Another Pot Promotional Piece from Insurance Journal:
All the talk about the unfair application of the marijuana laws could be filed under “decriminalization”, and not Legalized Recreational Pot.
Did you see any objections from anyone in the article, other than law enforcement? Any reference to the thousands of parents who were against this? Any reference to the actual results in states that legalized already – which results are documented to dramatically increase under age use and abuse and damage, car accidents, visits to mental hospitals and mental illness?
Nope. All a puff piece about how unfair blah, blah, blah. Which again, would have been solved by decriminalization and does not require legal weed-for-fun.
But hey, this is Insurance Journal. What did you expect, fair and balanced?
Come on Craig… IL is so broke they need to start dealing drugs. Its a new revenue source for Madigan. With all the high end earners getting chased out with the progressive tax and new land based casinos coming in as well as the increase on gas tax, how you expect them to make ends meet? Sending people to Gamblers Annomious is going to get expensive.
Exactly right. And isn’t typical of “journalists” to completely ignore the real issue surrounding Legal Recreational Pot and deflect into issues having to do with decriminalization?
Because if you honestly addressed the real issues, you might lose the argument for Legalization. And miss out on all that Tax Money!
The PROPER action is for IJ to be fair and balanced in its reporting by posting articles which are thoroughly screened for facts, common sense, and sensibility.
Unfortunately, supporting legalization of marIJuana, despite the multiple, recent studies showing its harmful effects on stoners over long periods of time, is something more media members are doing lately.
I do not believe anyone is forced to read articles out here, those regarding MJ or not. Kind of interesting there is a segment who likes to put IJ down for featuring articles THEY wish to write and publish.
The people have spoken and will continue to speak out, they want it legalized for reasons that have been rehashed many times in these forums. It is admirable those who want to keep kids off any intoxicant. I will continue to preach that as well. In fact, I instruct the youth to stay away from many harmful substances, intoxicants or not. I will point to the food industry, as an example. There are many harmful substances in our food industry, and I do my best to make those I associate with, youth or not, to be aware of them.
Those 21 and older should be allowed to choose whether or not they want to put legal intoxicants into their bodies. And, should they abuse that substance, face all the negative consequences that result.
Bottom of the barrel, Kangaroo. Pretending you can stop the damage to kids by “preaching”.
Better get a megaphone: the kids can’t hear you and are getting damaged in large numbers.
(And I’ll ask again, to see if the Christian is actually an honest Christian: is the increasing damage to lots of kids in states that legalized a fair price to pay to allow some adults to get high?) Courage to answer? Doubt it.
JUNE 25, 2019 AT 8:49 PM
Andrew G. Simpson says:
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This is a reminder of the comment section rules that are meant to encourage civil discourse. In particular, please be advised that ad hominem or other personal attacks against other users are a violation of the rules of the forum, even when the attacks are included in otherwise on-topic comments. Personal attacks include targeting another with offensive, obscene, libelous, defamatory or threatening language or slurs; assigning false or unwanted labels to another; questioning another’s character, integrity, morals or intelligence; disclosing another’s personal information; or assuming or assigning to another user a particular political, personal, social, religious or other motive.
“Andrew! Craig challenged me to back up my beliefs by answering a legitimate question! In fact it’s a serious question that every citizen should ask! He’s a BAD person, Andrew!”
And I’ll ask again, to see if the Christian is actually an honest Christian
or assuming or assigning to another user a particular political, personal, social, religious or other motive.
Personal attacks
June 28, 2019 at 5:40 pm
Craig Cornell says:
Like or Dislike:
3
9
Hey Jon: You hurt my feelings! I might have to go home for the day.
(Oh, wait. I just remembered I am not a liberal and don’t have to play the victim card.)
Hey Jon: If you are capable of it, please try to show a little wit in your insults. Otherwise, you are just so boring for the other readers of these comments. Andrew thanks you.
