Massachusetts Ballot Initiative

[RealMagnetic 0]

Stupid cancer patients, wanting to get relief from their symptoms. Jail is too good for them, they should be tortured and killed. Oh wait......

That's it? Torture is letting them off easy. First we will have to put them in town square in those wooden clasp things from the colonial days, where their arms and head are stuck... and have people stand around and laugh at them. That will teach them to want relief from their pain, those freakin tools.

[Nimue1995 1]

That's it? Torture is letting them off easy. First we will have to put them in town square in those wooden clasp things from the colonial days, where their arms and head are stuck... and have people stand around and laugh at them. That will teach them to want relief from their pain, those freakin tools.

Stocks is what you're thinking of Real.

[RealMagnetic 0]

It would be much better if they all just took oxycontins. That would be much better, and totally legal. <sarcasm off>

[BigDMcGee 3,353]

It would be much better if they all just took oxycontins. That would be much better, and totally legal. <sarcasm off>

They'd be better off if they'd just trust in the healing power of christ and not being such god damn hippies.

[Jeepster80125 0]

I searched but didn't see another 'legalize drugs' or 'war on drugs' thread, so I'm posting this here.Pretty good argument on why we should stop the war on drugs up at CNN. Does anyone here have any good arguments on why the WOD isn't a huge waste of time and money? Commentary: Legalize drugs to stop violenceEditor's note: Jeffrey A. Miron is senior lecturer in economics at Harvard University.CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts (CNN) -- Over the past two years, drug violence in Mexico has become a fixture of the daily news. Some of this violence pits drug cartels against one another; some involves confrontations between law enforcement and traffickers.Recent estimates suggest thousands have lost their lives in this "war on drugs."The U.S. and Mexican responses to this violence have been predictable: more troops and police, greater border controls and expanded enforcement of every kind. Escalation is the wrong response, however; drug prohibition is the cause of the violence.Prohibition creates violence because it drives the drug market underground. This means buyers and sellers cannot resolve their disputes with lawsuits, arbitration or advertising, so they resort to violence instead.Violence was common in the alcohol industry when it was banned during Prohibition, but not before or after.Violence is the norm in illicit gambling markets but not in legal ones. Violence is routine when prostitution is banned but not when it's permitted. Violence results from policies that create black markets, not from the characteristics of the good or activity in question.The only way to reduce violence, therefore, is to legalize drugs. Fortuitously, legalization is the right policy for a slew of other reasons.Prohibition of drugs corrupts politicians and law enforcement by putting police, prosecutors, judges and politicians in the position to threaten the profits of an illicit trade. This is why bribery, threats and kidnapping are common for prohibited industries but rare otherwise. Mexico's recent history illustrates this dramatically.Prohibition erodes protections against unreasonable search and seizure because neither party to a drug transaction has an incentive to report the activity to the police. Thus, enforcement requires intrusive tactics such as warrantless searches or undercover buys. The victimless nature of this so-called crime also encourages police to engage in racial profiling.Prohibition has disastrous implications for national security. By eradicating coca plants in Colombia or poppy fields in Afghanistan, prohibition breeds resentment of the United States. By enriching those who produce and supply drugs, prohibition supports terrorists who sell protection services to drug traffickers.Prohibition harms the public health. Patients suffering from cancer, glaucoma and other conditions cannot use marijuana under the laws of most states or the federal government despite abundant evidence of its efficacy. Terminally ill patients cannot always get adequate pain medication because doctors may fear prosecution by the Drug Enforcement Administration.Drug users face restrictions on clean syringes that cause them to share contaminated needles, thereby spreading HIV, hepatitis and other blood-borne diseases.Prohibitions breed disrespect for the law because despite draconian penalties and extensive enforcement, huge numbers of people still violate prohibition. This means those who break the law, and those who do not, learn that obeying laws is for suckers.Prohibition is a drain on the public purse. Federal, state and local governments spend roughly $44 billion per year to enforce drug prohibition. These same governments forego roughly $33 billion per year in tax revenue they could collect from legalized drugs, assuming these were taxed at rates similar to those on alcohol and tobacco. Under prohibition, these revenues accrue to traffickers as increased profits.The right policy, therefore, is to legalize drugs while using regulation and taxation to dampen irresponsible behavior related to drug use, such as driving under the influence. This makes more sense than prohibition because it avoids creation of a black market. This approach also allows those who believe they benefit from drug use to do so, as long as they do not harm others.Legalization is desirable for all drugs, not just marijuana. The health risks of marijuana are lower than those of many other drugs, but that is not the crucial issue. Much of the traffic from Mexico or Colombia is for cocaine, heroin and other drugs, while marijuana production is increasingly domestic. Legalizing only marijuana would therefore fail to achieve many benefits of broader legalization.It is impossible to reconcile respect for individual liberty with drug prohibition. The U.S. has been at the forefront of this puritanical policy for almost a century, with disastrous consequences at home and abroad.The U.S. repealed Prohibition of alcohol at the height of the Great Depression, in part because of increasing violence and in part because of diminishing tax revenues. Similar concerns apply today, and Attorney General Eric Holder's recent announcement that the Drug Enforcement Administration will not raid medical marijuana distributors in California suggests an openness in the Obama administration to rethinking current practice.Perhaps history will repeat itself, and the U.S. will abandon one of its most disastrous policy experiments.The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jeffrey Miron.

