Anyone who thinks Pennsylvania is close to legalizing pot must be smoking something
Political News and Analysis from Philly.com, the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News, including complete coverage of the 2008 Pennsylvania primary election.
Anyone who thinks Pennsylvania is close to legalizing pot must be smoking something
Philly.com's newish pro-pot columnist (pictured on Philly.com here ,on left, proudly breaking the law...where are the David Gregory cops?) is still lighting it up on the Internet:
Locally, there was one brief test last weekend of Obama’s “bigger fish” statement. More than 150 supporters gathered on Independence Mall near the Liberty Bell on December 15 for a demonstration called “Smoke Down Prohibition.” Activists, including a registered nurse, a cancer patient and myself addressed the crowd. At 4:20 p.m., most of those in attendance lit up marijuana joints.
National Park Service police and a contingent of Philadelphia City Police watched from across the street. The event took place on federal property in an area preserved for 1st Amendment protests. There were no arrests or citations.
Why demonstrate? Well, as Thomas Jefferson said “If a law is unjust, a man is not only right to disobey it; he is obligated to do so.”
OK -- but whatever happened to the big banks and the 1 Percent? Sigh. Meanwhile, there's an article speculating on the prospects for medical marijuana or any other type of pot legalization in Pennylvania. Basically, the commonwealth is engaged in a race to the bottom to see what will cross the finish line last -- medical marijuana or gay rights. I don't expect to live long enough to find out, as evidenced by this circa-1967 spokesman for Gov. Corbett:
"He believes that smoking marijuana is a crime, should remain a crime and that marijuana is a gateway drug," Harley said.
In other words, let them inhale fracking chemicals.
Comments (60)
Grew up in the seventies when pot smoking was rampant among college-age kids. First hand experience with the weed. Many of my friends smoked it, graduated and moved on. Some of them, however, got consumed by it and never moved on. That's a fact. So if you are for it and your life seems to be going pretty well, don't think everyone else will necessarily follow suit. Plus, if it is legalized, we will find out more about the side effects of regular pot-smoking as we will see volumes of research studies as well as real life examples, similar to what we saw with the dangers of smoking tobacco. My feeling--right now this country does not need to legalize pot. There is no "cash bump" for something so hearty, you can grow it in your backyard (or your closet with some high-intensity spotlights and aluminum foil). Let's try to put our energies into legislation that creates jobs so we can put unemployed people get back to work--not improve their access to something that helps them escape their reality.— Origami- I wonder if marijuana smokers will be treated like tobacco smokers - I mean, you really got to be STUPID to smoke cigarettes, right?
It stinks, gives you cancer, 2nd hand smoke is lethal, your employment is in jeopardy - I'm sure the pot smokers will suffer the same consequences... why promote that?— michael_b - This is a bad comparison. Cigarettes don't affect one's judgement. A mind-altering substance like marijuana does. And cigarette smoking doesn't put anyone's job in jeopardy if they don't do it on company property.
— wokmaster - If alcohol is legal, there is no reason pot shouldn't be also. Detractors are jaded by their own myopic experience or lack thereof. If we rewind the issue to its genesis you see two major things spurring legislation: cronyism to drive consumers away from hemp products for the benefit of a few and thinly veiled racism. Anyone against the legalization of marijuana is a hypocrite if not against the legality of all forms of intoxicants.— person19107
Back in the days when at least 70% of the people spending time under my roof qualified as hippies, pot was taken for granted. Actually one of my housemates did a fair amount of importing from exotic places like Canada - very profitable.
I never got hooked or developed an appreciation for the various strains and vintages of the weed. Tobacco smoke was and is my lung poison of choice.
Considering the current plight of us cigarette smokers - smoking banned on public property, smoking banned in entire condominium buildings, smoking banned in vehicles carrying children - next pets? - and outrageously disproportionately high taxes on the product, how will we argue with a straight face that the smoke from one source - pot - is less unhealthy than the smoke from another source - tobacco?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying either product should be so overly controlled - the choice is yours/mine - if you don't like smoke from any source in your face, stay out of the way.- Back in the days when at least 70% of the people spending time under my roof qualified as hippies, pot was taken for granted. Actually one of my housemates did a fair amount of importing from exotic places like Canada - very profitable.I never got hooked or developed an appreciation for the various strains and vintages of the weed. Tobacco smoke was and is my lung poison of choice.Considering the current plight of us cigarette smokers - smoking banned on public property, smoking banned in entire condominium buildings, smoking banned in vehicles carrying children - next pets? - and outrageously disproportionately high taxes on the product, how will we argue with a straight face that the smoke from one source - pot - is less unhealthy than the smoke from another source - tobacco?Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying either product should be so overly controlled - the choice is yours/mine - if you don't like smoke from any source in your face, stay out of the way. (HTML deleted)
- It seems like some of our astute thinkers believe that "banning" is the answer for everything so let's try banning or Accident Free Zones at major intersections of interstate highways - surely this will reduce our insurance rates - right?
Get real...violence and mental health are the disease in most mass murders - a limitation of assault weapons, extended clips and such IS a start, but treat the disease not the symptoms.
