Another barry soetoro policy about to get overturned

[Streck-Fu]

If they want to get serious about it they need to target the demand side of the problem. Once you start locking up the white collar recreational user you might start seeing some impact on it's use.

I think the simple act of decriminalizing it will remove the taboo association. After the initial use spike due to the removal of prohibition, you will see a steady decline in use.

Then, treat it like cigarettes and keep informing people that smoking leaves is eventually terrible for your health and fewer will use it.

Other countries that have legalized MJ have seen a significant drop in use. Portugal is one example

[Team Sergeant]

Originally Posted by Streck-Fu

I think the simple act of decriminalizing it will remove the taboo association. After the initial use spike due to the removal of prohibition, you will see a steady decline in use.

Then, treat it like cigarettes and keep informing people that smoking leaves is eventually terrible for your health and fewer will use it.

Other countries that have legalized MJ have seen a significant drop in use. Portugal is one example

Do you click your heels three times to go home too?







Crime rate in Colorado increases much faster than rest of the country

By Kirk Mitchell | kmitchell@denverpost.com | The Denver Post
PUBLISHED: July 11, 2017 at 10:29 am | UPDATED: July 12, 2017 at 12:45 pm

Crime rates dropped or remained static in many of the nation’s 30 largest cities last year, but in Colorado the crime rate per 100,000 people spiked by 3.4 percent, fueled by a rise in auto thefts, rape, murder and robbery.
Colorado’s crime-rate increase in 2016 was more than 11 times the 0.3 percent average increase reported in the 30 largest cities in the nation, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.
Last year’s number of homicides — 189 — marked an 9.9 percent increase over the 172 in 2015, according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation report “2016 Crime in Colorado.” Nearly one in three homicides were committed in Denver.

Factoring in the state’s population grown, the homicide rate increased 6.3 percent per 100,000 residents, the CBI reported.
Some Colorado lawmakers, police and legal experts partly blame the marijuana industry, claiming that it has lured transients and criminals to the state. Others point to a dramatic increase in the number of cars stolen to commit other crimes or to ship to Mexico. Increases in crime are often a reflection of economic conditions, said Steve Davis, spokesman for the Lakewood Police Department.
“I think it would be naive not to believe the increase in drug use is not having an impact on the crime rate,” said Rep. Cole Wist, R-Centennial, who serves on the House Judiciary Committee. But Cole added that it’s not just marijuana that is having an impact on crime, but also an increase in the use of heroin and illegal prescription drugs.

https://www.denverpost.com/2017/07/1...r-murder-rate/

[cbtengr]

Big Tobacco has been the most evil bunch of SOB's on the planet for how long now? And who has made it their mission to go after the lowly cigarette smoker and manufacturer with a vengeance? That would be the same govt. that decriminalizes pot. What sense would it make to legalize it then go after the smokers of it in the same fashion that cigarette smokers have been treated? It is not gonna happen, the same states that think legalizing pot is the answer are ones that hold cigarette smokers out to be societal pariahs. I will support whatever federal law is on the books regarding pot. Which brings us full circle to change the law but in the mean time do not ignore it.

[cedsall]

Originally Posted by Team Sergeant

Crime rates dropped or remained static in many of the nation’s 30 largest cities last year, but in Colorado the crime rate per 100,000 people spiked by 3.4 percent, fueled by a rise in auto thefts, rape, murder and robbery.
Colorado’s crime-rate increase in 2016 was more than 11 times the 0.3 percent average increase reported in the 30 largest cities in the nation, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.
Last year’s number of homicides — 189 — marked an 9.9 percent increase over the 172 in 2015, according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation report “2016 Crime in Colorado.” Nearly one in three homicides were committed in Denver.

Factoring in the state’s population grown, the homicide rate increased 6.3 percent per 100,000 residents, the CBI reported.
Some Colorado lawmakers, police and legal experts partly blame the marijuana industry, claiming that it has lured transients and criminals to the state.

