Give us what we want, or we'll take away your booze

[seemslikeadream]

Vermont Lawmakers Threaten To Reinstate Prohibition If Pot Isn't Legalized
The Huffington Post | By Nick Visser

Posted: 04/16/2015 1:40 pm EDT Updated: 04/16/2015 5:59 pm EDT
CHRIS PEARSON VERMONT

Vermont may well become the next state to legalize marijuana, and two state lawmakers who support legalization have a simple message for their colleagues: Give us what we want, or we'll take away your booze.

A new bill filed earlier this month by state Reps. Jean O'Sullivan and Christopher Pearson would effectively reinstate alcohol prohibition in Vermont. If passed, House Bill 502 would outlaw consumption of alcohol, with penalties mirroring those currently in place for marijuana possession. Those found with small amounts of alcohol would be subject to fines of up to $500, and anyone involved in the sale and distribution stream could face up to 30 years in prison and $1 million in penalties.

O'Sullivan herself acknowledges that even she doesn't support the substance of the bill. Rather, "the object was to basically embarrass leadership to say that we have [marijuana legalization bills] in front of us, and they're going absolutely nowhere," she told The Huffington Post.

The lawmakers hope to give momentum to legalization in Vermont by raising awareness about the broad scientific consensus that marijuana is the least dangerous recreational drug on the market. A study published in February found that pot had the lowest risk of mortality when compared with nine other commonly used drugs, including alcohol and tobacco.

"We're certainly not going to ban alcohol, but when you say you'll let a drug like that be legalized and then you have a drug like marijuana that's far safer that's still banned, it's completely ironic," O'Sullivan said.

Another bill, H.277, sponsored by Pearson and O'Sullivan and currently in committee, proposes the legal sale and regulation of marijuana in Vermont. Senate Bill 95, which would also legalize the drug, was introduced earlier this year in the legislature's upper chamber.

A Rand Corporation study released this year estimates that Vermonters spent between $125 to $225 million a year on marijuana in 2014. The report projects that tax revenue from a legal marijuana market in the state could amount to between $20 million and $70 million annually.

O'Sullivan notes that taxing marijuana would go a long way to bridge the state's massive budget deficit.

"Consider it a gauntlet thrown down," O'Sullivan said of H.277. "When you're looking at a $113 million budget deficit, it looks really bloody attractive."

Beyond the financial incentives, evidence shows that there's something to the lawmakers' argument: Not a single person has ever been killed from a marijuana overdose. By contrast, around 88,000 Americans die each year due to excessive alcohol consumption, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

[Wombaticus Rex]

It's a weird one. Our governor is a typical failure of a Progressive; clearly more interested in his own reputation and image as a Good Liberal than he is in actually accomplishing a single motherfucking thing during his tenure at our humble State House.

I am utterly baffled as to why marijuana wasn't legalized in 2012. Or 2013. There was another opportunity called 2014 that got passed up, too.

The legislature is concerned about revenue shortfalls and budget deficits. We're currently missing out on (RAND estimate, thanks technocracy) $20 - $75 million in tax revenues.

Two factors: Shumlin is head of the Democratic Governors Association, one of those accidental political powerhouse mafias. He is definitely positioning for his Next Big Thing and no doubt cautious to get too crazy -- gay/trans rights is a billion dollar powerhouse lobby right now, marijuana, not so much.

(Bluntly, Shumlin is also getting donations from people who are currently running Vermont's marijuana industry and they don't want to see anything change.)

The second factor is that Shumlin really, really, really fucked up our healthcare system. It's one of the most inept mistakes in Vermont history, which is really, really, really saying something. The State Auditor just released a report indicating that, almost a full-year since his entire staff had to do a Mea Culpa and admit they'd failed...things have only gotten worse. We've also paid out over $500k to a contractor who is not doing anything -- not in the sense of being negligent, they're literally not doing anything and being paid for it on retainer.

So now he's in damage control mode. It's a pity we didn't get him out of office last year, but ... I mean ... you guys remember that debate, right?

http://www.businessinsider.com/vermont- ... ts-2014-10