Rep. Barney Frank Offers Legislation to Legalize Marijuana

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I believe marijuana should be legalized, and I'm not just saying this just so people can finally smoke it without being arrested. I believe that marijuana could help out our economy (which is very poor). Now I know some parents will disagree with this law for they do not want their kids doing it, but if the regulate it, tax the hell out of it the budget and amount of money this country gets will raise. Millions, Billions of people smoke marijuana, legal or not they'll still do it, and the government uses our tax money, $8 billion to $14 billion a year just to get rid of, or arrest marijuana users and dealers. Instead of wasting money on what seems as an endless cycle of a cat chasing a mouse, they should just legalize and tax it. They should focus more on heavier "drugs" (I refuse to call marijuana a drug) like cocain, heroin, meth, LSD and other drugs. For those are the substances that ruin a persons life, and kills them. Since when has there been a recorded death of someone maybe OD-ing off of marijuana? As far as I know, never. I'm 18 years old and I know the causes and affects of marijuana for I have experimented for quite a long while and I have to say, it is not bad.(my opinion) Kills off brain cells? No, the governments so called "legal version of marijuana" serenity kills off brain cells. Marijuana at its normal state (without being tampered with or mixed) is the safest and less life threatening substance a person could use.
This is just an opinion and what I think of legalizing marijuana, I'm not saying everyone should do it or saying its awesome. I just believe that it could help our economy.

Israel of TX 1:33AM April 20, 2012

I think weed should be legalized..im 17 and smoke it. it does no harm what so ever it dont kill your brain cells the scientist only said that because they tested it on a DOG. we are not dogs here people!!!

Sierra of WI 5:28PM October 28, 2009

ya weed is way better than any thing else you can smoke so yes lets ghet it done i smoke almost every day

eddymears of FL 11:13AM April 30, 2009

in 1970 the littleton police pulled me for hitch hiking , i was
trown against a crusier, a 2nd.cop arrived,walked 20yrds and bent down to pick up a joint. i was convicted of "possesion"
sentenced to 6mnths. sent to billrica house of correction(i was
19) i freaked , and was transfered to bridgewater state mental
hospital. (i won't describe my treatment at the hands of the people there). it took a us congressmen to get me out of bridgewater.after 7yrs, a article was posted in the globe(or perhaps littleton's local paper)stateing the attorney general
had been paying a $100 "christmas"bonus for each arrest and conviction of pot users(police got $50) i've never even heard a
word from 'em (mass) a apology ,nothin'.. perhaps someone
knows a good lawyer?

craig wolff of NY 2:52AM February 23, 2009

Dear _________ :
Err Bear Music (BMI) (the "Publisher") controls the mechanical rights in and to the copyrighted musical work entitled "___________" (the "Composition"). The Composition, including the words and music thereof, was written by Kent Newsome (BMI) [and ____________] ([together,] the "Songwriter[s]")]. The Composition was not copyrighted and published prior to January 1, 1978.
Here in the United States we have a Constitution to define the responsibilities of government, which basically fall within the bounderies of what is best for the general well being of the public. There is no more time for fussing around about who's smoking pot. The economy's gone to pot and we've got to stop the nonsense. Legalizing hemp and the notorious cannabis flowers would greatly improve the effectiveness and accountability of government. It's not a cure all but the government could use the huge cut in spending that would come with the end of prohibition. The end of cannabis prohibition would drastically improve the efficiency of our judicial system. Many billions of dollars a year are spent on a law enforcement sheme with very minimal public benefit. While keeping the pot illegal does give the government an excuse to keep a close eye on hippies and shady characters, it isn't worth it to have all that money and time getting spent chasing some nuisance characters when the state is already overloaded with public programs.
The drug war doesn't work and therefore makes a mockery of our highly capable law enforcement agencies.There are too many ways that our brave police officers can find themselves caught up in borderline criminal activities while spending time policing the drug world, distracted from their real duties. We believe that if you turn drug use into a private personal issue, instead of a state issue, the black market dealers will loose the thrust of their power and all that money they've been making would be in back in the legitimate markets. Let's just focus on real crimes which pose a provable threat to public safety, like gang violence, professional thieving and sexual predators. While pot smoking is notoriously controvercial among Conservatives, it doesn't deserve our attention as a primary issue in this critical time of trial and tribulation. There's no sense in sending out the swat teams for an herb that's no more mind altering than common cold medicines and is not killing anyone.
www.nycamp.org/cap.html

