Originally Posted by Golfingnut (Post 842065)

BUT, well beyond his time and should not be up this late talking to adults.

Originally Posted by Russ_Boston (Post 842098)

No vote here from me but I'll make a very easy prediction:
Pot will be legal, such as Colorado, in at least 30 states within 15 years. I think back about 20 years to the states who didn't have Lottery or Casinos. As time went on they saw all the money they were losing. Now I don't know of ANY state that doesn't have some form of Lotto. And many states (not just Indian nation Casinos) have casinos and more to come such as Massachusetts. That number will reach all 50 very soon.

I also predict that there will be zero subsequent problems discovered. In other words as time passes and studies are done there will be no significant increases in car accidents or decreases in test scores etc. A hundred years from now people will say "Marijuana used to be illegal?" What were they thinking? Much the same as we say about a law almost 100 years ago that prohibited alcohol sales. Remember, not all laws were created with great forethought. At one time in this great nation we didn't allow women to vote or blacks to eat in the same restaurant as whites. Not all change is bad!

Originally Posted by gamby (Post 842145)

Answer is NO;

Tax dollars are the motive for this . The same reason Cigarettes are still for sale.

I've seen so many people start off with booze in their teens then POT then Heroin.
One person in mind just died on Xmas day from drugs. He lost everything in his 20s wife,3 great kids , job, and any friends.
He spent his life in and out of Prison. Turns out 2 of his brothers took the same route starting with booze and POT then Heroin.

Originally Posted by rp001 (Post 842232)

Once and for all, Pot is Not a gateway drug. People fall victim to their own neediness and it could have just as easily been sugar addiction. I question the validity of this post!

Originally Posted by JourneyOfLife (Post 842296)

The poll numbers are fairly interesting.

If the TV political leanings (generally speaking) are any indication, one might conclude that there are a larger number of conservatives or conservative leaning people that took this poll and the medical poll on the other thread.

Of course it is not scientific or random... but still.

If this poll is any indication of a cross-section of people from different states... I agree with the observation Russ made in an earlier post on this thread.

Originally Posted by JourneyOfLife (Post 842296)

The poll numbers are fairly interesting.

If the TV political leanings (generally speaking) are any indication, one might conclude that there are a larger number of conservatives or conservative leaning people that took this poll and the medical poll on the other thread.

Of course it is not scientific or random... but still.

If this poll is any indication of a cross-section of people from different states... I agree with the observation Russ made in an earlier post on this thread.

Originally Posted by TexaninVA (Post 842275)

In my experience, and personal observation, pot is very much a gateway drug. That's not to say all who use pot graduate to a higher drug, but those who get there got started with pot. I agree that the neediness and lack of self confidence is a factor as well. Pot for many is a crutch, just like booze is to some people.

Originally Posted by joerocker (Post 842312)

People can't have "crutches"? Why not? Not everyone is as emotionally strong as another. Religion is a "crutch" too. I'd be more in favor of banning that over marijuana.

This "gateway" discussion always get's so twisted. Marijuana is just one of MANY drugs that an addictive personality will go through during his lifetime. It usually starts with caffeine then moves to nicotine then on to alcohol and marijuana after that cocaine, pills, finally heroin. It's the PERSON not the drug.

Punishing everyone because a few can't handle themselves is not the answer. If sugar was outlawed for you because too many are getting fat because they ABUSE it, how would you feel? It's the same. Marijuana when used moderately, is not a problem for anyone. I lived in a marijuana friendly state, it's not a problem to society. The abusers are the problem to society. And abusers find something to abuse.

Originally Posted by quirky3 (Post 842301)

Actually, I was thinking that the survey numbers reflect a clear shift in the political leanings of the TOTV respondents. As of this morning, they favor legalization of recreational marijuana almost 3 to 1, and legalization of medicinal marijuana about 6 to 1. Perception is sometimes VERY different from facts!

Originally Posted by joerocker (Post 842312)

People can't have "crutches"? Why not? Not everyone is as emotionally strong as another. Religion is a "crutch" too. I'd be more in favor of banning that over marijuana..

Originally Posted by ilovetv (Post 842327)

It's not a shift. It's the little-publicized fact that most people here choose to think on their own, about individual issues and candidates, and do not vote blindfolded and straight down the party line.