July 1, 2019 at 8:02 am
OpPolaResearch Bear says:
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@Capt Platitude: how can an attack be ‘personal’ if most posters use alternate, screen names? For example, if someone disagreed with another poster, they could change their screen name and IP address very easily, absent the current ability to use BOTs, and vote down the other posters posts until there are 10 more down votes than up votes, to censor said poster. THAT exemplifies alternating screen names via alternating IP addresses via VPN software.
So, what’s ‘personal’ about an attack on FAKE screen names? Are you a Captain of a ship, or just in title, or not at all?
Fear of Marijuana Legalization Nationwide is unfounded. Not based on any science or fact whatsoever. So please prohibitionists, we beg you to give your scare tactics, “Conspiracy Theories” and “Doomsday Scenarios” over the inevitable Legalization of Marijuana Nationwide a rest. Nobody is buying them anymore these days. Okay?
Furthermore, if all prohibitionists get when they look into that nice, big and shiny crystal ball of theirs, while wondering about the future of marijuana legalization, is horror, doom, and despair, well then I suggest they return that thing as quickly as possible and reclaim the money they shelled out for it, since it’s obviously defective.
The prohibition of marijuana has not decreased the supply nor the demand for marijuana at all. Not one single iota, and it never will. Just a huge and complete waste of our tax dollars to continue criminalizing citizens for choosing a natural, non-toxic, relatively benign plant proven to be much safer than alcohol.
If prohibitionists are going to take it upon themselves to worry about “saving us all” from ourselves, then they need to start with the drug that causes more death and destruction than every other drug in the world COMBINED, which is alcohol!
Why do prohibitionists feel the continued need to vilify and demonize marijuana when they could more wisely focus their efforts on a real, proven killer, alcohol, which again causes more destruction, violence, and death than all other drugs, COMBINED?
Prohibitionists really should get their priorities straight and/or practice a little live and let live. They’ll live longer, happier, and healthier, with a lot less stress if they refrain from being bent on trying to control others through Draconian Marijuana Laws.
End the systematically failed both state and federal policies of criminalizing consumers of a natural, relatively benign plant proven to be far safer than perfectly legal, widely accepted alcohol and tobacco.
End The Federal Prohibition of Marijuana Now!
Legalize Nationwide! State by state if need be!
It’s time our country wakes up and learns from our history.
Prohibition does not prevent people from consuming marijuana. The demand will be there always and therefore marijuana will always be served up to the public regardless of marijuana prohibition laws. The alcohol prohibition era criminal organizations and gangsters such as Al Capone of yesteryear are the Pablo Escobar, El Chapo and drug cartels of today.
The Temperance Movement didn’t catch on and last in part because it was a dead horse from the start.
Prohibition only serves to further fuel the vast wealth and corruption, violence and death attributed to the criminal organizations which flourish under it by providing marijuana to meet the continual demand at inflated prices. Just like with alcohol, marijuana prohibition doesn’t work, makes no sense, and costs the tax payers a fortune yearly.
Legalization creates jobs, improves the economy and let’s us as a nation focus the wasted resources currently used to criminalize citizens over marijuana towards things much more needed and useful.
This is how freedoms get taken away from The People. First, a small minority doesn’t morally approve of marijuana. Tomorrow, it’s R-Rated movies, certain books and literature and eventually that minority aspires to make every citizen conform to their personal sense of morality through laws which criminalize everything that they personally don’t approve of.
Tell us something prohibitionists:
Why do you feel justified in endlessly wasting billions upon billions of our yearly tax dollars continuing to arrest, criminalize, incarcerate, and hand out life long permanent criminal records to otherwise hard-working, tax-paying, adult citizens for choosing to consume marijuana although it is far safer than perfectly legal, widely accepted alcohol?
Shouldn’t their first and foremost priority be protesting the legality of alcohol if they really aren’t just biased and truly so cornered about other people on what those whom oppose marijuana legalization deem to be a “dangerous drug”?
