Legalizing "Wacky Tobaccy!"

[azsnowman]

*This is gonna be fun, wrings his hands*

Let's ponder this question for a bit, PLEASE, let's keep it civil, no flaming etc. BUT (snickers) Should marijuana be legalized? I pulled duty this morning with the PD and this question ALWAYS comes up during/after briefings etc. "IF" pot were legalized, do you know HOW much money it would save the court system, cities payroll not to mention TAX PAYERS dollars. There are literally BILLIONS of dollars spent every year try to keep pot off the street. I KNOW for a fact that smoking pot does NOT lead to other drug use, that's the biggest cock and bull story if there every once was one! Look at alcohol, it's legal and the look the damage it does to society, domestic violence, DUI and TONS of other crimial activity.

Part of the reason for this question, when I had my eye exam the other day and found out I needed bifocals, I found out I've got the VERY, VERY early stages of Glacoma in my right eye....ONE treatment for this condition is smoking a wee bit of pot to releave the pressure. Of course I'm "NOT" gonna do it because of my position as a peace officer.

BTW.....my stand on this issue, "IF" I weren't in law enforcement, I'd be sitting on the fence waiting for a strong wind to blow me to one side or the other.

Let the GAMES begin......."Remember, let's keep this CIVIL folks!"

Dennis

[Rainband]

I say no..if they legalize Marijuana you wont be able to afford it..for your medicinal purposes Just like Cigs and Beer..TAX TAX TAX!!

[azsnowman]

Ain't that the truth BUT....look at the extra tax revenue it would bring in, it would wipe out the national debt in about 2 years, PLUS, the crime rate would drop.....that's the issue we always talk about on while we're on duty.

Dennis

[Rainband]

Ain't that the truth BUT....look at the extra tax revenue it would bring in, it would wipe out the national debt in about 2 years, PLUS, the crime rate would drop.....that's the issue we always talk about on while we're on duty.

Dennis

I agree and disagree While I understand ..crime is a problem when it comes to drug use and sales. I honestly believe Marijuana is the lesser of the evils. Most people I have know that smoke weed aren't criminals and some grew it themselves for private use. As for the money issue. I don't honestly know how they would or could spend the money used from the sale of Medicinal pot. I do however know...alot if not most would continue to grow it themselves to save from paying that tax NO!!! I don't grow it

[hunter84]

I have often thought it should be for a long time know. mostly for the same reasons you have stated. I don't think it would lead to other drugs and I don't believe more people would use just because it is legal. On the other hand will it lead to people that use it already using it more, being under its influence at work or behind a steering wheel.

And I'll go on record as saying "no I have never tried it and don't plan to."

[Suzi Q]

Man, this is a toughie, but I'm going to err on the side of yes, legalize it. Basically for all the reasons stated in others' posts. And hey, I'll go on the record too, yeah I've smoked it (long time ago)and I even INHALED! But no, I don't grow it and I don't buy the line that it leads to other more addictive drugs, unless you want to count cigarettes. In which case, yeah, I'm a big time addict but I was smoking REGULAR tobacco WAY before I smoked the "other stuff".

Suzi the Shivering Southern Snow Quail

[coriolis]

Dennis, I know you're a bud (no pun intended) but I'm going to disagree with you.

I can only speak from my own experience: I started out in college very innocent. No cigarettes, no exposure to drugs at all, and a very limited exposure to acohol. My roommate turned out to someone who smoked weed, and so did all the "cool" people. I wanted to fit in and being away from home, I partook. Before long I was known as "Ed the Head." I was either always high or scrounging to get a bag. And when there wasn't any around, I started smoking cigarettes to get by. I believe that it's not physically addictive, but is definitely psychologically addictive. And yes, my experience says that pot is a gateway to other drugs without a doubt. And yes, in those circles of friends, and at those parties, I started doing lots of other drugs too. After a while, the high isn't as good, so I did other things to stay on the edge. I liked LSD, but it burned you out real bad. Looking back, I see that pot and partying literally took over my life. There definitely are mental effects, and someone definitely should not drive while high. I quit when I got married and had kids. That was the best decision I ever made, because it's much more expensive now, and it would just be wrong to spend that kind of money on pot, when the kids need new shoes or whatever. I know people who still do, and are married (or not) with kids. I can see how their kids are doing without. I see that when the parents don't have any, they are irritable and preoccupied with getting it. They borrow money to get it. On payday the first thing they do is go out and get a bag. Worry about the groceries later! Let's get high! I see that some of the kids who are getting the anti-drug message in school are confused and angry that their parents still do. That is not good! The same applies to cigarettes and alcohol. I see a lot of people worse off because of these vices. Why encourage another thing to make people worse off? I know that currnet enforcement is not much of a deterrent, and that prohibition did not work with alcohol. Life is full of things where you're dammed if you do and dammed if you don't. Should this be a matter of law? I guess the breeze is blowing me to the side of the fence for keeping it illegal.

[streetsoldier]

I say NO...I tried it but ONCE, in college, and I became disoriented, had palpitations, and was unable even to walk home (2 blocks) after ONE "hit".

If this is indicative of the effects thereof, I'm against its use, sale, distribution or legalization. Period.

[Pburgh]

I'm sure alot of you will be surprised, but I say it should be legalized, taxed and controlled. If a person has an addictive personality, I believe they will find a way to get it anyway. Save money in the legal system and make some money by taxation. I'm a child of the 60's --- of course I smoked pot many years ago --- BUT I SWEAR I DID NOT INHALE. Do ya believe me. lol

[Stephanie]

Personally, I don't see it any differently than getting "drunk". It slows down your reaction time and thought process just like having a drink. I think that it would have to be monitored in a way so that people don't get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle while under the influence. That being said, I don't know then if the costs of "enforcing" this would out weigh the benefits such as tax revenue, crack downs on marijuana trafficking, etc.

