Arnie welcomes debate over legalizing pot

[Getafix]

Schwarzenegger: High Time for Marijuana Debate

LA News

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Tuesday that California should study other nations' experiences in legalizing and taxing marijuana, although he is not supporting the idea.

He said it's time to debate proposals such as a bill introduced in the state Legislature earlier this year that would treat marijuana like alcohol.

At a news conference about public safety funding, the governor was asked whether it's time to legalize marijuana in light of a new Field Poll that said 56 percent of registered voters support legalizing and taxing marijuana to raise revenues.

"I think it's not time for that, but I think it's time for debate," Schwarzenegger said. "All those ideas of creating extra revenues, I'm always for an open debate on it. We ought to study very carefully what other countries are doing that have legalized marijuana. What effect did it have on those countries? Are they happy with the decision? Or are they, for instance in Austria, unhappy? They rolled back some of the decisions that were made in European countries.

"I want to look at all that. It could very well be that everyone is happy with the decision and then we can look at that. If not, then we shouldn't do it. Just because of raising revenues, we have to be careful not to make mistakes at the same time."

State Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, a San Francisco Democrat, said taxing marijuana at $50 per ounce would bring more than $1 billion a year to the state. Ammiano's bill is on hold in the state Legislature. He delayed seeking approval until next year.

Watch video: Schwarzenegger welcomes pot debate

Classic scene: Arnold Schwarzenegger Smoking Pot

Also see: DoseNation and Reuters

But don't get too excited y'all. Don't forget about www.ArnoldExposed.com! aranoid:

 

[im1badpup]

so if for instance it was legalised and sold in shops...50 dollars an oz tax? on top of the wholesale for the shop to buy price, and its presumably 20% profit margin, what would it work out per oz for u guys taking the black market price as it currently is into consideration?
maybe the government should also consider how much money they would save on busts, police and court time and jailing offenders for growing/possesion, unless theyve reckoned them figures in the $1billion already, i wouldnt know.

 

[grifter7]

its all economics corner the market then jack up the price. Their real cost is giving people their precious rights back

edit: ive allways liked arnie

 

[silv]

For a politician this, I think, is a brave way to make a stance for an open debate on Mary Jane. Maybe this is how the economic crisis might actually help alot in softening old prejudices and traditional ways of thinking, which I think will be a good influence on society!
Go arnie, go!

 

[thorough]

This action proves to be a win, win situation. This is a true art work, which will be a success story.

thorough
Meth Addiction
http://www.crystalrecovery.com

 

[Getafix]

http://www.crystalrecovery.com

No advertisements please. You're free to open another topic about meth addiction and possible cures.

In the mean time, consider this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabernanthe_iboga
http://www.erowid.org/plants/iboga/iboga.shtml

 

[Razor29]

hes gonna terminate the anti marijuana laws!

 

[spice]

Arnold looked like he knew what he was doing when he was hitting that joint.

His statement , ' I don't think it's time for that, but I think it's time for a debate'

is a real good example of political pussyfooting.

HELLO!

ARNOLD!!!

The rest of us have been debating legalization for a long time now, get with the program, dinosaur.

No, the bottom line is he's a Republican, affiliated with a major political party, and he answers to his Dark Masters on any public political statements he makes......such as this one....there's a lot of wiggle-room in the statement

'I think it's time for a debate'

The fact of the matter is that a 'real' conservative, a constitutional conservative, would have no argument whatsoever pertaining to any and all aspects of legalization and marketing....this is a free market win-win proposition
for them, but they are too stupid too see it. It is a bona-fide, genuine chance for them to return to their roots, the true roots of conservatism, a MINIMALIST interpretation of the constitution as intended by the framers.

Those guys are looking for ways to re-invent themselves and grab back a lot of votes, well, there you go, embrace the legalization of cannabis, zap! problems solved, everybody loves you......there will be a huge amount of wealth generated, it's American, and it is amenable to that 'free-market' those Republicans are always running their heads aboiut so much.

Quit paying lip service to the concept, and.....DO....something.

I talk to people alll the time in the 'real' world ( I guess it's real) who don't really understand the mechanics of what's going on with the govt. and weed....

HERE is the real problem.

They don't want you to be able to generate your own, because then you are, in a sense, self-sufficient. The government wants to be needed.....if I have my own seeds, grow it myself, consume it myself, well then they are cut out of my life, and removed from my existence ( AS IT SHOULD BE, if the constitution were interpreted as intended) this doesn't really make them happy.

There are certain elements of Arnold I find kind of creepy, and I'd say he is a classic example of a modern Republican.

:weedman:

 

[Getafix]

Morrison of DoseNation writes:

MPP's Rob Kampia and Kevin Sabet (also see here for Judge Gray vs Kevin Sabet) in this unstructured debate on CNBC. That's what networks get for their pervasive "snack TV" approach. Why can't one of these channels for once set aside more than a couple of minutes so people wouldn't have to outshout each other in the limited amount of time they have to make their point?

CNBC: Rob Kampia Debates Kevin Sabet (video)