Legalize Marijuana and Prostitution

[PoliticalCitizen]

Should our federal government impose tougher sentences on criminals or reduce their number by taking away and taxing their business?

Should I have to seek contact with the "criminals" when attempting to buy pot or E ?

Should I be considered a criminal for possessing several doses of either?

Or should my government protect me as a consumer by regulating, inspecting and taxing the producers of both?

Should a prostitute be afraid to go to the police? Or should the state tax and protect her?

Those are pretty basic questions. If we want to be a free society we should not ban what isn't dangerous.

Instead of spending money on marijuana, MDMA and massage parlors raids and imprisoning the perpetrators we could make money by taxing these industries.

Not to mention the influx of tourists - Canada could become the new Holland

[DrGreenthumb]

Should our federal government impose tougher sentences on criminals or reduce their number by taking away and taxing their business?

Should I have to seek contact with the "criminals" when attempting to buy pot or E ?

Should I be considered a criminal for possessing several doses of either?

Or should my government protect me as a consumer by regulating, inspecting and taxing the producers of both?

Should a prostitute be afraid to go to the police? Or should the state tax and protect her?

Those are pretty basic questions. If we want to be a free society we should not ban what isn't dangerous.

Instead of spending money on marijuana, MDMA and massage parlors raids and imprisoning the perpetrators we could make money by taxing these industries.

Not to mention the influx of tourists - Canada could become the new Holland

None of this will EVER happen with a TORY government, at least not HARPER's. The conservatives want to make sinning as dangerous as possible. They will then cite those dangers that they created as reasons not to sin.

[cybercoma]

This point could've easily been made in the thread already discussing the prohibition of drugs.

[PoliticalCitizen]

This point could've easily been made in the thread already discussing the prohibition of drugs.

It's not just about drugs. It's about a whole layer of our society that lives and works in the twilight zone: they're needed but punished.

The society craves their services but jails them for providing what satisfies the need.

"Hey, listen, do you know where I could get some pot?"

"Yeah, sure, I could sell you some..."

"Oh no!! You're a DRUG DEALER?!"

It is a two-faced approach where our citizens become both the victims and the criminals...

Edited September 25, 2008 by PoliticalCitizen

[PoliticalCitizen]

None of this will EVER happen with a TORY government, at least not HARPER's. The conservatives want to make sinning as dangerous as possible. They will then cite those dangers that they created as reasons not to sin.

I agree... But maybe a Conservative majority will cristalize and give new momentum to the legalization movement. This is one of the points where Conservatives CANNOT be the same as Liberals, NDP and Greens.

[Jobu]

I support the Conservatives, but am also in favour of legalization and taxing of these "victimless crimes".

[PoliticalCitizen]

I support the Conservatives, but am also in favour of legalization and taxing of these "victimless crimes".

That's where Mixed-Member Proportional Representation could come in handy - you could cast one vote for the Tories and one for the Greens

[TCCK]

Should our federal government impose tougher sentences on criminals or reduce their number by taking away and taxing their business?

Should I have to seek contact with the "criminals" when attempting to buy pot or E ?

Should I be considered a criminal for possessing several doses of either?

Or should my government protect me as a consumer by regulating, inspecting and taxing the producers of both?

Should a prostitute be afraid to go to the police? Or should the state tax and protect her?

Those are pretty basic questions. If we want to be a free society we should not ban what isn't dangerous.

Instead of spending money on marijuana, MDMA and massage parlors raids and imprisoning the perpetrators we could make money by taxing these industries.

Not to mention the influx of tourists - Canada could become the new Holland

YES, you should be charged, YES you should lose your house, car, boat, etc if you sell drugs, YES, penalties should be tougher so this will be driven into extinction. YES a prostitue should be afraid to go to anyone of the legal system when she is commiting a crime by demeaning herself and selling her body and spreading disease.

I DO NOT WANT CANADA TO BECOME THE NEXT SLEAZE HOLE WHERE SCUM TOURISTS COME TO DO DRUGS AND PATRONIZE THOSE OF THE SEX TRADE!!! I do not want to raise children or grand children in a country to puts such a low value on life and moral values!!! I SAY NEVER IN MY CANADA!!!

[Smallc]

I've always wondered why a woman has the right to choose what to do with her body when it comes to abortion, but not when it comes to prostitution. When you think about it (or when I think about it anyway), it seems like a stupid thing to be worried about.

[TCCK]

I've always wondered why a woman has the right to choose what to do with her body when it comes to abortion, but not when it comes to prostitution. When you think about it (or when I think about it anyway), it seems like a stupid thing to be worried about.

Who said either of them were good?!?!?! They both suck!

[TCCK]

I've always wondered why a woman has the right to choose what to do with her body when it comes to abortion, but not when it comes to prostitution. When you think about it (or when I think about it anyway), it seems like a stupid thing to be worried about.

