# Booker introduces bill to legalize marijuana nationwide, with support from other 2020 candidates



## Xzi (Mar 1, 2019)

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/28/cory-booker-introduces-bill-to-legalize-marijuana-nationwide.html

Thoughts/opinions?  Is it the right time, or too soon?  We're down to just fifteen states without any sort of medical/recreational sales or decriminalization in place.  In the long run, you'd think this move would be a big boost to the economy as a whole, those states included.  Not only can we grow it and sell it here, we can also export.  Seems like a smart issue to latch on to for the Democrats regardless.  It definitely motivates high turnout at the polls.


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## FAST6191 (Mar 1, 2019)

I am more curious to see the arguments made against it and if they can beat the guns, abortions, healthcare and same sex marriage stuff for amusing me.


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## CallmeBerto (Mar 1, 2019)

I think this is a great idea and hope it goes through.

I really like this part 

"The bill also aims to reverse the damage done to those who were prosecuted for marijuana use by expunging federal crimes and allowing offenders to petition courts for shorter sentences"

I think it will be a great boost to the economy as a whole and would make it a lot easier to process payments since it will be legal everywhere. I mean I don't even smoke it and I'd vote for it.


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## LowEndC (Mar 1, 2019)

Xzi said:


> Not only can we grow it and sell it here, we can also export.



but "muh war on drugs"



CallmeBerto said:


> don't even smoke it



should start


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## VinsCool (Mar 1, 2019)

FAST6191 said:


> I am more curious to see the arguments made against it and if they can beat the guns, abortions, healthcare and same sex marriage stuff for amusing me.


You can see where the priorities are.


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## Hanafuda (Mar 1, 2019)

Xzi said:


> Seems like a smart issue to latch on to for the Democrats regardless.




I think you're right. Purely symbolic right now, the Senate won't bring it up if the House does pass it. But this primes it for being a key campaign issue in 2020.

It would have been a _smarter_ issue for Republicans to move on when they had the chance. They didn't, wouldn't, and I expect they'll rue the day.


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## TobiasAmaranth (Mar 1, 2019)

I think the stuff is vile, and smoking it should still be banned. However I'm less opposed to other forms of consumption such as pills regarding it. It's far too invasive as a 'smoked' product. Foul stuff, and it does not have the same effect on everyone.

To the same extent, I don't mind when people drink, but I want nothing to do with it. Alcohol is much easier to avoid than this Pot Entitlement Boom that we've been seeing. As someone with a strong sense of smell, regular smoking is bad enough for my mood to be exposed to. But weed is far more longevious in a way that can be inescapable to bystanders, even a long time after the act. And its effect on me is one of inciting violence/rage in a way that's hard to control.


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## chrisrlink (Mar 1, 2019)

I'm willing to try it for my bi polar my original psychiatrist was so damn conservitive he said it'll screw me up worse (he's since retired my councelor said the opposite and other people who know smokers would agree cause those pot smokers happen to be mentally ill


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## Kioku_Dreams (Mar 1, 2019)

TobiasAmaranth said:


> I think the stuff is vile, and smoking it should still be banned. However I'm less opposed to other forms of consumption such as pills regarding it. It's far too invasive as a 'smoked' product. Foul stuff, and it does not have the same effect on everyone.
> 
> To the same extent, I don't mind when people drink, but I want nothing to do with it. Alcohol is much easier to avoid than this Pot Entitlement Boom that we've been seeing. As someone with a strong sense of smell, regular smoking is bad enough for my mood to be exposed to. But weed is far more longevious in a way that can be inescapable to bystanders, even a long time after the act. And its effect on me is one of inciting violence/rage in a way that's hard to control.


This is why people need to understand that "legalize it" isn't so cut and dry. I also see negative effects with it. It doesn't work for everyone, especially not in productivity.

I'm not against legalizing it, either. However, the way the "progressive movement" is going? They're just wanting it legal to rub it in certain faces.


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## kuwanger (Mar 1, 2019)

Hanafuda said:


> It would have been a _smarter_ issue for Republicans to move on when they had the chance.



What, and support State Rights? :/  *sigh*  As someone who doesn't drink, smoke, or do drugs, I strongly support Federally legalizing marijuana and treating it, more or less, like alcohol.  Ie, it's mostly up to the states in theory and different states have different laws, but there's enough of a consistent standard on it that for the most part even the most die-hard states haven't banned it.  Now, in 20 years?  Then I can understand going through and refactoring the law as federal*.

