Re-Legalize Marijuana:
But Don't Tax or Regulate Personal Cultivation
"So
doesn't it seem ironic that the same people that were busting you for
smoking Marijuana now want to effectively become your local drug dealer?"
Bruce
W. Cain
Editor, New Age Citizen
Author of the MERP Model
(1) Introduction
This is the 9th in a series of essays
on the MERP Model for Re-Legalizing the untaxed, unregulated cultivation
of Marijuana throughout the planet. You can read the rest of the
essays and learn how to support the implementation of the MERP Model at
the following link:
I would highly recommend that you
visit "MERP Headquarters": watch all of the videos and read through all
of the essays.
In the last essay I exposed just how
the "Marijuana Policy Project" (MPP), and other organizations supported
by self-interested multi-billionaires --George Soros, Peter Lewis and
Sperling -- are secretively plotting to put
an end to the personal cultivation of Marijuana. This is
particularly ironic since personal cultivation has been the primary goal of all Marijuana activists since the mid-1960's.
George Soros
Primary Financier of "bogus" Marijuana Reform
Ethan
Nadleman
Drug Policy Alliance
(DPA)
Rob Kampia
Marijuana Policy Project
(MPP)
In this essay I will be explaining
why their highly promoted "tax and regulate" model for Marijuana
Re-Legalization must be vigorously rejected in favor of a model, such as
MERP, which protects the personal cultivation of Marijuana from ANY
taxes, regulations or other forms of government interference.
(2) The Campaign to "Tax and
Regulate" Marijuana
Since Obama won the November 2008
election there has been incredible interest in Re-Legalizing Marijuana
from the American People.
This was first noticed when the foremost request at Obama's website (www.change.gov)
was to Re-Legalize Marijuana.
Unfortunately Obama "just said no."
This "changing of attitude," in
support of Re-Legalization, was beautifully summarized in the following
article in the Christian Science Monitor:
The American movement to
legalize marijuana for regular use is on a roll. Or at least its backers
say it is.
They point to California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who said in early
May that it's now time to debate legalizing marijuana – though he's
personally against it. Indeed, a
legislative push is on in his state (and several others, such as
Massachusetts and Nevada) to treat this "soft" drug like alcohol – to
tax and regulate its sale, and set an age restriction on buyers.
Several recent polls show stepped-up public support for legalization.
This means not only lifting restrictions on use ("decriminalization"),
but also on supply – production and sales.
The Obama administration,
meanwhile, says the US Drug Enforcement Agency will no longer raid
dispensaries of medical marijuana – which is illegal under federal law –
in states where it is legal.
The push toward full legalization is a well-organized, Internet-savvy
campaign, generously funded by a few billionaires, including George
Soros. It's built on a decades-long, step-by-step effort in the states.
Thirteen states have so far decriminalized marijuana use (generally, the
punishment covers small amounts and involves a fine). And 13 states now
allow for medical marijuana.
Paul Armentano, deputy director of the National Organization for the
Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), recently told a Monitor reporter that
three reasons account for the fresh momentum toward legalization:
1) the weak economy, which is
forcing states to look for new revenue;
2) public concern over the violent drug war in Mexico; and
3) more experience with marijuana itself.
Then in early 2009 a new mantra began
emanating from the Mainstream Corporate Media, basically equating
Marijuana Legalization with the "taxation and regulation of Marijuana."
In fact this article (above), is just one of hundreds of recent articles
that talk about "taxing and regulating" Marijuana as if that were the
only possible model for Marijuana reform. Just click on the
following link to survey hundreds of additional articles calling for the
"taxation and regulation" of Marijuana:
But it should be made clear that what
is being discussed is not really Marijuana Legalization but rather
Marijuana Decriminalization. In other words you may eventually be able
to buy Marijuana Legally, but you will never be able to freely cultivate
you own Marijuana. And if you do attempt to "grow your own" the
chances are very good that you will still go to jail. And on top
of that you will probably be paying "street prices" of $300 to $500 per
ounce when you could be growing it yourself for around $20 to $30 per
ounce: and that would be under High Intensity Discharge Lamps. If
you grew it outside it would be free!
