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Legalizing Marijuana Would End Black Market
Posted by CN Staff on October 03, 2013 at 15:23:10 PT
By Tzvi Ben-Gedalyahu 
Source: Jewish Press
Israel -- Legalizing marijuana would generate more than $450 million annually for the Israeli economy, according to a new study released by the Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies.The black market for cannabis in Israel currently is worth $707 million annually, and legalizing the sale of grass, if taxed like cigarettes, would blow $268 million into the government’s money pot. In addition, it would save law enforcement agencies $198 million since they would not have to spend money to smokers of weed.
The study found that approximately 275,000 Israelis, 4 percent of the population, used marijuana in the past year, only 26 percent of Israelis support legalization of marijuana, while 64 percent opposes it.In the United States, slightly more than half go those surveyed support legalizing grass. Marijuana is illegal under federal law, but 20 states to allow the use of medical marijuana. However, the Obama administration last week gave the green light for Colorado and Washington to carry out their laws to permit recreational use of marijuana.The Justice Department said it would bring charges on marijuana only in certain cases, such as distributing it to minors.The announcement “demonstrates the sort of political vision and foresight from the White House we’ve been seeking for a long time,” said Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, an advocacy group.The Justice Department added that it is watching Colorado and Washington closely to see if they can properly control marijuana use.President Barack Obama has said he smoked grass when he was young, and a federal survey has found that 42 percent of Americans age 12 and older have smoked marijuana at some point in their lives.The financial gains for states – and Israel is not being ignored,“Recognizing the enormous financial gains that would come from legalization demands that the government take a serious look at the proposal to legalize cannabis use under specific guidelines,” said Yarden Gazit, who co-authored the study in Israel. “There is no disputing that if the public is able to get past the wholly negative misperceptions associated with marijuana usage and appreciate the potential benefits with limited social or healthcare costs, this is an idea that needs open-minded and serious re-examination at this time.”News of the survey coincided with Canada’s launch of controlled medical marijuana, an industry that is expected to be worth more than $1 billion in the next 10 years. Medical marijuana has been legal in Canada for years but has been highly regulated. Now it is available by mail-order with a doctor’s approval.Besides all of the arguments over whether marijuana is a drug that can lead to addiction, the underlying desire for governments to legalize it is money.“We’re fairly confident that we’ll have a healthy commercial industry in time,” Sophie Galarneau, a senior Health Canada official told the Canadian Press. The Green Leaf party in Israel has been trying to get into the Knesset for years to push its agenda to legalize pot. In early pre-election polls, it usually receives support that puts it on the brink of winning the minimum number of votes to win Knesset seats, but when the real ballots are counted, it always loses out.The pro-marijuana campaigns in the United States may generate new enthusiasm to legalize marijuana in Israel, where liberal leaders almost always turn to American for cultural guidance.Portland, Maine media reported Wednesday that supports of legalizing recreation marijuana will start promoting their agenda on city buses, with a message that grass is a better and safer alternative to alcohol.Critics have complained that the campaign should not be on buses because children ride them to school.Portland’s voter will go the ballot box in November to decide on a proposal to legalize marijuana by 2016. IThe Washington, D.C.-based Marijuana Policy Project has targeted Maine and nine other states in its campaign to legalize grass within three years.The JTA contributed to this report.About the Author: Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu is a graduate in journalism and economics from The George Washington University. He has worked as a cub reporter in rural Virginia and as senior copy editor for major Canadian metropolitan dailies. Tzvi wrote for Arutz Sheva for several years before joining the Jewish Press.Source: Jewish Press, The (US)Author: Tzvi Ben-Gedalyahu Published: October 2nd, 2013Copyright: 2013 Jewish PressContact: letters jewishpress.comWebsite: http://www.jewishpress.com/URL: http://drugsense.org/url/32FMuNRECannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml 
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Comment #9 posted by FoM on October 05, 2013 at 15:09:45 PT
Romania Legalizes Medical Marijuana
Romania Legalizes Medical Marijuana, Becomes 10th EU Country To Permit Theraputic Use URL: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/05/romania-medical-marijuana-legal_n_4049658.html
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Comment #8 posted by runruff on October 04, 2013 at 13:11:36 PT
And the beat goes on!
Dear jerry,
 
The government shutdown has closed our national parks and furloughed almost a million federal employees, but the Drug Enforcement Administration remains “essential” enough to carry on the drug war. You and I both know the DEA isn’t effective. So why is it considered essential? Express your outrage: tell your members of Congress that funding the DEA should be one of their last priorities.
 