While were on it, how about we push for legislation to fund opioid treatment programs?  Same with marijuana, cigarette, and alcohol treatment programs.  You know, crazy stuff that focuses on helping people who want help get help, even if they personally can't afford it because--you know--they're addicts and spent all their money on their addiction.

* Not that that's actually how the Constitution is written, but the whole idea today of 50 experiments running doesn't make much sense unless at some point you reach a general conclusion and codify nationally the stuff that works.


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## DKB (Mar 1, 2019)

I just hate the jailtime you get for having weed. I know it's big amounts, but still:

1. I'm a sex offender, I got a few years time.

2. I had some weed on me. 25 years.

Like what the fuck???


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## Hanafuda (Mar 1, 2019)

DKB said:


> I just hate the jailtime you get for having weed. I know it's big amounts, but still:
> 
> 1. I'm a sex offender, I got a few years time.
> 
> ...




I think you'd have to have a whooooole lot of weed on you to get 25 years. Like, bales. And scales. (i.e. dealing at the distributor level) But FWIW I don't support it being illegal so I'm with ya on the principle of the thing.


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## orangy57 (Mar 1, 2019)

I wish this bill would go through just so that stoner culture can fizzle out and so people can get actual hobbies. Like 80% of people who smoke base their entire lives around it and it's obnoxious, like man i just want to get high and watch youtube videos, not talk about horoscopes for 3 hours while i look at your crappy tapestries you ordered off of ebay


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## slaphappygamer (Mar 1, 2019)

chrisrlink said:


> I'm willing to try it for my bi polar my original psychiatrist was so damn conservitive he said it'll screw me up worse (he's since retired my councelor said the opposite and other people who know smokers would agree cause those pot smokers happen to be mentally ill


might want to ask him if its the thc or the cbd that could help you out. cbd may relieve anxious feelings. the thc just gets you high. there are some really good gummies that have just cbd and no thc. all relief and no head change


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## Xzi (Mar 1, 2019)

Memoir said:


> I'm not against legalizing it, either. However, the way the "progressive movement" is going? They're just wanting it legal to rub it in certain faces.


This is ridiculous.  "Now you legally have access to a form of pain management that isn't highly addictive or harmful to your body!  IN YOUR FACE!"  Nobody wants weed legal for that reason.  They either want to consume it or don't see any harm in it, especially because we already have more harmful drugs that _are_ legal in the form of alcohol, tobacco, and opioids.  Not to mention the beneficial side effects of removing control from the cartels, and the money we can save for the marijuana portion of the failed war on drugs.



chrisrlink said:


> I'm willing to try it for my bi polar my original psychiatrist was so damn conservitive he said it'll screw me up worse (he's since retired my councelor said the opposite and other people who know smokers would agree cause those pot smokers happen to be mentally ill





slaphappygamer said:


> might want to ask him if its the thc or the cbd that could help you out. cbd may relieve anxious feelings. the thc just gets you high. there are some really good gummies that have just cbd and no thc. all relief and no head change


Yeah, I would definitely recommend giving CBD a shot, but unfortunately I do have to agree your psychiatrist: THC is not helpful for those with bi-polar, and can be harmful to your mental state.


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## Captain_N (Mar 1, 2019)

weed will pay for the wall!!!!!!


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## Xzi (Mar 1, 2019)

Captain_N said:


> weed will pay for the wall!!!!!!


If one of the Democrats supporting marijuana legalization wins in 2020, the wall isn't getting built.  Sorry to burst your bubble, but Republicans are still against it for the most part.


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## dAVID_ (Mar 1, 2019)

Xzi said:


> This is ridiculous.  "Now you legally have access to a form of pain management that isn't highly addictive or harmful to your body!  IN YOUR FACE!"  Nobody wants weed legal for that reason.  They either want to consume it or don't see any harm in it, especially because we already have more harmful drugs that _are_ legal in the form of alcohol, tobacco, and opioids.  Not to mention the beneficial side effects of removing control from the cartels, and the money we can save for the marijuana portion of the failed war on drugs.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Weed *is *harmful if it's smoked in a rollup, tar accumulates in the lungs.


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## Captain_N (Mar 1, 2019)

Xzi said:


> If one of the Democrats supporting marijuana legalization wins in 2020, the wall isn't getting built.  Sorry to burst your bubble, but Republicans are still against it for the most part.



both parties hate trump because he disrupts both their agendas..