So I would think that any intelligent
activist would prefer the MERP Model to a stupid "tax and regulate"
model based on "price per ounce" alone.
And just about all of the moneyed
"drug reform" organizations (e.g., NORML, DPA, MPP, DrugSense, Stop the
Drug War) are fully behind the "tax and regulate" model. What most
activists don't yet understand is that these organizations do not
support the right for adults to be able to cultivate their own Marijuana
as WOULD be the case under the MERP Model. Furthermore the MERP
Model WOULD allow you to grow all the Marijuana you would like to grow
without ANY taxation or regulation.
So which model do you want to
support?:
In the past months I have had
conversations with Allen St. Pierre (NORML), Dave Borden and Dave Card
(Stop the Drug War), Mark Greer (Drug Sense) about my "No Tax, No
Regulate" model. I have also attempted to talk to Rob Kampia
(Marijuana Policy Project) and Ethan Nadleman (Drug Policy Alliance) but
they apparently think they are too important to waste their time talking
to me. What is most important is what they all have in
common:
(1) They all have received
money from George Soros who is working feverishly to insure that adults
will not be able to cultivate their own Marijuana.
(2) They are all in support of
a movement towards a "tax and regulate" model which will prohibit
personal cultivation.
(3) They are all showing
increasing hostility towards people like myself that believe we should
be able to grow our own Marijuana like we can currently produce our own
home-brewed beer or wine: without any taxation, regulation or government
interference.
(4) They will not engage in any
public debate or discussion about protecting the right to "untaxed,
unregulated" personal cultivation by adults as enumerated by the MERP
Model.
Don't take my word for it. Take
the time to visit each of their websites and see how much they talk
about their initiatives to allow adults to grow their own Marijuana
without any taxation or regulation for personal cultivation.
Let me get you started by listing the
"mission statements" for each organization:
The Marijuana Policy Project Comment: Please notice
that nowhere do they say anything about you being able to cultivate your
own Marijuana. Surprised?
MPP's Vision Statement
MPP and MPP Foundation envision
a nation where marijuana is legally regulated similarly to
alcohol, marijuana education is honest and realistic, and treatment for
problem marijuana users is non-coercive and geared toward reducing harm.
MPP's Mission Statement (as approved by the board on December 1, 2008)
1. Increase public support for non-punitive, non-coercive marijuana
policies.
2. Identify and activate supporters of non-punitive, non-coercive
marijuana policies.
3. Change state laws to reduce or eliminate penalties for the medical
and non-medical use of marijuana.
4. Gain influence in Congress.
http://www.mpp.org/about/mission-statement.html http://www.mpp.org
The Drug Policy Alliance
Comment:
Please notice that nowhere do they say anything about you being able to
cultivate your own Marijuana. Surprised?
Mission and Vision
The Drug Policy Alliance Network
envisions a just society in
which the use and regulation of drugs are grounded in science,
compassion, health and human rights, in which people are no
longer punished for what they put into their own bodies but only for
crimes committed against others, and in which the fears, prejudices and
punitive prohibitions of today are no more.
Our mission is to advance those policies and attitudes that best reduce
the harms of both drug misuse and drug prohibition, and to promote the
sovereignty of individuals over their minds and bodies. [SNIP]
http://www.drugpolicy.org/about/mission/ http://www.drugpolicy.org
NORML Comment: Please notice that nowhere do they say anything about you
being able to cultivate your own Marijuana. Surprised?
