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[Tiger Teeth]

Since this is P&R I thought we could discuss this:  Thoughts?

[Tiger Teeth]

P.S. I would prefer no one drag this into a Trump/Biden thing. Please address the topic.

[Belsnickel]

My state, Virginia, decriminalized weed during the last legislative session and it looks like legalization is on the table for this one. I'm happy about it. Marijuana should be legal and regulated. All that being said, we need the federal laws to change. As a gun owner, even if weed is legal in my state it can put me in legal jeopardy to use/possess marijuana. As prevalent as gun ownership is in this country, that issue is one that needs to be addressed.

It also creates some interesting complications at work. Working at a university, we still have to maintain policies against marijuana use among the students because of federal funding. It's highly likely weed will be legal come July 1, for us, but we will have students in the fall that will face disciplinary actions for marijuana use because of the discrepancies between federal and state laws. So as a state agency, we can't adhere to state law.

[SunsetBengal]

I've stated before that if recreational marijuana was legal, I'd likely all but quit drinking alcohol all together.

[Tiger Teeth]

(01-21-2021, 08:52 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I've stated before that if recreational marijuana was legal, I'd likely all but quit drinking alcohol all together.

And your body will thank you!

[Au165]

This doesn't really seem all that controversial at this point. There are only six states in the whole country where it is fully illegal still, so at this point we have all pretty much accepted it in some form or another. It has been almost 8 years since it was first made legal in Colorado for recreational use and we pretty much now know it doesn't turn the place into anarchy as some had predicted.

It kind of lends itself to a larger look at the regulation of vices in general. Gambling, drugs, prostitution are all legal in various places but also occur almost everywhere anyway. We essentially have these hundred billion dollar black market economies that are going untaxed because of puritanical laws that do nothing to prevent it but instead create criminals and take away tons of tax revenue. The other issue is the criminal elements that run these vice industries because of their illegal status. When you push these industries to the light you take away the criminal elements' ability to profit from them.

[SunsetBengal]

(01-21-2021, 08:58 AM)Tiger Teeth Wrote: And your body will thank you!

I've lived with a varying degree of physical pain for about 20 years now.  I refuse to take the opioid pain meds for a variety of reasons.  Back at the time of my injury, Vioxx worked really well, and I pretty much felt about 90+ percent of my pre-injury self.  When Vioxx went off the market, I remembered my old college friend, marijuana.  Marijuana helps, but I stopped indulging due to legal and professional ramifications.  So, it's been mostly self medicating with alcohol and nsaids for quite a while.  

[GMDino]

With just the cursory knowledge I have I've thought it should be legal, and regulated.

I have a friend who is an D.O. and believes in acupuncture and other kinds of "natural" methods (plus medicines) and it took me a long time to convince him that even medical marijuana was not as bad as he thought it was.  His fear is the "gateway drug" theory and given the area he works in and the drug uses there I can understand it.

Personally I have never taken any kind of illegal drug, not even weed.  But I am not against it being legal, regulated and taxed...like alcohol...at all.

[Tiger Teeth]

(01-21-2021, 09:18 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I've lived with a varying degree of physical pain for about 20 years now.  I refuse to take the opioid pain meds for a variety of reasons.  Back at the time of my injury, Vioxx worked really well, and I pretty much felt about 90+ percent of my pre-injury self.  When Vioxx went off the market, I remembered my old college friend, marijuana.  Marijuana helps, but I stopped indulging due to legal and professional ramifications.  So, it's been mostly self medicating with alcohol and nsaids for quite a while.  

How much of that pain has been caused by your physical lifestyle bro'?  I know you played semipro ball, and compete (or did) in strongman competitions.  Anyway, maybe soon you'll be able to get relief again.  I use it for pain and depression.  It's given me my life back.  And as some very unexpected side effects, I have all but stopped taking blood pressure meds, anti-depressants, and cut way down on my diabetes medications.  

[SunsetBengal]

(01-21-2021, 09:47 AM)Tiger Teeth Wrote: How much of that pain has been caused by your physical lifestyle bro'?  I know you played semipro ball, and compete (or did) in strongman competitions.  Anyway, maybe soon you'll be able to get relief again.  I use it for pain and depression.  It's given me my life back.  And as some very unexpected side effects, I have all but stopped taking blood pressure meds, anti-depressants, and cut way down on my diabetes medications.  

The injury caused the end of football.  Doc wanted me to rehab myself physically, rather than having a debilitating spinal fusion surgery.  Exercise and strength training has likely helped me more than anything else, as you learn to use proper form and controlled movement.  What kept exacerbating my condition, was all of those years of working on the floor, when I was a tradesman.