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## Xzi (Mar 1, 2019)

dAVID_ said:


> Weed *is *harmful if it's smoked in a rollup, tar accumulates in the lungs.


That's why I used the term "consume," there are a million ways to ingest THC now.  Of course, unless there are any unnatural additives, marijuana is nowhere near as bad as tabacco when smoked, either, especially if you add a water filter.  It's just a flower.



Captain_N said:


> both parties hate trump because he disrupts both their agendas..


If you say so man...the Republicans have been dick-riding him pretty hard for quite a while now.


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## SG854 (Mar 1, 2019)




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## Xzi (Mar 1, 2019)

SG854 said:


>



Rofl, classic.  "The first hit of marijuana you take will probably kill you."  And people wonder why the DARE/McGruff programs were such failures that they had to be ended.  The second one kid finds out its bullshit, all credibility is gone for them.


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## Mythical (Mar 1, 2019)

"There's a war on drugs, but they keep my mind at peace"


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## IncredulousP (Mar 1, 2019)

Decriminalize all drugs. Institute better and more mental health facilities, as well as affordable rehabilitation centers.


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## dAVID_ (Mar 1, 2019)

IncredulousP said:


> Decriminalize all drugs. Institute better and more mental health facilities, as well as affordable rehabilitation centers.


Yeahh- No.
I can see the justification for legalizing marijuana, but some drugs are better left illegal, because they can make the consumer have agressive behaviors.
However, to be fair, alcohol also has that issue, though it's lesser.


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## LowEndC (Mar 1, 2019)

SG854 said:


>








dAVID_ said:


> Yeahh- No.
> some drugs are better left illegal,



id say the opposite.
let the lessers kill themselves off.
step 2???
profit!!


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## Mythical (Mar 1, 2019)

Choosing to educate people and not condemn at worst results in no change in their opinion of substances and/or usage. Choosing to condemn people for it results in jail time, bills, lack of real knowledge on the matter, unnecessary judgement, and lack of sympathy. Choosing to decriminalize could at a minimum Allow for safer and more educated consumption, more and better detailed research on said substances, an assertion that people choose the specifics of what to put into their body's not the other way around (in general), less social stigma for getting help/knowing when to cut down. 
There's no perfect solution. People should be properly educated before they make decisions and there should be proper rehabilitation methods for those who need them


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## Xzi (Mar 1, 2019)

dAVID_ said:


> Yeahh- No.
> I can see the justification for legalizing marijuana, but some drugs are better left illegal, because they can make the consumer have agressive behaviors.
> However, to be fair, alcohol also has that issue, though it's lesser.


He did say "decriminalize," not "legalize," so he's not requesting meth dispensaries.  The thing is that people who want hard drugs are going to get them, regardless of legality, and locking up addicts for years just turns non-violent drug offenders into hardened criminals.  So I can understand where he's coming from in that regard, we need to prioritize treatment ahead of punishment for addicts.


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## FAST6191 (Mar 1, 2019)

dAVID_ said:


> Yeahh- No.
> I can see the justification for legalizing marijuana, but some drugs are better left illegal, because they can make the consumer have agressive behaviors.
> However, to be fair, alcohol also has that issue, though it's lesser.


Have you seen what happened in Switzerland and Portugal?
https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2...zerlands-successes-with-substitution-therapy/
https://www.who.int/substance_abuse/publications/atlas_report/profiles/switzerland.pdf


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## Subtle Demise (Mar 3, 2019)

TobiasAmaranth said:


> I think the stuff is vile, and smoking it should still be banned. However I'm less opposed to other forms of consumption such as pills regarding it. It's far too invasive as a 'smoked' product. Foul stuff, and it does not have the same effect on everyone.
> 
> To the same extent, I don't mind when people drink, but I want nothing to do with it. Alcohol is much easier to avoid than this Pot Entitlement Boom that we've been seeing. As someone with a strong sense of smell, regular smoking is bad enough for my mood to be exposed to. But weed is far more longevious in a way that can be inescapable to bystanders, even a long time after the act. And its effect on me is one of inciting violence/rage in a way that's hard to control.


EVERY state that has legalized it makes it illegal to consume in public in any form, meaning that your personal preference would only affect people using it at home.

