How Weed Won the West (and can save the world?)
 

Trailer: youtube.com/watch?v=MzT1a1NKoKM

While California is going bankrupt, one business is booming. "How Weed Won the West" is the story of the growing medical cannabis / marijuana industry in the greater Los Angeles area, with over 700 dispensaries doling out the buds. As a treatment for conditions ranging from cancer and AIDS, to anxiety, ADHD, and insomnia, cannabis is quickly proving itself as a healthier natural alternative to many prescription drugs.

Following the story of Organica, a collective owned by Jeff Joseph that was raided by the DEA in August of '09, the film shows that although some things have changed with Obama in office, the War on Drugs is nowhere near over. From Kevin Booth, the producer/director of Showtime's "American Drug War", "How Weed Won the West" puts California forward as an example to the rest of the country by documenting how legalizing marijuana can help save the economy.

Featuring:
Ethan Nadelmann (Drug Policy Alliance / DPA)
Don Duncan (Americans for Safe Access / ASA)
Jon Perri (Students for Sensible Drug Policy / SSDP)
Alex Jones (radio host and filmmaker)
Bill Kroger (LA Marijuana Attorney)
Jeff Joseph (owner of Organica Collective)
Doug Stanhope (comedian)
and more!

I heard a comedian this morning on Sirius say he was in favor of legalized pot, if for no other reason than to give potheads nothing to ever talk about ever again.

Word.

the war on drugs will never be over..

too much political and monetary gain for the government. the government enjoys pretending it doesn't actually sell drugs.

never done it, probably never will, but voted yes.

Voted yes.

If alcohol is legal, this should be legal.
Doesn't mean it will be legal to smoke up and drive, same as with drink.

double word

I voted yes. I believe the government is great at legalizing things, regulating the shit outta them, and then making a ton of money via taxes.

Which in the case of a recreational substance that makes people more stupid than they already are (such as booze), I'm completely behind.

People will always use marijuana... its whether or not its use, through taxes, can benefit society as a whole.

Right now all its doing is benefiting Gucci's local 24/7 grocery store. Yeah, I saw that bag of Funyuns.

...

That and having all the whining potheads shut the fuck up would be awesome. Word to the third, yo.

I grow ever so tired of the Beavis and Butthead "Huh-Huh-YEAH!" bong talk I hear among my peers.

It's pretty sad when you let a fucking plant influence your life to such an extent. Grow the fuck up.

Voted yes, but it will be regulated to the point where people will still get arrested for it anyway. They're already doing everything tey can to take my cigarettes away.

yeah.. it's sad when anything influences your life to such an extent... money. girls. fame etc etc ..

:rolleyes: people have their own things.. big fucking deal.

This.

Voted "yes," primarily to make pot generally available for medically supervised use. Additionally, I see an advantage to having production and distribution controlled: take the criminal element (other than the politicians and big pharma) out of the equation, and ensure the quality and safety of the product.

Local governments could make a killing on DUI arrests and convictions (large fines and surcharges on license renewals).

I think it should be legalized.. but NOT ABUSED. Marijuana, in small doses, can be healthy. But, long term consumption of the drug can lead to serious brain mass reduction.

Also, marijuana can be fun. Though, when abused, can lead to addiction, as any mind altering drug on the market.

Marijuana can be fun and healthy.... but long term use should be studied more before the actual legalization of it.

I'd like it to be legalized as a recreational drug.
The way it is in California, some take it for real medical issues, and actually need it as a drug for medical treatment. But the vast majority just wants to kick back and smoke, which I find nothing wrong with, but I'd hate to have the whole country behind this whole sort-of hypocrisy. Most of us don't need it as medicine.

So, yes, I'm in favor of it being legalized, and taxed.
I also know that someone can get incredibly high on MJ, and should never drive a car while on it.
I do understand, though, that it's a divisive enough issue, and most presidents don't want to be the dude who legalized pot. Also, there are many more pressing issues at hand, and I'm glad to wait, especially if it means having a better USA.

A couple questions, though: what would be the legal age to take it? Should it be 18, or 21, like alcohol?
And one for parents: would you be comfortable with your child knowing you smoke/used to smoke pot, if it were legal? Would that change anything? Any parents here use MJ?

I have to respond to this, but I'll be brief, as I'm sure it's been said before, and it's a thread detour. Drinking age should be 18. Or adulthood should be 21. Period. None of this semi-adult crap. I've heard all the reasons why it is the way it is, and I disagree with all of them. I was leading troops in combat in another country before I was old enough to have a drink in mine.

I agree, the drinking age being 21 is ridiculous. Nobody who's mature enough to understand the consequences of marriage or military service is too immature to have a drink.
On the other hand, I have a hard time seeing the drinking age being changed. So, if it does, fine. If it doesn't, weed 18, or 21?

hemp is a financial crop; marijuana is not. period. enuff of the "pot will save the day" crap.

Yeah but don't you think that if it were legalized and taxed, it would then be a financial crop?

I think similarly to Drinking, if Pot was ever legalized it would be legal at 21. Not that I agree, I, from first hand experience, have seen no negative impact to the drinking age being 18 as apposed to 21. Besides, I did all my smoking prior to 18 anyway.... and i turned out great >_>

Pot wouldn't save the financial world, but I think it could help in some areas.

I voted yes. Hemp should be legal, pot should be legal. Hemp because of all it's industry uses, and pot because of it's tax value.

if marijuana was legalized, wouldn't it then be legal to grow your own? therefore, defeating the purpose of the government making a ton of money on it

what are the potential issues when it comes to growing your own and possibly selling it for your own personal profit? I'm sure it could be taxed if you tried to sell it, but hard to tax it when its grown for personal use

You can brew your own booze, but beer and wine sales do pretty well.....



I think it should be legalized and tax it just like booze. To me the vise is the same. I smoke for the record, make the rules the same as booze, no driving...etc.

Let them? People do the same now for brewing alcohol and growing tobacco...no one really cares though because people are too lazy to do it on a large scale. The potheads only grow it now because there are so few alternatives. Make it publicly available and 99% will be too lazy to continue growing their own...its just human nature.

I'm all for the legalization. Make buying any of the controlled substances illegal until 18, including alcohol, but not consuming. Kids do what theyre going to do anyway, making it legal for them to consume puts the onus back on the parents where it should be.

I voted yes.

I've never tried it, but I like listening to stoners. They're funny.

an old joke by nick swardson...an ex-stoner.

voted yes.

---------- Post added at 05:05 AM ---------- Previous post was at 04:58 AM ----------

if the government doesnt trust you with booze at 21, why should they trust you with a life changing decision such as marriage?

lets knock the marriage age back to 21.