Robertson’s remarks highlight cultural shift on pot legalization
Mark this day as a big step toward a major cultural shift. From the Associated Press:
Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson says marijuana should be legalized and treated like alcohol because the government’s war on drugs has failed.
The outspoken evangelical Christian and host of “The 700 Club” on the Virginia Beach-based Christian Broadcasting Network he founded said the war on drugs is costing taxpayers billions of dollars. He said people should not be sent to prison for marijuana possession. …
“I just think it’s shocking how many of these young people wind up in prison and they get turned into hardcore criminals because they had a possession of a very small amount of a controlled substance,” Robertson said on his show March 1. “The whole thing is crazy. We’ve said, ‘Well, we’re conservatives, we’re tough on crime.’ That’s baloney.” …
“I really believe we should treat marijuana the way we treat beverage alcohol,” Robertson told the newspaper. “If people can go into a liquor store and buy a bottle of alcohol and drink it at home legally, then why do we say that the use of this other substance is somehow criminal?”
Robertson added. “I’ve never used marijuana and I don’t intend to, but it’s just one of those things that I think: this war on drugs just hasn’t succeeded.” He has made similar comments in the past, but his reiterating this stance might make his audience pay attention.
His sentiment about the failure of the war on drugs, at least, has been a growing one in conservative ranks. In 2005, Gallup reported that just 21 percent of Republicans, 22 percent of conservatives and 29 percent of Southerners favored general marijuana legalization. By last year, those numbers had increased to 35 percent, 34 percent and 44 percent, respectively. Among all Americans, support for legalization rose to 50 percent last year from 36 percent just six years earlier.
Those are pretty amazing rates of change for a social issue.
As many of you know, I have a 3-year-old son and a 1-month-old son. I am starting to believe that, by the time the oldest is old enough to think about trying marijuana — more than 10 years from now, but less than 15 — it will be legal for adults in this state and many others.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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169 comments Add your comment
aloysius
March 8th, 2012
6:48 pm
It’s smoke. People who smoke too much get lung issues. Legalize it, tax it, and for God’s sakes stop with all the hand wringing and teeth gnashing about it. It is NOT physically addictive, never has been, never will be. If people smoked it instead of drinking , there would be a decrease in violence; an increase in the snack food business and an increase in our tax revenues. The people railing against it generally, like most topics, know nothing about it other than some drivel they read in Reader’s Digest.
Rick
March 8th, 2012
6:50 pm
Dusty,
I didn’t blame prohibition for causing people to die from addiction. I said prohibition contributes to it. And I have provided statistics throughout this dialog, I haven’t seen a single link from you.
And this conversation is not about my own personal habits so please refrain from making assumptions. You seem to have an affinity for Whoppers but I haven’t warned you about becoming obese, have I?
Rick
March 8th, 2012
6:52 pm
Michael,
Please look at this study. It has some different findings apparently http://www.cmaj.ca/content/180/8/814.abstract
tiberius your lightning rod of hate!
March 8th, 2012
6:53 pm
The reason Obama bashing is always in season is because (like MarkV) he so rarely right on the issues.
MarkV
March 8th, 2012
6:54 pm
Dusty,
What I meant by you not having good arguments was mainly the conflict between the incredible losses of money and lives that the current law result in, and the seemingly much lower danger of consequences of marijuana legalization.
Michael H. Smith
March 8th, 2012
6:56 pm
tax it?
Not one chance in hell – unless 50% of all taxes collected on the sale of marijuana is taken out of direct political control and deposited in privately incorporated fund to pay for drug abuse treatments and any other health related issues due to smoking marijuana. It is time government stops profiting of creating addicts as it has with other drugs like tobacco and alcohol.
Dusty
March 8th, 2012
6:58 pm
Aquagirl,
RELAX!
Opps! That is not a good word to use in this discussion.
I’ll be glad to give you my favorite location for my ever-favorite BurgerKing. They are generous on the lettuce, tomatoes that adorn that juicy delicious beef, not to mention a nice onion slice & pickle.
Ohhhhh….see ya later. Gotta go order me a …oh nevermind. you just don’t understand perfection! Whatta shame… .
tiberius your lightning rod of hate!
