Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lycanthrope" data-source="post: 233603" data-attributes="member: 562">Someones 1st hand Colorado legalization experience, copied from elsewhere..."Let's talk about crime and Measure 3. I was a Colorado bail bondsman before, during, and after Colorado legalized cannabis so I have a very unique experience and perspective.   First, if you are unfamiliar with Bail Bondsmen, we are licensed  Officers of the Courts. We work in the jails and in the courthouses. We  work closely with the judges, the prosecution, the defense, jails and  law enforcement agencies. In layman's terms we are "Private Sheriffs"  who can release almost any defendant from jail into our recognizance  (control) that we choose and believe in. Prior to that work in Colorado,  I was a Bail Enforcement Agent for over a decade in North Dakota and  Minnesota. On top of that I was a licensed private detective and did  many criminal defense cases.  In short I've spent more time in jails and courthouses than even most criminals.  I've had contact with thousands and thousands of people who were in the criminal justice system as defendants. Now that you have some understanding of my background please hear me about Measure 3.  I absolutely support the passage of Measure 3 for my home state of  North Dakota. The benefits that the future holds for North Dakota once  Measure 3 passes far far outweigh the perceived risks. I say  perceived risks because I heard all the same contrived arguments  bantered about in Colorado before we voted. It was baseless fear  mongering that never came to be. The streets didn't run red with blood,  the Mexican cartels didn't take over the schools, children were not  found passed out on the playground with joints in their hands and Satan  didn't start walking the streets.  Rather, businesses sprung up  everywhere. Specifically many businesses rose up out of blighted areas  and caused entire communities to experience economic growth that hadn't  been seen there for decades.  With these businesses came jobs.  Tens of thousands of people who were marginalized because of their  marijuana backgrounds before became the most popular employees in the  state.  The opposition uses the term Black Market. Obviously and  admittedly there is a black market. BUT they dont speak about all of the  former illicit funds that came into the daylight via taxes that rebuilt  the schools. Some of those schools before those funds had leaking roofs  and only escaped being condemned because they were owned by the  government that would have issued that order.  So let's quickly  recap this before I continue. Thousands of new businesses, tens of  thousands of new jobs and millions of dollars that directly contributed  to the education of the entire state's youth. Also ignored or  avoided by the opposition is the ancillary funds that flowed into the  state. People from all over the world came there. That money flowed into  hotels, restaurants and every other business imaginable.  Some  say "the numbers of homeless people exploded..." so let's speak to that.  Listen, those people were there before. Did some more arrive? Sure.   BUT! Something changed. Where once it used to be used needles and other  heavy drug paraphernalia on the ground, that started to go away. Heroin  use, crack cocaine and meth use all declined significantly. Those  homeless people were using the legal weed to GET OFF THE OTHER DRUGS!!!  The opposition will absolutely not tell you about that because it  doesn't serve their fear mongering agendas.  What else do they NOT tell you? Tons.  Remember, I dealt with the criminals who were arrested. So what about that which the opposition is hiding from you?   The amount of outstanding warrants started to decrease significantly.  Since cannabis was no longer an easy thing to hunt anymore the law  enforcement agencies HAD to chase down the "real" criminals. On top of  that enforcement of other laws increased.  When they say DUIs  increased, well? Duh! Read the above paragraph again. Because they  didn't have marijuana prohibition they had time to pursue all the other  crimes they "didn't have time for before". Imagine that. Let's talk about the schools again. Rather let's talk about the youths.  Cannabis use among youths DROPPED SHARPLY!!!  Why? It was legal and lost a ton of it's cool factor.   I am sure that I have missed some of their fake disingenuous arguments.  If I missed it and you ask I will address it in the comments.   In closing Colorado reaped many more good things because of legalization  than the opposite. And North Dakota will also gain way more than it  loses with legalization.  Vote YES on Measure 3!"</blockquote>

Verification: What is the most common fish caught on this site?

Reply to thread

Recent Posts

Friends of NDA