TRoberts says:

We need to legalize it so it can get taxed, and pay for the health care reform!

Scott Polser says:

As a four year veteran “Washington State Medical Marijuana Authorized Patient” I would like to share my vision concerning the prospect of re-legalizing Marijuana.

First and foremost I believe Medical Marijuana patients need safeguards built into any legislation legalizing or decriminalizing Marijuana so that our medicine is “Tax Exempt”!

We don’t pay taxes on RX medication now so why should Medical Marijuana be any different…it shouldn’t! Until the new law here in Washington State takes effect June 10th 2010 patients have been paying up to $200 to attend a clinic such as those offered by THCF to have an out of state MD authorize their use of medicine. The Governor signed the new law which was introduced as a means for rural patients to gain access to medical providers such as ARNP’s for their authorizations since many live long distances from MD’s and rely on other medical providers for their care. This new law may provide a means for patients to receive their authorizations without the expense involved with the clinics. In my opinion “Medical Marijuana” patients deserve diagnosis, treatment and medical providers that are in the business of practicing medicine to help people rather than making money off the sick, disabled, and terminally ill seeking help through the use of Marijuana.

If it’s medicine then its not taxable, if its for recreational use I would support Marijuana being being sold through State run liquor stores as long as the following criteria are met:

Certified organic, fungus, and insect free with any Nutrients and/or Pesticides used available for review.

The same requirements as far as age to purchase/use and penalties for inappropriate use such as driving under the influence.

The price and subsequent “Sin Tax” does not exceed the average price of liquor based on quality, quantity, etc…This would add greatly to State budgets that could use any additional sources of income to offset shortfalls

Essentially if an adult wants to relax after a long day with Marijuana rather than alcohol I believe that should be a legal choice and personally believe it’s much safer in many ways, read “Marijuana is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink?” for the facts.

To further explain my opinion I would like to point out that many current “Authorized Medical Marijuana Patients” either cultivate their own medicine or rely on a “Designated Provider” to grow it for them. Many others rely on various organizations to accept donations and provide medical grade Marijuana to their members. If these methods are not protected many medically needy patients would not be able to afford their “MEDICINE” at recreational Marijuana prices including the inevitable “Sin Tax”! Seriously ill patients should not be put in a position to have the only legal access to their medicine be through recreational outlets such as liquor stores but rather need the same protections as any other RX user.

I personally don’t approve of the total “decriminalization” of Marijuana, without any regulation or guidelines to follow I envision a form of anarchy to follow; this paradigm allowing unfettered cultivation, transportation, sale and/or use of Marijuana leaves many possibilities for more crime, corruption, greed, etc…how are the sick and dying to procure their medicine when unable to grow? As safe as Marijuana is both recreationally and medicinally there are still unscrupulous people that will find a way to make money off growing, selling, and using the plant. Soapbar Hash is an example of a Marijuana concentrate that although decriminalized in many European countries is sold to unknowing users naive about the contaminates they are putting in their body such as:

Beeswax, turpentine, milk powder, ketamine, boot polish, henna, pine resin, aspirin, animal turds, ground coffee, barbiturates, glues and dyes plus carcinogenic solvents such as Toluene and Benzene,

These contaminates are a direct result of prohibition preventing proper controls and forcing the trade into the hands of organized crime. That being said I believe nothing will happen as far as legalization for medical or recreational use until Marijuana is removed from the Federal Schedule I Drug List! As long as its classified as having “No known medical use” in the same list as Heroin, LSD, and Meth: no clinical trials documenting the medicinal benefits can be conducted, researched, or funded legitimately. There are volumes of documentation covering thousands of years on the benefits of Marijuana, one resource I’ve discovered is this 2 DVD set containing an enormous amount of information and specifically being distributed free of charge with the intention of education. There are even directions on burning and distributing the information…

I will edit this post very soon with some additional links I like to share pointing out some old wives tales regarding Marijuana and it’s possible dangers. Here a a few to start off with:

Study – Pot doesn’t cause permanent brain damage http://www.cmcr.ucsd.edu/geninfo/Reuters_062703.pdf

University Of Toronto Study Shows Marijuana Not A Factor In Driving Accidents: http://bit.ly/dxjgZD

Study Finds No Cancer-Marijuana Connection – washingtonpost.com: http://bit.ly/9DMtS3

Medical Cannabis Use Doesn’t Adversely Impact Substance Abuse Treatment Outcomes, Study Says http://tinyurl.com/yls3eqe #norml

Peace :)