I definately think that the program that is out there for cancer patients that smoke it to help with the nausea from chemo treatments should stay.

Ed - I understand where you are coming from with the drugs. I can honestly say that I wouldn't have tried "other drugs" if I hadn't started smoking pot - but that was also while I was in High School. What you described about children doing without because mommy and daddy had to put their pay towards a bag is really no different than an alcoholic getting his/her bottle.

[weatherluvr]

Ooh, is this a loaded topic...

I say legalize it, but tax the hell out of it, and put the same restrictions on it as alcohol. I personally think there's a lot worse problems in the world than someone toking up in their own home.

Yes, I did partake at one time, but eventually it became boring to me.

[chadtm80]

I say go for it.. Legalize it.. I know pot heads and I know alcoholics.. Give me a pot head ANY day over an alcoholic

[BEER980]

Make it legal. It is a billion dollar cash crop plus 10's of thousands of people make a good untaxed living from it. The big brewing companies contribute quite a bit of money to the partnership for a drug free america organization and they don't want any competition. For most people it is not a gateway drug.

[timNms]

Never touched the stuff myself. Marlboro reds are strong enough and expensive enough for me
Keep it illegal. Legalized alcohol is enough of a problem. Yeah, there are going to be those who grow it and use it anyway, but legalizing it will just make things worse, in my opinion.
As far as usuing pot for medical reasons...that didn't work for my dad. He died because of bone cancer in '89. The dr. gave him some weed to help aleviate the pain and suffering from both the cancer and the medical treatments....it didn't work. He only tried it once and said it was worse than the side effects of the medicines he was on.

[GalvestonDuck]

I'm glad someone decided to bring up this topic!

When I went to my former homestate of KY for Christmas, I went to visit a friend of mine and discovered she was using it now. She used to not drink or smoke. Still doesn't smoke though, but well, you know...it's still a form of putting toxic fumes into your lungs, if you ask me. Of course, in KY, it shouldn't surprise me. It's the #1 cash crop there. Some people I know here in Galveston do it also. I went to a Friday after-work get-together with my boss and co-workers and two of them did it in their car (and my boss knew they were doing it).

Personally, I never tried it and never will -- for several reasons. One - my mom used to beat the living spit out of me, sometimes for no good reason. She would have likely killed me if I'd ever done marijuana or any other drugs (probably another reason why I didn't engage in intimate relations til I was 27 and didn't ever get drunk til I was 35). Two - I was born with hyaline membrane syndrome, which killed Patrick Kennedy. I was one of the first babies to survive it and my case history is in a neonatal medical journal. My mom got me into swimming at a young age to strengthen my lungs. Screw up my lungs now? Hell, no! And three - I was hesitant enough about finding out what I'd be like under the influence of alcohol (I'm a sleepy drunk). I prefer to stay in control and awake unless it's bed time. Oh, yeah...and I don't want to get the munchies. Watching stoned people with the munchies is funny stuff! I'd rather be sober so I can laugh at them. Ever see someone put ketchup on the OUTSIDE of the bun, then take a bite of burger, lick the bun, take another bite, lick the bun, and so forth? ROFL!

As for legalizing it, I can't really say I have an opinion or a care one way or another. I know people who use it and I think it would be a waste for them to lose their jobs, license, or whatever if they got tested and/or caught with it. It does seem like a very small offense. But I'm more concerned about seeing our government do something about sealing our borders and taking care of more pressing issues for the moment.

[Lindaloo]

I do know that it burns up valuable brain cells. Why subject our kids to that? It is bad enough trying to keep kids from smoking the almighty cigarette. I do not want to see a bunch of stoned people at work or when I go grocery shopping. God forbid being on the same roads with them. No thanks.

It should be used for medical purposes only.

[mf_dolphin]

I was stantioned in Alaska where it was legal to grow and use in your own home (for everyone except the military) LOL They had a very low level of crime associated with drugs. Honestly I don't think pot is any better or worse than alcohol. The only difference is one is legal and the other isn't. I would vote for legalization.

[Lindaloo]

Actually the growing drug crime now is crystal meth. Peoples houses are exploding, ammonia leaks everywhere because of them stealing it to maufacture it, air conditioning units being stolen which now owners are putting up locked chain link fences around their units to keep them from being stolen. I am losing my friends to that drug. I do not even recognize them anymore. Pot is out, crystal meth is in.

Legalizing one drug will not stop drug use or drug related crimes.

[blizzard]

Reminds me of a saying I heard once.

God made pot, man made booze....Who do you trust..

lol

Sorry, had to say it.

[azsnowman]

Reminds me of a saying I heard once.

God made pot, man made booze....Who do you trust..

lol

Sorry, had to say it.

Well, you really can't argue that point bliz "LOL!" I mean, God MUSTA put it here for a reason

From what I'm seeing, most of us agree, pot should be legalized.

Ed, I understand where your coming from, I've seen/had quite a few friends who were *heads* to the max.....they lived for tokin' up, nuthin' else and yet, I've know quite a few who still smoke, live a normal life, have succesful business's. I think it's up to the person and what kind of personality they have, if they have an addictive personality, then yes, it will RUIN their lifes but like people who drink and drink responsibly, they can handle it.

Dennis