Americans’ views on legalizing marijuana are changing and some governmental bodies are enacting or trying to enact laws to decriminalize possession of small amounts of the drug.
Fifty percent of Americans—the largest portion ever recorded—now favor legalizing marijuana, according to an October Gallup poll. That total is up from 46 percent last year.
The Evanston City Council last month passed an ordinance amending the city’s marijuana laws so that any individual found in possession of 10 grams or less of marijuana will not be arrested. Instead, violators will be issued a notice to appear for a hearing, fined between $50 and $500 and possibly ordered to seek drug counseling, Evanston Patch reported.
On the state level, State Rep. La Shawn Ford introduced a bill earlier this year that would lower the penalties for marijuana possession statewide. Rather than facing an arrest and potential jail time, anyone caught with up to an ounce would be fined between $500 and $1,000. According to the Chicago Reader, the bill was promptly buried in committee, and a spokesman for house speaker Michael Madigan gives it little chance of surfacing anytime soon.
The Chicago Tribune reported about a group of Chicago aldermen want penalties for the drug reduced, and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle wants police to stop making low-level marijuana arrests, the Skokie Review reported.
DuPage County state's attorney Robert Berlin told the Reader that he has the resources to keep prosecuting marijuana possession cases, and no plans to do anything different.
What do you think? Should possession of small amounts of marijuana be legal?
Last week’s poll: Should retailers be encouraged to dial back Black Friday hype and promotion? Eighty-six percent of respondents answered yes; 13 percent said no.
Claudine Barnhart says: "PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY!!!! People need to take control of their actions. The stores won't open on Thanksgiving if no one shops on that day."
Jim R thinks, "The stores have gone overboard where they now are open on Thanksgiving evening, To me it shows these stores do not have much respect for the families on holiday celebrations. Here we should be giving thanks to God for what we have been given and sharing with those who have so little, not being crowded into stores to obtain some bargain."
Jim Burket says that he has "always used the 10% rule. Specifically, 10% of the general population is nuts or should have a do-not-touch sign on their person. Therefore, if there are 500 people in front of your local Best Buy angling for a $300 TV ... you do the math. IMO, shopping is best done locally if possible. If not, fire up the iMac and buy online. My wife and kids rarely pepper spray me when I am at my desk."
Read more comments.
Mike Parent
7:24 am on Monday, December 5, 2011
Marijuana should be legalized and regulated just as we do alcohol. FACT, The current laws were conceived, born and nurtured from lies, greed and racism. Enforcing them is a continuation of those flawed policies. Marijuana isn't dangerous, marijuana laws are. They give total de facto distribution rights to criminal enterprises and funnel tens of billions of dollars to those same criminals,. Our governments response is to cage a million of out fellow Americans at the cost of tens of billions annually. Now that's convoluted logic?
Remember, 50% of Americans said they favored legalization in the latest Gallup poll. Yet the politicians ignore the public sentiment and studies which show their prohibitionist position is much more harmful than anything negative they try to attribute to marijuana.
NYPD, ret LEAP member.
Char Johnson-Dunlop
7:50 am on Monday, December 5, 2011
I agree mike. I believe we can trust adults with marijuana the same way we trust them with liquor. I also think we shouldn't ruin someone's job prospects and future with an arrest record for marijuana. We have more people in prison than any other 1st world country, the majority for drug offenses. Obviously, it isn't making a dent in crime
Paul
8:54 am on Monday, December 5, 2011
Agreed...why does it seem so logical to us? We studied prohibition in our history books, and how destructive it was, yet we continue to let it happen. It's just a different product. A product which has multiple uses. Hemp could be used for multiple things from clothes to food products. New revenue in this poor economy would come directly from the manufacture of hemp. Don't be afraid!
Dan
8:17 am on Monday, December 5, 2011
In Holland where this has been tried they are now heading in the opposite direction. One of the reasons is that the marijuana of today is far more potent than that of a decade or so ago. In Holland they are actually working with the utility companies sending out scratch and sniff mailers with the scent of marijuana on them to try to get the public to help them locate indoor growing areas that are stealing millions of dollars in electricity.
