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Topic: Marijuana Laws in the United States (Read 14275 times)

Marijuana Laws in the United States

Marijuana is only legal for personal use in two states, Washington and Colorado. It is authorized for medical purposes in a number of other states.

Never having used it, I don't have a horse in this race, but support legalization because it strikes me as no worse than the use of alcohol.

What think you?

Re: Marijuana Laws in the United States

Reply #1 –
I've said the same thing for years. Thankfully, penalties aren't so harsh in Canada. I'd rather see a bunch of people stoned and happy than raging and fighting because they drank too much.  Marijuana also tends to keep people in one place so they'd be less likely to drug and drive, IMHO.

I've known people who use marijuana for social purposes on occasion for years. It's NOT a gateway drug. No one I've ever known has gone on to harder drugs because of weed.  Most still smoke weed and are well into their 50s and up. Most only use it occasionally and in small amounts.  None of them EVER gets in a fight or has any injury because of weed.

I always thought the war on drugs in the USA was stupid and I still do.  How it can be legal to drink yet illegal to smoke week just makes no sense. 

Yes, long-term HEAVY use of marijuana can be very harmful as it does damage the brain over time but light, social use is no worse for you than having a couple of drinks occasionally EXCEPT it's hard on the lungs if you smoke it.

If you can, you should eat it  :)

The fact it works on horrendous pain is amazing. I'd much rather see people a bit stoned and out of pain than zonked out of their minds in a stupor from heavy doses of very strong painkillers and then addicted for life.

By the way, marijuana isn't addictive.  What's usually addictive is the tobacco people mix it with when they smoke it.

And the money the gov't could make off the stuff if they legalized it would be amazing.  It's a win/win unless they made it so it's like the Canadian medical crap which I hear is so weak it's useless.

Re: Marijuana Laws in the United States

Reply #2 –
Quote from: myminpins on
I've said the same thing for years. Thankfully, penalties aren't so harsh in Canada.

Any chance that it'll be fully legalized?

One late night comedian here is having fun with Toronto mayor Rob Ford, but Ford does more than smoke weed.

Re: Marijuana Laws in the United States

Reply #3 –
Quote from: myminpins on
I've known people who use marijuana for social purposes on occasion for years. It's NOT a gateway drug.

Even if it were (in the US), it'd quit being one if you legalized it. In the Netherlands they never properly legalized growing pot; that is, basically only amateur growers are allowed to sell and commercial farming operations aren't. Now it turns out criminals have started growing them larger scale inside homes similar to how they do in the US. Although because of the law a criminal might just be a home grower who upped the ante on their operation; it's hard to tell.

Quote from: myminpins on
I always thought the war on drugs in the USA was stupid and I still do.  How it can be legal to drink yet illegal to smoke week just makes no sense.

Many people make money "fighting" drugs, from prisons to the DEA.

Quote from: myminpins on
Yes, long-term HEAVY use of marijuana can be very harmful as it does damage the brain over time but light, social use is no worse for you than having a couple of drinks occasionally EXCEPT it's hard on the lungs if you smoke it.

To my knowledge, the latest research says that applies only to adolescents; that is, chronic use during adolescence causes brain damage, but chronic use by adults apparently doesn't do a thing.

Re: Marijuana Laws in the United States

Reply #4 –
Quote from: Frenzie on

Many people make money "fighting" drugs, from prisons to the DEA.


Oh, I know. The prisons are overflowing with minor drug users, which is absolutely ridiculous, IMHO. What a waste of everyone's time and money.

Quote from: Frenzie on
To my knowledge, the latest research says that applies only to adolescents; that is, chronic use during adolescence causes brain damage, but chronic use by adults apparently doesn't do a thing.


That rings a bell so is probably true. I just know that heavy use of just about anything can damage you in one way or another and I do know that heavy use of marijuana does affect your ability to concentrate and keep on track. I saw that firsthand with someone who stopped smoking it all the time. The difference was amazing in their attention span and ability to stay on task.

Re: Marijuana Laws in the United States

Reply #5 –
Well sure, whether it's alcohol, THC, or just some vitamins, it tends to take more than a night's sleep for something to pass through and out of your system completely.

Re: Marijuana Laws in the United States

Reply #6 –
Quote from: Frenzie on

Well sure, whether it's alcohol, THC, or just some vitamins, it tends to take more than a night's sleep for something to pass through and out of your system completely.

???????

This was a process I watched happen over months, not days, and it took years for this person to become that way -- and months for the effects to slowly start to wear off.

