Recently at Reason.tv: Pot Wars—Battlefield California

Over the past couple of years, the medical marijuana industry in Los  Angeles has exploded. Estimates vary, but there may be as many as 800 dispensaries currently open for business in the city of angels. An ordinance recently passed by the LA city council, however, is about to change all that.

The new ordinance will force hundreds of dispensaries to close and all but a few to relocate. The goal was to bring clarity to the medical marijuana industry, but the only thing that's clear is that the transition process will be difficult. Especially now that the DEA has begun raiding dispensaries again despite the promises made by the Obama administration.

While federal, state and local governments struggle to make sense of medical marijuana laws, an increasing number of Californians support a completely different approach: marijuana legalization. Nothing more than a pipe dream? Maybe. But consider this: Fixty-six percent of Californians currently support pot legalization, the same proportion of Californians who voted for the Compassionate Use Act, which legalized medical marijuana, back in 1996.

Produced by Paul Feine. Shot and edited by Alex Manning. Graphics by Hawk Jensen.

Hosted by Nick Gillespie.

Approximately 9 minutes.

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Comments

[Tom]

Just in case ya didn't know, marijuana is currently illegal, and the penalties are severe. Regardless of what California does, it is still illegal at the federal level. It has been illegal a long time and it is going to stay that way, get used to it. Grow up and obey the law, do you really think a substance that is intoxicating and subject to abuse is going to be legal in the 21st century you are mistaken. It is a matter of public health.

[AAron]

"Grow up and obey the law, do you really think a substance that is intoxicating and subject to abuse is going to be legal in the 21st century you are mistaken." A substance that is intoxicating... you mean like alcohol? Alcohol is intoxicating, and proven to be chemically addictive (alcoholism), as well as increase violence in people. Marijuana is not chemically addictive (although people of course do become habitually addicted). And instead of becoming an angry drunk a pot smoker is much more likely to get stuck on the coach eating cheetos watching south park reruns. They don't hurt anyone else, so just let them have their pot, take the money away from the violent drug trade, and turn it into taxes to put in our schools, and save the wasted money on enforcing laws that don't work.

[Chad Brinko]

Whoa, you mean to tell me pot is illegal? No way dude, I been smoking the stuff for 30+ years now and had no idea!

Jerry
http://www.true-privacy.es.tc

[Silverman]

What's creepier--Tom's bot-sounding post by a real person or Brinko's real-sounding post by a bot?

[Daven]

just so you know buddy it is tha best thing in tha world you shud do it yourself you lil wimp

[Tom]

No, it is illegal. Laws are meant to protect us, it is wrong to endanger society by breaking the law.

[SpongePaul]

Unjust and bad laws like prohibition should be broken and repealed. Always question authority and research things for yourself. then if a law is blatant in its wrongness, it should be not only ignored, but railed against. Anyone who has thourly researched Cannibis L Sativa, Pyslocibin and even Mescalin can see it has Zero social harms and many good qualities, just because it also has plesurable qualites does not make it bad, or wrong, or even immoral, since my morals may be vastly different from yours or his or hers. morals have no place in law.

[johnny1]

tom @" do you really think a substance that is intoxicating and subject to abuse is going to be legal in the 21st century you are mistaken. It is a matter of public health."

alcohol? oxycotin

[Tom]

Alcohol is legal because it is grandfathered in. If it was invented today it would most certainly not be legal, and for that matter, neither would caffeine. Besides, alcohol can be used responsibly, illegal drugs cannot. Oxycotin is legal by prescription only for pain.

[tom]

you are a total moron... search THE MARIJUANA CONSPIRACY and expand your pitiful mind... Hemp is what made America

[Elliot]

Wow Tom. Have you been lobbing under a rock for the last 20 years?

[rocmon]

Tom, I think pot's been around longer than alcohol...

[aden]

Tom, cannabis was first made illegal in the US because it apparently turned minorities into blood thirsty killers. Also, its illegal status was lobbied for by an owner of a large paper mill who saw hemp as competition. So despite a lack of real scientific evidence, cannabis was made illegal for racial and business reasons. Do you think one should blindly follow a law with origins such as these with no scientific grounding at all.

[HARRY ANSLINGER]

Tom I get the satire.........if its not satire you need to take the butt plug out of your ass!

[John]

Tom, I take one, and only one hit of marijuana each night before I sleep to treat my insomnia and anxiety. Millions of other people use it this same way. Does that mean we all don't use the drug responsibly?

[Joshua]

Please...take your ego out of the equation and watch this film.

http://video.google.com/videop.....651731007#

:if link doesn't work copy and paste into url address bar.

[Nathan]

The union is a great film about the prohibition... Tom, you should watch it, then fact check it.