Why do the anti-marijuana folk apply such a blatantly obvious unfair double standard to far less dangerous marijuana that they obviously don’t apply equally to far more deadly, dangerous and harmful yet perfectly legal, widely accepted alcohol?
No. MarIJuana is ILLEGAL nationwide, per FEDERAL laws. Just the same as ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. Only criminals think laws can be broken because they disagree with those laws and break them regularly – for their own satisfaction, at the peril and expense of law-abiding citizens.
Marijuana consumers deserve and demand equal rights and protections under our laws that are currently afforded to the drinkers of far more dangerous and deadly, yet perfectly legal, widely accepted, endlessly advertised and even glorified as an All-American pastime, alcohol.
Right on! Equal Rights! Same goes for cocaine users, pharmaceutical drugs, ecstasy, selling sex for money, and owning 50 caliber guns. FREEDOM! Make it all Legal now! Equal Rights!
Nope. MarIJuana consumers only deserve a pair of iron bracelets and a ride to a 10′ x 10′ room at the Grey Bar Hotel, to be processed and ‘checked out’ on bail.
Actually, they only deserve that treatment in certain states…for now. In a decade or less, it will be legal nationwide. You don’t have to agree with that, you don’t have to consume it, you can preach against it, but you will have to live with it. So, don’t get all snowflaky about it.
I’ll take that wager. You Lefties always lie about things and then when the public wises up, they change their mind.
Keep your doctor, $2,500 premium reduction, Medicare for All won’t increase wait times, school choice is bad, bussing is good, the Stimulus will reduce unemployment, a Black President will help heal racial wounds, Russians can’t change our elections (Barack, again), Trump colluded with Russia . . . it goes on and on.
Recreational use of marijuana is very common, similar to alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. I’m personally against them all because they are a waste of time and money, and are unhealthy to your mind/body/spirit.
But I am realistic, that people need and want recreation. But I will never get used to living in a society that puts recreation as a high priority. Of course my teenage kids put recreation at the top of their priorities, and parents try putting responsibilities as a top priority. Difficult to get this right and legalizing recreational use of marijuana does not help. Kids get the wrong signal when they see their parents and older siblings engaging in too much recreation, or prioritizing recreation over everything else in their lives. I’m sure some people will be getting high first thing in the morning, staying high all day, and then smoking up at night before going to bed. All recreational, all the time…
Any way you look at it, the push for legal pot centers on “freedom” from government telling us what is good or bad for us. None of that nanny state stuff now. This just shows you that some folks are disingenuous when they talk about the freedom to choose….it’s OK as long as I make the right choice, right? and let’s be clear about this, legal pot won’t make a dent in the market for heroin or cocaine. We allow alcohol and we already know how harmful that it. So when problems come up from legal pot, keep in mind that it takes maturity to figure some things out. Not for everyone but I see no reason to let folks make a mistake because you are free to do so.
Sounds great. Another person who hasn’t read about the real-world results from legalization in Colorado, Washington, Oregon and California.
Free tip: there is a ton of credible information about the damage from legal recreational pot, things that have gotten MUCH worse in states that legalized, including: use and abuse by under age kids and resulting loss of IQ and damage to school/career. Addiction rates with young people are way UP in those states that legalized. Mental illness is up. Emergency room visits are up. Deaths due to traffic accidents caused by people high on THC are way UP in states that legalized.
Crime is up, counter to what the Pro Pot fans told us would happen, even though cops no longer arrest people for selling or using pot. Anecdotal evidence from police departments ties increasing crime in part to people paranoid or psychotic from, yep, THC.
The Black Market is bigger than ever, counter to what the Pro Pot fans said would happen with legal recreational pot.
In fact, I can’t think of one promise of the Pro Pot crowd about the impact of legal pot that has come true; nearly every promise made was false (except for taxes, and hey, who cares about kids when were taking more of the people’s money for the State).
Craig, you are a commendable warrior in trying to counter the B.S. arguments weed legalizers employ in getting this pseudowonderdrug legalized throughout the nation, however, I am afraid that only experience of the cruelest kind will convince these people the folly of their arguments. And even then, they still may not be convinced.