Policy Statement
NORML supports the right of adults to use marijuana responsibly, whether
for medical or personal purposes. All penalties, both civil and
criminal, should be eliminated for responsible use. Further, to
eliminate the crime, corruption and violence associated with any "black
market," a legally regulated
market should be established where consumers could buy marijuana in a
safe and secure environment.
http://www.norml.com/index.cfm?Group_ID=3415 http://www.norml.com
Stop the Drug War (DRCNet) Comment:
Please notice that nowhere do they say anything about you being able to
cultivate your own Marijuana. Surprised?
DRCNet Mission Statement
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Stop the Drug War (DRCNet) calls
for an end to drug prohibition (e.g. some form of legalization)
worldwide and its replacement with a sensible regime of control through
regulation. In the interim, DRCNet supports philosophically
compatible policy reforms and programs to reduce the excesses of the
drug war and its attendant harms. [SNIP]
http://stopthedrugwar.org/about/mission
http://stopthedrugwar.org
DrugSense
This is a web portal for DrugSense - Media Awareness Project (MAP) -
Drug Policy Central (DPC). Here you will find all the services our
group of organizations has to offer in one place. By registering as a
member you can benefit from many additional resources. Sign up today!
http://www.drugsense.org
DrugSense/Media Awareness Project Staff (4/20/2002: San Francisco,
California)
Front row (L to R): Doug Snead, Jo-D Harrison, Stephen Young, Matt Elrod
Back row (L to R): Richard Lake, Mary Jane Borden, Mark Greer, Phillipe
Lucas (absent Debra Harper)
http://www.drugsense.org/html/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=15
I highly encourage you to go to each
website and attempt to find anything supporting the "untaxed,
unregulated right for adults to cultivate Marijuana." If you find
anything supporting the right for adults to cultivate their own
Marijuana please let me know:
I have known many of these people for
years and I still think they are all great people. But until they
come out in support of "untaxed, unregulated adult cultivation," through
a model similar to MERP, I can no longer characterize them as "true"
proponents of Re-Legalization. It saddens me to say this, but I do
not see how they can look us in the eyes of the "true" proponents of
Re-Legalization and say they are honest brokers of progressive drug
policy.
(3) What is really going on here?
Let me summarize from the top of the
Globalist Power Pyramid.
Way up at the top of the pyramid we
have the fact that the only thing propping up the International Banking
System is the infusion of illicit drug money from Terrorist Groups, Drug
Cartels and "black operation" contingents within our own CIA, NSA etc.
This money finances the "black military operations" to the tune of
around 40 to 60 billion dollars a year. George Soros is actually
high up in this pyramid and has major interests in military contractors
such as the Carlyle Group.
Lower on the pyramid you have state
and local governments that are desperate for additional tax revenue and
keenly aware that demographic changes are resulting in increased calls
for the legalization of Marijuana. This demographic shift, in
favor of Re-Legalization, will be really bad for the drug testing labs,
local courts, police departments and other entities that profit from the
current prohibition of Marijuana. But it seems obvious that they
also recognize their days are numbered.
So in essence they have decided that
if you can't beat them, through Marijuana Prohibition, you might as well
join them and tax the hell out of Marijuana through a "tax and regulate"
model.
The following surveys make quite
clear that there is an unstoppable demographic shift, in support of full
Re-Legalization, that will only grow with each passing year. And
this is the reason that the status quo prohibitionists are being forced
into this "fall back" position. It is only a matter of time before
they are forced to Re-Legalize Marijuana due to the changing
demographics.
(1) As you can see from the following
graph nearly 50% of adults between 20 and 50 have used Marijuana and
nearly all of them understand that Marijuana is not nearly as dangerous
as alcohol, tobacco or most pharmaceutical drugs.
(2) In early 2009, the first time in
US history, there is now a majority of Americans that want to see
Marijuana Legalized, and not just for medical purposes. This was
first reported in a recent Zogby poll that was conducted in the first
quarter of 2009. 52% of the respondents said it is time to
Re-Legalize Marijuana. And of equal importance is the fact that
only 37% are opposed and another 11% are simply "not sure."
