Legal weed; a matter of time

[Teenwolf]

Legal weed is proving to be a huge success, and spreading further all of the time. Anybody been in a store?

British Columbia has decriminalized, and opened shops for Medicinal purpose. Previously, you needed a federal license to be able to buy or use, which cost $500. Recently, it's become streamlined, so that you can get your medical consultation, doctor's note, etc, for cheap or FREE and be able to purchase within an hour or so. In the last 2 years, over 50 dispensaries have opened! It's the green rush, and it's pretty crazy to witness. People seem overly concerned with the edibles being a gateway for children to start, but like Bill Maher recently said about giving edibles away at halloween; "you think I'm going to waste my stash on children?! Get real!"

Of course I think it's great to allow widespread access to a lesser harmful substance than alcohol. The shift in public substance usage away from alcohol and towards marijuana is projected by economists to save 10's of thousands of lives per year in traffic fatalities alone, not even accounting for the peripheral benefits of lower health care costs from alcoholics, and more.

What sayeth the 'pen?

[rhd]

[QUOTE=Teenwolf;202817]Legal weed is proving to be a huge success, and spreading further all of the time. Anybody been in a store?

I think it's a matter of time but probably will be very gradual. And it should change the dynamics of illicit drug dealing and drug cartels. My understanding is that despite the media attention that drugs like cocaine, heroin and meth get, illegal pot sales exceed all other illegal drug sales combined. If not, then at least a substantial portion of the drug profits. So I'm thinking that this would make a huge dent in the drug trade and law enforcement efforts to prevent it if it happened over a short period of time in the US and the other major markets. But perhaps dealers would just make up the difference by increasing their efforts to sell the other illegal drugs. And, as I said, I think the legalization will be gradual here and probably in the other '1st world" countries also, so dealers would have time to adjust their strategies. So perhaps not a significant effect.

[Teenwolf]

Dealers are adjusting their strategies in public, opening dispensaries and adapting to the rules of legitimate business. This is the green rush I speak of.

I could see widespread legalization and taxation being done extremely quickly, especially with the type of financial incentives it offers. Support for legalization across the board is already at 52% in the US, and Canada could legalize nationwide within a few years if the Liberal party unseats Stephen Harper.

It will take another decade or more before gay marriage is legal throughout the US, but there aren't nearly the financial incentives behind that issue that there are with legal weed. So I can see this issue flying through much quicker.

[nullnor]

I set myself up to get a weed medical card in MA. went to the doctor and got a physical, not for that reason tho. but I set myself up, got diagnosed for anxiety w/o signs of hypertension. so I could get a card. but I also might want to grow some plants. I mean, I still have to pay for it. so im not sure if getting a card would call attention to myself or protect me. I can really manipulate my blood pressure. first time I was 150/100 then 142/90 then 132/80. lol. now I know why my cat was also doing a zen thing on her blood pressure.

[Papa Deuce]

Well, "matter of time" is too general..... My guess is for it to actually be legal in Philly will take 10 - 15 more years. The people who have been in charge for ages will have to die before it will change. For small amounts, though, they have made it a minor offense, with only a fine as the penalty. But that is only because they don't have a big enough prison system for the real baddies now... Plus, studies have been done, and close to 90% of all pot arrests were to black folks. Plus Philly is about as broke as Detroit, almost... I'm glad that I don't actually live in the city.

Honestly, it really is only the ( non ) legality of it that stops me from enjoying it a few times a year.

[onejayhawk]

It's about time. Now keep that stuff away from me. It stinks worse than tobacco.

J

[swampdragon]

How can police test for it similar to DWI? Is there a scientific measurement for amount in your system?

I am concerned about people driving while impaired.

[baldgriff]

The "war on drugs" has been a miserable failure with an abhorrently high percentage of non-white people being imprisoned for possession. The government created the prohibition of weed shortly after the prohibition of alcohol after losing the alcohol battle and needing something else to chase. Cannabis is a plant that has many properties that can be helpful for cancer, parkinson's, arthritis, epilepsy and other various diseases by controlling pain and limiting tremors or seizures.

I would invite you all to watch the various documentaries Dr. Sanjay Gupta has done. They are viewable on YouTube and its fascinating to see how this plant and the various components of it aid in medical control and potential healing as mentioned above.

