Legalization of Marijuana?

[Jludo]

Why do we need to alter our mental status with chemicals at all? How healthy is any of it in the long term?

Peer pressure? Commercials? "Cool guys" in the movies and on TV. Youths trying to be "adults?"

Caffeine is good if you need to stay awake or an extra boost of energy, cannabis is good to help fall asleep, amphetamines are good if you need to get a project done on a short timeline, alcohol is good to help overcome social anxiety, psilocybin can be good to help get over other addictions and bring about a fresh outlook on life. I could probably find uses for any others.

Probably not good to use any of those daily or even weekly but they can all serve useful purposes on occasion. Also I think it's helpful to try low-moderate dose of most drugs just to see what it does. Its interesting to know first hand what the difference between a dopamine rush and a serotonin rush. I like having a first hand idea how x drug they're talking about in the news actually affects you.

Michael pollan just wrote a good book about why you should try psychedelics, it's an interesting read if anyone is curious in a case for altering your conciousness.

 

[Leadeye]

The difficulties I have with legalizing MJ have to do with work experience. I could, and still can, see when people at work are drunk, I can't say the same thing about them being stoned. They just make more mistakes in judgement and that can be a problem when you are depending on them do do as they are trained.

 

[Jludo]

The difficulties I have with legalizing MJ have to do with work experience. I could, and still can, see when people at work are drunk, I can't say the same thing about them being stoned. They just make more mistakes in judgement and that can be a problem when you are depending on them do do as they are trained.

Aren't the mistakes all you would be worried about though? Whether they are drunk, stoned or just incompetent? Unless you need to tell day to day when the employee is capable of performing their duties, but I would think coming into work to drunk to perform would be a one and done type situation.

 

[Trigger Time]

Know plenty of young and middle aged drivers who may be somewhat quicker with their reflexes but I also know that many many many are distracted by phones, radio, smoking, partying and such while they drive.

I would gladly drive with a 75 year person over a 16 year old kid.

Me too. I know 80 year olds that are sharp as a razor blade. But medical facts are facts.

As it relates to any drug alcohol included. There's a time and place for it. Getting drunk or high at work will still have consequences if its legalized. Driving while high will still have consequences. This misconception that everyone will be high 24/7 everywhere if weed is legalized is absurd. If you are drunk all the time, you have a problem. If you are stoned all the time you have a problem.
Guns are legal but you can't go shoot people with them anytime you want.

 

[Leadeye]

Aren't the mistakes all you would be worried about though? Whether they are drunk, stoned or just incompetent? Unless you need to tell day to day when the employee is capable of performing their duties, but I would think coming into work to drunk to perform would be a one and done type situation.

Very true., but I can tell when somebody comes to work drunk and send them home or off to the EAP places, stoned isn't as easy for me. Both are capable of making serious single mistakes or watching defective product get boxed and shipped. Once had a guy bend over to pick up a clip board he dropped and two joints fell out of his shirt pocket. That time I could tell before there was a problem, but to my knowledge there is no MJ tester like a breathalyzer.

 

[jamil]

Why do we need to alter our mental status with chemicals at all? How healthy is any of it in the long term?

Peer pressure? Commercials? "Cool guys" in the movies and on TV. Youths trying to be "adults?"

Thats just it. People don’t need to do it. They want to.

I don’t use it. And for the same reason I don’t drink alcohol. I don’t want to be impaired. But. I have no more right to tell people they can’t smoke weed than I have to tell them they can’t drink alcohol.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Very true., but I can tell when somebody comes to work drunk and send them home or off to the EAP places, stoned isn't as easy for me. Both are capable of making serious single mistakes or watching defective product get boxed and shipped. Once had a guy bend over to pick up a clip board he dropped and two joints fell out of his shirt pocket. That time I could tell before there was a problem, but to my knowledge there is no MJ tester like a breathalyzer.

I could be wrong, but I think they've developed something in states where it's legal using something like a cheek swab to test for recent use.

 

[jamil]

Know plenty of young and middle aged drivers who may be somewhat quicker with their reflexes but I also know that many many many are distracted by phones, radio, smoking, partying and such while they drive.

I would gladly drive with a 75 year person over a 16 year old kid.

Depends on the person. That’s why, if we’re gonna put restrictions on stuff for the sake of public safety, it should mostly be based on behavior. If the 75 year old is safe. Fine. If the 75 year old can’t drive without putting people in danger, that’s the line to draw.

 

[Bapak2ja]

Over five years since I started this thread and the debate still goes on. Seattle has been the object of a serious study recently about how one deals with drug abuse, homelessness, and related problems. I think this relevant to this thread because many claim marijuana is a gateway drug. If it is, then this Seattle study may be the end game for many who use legalized marijuana. Others may disagree but I think the link is sufficient to raise the issue here.

If marijuana is legalized/decriminalized, then there is a chance increased drug use and homelessness will follow. I have not done the research to prove this, as there is a growing set of data that could be analyzed in the states that have taken this step with marijuana. For purposes of discussion only, let's assume the legalization does lead to increased drug addiction and homelessness. Could/should the taxes from the sale of marijuana be used to fund a treatment program such as the one launched in Providence, RI and presented in this documentary beginning about minute 46:00?

https://documentaryheaven.com/seattle-is-dying/

How would you proponents of legalization respond to programs such as that launched in Rhode Island? Would this change anyone's opinion on the realization of marijuana?

Just curious. Why d you think?

