Legalization 2012.. What'cya think?

Can't believe nobody has posted on this topic yet (maybe I missed it?), but I was interested to hear everybody's thoughts on support here in the medical community for the legalization initiative.

I know if it makes it to the ballot, I'm voting yes.

That would be one shiny kick to the nuts for the snyder / schuette administration eh?

In any way shape or form it seems like legalization of any measure would only strengthen patient access to quality meds would it not?

BTW, I think there are 2 initiatives in the works but the texts have not been posted online yet.

if everybody that truly believed Cannabis should be legal went out and voted it would pass. the problem is a 2part problem and heres why; firstly, some people are just lazy bums, and they dont vote. not on laws, not on presidents, nothing. the 2nd part, and the bigger problem is that there are a lot of people that make their livings by growing cannabis, and in some smaller communities cannabis is the local communities' best source of income. that being said, those cannafarmers will and have been voting no on legalization ballots. basically growers that benefit from the high prices that come with illegal cannabis will always vote no. and people that are more about the plant itself, or helping out other people will vote yes.

its the sad sad truth

JCashman said:

if everybody that truly believed Cannabis should be legal went out and voted it would pass. the problem is a 2part problem and heres why; firstly, some people are just lazy bums, and they dont vote. not on laws, not on presidents, nothing. the 2nd part, and the bigger problem is that there are a lot of people that make their livings by growing cannabis, and in some smaller communities cannabis is the local communities' best source of income. that being said, those cannafarmers will and have been voting no on legalization ballots. basically growers that benefit from the high prices that come with illegal cannabis will always vote no. and people that are more about the plant itself, or helping out other people will vote yes.

its the sad sad truth

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Those reasons are exactly why prop 19 failed in california in 2010 but the reasons those growers voted no over there are not valid reasons here in Michigan. Our state officials are actively ignoring the language and intent of the MMMA in an attempt to make the law null and void so that no patient can legally access medical marijuana. Legalization in this state would absolutely benefit all patients that need access as well as growers looking to expand their clientele. It's not as if phillip morris is going to move in and start fielding plantations of marijuana without the feds shredding prohibition officially which ain't gonna happen in the near future, so growers fearing loss of profit are a bit ridiculous but changing their minds is no easy task.

Petition roles out this wednesday 1/11/2012

I support Decriminalization until the federal prohibition is ended. Any store fronts for recreational use will be targeted by the federal government.

I also fear there will not be enough support for this, and the failure of this initiative will hurt the chances of future initiatives passing.

Decriminalization will stop people from going to jail and having a criminal record while we wait for the end of federal prohibition. It's the next logical step.

Beagle said:

I support Decriminalization until the federal prohibition is ended. Any store fronts for recreational use will be targeted by the federal government.

I also fear there will not be enough support for this, and the failure of this initiative will hurt the chances of future initiatives passing.

Decriminalization will stop people from going to jail and having a criminal record while we wait for the end of federal prohibition. It's the next logical step.

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I agree that majority support amongst the general electorate is a bit iffy should the legalization initiative make the ballot, which I believe it will. If legalization did indeed pass, I don't see how any less protection would be afforded to the average smoker than if decriminalization were passed. Sure storefronts would still draw the same federal scrutiny as the medical marijuana dispensary storefronts but do remember, this is the same painstakingly long and difficult process that alcohol prohibition eventually collapsed under. It wasn't congress and the federal government that all of a sudden woke up one day and felt that alcohol should be again legalized; it was a state by state process which eventually forced the federal government and congress to act due to obvious majority support amongst the national electorate.

The same will be true for marijuana prohibition my friends. State by state, 1 by 1, the federal government and congress will eventually have to address the issue of the individual states no longer supporting and propping up federal marijuana prohibition.

If all of the individual states back in the late 20's and early 30's had done nothing to repeal their own prohibition laws, then how motivated do you think congress and the federal government of that era would have felt to repeal prohibition on their own?

BTW, in what way do you feel the reform movement would be harmed by having the proposition make it to the ballot and fail? Do you think it actually hurt the California movement when prop 19 failed? Absolutely not; it taught the drafters and organizers of prop 19 what they did right, and what they did wrong. I like to call that practice good buddy and next time around in 2012, look for California to be in the national spotlight on the legalization front as we all know if any state is more likely to pass reform, it's California. Also a bit of food for thought, I believe there are possibly 4-5 states that will have full legalization measures on the ballot in 2012 and many more considering medical marijuana reform. That there is hard evidence that there is major change in motion in this country that can't be ignored.

Viva la revolution

true. the tobacco companies aren't the only ones to lose money when these laws pass. Its the big time drug dealers too. and they both have lots of money.

Very few big time drug dealers deal in weed. It takes semi loads to make money. I don't think coke and heroin dealers are very concerned with what Michigan's governor is going to do.

gladstoned said:

Very few big time drug dealers deal in weed. It takes semi loads to make money. I don't think coke and heroin dealers are very concerned with what Michigan's governor is going to do.

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Agreed on that one gladstoned. There are certainly interests hard at work against any kind of reform in Michigan but I think these interests lie primarily within the law enforcement industrial complex, the liquor & tobacco lobby, and the pharmaceutical lobby.