A majority of Americans, in a poll released Wednesday, say it "makes
sense to tax and regulate" marijuana. The Zogby poll, commissioned by
the conservative-leaning O'Leary Report, surveyed 3,937 voters and found
52 percent in favor of legalization. Only 37 percent opposed.
A previous ABC News/Washington Post poll found 46 percent in support. In
California, a Field Poll found 56 percent backing legalization.
Responding to the poll at a press conference Tuesday, California Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger called for an open debate on legalization.
Voters were asked: "Scarce law enforcement and prison resources, a
desire to neutralize drug cartels and the need for new sources of
revenue have resurrected the topic of legalizing marijuana. Proponents
say it makes sense to tax and regulate the drug while opponents say that
legalization would lead marijuana users to use other illegal drugs.
Would you favor or oppose the government's effort to legalize
marijuana?"
(3) It is also interesting to look at
the long term trends by looking at older Zogby polling data on the issue
of Marijuana Re-Legalization. I prepared this chart in 2003 and
projected majority support no later than 2012. Most of the
"moneyed" drug reform organizations scoffed at the projection as far to
optimistic. But as usual, I was absolutely on track with my
projections. If anything I wasn't optimistic enough:
It is instructive to consider what
Allen St. Pierre, head of National NORML, had to say about these new
findings:
"Public support for replacing
the illicit marijuana market with a legally regulated, controlled market
similar to alcohol, complete with age restrictions and quality controls,
continues to grow, and appears to have achieved majority support on the
west coast – where many voters are already familiar with the
state-licensed use and, in some cases, sale of medical cannabis.
As voters and legislators continue to look for alternative ways to raise
tax revenue for public services and reduce law enforcement costs in this
troubled economy, we expect the public's support for taxing and
regulating cannabis to continue to grow -- not just on the west coast,
but nationwide."
Zogby Poll: Nearly Six Out Of Ten West Coast Voters Support Taxing
And Regulating Marijuana Like Alcohol
National Support For Pot Legalization Grows To 44 Percent
February 19, 2009 - San Francisco, CA, USA
http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7806
"Scarce law enforcement and prison
resources, a desire to neutralize drug cartels and the need for new
sources of revenue have resurrected the topic of legalizing marijuana.
Proponents say it makes
sense to tax and regulate the drug while opponents say that
legalization would lead marijuana users to use other illegal drugs.
Would you favor or oppose the government's effort to legalize
marijuana?"
What is going on here is what Noam
Chomsky refers to as the "manufacture of consent." NORML finances
Zogby to conduct the poll in such a way that "untaxed, unregulated
personal cultivation" is simply not a choice: Then they will use
the poll results to support their "tax and regulate" model while
effectively keeping the MERP Model "off the table." So
if they have anything to do with it Zogby will never conduct a poll that
asks whether you rather have your government be the new "drug dealer" or
whether you would prefer to grow it yourself without any taxation or
regulation.
So to summarize. . .
What is going on is that the
status quo has decided that Marijuana Prohibition can no longer be
sustained. So they have decided the best way forward is to profit from
creating a new global "tax and regulate" model that will prohibit
personal cultivation. So unless you are a complete idiot it is
clear that they are trying to sell us on the "fall back" position of
"tax and regulate" while doing everything in their power to stop us from
considering better models, such as MERP.
It is up to us to let them know we
aren't a bunch of "stoners" . . . we're not that stupid.
(3)
The Hypocrisy of "Taxing and
Regulating" Marijuana
Before getting into the important
reasons let's just consider the hypocrisy of what they are attempting to
do here. Since Marijuana emerged as the most popular and safe
illegal drug -- in the1960's -- local, state and federal government has
been busting users and sending growers off to prison. In 2008 a
record 870,000 American Cannabis consumers were busted and the lion's
share of these were for mere possession. And many of these
consumers became targets for subsequent harassment after their arrest
became part of their "criminal record." Many other were barred
from receiving college tuition grants. So
doesn't it seem ironic that the same people that were busting you for
smoking Marijuana now want to effectively become your local dealer?