How many times have you read a police report where someone was pulled over for some driving offense and THAN they discovered drugs in the vehicle. The idea that marijuana doesn't impact driving abilities is ridiculous. There is a reason that people high on drugs self describe themselves as "stoned".
Paul
8:56 am on Monday, December 5, 2011
Just like people that are high on alcohol call themselves "drunk"...
Treat it like a drug. Just don't criminalize it.
pfroehlich2004
9:54 am on Monday, December 5, 2011
I call bull. Drug warriors have been claiming Holland is about to re-criminalize pot since at least the early 1990s, when I was in high school. The fact is that since 1975 Dutch adults have been able to walk into a coffee shop and buy weed without fear of arrest and Dutch society has yet to collapse. On the contrary, the Netherlands experiences less crime than the US, its people are healthier, and their children outperform ours on international tests of scholastic aptitude.
While you may enjoy the thought of hippies and young men in baggy pants being dragged off to jail, there is no legitimate reason that anyone should be arrested or incarcerated over marijuana.
Bill Griggs
6:03 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011
All they've done in Holland is reduced the number of coffeeshops with permits to sell pot and they're making it such that in some border areas only the Dutch can buy from the shops. They still allow people to have it. They still have plenty of "coffeeshops." They still allow people to grow a few plants. The problems they have come from the fact that while retail sales are allowed, commercial productiion and wholesale sales are still illegal, so they still have smuggling and problems with organized crime who often supply the shops. They also have issues with drug tourists since they're the only place around that allows for retail sales. Their policy of allowing retail sales but not commercial growing and wholesale sales is bound to cause problems. Who is going to supply the retail stores? Of course it's going to be criminal organizations because legitimate organizations can't. So, they've closed some of the stores to keep better track of what is going on while leaving plenty to supply those who wish to partake. Drug toursists, young folks who just want to get messed up, smoke weed, drink, buy other drugs off the streets, are of course burdensome, and they do have pressure from neighboring countries where a lot of this pot ends up, so they're taking some steps to improve these things. Still though, the Dutch have been allowed to possess pot, buy it and grow a little since 1975 and a lower percentage even try pot there than here. Why aren't they all smoking it?
Dan
6:50 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011
If the United States followed Holland and decriminalized pot but still made the commercial production illegal wouldn't we have the same issue in the continuation of funding the criminal organizations that currently supply pot into the U, S. ?
Illegal drug use is way down here too if you compare it to the 70's ad 80's. Maybe peole are wising up and realizing that breathing in any smoke whether it is pot or tobacco just isn't very good for you.
daveshouse1000
6:47 am on Friday, January 6, 2012
I think the potency argument is nonsense, because if the product has more THC, you will naturally smoke less of it, thereby reducing the damage to your lungs.
A lot of times people will pull people over for regular driving offenses, which have nothing to do with drugs. They may search the car and find them, to try and get some extra points for their job. People who are stoned tend to be more paranoid and on the cautious side which tend to reflect in their driving. It's not safer than driving sober, but many times safer than driving drunk.
NancyC
9:46 am on Monday, December 5, 2011
I really don't want to think about our school age children, heading off to school with teachers legally high on marijuana. I also don't want to consider life with legalized marijuana in the health care industry, or manufacturing or you name it. How about riding on public transit systems with employees "stoned" legally. I suppose there is a better way to prosecute for small amounts but I haven't figured out the details.
Cronan
9:55 am on Monday, December 5, 2011
Maybe that's what our teachers need! A little more creativity!!! =)
Why is that people use arguments like..."How about riding on public transit systems with employees "stoned" legally? STONED LEGALLY? really??
The point is, it would NOT be legal for the operator of your bus/train/cab to be STONED. You don't seem worried that they may be DRUNK as we speak. Again, NOT legal.
daveshouse1000
6:41 am on Friday, January 6, 2012
Isn't it against the rules to be impaired on anything while you are teaching children? If teachers are visibly impaired on weed while teaching a class, wouldn't they get the same discipline as they would with alcohol so your argument is bogus.
