Haha! Who would've thunk twenty years ago this would have happened!
What are your thoughts on this?
@Diamond84: My first thought was that I should move to Colorado. Heh. I've loved the state for years... it would be nice to be surrounded by people of similar political beliefs.
But in all seriousness, I'm very pleased. Marijuana is even less dangerous than alcohol, and it's nobody's business at all if someone chooses to light up in their own home. The fact that it's taken this long quite frankly infuriates me, and I have yet to hear a good argument against the legalization of marijuana. It really is not worse than alcohol, and yet it's demonized to an absurd extent,
I think it's great. I personally don't understand why it's illegal in the first place. I hope that this will cause the federal government to back down from it's pissing contest with states over the issue but who knows how they will actually react.
Oregon also had a legalization measure on the ballot. Did that not pass? I'm curious because I'll be moving there in January.
@VAwife: +1 to the feds backing down! I've always thought issues like this should be in the hands of the state.
I think the medical marijuana act is about to fail here in Arkansas, which makes me quite sad. I thought it had a really good chance to pass... I wish that every person who voted no had to experience the pain or illness that medical marijuana users suffer through before they are prescribed.
I bet they'd change their stance fast.
I think its great. Imo, alcohol has a lot worse effects than pot.
@autumnmountainbride: Oh the irony that at least the county my dad grew up in Ark was one of the highest pot producing places IN THE COUNTRY. And FIL is a park ranger there and it isn't unheard of to stumble upon pot patches...
That is actually why I'm not anti-legalizing and regulating. I think it is stupid as all get out (but I think that about alcohol and cigs) but people are going to do it so when you regulate it, tax it and have some control over it it keeps it from happening illegally and dangerously. FIL has heard tales of people accidently wandering into booby trapped fields of weed in the mostly wild parts of the national forests. If legalizing and regulating helps control that then it will be a good thing.
@chasesgirl: Right?? I'm not going to lie... it's pretty widespread here. I'm actually surprised it's not passing. Funnily enough, I checked the results from my county and we're in favor by a large margin. Same for Pulaski county (where Little Rock is). It's all the smaller counties that are bringing us down.
It hasn't officially passed here (In WA) yet. I really really hope it does! A few years ago I was in Tennessee going to a concert and we got busted with only marijuana in the car. I ended up taking the blame - one of us had to - and got a misdemeanor because the county we got pulled over in either gave you a misdemeanor or felony depending on the amount you had.
Now, I am a smart, intelligent person. My undergraduate degree was in Biomedical Sciences and my Master's degree is in Health Administration. I am not some dead beat druggie although the whole situation that happened made me feel that way.
The misdemeanor has truly ruined my life. It was the worst mistake I ever made. Mind you, I got it dismissed off my record, but I still cannot enter Canada and am super paranoid about applying for jobs.
I am so happy that America is finally coming around and realising that pot isn't such a bad thing afterall. Things need to change and I am excited to be a part of it!
I have never smoked, but I still think it should be decriminalized. Way too many people in prison for something so silly, plus it contributes to the drug cartels that destroy Central America. Never should have been a crime!
@Diamond84: I am from Colorado and voted YES on 64. To add to this, I do not smoke weed. I think this is the right move for Colorado and hopefully in the future the country will also follow. In case anyone didnt know here is part of the law, "requiring that the first $40 million in revenue raised annually by such tax be credited to the public school capital construction assistance fund".
People are going to smoke regardless, espeically in a state that you can EASILLY get a medical card. We might as well have some of the revenue go towards the schools.
@Diamond84: Thanks for the update, but that's really too bad.
@Jamergurl921: Wow, I had no idea that a misdemeanor would have so much impact. I'm sorry you had to go through that.
@Diamond84: I am so, so against maijuana for no other reason that it repulses me - smoke it, whatever, just please don't suffocate me with it! That being said, I SO want them to legalize it just so people will be more likely to smoke at home and so they can put limitations like they do on cigarettes around hospitals and stuff.
I'm indifferent. I don't smoke weed and I don't appreciate its smell, but I recognize that it's harmless, and there could be benefits to taxation.
@ChuckNorris: Yep, I agree that the smell is disgusting! I've never personally smoked it in my life but think the revenue that legalizing it will bring to those states is a great thing!
It will be interesting to see what others states will vote for this in 2016.
It's about time. Hopefully the rest of the country isn't far behind.
As long as responsible laws come along with regulating its use (Like, no smoking and driving a car, operating machinery, stuff like that), then I see no problem with recreational use.
I am strongly against it. That is probably the only liberal issue that I will never ever get on board with. I have my reasons, but I am disappointed they legalized it. I hate talking to people who are high, just as I hate talking to drunks. And not to mention, it smells like skunk and actually gives me an allergic type reaction when I get too close to someone doing it. Blah. I'm happy with it being illegal.
I will say though, I am for it being legal for medical purposes only. If it helps someone medically, I'm fine with that.
WOOOHOOOOOO!!
I don't personally use marijuana but I think it's insane to have it illegal when alcohol (which I paradoxically do use) is way, way worse in both short and long term impact, and I'd consider using it if I was undergoing chemotherapy. (A close personal friend of mine who passed away from breast cancer said that cannabis was the reason she got to enjoy eating at all and it allowed her to not suffer so horribly before she died.)
Obviously it should be regulated just like alcohol -- age restriction, no smoking and driving, no being high on the job, etc. etc. etc.
The more legalization we see the more body blows we deal to the deadly and horrible drug cartels to take them down a peg. The guns and drugs passing over the border can be muted if we legalize and it will save so many lives and take power out of the hands of so many truly, truly evil people. It's a bigger deal to me than the personal freedom aspect.