[Forever Spinning Vinyl]

(01-21-2021, 09:55 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: The injury caused the end of football.  Doc wanted me to rehab myself physically, rather than having a debilitating spinal fusion surgery.  Exercise and strength training has likely helped me more than anything else, as you learn to use proper form and controlled movement.  What kept exacerbating my condition, was all of those years of working on the floor, when I was a tradesman.

If you get into weed again, look for the edibles. Smoking is more of a head rush or "brain high". The edibles are much more of a body high. CBD does some pretty amazing shit without the brain high at all. I used to make some crappy pot butter or "budder", but since it was legalized in Alaska, the new methods of making budder make it 4 or 5 times more potent than the old method. I make some amazing budder now simply by following my friends new methods.

[masonbengals fan]

It should be legal & regulated much the same as alcohol. So much money has been wasted on it's prohibition. Money that could be spent elsewhere on drugs that actually are dangerous. But Bels raised some important issues concerning firearms & marijuana use/possession. Another issue is workplace drug testing. Even though I'm all for it's medicinal & recreational uses, there are circumstances where a person shouldn't be indulging. And the urine/hair follicle testing that has been so prevalent can't distinguish exact timelines & believe me it's a huge industry that's deeply imbedded.
As someone who worked in the power generation industry for almost 40 years I've taken many drug test & passed them all. But being recently retired I can & do indulge whenever I like now. And it would be nice to remove the criminal stigma involved. I'm a responsible, tax paying, otherwise law abiding adult who should be able to make this choice as I wish.

[Goalpost]

Just be a responsible person...driver, etc...and I could care less if people use. I'm retired and companies I worked for could have tested me at any time.
It's been a long time since I've used for that reason. I know I have been to Vegas where it is sold at retail, but the law says you can't smoke it on the strip or in public.

[Dill]

(01-21-2021, 09:18 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I've lived with a varying degree of physical pain for about 20 years now.  I refuse to take the opioid pain meds for a variety of reasons.  Back at the time of my injury, Vioxx worked really well, and I pretty much felt about 90+ percent of my pre-injury self.  When Vioxx went off the market, I remembered my old college friend, marijuana.  Marijuana helps, but I stopped indulging due to legal and professional ramifications.  So, it's been mostly self medicating with alcohol and nsaids for quite a while.  

Yow Sunset! that is a very bad combination over time. 

I don't know how old you are now, but you don't want to get to your '60s with ulcers and liver problems limiting medications you may need for future health issues.

[SunsetBengal]

(01-21-2021, 11:56 AM)Dill Wrote: Yow Sunset! that is a very bad combination over time. 

I don't know how old you are now, but you don't want to get to your '60s with ulcers and liver problems limiting medications you may need for future health issues.

Liver is still performing at "optimal" levels, according to blood work.  However, Doc has asked me to reduce my use of the nsaids, as he is noticing the first hints of "less than optimal" in kidney function.  (I'll be 52 next month)

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

There's literally zero reason for marijuana to be illegal. It's absolutely no more dangerous than alcohol, and depending on who you ask, it's substantially less dangerous. Just don't be effing idiots about it like CA and tax it so highly that you still have a black market for it.

[Benton]

(01-21-2021, 12:25 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: There's literally zero reason for marijuana to be illegal.  It's absolutely no more dangerous than alcohol, and depending on who you ask, it's substantially less dangerous.  Just don't be effing idiots about it like CA and tax it so highly that you still have a black market for it.

California is always different, but I think for most states, it's the border vendors who have an impact. I live very close to southern illinois. Years ago, a pack of marlboros was around $8 in metropolis, across the bridge in Paducah was a gas station with a giant ",don't forget yours smokes" sign selling them for $4 a pack. Most days there was a line to get in the parking lot.

[Tiger Teeth]

(01-21-2021, 01:43 PM)Benton Wrote: California is always different, but I think for most states, it's the border vendors who have an impact. I live very close to southern illinois. Years ago, a pack of marlboros was around $8 in metropolis, across the bridge in Paducah was a gas station with a giant ",don't forget yours smokes" sign selling them for $4 a pack. Most days there was a line to get in the parking lot.

Good thing I didn't move there.  The dispensary in Marion wasn't very good anyway.  After it's legal for awhile, the prices will come down, they have in Michigan.  We nearly moved to Metropolis.  Of course we would have dashed across I-24 to Paducah to shop. But we looked at 8 houses in Metropolis, and were going to make an offer on a house. I just wanted to grow, legally.

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(01-21-2021, 01:43 PM)Benton Wrote: California is always different

You spelled "run with utter incompetence" wrong. 

[Arturo Bandini]

So less dangerous than alchohol