When do you think marijuana will be legalized in the United States?

[ellisonz]

13 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	5 Years
	3 (23%)
	10 Years
	1 (8%)
	15 Years
	0 (0%)
	20 Years
	1 (8%)
	50 Years
	1 (8%)
	100 Years
	0 (0%)
	Never
	7 (54%)
	Other
	0 (0%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
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[Cronkite]

1. I am voting NEVER

The reason I am voting never is "Marijuana" can't buy politicians like the Pharma, Booze and Prison industries can. PLUS they can't figure out a way to tax it. If I can grow it in my tomato patch I am not going to pay a tax on it...

[former9thward]

22. They can easily tax it.

1) not everyone has a "tomato patch" to grow it.
2) not everyone who has a place to grow it is going to take the time and trouble to grow it.
3) you can grow tobacco also but not many do it.

[kentauros]

29. I agree on all counts,

especially #2. Plenty of people have large lawns and gardens. Very few of them have vegetable and herb gardens

[Cronkite]

32. So if it were legal people couldn't plant it?

It doesn't take much to plant a marijuana plant. The only reason I mentioned tomato's is marijuana enjoys the same growing conditions as a tomato plant.

Trust me, if you have any lawn at all you can grow a marijuana plant.

[kentauros]

34. I think you misread his #2.

Here it is again:

2) not everyone who has a place to grow it is going to take the time and trouble to grow it.

That doesn't say they can't grow it. It says that there are plenty of people (myself included) that won't bother growing it themselves, no matter how "easy" it may be to grow. Not everyone is good with plants, you know. I am okay with plants, but have neither a need nor a desire to grow pot.

[kentauros]

2. At LEAST 20 years.

There's too much money involved (and to make) for it to be decriminalized any sooner.

[Liberal_in_LA]

3. why do the polls show user names now? doesn't that defeat the purpose of a poll?

[ellisonz]

7. Same as recommendations.

I actually like it this way. Makes it useful for holding things like group elections.

[jaysunb]

15. I like it too....

[ellisonz]

19. Not to mention...

...it cuts down on the perennial claims that polls on DU are being Freeped.

[Posteritatis]

17. Will nicely increase the wankery on polls posted in GD, too, I suppose. (nt)

[RZM]

4. I voted 10 years. Though I think 'decriminalization of small amounts' is a better way to put it

Full on legalization would be further off. But hopefully within 10 years we'll either have new laws about small amounts or much less enforcement of current laws.

[bluestate10]

5. More states will decriminalize possession of several ounces of pot.

Decriminalization could lead to legalization in many states.

[Daniel537]

6. We can't even get the drinking age lowered in this country

without the "what about the children??!!???" types going MADD. This ain't gonna happen anytime soon.

[Initech]

8. When it stops being profitable to keep it illegal.

[Electric Monk]

18. Or, to rephrase that, when it becomes more profitable for big pharma to have it legal

[MrSlayer]

9. Never, too much money in keeping it illegal.

Not only does this idiocy keep the prison industrial complex going, there are also the fines, the property confiscations and court fees to consider. Couple that with the lobbying from the pharmaceutical, chemical and liquor industries and it all adds up to never.

[panader0]

10. 1970

At least that's what I thought in '68........

[Odin2005]

11. I voted 15.

[Kalidurga]

12. Never, Jim Crow won't allow it.

How would our economy ever function without slave labor and people working for slave wages? Gee, Mr Richie Rich might have to put off buying his second yacht and might have to never get that 20th house. And what would he do without a fleet of cars? Seriously, pot is just one of the many tools that they use to keep people in check. If they legalize pot they might as well stop putting other non-violent offenders in jail as well. Then what? There goes another useful tool of oppression.

[MichiganVote]

25. +1. It functionally is legal for white people.

[Fumesucker]

27. Non violent offenders make the best slaves..

Violent ones are just too much trouble, not enough profit in them.

