[flamehunter]

i think we should legalize pot and i have a non well thought out idea that i think may be effectivve.

when you turn 18. it becomes legal to smoke. when you turn 25 it becomes illegal again. why? because its time to grow up and stop being a loser. when you turn 65 you are able to smoke again. however here is the catch. you either get your pot license or your drivers license. not both.

This would create a whole new market for the fake ID people. Get in on the ground floor now!

[bigsmooth]

So now everyone wants to jump on the bandwagon with Wacky Pat. Funny how that works. Maybe he could have Tommy Chong on the 700 Club to discuss it.

Sean Spicoli?

That would be Jeff spicoli.....

[Purple Haize]

So now everyone wants to jump on the bandwagon with Wacky Pat. Funny how that works. Maybe he could have Tommy Chong on the 700 Club to discuss it.

Sean Spicoli?

That would be Jeff spicoli.....

Sean Penn. my bad. But since your here, right, and I'm here. Wouldn't that make it our time? Dude, did you hear that? That was my skull...

[NotAJerry]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/20 ... -portugal/

Just another spot that shows that decriminalizing drugs works. As far as pot goes, there are too many creative people who are actually employed that smoke regularly for me to buy the lazy pothead shtick that is out there. In my HS days, prior to being saved, I smoked pot 4-5 days a week and still was able to train well enough to earn a lacrosse scholarship offer from Georgetown. My experience, and that of many others, is that the effects of pot on peoples willingness and ability to work is highly exaggerated.

For those who are willing to overlook some language issues, watch Super High Me. It's an interesting look at the effects on someone who smokes no pot for 30 days and then does so all day, every day for 30 days.

[Humble_Opinion]

So - if it were legal would you do it again?

[NotAJerry]

So - if it were legal would you do it again?

Absolutely. I may start in the near future, once I move into DC proper, for medical reasons. I've got a severely jacked up lower back, had major spinal surgery in 94, and would like a much less incapacitating relaxant than Vicodin/Percocet. Even if that wasn't the case, I would treat it just like I do beer/wine.

[olldflame]

So - if it were legal would you do it again?

Absolutely. I may start in the near future, once I move into DC proper, for medical reasons. I've got a severely jacked up lower back, had major spinal surgery in 94, and would like a much less incapacitating relaxant than Vicodin/Percocet. Even if that wasn't the case, I would treat it just like I do beer/wine.

Vicodin and Percocet are not "relaxants", they are narcotic pain killers. Muscle relaxants, like flexaril or soma are totally different.

[Purple Haize]

Skelaxin is a muscle relaxant that is the BOMB
Percocet Vicodin and Lortab are opiates and highly addictive. I have some if anyone is interested

[PAmedic]

Just another spot that shows that decriminalizing drugs works. As far as pot goes, there are too many creative people who are actually employed that smoke regularly for me to buy the lazy pothead shtick that is out there.

I'll be sure to recommend you to the defense as a expert witness for all my drug cases next month.

PS: none of my defendants are gainfully employed- unless you count "independant sales" as legit

[samismom22]

I have such mixed feelings on this....as a high school teacher I have seen weed and alcohol destroy kids lives way to young in life!

[NotAJerry]

So - if it were legal would you do it again?

Absolutely. I may start in the near future, once I move into DC proper, for medical reasons. I've got a severely jacked up lower back, had major spinal surgery in 94, and would like a much less incapacitating relaxant than Vicodin/Percocet. Even if that wasn't the case, I would treat it just like I do beer/wine.

Vicodin and Percocet are not "relaxants", they are narcotic pain killers. Muscle relaxants, like flexaril or soma are totally different.

In my condition, they've completely skipped true relaxers and just dumped Vicodin and Percocet into my system for nearly 20 years now. I typically have an excruciating tingling in my right leg, kind of a ramped up sciatica/that feeling when your leg doesn't wake up x1000, and doctors/chiropractors/massage therapists all have skipped straight to narcotics to dull the pain and get me to relax. It's not fun.

[ALUmnus]

First, while it's an interesting case study, I don't think you can compare Portugal to the US. Second, you bring up what Portugal did, but then want the US to go even further. Portugal decriminalized, but you want the US to legalize. Do that, and there's no coerced rehad like Portugal has.

I thought you libertarians were all about states rights. Why is this your big national issue? And I do find it a bit odd that people on this board take such a keen interest in legalizing marajuana. Why do you need to do something that's illegal?

[RubberMallet]

have you ever smoked marijuana?

[jbock13]

Issues like marijuana should be left up to the states. It's not states rights. It's called federalism. It's in the 10'th amendment. Learn it, live it, love it.

[Humble_Opinion]

I've never smoked pot before and I never will, but besides the obvious differences, how is it okay for your health but smoking cigarettes is not? I mean you inhale both as far as I know, so how would one cause cancer and have other terrible effects and the other not?

[LUconn]

Marijuana is magic and bascially heals whatever is wrong with you. When was the last time you saw a pot head have anything wrong with him?

