California Lawmakers To Debate Marijuana Legalization Today

we shall overcome

It's the right of an individual to inhale anything they want, weather it be stopped by a person, state or government otherwise it would be outright slavery.

I am straight edge and I totally see the absurdity of keeping cannabis illegal. For me it would be awesome. More money for the gov. and none of it coming from me. Plus my fellow citizens will have some more freedom. And less non-violent offenders in jail making more room for the violent offenders that are dangerous to society.

I think I need to move

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foosmaster i know what your saying about this being all about money and sadly its true its all about money to the govt. but you also gotta realize that cannabis users are the only ones actually wanting to get taxed for the legalization and regulation of cannabis to the public ages of 21 or older.

also you have to realize that billions of taxpayer dollars are spent in prosecutions related to marijuana. $20,000 is spent each year on average to house Non-Violent offenders with actual criminals.
more billions are being spent on the war on drugs. but flip it around.

billions would be generated in revenue just by simply taxing and regulating cannabis, double or even triple that with industrialized hemp to produce products such as lotion, animal feed, herbs, textile, bedding and the list keeps going on.

not only would we be able to make revenue off this in our own country but think about exportation of our hemp products to other countries that till this day still dont use hemp in anything.

the benefits that come from legalizing taxing regulating farming and fabricating greatly out weigh the anything that this horrific failure that we call the war on drugs or prohibition.

check the facts and you might change your views on this. not to say your against, but you might see that cannabis can basically pay for itself and generate money for programs such as drug education and rehabilitation not to mention the other billions of dollars from hemp that could be used for the state and its people.

You notice that ‘Several representatives from law enforcement, including the California Police Chiefs Association and the Office of the Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement, are scheduled to testify in opposition to the bill.’
Instead of telling the truth about how ‘the war on drugs has made society less secure and how the system has destroyed the lives of otherwise law abiding citizens’ they are instead defending their war because if the war was ended they would loose funding for their war.
It’s about the Money!

It's about the Money!
Big Money interests were responsible for making it illegal, now it is the need for tax money that will finally correct this absurd injustice.
Money Talks! And finally the lure of tax dollars for politician’s pet projects has begun to outweigh the campaign contributions from the opposition.
With politics it has been and will always be about the Money!

most excellent lets legalize it

Excellent news for you guys, hope the knock on effect continues over the Atlantic to the UK & Ireland!

Let me get this straight though, If the state were to legalize it does that mean you would still be breaking federal laws?

If California succeeds, I hope that it causes a domino effect across the nation. The war on drugs is too costly and completely unwinnable while marijuana is on the list of illegal substances. God gave us a plant that, without chemical alteration or risk to our health, offers us pleasure, joy, calm, relief, peace, and a general sense of well being. The people who continue to consume it despite its illegal status are simply participating in civil disobedience. The number of peaceful people overcrowding our prison system is ridiculous. Legalizing cannabis will only have positive consequences for the individual AND the government. It's time.

I wish they would make cannabis eye drops for people with Glaucoma. Some of the current medications do not help some people. Anything is worth a try for someone's eyesight.

i wish i was there.

cannabis has had its name twisted and shi*ed on by the opposition with their scare tactics and falsifying information about the plant/herb.

thousands of influential, religious and cultural leaders have used marijuana since around 1000 B.C.. since then (to my knowledge) there hasn't been one single death due to the use of marijuana. related yes but only because of trigger happy drug dealers, and ignorance.

with the officials that are mentioned i do have confidence that this bill will move on, but i can never be sure, this govt. has pulled some of the most mind boggling stunts you can never be sure of anything with them.

but Tom and the president of NORML present im confident... i just wish i was there so i could drop some knowledge on em. haha

so it took california a massive economic meltdown and bankruptcy to make it legalize a plant? What disastrous event will be needed for the state to consider free university studies?
I don't get this state, I just don't sometimes...

I'm so happy to see all this good news about marijuana reform lately. It’s about time!

crossing my finger's: )

Finally :D

excellent, the sooner we all as a species realise the benifits of this herb the better. yes there are some side affects for the few, however too much of anything is bad for you!!!!

right on