Who said either of them were good?!?!?! They both suck!

[Smallc]

Who said either of them were good?!?!?! They both suck!

People are most certainly going to engage in prostitution no matter what. I really don't see what we've gained through its illegality.

[WIP]

Should our federal government impose tougher sentences on criminals or reduce their number by taking away and taxing their business?

Should I have to seek contact with the "criminals" when attempting to buy pot or E ?

Should I be considered a criminal for possessing several doses of either?

Or should my government protect me as a consumer by regulating, inspecting and taxing the producers of both?

Should a prostitute be afraid to go to the police? Or should the state tax and protect her?

Those are pretty basic questions. If we want to be a free society we should not ban what isn't dangerous.

Instead of spending money on marijuana, MDMA and massage parlors raids and imprisoning the perpetrators we could make money by taxing these industries.

Not to mention the influx of tourists - Canada could become the new Holland

Social conservatives, and the Religious Right in particular, are totally oblivious to the fact that their efforts to criminalize vice and immorality have led to more drug use and a greater prostitution problem, which instead of being regulated, as most rational pragmatic people would advise, is suppressed and swept under the carpet, where it can be run by organized crime syndicates who take over the business of supplying products and services to a market that will buy them, regardless of whether or not they are illegal.

The Right is always bitching about how unrealistic and utopian, socialists are -- but when it comes to social policies, they are the utopians -- who try to legislate their way to morality and disregard evidence that their strategies like the "war on drugs," haven't worked, still don't work, and the more money that is thrown at the problem, the bigger it grows.

I'm not all that concerned about money to be made by taxing drugs and prostitution -- I just want to see these businesses out in the open, where they can be regulated. When it comes to drugs, if marijuana or other drugs are really as safe as pot-smoking advocates contend -- then legalize them, and treat those who are prone to addiction to the drugs that no one believes are safe as a health problem first before sending them off to prison. But that means tolerating a certain level of vice and immorality. and accepting situations that are less than perfect.

[WIP]

YES, you should be charged, YES you should lose your house, car, boat, etc if you sell drugs, YES, penalties should be tougher so this will be driven into extinction.

There have been a few cases in the U.S. where ranch owners have had marijuana planted on their property by outsiders, who have shown up at the auctions to buy the properties that have been seized. This whole policy of forfeiture of properties in drug cases is becoming a racket that is corrupting government and law enforcement.

link

YES a prostitue should be afraid to go to anyone of the legal system when she is commiting a crime by demeaning herself and selling her body and spreading disease.

YOu religious whackos and your perfect moral standards make me puke! Did it occur to you that a girl who is working the streets as a prostitute may have been hooked on crack by a pimp, for the purpose of coercing her into working for him? Some years back, there was a thriving trade run by Russian mafias who brought Russian and other Eastern European young women into Canada and the U.S. illegally and put them to work in strip joints and whorehouses. These girls usually didn't speak any English and here you are demanding that conditions be so extreme that they should be afraid to seek help. This is how religious moralists make problems worse and spread misery!

[Bryan]

None of this will EVER happen with a TORY government, at least not HARPER's. The conservatives want to make sinning as dangerous as possible. They will then cite those dangers that they created as reasons not to sin.

This is not necessarily true. A lot of Conservative supporters are very much libertarian with regards to these issues, at least as it pertains to adults. I certainly recognize the hypocrisy of having weed be illegal but coffee, tobacco, and alcohol are legal. Prostitution makes no more sense. It's OK to give it away to anyone you want, but if they pay you it's a crime?

The hesitation (and to a lesser extent even the clamp downs) happens because opinions vary widely about how pulling back from that hardline could ever be achieved safely, and how something could be made legal for an adult in their own home, yet still be a very serious crime to expose children to, and to still enforce discretion in general.

The thing is, with global trade the way it is, no country (regardless of who is in power) is ever going to present an image of lawlessness and debauchery to it's trading parners, so from a practical sense, complete legalization or even meaninglfiul decriminalization will never happen.

[Drea]

YES, you should be charged, YES you should lose your house, car, boat, etc if you sell drugs, YES, penalties should be tougher so this will be driven into extinction. YES a prostitue should be afraid to go to anyone of the legal system when she is commiting a crime by demeaning herself and selling her body and spreading disease.

I DO NOT WANT CANADA TO BECOME THE NEXT SLEAZE HOLE WHERE SCUM TOURISTS COME TO DO DRUGS AND PATRONIZE THOSE OF THE SEX TRADE!!! I do not want to raise children or grand children in a country to puts such a low value on life and moral values!!! I SAY NEVER IN MY CANADA!!!