 

[jamil]

The difficulties I have with legalizing MJ have to do with work experience. I could, and still can, see when people at work are drunk, I can't say the same thing about them being stoned. They just make more mistakes in judgement and that can be a problem when you are depending on them do do as they are trained.

Apparently the law hasn’t stopped them from smoking it.

 

[Bapak2ja]

Very true., but I can tell when somebody comes to work drunk and send them home or off to the EAP places, stoned isn't as easy for me. Both are capable of making serious single mistakes or watching defective product get boxed and shipped. Once had a guy bend over to pick up a clip board he dropped and two joints fell out of his shirt pocket. That time I could tell before there was a problem, but to my knowledge there is no MJ tester like a breathalyzer.

Apparently the law hasn’t stopped them from smoking it.

Sort of like the gun ban in Chicago, isn't?

 

[Leadeye]

True, but my sense is that once it's decriminalized manufacturing problems will go up as there's not a good way to detect it and people will be more comfortable with coming to work stoned or going out at lunch and getting stoned.

I don't really care what people do at home, it's not mine, the company's or the governments business. When they come to work stoned and affect my income I need to be legally able to deal with that.

 

[jamil]

Over five years since I started this thread and the debate still goes on. Seattle has been the object of a serious study recently about how one deals with drug abuse, homelessness, and related problems. I think this relevant to this thread because many claim marijuana is a gateway drug. If it is, then this Seattle study may be the end game for many who use legalized marijuana. Others may disagree but I think the link is sufficient to raise the issue here.

If marijuana is legalized/decriminalized, then there is a chance increased drug use and homelessness will follow. I have not done the research to prove this, as there is a growing set of data that could be analyzed in the states that have taken this step with marijuana. For purposes of discussion only, let's assume the legalization does lead to increased drug addiction and homelessness. Could/should the taxes from the sale of marijuana be used to fund a treatment program such as the one launched in Providence, RI and presented in this documentary beginning about minute 46:00?

https://documentaryheaven.com/seattle-is-dying/

How would you proponents of legalization respond to programs such as that launched in Rhode Island? Would this change anyone's opinion on the realization of marijuana?

Just curious. Why d you think?

I think that homelessness in Seattle is more about stupid progressive policies than anything relating to decriminalizing MJ. There are a number of reasons which we can get into if you want. Some studies on states that allow MJ use show their homeless population increases because it attracts homeless people from other states.

 

[Ziggidy]

I cannot think of anything good that has come from legalizing drugs for recreational use. Even with medicinal use, somehow it gets out of hand. Just look at opioids. Abuse set in and now we have people who need it that are having a hard time getting it, if they can. Doctors are restricted in their prescriptions, thanks to the abusers. They legalize MJ for medicinal use and then for recreational use; what happens? It is abused and you have all kinds of problems....documented problems.

It's a money maker at our expense. More crime, more homelessness, more dependency and certainly more laws which are actually ways to put more controls on our lives.

We'll legalize it because we know you will abuse it and then we will need add more laws to protect (control) you.

 

[Jludo]

I cannot think of anything good that has come from legalizing drugs for recreational use. Even with medicinal use, somehow it gets out of hand. Just look at opioids. Abuse set in and now we have people who need it that are having a hard time getting it, if they can. Doctors are restricted in their prescriptions, thanks to the abusers. They legalize MJ for medicinal use and then for recreational use; what happens? It is abused and you have all kinds of problems....documented problems.

It's a money maker at our expense. More crime, more homelessness, more dependency and certainly more laws which are actually ways to put more controls on our lives.

We'll legalize it because we know you will abuse it and then we will need add more laws to protect (control) you.

I'm confused the govt is legalizing these drugs in order to pass more laws to control us? Here I thought govt making drugs illegal was them controlling us.

I also wouldn't make opioid dependence part of the argument, those remain illegal and yet we have a major issue with them. You don't see many homeless strung out on the pot looking for their next fix.

 

[Lex Concord]

I cannot think of anything good that has come from legalizing drugs for recreational use. Even with medicinal use, somehow it gets out of hand. Just look at opioids. Abuse set in and now we have people who need it that are having a hard time getting it, if they can. Doctors are restricted in their prescriptions, thanks to the abusers. They legalize MJ for medicinal use and then for recreational use; what happens? It is abused and you have all kinds of problems....documented problems.

It's a money maker at our expense. More crime, more homelessness, more dependency and certainly more laws which are actually ways to put more controls on our lives.

We'll legalize it because we know you will abuse it and then we will need add more laws to protect (control) you.

What good has come from their criminalization?

 

[churchmouse]

What good has come from their criminalization?

It is the basic weakness of the people.

 

[Jludo]

It is the basic weakness of the people.

The basic weakness of some weak people?

 

[churchmouse]

The basic weakness of some weak people?

Yes. Those who succumb to that weakness. We have all seen it. Friends we partied with when young. The everybody's looking for the weekend gang. Down the road many step out of that life into adulthood. Many can not make the transition. The weekend never stops.
A very general analogy made with a broad brush but it sets the stage.

 

[Jludo]

Yes. Those who succumb to that weakness. We have all seen it. Friends we partied with when young. The everybody's looking for the weekend gang. Down the road many step out of that life into adulthood. Many can not make the transition. The weekend never stops.
A very general analogy made with a broad brush but it sets the stage.

Wouldn't that logic take you to a place of banning big gulps as well though?