" "possibly" have a link to a lower IQ later in life but perhaps only for those who start in their earlier teens, but we haven't figured it out yet.. let's make a conclusion without sufficient evidence and publish it anyways to make it seem like what we're doing is actually useful. Love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theminister Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Colorado maybe the first state to legalize marijuana. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/20/what-legal-marijuana-migh_n_1901792.html What Happens If Colorado Legalizes Marijuana? The Colorado Independent | By Scot Kersgaard Posted: 09/20/2012 5:55 pm EDT Updated: 09/24/2012 11:11 pm EDT If Amendment 64 passes, it will become almost immediately legal under Colorado law for adults to possess, grow, consume and give away up to an ounce of marijuana. It may take more than a year, however, before adults can purchase marijuana legally in a store. A poll released in early September by Public Policy Polling shows the amendment continues to lead, currently by a 47-38 margin, with 15 percent still undecided. Passage could enable the state to increase tax revenues by $50 million a year or more while also potentially reducing law enforcement costs. If the measure passes, the parts of the amendment related to individual behavior go into effect as soon as the governor signs a proclamation certifying the results of the election, which he is required to do within 30 days. Sections related to the commercial cultivation and sale of marijuana would take effect incrementally but marijuana would be available for sale legally no sooner than late 2013 or early 2014. Even if the state moves forward with implementation in a timely fashion, it is anyone’s guess what the federal response–if any–will be. The feds could do nothing, could move to block implementation, or could wait until legal businesses are set up and then move to shut them down, possibly arresting owners and employees in the process. The amendment requires the Colorado Department of Revenue to adopt regulations governing the licensing of commercial businesses by no later than July 1, 2013. According to the amendment these regulations cannot prohibit marijuana businesses or make their operation “unreasonably impractical.” Attorney Brian Vicente, co-director of the pro-64 campaign, says that the amendment was written in such a way that the legislature can choose to address the issue, thus providing guidance to the DOR, or can do nothing and leave the crafting of regulations entirely to DOR staff. “We left it open so that the legislature can be as active as it wants to be or it can leave the matter entirely to DOR,” Vicente told the Colorado Independent. DOR must begin processing business applications by Oct. 1, 2013. If the DOR fails to meet the deadline, prospective business owners can apply for local business licenses, thus bypassing the state. Local governments must establish their own regulations, also by Oct. 1, 2013. Local governments may also ban marijuana businesses, but need a vote of the people to do so. Even if a city or county bans marijuana businesses, residents of the area would still be allowed to grow, possess, consume and give away small amounts of marijuana. While the amendment legalizes private use of marijuana, public use would remain illegal. Patrons at a ball game, for instance, would not be able to go to the smoking area and light a joint. People would not be allowed to sit on a park bench and light up a marijuana pipe. People growing their own could have up to six plants, with no more than three being mature at any given time. Plants would have to be grown in secured areas that are not visible to the public. Even if it exceeds the legal one ounce, growers would be allowed to possess their entire harvest. Employers would not have to accommodate people who wish to smoke at work and would still be allowed to test for marijuana use and to fire people who test positive. Driving under the influence of marijuana would remain illegal and it would remain illegal to sell or give marijuana to anyone under 21 years old. Vicente explains that “employers will still have the absolute ability to retain any policies they have about marijuana use. Once it is legal, it is our hope that they will embrace common sense rules regarding the legal use of a legal product on people’s own time.” Economic impact The Blue Book, produced by the Colorado Legislative Council, estimates the fiscal impact that could be expected if the amendment passes. The book says that sales taxes and licensing fees would be expected to be between $5 million and $22 million per year and that the cost to the state would be $1.3 million in the first year and around $700,000 a year after that. The book makes no estimates of local revenues or costs. The amendment, though, also requires the legislature to enact an excise tax of up to 15 percent through 2017 and at any rate agreed to by the legislature after 2017. This tax would be collected on sales from growers to retailers and marijuana product manufacturing companies. The Blue Book makes no estimate of how much such a tax could generate. The tax would have to be set by the legislature and then voted on by residents of Colorado. “It is our strong belief that the legislature will pass such a tax as soon as they can,” Vicente said. He and the campaign estimate that the revenue from such a tax could be as much as $24 million to $73 million a year. The amendment stipulates that the first $40 million a year generated by the tax will go to a state fund for the construction of public schools. Laura Chapin, spokesperson for the anti-64 campaign, said she doubts the state would ever see anywhere near the amount of money talked about by proponents. “How do you tax an industry that cannot use bank accounts?,” she asked, pointing out that federal law prohibits banks from accepting deposits of money earned by selling a substance that will remain illegal under federal law. Vicente, though, says some medical marijuana businesses in the state actually do have bank accounts. He notes that there has been lots of press about banks not doing business with marijuana dispensaries, but said numerous banks and dispensaries are “quietly doing business together.” Aaron Smith, executive director of the National Cannabis Industry Association, said Chapin’s argument is “absurd.” “Many marijuana businesses do have bank accounts, but I guarantee you that even those that don’t, pay their taxes,” he said. “That is simply an absurd statement. They didn’t do their homework,” Smith said. A study released in August by the Colorado Center on Law and Policy estimates that local governments would generate a combined $14 million a year in the beginning. That study also estimates savings in law enforcement of $12 million a year immediately, increasing to $40 million a year in later years. While it doesn’t relate directly to Amendment 64, the National Cannabis Industry Association released a study on Sept. 13 that shows tax revenue in Colorado as a result of medical marijuana likely exceeded $10 million in 2011. The study, which looked at only ten Colorado cities, shows that medical marijuana businesses in the cities studied, generated $5.1 million in local tax revenues and nearly $4.5 million in state tax revenues. Business license fees bring in millions more, the study says. In Denver alone, revenue from such fees exceeded $6 million in 2011 alone, according to the study. