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Give me drugs.

  
 
pointless and uncalled for
15:34 / 06.05.02
Again a topic spawned by the marijuana march. A number of people, including one of the speakers, were discussing/debating the topic of legalisation versus decriminalisation of drugs with specific reference to cannabis/marijuana.

On the legalisation side is the consideration of ensuring that the market could be regulated and quality controlled, essentially preventing the problems that can arise from unscrupulous operatives and also the pro-taxation argument that would allow taxation on the sales and import which could boost the economy and provide additional funding for government projects and budget proposals. It could be worth noting that Canada's pot trade is estimated in the billions of dollars.

On the decriminalisation side is the argument that the government would have too much power over the trade and essentially treat it like the tobacco trade where they want to force it out of business, despite it's legality. This would mean that existing suppliers would no longer be able to operate on an economic basis. Also the supporters of this side of the argument are not happy with the idea that the government would be controlling the methods by which pot is cultivated and supplied or the idea that the government would be getting their hands on funds directly from the sale of pot.

I'm in favour of legalisation for a couple of reasons. Firstly I support taxation on the sale of pot for the same reasons I support the taxation of all sales and income. More money = less cuts (more or less). And secondly legalisation would be far harder to recriminalise at a later date.

Any opinions/arguments?
 
 
m. anthony bro
17:48 / 07.05.02
Pot is nice. I know better than someone at the Ministry of Health or a police dude whether or not it's going to do me any good. I can get stoned, eat chips, look at my hands, watch TV and laugh at nothing. Why this is illegal, I cannot say, but I do know that legalising it would make it more difficult for vicious cartels to own the market.
Also, on a daily basis, the police bitch about not having enough resources, and then they go and bust people for having maraphanalia* and a little bit of pot, so, they can go about the important business of beating up hippies and have one less thing to get concerned about.

* marijuana paraphenalia: drug paraphanalia is illegal here, in a landmark law passed in 1999, which nearly made teaspoons illegal, because they could be used in the consumption of heroin. You can get around it really easily, and sales of 'acryllic vases' are on the rise.
 
  
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