[BlackhawksFan]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I read that 75% of Americans support the decriminalization of the use of Marijuana.

Do you?

Yes

[roob1]

You need to examine the details, rather than generalize.



Is marijuana a gateway drug? | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

"These findings are consistent with the idea of marijuana as a "gateway drug." However, the majority of people who use marijuana do not go on to use other, "harder" substances. Also, cross-sensitization is not unique to marijuana. Alcohol and nicotine also prime the brain for a heightened response to other drugs51 and are, like marijuana, also typically used before a person progresses to other, more harmful substances."

Originally Posted by BillY41

Gateway drug! Decriminalize personal possession, no smoking in public.

[BigSteph]

Originally Posted by Art cov

A friend just came back from New Orleans. Where he stayed (French quarter) it’s legal there. He said the place stunk with pot smoking and every corner had people selling it. It’s a amazing cigarette smoking is so bad for people’s health, but pot smoking does so good. Nothing bad, it stinks and destroys in the long run. Most kids who smoke weed, start with it but then try other drugs. I remember how at bus stops some of the kids smelled the bus when they got on after smoking a joint. I guess if it was in the brownies and not smoked we would’ve only knew because of their yeah man speech. But they were 13 yr olds. If you sit out on the lanai and the smoke drifts to you, what do you think? Remember pot smokers enjoy company who indulge with them. Hey, the dancing will change at the squares, it could be entertaining!

I was sitting on my lanai the other day and smelled it. I looked over my shoulder and saw the 8-man team pouring concrete passing a cigarette. About half of the men took a puff and the other half declined.

I didn't get high and the smell dissipated in a minute.

Both the high and clear-minded workers kept working and the slab looked fine afterwards.


I am pro marijuana, but at the same time, I wouldn't want to smell it constantly.

I just moved from a legal state and while I fully support the personal responsible use of marijuana, I hated when I had to smell it. Just like I love a good $10 cigar on occasion, I hate when I have to endure it from someone else.

The big thing in marijuana use now is to take the plant material and heat it in a chamber to where the materials start to vaporize and are inhaled. You don't get the burnt smell. Sort of like bruising a mint leaf by rubbing between your fingers compared to lighting a fall-time leaf on fire -- two entirely different smells.


The marijuana argument is tiresome. I've had discussions with people who 100% believe it is immoral and a gateway drug. I've had discussions with people who shout "my body, my right." People tend to paint their feeling on "Vices" with the color of their politics and religion. I fall into the middle,... be reasonable, be responsible, do all things in moderation with the consideration of the risks and impact on others.

I also understand that strange things follow a path of Rejection, Tolerance, and Acceptance. I am at each of these phases on different things I see. On Marijuana, I just happen to have arrived at Acceptance.

[Boomer]

Hey, is anybody looking into buying a few shares of stock?

Acreage Holdings (ACRHF) is at $3.60 this morning. That’s the company with John Boehner on the board — after his 180.

I have not looked too far so far.

So. . .would looking into a small investment be a groovy thing to do?

Or could it lead to REEFER MADNESS!!?

Boomer

[GrumpyOldMan]

Originally Posted by Boomer

Hey, is anybody looking into buying a few shares of stock?

Acreage Holdings (ACRHF) is at $3.60 this morning. That’s the company with John Boehner on the board — after his 180.

I have not looked too far so far.

So. . .would looking into a small investment be a groovy thing to do?

Or could it lead to REEFER MADNESS!!?

Boomer

I heard it was a gateway investment and could lead to day trading and other more serious investment activities. Be careful, be very careful!

[SusanStCatherine]

I'm for not only decriminalization, I'm for legalizing marajuana federally. The war on drugs has failed and caused many victims.

[Windguy]

Originally Posted by manaboutown

Since I have seen the effects is has on users over the years I do not support its legalization.

Follow the money.

Who and what entities lobbied through its legalization?

Who/what entities stand to benefit?

States will tax it so stand to gain although they (taxpayers) will bear some of the costs of pot use.

Following the money to see who benefitted from its criminalization in the first place might be illuminating. From Wikipedia:

Newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst's empire of newspapers used the "yellow journalism" pioneered by Hearst to demonize the cannabis plant and spread a public perception that there were connections between cannabis and violent crime. Several scholars argue that the goal was to destroy the hemp industry, largely as an effort of Hearst, Andrew Mellon and the Du Pont family They argue that with the invention of the decorticator hemp became a very cheap substitute for the wood pulp that was used in the newspaper industry. However, Hearst newspapers owed large debts to Canadian suppliers of paper, who used wood as raw material. If an alternative raw material for paper had emerged, it would have lowered the price of the paper needed to print Hearst's many newspapers—a positive thing for Hearst.

Another reason is that it was to demonize immigrating Mexicans for whom cannabis use was a long cultural tradition. The racists scared people into thinking that dark-skinned drug fiends would murder and rape white women. Hmm. Murders and rapists. Where have I heard that before?

And the main reason why it is not legal now is because drug gangs, industrial prisons, and pharmaceutical companies don't want that. And, they have lots of money to lobby against legalization.

[SusanStCatherine]

My sister, a Florida resident at the time, was diagnosed in 2017 with pancreatic cancer and asked a doctor for medical marajuana. She was unable to get it from the Florida doctor, but was able to obtain it elsewhere. The doctor gave her a certain number of months to live. Well, she wound up living at least a few months past that (no thanks to that doctor). And I believe she was way more comfortable and able to eat more due to the marajuana. It shocks me Florida is not liberitarian on this issue like they are on a lot of other issues.

[Grunt 1946]

It's only been used since the beginning of the human race. Almost anyone like me, a baby boomer tried it. Is it a big deal? not in my opinion?

[brfree1411@aol.com]

OR we can use the tax money off MJ for our huge deficit that this government has used to provide an income for a lot of people who would not work.

[brfree1411@aol.com]

Love it!!!!

[brfree1411@aol.com]

Really? Not speeding & driving while drunk, interesting.

[jimkerr]

It should be decriminalized and if someone wants to grow their own medicine, they should be able to do so. I know many people that MJ has helped. If people stopped drinking excessively and had a little marijuana instead, we would live in a much friendlier environment. The pizza restaurants might be busier but that would be a good thing.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Get real

It is a friggin plant....who cares????? It grows naturally. Have at it.

So is heroin, what's your point???

[rpalumberi]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I read that 75% of Americans support the decriminalization of the use of Marijuana.

Do you?

I think, especially these days, you cannot believe everything you hear. I always, whenever possible, check sources as to who is saying whatever. We do not support legalization or decriminalization. Decriminalization is the 1st step toward legalization. We don't care much what others do in the privacy of their home but they're likely to go out and drive thereafter, at some point, and that concerns us because we don't want to meet them out on the road. I think this is nuts personally, being pushed by those who want to sell it.