Of course. When I smoke a joint I always have to suppress the urge to steal a car, rape or kill someone, or go out and rob the local 7-11.

I think all is not as everyone believes: https://www.leafly.com/news/politics...for-first-time

If you are on a .gov computer you may want to avoid the pro-marijuana legalization link. Granted, the site has a slant (ok, a bent) towards legalization. That said, assuming their numbers are correct, it's interesting insight into the politics of pot.

[Team Sergeant]

Originally Posted by cedsall

Of course. When I smoke a joint I always have to suppress the urge to steal a car, rape or kill someone, or go out and rob the local 7-11.

I think you understand the point I’m attempting to make, crime follows drugs. And reading the crime stats associated with mary jane it’s clear there are some disturbing trends. One that I never thought of, is that when using MJ the high lasts a very long time. (And if you saw some of the construction work done on the houses here in Arizona that’s quite evident.)

Next time you order corporation food, remember, probably about say what, 75% of the food service folks serving you are high.

Let me know if you’d like to see those stats with EMS……..

[cedsall]

I think crime follows just about anything. It's like capitalism - if there's a way to make a buck, someone is going to figure it out. Same with crime, if there's a way to make an illegal buck, someone will try it.

My point is that the politics of pot legalization appear to be changing. The old battle lines of "Republicans are against it, Democrats are for it" no longer tell the story. My opinion - Americans are interested in government staying out of their personal lives. Where that aligns to political parties is, some folks are happily self sufficient in the sense they have a job, make good money, pay their taxes, have health insurance, are secure in their lifestyle, and don't want government involved in any of that. Others believe the government should be providing for them at some level in those same areas. But both sides agree (violently) that government's interests stop at their front door.

That's reflected in the link. Majority republican districts also support marijuana legalization. It's one of the few issues that seems to cross political affiliations.

As an aside, I think it's a similar political undercurrent that got President Trump elected. The political issues are more complex but at the end of the day folks want their government to simply govern. Maintain the peace, defend the country, protect the little guy, but stay out of our lives. President Trump seemed to represent that idea of government - focus on the things government should be doing, cut off the excess.

[Chucko]

Just what we need is to flood the market with legalized hallucinogenics. You can't tell me it won't affect a greater population of school kids. Adults can hardly control themselves with alcohol, much less throw in MJ and who knows what else on top of it.

I am not concerned about doctor approved medical MJ other than the abuse it will possibly bring in.

Don't flame me, but that is my opinion.

[SF_BHT]

Originally Posted by cedsall

I think crime follows just about anything. It's like capitalism - if there's a way to make a buck, someone is going to figure it out. Same with crime, if there's a way to make an illegal buck, someone will try it.

My point is that the politics of pot legalization appear to be changing. The old battle lines of "Republicans are against it, Democrats are for it" no longer tell the story. My opinion - Americans are interested in government staying out of their personal lives. Where that aligns to political parties is, some folks are happily self sufficient in the sense they have a job, make good money, pay their taxes, have health insurance, are secure in their lifestyle, and don't want government involved in any of that. Others believe the government should be providing for them at some level in those same areas. But both sides agree (violently) that government's interests stop at their front door.

That's reflected in the link. Majority republican districts also support marijuana legalization. It's one of the few issues that seems to cross political affiliations.

As an aside, I think it's a similar political undercurrent that got President Trump elected. The political issues are more complex but at the end of the day folks want their government to simply govern. Maintain the peace, defend the country, protect the little guy, but stay out of our lives. President Trump seemed to represent that idea of government - focus on the things government should be doing, cut off the excess.

i personnaly could give a fuck if you smoke
A joint but I deal with this daily and you are an idiot if you think legalizing it will fix it. TS is spot on ref crime. CO has the stats to prove it.

[cedsall]

Originally Posted by SF_BHT

i personnaly could give a fuck if you smoke.

Exactly my point. Nor do I give a fuck what you do.