Also, when you think in terms of state budgets, revenues from taxation on marijuana is a drop in the bucket so none of the promised benefits from weed legalization has come to pass.
Nope. False logical construct. Freedoms have limits. We cannot impose our will upon others if it harms or might harm those others who have alternate beliefs.
If you believe freedom means UNLIMITED individual freedoms, explain how members of society are protected from personal harm or disadvantage.
“Those 21 and older should be allowed to choose whether or not they want to put legal intoxicants into their bodies. And, should they abuse that substance, face all the negative consequences that result.”
Yes, that’s what was happening now with marijuana illegal, so you’re speaking out of both sides of your mouth when you say they should face all the negative consequences with it being legal. You really don’t want people who do drugs to face those negative consequences.
For some, yes, it is happening to them when using it illegally. But, not everyone abuses it. It can be done responsibly, in moderation. Those who use it that way are much less likely to face the negative consequences than those who abuse it. Much like it’s sister plant, hops. Those who use alcohol in moderation are much less likely to face negative consequences than alcoholics. That is my point.
And states that have legalized have shown dramatic increases in use by people under age 21, with consequences like psychosis, addiction, loss of IQ, car crashes, school failure, and mental illness, including schizophrenia. It seems that availability of THC products and high potency is so routine that “use” is nearly the same as abuse for young people.
So let’s have more of this damage to young people by spreading Legal Recreational Pot to more states!
You with me, Kangaroo? To hell with kids! Spread the THC Captain Appleseed!
“In moderation” is broad and people have different tolerances. The alcoholic or excessive dope smoker may think they are engaging in the activity “in moderation”, but we have laws that let people know exactly when that “moderation” begins to harm the general public. The more I read of your stuff you are willing to give broad leeway to dope smokers because that “moderation”,, in your view, is not as harmful as that of alcohol. The law has not caught up to the harm marijuana poses on the general public, but when it does I hope you will realize the error of your position.
LOL Grown adults are going to argue over pot? I don’t smoke it, but that’s my choice. I know of an entire generation that smoked pot, used LSD and drank like fish, yet turned into CEO’s, Presidents and well known Executives. In my mind, it’s not going to make a difference whether it’s legal or not. If ALL drugs & alcohol were illegal, we would still have a percentage of the world that was lazy, uninspired and turned out to just be useless individuals. Is pot going to take the next rock scientist and make him/her a couch potato? No. I have many, very successful friends and colleague that smoke it.
How many Executives and powerful business men/women will go to a luncheon or dinner, have a few drinks, then drive home? From working in insurance, I can answer that. A lot!! Pot isn’t for the low life degenerates. Sure, there will be some of those, but there will be many more that use it to help them sleep, for pain or just to relax. To each their own. I do think it has some harmful effects, but certainly not as many as alcohol, or even most over-the-counter medications. People pump fake vitamins into their body daily, yet they aren’t FDA approved and there are zero credible reports (look on the Johns Hopkins website) to prove they do anything at all. Let pot usage be legal. Tax it. I would even go as far as saying put 10% of the tax strictly towards the national debt. People are going to do it whether it’s legal or not. Why lose the revenue by keeping it illegal?
If you want to compare it to other “bad” drugs, do a Google search on Aspirin, any allergy medication, any currently allowed kidney/liver medication, anti-depressants or pretty much anything else. They ALL have side effects up to, and including, death. I’m not for drugs and it’s not what I’m saying here. I’m trying to point out this can benefit even the people not happy about it becoming legal by becoming a great revenue stream for states and the nation overall. It doesn’t matter if it doesn’t increase the revenue as much as some states were hoping. The bottom line is it DID increase it. The only suggestion I have is to do what I mentioned above and put 10% of the money towards the national deficit. There is always a compromise available. Tax it on a Federal level. Both Republican and Democratic Presidents have smoke it. Nearly all of them drink. It didn’t seem to hurt their careers.
good ol’ Smoov! one of the true last bastions of reason left on this board. I wish you only the best. KEEP UP YOUR FIGHT, man…the world needs more people like you.