"So
doesn't it seem ironic that the same people that were busting you for
smoking Marijuana now want to effectively become your local dealer?"
Bruce
W. Cain
Editor, New Age Citizen
Author of the MERP Model
Sorry but I've only got two words
to express my outrage at such a stupid, hypocritical idea: Fuck that!
Is there anyone out there that is not absolutely outraged at this idea?
How dumb do they think the American People have become?
Then on top of that we find that
the "moneyed" drug reform organizations (e.g., MPP, DPA, NORML etc.) are
in full support of this stupid "tax and regulate" insanity?
(4)
Two additional reasons why "Taxing
and Regulating" Marijuana is such a bad idea.
But is not just greed and
stupidity that should compel us to reject the "tax and regulate" model
that these idiots think we're going to accept. There are also two
major additional reasons why the "tax and regulate" model makes no
sense:
* Destroying the Mexican Drug
Cartels
* Providing cheap affordable Marijuana for Medical Patients
California was the first state to
legalize Marijuana for Medical purposes with the passage of Proposition
215 in November of 1996. In the next 12 years hundreds of
dispensaries (e.g., "compassion clubs") opened up across the state.
But what many don't understand is that the price of the Marijuana, in
these dispensaries, is just as expensive as it is on the street.
You are still effectively paying between $300 and $500 per ounce,
depending on potency and psychotropic effect. Yet under the MERP
model it would only be costing you about $20 to$30 per ounce if you
decided to grow it yourself indoors: something the "tax and regulate"
model is not going to allow.
And given the greed of Soros and
our government it is pretty fair to assume that the "tax and regulate"
price is going to be at least as high as the current dispensary prices
in California.
So today California patients, such
as Angel Raich, would have to pay over $35,000 per year just for her 7
grams of daily medicine if she was dependant on a dispensary for her
medicine.
7 grams * $14/gram * 365
day/year = $35,770 per year
Yet under the MERP Model the same
medicine would be free if grown outside and would only cost $2,555 per
year if grown hydroponically under high intensity discharge lamps at a
cost of $28 per ounce:
7 grams * $28/ounce * 1 oz/28
grams * 365 day/year = $2,555 per year
So it is pretty clear that, since
many "medical patients" are to sick to work they would never be able to
come up with the $35,000 per year for their medicine. Under MERP
it would only cost $0 to $2,500 per year. So from a "medical
perspective" it would seem that the MERP Model makes far more sense than
the "tax and regulate" model.
Now lets consider the effect of
both models in terms of destroying the Mexican Drug Cartels, Destroying
their American-based operations and reducing the Cartel-related violence
that terrorizes Mexico.
If the "tax and regulate" model
price remains as high as the current street prices it is certain that
the Mexican Drug Cartels will still be able to compete through their
illicit distribution system, though they might have to undercut the
price a bit. Such a environment will not destroy the Cartels and
they will continue to exist. And so the violence experienced by
Mexican citizens will continue unabated.
Yet under the MERP Model there
would be so little profit that it would no longer be worth their while
to even involve themselves in Marijuana distribution: which constitutes
70% of their drug profits. And any enterprise, legal or illegal,
that looses 70% of their revenue flow, is definitely going out of
business. And this will provide immediate relief and benefit to both Cannabis consumers and Mexican citizens.
MERP is a "win-win" here as well. I encourage you to watch
the following video to better understand how MERP would destroy the Drug
Cartels:
If
you don't
want
to watch
the video
you can
also
read
through
the transcript:
But the bottom line is this.
MERP will destroy the Drug Cartels within weeks of its implementation.
Any "tax and regulate" model will not. MERP will allow the sick
access to cheap effective medicine. Any "tax and regulate" model
will not.
