[Peace-discuss] let's put marijuana referenda on the November ballots

[Carl G. Estabrook]

I don't see anything wrong with marijuana's being legalized, in the sense that you could buy it over the counter as you now do tobacco. (See the current Doonesbury strips for a discussion of the marketing strategies.)

But you shouldn't be able to buy tobacco - a far more unhealthy drug - over the counter. It should be 'delegalized' - i.e., Marlboros shouldn't be legally produced and marketed,  any more than spoiled meat should be - but not criminalized, as marijuana is now in most places.   

Drugs in general should be decriminalized, on the Portuguese model. (And treatment for all addictions - alcohol and tobacco being by far the most important - should be available under Medicare-for-all.)

On Jan 21, 2014, at 8:23 PM, Robert Naiman <naiman at justforeignpolicy.org> wrote:

> 
> I agree with you that Portugal is a success story which should be emulated. 
> 
> I would take "decriminalization" rather than "legalization" as a friendly amendment; particularly in any jurisdiction where decriminalization hasn't happened yet.
> 
> I do think though, that there is something to be said politically for focusing attention on the particular case of marijuana, given the political state of play; I think that there is an opportunity there for big progress in the near future that will take much longer on other drugs. 
> 
> However, to be clear: on the referendum that you propose, I would vote yes.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Tue, Jan 21, 2014 at 6:59 PM, Carl G. Estabrook <galliher at illinois.edu> wrote:
> Let's rather hold a referendum on the decriminalization of all drugs. 
> 
> Note what has occurred in Portugal - a model, I think:
> 
> http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/evaluating-drug-decriminalization-in-portugal-12-years-later-a-891060-2.html
> 
> http://www.cato.org/publications/white-paper/drug-decriminalization-portugal-lessons-creating-fair-successful-drug-policies
> 
> Decriminalization, not legalization is what's wanted. I would support the prevention of the marketing of tobacco and the treatment of all addictions as a medical, not legal problem.
> 
> --CGE
> 
> On Jan 21, 2014, at 5:44 PM, Robert Naiman <naiman at justforeignpolicy.org> wrote:
> 
>> 
>> let's put referenda on the November ballots saying that marijuana should be regulated like tobacco and alcohol. 
>> 
>> http://news.yahoo.com/obama-speaks-marijuana-why-now-174217311.html
>> 
>> -- 
>> Robert Naiman
>> Policy Director
>> Just Foreign Policy
>> www.justforeignpolicy.org
>> naiman at justforeignpolicy.org
>> (202) 448-2898, extension 1.
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> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Robert Naiman
> Policy Director
> Just Foreign Policy
> www.justforeignpolicy.org
> naiman at justforeignpolicy.org
> (202) 448-2898, extension 1.
> _______________________________________________
> Peace-discuss mailing list
> Peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net
> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace-discuss

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