Marijuana Statistics

[BeTheBox]

Due to the multi-national aspect of the group we have here at YE, I thought it would be interesting to take a poll pertaining to your current areas marijuana legality situation.

[ProLogic]

Here in the bay area it is legal for medical purposes. We have a couple of dispenseries here but most are getting closed. It is fairly easy to get some I might add.

[akula]

in Australia it's illegal (policy adopted from us)

when I was doing crim law in uni we had to cover the practicality and history of law relating to drugs...it's a complicated subject

essentially, if you look at the history of how and why pot became illegal, it was because drug reform was one of the only jurisdictions available to us federal gov

most of other things (i.e. education, environment, industrial relations etc..) is under the jurisdictions of state governments and so when US presidents had to run for elections, one of the only tickets they could pick was drug enforcement policy....they had little else they could promise other than a stance about drugs

it's a similar situation now, as national security is one of the only issues available to the federal government, it gets exploited by the president..I mean, there is little other power that the pres has other than to wage war, and so he must do so to justify his existance

again, there's nothing new under the sun. pot was rigorously tested by independent medical researchers for negative side effects back in the 30s/50s and 60s. yet, all these reports get suppressed in lieu of the straw man game played by the government

the game is to use propaganda in creating an imaginary enemy (i.e. drugs, dictators, global warming) and then getting elected to break down the enemy you created

so....the reason why drug laws are the way they are have less to do with the actual imp[act of drug use, but rather the politics of the issue...people gotta get elected, and so they must make up stories to justify their ticket

anyway...check out woody harrelson's video on the subject

btw: thanks to the yanks for ruining everyone's high!

[zoobie]

Oh no. It's illegal here in the Philippines, for whatever purpose it may be.

[buglerroller]

Here in the bay area it is legal for medical purposes. We have a couple of dispenseries here but most are getting closed. It is fairly easy to get some I might add.

::nood:: pleasanton here.

[SpencerB]

Here in the bay area it is legal for medical purposes. We have a couple of dispenseries here but most are getting closed. It is fairly easy to get some I might add.

A couple? You must not travel into San Fran much. They are all over the place.

Medical majiuana is a HUGE business in Cali. Wholesale/retail pricing is equal to or greater than street prices. The margins are insane.

If you are a med paitient, and grow in your home, you can easily make $250k+ a year growing medical pot, which is legal under state law. Just got to make sure the Federal government doesn't raid you.....

akula, good points. I find the whole issue quite illogical, but thats the case for many government policies/programs...

[ProLogic]

I live in Castro Valley, a Little suburban town next to the "Haystack" (lol) Hayward. I think there is one in Hayward, I find out this in the news when they are getting closed down.

[Aletheides]

More people make money with pot being illegal than it not (in the US)- I have a feeling politicians will try to keep it illegal for as long as possible.

[akula]

that's right - the legislative response to pot is disproportionate to its impact on society

but yes...politicians have to keep it illegal because legalization is the same as legislating one's office into unemployment; not to mention having to let go all those police and prison employees

politics works by creating imaginary monsters so it can spend public money on eradicating them. it's literally what happens...a politician will get a bunch of people around the table and debate "who or what are we gonna vilify today?"

now it's the unions, the pot smokers, foreign dictators and the democrats. there will be somebody else this time next year.

[WorldWide]

Police don't care so much about weed in Canada, as long as its not out in the open. They go after growers and dealers, but can't be bothered with smokers unless they are being arrogant about their use (ie. using in public). A few years ago I used to be a security guard in a 2 star hotel and we would constantly have young people getting rooms so they could smoke up. When I was doing my rounds, I could always smell it in the halls and was told not to hassle people about it as long as they stay in their rooms. Even when we'd have to call police to do room evictions, the police never gave a damn about the smell of weed in the halls.