Legalize Marijuana - go after the drugs that are far more dangerous. In this very paper today, there is an article about the increase of Meth Labs - Meth, the most dangerous drug in America.
Stop wasting valuable rssources on this product and go after Cocaine, Meth, Hroin that is stealing the hearts and souls of our people.
Did anyone else notice how obvious the drug problem was missing from the presidential debates?— STEPHEN1988 - I understand what you're saying and I agree with it all.
However, please comment on the issue I bring up in the Comment above yours:
All forms of constraints placed on cigarette smoking - not to mention outrageous disproportionately high taxes on tobacco - are based on the assumption that smoke is "dangerous" to ones health.
Until recently this was the sole basis for determining the limits on smoking.
The anti-smoking crusaders are not made up entirely of health-conscious warriors - they include a large number of people who simply don't like the smell of cigarette smoke.
But they can't legislate on the basis of their likes and dislikes hence the citing of "studies" - some legitimate and others bogus to promote their cause.
My point is, if smoking tobacco products can be heavily controlled on the basis of smoke being unhealthy how can an argument for legalizing the smoking of pot be put forth without demonstrating that inhaling the smoke from pot is less unhealthy than inhaling the smoke from tobacco?
Good luck, because I long for citizens to be able to choose - I will go to a bar/restaurant where there is smoke from any source OR I won't go to a place where there is smoke from any source. 
"Plus, if it is legalized, we will find out more about the side effects of regular pot-smoking as we will see volumes of research studies" . . . . You mean like Fiorello LaGuardia's commissioned study in the 40s? The fact that this 5 year study medically debunked most of the myths about pot use led the Feds to effectively nix any further studies, by heavily criminalizing possession in the 50s (2-10 year mandatory sentencing for first offense possession!). Until then, outside of state and local prohibtions, pot was subject to heavy Fed taxation backed by draconian penalties for evasion, such that it made the lawful marketing of pot too risky and unprofitable.- No,Joe Montani, I am talking about a continuation of the proven research studies that shows a correlation between chronic pot use and permanent memory loss and impaired brain function, even after people quit smoking pot. I am talking about increased studies that would occur around second hand pot smoke and its impact upon young children--an inevitability if we legalized it. In short, I am talking about serious medical research that would be occurring in the 21st century, not some 70 year old study that was initiated to disprove the "gateway drug" theory about pot, which I do not believe in either. Do your homework--there is a substantial body of evidence out there around the detrimental effects of chronic pot use out there already.
Not to mention the other confirmed social risks of smoking pot: it doubles your risk of being in an auto accident if you drive stoned; less academic success; less career success; lower life satisfaction; and higher rates of absenteeism at work and school.
Just something that we should consider before we make it the law of the land.— Origami - It's worth noting that anti-pot hysteria developed during prohibition in the 20s, when it became the alternative recreational drug of choice in black and hispanic neighborhoods. This racial association made it easy to sell the notion that pot was evil, and belonged in the same class of poisons as heroin and cocaine. The public resentment of Mexicans coming into the US for work during the Depression only made it easier. The real fear of the powers-that-be was the agricultural development of hemp to replace wood pulp for newspapers (a fear that in itself was unfounded) thus threatening the holdings of the rich timber owners, and some have pointed to DuPont's influence trying to protect its burgeoning chemical fiber undustry.
- "The Liberal Mind: If we legalize everything we will have no crime. Problem solved." . . . . . LOL, no, just legalize those things that incite the Right's neuroses and envy, like gay marriage, contraception, and getting high. Look what it's doing to the GOP lately? And I just love how they're too stubborn to take a hint.
- "Just something that we should consider before we make it the law of the land." . . . . Origami, we have enough studies showing the detrimental impact of "too much of a good thing", whether it be booze, tobacco, fatty foods, lack of exercise, watching violence on TV, etc., but as a general rule we as a society seek to educate the consumer and let them decide for themselves, except when the overall risk to society is too great or imminent. Prohibition proved the folly of outlawing a popular vice because of its abuses, rather than address those abuses on their own terms.
- And how do you propose we address those "abuses on their own terms."
Prohibition was folly because alcohol was so entrenched in our history and culture. Pot does not have that same level of support.
I believe you need to examine the law of unintended consequences before you make these kinds of far-reaching decisions. Prohibition proves there are no do-overs. To you, it is a matter of personal freedom--as if a person's decision to use, or abuse a substance has little impact on you or me, the consumer, as you labelled us.
This is no longer the case. If it is fact that pot users are at increased risk (double)for auto accidents, then it would also follow that there would be more auto accidents. Increased accidents means higher auto insurance premiums for the consumer.
Now that we are on the path toward single payer health insurance, then those pot users, or abusers, of the drug that suffer memory impairment, or worse, require permanent health care will increase the utilization of healthcare costs and services. This will result in higher insurance costs for the consumer.
This is the kind of argument we need to have before we decide one way or the other. Don't give me Robert Mitchum and LaGuardia. Leave your ideologically entrenched state, think through the pros and cons and then form an argument.
A mind is a terrible thing to waster. :-)— Origami - "Make health insurance pay for everyone's mellow" . . . . LOL, now we're entering dangerous territory - Big Pharma's monopoly on everyone's mellow.
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