California Republicans officially oppose legalizing/taxing dope

[Auggie]

March 31, 2010 / www.cagop.org

SACRAMENTO – California Republican Party Chairman Ron Nehring today issued the following statement:

"The last thing California needs is hundreds of thousands of more people getting high, and the costs to society that would come from widely expanded drug use.

"We know a top factor behind whether young people try drugs is cost, and legalization would certainly bring the cost of dope down, making it much more widely accessible. We also know that if a person makes it to age 21 without trying drugs, they’re very unlikely to ever get started down the path of drug use beginning with dope and leading to much harder drugs like meth and cocaine.

"Proponents of legalizing ‘and taxing’ dope are trying to mask their efforts as some kind of revenue generator for state government. Whatever ‘taxes’ dope smokers would pay would not come even close to covering the societal costs of hundreds of thousands of more Californians getting high, the accidents and health problems they would cause, and other societal costs.

"California Republicans will fight this and any other measure to expand drug use in California. When it comes to this kind of legislation, there's a reason they call it 'dope.'"

LINK: http://www.cagop.org/index.cfm/statement_1085.htm

[kestrel91316]

1. I smoked pot on a fairly regular basis from age 18 to 25. During that time,

I got my BS in Microbiology and my DVM. And now, at age 53, I can say I have never even once considered doing meth or coke or anything else. And my alcohol consumption is quite modest.

CA Repukes can BITE ME.

[Auggie]

2. Dems will probably decide their position in July, I understand

[Xithras]

3. Do they also oppose the legalization of alcohol?

Just wondering, because I doubt the tax revenue from booze exceeds the societal cost of all those DUI's, checkpoints, and rehab clinics.

If you're going to have a standard, stick to it. Otherwise, you're just being a hypocrite.

[Bluenorthwest]

4. Marijuana is medicine

Ron Nehring is the dope.

[slackmaster]

5. NEWSFLASH - The price of black-market cannabis is close to zero in much of the state.

Backyard growers are putting the smugglers and dealers out of business by giving the stuff away.

The horse has left the barn.

[slackmaster]

6. So are Senators Boxer and Feinstein BTW

Both on the record as opposing legalization.