Medical Marijuana--

[Alex]

Originally Posted by Morrigoon

Who says I don't feel strongly about crystal meth? But I don't hear people on this board calling for its legalization.

I'll call for its legalization.

The "Legalize Pot" people would have you think there are no side effects to pot use, but that is not true. It's the side effects, not the addiction, that are the issue. Perhaps the side effects are symptoms of an addiction, but I think it's more than that.

It's not that I don't think there are side effects. Just that the existence of side effects is not, in my opinion, sufficient reason to criminalize it.

Yes, I've known people who have killed themselves with (or, if you prefer: been killed by) drugs. Doesn't change my opinion on whether adults should be allowed to do them. Similarly, I've known a person killed by hang gliding and it doesn't change my opinion on whether they should be allowed to do that. And my dad was killed by smoking at 47 but I am still fine with adults choosing to do that.

If the current fad was injecting Clorox directly into the hippocampus causing immediate death, I would still be fine with it being a legal decision for adults to make. I would, however, make it illegal to drive a car while doing it.

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by Alex

I would, however, make it illegal to drive a car while doing it.

Wimp

[Cadaverous Pallor]

I'm ok with meth and heroin being illegal. Full disclosure - I have never tried either. But it seems to me that at it's best, the concept of making a substance illegal is borne of the society saying in a nearly full chorus, "this is probably not good for us." I can dig that to a degree, but only in extreme cases like those.

To me it's all about percentages. What percentage of pot users are still productive, healthy members of society? A high percentage.

[innerSpaceman]

Nope, sorry. Can't abide ANYTHING that's based solely on Mob Rule.


Gays would still be burned at the stake, btw, under such conditions. There's plenty of places where the full chorus would sing Hallelujah as the flames consume.

[€uroMeinke]

How about Laudanum?

[innerSpaceman]

There should be varieties of Coca Cola with it!




New Coke Zero consciousness.

[PanTheMan]

Originally Posted by Morrigoon

No, I'm not denying that people find the experience enjoyable. What I'm saying is that the benefits must outweigh the significant risks. To me, recreational use does not do that, but relief of significant pain that is not successfully addressed by other existing drugs does.

And as far as the alcohol argument goes, until I get drunk sitting next to someone downing a pint, I don't find the two comparable. Remember my stance on tobacco.

Wow....look what i started.....lol

What about Edibles? or Pot used in a Vaporizor?

I am not saying it should be used walking down Main Street USA, but in ones own home, or specified places. You can't just Drink anywhere you want to either. Same with Smoking.

Last Year it is estimated 10,000+ people were killed or died because of Alcohol related disease or accedent. ZERO died because of Pot.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by PanTheMan

Last Year it is estimated 10,000+ people were killed or died because of Alcohol related disease or accedent. ZERO died because of Pot.

Errr, and your source for that patently ridiculous stat?

[PanTheMan]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

Errr, and your source for that patently ridiculous stat?

Jeeez... Made me go look that up...

http://www.medicalmarijuanaprocon.or...athreports.htm

Has marijuana caused any deaths?
General Reference

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's report Mortality Data from the Drug Abuse Warning Network, 2001 (released in 2003) stated:

"[M]arijuana is rarely the only drug involved in a drug abuse death. Thus ... the proportion of marijuana-induced cases labeled as 'One drug' (i.e., marijuana only) will be zero or nearly zero."
2003 SAMHSA
(see the government report "Mortality Data from the Drug Abuse Warning Network" in PDF format)

[scaeagles]

This brings up an issue, though.

There is a trend to lace MJ with other drugs to make it addictive. So when doing MJ, three is usually another drug involved without the knowledge of the user.