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Craig Cornell – If IJ isn’t fair and balanced, why don’t you (do us all a favor and) find your news elsewhere?
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Come on Craig… IL is so broke they need to start dealing drugs. Its a new revenue source for Madigan. With all the high end earners getting chased out with the progressive tax and new land based casinos coming in as well as the increase on gas tax, how you expect them to make ends meet? Sending people to Gamblers Annomious is going to get expensive.
Exactly right. And isn’t typical of “journalists” to completely ignore the real issue surrounding Legal Recreational Pot and deflect into issues having to do with decriminalization?
Because if you honestly addressed the real issues, you might lose the argument for Legalization. And miss out on all that Tax Money!
You mad bro?
The PROPER action is for IJ to be fair and balanced in its reporting by posting articles which are thoroughly screened for facts, common sense, and sensibility.
Unfortunately, supporting legalization of marIJuana, despite the multiple, recent studies showing its harmful effects on stoners over long periods of time, is something more media members are doing lately.
The proper action for IJ is whatever IJ wants to do. You don’t get to dictate. They aren’t going to be Faux Newz. If you want Hannity, go to Hannity.
I do not believe anyone is forced to read articles out here, those regarding MJ or not. Kind of interesting there is a segment who likes to put IJ down for featuring articles THEY wish to write and publish.
The people have spoken and will continue to speak out, they want it legalized for reasons that have been rehashed many times in these forums. It is admirable those who want to keep kids off any intoxicant. I will continue to preach that as well. In fact, I instruct the youth to stay away from many harmful substances, intoxicants or not. I will point to the food industry, as an example. There are many harmful substances in our food industry, and I do my best to make those I associate with, youth or not, to be aware of them.
Those 21 and older should be allowed to choose whether or not they want to put legal intoxicants into their bodies. And, should they abuse that substance, face all the negative consequences that result.
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
JUNE 25, 2019 AT 8:49 PM
Andrew G. Simpson says:
LIKE OR DISLIKE:
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This is a reminder of the comment section rules that are meant to encourage civil discourse. In particular, please be advised that ad hominem or other personal attacks against other users are a violation of the rules of the forum, even when the attacks are included in otherwise on-topic comments. Personal attacks include targeting another with offensive, obscene, libelous, defamatory or threatening language or slurs; assigning false or unwanted labels to another; questioning another’s character, integrity, morals or intelligence; disclosing another’s personal information; or assuming or assigning to another user a particular political, personal, social, religious or other motive.
As I predicted . . .
“Andrew! Craig challenged me to back up my beliefs by answering a legitimate question! In fact it’s a serious question that every citizen should ask! He’s a BAD person, Andrew!”
And I’ll ask again, to see if the Christian is actually an honest Christian
or assuming or assigning to another user a particular political, personal, social, religious or other motive.
Personal attacks
Hey Jon: You hurt my feelings! I might have to go home for the day.
(Oh, wait. I just remembered I am not a liberal and don’t have to play the victim card.)
Hey Jon: If you are capable of it, please try to show a little wit in your insults. Otherwise, you are just so boring for the other readers of these comments. Andrew thanks you.
@Capt Platitude: how can an attack be ‘personal’ if most posters use alternate, screen names? For example, if someone disagreed with another poster, they could change their screen name and IP address very easily, absent the current ability to use BOTs, and vote down the other posters posts until there are 10 more down votes than up votes, to censor said poster. THAT exemplifies alternating screen names via alternating IP addresses via VPN software.
So, what’s ‘personal’ about an attack on FAKE screen names? Are you a Captain of a ship, or just in title, or not at all?
I’m captaining your bull ship.
Fear of Marijuana Legalization Nationwide is unfounded. Not based on any science or fact whatsoever. So please prohibitionists, we beg you to give your scare tactics, “Conspiracy Theories” and “Doomsday Scenarios” over the inevitable Legalization of Marijuana Nationwide a rest. Nobody is buying them anymore these days. Okay?
