Why do voters keep rejecting marijuana initiatives?
826153
That is exactly it, it comes from years of the govt educating them that it is harmful, but I see more people die every year from alcohol than I EVER will from weed. People just need to be re-educated.......see people like above don't know anything except the negative "pothead" label. They don't realize that there are MILLIONS of marijuana users who are perfectly fine and very much functioning in society everyday. Many very successful people use it and if everything the govt says about it were true, that would not be the case. There will always be those that can't use it, like there are those that cannot handle alcohol, but that does not mean it should be illegal for all. It has it's uses and it is time that people woke up to the fact that it is MUCH less harmful than alcohol, which by the way, can affect a person with just one drink.
419312
lol...you just wanna smoke....but jokes a side I agree....sadly Marijuana has to major enemies...namely the Alcohol and Tobacco industries.....in fact those 2 substances are proven that they WILL KILL YOU and yet they are perfectly legal to take.....it is big business......just to see how potent this issue is.....for example if the state of California legalized and took control over the distribution of marijuana it would solve their financial problems in one stroke!
98335
My belief is that one reason they are afraid to legalize it is because it would be impossible to reverse that decision. The goverment tried this back in the 1920's - with alcohol. Before this time, it was legal to ingest alcohol. Once it was illegal, anyone using or transporting it was, of course, a criminal. It was this single event that spawned the growth of organized crime families in the U.S.\n\nAnother reason is because they have criminalized it for so long, they would lose credibility if they reversed course. \n\nAnother reason is because when 'Manifest Destiny' was the call of the expansion of the U.S. in the 1700's, it required the destruction and disbursement of the people and culture of the Native Americans. Since the use of marijuana was part of their religious beliefs and way of life, it was automatically labeled as 'savage' and 'uncultured' by the white man.
841363
The government could care less. It's the corporations. And it's not the pot, it's the hemp that they have to keep illegal. It would replace too many poisonous things that they sell. Companies like Monsanto. Those are the kinds of companies that lobbied to make it illegal, many decades ago. Example. The first American battle ship was made of 85% hemp. Do a search and see how it use to be the main stay for the entire planet.
9599
1) Because politicians are afraid voters will punish anyone who suggests more progressive and fair taxes;\n2) Because smoking is bad for you and others, and there is no right to smoke at a cheap price.
977904
No it's probably time for a rational review of drug laws. But don't count on our politicians to propose changes. They can't be seen as "soft on crime". Better to build more jails and get reelected than to solve our society's problems.
1045113
Because state medical marijuana is just another lame excuse for dope-heads getting high.  Stop that crap...smoke salmon.
363295
It's hard to fight once it passes. If it hasn't passed, you can vote against it and tell others to do the same.
1101708
As President Jimmy Carter acknowledged: "Penalties against drug use should not be more damaging to an individual than the use of the drug itself. Nowhere is this more clear than in the laws against the possession of marijuana in private for personal use."\n\nMarijuana prohibition needlessly destroys the lives and careers of literally hundreds of thousands of good, hard-working, productive citizens each year in this country. More than 700,000 Americans were arrested on marijuana charges last year, and more than 5 million Americans have been arrested for marijuana offenses in the past decade. Almost 90 percent of these arrests are for simple possession, not trafficking or sale. This is a misapplication of the criminal sanction that invites government into areas of our private lives that are inappropriate and wastes valuable law enforcement resources that should be focused on serious and violent crime.
419027
Since daily you pot heads ask this question without running a search to see how this question is dealt with.  One has to assume that ALL potheads are lazy.\n\nSince ALL potheads are lazy and don't vote, those of us who are law abiding citizens that do vote, marijuana is illegal
1117254
The restriction against marijuana runs contrary to the concept of limited government and maximum personal liberty and responsibility that many conservatives believe in. We are adults who do not need a nanny state to protect us from ourselves.
169561
Nothing. Call your State Legislature and ask him/her to introduce the bill. Ask others to do the same.\nNow if your thinking "grass roots referendum" to get the issue on the State vote, that's different.\nYour State may be different then mine.
512143
Because they cannot arrest everyone.  And the only reason marijuana is illegal anyway is to keep kids from smoking it.  It's really better for you than alcohol.  Most people I know smoke it, and those who don't are cool with it.  I know a bunch of cops that smoke too.
445889
They have a lot of problems to work out before a vote. I talked with someone today in Washington that said it might not be until after the election. Both sides want to deal with it at the same time they don't. More pressure put on them by the public faster the process.
220652
The only thing I can imagine you're talking about is pot, and no you can't take that to another state. In fact, you can't really have it in the state you're in, because it is against federal law.
234796
Because the majority of the American public does not want it.  In every chance it has been in the ballots the votes show that the public don't want it.\n\nJust leave it up to the public at elections
524269
I would probably feel differently. If they humbly asked for legalization, I think the American government and people would be more accepting than if they demanded rights (like voting) as they still are. The main problem is the way they're taking a position. If they want to become legal citizens, they should prove that they want to play fair and by the rules of the United States. I don't think the protests helped them.