[Keith]

After passing "Vermont Style" carry here, we've now legalized marijuana possession up to four ounces.

The state appeals court has upheld a lower court ruling on the matter and everybody has finally accepted the fact that marijuana is legal in the state of Alaska.
The courts finding was unanimous. The issue was whether arresting someone for possession of the substance in your own home was a violation of the "right to privacy" guaranteed under the state constitution.

The state plans to appeal to the state Supreme Court, but they've already ruled on the matter back in 1975 - marijuana was legal from that point to 1991 when a voter iniative recriminalized the substance. The appeals court ruled that a voter iniative can not overturn a civil liberty, and nobody expects the State SC to find any different, or even to take the matter under consideration.

So, it's a done deal.

And it cracks me up! If this stuff happened in another state it would be like a nuclear bomb going off in the media. Here, nobody gives a damn about any of this! The newspapers report this stuff blandly, and nobody writes to the editor to discuss the matter...

I just love this state! People take their freedoms very seriously and more importantly, they tolerate the "other guy's" freedoms without batting an eye lid.

Keith

[ambidextrous1]

Speaking as a Caliofornian, I envy you, Keith.

I have set the wheels in motion; I'll be an ex-Californian before 2004.

[Keith]

Well, you'll be welcome!

Keith

[Kharn]

I think I just saw about 50 moving trucks labeled 'DEA 2003: Alaska or Bust!' fly up the road outside my window. :uhoh:

Kharn

[Standing Wolf]

If not for Alaska winters and earthquakes, I'd have moved there a long time ago.

That said™, I have to admit I haven't smoked a joint since 1972.

[OF]

I have to admit I haven't smoked a joint since 1972.But in Alaska, that would be by choice. Everywhere else, it's by force.

- Gabe

[444]

Let me ask you something that I always wondered about. If the state says that marijuna is legal, how does this effect employer drug policies ? For example, let's say a guy is a truck driver. He is involved in an accident and is drug tested. He shows positive for marijuna. As I understand it, they can't tell if the guy is currently under the influence, or he smoked a bong last night in front of the TV.

[Keith]

I don't think it will have any effect on employer drug policies at all. It's still illegal in federal law and employers will still be able to set their own drug policies.

Keith

[Aikibiker]

I have lost to many friends to that garbage to ever view it as anything but evil. Drugs may or may not be harmful to your body, but they will kill your soul.

If Alaska wants to go down this path, that is fine. Good luck and may God bless you. However you can damn well do it without me. I will never visit your state by choice now.

[Oracle]

Good on Alaska. What people do in their own homes, provided they aren't violating other's rights, should be their own business, regardess of other people's opinions of it.

Alaska is really, really looking good in terms of protecting their citizen's liberties. Makes me want to leave my home State and head up to the great white north.

[WonderNine]

I have lost to many friends to that garbage to ever view it as anything but evil. Drugs may or may not be harmful to your body, but they will kill your soul.

If Alaska wants to go down this path, that is fine. Good luck and may God bless you. However you can damn well do it without me. I will never visit your state by choice now.

You will never visit that state because now people have the choice whether or not they want to smoke marajuana? Makes sense to me. :scrutiny:

Oh wait, no actually it doesn't...:barf:

[Sergeant Bob]

I have lost to many friends to that garbage to ever view it as anything but evil. Drugs may or may not be harmful to your body, but they will kill your soul.

They did it even though it was Not Legal to do. Do you think that now that it is legal in Alaska, all the sudden everyone there is going to take up smoking pot? Will it be "Reefer Madness"? There are people in Daytona smoking pot this very minute, what are you still doing there?

Why do people feel the need to control other peoples lives. Is it because they feel they have no control over their own?

[vmi93]

Legal drugs=stupid people fry brains, kill themselves

Stupid people=liberals/democrats

Fewer liberals/democrats=Less gun control

So

Legal drugs=less gun control :evil:

On a serious note, many of the powers and funding given to BATFE has been given with the idea that they will fight the illegal firearm trade that coincides with drug prohibition. If the war on drugs not made by campaign contributors ends, much of the federal intrusion into everyday life ends too.

[c_yeager]

4 ounces is a LOT of grass. but honestly i agree 100% with VMI's equation. Except for the fact that i have never actually heard of anyone OVERDOSING on marijuana :scrutiny:

[Keith]

I have lost to many friends to that garbage to ever view it as anything but evil. Drugs may or may not be harmful to your body, but they will kill your soul.

Well, I find it hard to believe you "lost friends" to a drug like marijuana. I don't indulge myself, but I know lots of people who do and they lead normal productive lives.
In any case, the same people who smoked marijuana before the law changed, will smoke it afterwards - only now they won't have to worry about someone kicking down their door and destroying their life about it.

You might want to look at the reason the law changed. A court ruled that what you do privately in your own home is a constitutionally protected right. This reasoning has greater implications than just pot smoking.

Keith

[Moparmike]

Except for the fact that i have never actually heard of anyone OVERDOSING on marijuanaLast I heard, one would have to smoke 25 pounds of marijuana in order to OD from it. It is physically impossible to do that, as one would pass out long before that. (or so I hear...:scrutiny: )

More and more reasons to move to AK. Just got to bring me a woman up there, as there isnt a good ratio up there. Pretty sad that I cant even get one here considering...:(

Anyway, how cheap is the land up there?

[Keith]

We have what's called a "land lottery" set up a lot like the old homestead laws. Other than that, it depends entirely on where you buy. Land near city services is expensive, land out in the boonies is sometimes very cheap.

Keith

[El Tejon]

Does the USA up there have an "Open Season" sign on his office yet?:D

[Augustwest]

Good for Alaska!

It's been a long time since I put anything more mind-altering than a cuppa joe in me, because life wasn't working out well using other stuff.

But drug prohibition (particularly pot prohibition) is silly - infringes on people's right to do with themselves what they please, costs huge amounts of tax money to pay for otherwise needless law enforcement and incarceration, and creates (that's right, creates) violence where there would otherwise be little or none.

Legalize and tax it. Make it a revenue generator instead something that creates a huge tax burden.

I know I'm prone to thinking I'm right, but I truly don't understand why the majority of the country doesn't see this.

And MJ's a way safer way to blow of steam than Budweiser, IMO.

[TallPine]

Drugs may or may not be harmful to your body, but they will kill your soul.

And so you want to legislate how people take care of their souls ....?

I thought that was prohibited under the first amendment establishment clause :confused:

[Kinsman]

It's still illegal in federal law

As I recall PRK had a similar deal. The People voted by referendum to legalize for personal use; Central Gov said "no way we are gonna let that ol' pesky 10th amendment get in the way of our revenooin'."

Alaskans are just independent enough to not care what DEA says anyway.
Not that that stops lots of folks from smokin' it anyhow.

[Geech]

Alaska is really, really looking good in terms of protecting their citizen's liberties. Makes me want to leave my home State and head up to the great white north.

I'm starting to feel that way myself.