I challenge any of the "moneyed"
drug organizations to dispute these claims. None of the "heads"
of these organizations could prevail against me in a debate over these
claims. And it has little to do with my intelligence or the any
stupidity on the behalf of the Kampia's, Nadleman's, St. Pierre's of he
world. It's just the fact that arguing for a "tax and regulate"
model is like arguing that the earth is flat.
The earth is NOT flat. And a
"Tax and Regulate" Model is NOT a good idea if we are truly
considering the "greater good" of society.
MERP is the answer most of us are
looking for.
(4) Conclusions
First off I do want to reiterate
that I harbor no anger against the "moneyed" drug reform organizations
that are "pushing" this "tax and regulate" model. I just think
they are "hands down" out of their minds if they think we are stupid
enough to go along with this.
Secondly, I want to make clear
that I could personally care less if you ever get to smoke another gram
of Marijuana in your respective lifetimes. Most of you have done
nothing to earn this right.
And finally I want to say that it
is really up to all of us to do whatever we think it takes to leave our
children with a better planet from which they can raise their children.
And I do think that allowing every adult to grow Marijuana for smoking,
for food (e.g., hemp flour from the non-psychotropic seeds) and for every other gift it might bestow upon us
-- as the MERP Model would allow -- is a very
smart idea.
And if you also think the MERP
Model has merit, please get on
our mailing list and visit MERP Headquarters often. Your marching
orders will be posted in the very near future. And if we all pitch
in I see the MERP Model getting implemented as early as 2009.
In the end it is all up to us.
As the Beatles once said "all of us is all we need" if we
really expect to realize that "sea of green." Obama's
days, of saying "Yes we can't" are no longer acceptable to a majority of
Americans. Either he Re-Legalizes Marijuana under a "no tax, no
regulate" cultivation model, or he gets booted from the office of the
Presidency.
I'm not taking no for an answer
and hopefully, neither are you.
Yours in Peace and Freedom,
Bruce W. Cain
Editor of New Age Citizen
Author of the MERP Model
In the town where I was born,
Lived a man who sailed to sea,
And he told us of his life,
In the land of submarines,
So we sailed on to the sun,
Till we found the sea green,
And we lived beneath the waves,
In our yellow submarine,
We all live in yellow submarine,
yellow submarine, yellow submarine,
We all live in yellow submarine,
yellow submarine, yellow submarine.
And our friends are all aboard,
Many more of them live next door,
And the band begins to play.
(Trumpets play)
We all live in yellow submarine,
yellow submarine, yellow submarine,
We all live in yellow submarine,
yellow submarine, yellow submarine.
(Full speed ahead, Mr. Parker, full speed ahead!
Full speed over here, sir!
Action stations! Action stations!
Aye, aye, sir, fire!
Captain! Captain!)
As we live a life of ease
Every one of us is all we need,(is all we need)
Sky blue, and sea green,(sky of blue and sea of green)
And a yellow(and a yellow) submarine.(submarine) ( Hahaha! )
We all live in yellow submarine,
yellow submarine, yellow submarine,
We all live in yellow submarine,
yellow submarine, yellow submarine.
(fading)
We all live in yellow submarine,
yellow submarine, yellow submarine,
We all live in yellow submarine,
yellow submarine, yellow submarine.
Please send the link to
activists throughout the planet. The translation bar should allow
this to be read in any language. The 5-Point Strategy for
Marijuana Re-Legalization should be easy to implement in any country
throughout the planet. I encourage all groups celebrating the
Global Marijuana March to make the immediate implementation of the MERP
Model a primary focus of the event.
Call President Obama and your Representatives and demand:
(1) Immediate clemency for Marc Emery and
(2) Immediate implementation of the MERP Model through an Emergency
Session of Congress, similar to what was used to pass the TARP Bailout
on October 3rd, 2008
President:
U.S. Senate switchboard:
202-224-3121
U.S. House switchboard:
(202) 225-3121
The President:
Comments: 202-456-1111.
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
Share
your views on whether Lou Dobbs should support Marijuana Re-Legalization at our
new discussion group
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