Legalizing Marijuana

[Sactowndog]

One area where the pot = tobacco argument has an issue is with impairment. I dont mind some trucker huffing down a pack of marlboro reds when on the interstate, but I would not want to be driving near someone stoned driving the same rig.

Actually as a stimulate cigarettes could make the said truck driver more irritable and aggressive as a driver. The case can easily be made that a truck driver under the influence of marijuana would be a more safe driver than one using Pot. Of course levels of dose would come into play.

But no matter which is safer regulating while operating a vehicle wouldn't affect section IX but the current prohibition seems to be a clear violation. My guess is most criminal defense attorneys slept through their constitutional law classes. Hopefully the State of Colorado will sue the government on these grounds.

I would disagree on the tobacco user being more of a danger than a pot user, but I do agree it should be legalized. Legalization, however would need to be tempered by allowing companies to prevent its use by employees in certain occupations.

Alcohol is legal, but get caught with it in your system during a random or after accident test as a truck operator, and your ass is fired. The same should be for pot, but we would have to figure out a test that measured concentration in blood vs. intoxication rather than just evidence of trace amounts.

True which will take some work given the half life of THC in the system. What amount actually causes impairment would have to be understood.

 

[Sactowndog]

Marijuna definitely makes people safer drivers.

Teenage Driver Indicted in Fatal Car Accident | Verizon FiOS1 News - Long Island

It's all in how you define safe.

Does safe driving mean twice as likely to crash?

Marijuana-smoking motorists twice as likely to crash cars - HealthPop - CBS News

Marijuana Use May Double the Risk of Accidents for Drivers | News | Mailman School of Public Health

It's the definition of safe driving that needs to be changed so that driving under the influence of marijuana can be statistically safer, if not actually safer.

The study didn't look at the amount of marijuana consumed just that it had been consumed. Consuming any drug at excessive amounts impairs your ability to drive and that includes stimulates.

But again regulating all drugs relative to operating a vehicle is valid. Prohibiting one drug which is a clear substitute for another legal drug seems to be a clear violation of article IX. Is anyone willing to argue that marijuana is not a substitute and it is not a violation?

 

[Duped]

Prisons should be utilized for threats to society. If pot was legal, it would make room for those threats.
You can't have an honest debate without addressing alcohol. Any deleterious effects that weed might be responsible for - that arguement can be leveraged much more forcibly against alcohol. How did prohibition work out?

 

[martybegan]

Prisons should be utilized for threats to society. If pot was legal, it would make room for those threats.
You can't have an honest debate without addressing alcohol. Any deleterious effects that weed might be responsible for - that arguement can be leveraged much more forcibly against alcohol. How did prohibition work out?

The one thing that would have to be worked out is a viable method of determining THC levels in the blood with impairment, much as you have with Alcohol via BAC.

The one thing that might be an issue is THC's 1/2 life in the blood vs. that of alcohol.

One solution would be to provide police with a method of taking a blood sample quickly at the site of the stop. This could then be preserved to remove the chance of the person "sobering up" as they wait for a regular blood test.

 

[April]

Marijuna definitely makes people safer drivers.

Teenage Driver Indicted in Fatal Car Accident | Verizon FiOS1 News - Long Island

It's all in how you define safe.

Does safe driving mean twice as likely to crash?

Marijuana-smoking motorists twice as likely to crash cars - HealthPop - CBS News

Marijuana Use May Double the Risk of Accidents for Drivers | News | Mailman School of Public Health

It's the definition of safe driving that needs to be changed so that driving under the influence of marijuana can be statistically safer, if not actually safer.

Sarcasm noted.
That is just dumb...driving under the influence of ANY substance that slows simple cognitive and motor skills is just plain stupid.

 

[FA_Q2]

A better question might be why is it illegal? Prohibition failed but Pot is still illegal. The libertarians rightly hate it.

I think the question might be best answered by following the money. For a couple generations pot has been a substitute drug for tobacco. Should pot be legal the substitution of pot for tobacco would accelerate as they would now be on equal footing.

Tobacco is grown in the south while Pot is largely grown in the west. To me the illegalization of Pot while tobacco is legal is a clear violation of article IX of the constitution which states that

"No preference shall be given by any regulation of commerce or revenue to the ports of one State over those of another ..."

To me the illegalization of pot is a federal violation of the constitution. Pot is a clear substitute for tobacco. The federal government regulates pot in such a manner as to provide preference for those southern states selling tobacco over the western states selling pot.

One area where the pot = tobacco argument has an issue is with impairment. I dont mind some trucker huffing down a pack of marlboro reds when on the interstate, but I would not want to be driving near someone stoned driving the same rig.

Actually as a stimulate cigarettes could make the said truck driver more irritable and aggressive as a driver. The case can easily be made that a truck driver under the influence of marijuana would be a more safe driver than one using Pot. Of course levels of dose would come into play.