Re: Marijuana Laws in the United States

Reply #7 –
Months? Hm, interesting. It does take the brain/body a while to adjust to such things of course.

Re: Marijuana Laws in the United States

Reply #8 –
Quote from: Frenzie on

Months? Hm, interesting. It does take the brain/body a while to adjust to such things of course.

Well, it's been documented that THC "Some THC metabolites have an elimination half-life of 20 hours. However, some are stored in body fat and have a elimination half-life of 10 to 13 days. Most researchers agree that urine tests for marijuana can detect the presence of the drug in the body for up to 13 days."

This person had been a very heavy marijuana user for years and was only 23 years old at the time of the change so might be considered a teen or child so maybe that's why the effects were stronger or however you want to qualify it.

I will say that, after awhile, it seemed the effects were completely and totally gone and now that that person only smokes it in small quantities socially, the effects have never come back.

I know it's only anecdotal evidence but, to me, it made a big impact.

Re: Marijuana Laws in the United States

Reply #9 –
Quote from: myminpins on
However, some are stored in body fat and have a elimination half-life of 10 to 13 days.

So theoretically you could remain under the influence for two weeks? Heh, that's kinda creepy.

Quote from: myminpins on
This person had been a very heavy marijuana user for years and was only 23 years old at the time of the change so might be considered a teen or child so maybe that's why the effects were stronger or however you want to qualify it.

Yes, at 23 you're still only just out of adolescence.

Re: Marijuana Laws in the United States

Reply #11 –
Legalize it.......pure & simple. 

This way Obama can tax it, the Republicans   wouldn't care, & the National debt would fall by the wayside. 

Re: Marijuana Laws in the United States

Reply #13 –
Quote from: Frenzie on
To my knowledge, the latest research says that applies only to adolescents; that is, chronic use during adolescence causes brain damage, but chronic use by adults apparently doesn't do a thing.

So do Scotch and gin.

Re: Marijuana Laws in the United States

Reply #14 –
:lol:

Re: Marijuana Laws in the United States

Reply #15 –
Quote from: Frenzie on
Quote from: Frenzie on 2014-01-05, 19:43:13
To my knowledge, the latest research says that applies only to adolescents; that is, chronic use during adolescence causes brain damage, but chronic use by adults apparently doesn't do a thing.
So do Scotch and gin.

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Re: Marijuana Laws in the United States
Reply #14 on: 2014-01-19, 22:52:59 (1390168379)
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Does anybody know where I put my beer?

Re: Marijuana Laws in the United States

Reply #17 –
A lot over the water seem to have that in their brains.
"Quit you like men:be strong"

Re: Marijuana Laws in the United States

Reply #18 –
Quote from: rjhowie on

A lot over the water seem to have that in their brains.


Better that than black pudding & haggis in each cheek, enough to gag a maggot, & cause a vulture to fall over dead from the stench.

Re: Marijuana Laws in the United States

Reply #19 –
I don't like haggis. Anyway that coming from a country with grits? Yeuch.
"Quit you like men:be strong"

Re: Marijuana Laws in the United States

Reply #20 –
Blame the damned Indians!
Quote
Grits refers to a ground-corn food of Native American origin, that is common in the Southern United States and eaten mainly at breakfast. Modern grits are commonly made of alkali-treated corn known as hominy.


I've had them but prefer oatmeal or a full English breakfast.
Does anybody actually eat that?!

Re: Marijuana Laws in the United States

Reply #21 –
Ah but the Southern Laddie's place is still in the US of A so no chance of a distance on that yeuchy stuff. Mind you how anyone could try and eat all that for breakfast is beyond me. Certainly is not very healthy and I value my health too much. Up here they often put in Scots square sausages and call it a Scots Breakfast. Enough to enhance the groan feeling.
"Quit you like men:be strong"

Re: Marijuana Laws in the United States

Reply #22 –
On the starting them I think the matter is only going to lead to all sorts of confusions. States that say yes and others that say no and legal confusions?
"Quit you like men:be strong"

Re: Marijuana Laws in the United States

Reply #23 –
Quote from: rjhowie on

On the starting them I think the matter is only going to lead to all sorts of confusions. States that say yes and others that say no and legal confusions?

Perhaps, but with the passage of time things get sorted out. We went through the 18th Amendment and the enabling Volstead Act and eventually came out that fog with the 21st Amendment in 1933. Mississippi worked around the 21st with statewide temperance laws and only ended Prohibition in 1966.

Now we're completely free. Be patient...he eventually makes it to the beer cooler.
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_gq8dhfRTI[/video]