[dapokerbum 0]

But But But ... Drugs are Bad. My parents told me so.EDIT: Sweet I wrote this at exactly 4:20. Time to load up the bong!

[Nimue1995 1]

Any other program which spent billions of dollars with no appreciable result would be called a boondoggle but since it's the WOD, it's considered necessary. Dumb! I'm with H on this one.

[Potomophobia 17]

They'd be better off if they'd just trust in the healing power of christ and not being such god damn hippies.

Indeed.We should all do nothing. GOD will save us all.All cancer patients deserve what they get.Anyone who wants to ease their pain with chemicals that GOD gave us should be locked up for life.Anyone who wants to get "high" on anything but alcohol should be burned at the stake.Kill em all....... let GOD sort it out.

[Potomophobia 17]

I hate that they are raising my taxes on Cigars by 110% at a time, making it illegal for me to smoke these in most places, all while putting effort in legalizing a carcinogenic which stunts your sperm count.where's the justice?

You mean on-line poker?

[Janfor99 0]

<----one of the few people in Massachusetts who voted against this!!! For the record...lol(Hey TW...Wakefield was named 4th starter btw)Jeez..the transformation from liberal into Republican after buying a home and having a child is nearly complete. YIKES...help.

[CaneBrain 95]

Barack Obama's responses to this general issue are incredibly disappointing.

[vbnautilus 48]

Barack Obama's responses to this general issue are incredibly disappointing.

Indeed, but on the other hand, the decision of the administration to stop DEA enforcement of the federal law has effectively made it legal here in CA. At least, for those who bother to get one of those silly cards for their "medical conditions".

[Balloon guy 158]

Barack Obama's responses to this general issue are incredibly disappointing.

Yea, cause if there is one things he's shown, it's an inability to say one thing and do another

[timwakefield 68]

<----one of the few people in Massachusetts who voted against this!!! For the record...lol(Hey TW...Wakefield was named 4th starter btw)Jeez..the transformation from liberal into Republican after buying a home and having a child is nearly complete. YIKES...help.

That's ok, I still love you .

[Janfor99 0]

That's ok, I still love you .

Right back at ya knuckler Man I can't wait for opening day!(Oh hey, not to hijack, but have you played at Mohegan at all? I've been down there 6 times in last couple months....sat in on 3 easy tables and then...3 tables full of regulars $1-2nl. Dealers are not great but they're getting better. But overall I like the place.)

[hblask 1]

Indeed, but on the other hand, the decision of the administration to stop DEA enforcement of the federal law has effectively made it legal here in CA. At least, for those who bother to get one of those silly cards for their "medical conditions".

Except for the fact that the raids have quietly continued, even after they said they wouldn't do any more.But I guess reality is only a nagging nuisance for the Obama administration.http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?.../BA5B16N9LR.DTL

[CaneBrain 95]

Except for the fact that the raids have quietly continued, even after they said they wouldn't do any more.But I guess reality is only a nagging nuisance for the Obama administration.http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?.../BA5B16N9LR.DTL

in fairness, they say the raid was related to tax evasion issues (violations of state law). So, lets try not to overreact. The way he was so.....dismissive....and condescending...of the #1 question in his online town hall......thats not change to me. Very disappointing.....this is a perfect opportunity for REAL change.....change of a policy that is a clear failure but change that requires some fortitude....some willingness to take the stupid "soft on crime" cries head on. Oh well.

[vbnautilus 48]

Except for the fact that the raids have quietly continued, even after they said they wouldn't do any more.But I guess reality is only a nagging nuisance for the Obama administration.http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?.../BA5B16N9LR.DTL

That case is a tax issue which violates both state and federal law. They have said they will stop raids where state drug laws are not violated.

[vbnautilus 48]

in fairness, they say the raid was related to tax evasion issues (violations of state law). So, lets try not to overreact. The way he was so.....dismissive....and condescending...of the #1 question in his online town hall......thats not change to me. Very disappointing.....this is a perfect opportunity for REAL change.....change of a policy that is a clear failure but change that requires some fortitude....some willingness to take the stupid "soft on crime" cries head on. Oh well.