[Brooklyn Dame]

13. On the 12th of never....

Big Pharma has WAY too much to lose if "Mary Jane" becomes legal.

http://borderlessnewsandviews.com/2012/04/brown-sugar/

[HughBeaumont]

21. As does Big Agro, Big Energy and Big Clothes.

[Ohio Joe]

14. I voted ten years

By that point, I think MMJ will be pretty standard with something close to 'regulation like alcohol' the law in several states and gaining traction.

[TransitJohn]

16. As soon as they can figure out how to turn it over to corporations exclusively.

i.e., never.

[RC]

20. The Obama Administration will continue the raids on marijuana users.

This will be a big deal in the 2016 elections, as the people are demanding some common sense in the drug laws. The next President, a reasonable Liberal Democrat, will push for legalization. The first of several bills in Congress will go to the President for his signature. Before he has a chance to sign it, there is an assassination attempt on the President. He vetoes all the other marijuana bills related to legalization. Nobody lived happily after that.

[Uncle Joe]

23. Seven years and eight months.

Thanks for the thread, ellisonz.

[ellisonz]

24. lol

Thanks for the precise answer, Uncle Joe.

[sofa king]

26. Apparently, when they pry a reefer from my cold dead hand.

[Ruby the Liberal]

28. Nationally, I am going with the optimistic 10 years.

There will be a few states (read: Pharma/Booze bought and paid for congress critters) who will drag their feet on it.

I predict that 70% (random number) of states will still be fighting DOJ over state vs federal laws right up until it happens.

[riderinthestorm]

30. A big step will happen when they can test for buzzed driving

Honestly, I just don't want anyone impaired on anything on the roads.

When they come up with a way to test for drug impairment, then I believe it will be a short step towards decriminalization.

I'm thinking it will never be legal.

[eShirl]

36. or when cars get some form of autopilot

[Luminous Animal]

31. When I lived in Orange County, CA in the early 80s, possession was a $25 ticket.

Now, it is an arrest.

This country is fucking nuts.

[ellisonz]

37. "This country is fucking nuts."

Agreed. The more totalitarian faction struggles to see when it's lost a war. It's crazy!

[RagAss]

33. When you can shoot a fucking bullet out of a joint !

[eShirl]

35. it's brilliant

[ellisonz]

38. Interesting Breakdown...

...between those who think it's just around the corner and those who think it will never happen. Those who think in time it may come are the minority.

[Johonny]

39. decriminalized yes, legalized? Probably not.

Heck on the west coast pot is pretty decriminalized these days at the state level.

[Arkansas Granny]

40. Other. As soon as big pharma figures out how they can control the profit from it.

[cynatnite]

41. I think gay marriage will be legal far before marijuana ever will be. n/t

[NCTraveler]

42. As should happen on a mj thread...

I vote pass.

[Spike89]

43. Weirdly, I think it will take a conservative president

No liberal, especially a black democrat, can politically afford to push legalization. Just like Nixon could go to China, Reagan could nominate a female to the SCOTUS...you need someone who can afford to piss off a part of their own party. Possibly a conservative dem could pull it off, maybe even Obama could do it in his second term if he is willing to spend that much capital on one issue.

I'm actually semi-confident that this will happen within 10 years. Testing for impairment is one of the most persistent red-herrings ever! There is no roadside test for lots of legal things that can cause impairment. They currently do ticket pot users for DUI and the convictions stick. Ironically, because pot is so illegal in many places, police are less likely to pop a driver for a DUI because the punishment can be draconian--much worse than a liquor DUI. Legalize it and I'd expect to see a rise in the number of pot DUIs issued Not because of more pot-smoking drivers necessarily, but just because cops would be more likely to drop a $200 ticket on a stoner than to place a charge that could send a first-time offender off to prison for years.

There is no field test for lack of sleep--but you can be cited. There are no field tests for a huge variety of perfectly legal drugs that state clearly "Do not drive or operate heavy machinery" but if you're bombed on Percocet, you can certainly get a ticket.

Explain to me why pot is different?

[ellisonz]

44. Kick.