The DEA costs us almost $3 billion every year. It’s absurd and appalling that it’s considered a necessary use of taxpayer money in the midst of the government shutdown. It means you can’t access public services right now, but the DEA can continue to kick down doors, torment families and wreak havoc. The Drug Enforcement Administration is the living, breathing expression of everything that's wrong with the war on drugs. It depends on the punitive, prohibitionist approach to drugs that has done far more harm than good. We know that the DEA should be reformed or eliminated, but the government is categorizing it as an effective, mandatory agency even as other programs are shutting down. Help us set Congress straight: tell them that the DEA’s enforcement of failed drug laws should not be prioritized during the government shutdown. The DEA is one of the biggest obstacles standing in the way of marijuana law reform and ending the drug war. It blatantly lies about marijuana and other drugs while blocking and ignoring scientific research. It relies on dishonesty and scare tactics to promote its vested interests. It undermines the will of voters in medical marijuana states with militarized raids that have resulted in the deaths of innocent people. And it’s been secretly using NSA and CIA programs to spy on virtually all Americans. The DEA is getting away with its outrageous behavior even as the government shutdown continues. But you can help us stop it. Urge your members of Congress to stop prioritizing funding for the DEA’s crimes, misdeeds and abuses of power. Sincerely,
 
Bill Piper
Director, Office of National Affairs
Drug Policy Alliance 
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Comment #7 posted by mexweed on October 04, 2013 at 12:59:53 PT:
Benefit thru the herb, not taxes
Black market high prices are a "Law Enforcement Evasion Tax" paid to suppliers for their fastidiously maintained secrecy. By making cannabis so many times over more expensive than tobacco $igarettes, this drives many youngsters into catastrophic lifelong nicotine addiction.Perceived need for constant defensiveness has made right wing hardliners especially dominant in Israel, and just as in USA they are against cannabis (US Reps 20% more anti-legalization than Dems).But if Israel tried legalization, the economic benefit would not be from collecting taxes-- a million families will each grow two hot virgin females and cannabis will be a money-free economy-- rather from a. massive reduction in health care costs from tobacco $igarette addiction;b. peace with the neighbors-- cannabis will refresh the creative imagination, and citizens will found not xenophobic but INTERETHNIC settlements where Israelis, Palestinians and others work joyously together inventing new solutions for war, poverty, disease and deforestation-- meanwhile saving Defense money!PS-- NPR reported Boehner (still a low-tar addict) kidded Obama about Nicorette chewing, the method Obama used to quit $igarettes to run in 2008. The US public has wisely refused to elect any $igheil addict since 1944 (and you know what happened to that one months later).
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Comment #6 posted by The GCW on October 04, 2013 at 12:07:57 PT
Gary Storck, news
Erpenbach, Taylor Bill Would Legalize Medicinal Marijuana in Wisconsinhttp://www.cannabisculture.com/content/2013/10/03/Erpenbach-Taylor-Bill-Would-Legalize-Medicinal-Marijuana-Wisconsin"When Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, was first elected to the state Legislature in 1998, Gary Storck, a routine medicinal marijuana user and advocate for its legalization, was Erpenbach’s first constituent visit.Erpenbach calls Storck, the co-founder of Is My Medicine Legal Yet?, the most persistent constituent in Wisconsin. He has been lobbying Erpenbach and others to legalize a drug he has been using for 41 years to treat his glaucoma.“Medical cannabis is all but mainstream now,” said Storck, 58, at a Capitol press conference Thursday.Erpenbach and Rep. Chris Taylor, D-Madison, are the co-sponsors of a bill known as the Jacki Rickert bill which would legalize medical marijuana. With a Republican-controlled legislature, there is serious question whether the bill will gain any support.Cont.(I think what they're trying to say is, republicans are a health problem. One insurance doesn't cover.)Read more: http://host.madison.com/news/local/writers/jessica_vanegeren/erpenbach-taylor-bill-would-legalize-medicinal-marijuana-in-wisconsin/article_1fc48806-2c5e-11e3-90a6-001a4bcf887a.html#ixzz2gmWJnc7p
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Comment #5 posted by runruff on October 04, 2013 at 09:56:26 PT
Boehner v. Obama
If the Boehner becomes president then orange will be the new black!
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Comment #4 posted by The GCW on October 04, 2013 at 09:32:01 PT
Green is the new black
From black market to green market
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Comment #3 posted by ekim on October 04, 2013 at 07:42:47 PT
if you would like to hear last nights interview
with Cheryl Shuman and her upcomming tour in Ohio please ck out Eposiode 168 Planet Green Treeshttp://planetgreentrees.ning.com/
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on October 04, 2013 at 06:35:25 PT
ekim
Thank you. It sounds good!
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Comment #1 posted by ekim on October 03, 2013 at 20:01:54 PT
interesting group in Ohio
http://www.ohiorightsgroup.org/ohio-rights-group-events
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