March 8th, 2012
7:02 pm
One of the best investments our county ever made was to institute a drug court. Keeps people out of jail and gets them off the drugs. Always a problem finding enough money to keep it going.
Michael H. Smith
March 8th, 2012
7:04 pm
Rick
Not going to bother Rick. I seen all the evidence – in two cited cases – I need and as a former smoker of tobacco and recovering nicotine addict you are really wasting my time.
If you want to smoke marijuana until your lung harden and fail to function properly, fine, it doesn’t bother me in the least: So long as you don’t force anyone else to smoke it or smoke it around others who object to it.
You are only fooling yourself with this silly notion that smoking marijuana unlike tobacco never causes COPD. It is only a matter of how much it will take and how long it will take it is not of if will it occur: It will.
Rick
March 8th, 2012
7:08 pm
Michael,
So you’ll just completely disagreed a perfectly legitimate study? Ok then…
As far as the gov’t profiting of addicts, I guess they should stop taxing food too huh? Obesity is one of the biggest problems in our country, far bigger than that of drug use, and our gov’t is continually profiting off of creating addicts by your definition.
tiberius your lightning rod of hate!
March 8th, 2012
7:08 pm
My understanding is that serious weight gain over time is likely due to all the munchies you end up eating. . .;)
Or so I’ve heard.
tiberius your lightning rod of hate!
March 8th, 2012
7:11 pm
Rick, I don’t think any valid study of the effects of long term use is out there, but I can see Michael’s point. Inhaling smoke of ANY kind us likely to affect your breathing. Simple logic.
tiberius your lightning rod of hate!
March 8th, 2012
7:16 pm
I will say the effects of pot would be much less given the lesser amounts of smoke inhaled overall due to lower use than cigar, but with legalization would likely come higher use.
Moon Mullins
March 8th, 2012
7:18 pm
Dang @@ — It’s like you’re on Meth today or have Tourettes! Geeez. Take a breath!
Michael H. Smith
March 8th, 2012
7:18 pm
Rick
You disagreed with three perfectly legitimate studies and that was okay. And, a documentary of people who smoked Marijuana all day long, day in and day out who all showed sign of COPD after five years but that doesn’t count because you don’t want it to mean anything?
Not to mention marijuana has many of the same chemicals in it as tobacco. Ah but that doesn’t mean anything either, right?
Nah, you need to go argue with closes stop sign you can find. From the way you talk here on this blog I get the feeling you already have a addiction problem you cannot face and you are doing your best to remain in denial by attempting to justify it with anything you can drag up as an excuse.
Rick, I don’t give a Rat Rump about what is the number one addiction. All addictions are bad! There is no good addictions, only good recoveries. By the looks of things I hope you have one real soon.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
March 8th, 2012
7:22 pm
RUSH: No matter how you slice it, ladies and gentlemen, there are two million fewer jobs in this country since Obama took office, two million fewer jobs that you can get, two million fewer jobs to be filled. And that number is from place called PolitiFact, which is the fact checkers at the Atlanta “Urinal Constipation,” two million fewer jobs since the regime came to power.
The Urinal told the truth???????????
Why hasn’t all hell broke loose?
Why are the dogs not sleeping with the cats?
Did I die in the resulting maelstrom and I just don’t know it?
Michael H. Smith
March 8th, 2012
7:24 pm
tiberius,
Actually it is science fact. The human lung was never designed to inhale the tars from burnt substances of any kind.
Rick
March 8th, 2012
7:34 pm
Michael,
I only pointed out that there are studies that say the contrary. I posted a perfectly valid study and you disregarded it. I never said yours didn’t count, but you refused to even look at the evidence I posted.
Again, this conversation is not about my personal habits and I ask that you give me the courtesy of not making assumptions when you know nothing about me, my life, or how I spend my time. I have been nothing but respectful in these comments and it would be nice if you do the same. Thanks.
Michael
March 8th, 2012
7:37 pm
@@ said: “With me it’s about the kids. Parents should be willing to give up their cravings on behalf of the children.”