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Xzi said:


> This is ridiculous. "Now you legally have access to a form of pain management that isn't highly addictive or harmful to your body! IN YOUR FACE!" Nobody wants weed legal for that reason. They either want to consume it or don't see any harm in it, especially because we already have more harmful drugs that _are_ legal in the form of alcohol, tobacco, and opioids. Not to mention the beneficial side effects of removing control from the cartels, and the money we can save for the marijuana portion of the failed war on drugs


To be fair, I wouldn't call opioids legal. Not by any means. Schedule II means that while, yes, it is theoretically possible to obtain them legally, CDC and DEA and FDA rules that were put into place in 2017 have made that prospect extremely unlikely. Have you seen the street price for something even as weak as codeine? There is no way anybody is supporting that habit anymore, so what do they do? They turn to fentanyl and fentanyl tainted heroin. Now you know who created the "epidemic." That's what happens when you let an unelected government body practice medicine on the entire nation.

Oh and yes, cops will harass you over opioid medication, even if it's yours and you're simply transporting it. God forbid a friend or family member accidentally leaves a bottle of pills in your car. That's an automatic possession of controlled substance charge for you, and a possible trafficking charge for them.


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## jefffisher (Mar 3, 2019)

it's not going to pass because of backwards places like Louisiana with their for profit judicial system, and simple minded brainwashed people that still think weed is the most dangerous thing that ever happened, hell if it wasn't illegal it wouldn't even be a gateway drug to the actual bad stuff. with opioids as bad as they are these days we need as many alternatives as the world can offer.


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## Subtle Demise (Mar 3, 2019)

jefffisher said:


> it's not going to pass because of backwards places like Louisiana with their for profit judicial system, and simple minded brainwashed people that still think weed is the most dangerous thing that ever happened, hell if it wasn't illegal it wouldn't even be a gateway drug to the actual bad stuff. with opioids as bad as they are these days we need as many alternatives as the world can offer.


They are only "so bad" because overzealous regulation has forced otherwise legitimate users to turn to the black market. Less than 3% of people prescribed codeine or hydrocodone ever become addicted to them. Anything stronger than that is either administered by hospital staff or would be so limited in quantity that it would be impossible to form a habit from it.

The science and overwhelming amount of anecdotal evidence should speak for itself as to why marijuana should be legal, we really shouldn't be villifying other drugs to legalize weed.  That opens the door for government to say, "ok, you can have _x_, but you have to give up _y_." They're already doing gun confiscations against people who have medical marijuana cards. 

Why is one form of euphoria seen as less moral than another? Why are we letting anyone else dictate how we treat our own bodies and minds? Why is drug-induced euphoria itself seen as something that needs to be prevented? Have you ever noticed how drugs that are known for negative effects like datura and salvia are completely unregulated? Why is it only things that people seem to derive pleasure from that get outlawed?


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## Viri (Mar 4, 2019)

I believe that Marijuana should be removed from the DEA controlled substance act thingy. But, I don't think they should legalize marijuana overnight, countrywide. I believe it should be up to the states to legalize it individually. 

I personally don't mind if it gets legalized.


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## Subtle Demise (Mar 4, 2019)

Viri said:


> I believe that Marijuana should be removed from the DEA controlled substance act thingy. But, I don't think they should legalize marijuana overnight, countrywide. I believe it should be up to the states to legalize it individually.
> 
> I personally don't mind if it gets legalized.


I think that the entire controlled substances act should be repealed, and overnight is fine. The sooner the better.


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## Xzi (Mar 4, 2019)

Subtle Demise said:


> I think that the entire controlled substances act should be repealed, and overnight is fine. The sooner the better.


Agreed.  Policing for profit never should've been legalized to begin with, the Supreme Court recently ruled against it, but that's essentially the entire premise for the war on drugs.  To bring in profit through police and privatized prisons.


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## Glyptofane (Mar 4, 2019)

I smoke weed all day everyday. This is better than my old self, the alcohol one. He would kill all enemies at any cost. Anyway, I have a son now and he's great you know. I'd die for him, but also much teach him humble Nazi values.


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## MikaDubbz (Mar 4, 2019)

At this point I'd argue legalization is an inevitability, it's just a question of when. Overall things are going well for the states that have already legalized, and the medical benefits that are being recognized within the plant seem to only increase by the day.  Furthermore overall more people seem to be in favor of legalization than opposed.


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