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Originally Posted by Bob Maxey
Then what . . . do we legalize other products like Mexican cocaine or heroin? These products arrive from Mexico in great quantities, too. Not sure legalizing it makes sense unless you are an accountant watching the costs associated with jail and law enforcement Vs. the benefits to the public.
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In regard to your line of reasoning (cost to society) weed is entirely different from coke and smack. I once knew a NYC surgeon who wanted all drugs legalized. His point of view was formed working on drug war casualties in the ER.
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Originally Posted by Bob Maxey
How can the government legalize one more thing you smoke yet castrate anyone that smokes tobacco?
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Without taking that literally, tobacco has very high costs to society from its negative health effects. Weed has a high cost to society primarily because of its illegal status.
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Originally Posted by Bob Maxey
And if the government gets involved, you can expect a pack of MJs to be costly and quite likely less potent than the stuff from Mexico, so perhaps trafficking will actually increase, because the Mexican MJ is stronger and you do not pay a huge tax on the illegally imported stuff.
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That's a bit of a stretch. You don't know what the taxes would be and you probably don't know how much weed costs now. Also various hybridized domestic strains are among the strongest.
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Originally Posted by Bob Maxey
And do we disallow you to grow the stuff yourself? Citing the strength of your home grown stuff as being dangerous and therefore, not allowed?
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You're getting pretty close to invasive police state territory here ...
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Originally Posted by Bob Maxey
Here in Utah, we impose strict limits on alcohol content allowed in beer sold in places like grocery stores. I think it is 3.2%. So the government regulates strength of most beer sold in Utah.
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Like that's a solution? People just have to drink more to achieve the same effect, or drink something other than beer.
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Originally Posted by Bob Maxey
Ease of availability likely means that more people will try it and this leads to other problems, like kids getting hold of the stuff. This would be a given because now, it is legal.
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The stuff is everywhere and very easy to obtain. I think more kids try it simply
because it is illegal.