Dumbest product bans ever
Posted 11 weeks 1 day ago byThere are reasonable regulations, and then there is this: In Louisiana, it's illegal to arrange two or more different types of flowers without a state florist license. Silly, right? In Virginia, it's illegal to sell Sangria, a mixture of wine, brandy and fruit. Ridiculous. But wait, there's more!
The Competitive Enterprise Institute just released a report detailing five of the "dumbest product bans ever." Louisiana's flower rules and Virginia's preposterous Sangria ban make the list, along with three far more serious contenders. (The summary is here, but the the full report (in PDF) is well worth reading.)
Some product bans make sense: kiddie porn, for example, or the private ownership of weapons of mass destruction. But other bans make no sense, and often exist either to protect special interests (Big Florists, in the case of the Louisiana law) or to serve some dubious social purpose. Those bans limit consumer choice, stifle innovation and generally offer a patina of protection.
It's possible to argue with CEI's picks, as author Eli Lehrer acknowledges at the outset: "By necessities of space and brevity, many delightfully absurd product bans remain unexplored here." Sounds like a franchise is born.
Thoughts
Me Neither
Submitted on February 29th, 2008 by FeckineejitI don't use Marijuana either, but I don't understand how Cigarettes and Alcohol that kill hundreds of thousands of people each year are legal while Marijuana is prohibited. It has been used by people for thousands of years and has known medicinal benefits. Not to mention drunks are violent idiots, Marijuana smokers are just peaceful and hungry.
Here is the dumbest of them all
Submitted on February 28th, 2008 by UriahThe illegality of marijuana. It has thousands of uses, both as a textile and a food product. Sure, it can be cultivated with high levels of THC, but it can also be grown with no THC levels.
Everyone focuses on the medicinal uses, but much more importantly is its textile uses.
Hemp seed oil lubricated the wheels of the wagons crossing America and was used to burn the lamps in the old west.
Most importantly, the biomass from an acre of HEMP has more energy than corn or sugar beets. A possible option for green energy?
More protein in its seeds than soy as well.
I don't personally use marijuana to get high, but I understand its uses could be a possible boon for economy and environment.
It's an amazing product.