Pat Robertson: Pot should be legal like alcohol

[Silcc69]

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — 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.
The 81-year-old first became a self-proclaimed "hero of the hippie culture" in 2010 when he called for ending mandatory prison sentences for marijuana possession convictions.
"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."
Robertson's support for legalizing pot appeared in a New York Times (http://nyti.ms/zMys8R) story published Thursday. His spokesman confirmed to The Associated Press that Robertson supports legalization with regulation. Robertson was not made available for an interview.
"I really believe we should treat marijuana the way we treat beverage alcohol," Robertson was quoted by the newspaper as saying. "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 said he "absolutely" supports ballot measures in Colorado and Washington state that would allow people older than 21 to possess a small amount of marijuana and allow for commercial pot sales. Both measures, if passed by voters, would place the states at odds with federal law, which bans marijuana use of all kinds.
While he supports the measures, Robertson said he would not campaign for them and was "not encouraging people to use narcotics in any way, shape or form."
"I'm not a crusader," he said. "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."
In a statement Thursday, Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, said Robertson's "clearly stated and well-reasoned comments throw a curve ball into the growing debate over legalizing marijuana."
"Defenders of marijuana prohibition ... must be wondering if it's only a matter of time before theirs proves to be a lost cause," he said.
Christian advocacy group Focus on the Family opposes legalization for medical or recreational use, Carrie Gordon Earll, the organization's senior director of government and public policy, said in a statement. The group would not comment specifically on Robertson's statements.
Sixteen states and the District of Columbia have legalized the medical use of marijuana. Fourteen states also have some kind of marijuana decriminalization law, which removes or lowers penalties for possession. Legalization, however, would eliminate penalties and pave the way for regulated sales similar to alcohol.
Robertson's comments will likely help drive cultural conversations on the issue, said Allen St. Pierre, executive director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.
"Whenever somebody of substance and notoriety in this country ... comes out in favor of changing the status quo regarding marijuana, for us and for the reform community, as the kids say, 'It is all good,"

http://news.yahoo.com/pat-robertson-...175810436.html

[Dino Velvet]

Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

[hippifried]

I agree that pot should be legal, but then again, I don't think there should be any laws against recreational drug use. I also agree that the so called "war on drugs" has been a dismal failure. It never had a chance at any kind of success because the whole concept was totally stupid to start with. (Of course it did succeed at getting a blank check handed to various law enforcers.) I don't agree with his causality. Pot shouldn't be legalized because of the enforcement failure. It should be legal because there was never a legit reason for it to be illegal. Enforcement of the illegality failed because there was never a legit reason for it to be illegal.

[Dino Velvet]

It should be legal because there was never a legit reason for it to be illegal.

Agreed. I wouldn't mind paying the tax if it were legal either. The money generated from these taxes could assist with many of California's financial woes.

The beer companies seem to be one of the biggest obstacles.

[russtafa]

i think drug use is ok but if any problems come up no free hospital

[Dino Velvet]

i think drug use is ok but if any problems come up no free hospital

Weed has put me in many drive-thrus but no hospital lobbies. No need for Ambien either as it makes me sleep like a baby too.

[russtafa]

cool bro chuff up my man and i will join yah

[russtafa]

don't play any hippie shit music i hate it only hard rockabilly or hardrock or early metal

[Dino Velvet]

cool bro chuff up my man and i will join yah

I've always been a terrible influence.



Here's your Rockabilly.

[russtafa]

fucking cool it rocks