[NotAJerry]

I've never smoked pot before and I never will, but besides the obvious differences, how is it okay for your health but smoking cigarettes is not? I mean you inhale both as far as I know, so how would one cause cancer and have other terrible effects and the other not?

One of the reasons for legalizing marijuana is that there are a multitude of types of marijuana, many of which are edible which eliminates the smoke issue. Marijuana smoke is much healthier than cigarette smoke, largely due to THC being much better than tobacco, and does not contain the elements that cause cancer but it does cause chronic bronchitis in a minority of users.

[NotAJerry]

First, while it's an interesting case study, I don't think you can compare Portugal to the US. Second, you bring up what Portugal did, but then want the US to go even further. Portugal decriminalized, but you want the US to legalize. Do that, and there's no coerced rehad like Portugal has.

I thought you libertarians were all about states rights. Why is this your big national issue? And I do find it a bit odd that people on this board take such a keen interest in legalizing marajuana. Why do you need to do something that's illegal?

I would rather it be a states rights issue, but I'd settle for legalization and taxation using interstate commerce as the reasoning.

[ALUmnus]

have you ever smoked marijuana?

So, in other words, to get high. Is that the basic gist of it? I can see why you might not care about the issue, or just be passive and not fight it. But to be an advocate and pursue it? That, I don't get.

Marijuana smoke is much healthier than cigarette smoke, largely due to THC being much better than tobacco, and does not contain the elements that cause cancer but it does cause chronic bronchitis in a minority of users.

Healthier? Maybe you mean "not as harmful"? Second-hand cigarette smoke causes you to cough. Second-hand marijuana smoke can get you high. So, yeah, there are differences.

And I love all these fiscal conservatives "just think of the tax revenue that would be generated!". I think it would be appropriate to use the word "ironic" here.

[R i]

Can you eat cigarette brownies ?

[jbock13]

have you ever smoked marijuana?

So, in other words, to get high. Is that the basic gist of it? I can see why you might not care about the issue, or just be passive and not fight it. But to be an advocate and pursue it? That, I don't get.

Marijuana smoke is much healthier than cigarette smoke, largely due to THC being much better than tobacco, and does not contain the elements that cause cancer but it does cause chronic bronchitis in a minority of users.

Healthier? Maybe you mean "not as harmful"? Second-hand cigarette smoke causes you to cough. Second-hand marijuana smoke can get you high. So, yeah, there are differences.

And I love all these fiscal conservatives "just think of the tax revenue that would be generated!". I think it would be appropriate to use the word "ironic" here.

What about third hand smoke? Or how much more absurd will this nonsense get about the supposed side affects of smoking? Sure, it's not good for you. But the second hand smoke science is laughable at best, so to see how far they could push it they invented third hand smoke.

[jmdickens]

First, while it's an interesting case study, I don't think you can compare Portugal to the US. Second, you bring up what Portugal did, but then want the US to go even further. Portugal decriminalized, but you want the US to legalize. Do that, and there's no coerced rehad like Portugal has.

I thought you libertarians were all about states rights. Why is this your big national issue? And I do find it a bit odd that people on this board take such a keen interest in legalizing marajuana. Why do you need to do something that's illegal?

I argue it is a federal issue and not a state issue because of Interstate Commerce. Weed in Danville might be better than weed in St. Paul.

The idea of the rehab would fall to the individual, and I would assume the families would play a large role in the rehab of those addicted. Even if the families did not help, I would be willing to bet there would be lots of Non-Profits that would enable users to find a way to fight addiction. But the entire gist of legalization makes the issue a personal issue that individuals must resolve and have the responsibility, not the state nor you and me.

There is plenty of research conducted about THC, the main ingredient of Pot, and it is a large quantities of the drugs that people are purchasing from the Pharmaceutical companies.

Learn how drugs laws began in this country and you might change your opinion of the war on drugs. I am really happy we are talking about this on FF, nice to see we are all civil for once. lol

[R i]

Learn how drugs laws began in this country and you might change your opinion of the war on drugs.

Just tell us. You seem to know everything.

[RubberMallet]

i just don't care that people smoke weed for the most part. its a great relaxant and i'd rather smoke weed than take some of the prescription/otc meds that are readily available.

a 1/4 sheet of sudafed will get you "baked" out of your mind.

[NotAJerry]

Society will collapse if marijuana is legalized.

Crime will go down if marijuana is legalized.

Gun crime will drop precipitously if marijuana is legalized.

Prisons will lose more than half their current residents if marijuana is legalized.

Private prisons are huge business now. Just another example of those who lobby most getting their way over good, sound Constitutional policy.

Alcohol and tobacco related deaths are in the tens or hundreds of thousands per year, including overdose, cancer, and accidents (for alcohol) depending on whose numbers you believe.

Marijuana related deaths per year are 5 per year in the most liberal estimates. There has never been a recorded death by marijuana overdose or link to cancer.