But no matter which is safer regulating while operating a vehicle wouldn't affect section IX but the current prohibition seems to be a clear violation. My guess is most criminal defense attorneys slept through their constitutional law classes. Hopefully the State of Colorado will sue the government on these grounds.

That is an asinine argument to make and I think you know it. Pot directly affects both reaction time and your cognitive ability. Irritability is not the problem while driving high, it is your inability to stop before plowing into that school bus.

I think that is also another reason to address this rationally and legalize it though. We need tests and harsh penalties for people that put others in direct danger (violating their rights) via driving while high. Illegalizing a substance entirely does nothing to address that. It simply drives things further underground and makes developing and using such tools even less likely.

 

[Sactowndog]

One area where the pot = tobacco argument has an issue is with impairment. I dont mind some trucker huffing down a pack of marlboro reds when on the interstate, but I would not want to be driving near someone stoned driving the same rig.

Actually as a stimulate cigarettes could make the said truck driver more irritable and aggressive as a driver. The case can easily be made that a truck driver under the influence of marijuana would be a more safe driver than one using Pot. Of course levels of dose would come into play.

But no matter which is safer regulating while operating a vehicle wouldn't affect section IX but the current prohibition seems to be a clear violation. My guess is most criminal defense attorneys slept through their constitutional law classes. Hopefully the State of Colorado will sue the government on these grounds.

That is an asinine argument to make and I think you know it. Pot directly affects both reaction time and your cognitive ability. Irritability is not the problem while driving high, it is your inability to stop before plowing into that school bus.

I think that is also another reason to address this rationally and legalize it though. We need tests and harsh penalties for people that put others in direct danger (violating their rights) via driving while high. Illegalizing a substance entirely does nothing to address that. It simply drives things further underground and makes developing and using such tools even less likely.

The point is any drug in excess can create dangerous driving conditions and all drugs should be regulated in terms of use while driving. Driving hopped up in stimulates is also dangerous. Just because a drug causes impairment is not reason for illegality.

Again the main point is the constitutionality of pot laws relative to tobacco under the IXth article of the constitution.

 

[Zander]

Legalize.

 

[Staidhup]

The real issue is when will it be legal and controls the government and states will employ as it concerns distribution and taxation.

 

[regnum_defundie]

4 pages and, unless I missed it, no mention of the US Government patent on the use of the main ingredient in Cannabis- Cannabinoids.

From the Abstract:
"Cannabinoids have been found to have antioxidant properties, unrelated to NMDA receptor antagonism. This new found property makes cannabinoids useful in the treatment and prophylaxis of wide variety of oxidation associated diseases, such as ischemic, age-related, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The cannabinoids are found to have particular application as neuroprotectants, for example in limiting neurological damage following ischemic insults, such as stroke and trauma, or in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and HIV dementia...(much more, including footnotes)

I can't post links yet but all one has to do is put 6630507 into a search engine and you will see! also google KannaLife

You can't patent a plant, hence the "use of". Furthermore, besides the fact that the patent should belong to the people of the US, the Feds are apparently about to (or did) award this patent to a single company. One can only ask- "How Much Did That Cost"

From blogs westword dot com--

The U.S Department of Health and Human Services is about to give exclusive rights to the government-owned patent on marijuana to a single pharmaceutical company based in New York...

...Update: KannaLife did receive exclusive rights to the US patent on marijuana, but CEO Dean Petkanas told our sister blog Toke of the Town last night that it only applies to a very specific medical condition and that they have no plans to expand their research. "We don't want to be involved in the production, growth or dispensing of marijuana at the retail level," Petkanas said.

***

So the Feds have been busting grannies in wheelchairs, killing pets, confiscating property and ruining lives all the while they *patented the use of the main ingredient*

They were protecting their patent.

That is kind of screwed up

Once this is common knowledge the farce that is a war on a plant will dissolve.

Edit to add: Washington didn't "legalize" cannabis, it decriminalized small amounts and changed the DUI laws so that anyone that enjoys the new legal status frequently is most likely technically guilty of a DUI every time they sit behind the wheel. In addition, the "legalization" only applies to **one ounce or less of product specifically bought from a state licensed store***, those 21 or older (younger? same laws), prohibits home growing- 1 plant=felony, and purports to set up statewide stores to sell this herb. The problem is, Joe Biden et al consider this money laundering. So don't believe everything you hear about Washington's "Legalization". It was a farce. A Fraud.

 

[Katzndogz]

We should stop making this war on plants. Whatever grows out of the ground is safe. Now shut up and drink your peach pit tea.

 

[Wolfsister77]

The Federal Government should not go after the States that have legalized Marijuana. Right now the Federal Laws on this are ridiculous. It has been proven time and time again that tough drug laws do not do anything to restrict the flow of drugs or decrease usage. It is expensive and a waste of time to enforce marijuana laws. Regluate it, tax it, legalize it.