But also in fairness he has said since early in the campaign that he is not in favor of legalizing marijuana. I think its such a touchy issue with much of America that strategically it might be best to have a guy who doesn't quite overtly advocate decriminalization, but quietly eases some of the enforcement. We will get there.

[timwakefield 68]

Right back at ya knuckler Man I can't wait for opening day!(Oh hey, not to hijack, but have you played at Mohegan at all? I've been down there 6 times in last couple months....sat in on 3 easy tables and then...3 tables full of regulars $1-2nl. Dealers are not great but they're getting better. But overall I like the place.)

I haven't, I've been to Foxwoods a couple times, but I live in NYC now so I go down to Atlantic City from time to time.I can't wait either, opening day at home too! I feel like the Sox almost never have a true home opener, should be fun.

[hblask 1]

http://reason.com/blog/show/133010.html

[Nimue1995 1]

California and Texas should secede.

[Balloon guy 158]

California and Texas should secede.

As long as the pot smoking hippies stay in Massachoosets, then I am fine with a succession

[Jeepster80125 0]

Prohibition Spawns Drug Violenceby John StosselVisiting Mexico last week, President Obama said he will fight drug violence: "I will not pretend that this is Mexico's responsibility alone. The demand for these drugs inside the United States is keeping these cartels in business" (http://tinyurl.com/d4kjto).I don't expect politicians to be sticklers for logic, but this is ridiculous. Americans also have a hefty demand for Mexican beer, but there are no "Mexican beer cartels." When Obama visits France, he doesn't consult with politicians about "wine violence." What's happening on the Mexican border is prohibition-caused violence.A legal product is produced and traded openly, and is therefore subject to competition and civilizing custom. If two beer distributors have a disagreement or if a liquor retailer fails to pay his wholesaler, the wronged parties can go to court. There's no need to take matters violently into their own hands. As a result, in legal industries the ability to commit mayhem is not a valued skill.On the other hand, dealers in a prohibited product operate in the black market. Upstanding businesspeople stay away, relinquishing the trade to those without moral scruples. Black-market operators can't resolve disputes in court, so being good at using force provides a competitive advantage.Politicians gave us prohibition and created the conditions in which violence pays. This doesn't excuse those who commit it, but the fact remains that a legal drug market would be as peaceful as the beer, wine and whiskey markets. When alcohol prohibition, which spawned large-scale organized crime, ended in 1933, there was a brief upsurge in drinking, but America became a more peaceful and less corrupt place.We should learn from that, but we haven't. American politicians are largely responsible for the atrocities now taking place.That's not what they want to hear, of course, so they blame others. Their "solution" to increasing violence is to crack down even more on production and distribution of some drugs. This has never worked before, and it won't work now.Click Here!Black-market profits are abnormally high because of the risk premiums and limited competition, so plenty of people will want to enter the business. Wipe out one cartel, and another is waiting to take its place. The high profit margins leave plenty of cash to bribe judges, cops and border guards. Even in America.When American politicians scapegoat drug consumers, they bring the court system to a standstill and clog prisons with nonviolent offenders who are stigmatized for life. Minorities bear the brunt of any crackdown.When will we learn that prohibition doesn't banish a popular product? It merely turns the trade over to thugs. The result is worse for society than if drugs were legal. After decades of the "war on drugs," anyone can still buy most any drug he wishes. Authorities can't even keep drugs out of prisons.Another aspect of this issue has been overlooked, especially by conservative supporters of the drug war: President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton have promised the Mexican government they will stop the southern flow of American guns said to be used by the drug cartels. A war on drugs inevitably becomes a war on guns. Yet conservative Second Amendment advocates refuse to see the connection.Obama's drug warriors are happy to link the issues. The president says, "More than 90 percent of the guns recovered in Mexico come from the United States, many from gun shops that line our shared border, and that's why we're ramping up the number of law enforcement personnel on our border" (http://tinyurl.com/dk7hh3).That 90 percent figure has been repeated many times, but FactCheck.org says it's bogus:"The figure represents only the percentage of crime guns that have been submitted by Mexican officials and traced by U.S. officials. ... U.S. and Mexican officials both say that Mexico recovers more guns than it submits for tracing ... " (http://tinyurl.com/c6zbcz).And FactCheck says Mexico only submits those it already has reason to believe came from the United States.Once again the politicians show contempt for the truth as well as for freedom.John Stossel is co-anchor of ABC News' "20/20" and the author of "Myth, Lies, and Downright Stupidity." To find out more about John Stossel and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

[dapokerbum 0]

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Inves...uana-taxes.aspxOne Time?!