PC World Editor Slain

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/01/10/editor.killed.ap/index.html

He was killed by some masked men who broke into his house, and the police say that they think he and his wife were involved in "narcotic" deals and distribution. The son however claims that he grew medical marijuana at his parent's house, with their permission, and 100% legally.

All sounds a bit suspicious. If it was in fact marijuana related, I resent the police of using the term "narcotics" and I also resent the fact they are turning a victim into a criminal, especially if the marijuana was legal.

If it had been PC Gamer I would have said it was just justice being served. But no, this is just sad. :(

Medical marijuana IS illegal, sorta. See, the state may have made it legal, but the federal government claims that federal law supercedes state law in this case, which is, IMO, bullshit.

Addendum: Really, this is just more proof that Marijuana should be fully legalised. If it were legal, there wouldn't be thugs going around killing people for their perscription marijuana. In fact, legalising it would be a giant kick in the nuts to all the drug lords out there

I guess these people were just more victims of the War on Drugs. Go America!

Naked Snake said:

Medical marijuana IS illegal, sorta. See, the state may have made it legal, but the federal government claims that federal law supercedes state law in this case, which is, IMO, bullshit.

Medical marijuana is 100% legal in california.. heck marijuana itself is almost legal in California.. I saw a cops episode where some people got pulled over for possesion and he wrote them a ticket because it was thier first time and there wasnt much and they werent on parole.

But yeah medical marijuana is legal in california, as in doctors can prescribe it, it can be possessed, and it can be purchased from shops which sell it to people who have it prescribed to them. I heard that huge armed guards apparently stand at the doors but inside there are many different strains all available like a frickin candy shop for potheads. And the strains are all the street names for the strains, like white widow or AK47, so like you get a little baggy with MEDICAL MARIJUANA and some strain name on it. Oh yeah, and apparently personals are constantly run by doctors who say they can prescribe marijuana, which implies that if you go to them they'll sell you a prescription for $100 or so and some halfassed story on why you need it.

insertwackynamehere said:

Medical marijuana is 100% legal in california.. heck marijuana itself is almost legal in California.. I saw a cops episode where some people got pulled over for possesion and he wrote them a ticket because it was thier first time and there wasnt much and they werent on parole.

Did you understand what I said? No, it's not. Local cops may not enforce marijuana laws, but the DEA still does. Medical marijuana is illegal IN EVERY STATE, REGARDLESS of state law. The Federal government does NOT recognize medical marijuana laws and will still enforce federal drug enforcement laws. The DEA has, and still continues to, raided medical marijuana farms and the state was powerless to stop it.

IMO, this a clear violation of State's Rights, but nobody is willing to stand up for their rights anymore.

In fact, legalising it would be a giant kick in the nuts to all the drug lords out there

I've always found this to be a dangerous assumption. If pot was legal in the US, the drug lords would simply create a legitimate front to fund their other illegal activities.

Also, assuming it becomes illegal, it'll be regulated, so therefore, there will still be an "underage market".

Naked Snake said:
I've always found this to be a dangerous assumption. If pot was legal in the US, the drug lords would simply create a legitimate front to fund their other illegal activities.

Why, because they are fundamentally evil men? It's far too complex an arrangement to apply that demonizing propaganda beind the "war on drugs" to it. Tons of farmers' lives depend on the products used for drugs, and thus the production is a political issue of pretty hefty magnitude. If it were legalized in key states (such as the main buyers of drugs, like the US and the EU) it would merely attract more legit capital and require less need to defend the industry with private armies and shady associations with parties or other businessess (given that large scale business has enough shadiness and laundering in itself, legit or otherwise). It would likely create somewhat of a rift with the producers of harder drugs (assuming these were not legalized in some way as well), especially in instances with enough regulation.

Also, assuming it becomes illegal, it'll be regulated, so therefore, there will still be an "underage market".

You mean like the underage markets for porn, cigarettes, restricted video games, and alcohol?

