Ron Paul: Allow states to regulate Marijuana

[cpvr]

Wow, I didn't think an upcoming president[Ron Paul is running for presidency] would touch base on this subject.

Well, Ron Paul did, and here's the transcript:
http://www.ronpaul.com/2011-06-24/ro...ate-marijuana/

Judge Napolitano: I’m sorry to hear that, but obviously you have your thumb on the pulse of what your colleagues are talking about. I want to switch gears: how is it that the unlikely pair of Ron Paul and Barney Frank came together to propose legislation to keep the federal government out of the issue of marijuana and to leave it to the states.

Ron Paul: Well, actually I’ve done this for a long time. I’ve worked with Barney Frank on auditing the Fed and some other things, and then for cutting some of the military budget. So on this issue, we have worked together. It’s got a little bit more attention this time, but I think I like the way you worded it, because it’s not taking a national control of an issue and saying all states will do it. What we are really doing is returning it to the states and trying to treat marijuana like we treat alcohol and maybe we wouldn’t have quite so many people imprisoned and that would be a little bit adaptable. One thing that has strongly motivated me with the marijuana issue, is I am convinced that there have been a lot of people helped medically by taking marijuana where ordinary drugs haven’t helped. Because if a person has cancer or they’re on chemotherapy, many, many people have told me they’ve been greatly helped. But isn’t it a shame that if you have a loved one that’s dying of cancer, and I’ve come across these cases, and I always say, “You know, maybe the marijuana would help them”. So what are you going to do? Tell him to go out and find it. It’s so sad. So I think we should have a little bit of compassion on this issue, follow the constitution. The difficult problems can be solved at the state level.

What does everyone think about this?
@Hazy @Toxic Rainbow Kisses @Patrick

[xtmx]

This is why I like Ron Paul.

[Vella C Raptor]

Yes yes yes.
Yes.

Yessssssss.

[cpvr]

This is why I like Ron Paul.

Lol, right. So you can get taxed on Marijuana if the shops sold it? Then, also the amount of jobs it could create - why? You could have people growing even more, and selling it. I think Ron Paul wants to do this - because he sees the bigger picture - the amount of money involved, and wasting jail time on people who just like to smoke.

[Hazy]

@cpvr This is a smart idea. Oregon already allows medical marijuana but has also started gathering signatures to put this on next years ballot.

The Oregon Cannabis Tax Act 2012 is a citizen’s initiative campaign to regulate marijuana and restore hemp. Just as ending alcohol prohibition and regulating that market has protected society, regulating marijuana will help wipe out crime. Drug cartels and gangs will lose significant funding when we regulate marijuana and take the criminal element out this market. Restoring hemp, made from the seeds and stems of the marijuana plant for fuel, fiber and food, will put Oregon on the cutting edge of exciting new sustainable green industries and create untold multitudes of new jobs.
When this groundbreaking legislation is passed, it will:

• regulate the legal sale of marijuana to adults through state-licensed stores
• allow adults to grow their own marijuana
• license Oregon farmers to grow marijuana for state-licensed stores
• allow unlicensed Oregon farmers to grow cannabis hemp for fuel, fiber and food
• raise an estimated $140 million a year by taxing commercial cannabis sales to adults 21 years of age and older
• save an estimated $61.5 million as law enforcement, corrections and judicial attention can focus on violent crimes and theft

We estimate this will amount to $200 million a year more funding for our state government. 90% of the proceeds will go into the state general fund, 7% for drug treatment programs, 1% each for drug education in public schools, and two new state commissions to promote hemp biofuel and hemp fiber and food.
Other indirect benefits will include:

• Lower alcohol abuse and other drug abuse by regulating legal adult access to a safer alternative, marijuana
• Increase public safety
• Restore respect for the law and let scarce resources be used to fight real crimes
• Create environmentally sustainable jobs

[Encode]

I had a few days of being okay with Ron Paul until I sorta...read up on what he actually wants. Actually, somebody else summed this up for me very well:
"He doesn’t want drugs legalized. He wants them federally decriminalized, meaning that states with anti-drug laws can keep the Drug War™ going. Only difference is what cops will arrest you."
That is different than supporting weed legalization.

He has still made homophobic comments, he is still anti-abortion, etc etc. He won't be receiving my vote.

[Emma]

I had a few days of being okay with Ron Paul until I sorta...read up on what he actually wants. Actually, somebody else summed this up for me very well:
"He doesn’t want drugs legalized. He wants them federally decriminalized, meaning that states with anti-drug laws can keep the Drug War™ going. Only difference is what cops will arrest you."
That is different than supporting weed legalization.

He has still made homophobic comments, he is still anti-abortion, etc etc. He won't be receiving my vote.

What homophobic comments has he made?

[Encode]

First off, I should probably apologize for my poor choice in wording. I was very vague, because in all honesty I did not want to accidentally drag myself into a political debate. I should have just mentioned the marijuana thing and ended it there.
However, in a political discussion, vague wording is dangerous, so I will clarify my decision to some extent, but highly suggest researching it if you are actually interested. Do not take the words of a random person on a virtual petsite forum for your political basis (;

There has been a lot of controversy over some newsletters Ron Paul wrote in the late 1990's that are going to come up if you google about it, but I initially dismissed them as old views that he seems to have grown out of. However, upon hearing his stance on Don't ask Don't Tell, Gay Marriage (which is similar to his stance on legalization of marijuana - state decision and such), etc I have little reason to believe that he has.

[cpvr]

@Hazy That's nice to know. I wonder how many other states will follow suit.

When this groundbreaking legislation is passed, it will:
regulate the legal sale of marijuana to adults through state-licensed stores
allow adults to grow their own marijuana
license Oregon farmers to grow marijuana for state-licensed stores
allow unlicensed Oregon farmers to grow cannabis hemp for fuel, fiber and food
raise an estimated $140 million a year by taxing commercial cannabis sales to adults 21 years of age and older
save an estimated $61.5 million as law enforcement, corrections and judicial attention can focus on violent crimes and theft


We estimate this will amount to $200 million a year more funding for our state government. 90% of the proceeds will go into the state general fund, 7% for drug treatment programs, 1% each for drug education in public schools, and two new state commissions to promote hemp biofuel and hemp fiber and food.
Other indirect benefits will include:
Lower alcohol abuse and other drug abuse by regulating legal adult access to a safer alternative, marijuana
Increase public safety
Restore respect for the law and let scarce resources be used to fight real crimes
Create environmentally sustainable jobs

See that's exactly what the economy needs - more jobs. The economy can survive any much longer like this.

[Gabby]

LOL I love Ron Paul. I feel he is the only politician that uses common sense for a legitimate approach. If only our general country would agree and he was our president
@x3mxpxaddctd