Jackson Jambalaya

The fact of the matter is that everyone that wants to smoke weed in this state has no problem finding it. It only makes economic sense that the state legalize it and obtain the sales tax revenue instead of letting the black market prevail. Just remember that the price plus the tax must at equal at most the black market rate or there is no incentive to buy the legal product. Legalized weed also has the upside of providing jobs instead of providing criminals like black market weed does. People concerned with the morality of weed need to realize that horse is long out of the barn and focus on social and community education to stop usage, because criminal penalties only incentivize criminal behavior with high profits.

....please explain why you hate the children and love criminals.... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

I'm against legalizing pot.

It's already readily available, and people are either potentially killing each other over the profits are going to jail for something that is much less harmful than alcohol. Mississippi will of course be the last state to come aboard, but common sense is already beginning to prevail elsewhere.

since pot became legal in Colorado, its 6 times cheaper to get it off the street. I hope all you libtards smoke it up.

I'm somewhat ambivalent on the matter, having heard arguments from both sides that make sense. I do have a question for those more knowledgeable regarding legalization and the various accompanying issues: has an adequate system to determine "marijuana intoxication" (guessing at the terminology here) been established? For example, we have breathalyzers and various other means by which we may determine the level of alcohol in a person's system, and standards indicating whether or not said person is able to competently operate a vehicle. As I understand it, this has been a point of contention in states legalizing marijuana. Personally, I think it wouldn't be such a bad idea to have some system in place, comparable to that for alcohol, if we are going to go down the path of legalization.

The black market in Colorado is alive and thriving.

Anyone that is undecided on this issue should make a study of the prohibition era in the United States. I just can't see any meaningful differences between alchohol prohbition and weed prohibition. And I mean a good solid study. Prohibition was not only a failure, but cast millions of otherwise law-abiding Americans into criminality, increased alcoholism, increased organized crime, caused a proliferation of public health issues, and a variety of other ill effects that generally are the hallmark of government's social engineering efforts. Prohbition was beyond a failure -- it was an American tragedy.

Mississippi will never legalize weed..It is a shame too about them not at least doing it for medical purposes with the University Medical Center and the biggest legal pot field in the state at Ole Miss, that makes no since!!!! I can't smoke it but don't mind when others do I would rather be in the car with someone stoned than drunk..I suffer from Rheumatoid Arthritis and would really like to try some of the creams they have for it...But won't happen here...This is state is always behind!!!

Illegal products attract criminals. Big-time criminals.

You never see Miller and Budweiser going to war over a street corner and some kid getting killed in the crossfire.

I say legalize it.

If alcohol is legal, it makes no sense that pot is not. Alcohol is a much much more dangerous drug.

It's so readily available, I didn't realize it was illegal. I thought it was just not taxed.

Considering that MS is the only state in the region with lax weed laws, it's just a step away. As soon as the money to be made in the agricultural industries is realized, there won't be any stopping it. It would be cotton 2.0, and the tax revenue off hemp alone could pull this state out of the bottom of the barrel.

There are provisions in place for driving while impaired in Mississippi for substances other than alcohol. The DUI is called DUI other.
These are much like cases when an individual does not submit to a the test, also known as a common law DUI. The officers then must testify to observations of impairment and facts that lead them to believe the driver was impaired by a substance.

When alcohol was legalized it was going to be our saving grace for education; no more tax increases. Then came the casinos, with the same rhetoric. Tax dollars go to the general fund, and distributed as the politicos see fit. The state liquor warehouse in Jackson, has higher margins than retailers. The gambling profits go to Vegas, and Atlantic City. If you think the politicos are going to do something for you, get it in writing.

Interesting poll results on here. I think the majority of Americans think it should be legalized but as long as Feel has any say so, we are stuck in the Middle Ages. Factoid: The majority of people in prisons in America on drug related charges are there on possession, not distribution. Law enforcement agencies want it legalized so that they have more $$$ to house violent offenders. But as long as Feel.....

The question is NOT should cannabis be lawful-the question is whether you believe your brain is private property.