So I can’t smoke weed because other people have kids? Okay, make it illegal for parents to smoke weed. Yeah, I know you didn’t mean that, you are just using kids for cover for your prohibition talk.
Do what??????
March 8th, 2012
7:41 pm
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin..
You crack me up. No pun intended.
Do what??????
March 8th, 2012
7:42 pm
“Pat Robertson Is One Of You (A Conservative).”
Reading is fundamental, cupcake.
Michael H. Smith
March 8th, 2012
7:49 pm
Rick
I’ve been very respectful and much to your misunderstanding my last comment was out of compassion not from a condescending attitude of condemnation. How you live your life is your business and choice, how I reach out when I sense someone needs encouragement is mine. I’ve seen most everything or similar things to what you’ve presented to spin marijuana in a positive light and I’ve probably pointed out a few things you haven’t seen. There is nothing you could possibly say to change my mind, I’ve made my choices. Others can make their choices and I’ll be around to warn them if I think it will help and perhaps if I live long enough help some other addict get clean from whatever substance is controlling their life and destroying their health.
You know I used to really despise that Joe Califono guy, simply because I never understood what drove the man.
Now I know.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_A._Califano,_Jr.
Rick
March 8th, 2012
7:55 pm
Michael,
Not just in making assumptions about me, but I find it disrespectful when you tell me I need to go “argue with a stop sign.” It tells me that you aren’t taking my arguments seriously. I’m not trying to spin marijuana in a positive light at all. I am only trying to point out the flaws in drug prohibition and why I believe people should have the freedom to do what they want so long as they are not harming others. I in no way want to encourage drug use.
euler
March 8th, 2012
7:59 pm
@MIchael: “There is nothing you could possibly say to change my mind.”
So you admit you are close minded. That’s a good first step. The second step is to stop being close minded.
Michael H. Smith
March 8th, 2012
8:13 pm
Rick
I took your arguments about as serious as you took mine – not very much at all but particularly when I seen your arguments before. You really should go back and read what I said and my positions on drugs and legalization while you’re telling me about making assumptions, prohibitions and freedoms.
You’ll find I fully support individual liberties even when I know the individual is solely abusing themselves or consenting others with their liberties provided no force is used or harm is done and they are accountable for their deeds.
I only encourage the proper use of drugs, warn against addictions and fight to see that government shall never again profit from creating addicts as it has with tobacco and alcohol without paying a heavy toll for having done so from the taxes it collects from other regulated recreational-drug sales.
Michael H. Smith
March 8th, 2012
8:18 pm
@euler
Wrong, it is good final step.
You should open your blind eyes, my mind fine. Meanwhile you have some reading to do,if you’re not too lazy or too CLOSE MINDED. My previous post on this blog are easy enough to find and clearly state my case.
Michael H. Smith
March 8th, 2012
8:22 pm
America is an addict nation, should change that and we can.
Goodnight to all.
Just a Flirt
March 8th, 2012
8:35 pm
So, in return for taking rights away from women, Republican will allow potheads to enjoy a toke.
Rick
March 8th, 2012
8:41 pm
Michael,
I responded to your arguments with mine, and you disregarded them and insulted my intelligence. I hope next time you can show some mutual respect.
Tom
March 8th, 2012
9:00 pm
I guess this attitude won’t extend to Jeff Sessions, who said he thought the Klan was OK until he found out some of them were pot smokers.
GodHatesTrash, Superstar
March 8th, 2012
9:34 pm
SPEAKING OF DRUGS – LITTLE BARRY, CURLY, DOO, ETC, ETC, AD NAUSEUM – THIS DRUG’S FOR YOU!
A commonly prescribed drug used to treat high blood pressure may have the unintended benefit of muting racist thoughts in those who take it.
A new Oxford University research study found that Propranolol, which works to combat high blood pressure, anxiety, migraines, and a number of heart ailments, affects the same part of the central nervous system that regulates subconscious attitudes on race.