If we're going to compare the crime rate pre a and post legalization let's be sure to include the offset from no longer having to prosecute marijuana related drug crimes.

[SF_BHT]

Originally Posted by cedsall

Exactly my point. Nor do I give a fuck what you do.

If we're going to compare the crime rate pre a and post legalization let's be sure to include the offset from no longer having to prosecute marijuana related drug crimes.

You still do not get it. After they legalized it they still had Mexican cartels move in and still grow illegally and try to get in on the state approved programs. There are so many issues and I am not going to write a book to educate you.

Also it is illegal and the Fed Gov regulates that not the states so if I find you with a joint, bag etc you will get arrested. This Obama policy of well let's let the states do an experiment bullshit is just that. Mixed signals and that has just muddied the waters causing a lot of grey area.....

The biggest scam out there are the medical MJ businesses. They divert, falsify and the majority of their product does not go for "medical purposes".

[turboprop]

Originally Posted by SF_BHT

The biggest scam out there are the medical MJ businesses. They divert, falsify and the majority of their product does not go for "medical purposes".

Is this a more worthy adversary than pharmaceutical opioid business? For perspective, prescription opioid overdose killed more Americans last year than the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan combined, by a landslide.

You combine the prescription deaths with heroin ODs from last year and you get a number larger than all the US service-member deaths in Vietnam.

Before you buy off on the Reefer Madness tactics being used consider what is being protected by this diversion.

The same people (old money, big business pharma) have been magnifying their profits for years. Medical marijuana is a threat to the prescription pain-relief business. Consider side effects, probability of addiction, and price of an opium-based analgesic vs. marijuana from the perspective of the patient, then make the same considerations from the perspective of a pharmaceutical company.

So why again is the Attorney General focusing on pot in the midst of an opioid epidemic?

[Sohei]

Originally Posted by Brush Okie

Last year in Humboldt county a pot growing mecca of 130000 22 murders and over 300 missing dont bullshit me that pot is a harmless industry with no victims

Yep...just conducting the "business" end of dealing with pot is dangerous!

[cbtengr]

Originally Posted by turboprop

Is this a more worthy adversary than pharmaceutical opioid business? For perspective, prescription opioid overdose killed more Americans last year than the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan combined, by a landslide.

You combine the prescription deaths with heroin ODs from last year and you get a number larger than all the US service-member deaths in Vietnam.

Before you buy off on the Reefer Madness tactics being used consider what is being protected by this diversion.

The same people (old money, big business pharma) have been magnifying their profits for years. Medical marijuana is a threat to the prescription pain-relief business. Consider side effects, probability of addiction, and price of an opium-based analgesic vs. marijuana from the perspective of the patient, then make the same considerations from the perspective of a pharmaceutical company.

So why again is the Attorney General focusing on pot in the midst of an opioid epidemic?

Good news war on opioid abuse was declared back in October by Trump, Sessions supports it. Regarding overdose deaths, at the risk of sounding uncaring if you die of an overdose of heroin or some other controlled substance I really do not care.

Sessions: War on Opioids Is 'Winnable'

https://www.voanews.com/a/sessions-s...e/4089403.html

[Badger52]

Originally Posted by cbtengr

Sessions: War on Opioids Is 'Winnable'

I'm sure they (Congress) will get behind that in an historic display of the spirit of bi-partisanship. 'Street' fentanyl will make a good public target (as well as over-prescribing VA physicians), while the pols continue to suck in the Big Pharma $$ & hopefully not triple the cost of someone's legitimate pain management regimen.

[GratefulCitizen]

The effective way to address the drug problem in this country is the creation of jobs which men like to do.
Unemployment/underemployment tends to affect men more negatively than women.

When the economy expands, the drug problem will shrink.
(Drug problem, not drug use in general...they aren't necessarily the same thing.)

The YouTube channel is kind of goofy, but he got a good Jordan Peterson clip.
https://youtu.be/Fg2IUBqvAKQ