Naked Snake said:

IMO, this a clear violation of State's Rights, but nobody is willing to stand up for their rights anymore.

The south lost, so no, it isn't a violation of state rights. Besides, technically this would only apply if the state itself doled out the grass. State rights are just that, state rights and not individual rights.

Naked Snake said:

I've always found this to be a dangerous assumption. If pot was legal in the US, the drug lords would simply create a legitimate front to fund their other illegal activities.

Also, assuming it becomes illegal, it'll be regulated, so therefore, there will still be an "underage market".

Pennsylvania doesn't care about this since they are allowing Casinos in Philly which is going to definitely bring back the mob to some degree. On the other hand, marijuana legalization will stop illegal activity with the substance to the same extent it was stopped with alcohol when prohibition was repealed. There is no real money in alcohol for crime lords, but there was during prohibition. However I don't think any organized crime group does anything with alcohol, anymore, to the best of my knowledge.

Naked Snake said:

I've always found this to be a dangerous assumption. If pot was legal in the US, the drug lords would simply create a legitimate front to fund their other illegal activities.

I think myk said most of what I wanted to say in reply, but I'd like to add one thing. I don't think the drug lords would be the main purveyors of marijuana if it became legal. In all likelyhood there would be a bit of a war between the tobacco companies trying to expand their markets and the current growers becoming legit ("Marlboro Green" vs. "Gypsy John's Country-Grown Cannabis"). Drug lords make much more money off the hard stuff anyway.

Danarchy said:

I think myk said most of what I wanted to say in reply, but I'd like to add one thing. I don't think the drug lords would be the main purveyors of marijuana if it became legal. In all likelyhood there would be a bit of a war between the tobacco companies trying to expand their markets and the current growers becoming legit ("Marlboro Green" vs. "Gypsy John's Country-Grown Cannabis"). Drug lords make much more money off the hard stuff anyway.

Thats pretty much how I feel, except for the tobacco company part. I think that most tobacco companies will avoid marijuana because they won't want the image attached that is attached to it (except for Dutch Masters, Phillies and other blunt companies which will probably begin immediate production of marijuana blunts since they are probably aware thats what their product is actually used for anyway, for the most part). Otherwise, companies will quickly spring up that associate with the cannabis culture to produce marijuana that can be purchased dried (different types for rolling, tea-making, vaporizing etc thanks to merchandizing) with different FDA approved levels of THC (much like alcoholic beverages contain certified amounts of alcohol, which vary based on product). Other companies (or the same ones producing different products) will manufacture already rolled joints, but probably as machine rolled cones and not as tubes because despite the mass production, they know that cones will go over better with thier target market even if they are far from home-rolled. Head shops will finally get to stop saying they are for tobacco and legal herb use only as well.

Also, age limit would probably be 21 and not 18 until alcohol becomes 18+ and not 21+ and only marijuana would be sellable at corner stores in certain states, whereas hash and hash oil would probably be sold only at state stores along with very high potency marijuana (similar to how a bunch of states like PA only allow beer to be sold at corner stores whereas hard liquor and other drinks must be state-store sold).

So all in all, an entire new industry would spring up, (or cease to be as underground in the case of paraphernalia) in my opinion. Maybe some cigarrette companies will catch on, but they will probably stay focused on tobacco for the most part. Plenty new corporations will start focused specifically on "cannabis culture" whatever that entails, and then later on "milder" companies (or offshoots) will appear to help get rid of marijuana's stigma and make it appear appropriate for everyone and "mature" people (think the difference between ads for a fancy, expensive scotch, and a beer aimed at 20 something year olds). Some old companies will also become big or even bigger (Roor, the people who make those $5 metal pipes, the people who make Fun Guys and Hash Puppies and other such stuff). Other things such as rolling papers will probably not see much increase in buisness since they've always been used for legitimate as well as illegitimate things yet are sold everywhere since they dont have the stigma that a bong would have (tobacco-use only my ass) :P

anyway yeah thats my take on what would happen.