@Scorpio88: I have a friend who has asthma with cigarettes as her worst trigger, she has been known to start wheezing from just smelling cigarette smoke on people's clothes if they're heavy enough smokers, but cigarettes are still legal.
She just goes to places that are non-smoking and avoids smokers. Now that smoking is prohibited in many public places, it's not hard for her to do and she doesn't even have to think about it most of the time. This will likely be exactly the same.
Don't worry too much, honestly I'm sure it won't change your level of exposure frequency. I'm certain it won't be permitted anywhere that cigarettes aren't -- like restaurants and bars in many cities have banned smoking I'm sure this will be the same.
Really I'm pretty sure that even in a totally pot-legal place, most people will stay in homes or possibly Amsterdam-style coffee shops, so as long as you don't go there you probably won't have to deal with it. :D (I won't be in them either, as I'm not fond of it myself.)
@Jamergurl921: This is exactly why I'm pro-legalization.
As a nation, we spend millions of dollars prosecuting recreational pot smokers. In reality, who are these people hurting? Plus, the state will be able to use all the extra tax revenue for good. It's a win-win!
I have no desire to ever smoke it but I do think marijuana should be legalized and taxed/regulated like alcohol. So some states finally doing so is a step in the direction of legalizing it across the country.
I have a security clearance so I've never smoked or done any sort of drugs. I'm very libertarian though so I believe in allowing and taxing it though. I'm pretty curious about what happens now! I would have no problem trying it as long as it wasn't illegal for me to do so (I don't live in WA or CO).
Personally though I HATE smoking with a passion. Can they make it legal in pill form? lol
@Mrs.KMM: I'm the same - I don't smoke, and I don't want to, but man! All that tax revenue would be amazing, and the money saved on needless arrests and incarcerations would be great. Legalization makes a lot of fiscal sense.
So happy for those that can enjoy it!!!! So happy it finally happened! Although I don't smoke I have and likely will one day if it's ever legal in my neck of the woods.
I also think it will help greatly with the economy. They can tax beer and cigarettes, so they should tax marijuanna (but not too high) and it will help greatly considering how many do/would smoke with it being legal. Also will help crime. How many times do you hear of people killing or (outside of prison) beating a person senseless over cigarettes and beer? When it's legal it will be easier to get so you wont have to go to the sketchy people who sell it and wont have to be around the drug dealers.
I am not a fan of this. I am liberal, and I have read arguments for taxation etc., but I am not a fan of this- hopefully there will be regulations in place- like no smoking while driving or on the job, at least...
As a resident of The Mile High City, this actually amuses me to no end...since it's only legal on a state level and remains illegal on a federal one, I equate the new law to a backyard game of freeze-tag - it only works as long the person who is "it" isn't looking....because if the Drug Enforcement Agency is having on off day, they are more than within their juristiction to fly in and shoot some pot smoking/selling fish in their proveribial barrels if they are so inclined...however I was all for 64 because taxing the sales of it only benefits the state as a whole. Employers could still fire or deny employees jobs for using, being caught with it underage would still be illegal and it kind of leaves the entire situation is this bizarre and confused state of "Are we in trouble or aren't we?"
Personally, I'm not a user, but if the people that want to use it ALSO want to pay sales tax on it...I'm game!
I think that it will be hard to tax it - just like it is hard to tax Farmer Joe that just takes his crops to the Farmers Market every weekend and deals in cash.
IF we could tax it... say we sell a pack of joints like we sell packs of cigs... that would be easier.
@AlwaysSunny: Agreed!
It's not just the taxes on weed that will be giving these states an economic boost, either. They're probably going to be seeing signficantly increased tourism traffic.
@Jamergurl921: I know the feeling, so sorry that happened to you. I live in SC and they are horrible here. I have a clean record, working on my degree still, a great mom (and everyone agrees) and needed to smoke because I didn't want to take a bunch of pills (didn't know at the time I was lactose intollerant and had celliacs) I couldn't eat for anything so I started smoking marijuanna as recommended when I lived in Colorado a few years previously.
Anyhoo, cops came to my home (and no I wasn't selling or anything) raided the house screaming "Where are the guns? When there's drugs there's guns!" screaming holding us at gunpoint in front of my child. And all they found was a small bag a bong and a couple bowls. My fi took the fall but they still gave me a simple possession. They even threatened to give my fi a "contributing to the delinquency of minors" saying he got my daughter high. Which was far from the truth, we would only smoke inside IF she wasn't home.
It's terrible. Was one of the worst days of my life all over a small bag of marijuanna. So thankfully it got dropped before it went to court and I still have a clean record but it doesn't take away the memory of that day.
I've stopped smoking now but I still agree with legalization. We were two completely harmless people using a natural plant with no negative side effects in the privacy of our own home and that happens. Makes me sad to know that many others have gone through the same thing all over all the time
@Nona99: Yea there have been scuffles in CA and other states that allow medical use, so I have been wondering what will happen in CO and WA. It would be great if DEA would issue an order that they won't pursue cases in those states unless there are connections to other crimes. But who knows what will actually happen.
It will also be interesting to see how this works out for things like employment drug screenings and background checks. Normally they say they're testing you for illegal drugs, so I do wonder if employers will still test for and care about pot. Then there's the added problem of getting a background check in a non-legalized state. Bottom line: people who want to smoke up should definitely be careful about it.
Also, to those concerned about regulations, I believe that most existing regulations already apply. It's already illegal to drive or operate machinery while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, so I see no reason why that would change due to legalization.
I voted for it in Washington. I don't use it, but I don't really see any issue with it. In addition, they're taxing the hell out of it, which is awesome, plus it should free up law enforcement for real issues.
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