 

[martybegan]

The Federal Government should not go after the States that have legalized Marijuana. Right now the Federal Laws on this are ridiculous. It has been proven time and time again that tough drug laws do not do anything to restrict the flow of drugs or decrease usage. It is expensive and a waste of time to enforce marijuana laws. Regluate it, tax it, legalize it.

Also add "jail the living crap out of people caught driving while intoxicated on it (and alcohol).

I am still amazed DWI still is so weakly punished. That being said, I also think a BAC of 0.08 is far too low for serious penalties. Most DWI accidents are caused by people in the .20-.30 range, and those bastards should go away for 5-10 years.

 

[Montrovant]

We should stop making this war on plants. Whatever grows out of the ground is safe. Now shut up and drink your peach pit tea.

I think you're either crazy or a troll, Katz, but that was pretty damn funny.

I've never quite understood the whole 'it's a plant! It's safe!' argument.

I don't think peach seeds are actually all that dangerous, although maybe you get enough of the bad if you make a tea out of them!

 

[MikeK]

The Federal Government should not go after the States that have legalized Marijuana. Right now the Federal Laws on this are ridiculous. It has been proven time and time again that tough drug laws do not do anything to restrict the flow of drugs or decrease usage. It is expensive and a waste of time to enforce marijuana laws. Regluate it, tax it, legalize it.

Every bullet fired in Iraq and Afghanistan puts a dollar in someone's pocket, thus the Military Industrial Complex is strongly behind the reason why our Country is in a perpetual war mode. The same circumstance applies to marijuana prohibition -- which has given rise to a Law-enforcement Industrial Complex, which in turn has created hundreds of thousands of jobs and is directly responsible for maintaining prison construction -- which is the only remaining growth industry in America.

Legal marijuana will pull the rug out from under all of the above, plus the bribes paid to corrupt lawmakers and law-enforcement officials who facilitate and maintain the prohibition. Just think about how many employment categories are involved in this wholly counterproductive prohibition, from narcs to judges, court personnel, prison guards, probation and parole officers, prosecutors, defense lawyers, prison builders, piss-testers, and more. They represent the opposition.

 

[Katzndogz]

We should stop making this war on plants. Whatever grows out of the ground is safe. Now shut up and drink your peach pit tea.

I think you're either crazy or a troll, Katz, but that was pretty damn funny.

I've never quite understood the whole 'it's a plant! It's safe!' argument.

I don't think peach seeds are actually all that dangerous, although maybe you get enough of the bad if you make a tea out of them!

Peach pits are a deadly poison similar to cyanide as is foxglove, belladonna, hydrangia, hyacinth, daffodils, larkspur, jasmine is fatal. The bark and leaves of cherry trees is exactly like cyanide. There are hundreds of plants that will kill you. This bs about it being just a plant is insane. Who comes up with this nonsense?

There is an incredible high as you die from toad slime. Maybe we should legalize toad licking (illegal in California) because it's just a frog.

 

[Zander]

Within a few years Marijuana will be legal in every state......this battle was fought and won.

 

[AquaAthena]

Within a few years Marijuana will be legal in every state......this battle was fought and won.

Yes, and isn't it all so interesting, yet expected, that we stifle cigarettes yet encourage marijuana. Just another, "go figure."

 

[Montrovant]

We should stop making this war on plants. Whatever grows out of the ground is safe. Now shut up and drink your peach pit tea.

I think you're either crazy or a troll, Katz, but that was pretty damn funny.

I've never quite understood the whole 'it's a plant! It's safe!' argument.

I don't think peach seeds are actually all that dangerous, although maybe you get enough of the bad if you make a tea out of them!

Peach pits are a deadly poison similar to cyanide as is foxglove, belladonna, hydrangia, hyacinth, daffodils, larkspur, jasmine is fatal. The bark and leaves of cherry trees is exactly like cyanide. There are hundreds of plants that will kill you. This bs about it being just a plant is insane. Who comes up with this nonsense?

There is an incredible high as you die from toad slime. Maybe we should legalize toad licking (illegal in California) because it's just a frog.

My understanding is that the seeds in the peach pit contain a cyanide-like substance, or perhaps a compound containing cyanide, but in such small quantities someone would need to eat large amounts of peach pits/seeds in order to be hurt by it. Other fruits also contain cyanide, such as apricots and apples, in the seeds.

Basically, as you've said, just being 'natural' or a plant is nothing even close to a guarantee of being healthy. Which ought to be obvious to anyone IMO!

I've often wondered how the first people figured out that licking certain toads would cause a high. Who the hell was licking toads without knowing that in the first place?

 

[dblack]

Within a few years Marijuana will be legal in every state......this battle was fought and won.

Yes, and isn't it all so interesting, yet expected, that we stifle cigarettes yet encourage marijuana. Just another, "go figure."

Whoa!

How are "we" encouraging marijuana??