“Implicit racial bias can occur even in people with a sincere belief in equality,” said Sylvia Terbeck, lead author of the study, which was published in the journal Psychopharmacology. “Given the key role that such implicit attitudes appear to play in discrimination against other ethnic groups, and the widespread use of Propranolol for medical purposes, our findings are also of considerable ethical interest.”
Of course, the study is sure to raise concerns both over its validity and whether we should rely on prescription medication to regulate behavior, even for positive outcomes.
As Cardiff University School of Psychology’s Dr. Chris Chambers told the Telegraph: “We don’t know whether the drug influenced racial attitudes only or whether it altered implicit brain systems more generally. And we can’t rule out the possibility that the effects were due to the drug incidentally reducing heart rate.”
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
March 8th, 2012
9:44 pm
I only discriminate against dumbasses like trashman, so I guess drugs won’t help me any.
@@
March 8th, 2012
10:18 pm
Whoa!
Far be it from me to tell people they can’t “torch their buds”.
Cannabis for cannibals.
schnirt
ragnar danneskjold
March 8th, 2012
10:29 pm
Dear I Report @ 7:22, the good news is that you have found irrefutable proof that the “rapture” took place last week. Now the bad news, we’re left behind.
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
March 8th, 2012
10:32 pm
The CBO projected the government will run a deficit of $229 billion in February, the highest monthly figure ever. The previous high was $223 billion a year ago, in February 2011.
Mr. Obama last month released a budget that showed the government averaging $1 trillion deficits for the rest of this decade. House Republicans are working to write their own budget now, while Senate Democratic leader Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada has said he doubts his chamber will write a budget this year.
————-
Heckuva job, Obozo.
Thanks, Democrats
ragnar danneskjold
March 8th, 2012
10:33 pm
Just for the fun of bragging, or maybe it is a confession of blogging where I am insufficiently informed – our leftist friends will aver that is not a first, either – I have never smoked marijuana or made recreational use of any drug except the arguably most-dangerous, alcohol. I really am as boring as I seem.
BlahBlahBlah
March 8th, 2012
10:42 pm
The war on drugs hasn’t worked. Mandatory minimum sentences don’t work. It’s about money spent vs. the benefit derived from the spending. Time to legalize weed and quit acting like it’s any worse than beer or liquor.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
March 8th, 2012
10:56 pm
Same with me, ragnar!
Was in a barracks full of 49 other raw recruited airmen, and they took a casual poll of who did alcohol and/ or various drugs. They started in the more dangerous scale (coke, heroin) and worked their way down to pot. A few hands went up each time a drug was mentioned until finally they got to pot.
49 hands were raised, and mine was the only one that stayed down.
After some lighthearted ribbing, I reminded the rest of the barracks that they all had lied on their applications, and that none of them were eligible for a security clearance any longer.
MrLiberty
March 8th, 2012
11:00 pm
All drugs need to be legalized. You cannot legislate morality, but you certainly can generate enormous profits for the criminals and the govenrment and you can certainly cause untold unforseen consequences – violence, teen drug abuse, police corruption, etc.
Prohibition of alcohol should have taught us something, but americans clearly do not learn. Maybe its the horrible education system or the fact that so many make so much money off prohibition.
Time to try freedom once again. It has always worked before.
Acts committed under the influence that harm others must be punished. Legalization is about use and possession, it is not about unchecked behavior. Try using some common sense.
Progressive Humanist
March 9th, 2012
12:09 am
Tiberius,
So those other 49 airmen did not disclose their prior use of illegal substances and you did not disclose your sexual orientation? Didn’t that put you in the same boat? But you’re safe to reenlist now, as you should be.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
March 9th, 2012
12:22 am
Progressive Humanist, there was no “sexual orientation” to disclose.
Fully and proudly heterosexual my whole life.
Do not confuse my principled argument for equality and freedom for anyone as being of any particular persuasion. Equality and freedom knows no color, gender or sexual orientation.
Figure it out
March 9th, 2012
12:25 am
There’s no research evidence to suggest that marijuana is more dangerous than alcohol. In fact, the opposite is true. There is an abundance of evidence to support the premise that alcohol is associated with far more damaging outcomes than marijuana.
The fact that it’s illegal is a drain on society in terms of the financial and human cost.
