Federalism and Mary Jane
I think medical marijuana might be ok and I think recreational marijuana might be ok and as a resident of Florida I voted to allow the use of medical marijuana like over 70% of the Florida voters did in 2016. I'm not a medical doctor, I'm not a pot user at this time, I have no plans to open a pot dispensary, and I am not in law enforcement or related to the correctional system. I have no dog in this fight.
President Obama established a policy that allowed states to regulate marijuana in their states as long as it did not conflict with Federal enforcement policies related to distribution to minors, gang and criminal enterprises profiting from sales, preventing the diversion of marijuana from legal states to other states where it is illegal, using state laws as a cover for other illegal trafficking in drugs, preventing the use of violence and fire arms related to marijuana, driving while impaired, and the use and possession of drugs on federal lands.
Twenty nine states have laws regarding medical marijuana and eight states allow the recreational use of marijuana in small amounts. State laws and federal laws regarding marijuana are at odds.
Many laws give states the power to regulate stuff inside their borders. Crossing state lines brings the federal government into the picture. Banking laws also dealing with selling marijuana even in state a problem.
There are all sorts of slippery slopes, moral hazards, opportunities, regulations, money, people's lives, crimes and freedoms to be considered as attitudes towards marijuana change. Prohibition of alcoholic beverages didn't work. But there are also opportunities to decriminalize something that may not be criminal except as a matter of opinion or if it is misused. The way things are going and according to studies almost 60% of the population favor legalization of marijuana.
Not to put to fine a point on this but to want to put some who smokes the noble weed in jail and add to the federal deficit with tax cuts and expand prisons when it could be taxed, regulated and better controlled is suspect in my mind.
President Obama established a policy that allowed states to regulate marijuana in their states as long as it did not conflict with Federal enforcement policies related to distribution to minors, gang and criminal enterprises profiting from sales, preventing the diversion of marijuana from legal states to other states where it is illegal, using state laws as a cover for other illegal trafficking in drugs, preventing the use of violence and fire arms related to marijuana, driving while impaired, and the use and possession of drugs on federal lands.
Twenty nine states have laws regarding medical marijuana and eight states allow the recreational use of marijuana in small amounts. State laws and federal laws regarding marijuana are at odds.
Many laws give states the power to regulate stuff inside their borders. Crossing state lines brings the federal government into the picture. Banking laws also dealing with selling marijuana even in state a problem.
There are all sorts of slippery slopes, moral hazards, opportunities, regulations, money, people's lives, crimes and freedoms to be considered as attitudes towards marijuana change. Prohibition of alcoholic beverages didn't work. But there are also opportunities to decriminalize something that may not be criminal except as a matter of opinion or if it is misused. The way things are going and according to studies almost 60% of the population favor legalization of marijuana.
Not to put to fine a point on this but to want to put some who smokes the noble weed in jail and add to the federal deficit with tax cuts and expand prisons when it could be taxed, regulated and better controlled is suspect in my mind.
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