The next time you see a pickup with bails of Marijuana speed past you on a California highway; it could just be a local with the monthly harvest on the way to the market. This isn't far if state assemblyman Tom Ammiano has his way. The legalization he introduced last month would legalize pot and allow the state to regulate and tax its sale, yielding billions of dollars in revenue for the cash-stripped state.

With the economic recession crunching into state treasuries, could cannabis rescue the state of California? Pot after all is California's richest cash crop, yielding more than $14 billion annually in sales.

Compared to the nearest agricultural rival commodity, milk and cream, which rakes in $7.3 billion a year. If statistics are accurate the taxation on the black-market crop could bring in approximately $1.3 billion annually in much needed revenue, while at the same time reducing millions of dollars spent in enforcing marijuana prohibition. The proposition comes in toe of a recent study conducted by the Ohio State University which claimed that marijuana could help fight Alzheimer’s.

"The state of California is in a very, very precipitous economic plight. It's in the toilet," says Ammiano. "It looks very, very bleak, with layoffs and foreclosures, and schools closing or trying to operate four days a week. We have one of the highest rates of unemployment we've ever had. With any revenue ideas, people say you have to think outside the box, you have to be creative, and I feel that the issue of decriminalization of marijuana fits that bill. It's not new, the idea has been around, and the political will may infact be there to make something happen."

The out-of-the-box creativity mentioned by Mr. Ammiano isn't being shared by many of his fellow statesmen. Opponents say that legalization of marijuana would only add to social woes. "The last thing we need is yet another mind-altering substance being legalized," says John Lovell, lobbyist for California Peace Officers' Association. With California taking the lead in marijuana legalization, especially strong spinoff benefits could be expected. For instance, Amsterdam-style coffeehouses would create jobs and be a magnet for tourism. However, everyone isn't thrilled about California becoming a hub for pot-smokers.

Eric Voth, chairman of the Institute on Global Drug Policy, believes advocates of legal marijuana are exploiting the country's economic condition to advance their agenda, despite evident risks. Pointing to alcohol and tobacco, which are taxed, he says the result revenue hardly compensates for the public health damage wreaked by these substances, with the most dramatic effects caused by spill over usage among youth.

As Ammiano puts it, "How California goes, the country goes." Though how many in the country agree with Mr. Ammiano is debatable. Do note that right now marijuana is still illegal in the state of California, so we advise not to load bails of marijuana onto your pickup truck.

 

 

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Uncle B wrote on March 17, 2009
 
Title: Save the Forests Change the Law
Canada, your social-democratic (as opposed to your current, vulture capitalist Multi national corp. infected democracy) neighbor to the north, complete with Universal medical care, metric system in place, multi-lingual television shows, multi-cultural, multi-lingual, communities that love, enjoy, support and respect one another, and peace on the streets, has taken the ultimate, threatening , unhegimonious, step and legalized Hemp farming, while still forbidding growing dope - it seems that superior higher tech Canadian labs offer a cheap fast service to distinguish and provide proof for quick convictions by the best police force in the world, for those who tempt the law, making Hemp farming a very profitable and viable proposition! SEE:
Hemp – The Last Word
Last word on Hemp in Canada, Canadian government site for the truth!
http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/highlights/2008/0803hemp_e.html

Chris wrote on March 18, 2009
 
Title: ...
Long Live the empire of weed!
shukov wrote on March 18, 2009
 
Title: ...
California - The granola state, the land of fruits, flakes and nuts.
Someone wrote on March 19, 2009
 
Title: ...
I don't understand why people put marijuana in a more harmful category than alcohol and tobacco. Essentially you could put the same laws on Marijuana that we have on alcohol and you would be all set.
And John Lovell clearly doesnt smoke much pot, as he neglected to realize that often times it makes you hungry, causing you to irrationally spend money on food you do not need, which just helps a little bit more with this economic crisis. And of course we're going to use the countries current economic standing to our advantage, that's politics. You use what you need to get ahead, I see nothing wrong with that!
People need to go back in time and figure out why it's illegal in the first place. I see the illegality of marijuana as a grudge that we're holding against Mexicans. Marijuana has been used for such an incredibly long time it's ridiculous. When we started this country hemp was considered legal tender and you could even pay your taxes with it. It became illegal after the Mexican revolution spilled into California. If you want to get more into it i suggest you do some research.
There's really no reason marijuana should be illegal. The only reason it's even an issue in the united states is because it is illegal, making it more appealing to rebellious teens. This correlates to drinking in the US. College students are known to binge drink, sometimes on a daily basis, that's a problem. And do you see this kind of activity in countries where the drinking age is more reasonable? no. you dont. because kids are introduced to it at an early age by their parents and they learn through their parents use of it that they should be responsible. With that, I think the drinking age should be lowered to atleast 18 years old. If you're old enough to die for your country, you should be old enough to drink.
Phill from canada wrote on March 20, 2009
 
Title: ...
Yep you see, americans are just freaking retarded.. probably as much as muslims and other crazy religious people