Furthermore, if all prohibitionists get when they look into that nice, big and shiny crystal ball of theirs, while wondering about the future of marijuana legalization, is horror, doom, and despair, well then I suggest they return that thing as quickly as possible and reclaim the money they shelled out for it, since it’s obviously defective.
The prohibition of marijuana has not decreased the supply nor the demand for marijuana at all. Not one single iota, and it never will. Just a huge and complete waste of our tax dollars to continue criminalizing citizens for choosing a natural, non-toxic, relatively benign plant proven to be much safer than alcohol.
If prohibitionists are going to take it upon themselves to worry about “saving us all” from ourselves, then they need to start with the drug that causes more death and destruction than every other drug in the world COMBINED, which is alcohol!
Why do prohibitionists feel the continued need to vilify and demonize marijuana when they could more wisely focus their efforts on a real, proven killer, alcohol, which again causes more destruction, violence, and death than all other drugs, COMBINED?
Prohibitionists really should get their priorities straight and/or practice a little live and let live. They’ll live longer, happier, and healthier, with a lot less stress if they refrain from being bent on trying to control others through Draconian Marijuana Laws.
Nope. Legalization of marIJuana is dangerous, per multiple, recent, credible studies. Read them instead of cutting & pasting outdated lies.
Marijuana Consumers Are Not Criminals!
End the systematically failed both state and federal policies of criminalizing consumers of a natural, relatively benign plant proven to be far safer than perfectly legal, widely accepted alcohol and tobacco.
End The Federal Prohibition of Marijuana Now!
Legalize Nationwide! State by state if need be!
It’s time our country wakes up and learns from our history.
Prohibition does not prevent people from consuming marijuana. The demand will be there always and therefore marijuana will always be served up to the public regardless of marijuana prohibition laws. The alcohol prohibition era criminal organizations and gangsters such as Al Capone of yesteryear are the Pablo Escobar, El Chapo and drug cartels of today.
The Temperance Movement didn’t catch on and last in part because it was a dead horse from the start.
Prohibition only serves to further fuel the vast wealth and corruption, violence and death attributed to the criminal organizations which flourish under it by providing marijuana to meet the continual demand at inflated prices. Just like with alcohol, marijuana prohibition doesn’t work, makes no sense, and costs the tax payers a fortune yearly.
Legalization creates jobs, improves the economy and let’s us as a nation focus the wasted resources currently used to criminalize citizens over marijuana towards things much more needed and useful.
This is how freedoms get taken away from The People. First, a small minority doesn’t morally approve of marijuana. Tomorrow, it’s R-Rated movies, certain books and literature and eventually that minority aspires to make every citizen conform to their personal sense of morality through laws which criminalize everything that they personally don’t approve of.
Tell us something prohibitionists:
Why do you feel justified in endlessly wasting billions upon billions of our yearly tax dollars continuing to arrest, criminalize, incarcerate, and hand out life long permanent criminal records to otherwise hard-working, tax-paying, adult citizens for choosing to consume marijuana although it is far safer than perfectly legal, widely accepted alcohol?
Shouldn’t their first and foremost priority be protesting the legality of alcohol if they really aren’t just biased and truly so cornered about other people on what those whom oppose marijuana legalization deem to be a “dangerous drug”?
Why do the anti-marijuana folk apply such a blatantly obvious unfair double standard to far less dangerous marijuana that they obviously don’t apply equally to far more deadly, dangerous and harmful yet perfectly legal, widely accepted alcohol?
Legalize Nationwide!
Oh, I get it now. It’s the money for you!!!
No. MarIJuana is ILLEGAL nationwide, per FEDERAL laws. Just the same as ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. Only criminals think laws can be broken because they disagree with those laws and break them regularly – for their own satisfaction, at the peril and expense of law-abiding citizens.