It should not be classified as a Class 1 drug!

I also think that it should be legalized for recreational usage. Will some people abuse it, sure there is that potential. I will say this though, no one will overdose from the usage of weed. Its just not possible to do it. From my reading and viewing, there are no documented cases of death by marijuana overdose. Alcohol and other prescription drugs appear to be more potent and have higher cases of addiction or death than marijuana.

Legalize it and if you want to tax it like alcohol go for it. It was legal over 100 years ago, lets legalize it again and find ways to use apply the taxes in a productive way.

[Pogues]

This whole legalization of marijuana thing...well I couldn't care less about it. Illegal, legal...I won't touch the stuff. I don't care about anyone else, but I'll do everything I can to explain to my son the negatives of marijuana, and hope he stays away from it also.

But if does become legal nationwide, I hope they tax it like they do alcohol and tobacco.

[Gregg]

How can police test for it similar to DWI? Is there a scientific measurement for amount in your system?

I am concerned about people driving while impaired.

June 11th, 2013/ 8
A new law that sets legal limits on marijuana levels in the bloodstream took effect in Colorado on May 28. Under the new law, drivers are assumed to be impaired if their blood test shows a level of THC—the active ingredient in marijuana—of 5 or more nanograms per milliliter.

[nullnor]

pot promotes brain cancer, but it protects against lung cancer. and if you're under 25 and inclined genetically to have schizophrenia it will bring it out. I've both done my research and learned from experience. alcohol is worse, it's a poison, but pot has it's drawback too. a pothead that finally develops schizophrenia will sit just there for hours in the early stages while it synergizes. and the brain cancer thing is real too. someone could write a term paper on that. but pot users do develop less lung cancer if they smoke cigarettes. there are natural receptors in the lungs for pot which might seem to protect against the 100's of carcinogens.

[Fresno Bob]

This whole legalization of marijuana thing...well I couldn't care less about it. Illegal, legal...I won't touch the stuff. I don't care about anyone else, but I'll do everything I can to explain to my son the negatives of marijuana, and hope he stays away from it also.

But if does become legal nationwide, I hope they tax it like they do alcohol and tobacco.

I hope you have the same conversations with your son about alcohol and tobacco

[DMT]

I just got back from Vegas for the Halloween Phish shows, and it incredible how many people were vaping in the casinos.

[swampdragon]

June 11th, 2013/ 8
A new law that sets legal limits on marijuana levels in the bloodstream took effect in Colorado on May 28. Under the new law, drivers are assumed to be impaired if their blood test shows a level of THC—the active ingredient in marijuana—of 5 or more nanograms per milliliter.

interesting - how do they test? and is there an equivalent way to estimate this

I don't smoke pot or tobacco - and sometimes have a couple of glasses of wine with dinner but that is all

[Teenwolf]

June 11th, 2013/ 8
A new law that sets legal limits on marijuana levels in the bloodstream took effect in Colorado on May 28. Under the new law, drivers are assumed to be impaired if their blood test shows a level of THC—the active ingredient in marijuana—of 5 or more nanograms per milliliter.

I don't believe this test has a direct correlation to how impaired a person is. Sanjay Gupta did a report on the stark differences between habitual 24-7 weed smokers' level of driving impairment (small or no difference) with people who are inexperienced tokers (massive impairment).

It's scary to think that people making and enforcing these laws will have no knowledge of the correlation of THC levels and impairment. Seems like another drug law to be enforced arbitrarily, definitely ripe for mis-application. Combine this with police seizure laws, etc, and there's still a pile of corruption to be stemmed.

My friends who are 24/7 stoners drive everywhere, and are great drivers. I don't do it, or at least I try to keep my weed level on the lower end when I need to drive all over, but I also think it's less impairing to any driver than texting, which is something that I see several times every day. I also have a clean driving record, by the way, despite the fact that I probably wouldn't pass this blood test in my sleep.

Like I say, economists project 10's of thousands of lives saved due to the drug of choice changing from alcohol to pot. But yeah, sure, let's continue the drug war as long as people are in vehicles, but only if they check all the appropriate boxes for prosecution... just like the last failed drug war...

Don't mind me, I'm just a bit paranoid.