Holy smokes! New poster has anger issues... eek! LOL

Don't you worry your pretty little head... soon Jeezus will come and you will get sucked up in the Rapture. This cannot happen soon enough IMO. Leave the rest of us alone to go about our lives how we see fit. Hurry UP already! LOL

Do you not understand that the "criminal element" would be all but erradicted were drugs and prostitution legal? How many times have you been approached by a fellow selling Jack Daniels out of his basement? Why is that? Why don't people purchase bottles of Jack from "street dealers"?

If you are afraid your children (OMG! Think of the CHILDREN! LOL) are going to do drugs, educate them, talk to them, teach them to make wise decisions! Don't just cover your ears and say "La La La, I can't heaaar you! If my children don't know cocaine existis, they will never try it..."

Once a substance is legal, we can educate people on it's level of harmfulness. As we have with cigarettes. Ever wonder why the instances of smoking has greatly decreased over the past twenty years? E-D-U-C-A-T-I-O-N.

[OddSox]

This is not necessarily true. A lot of Conservative supporters are very much libertarian with regards to these issues, at least as it pertains to adults. I certainly recognize the hypocrisy of having weed be illegal but coffee, tobacco, and alcohol are legal. Prostitution makes no more sense. It's OK to give it away to anyone you want, but if they pay you it's a crime?

The hesitation (and to a lesser extent even the clamp downs) happens because opinions vary widely about how pulling back from that hardline could ever be achieved safely, and how something could be made legal for an adult in their own home, yet still be a very serious crime to expose children to, and to still enforce discretion in general.

The thing is, with global trade the way it is, no country (regardless of who is in power) is ever going to present an image of lawlessness and debauchery to it's trading parners, so from a practical sense, complete legalization or even meaninglfiul decriminalization will never happen.

Hear, Hear! I think it's very true that many conservatives realize the futility of prohibition laws of any sort, whether it be the 'war on drugs', prostitution or banning guns. On the other hand, they also realize the futility of trying to legalize drugs when there is so much money involved - both for the DEA types and the HA types.

Decriminalization as proposed by the Liberals was a joke. Many felt that it would actually lead to an increase in marijuana busts for the average user because the cops could freely hit you with fines for possession of personal amounts, rather than worrying about prosecution of a criminal case. The current situation has, in many instances, resulted in a 'de facto' decriminalization of possession for small amounts as the police will usually look the other way - while being able to maintain their lucrative 'war on drugs' in terms of grow-ops and smuggling (an awful lot of union jobs involved) - and the organized crime groups are able to continue their own lucrative operations.

[guyser]

Who said either of them were good?!?!?! They both suck!

Ha, you are right......but one of them would not be in the predicament if they did , and the other charges for it.

[guyser]

YES, you should be charged, YES you should lose your house, car, boat, etc if you sell drugs, YES, penalties should be tougher so this will be driven into extinction.

Seems fair for selling an ounce of weed does it?

YES a prostitue should be afraid to go to anyone of the legal system when she is commiting a crime by demeaning herself and selling her body and spreading disease.

I wasnt aware they were all diseased. I suppose you have had sufficient experience to know. How much for a half and half?

I DO NOT WANT CANADA TO BECOME THE NEXT SLEAZE HOLE WHERE SCUM TOURISTS COME TO DO DRUGS AND PATRONIZE THOSE OF THE SEX TRADE!!! I do not want to raise children or grand children in a country to puts such a low value on life and moral values!!! I SAY NEVER IN MY CANADA!!!

Well, drugs and prostitution is already here, in your Canada. Mine has it too.

Put a low value on life and moral values? I could suggest a place for your morals, but it will cost ya $75.

Take a breath and find reality.

[DrGreenthumb]

Hear, Hear! I think it's very true that many conservatives realize the futility of prohibition laws of any sort, whether it be the 'war on drugs', prostitution or banning guns. On the other hand, they also realize the futility of trying to legalize drugs when there is so much money involved - both for the DEA types and the HA types.

Decriminalization as proposed by the Liberals was a joke. Many felt that it would actually lead to an increase in marijuana busts for the average user because the cops could freely hit you with fines for possession of personal amounts, rather than worrying about prosecution of a criminal case. The current situation has, in many instances, resulted in a 'de facto' decriminalization of possession for small amounts as the police will usually look the other way - while being able to maintain their lucrative 'war on drugs' in terms of grow-ops and smuggling (an awful lot of union jobs involved) - and the organized crime groups are able to continue their own lucrative operations.

The problem is Harper is willing to pander to folks like TCCK, no matter how much harm he will cause by implementing policies to please them. Even leaving the laws the way they are now would be preferable to Harper's get tough BS. Putting someone in jail for 6 months over growing a single pot plant makes no sense, nobody on the left is suggesting that we go soft on violent offenders, or car theives etc, that is where we should be concentrating the efforts of our justice system. Criminalizing behavior that is not victimizing of others and really only ammounts to a personal choice is fascism. All drugs and prostitution become more dangerous the harder we crack down on them.