Marijuana consumers deserve and demand equal rights and protections under our laws that are currently afforded to the drinkers of far more dangerous and deadly, yet perfectly legal, widely accepted, endlessly advertised and even glorified as an All-American pastime, alcohol.
Plain and simple!
Legalize Nationwide!
Right on! Equal Rights! Same goes for cocaine users, pharmaceutical drugs, ecstasy, selling sex for money, and owning 50 caliber guns. FREEDOM! Make it all Legal now! Equal Rights!
Nope. MarIJuana consumers only deserve a pair of iron bracelets and a ride to a 10′ x 10′ room at the Grey Bar Hotel, to be processed and ‘checked out’ on bail.
Actually, they only deserve that treatment in certain states…for now. In a decade or less, it will be legal nationwide. You don’t have to agree with that, you don’t have to consume it, you can preach against it, but you will have to live with it. So, don’t get all snowflaky about it.
I’ll take that wager. You Lefties always lie about things and then when the public wises up, they change their mind.
Keep your doctor, $2,500 premium reduction, Medicare for All won’t increase wait times, school choice is bad, bussing is good, the Stimulus will reduce unemployment, a Black President will help heal racial wounds, Russians can’t change our elections (Barack, again), Trump colluded with Russia . . . it goes on and on.
Recreational use of marijuana is very common, similar to alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. I’m personally against them all because they are a waste of time and money, and are unhealthy to your mind/body/spirit.
But I am realistic, that people need and want recreation. But I will never get used to living in a society that puts recreation as a high priority. Of course my teenage kids put recreation at the top of their priorities, and parents try putting responsibilities as a top priority. Difficult to get this right and legalizing recreational use of marijuana does not help. Kids get the wrong signal when they see their parents and older siblings engaging in too much recreation, or prioritizing recreation over everything else in their lives. I’m sure some people will be getting high first thing in the morning, staying high all day, and then smoking up at night before going to bed. All recreational, all the time…
I’ll vote for the sensible candidates who pledge to build more parks and RECREATION centers, and to prevent or reverse recre-pot laws in my state.
Any way you look at it, the push for legal pot centers on “freedom” from government telling us what is good or bad for us. None of that nanny state stuff now. This just shows you that some folks are disingenuous when they talk about the freedom to choose….it’s OK as long as I make the right choice, right? and let’s be clear about this, legal pot won’t make a dent in the market for heroin or cocaine. We allow alcohol and we already know how harmful that it. So when problems come up from legal pot, keep in mind that it takes maturity to figure some things out. Not for everyone but I see no reason to let folks make a mistake because you are free to do so.
Sounds great. Another person who hasn’t read about the real-world results from legalization in Colorado, Washington, Oregon and California.
Free tip: there is a ton of credible information about the damage from legal recreational pot, things that have gotten MUCH worse in states that legalized, including: use and abuse by under age kids and resulting loss of IQ and damage to school/career. Addiction rates with young people are way UP in those states that legalized. Mental illness is up. Emergency room visits are up. Deaths due to traffic accidents caused by people high on THC are way UP in states that legalized.
Crime is up, counter to what the Pro Pot fans told us would happen, even though cops no longer arrest people for selling or using pot. Anecdotal evidence from police departments ties increasing crime in part to people paranoid or psychotic from, yep, THC.
The Black Market is bigger than ever, counter to what the Pro Pot fans said would happen with legal recreational pot.
In fact, I can’t think of one promise of the Pro Pot crowd about the impact of legal pot that has come true; nearly every promise made was false (except for taxes, and hey, who cares about kids when were taking more of the people’s money for the State).
Craig, you are a commendable warrior in trying to counter the B.S. arguments weed legalizers employ in getting this pseudowonderdrug legalized throughout the nation, however, I am afraid that only experience of the cruelest kind will convince these people the folly of their arguments. And even then, they still may not be convinced.
Also, when you think in terms of state budgets, revenues from taxation on marijuana is a drop in the bucket so none of the promised benefits from weed legalization has come to pass.