Dunn Eggink of NY 4:23PM February 17, 2009

The legalization of marijuana would form a 24 billion dollar industry in the US alone, leaving more money for schools, and other communal necessities...
It helps the terminally ill live their last days VERY happily.. :D
In order to overdose on this wonderful substance, you would need to ingest 15000lbs within 15 minutes. I wish you good luck with that one..
There is NO evidence supporting that marijuana leads to the use of other drugs, in fact, most people start with either tobacco or alcohol..
There are approximately... 0 deaths caused by the use of marijuana each year. Compare THAT to the millions of deaths caused each year by the above gateway drugs..
Thomas Jefferson and George Washington both grew cannabis, so where can we go wrong? They turned out just fine.
EXCELLENT for soil fertilization.
And hey, if you like marijuana so much, why bash on our grammar and remind us of the fact that it's illegal? Despite how "poorly" he may have typed, he's got his facts straight.
Thanks guys, keep on cheafin'. PEACE

Calvin of 3:34AM January 20, 2009

I THINK OBAMA SHOULD ALLOW ANY ONE WIT MARIJUANA!ITS A PLANT CHILL!YALL NEED TO WORRY BOUT THE KRAK HEADS SHYT!
GIVE FREEDOM 2 CHEAF!DUCES STAY HIGH!FORT(817)WORTH TX. ALL DAY EVERYDAY!

MARYJANE of TX 4:20PM December 19, 2008

If all fossil fuels and their derivatives, as well as trees for paper and construction, were banned in order to save the planet, reverse the greenhouse effect and stop deforestation; then there is only one known annually renewable natural resource that is capable of providing the overall majority of the world's paper and textiles; meet all of the world's transportation, industrial and home energy needs, while simultaneously reducing pollution, rebuilding the soil and cleaning the atmosphere all at the same time... and that substance is the same one that has done it before . . . CANNABIS/HEMP/MARIJUANA.
The world's most useful natural resource, Popular Mechanics magazine, 1938
emp For Ecology - Hemp is a soil building plant that is
excellent in crop rotation and, unlike cotton and corn, does
not require heavy fertilization or pesticide use. In fact, an
organic pesticide spray is derived from the plant.
With its many commercial uses, such as manufacture of
paper and building supplies, Hemp could reduce deforestation
by 50% or more worldwide. It could replace a significant
amount of plastics with cultivated cellulose, organic pulp and
fiber. It could replace about half of t t petroleum we use as
gasoline with clean-burning methanol fuel, and cut dependence
on coal and nuclear powered electricity production through
biomass pyrolysis.
Its strong roots control erosion, and it has an important
role in reforestation and weed eradication programs. Help
restore ecological balance to America.
Hemp Saves Forests - Over a 20 year period, one acre of
hemp will produce as much paper as 4.1 acres of forest. But
America's "cash crop of tomorrow" is held hostage by
protectionist laws that have led to the destruction of 70% of
our forests since 1937.
Additionally, paper made from hemp lasts many times
longer than that made from wood and uses only 10-20% of the
dangerous chemicals needed to make paper from wood.
And Hemp can be made into fiber board or particle board,
replacing wood for construction or commercial fabrication.

lyle G of CA 12:37PM October 28, 2008

But you motherf###ers really should stop, and try to learn a little bit of English, spelling and punctuation.
Actually your command of English is so bad, that I have to believe that these posts are intentionally poor English in order to sway this debate in the direction of continued prohibition.
If they are not, do yourself a favor and learn how to better represent yourself and your point of view through the written word.
Words mean things :) , and people will judge you by the words you use.
Ingest whatever you want, just wait until AFTER school ...

Gordon Gilges of CA 12:27PM October 28, 2008