Will wrote on March 25, 2009
 
Title: Go pot heads!
I gotta give it to you. You've been pushing for legalization for a long time, and if it were ever to happen, it would be now. If it doesn't happen though, please give up... its over.
mysticdave wrote on March 28, 2009
 
Title: Mystical Poetry, Prose, and Political Viewpoints
Legalize now! it only makes sense!
website
morozco420 wrote on March 29, 2009
 
Title: Just legalize it already...
Legalization is harmless, just do it already...public health damage? Please...besides, it would spur a huge boom in fast food chain sales, and mellow everyone the fuck out.
mitchdd wrote on March 29, 2009
 
Title: ...
I have a neibor that is in the law enforcement (dicks) buisness. He tels me that there is no way to measure the effects of pot. That is the reason that government is against it. Plus the fact that they can start your criminal career without it, cause once you get into the system its hell to get out. This is one of there favorite ways to keep you down, and to have total control. Besides the legalazation of hemp might start a revolution of chalenges, to other foolish laws that are on there books. could you imagine a U.S.A. with the legalazotion of prostatution omg.








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bob wrote on April 01, 2009
 
Title: w/e
either way im still gonna get baked. the state/govmt can go fuck itself for all i care.
Another Bob wrote on April 02, 2009
 
Title: ...
The government's opposition to Marijuana legalization is unrelated to anyone's health and well being. It, like almost everything in the U.S.A. is about greed and self interest. The "leaders" we have, until last November, persisted in electing are obsessed with their public images and the risk of losing the electoral support of the people to whom they have been lying since the 1930's about the alleged dangers of this widely useful but non-patentable weed. And, as if being obsessed isn't enough of a problem, they are also possessed; by the lobbyists who line their electoral war chests and personal pockets with buckets of money extracted from your pocket and mine in exchange for their legally protected alcohol, tranquilizers and tobacco products virtually all of which are more toxic and addictive and less effective than this simple weed which had been used and sold legally for centuries. Did you know that not a single death ever has been directly associated with Marijuana? Agreed, there have been train, plane and car crashes and other problems in which Marijuana has bees a factor, yet, if you take a moment to actually think about it, the weed wasn't the problem, it was the misuse of the weed by the same fools who misuse alcohol and tranquilizers before doing something requiring a clear head, and the pathetic addicts who sentence themselves to tax payer funded long term disability and death by using real drugs like opiates, tobacco, and cocaine. What we need to eradicate is stupidity and greed. I believe that we have begun that process by electing president Obama, he's smart, at least 50 IQ points smarter than a Bush and he appears to understand the difference between dangerous drugs and an ancient, relaxing, non addictive, pain killing herbal supplement. Email him, write letters. Plant your seeds. Thanks, BG

Michael wrote on April 05, 2009
 
Title:
Just see this: http://tiny.cc/c2Z2y
guy from Brazil wrote on April 09, 2009
 
Title: ...
Marijuana should be legal in every country and state. Its just nonsense not to be. A lot of people smoke pot or want to (or should to because they NEED, like my boss or my teacher). Stop the hypocrite.

guy from Brazil wrote on April 09, 2009
 
Title: ...
and totally agree with Bob
Manz wrote on April 13, 2009
 
Title: ...
I agree with some comments here - especially the statement "I don't understand why people put marijuana in a more harmful category than alcohol and tobacco". I've seen more harm come from an alcoholic than a pot smoker. We are all different physically and therefore react differently - this applies to all substances!!

In response to the statement "For instance, Amsterdam-style coffeehouses would create jobs and be a magnet for tourism. However, everyone isn't thrilled about California becoming a hub for pot-smokers." I think people need to realise that the legalisation in the Netherlands has not created a hub of pot-smokers; rather alot of youth are not even interested.

In Australia, pot is legal in Canberra only - the capital state territory where parlimant meet... I find that ironic!
website
mark wrote on April 13, 2009
 
Title: ...
I started smoking weed and drinking beer when I was about 14 .By the time I was 18 I was becoming an alcoholic.I quit smoking weed for years.After about 12 years or so I would occasionally smoke weed ,but beer was what I was having a problem with.My Dr. told me to quit drinking or I would be dead soon.So I quit drinking ,but started smoking weed again.I don`t know if I could have quit drinking without weed,but I do know drinking caused me nothing but trouble,health wise and socially .The problem I see is that most people that are against weed have never smoked it,and believe all the shit they hear from the government.It`s kind of like my wife,she always would say she hated shrimp,after hearing her say it a bunch of times I asked her if she ever tried it?She said no.If you don`t try something how can you say it`s no good or you don`t like it?
website
PpsdgffhainPp wrote on April 28, 2009
 
Title: medical marijuana 2009 in Florida
The goal of Florida ,this committee is to restore liberties to Floridians. We have the right to safe, affordable, and effective medication. We are collecting signatures on a petition to support a constitutional amendment that gives patients the right to grow, obtain, purchase and possess medical marijuana under a doctor's supervision. We need signatures from over 700,000 registered voters and donations exceeding $5 million. The deadline for the 2010 election ballot is February 1, 2010. We are encouraging a letter writing campaign to prompt the legislators to pass a bill giving Floridians these rights sooner, rather than later.
website

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