Nope. False logical construct. Freedoms have limits. We cannot impose our will upon others if it harms or might harm those others who have alternate beliefs.
If you believe freedom means UNLIMITED individual freedoms, explain how members of society are protected from personal harm or disadvantage.
“Those 21 and older should be allowed to choose whether or not they want to put legal intoxicants into their bodies. And, should they abuse that substance, face all the negative consequences that result.”
Yes, that’s what was happening now with marijuana illegal, so you’re speaking out of both sides of your mouth when you say they should face all the negative consequences with it being legal. You really don’t want people who do drugs to face those negative consequences.
For some, yes, it is happening to them when using it illegally. But, not everyone abuses it. It can be done responsibly, in moderation. Those who use it that way are much less likely to face the negative consequences than those who abuse it. Much like it’s sister plant, hops. Those who use alcohol in moderation are much less likely to face negative consequences than alcoholics. That is my point.
And states that have legalized have shown dramatic increases in use by people under age 21, with consequences like psychosis, addiction, loss of IQ, car crashes, school failure, and mental illness, including schizophrenia. It seems that availability of THC products and high potency is so routine that “use” is nearly the same as abuse for young people.
So let’s have more of this damage to young people by spreading Legal Recreational Pot to more states!
You with me, Kangaroo? To hell with kids! Spread the THC Captain Appleseed!
“In moderation” is broad and people have different tolerances. The alcoholic or excessive dope smoker may think they are engaging in the activity “in moderation”, but we have laws that let people know exactly when that “moderation” begins to harm the general public. The more I read of your stuff you are willing to give broad leeway to dope smokers because that “moderation”,, in your view, is not as harmful as that of alcohol. The law has not caught up to the harm marijuana poses on the general public, but when it does I hope you will realize the error of your position.
Smoking pot ages the brain prematurely
LOL Grown adults are going to argue over pot? I don’t smoke it, but that’s my choice. I know of an entire generation that smoked pot, used LSD and drank like fish, yet turned into CEO’s, Presidents and well known Executives. In my mind, it’s not going to make a difference whether it’s legal or not. If ALL drugs & alcohol were illegal, we would still have a percentage of the world that was lazy, uninspired and turned out to just be useless individuals. Is pot going to take the next rock scientist and make him/her a couch potato? No. I have many, very successful friends and colleague that smoke it.
How many Executives and powerful business men/women will go to a luncheon or dinner, have a few drinks, then drive home? From working in insurance, I can answer that. A lot!! Pot isn’t for the low life degenerates. Sure, there will be some of those, but there will be many more that use it to help them sleep, for pain or just to relax. To each their own. I do think it has some harmful effects, but certainly not as many as alcohol, or even most over-the-counter medications. People pump fake vitamins into their body daily, yet they aren’t FDA approved and there are zero credible reports (look on the Johns Hopkins website) to prove they do anything at all. Let pot usage be legal. Tax it. I would even go as far as saying put 10% of the tax strictly towards the national debt. People are going to do it whether it’s legal or not. Why lose the revenue by keeping it illegal?
If you want to compare it to other “bad” drugs, do a Google search on Aspirin, any allergy medication, any currently allowed kidney/liver medication, anti-depressants or pretty much anything else. They ALL have side effects up to, and including, death. I’m not for drugs and it’s not what I’m saying here. I’m trying to point out this can benefit even the people not happy about it becoming legal by becoming a great revenue stream for states and the nation overall. It doesn’t matter if it doesn’t increase the revenue as much as some states were hoping. The bottom line is it DID increase it. The only suggestion I have is to do what I mentioned above and put 10% of the money towards the national deficit. There is always a compromise available. Tax it on a Federal level. Both Republican and Democratic Presidents have smoke it. Nearly all of them drink. It didn’t seem to hurt their careers.
good ol’ Smoov! one of the true last bastions of reason left on this board. I wish you only the best. KEEP UP YOUR FIGHT, man…the world needs more people like you.