Prohibition failed simply because of law enforcement payoffs and bribes.
And legalizing pot says what the the young people?
But if the argument to legalize pot is because it is already available everywhere, then what's next, prostitution?

10:06, legalization says to the young people is that our society values your right to self-determination. Legalization says we value your autonomy over someone else's desire to dictate how you conduct your private affairs.

Saying those things should be a no-brainer for anyone who appreciates liberty.

"Prohibition increased alcoholism"? While it may be true that alcoholism increased *during* prohibition, it cannot be claimed that prohibition increased it.

But I suppose it's always convenient to blame poor behavioral choices on circumstances.

@10:06pm - the answer to your question about prostitution is YES. Legalize it, tax it, and regulate it.

8:24, you'll find that the experience with prostitution has not been positive in many places, such as Amsterdam. There is generally a positive correlation between legalized prostitution and various crimes, such as human trafficking (and yes, you can argue "correlation doesn't equal causation," but...well, to be honest, sometimes they go hand in hand). While I'm of a libertarian bent, I'm not eager to see that here.

January 9, 2014 at 5:17 AM
Did you invent the game "Twister", or "Sit & Spin"? Cause you sure know how to put a spin or a twist on subject matter to achieve your personal gain at the expense of others.

Make it all legal. We need to thin the herd...

Ok, 12:21, let us make you dictator of all citizens' neural activity.

Sounds like an American thing to do, no?

(notice this article is labeled under "Mental Health")

http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/marijuana-use-and-its-effects

What we should be asking ourselves in the first place is how it became illegal to begin with.. Our founding fathers were rolling up!!! It was made illegal on racist accusations against african americans and hispanics that it made white women want to sleep with them. Its all slander from the 20s!! The same people that made marijuana illegal is also the same institution that thought cigarettes and tobacco were healthy for you and your kids. The ones that said trees were the reason for pollution and that one hit from a marijuana ciggarette was the equivalent of setting off two atomivc bombs. Back when they actually pute cocaine in coke and the doctors could prescribe you heroin for a headache. They clearly had no idea about the benefits of marijuana due to the lack of study of the drug. Our government still uses results from the 50s when they cut off oxygen and made them smoke weed out of a gas mask. 5 minutes with no direct oxygen, idc what the hell your breathing in but if there's no oxygen for that long of course that will result in loss of brain functions. WAKE UP PEOPLE

Legalize marijuana pleeeeeease. Its not harmful and it would keep a lot of people out of jail.

As we all know Mississippi is a conservative state.The heart of the bible belt.Where people like to hide all their vices and true feelings behind their so called morality.Where in reality most of these people are the same ones committing these very same or similar vices.Now coming from a state that is so conservative that they will turn down 2 billion dollars a year in federal funds just to turn their back on president Obama,because of his race as all of us truly know the true intentions of these people.Do you really think they are going to allow us liberals as we are called to be able to use marijuana freely even with the promise of taxes and school funding and relief for the police departments courts jails corrections and many other overwhelming savings from governmental departments. of course not because their is too much profit from every arrest every inmate the state profits from housing.private companies profit from contracts with the state to house and supervise the inmates.police departments profit from drug and money seizures property seizures and such the state even profits from free convict labor parole payments the list goes on and on.truth be know there is no telling how many politicians that some of these drug czars have in their pockets.its being reported that the new laws in colorado and other states have hurt the cartels because its been long known that marijuana funded the smuggling of cocaine and heroine.with the fact that its now becoming mainstream its now meth that their turning to the most.i think that this is the reason marijuana was never legalized in america for the simple fact that decriminalization would blow their treasure troll.yet they still hide behind morale and the bible.i personally am for marijuana its an unprocessed nature given plant not that much different and probably safer than tobacco.there are more deaths from tobacco or tobacco related health problems in one year than the last fifty involving marijuana.Alochol is the number one killer worldwide.why do these get special protection.two reasons one prohibition didn't work and second lobby interests from big corporations
so with that i say on with the battle and may the people and marijuana win