I’ve been partaking weekly since the age of 17, and it hasn’t ruined my life. I’m a professor at a respected university, I publish scientific research, I’ve got a great family, we own two houses, and my daughter is in the gifted program in her school. Consistent low key relaxation on a Saturday night is a good thing for one’s psychological well being, and as a result, one’s career.
Progressive Humanist
March 9th, 2012
12:33 am
So you’re still in denial? Come clean; the truth will set you free.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
March 9th, 2012
12:51 am
Progressive Humanist, my wife and two children would find your ignorant assertion humorous.
If it actually was humorous.
captguitarman
March 9th, 2012
1:00 am
This was a surprise, but surprises like this are not uncommon these days. Yes, the war on drugs has largely been a failure, and the facts are that those who suffer are way at the lower levels of sales and distribution. The architects and greatest beneficiaries of the drug trade are seldom brought to justice. Those arrested and convicted are arrested, convicted, and stigmatized for life. If understand the arguments and they are not competlely unfounded. Legalization arcross the board would destroy the illegal drug business (one reason it will never happen – drug kingpins can afford lobbyists too), and take a huge and expensive burdern off of law enforcement. But the big fallacy is that marijauana is not “like’ alcohol. In most cases it ultimately leads to either a useless and dependent on others (typically parents until they die) “stoner” lifestyle, or on to harder drugs. Alcohol is typically enough for those addicted to it, and while rife with its own bad individual and societal bad consequences, does not lead to an unending search for greater and better highs. The one question I have for Robertson or anyone advocating legalization of drugs, from marijuana on up, is this — Would you be willing to live as a child ( just say for example, from 3 to 10 years old) with two drug addicted parents, with unlimited legal access to any drug they want? . . . . I thought not. Contrary to popular belief, drug use is not victimless.
Lib in Cobb
March 9th, 2012
5:25 am
There are people who have smoked grass for years and have never used anything stronger. If anyone is going to be drawn to something stronger they are going to get it easily, whether reefer is legal or not. We as a nation lived through Prohibition, it didn’t work, alcohol was still available and the criminal element made millions. The distribution network of legal pot is already in place, ie drug stores and liquor stores.
Lib in Cobb
March 9th, 2012
5:32 am
I would vote for Robertson on this one issue because it makes a great deal of sense. What would keep me from voting for him is that, he is a right wing religious nut cake on all other issues, such as why a devastating earthquake occurred in Hati.
Amanda Hugandkiss
March 9th, 2012
5:53 am
Legalization won’t happen until the people riot in the streets. The government makes too much money off of the failed drug war. Fines, court costs, bogus sheriff fees, probation fees! And now that they have privatized prisons the prisons have financial incentives to violate the inmates and keep them longer. Way too much money involved and they can’t see the taxes they could reap because rhe money they are getting blinds them.
GT
March 9th, 2012
8:00 am
Kyle are you saying that you are glad marijuana will be legal or not? I can promise you one thing it will be here one way or another just like it is now. No law or army can stop the stuff, apparently. The money we have spent for this failure is the well kept secret tragedy of this generation. The lives we, not the drug, have taken or ruined is sinful. The families we have separated as father, son and now mother and daughter go to jail for lifetime sentences to satisfy the hot air of a desperate politician whose only concern in life is to be reelected is appalling. The money we have allowed into the hands of violate people and our enemies have punished this nation. If we had legalized drugs or never illegalized them the history of this country would have been dramatically different.
When you make law that shows the world you can follow through or does not have the emotion of the majority you weaken this country. It is like fighting these foreign wars we never win decisively and in many cases we declare victory when we have not even moved the furniture around that deteriorate the fear and the respect of the country. Believe me if the majority of this country wanted to stop drugs it would happen. When you have junk television, dropout schools, and a vacuum of leadership and imagination in this country you aid and abide what you do not stand for. If you want a better America tend to your own cooking, don’t try to legislate what you can’t or won’t educate.
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
March 9th, 2012
8:05 am
MF Global set to pay bonuses
————-
Where are the government regulators?
Oops, forgot, MF Global is run by Democrats.