The best thing about Dr. Ron Paul is that you can follow his career and at every step of the way the message he supports is consistent. He first ran for President as the Libertarian candidate in 1988 running on the same issues, saying the same things, he was just thirty years ahead of his time. As part of the ongoing examination of the key issues on which Dr Paul is running it's time to look at some of his more radical interpretations of what liberty is.1988: Drug addiction is an illness, not a crime.
Doctors are a protected industry.
2008: Freedom of choice
2012: Do you need the government to stop you from taking heroin?
If it were legalized today would you take it?
Prisons are flooded with drugs, if we cannot keep drugs out of prisons how can you keep drugs out of society? 70% of prisoners at HMP La Moye are drug addicts or runners, maintained at a cost of £45,000 per year.
I undertook a survey at the last election which showed that 53% of people in Jersey were in favour of de-criminalising cannabis. When Jerry Dorey did a report for shadow scrutiny the matter was not even discussed in the States, why is it that they will not allow the debate to take place? What is it that they are afraid of?
Cannabis grown in Jersey greenhouses could bring some much needed financial assistance to the Jersey farmers, a cash crop which would attract visitors to our island and go a long way towards rebuilding our economy and standard of living. Is that not worth losing a few jobs from the police and the prison service?
Would the safety of drug users not be enhanced from the controlled supply and quality of narcotics rather than people taking risks by purchasing whatever from a street corner?
Personally I would not be interested in taking it myself, I do not think that it is beneficial, but I do not think that alcohol is either. If governments are not allowed to interrupt our freedom of thought, then why can they prevent us from an action which does not cause harm to another person's body or property.
From Mary Ann Island to Mary Jane Island - like it! Can't see the conservative locals agreeing, but if the economy really does slide down the pan then there may not be much else to bring home the bacon :)
ReplyDeleteHow can the Jersey Government legalise something that is NOT UNLAWFUL???
ReplyDeleteIn Common Law, and God's Law (Ecclesiastical Canon Law), human beings can smoke cannabis where, and whenever they want, and without anyone's permission!
It is not unlawful, but it is illegal. So they can legalise it within the confines of statutory law.
ReplyDeleteDarius,
ReplyDeleteStatutory law applies to bodies corporate and only bodies corporate (not men and women)
I'm with you Cyril but in order to allow corporations or other legal entities to grow, harvest and sell cannabis a change in the statutory law would be required... I'm with you that free men and women can already do so as long as they don't contract under statutory law 'in personum'.
ReplyDeleteAny man or woman can grow and sell cannabis at their leisure, and not be acting in commerce. Commerce is defined in Black's as buying and selling for profit, not growing and selling, making and selling, or any other combination for that matter. Just buying and selling.
ReplyDeleteWord V 'insest' LOL
The biggest stumbling block is that Britain and its Dependencies are bound by International Treaty to prohibit cannabis.
ReplyDelete