Baked Alaska
Another Alaska court, this time a court of appeals, has ruled that Alaskans have a right to possess small amounts of marijuana in their homes for personal use. The unanimous ruling, which overturned the conviction of a North Pole resident caught with five pot plants, cited a 1975 decision in which the Alaska Supreme Court concluded that the right to privacy guaranteed by the state constitution included possession of marijuana in one's home, provided the amount did not exceed four ounces, the threshold for "intent to deliver." A 1990 voter initiative ostensibly overturned that decision, but the state Court of Appeals says the Supreme Court's interpretation of the constitution still stands.
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North Pole resident?
Does that meant it was Santa or one of his elves growing pot?
You didn't know that "hydroponic" is Greek for "reindeer poop?"
Why do you think Santa is always so jolly?
That old guy clearly has the munchies. Just look at his belly!
Ah, so that's why pot is illegal -- it makes you want to overeat!!!
It's not Santa, unless David S. Noy is an alias for Saint Nick. North Pole is a town in Alaska. See http://www.northpolealaska.com/.
So wouldn't that make criminalization of pot a big liberal issue. Since weight is obviously a state problem.
Good point, Mo. For now, because pot prohibition is tied to the "morality police" you're more likely to find support for legalization on the left rather than the right (making due notice of all exceptions). But if a right-wing think tank ever releases a study about pot use and obesity, the nanny state faction on the left will become ardent fans of prohibition.
But you have to remember that in a cold climate like Alaska a little bit of fat is helpful anyway...
Oh, and I love the title "Baked Alaska".
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for the results, but am I the only one who scratches his head at the gyrations people go through when they talk about a right to privacy?
It covers abortions and pot, apparently.
I'd be inclined to agree with you, Jason, but if they're interpreting the 'right to privacy' to be the right to do what the hell you want on your property with your own body as long as it doesn't hurt someone, then maybe they're on to something. If it means that you have the right to commit crimes as long as no one notices, then I think it's suspect.
Jason-
Dude, those rulings on privacy and pot make perfect sense, man. Just gotta relax a little. I got something that can help ya relax, man....
😉
Mo And Thoreau: You would think that the Left would be countering the right-wing's War On Drugs, however, they have found it just as politically lucritive if they play the whole "health" issue to the hilt. ("A single joint has 19 times the carcinogents as a cigarette!")
Also, the Left has found that talk of drug reform is more damaging than helpful. Remember when Clinton Era Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders suggested we look into legalization? (The only one of two intellegent things she ever said.) The Clinton Administration backed away from her faster than it would take Billy to say "I didn't inhale."--though it was whole masturbation flap (the other intellegent thing she said) that drove the Adminstration to fire her.
Playing on the counter-culture of the 60s and 70s hasn't helped liberals at all since Billy-Boy left office. The Old-Timers who brought us Ronald Reagan and "Refer Madness" aren't going to stomach anyone running for office who wants to legalize the devil's weed. The Baby Boomers? They're suffering from there own massive guilt-trip from their "hedonistic" past and are doing whatever they can distance themselves from their tie-dyed past.
Don't count on the liberals to back us up on this issue anymore. They're fully co-opted into the War On Drugs. Leftist just think we should send users to involuntary re-hab and not the electric chair as the Right wants to.
With 20/20 hindsight I think we all now know exactly why Clinton fired Elders for the suggestion horny people should just masterbate...
Here's the actual decision:
http://www.state.ak.us/courts/ops/ap-1897.pdf
It's a bit more complicated than media reports would indicate ...
PS - the State AG has decided to appeal:
http://www.state.ak.us/local/03090203.htm
And the Governor is concerned ;^)
http://www.state.ak.us/local/03090201.htm
...a little magic dust for Santa Claus....a little magic dust for the reindeer.... a little MORE magic dust for Santa Claus...
reminding us from same record:
"Ah, whatever man. Recesssion, repression...it's all the same thing, man"
You don't need to go that far, man. Just across the border is all you're looking for.