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedestroyerofworlds Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Anyone watch this. Might open eyes of some people Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armada Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Anyone watch this. Might open eyes of some people Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McBackup Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Smokers are jokers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tystick Posted September 25, 2012 Author Share Posted September 25, 2012 Colorado maybe the first state to legalize marijuana. http://www.huffingto..._n_1901792.html It would be quite amazing if Colorado were to actually beat any Canadian province to officially do this but that maybe what we need in Canada to enact our own self determination with regards to drug laws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theminister Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Smokers are jokers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armada Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Some are even midnight tokers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. White Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Coffee is more addictive and worse for you than marijuana! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armada Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Coffee is more addictive and worse for you than marijuana! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heretic Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 15 out of 20 kids in my son's grade 9 homeroom class smoke and/or smoke pot. Tell me - do you honestly think that if pot was legal, then those kids wouldn't smoke it? If you answer yes - then you missed the hidden message. You need to be 18 to buy cigarettes, yet in grade 9, most students are only 14 years old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KoreanHockeyFan Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 15 out of 20 kids in my son's grade 9 homeroom class smoke and/or smoke pot. Tell me - do you honestly think that if pot was legal, then those kids wouldn't smoke it? If you answer yes - then you missed the hidden message. You need to be 18 to buy cigarettes, yet in grade 9, most students are only 14 years old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tystick Posted September 25, 2012 Author Share Posted September 25, 2012 15 out of 20 kids in my son's grade 9 homeroom class smoke and/or smoke pot. Tell me - do you honestly think that if pot was legal, then those kids wouldn't smoke it? If you answer yes - then you missed the hidden message. You need to be 18 to buy cigarettes, yet in grade 9, most students are only 14 years old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vancanwincup Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 The problem with weed sold on the street is there is competition and the seller will lace the weed with other chemicals to make the high stronger and more addicting. You would hope that goverment could be trusted not do the same if legalized, but look at cigarettes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heretic Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 No they most likely still would, but the benefit is they would have to get someone old enough to buy for them, therefore making it a little tougher to obtain. The pot would be in a cigarette structure and would be much more filtered then a simple joint. If pot was legalized and distrusted, the drug trade would take a big hit. On top of this, crime rate would drop, especially in the drug war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tystick Posted September 25, 2012 Author Share Posted September 25, 2012 Hmnn...the drug war.... Maybe...maybe not: "For one thing, if marijuana makes up 60 percent of the cartels’ profits, that still leaves another 40 percent, which includes the sale of methamphetamine, cocaine, and brown-powder and black-tar heroin. If marijuana were legalized, the cartels would still make huge profits from the sale of these other drugs. Plus, there’s no reason the cartels couldn’t enter the legal market for the sale of marijuana, as organized crime groups did in the United States after the repeal of Prohibition." http://www.nytimes.c...19longmire.html This next site is a good one: The 3 worst arguments for legalizing: 3. Legalizing Marijuana Will End Cartel Violence in Northern Mexico 2. Marijuana Should Be Taxed and Regulated Because It Is America’s Largest Cash Crop 1. Marijuana Should Be Legal Because It’s Medicine http://reason.com/ar...-for-legalizing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theminister Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 15 out of 20 kids in my son's grade 9 homeroom class smoke and/or smoke pot. Tell me - do you honestly think that if pot was legal, then those kids wouldn't smoke it? If you answer yes - then you missed the hidden message. You need to be 18 to buy cigarettes, yet in grade 9, most students are only 14 years old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aGENT Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Hmnn...the drug war.... Maybe...maybe not: "For one thing, if marijuana makes up 60 percent of the cartels’ profits, that still leaves another 40 percent, which includes the sale of methamphetamine, cocaine, and brown-powder and black-tar heroin. If marijuana were legalized, the cartels would still make huge profits from the sale of these other drugs. Plus, there’s no reason the cartels couldn’t enter the legal market for the sale of marijuana, as organized crime groups did in the United States after the repeal of Prohibition." http://www.nytimes.c...19longmire.html This next site is a good one: The 3 worst arguments for legalizing: 3. Legalizing Marijuana Will End Cartel Violence in Northern Mexico 2. Marijuana Should Be Taxed and Regulated Because It Is America’s Largest Cash Crop 1. Marijuana Should Be Legal Because It’s Medicine http://reason.com/ar...-for-legalizing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heretic Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Your own post states 60% of cartel profits is from marijuana. You don't think taking away 60% of their profits is a step in the right direction? How would you like it if I cut your income by 60%? Would more be better? Absolutely! But something tells me as opposed to legalizing simple marijuana as you are...you're not quite ready to take a bite out of the other 40%. Baby steps. As for your 14 year olds... so they're already smoking it (though you didn't actually specify how many kids were smoking marijuana specifically...it could be one for all we know). Would you not like to make it harder for them to get? Would you like to ensure it's not laced with crap? Would you prefer they didn't have to buy it from and support criminals to get it? Would you prefer that the sale of it collected tax dollars to help with health and education for people who DO develop drug related problems? In other words, you're not making a very strong argument here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aGENT Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 One site says 60% - another says 16%. Profit? I don't make a profit at all - I just get by like most of us middle class...I guess last year my "profit" was the $320 I got back from income tax - take away 60% of that doesn't affect me in relation to my income. Plus, as some of those sites have said, they would just buy "legal" businesses and sell it there - and would fudge numbers so the government wouldn't get all the taxes due to them... I'm not arguing one way or the other for legalizing marijuana - my point was that it is illegal for anyone under 18 to purchase cigarettes - yet there's a lot of kids that smoke...so how would legalizing marijuana make it any harder to get? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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