If conservatives like yourself would speak up and let your leadership know that these types of laws are unacceptable then Conservative parties might eventually get a clue and become a party that more people could support. I worked on several conservative campaigns when I was younger, but since Harper took over and is pushing these type of freedom-crushing harmful policies I can never support the Conservatives. This is big government at its worst, it's Big Brother. I supervise people, mostly teenagers who have been givin conditional sentences, fine options, and community service. About 90% of those I have supervised have been there because of some kind of drug charge. All of them have been nice easygoing kids, caught in youthful experimentation that MOST Canadians engaged in at their age. I have not come in contact with anyone I would consider a threat to the public, or dangerous in any way. I can only imagine how different these kids would be after half a year in a prison with REAL criminals. If Harper gets in we are going to see a lot of heartbroken parents, and a lot more hardened criminals in our midst.

Harper, and his flunkies in the media are quick to give some examples of what crimes they would restrict conditional sentences for but are strangely quiet about the vast majority of what crimes will result in imprisonment. I see the papers and Harper give examples like rape, murder etc but sure don't want to volenteer that people growing a single pot plant or selling a few bags of weed to their friends, will suffer the same fate as murderers and rapists.

I want Canada to be an example of what a free country can be not involved in a competetion with the USA to see who can jail the largest percentage of its population

[PoliticalCitizen]

YES, you should be charged, YES you should lose your house, car, boat, etc if you sell drugs, YES, penalties should be tougher so this will be driven into extinction. YES a prostitue should be afraid to go to anyone of the legal system when she is commiting a crime by demeaning herself and selling her body and spreading disease.

I DO NOT WANT CANADA TO BECOME THE NEXT SLEAZE HOLE WHERE SCUM TOURISTS COME TO DO DRUGS AND PATRONIZE THOSE OF THE SEX TRADE!!! I do not want to raise children or grand children in a country to puts such a low value on life and moral values!!! I SAY NEVER IN MY CANADA!!!

First of all - stop shouting or you'll be considered a troll.

Secondly - bold fonts and multiple exclamation marks are not going to compensate for your inablitiy to substatiate your argument.

Thirdly - your words show hatred, despise and disrespect towards recreational drug users and sex services workers.

If you are so worried with upholding moral values and think so little of the "sinners", how come you haven't emmigrated to an Islamic country? They're very good with morals, especially Taliban was...

Canada has legalized same-sex marriages and Toronto Pride festival is one of the biggest in North America. How can you live with that?

[guyser]

Canada has legalized same-sex marriages and Toronto Pride festival is one of the biggest in North America. How can you live with that?

You know what they say about the loud complainers.

Hope our poster doesnt have a wide stance.

[PoliticalCitizen]

This is not necessarily true. A lot of Conservative supporters are very much libertarian with regards to these issues, at least as it pertains to adults. I certainly recognize the hypocrisy of having weed be illegal but coffee, tobacco, and alcohol are legal. Prostitution makes no more sense. It's OK to give it away to anyone you want, but if they pay you it's a crime?

Wow, you went even further than I ever considered... Coffee is addictive too, isn't it? I guess there are no side-effects to its regulare intake (or almost none) - which makes it a perfect drug!

I'm sure once habitual psychotropic substances (non-addictive recreational drugs) are de-criminalized by major countries and big Pharma players will start their R&D full-scale they could discover many harmless drugs or even super-drugs - substances that would make you smarter, healthier, strogner as side-effects of making you high!

The hesitation (and to a lesser extent even the clamp downs) happens because opinions vary widely about how pulling back from that hardline could ever be achieved safely, and how something could be made legal for an adult in their own home, yet still be a very serious crime to expose children to, and to still enforce discretion in general.

Children are exposed to all of it today. Besides being exposed to violence, sex and drugs children are exposed to RELIGION. Once addicted, a person loses their free mind and free will. Abstinence results in bouts of anger (see the bold poster above).

The thing is, with global trade the way it is, no country (regardless of who is in power) is ever going to present an image of lawlessness and debauchery to it's trading parners, so from a practical sense, complete legalization or even meaninglfiul decriminalization will never happen.

Are you saying that if we legalize pot and paid sex USA won't trade with us?

[PoliticalCitizen]

You know what they say about the loud complainers.

Hope our poster doesnt have a wide stance.

LOL

[Bryan]

Are you saying that if we legalize pot and paid sex USA won't trade with us?

It would seriously hurt our relationship with our largest trading partner. No rational Prime Minister would even consider going there, even if that was specifically what he wanted most.