Amendment 64 http://www.regulatemarijuana.org/s/regulate-marijuana-alcohol-act-2012. Marijuana has been kicked back and forth between politicians for many a year now and even though 64 passed, it doesn’t mean the Feds will respect the voters of Colorado. Cannabis is still illegal at the federal level no matter what is signed into law in Colorado. Marc Emery, a Canadian citizen, was arrested in his own country and extradited to the US where he is currently serving time in an American prison over pot seeds, www.FreeMarc.ca. The US admits his arrest, and extradition was politically motivated, and if they can do this to him, what will they do to you over the reefer growing in your yard or the ganja weed in your stash box?
Regulating Cannabis and allowing its use the same as with alcohol for those over 21 makes sense whether you agree on the issues or not. Public polling indicated that before the first vote was even cast, 53% of Colorado’s voters intended to vote in favor of amendment 64. Over half the states population said when they voted that marijuana prohibition was not working and was a senseless waste of taxpayer dollars. Now, the money previously spent putting pot smokers and sellers in jail will be put to better use elsewhere and lighten the load on Colorado’s prosecutors and courts.
What many people would like to know now is how the Department of Justice is going to react to the amendment’s passage. No one really knows the answer to that, including Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper. He stated, “This will be a complicated process, but we intend to follow through.” http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/GovHickenlooper. Jeff Dorschner, local spokesperson for the DOJ, says, “There are a variety of options, none of which I can discuss.” Paul Roach, spokesperson for the DEA,says enforcement of federal drug laws will continue. http://www.realvail.com/article/1641.
At least 23 medical marijuana dispensaries in Colorado have been forced to close by the DOJ. State law allows six plants and allows you to keep the entire harvest. However, federal law says even one plant could cost you five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. In California and Montana, they have targeted businesses that are nowhere near schools, but it’s in growing your own where you really take a chance. Conflicting laws and the Feds seemingly disregard for a voter’s opinion makes it difficult for the average person to know what to think.
It is highly unlikely the DOJ will give up without a fight while one after another, state’s vote to decriminalize marijuana. Many believe the writing is on the wall, but the Feds aren’t going to give in quietly. They have the option of going to court to block implementation of the new law but so far have given no clue as to their future plans. Whatever is yet to come one thing can’t be denied, Americans have had enough of the political games involving the cannabis issue and are sick of the cost. When so many of us have to budget for gas, the potential money to be made by decriminalization of pot is hard to argue with.
At least two congressman, democrats Blumenauer and Polis, agree it’s time for reform at the federal level. http://polis.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx? DocumentID=318723. They plan to introduce legislation to decriminalize marijuana nationwide and have it removed from the Controlled Substances Act. Then, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms will have marijuana added to its duties and regulate cannabis the way it does alcohol now. Congress has had a reputation for being far behind public opinion but are beginning to see this is one issue they can’t afford to ignore. Even President Obama agrees; this nation has “bigger fish to fry” than marijuana users and sellers.
Though some at Colorado University are worried about losing federal funding, hopefully the Feds won’t take it that far. Most of the revenue gained from taxing anything to do with the marijuana industry will be used to improve primary education and that is surely a good thing. With more money to spend in that area, there could be an increase in young adults qualified to enter University after high school. Competition in life can be brutal and the more prepared our children are to face it, the better they will do.
Everything you buy at your local market is subject to quality control, and if a problem is discovered with any product it is removed from the shelf, and media alerts given. Now, marijuana in any state where it’s legal will be subjected to the same health and safety checks as a loaf of bread or a jar of pickles. Black marketers may try to deliver safe products, but they follow their own law and are accountable to no one. Decriminalization of cannabis will either put them out of business or make honest people of them that have to follow the same rules as the corner grocery.
American citizens aren’t the only ones who believe it’s time to end marijuana prohibition and admit it doesn’t work. Less than a week after Amendment 64 passed in Colorado, Mexican Senators began the task of decriminalizing cannabis in their country for the same reasons American citizens are. http://www. ottawacitizen.com/news/Mexican+leftist+political+party+ proposes+ marijuana+ legalization/7556497/story.html. It looks like the movement to legalize pot is going international and if that happens, Drug Enforcement agencies will then be able to focus on harsher crimes and the politicians will find other issues.