Pot-sitive Needs

[Neo-Scholastic]

People here know me as being more conservative but I lean libertarian so I consider the legalization of pot in Nevada, California, Massachusetts, and Maine steps in the right direction.

(I kinda regret throwing away my bong years ago. Or did I? I can't remember.)

[FatAndFaithless]

It's a good start to be sure. Sorry Arizona, your loss.

[account_inactive]

Wish they would hurry up and legalise it here in the UK...

[Doubting Thomas]

Here's my take on marijuana.

I've never smoked marijuana in my life. Never been around it, never had friends who smoked it. Only time I was around it was when I worked in law enforcement and some of the officers would bring in evidence. I remember a homemade pot pipe someone had found in a vacant house and smelling it to see what weed smelled like.

That being said, I really think it's time the entire country takes a good look at legalizing it, even if it has to go state by state. Despite the claims of "Reefer Madness" and the 1930's push to criminalize it, marijuana doesn't appear to be as dangerous a drug as they make it out to be. Nobody ever goes to rehab because of a marijuana addiction. You never hear of anyone winding up in the ER for a marijuana overdose.

Some call it a gateway drug, but this is a misnomer for two reasons: Some marijuana smokers say they'll never, ever try hard drugs and are satisfied with smoking pot; and alcohol can be considered a gateway drug, as well as just about anything. If someone wants to fuck up their mind on heroin or meth, they're likely going to end up doing it for whatever psychological reason drove them to drugs in the first place. That is, they didn't just start out innocently wanting to try pot and then progress on to something harder because the pot wasn't strong enough any more.

I think the supposed medical benefits of marijuana are being blown way out of proportion by marijuana proponents, and if you listen to them it's a miracle drug which can cure anything. While it may have a few benefits in a few certain cases, it's not going to cure anything & everything. No drug can. And medical marijuana seems to be such a sham way to get around the law anyway, just go to a "doctor" who will prescribe it for whatever symptoms you make up, and you're able to buy it at a dispensary. I say get rid of the wink, wink, nudge, nudge aspect of medical marijuana and legalize it everywhere so scientists can study it and actually see what medical benefits it may have. This also allows those who want to use it recreationally to do so.

Frankly, the laws against marijuana have not kept people from growing, selling, or using it. Basically all it's done has been to make criminals out of people who just want to have a little recreational drug use, which is really hurting nobody as long as they aren't getting behind the wheel and driving while high.

So I say legalize it and control it the same as alcohol. No sales to or possession of by anyone under 18, and harsh sentences for driving under the influence. By the way, I think the legal drinking age ought to be lowered to 18 as well, but that's a different discussion.

[Jackalope]

Frankly, the fact that it's on Schedule I is beyond ridiculous. In order to be included on Schedule I, a determination that the drug has no medical use has to be made. That determination was a political one, not one based on medicine.

Yep, there are plenty of people out there who will completely overblow the benefits so that it sounds like a miracle cure-all - it's not, but it does have value in treating the symptoms of some illnesses - in particular, insomnia, appetite issues, nausea, and mood symptoms.

By the way, regarding medical use being a "sham" - a great many medical products use the cannabinoid CBD, which is not psychoactive (i.e. it does not get you high). People that use CBD-based products are certainly not doing so to skirt the law to get high.

[Doubting Thomas]

That's why I say legalize it everywhere so that it can be used & studied to see exactly what medical benefits it may have.

And I didn't mean to imply that using marijuana for medical purposes was a sham, I was addressing the sham of "Hey doc, I feel a little anxious sometimes, if you know what I mean. I need a prescription for medical marijuana." I say do away with the sham of having to go to a doctor to get a prescription for marijuana when someone wants to smoke it recreationally and just legalize it.

[ApeNotKillApe]

Wish they would hurry up and legalise it here in the UK...

I'll smoke non-incriminating substances to that.

[Aroura]

It's a very good treatment for chronic constipation s well. Seriously.
I cannot use it anymore though, it makes me too nervous, even in small doses now. Oh well.

[Aegon]

People here know me as being more conservative but I lean libertarian so I consider the legalization of pot in Nevada, California, Massachusetts, and Maine steps in the right direction.

(I kinda regret throwing away my bong years ago. Or did I? I can't remember.)

This might have been the only positive to come out of the election.

Although I'm worried if the Trump administration exercise federal preemption on the legal pot states. I know Pence would if he could.