Cronan
9:56 am on Monday, December 5, 2011
*Why is it that...*
Vincent Von Dudler
10:11 am on Monday, December 5, 2011
H.R. 2306 will return powers to the states by limiting federal jurisdiction to cross-border trafficking. This bill is what EVERYONE should be talking about. The debate is over! The time to take action is Now! Put H.R. 2306 in the forefront!
Tell your representatives -> http://pvox.co/CdiFqY
Cronan
10:46 am on Monday, December 5, 2011
Done! Thanks for the link...passing on....
Mary Olson
12:51 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011
I have to agree w Char. It's sad that America has so many people in prison....most for non-violent crimes. With the deficit we have both locally and federally, why not impose steep fines for those caught w small amounts of drugs and community service rather than the expense of a trial, jail, etc? Or legalize it already but steep fines for using while at work, operating a vehicle, under-age, etc...just like alcohol. It costs over $50,000 a year to house a person in jail....not to mention the trial, lawyers, judge, state's attorney's etc.
Jeff
8:58 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011
What many people don't know is that the tell tale signs police use for DUI are present with both alcohol and Marijuana. The eyes tell all. I am for legalizing all the way. It's ridiculous that marijuana is compared to alcohol. When is the last time you heard of someone crossing the line driving down the road and taking out a family of 5? I doesn't happen if it's only pot(unless of course the driver happened to have dropped the joint, and was looking for it). It's about time this country starts making some money on this cash crop, instead of spending BILLIONS fighting it each year,
John J
8:18 am on Monday, December 12, 2011
Why can't we learn from history? Ken Burns’ excellent documentary, Prohibition, notes: “Prohibition turned law-abiding citizens into criminals, and criminals into kings”. It propelled organized crime, gave us Al Capone, made the US the murder country of the world and upped the ante for corrupt politicians. By the time we realized our folly it was too late. Organized crime was big business and turned to illegal drugs to continue their very profitable enterprise. They may not have been able to stop the repeal of Prohibition, but you can bet they have an army of “lobbyists” that are showering money on politicians to make sure that the drugs stay illegal (sub rosa, of course). Oh yes, and like many big business they will certainly make contributions to organizations that have the same goals. Interesting bed fellows.
NancyC
2:14 pm on Friday, January 6, 2012
How about the 83% in favor of legalizing marijuana get together and end the obvious waste of time and money spent on DARE programs.
Cronan
3:14 pm on Friday, January 6, 2012
Actually, like sex education, I am happy my 3 children had the DARE program....I wish it would have been around when I was a child. Knowledge really is power. At least this generation is educated on the subject and can make an informed decision.
John
11:08 pm on Tuesday, January 10, 2012
I have to agree with NancyC. As a participant in the DARE program, I can't say that it's message has been particularly effective (not citing myself personally). In fact, there have been studies that suggest DARE can have adverse effects on participants, sometimes even increasing drug usage later in life.
In elementary school, I had no idea what drugs like cocaine, heroin, ecstasy (even marijuana!) were! I would say more than anything, DARE exposes young kids who might not have any knowledge about drugs to them, opening the "gateway" at an even younger age (so to speak).
Here's an old but interesting article about the topic
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,99564,00.html
Cronan
3:16 pm on Friday, January 6, 2012
Although, did they have to tell them tobacco was a drug? Sheesh....according to my kids at some point I was a drug addict....hahaha...smokers beware.
Jim McMahon
7:43 pm on Friday, January 6, 2012
I have never smoked pot, but from what I know its not harmful, just be sure to tell your Doctor - if your on medication.
Cronan
9:14 am on Wednesday, January 11, 2012
@ John Maybe the program should not start until high school. By the time kids are in Jr. High, especially with access to so much media, they are already beginning to see/ hear about drugs. I still believe we should be educated on the subject.
Martha Hanna
10:08 am on Thursday, February 2, 2012
www.norml.org Legalize and tax, please. All pot smokers should come out of the closet and not be afraid. I am running for County board and I am in full support of legalization, just like alcohol. I am out of the closet, and I am for hydroponic farming of marijuana in Kane Co.
Lisa
10:36 am on Thursday, February 2, 2012
...and DuPage too! :)