Election may be a turning point for legal marijuana - Polidicks

[img]http://i.imgur.com/2WWdulV.png[/img] [url]http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/25/us/marijuana-legalization-ballot-measures.html[/url] [quote]To the red-and-blue map of American politics, it may be time to add green. The movement to legalize marijuana, the country’s most popular illicit drug, will take a giant leap on Election Day if California and four other states vote to allow recreational cannabis, as polls suggest they may. The map of where pot is legal could include the entire West Coast of the United States and a string of states reaching from the Pacific Ocean to Colorado, raising a stronger challenge to the federal government’s ban on the drug. In addition to California, Massachusetts and Maine both have legalization initiatives on the ballot next month that seem likely to pass. Arizona and Nevada are also voting on recreational marijuana, with polls showing Nevada voters evenly split.[/quote]

Watch the federal government waits years until after alabama legalizes it to finally legalize it federally.

It just needs to be completely legalized. There isn't any good reason I've seen to keep it illegal. If anything treat it like cigarettes (illegal for under 18, taxed, etc).

I really hope the Trudeau government introduces sensible legalization legislation in 2017 as promised. It's likely that California will vote for legalization, and if that's the case BC will be the only strip of the coast (not counting Mexico) where it [I]isn't[/I]. This will make smuggling pot into BC an incredibly attractive opportunity if legislation isn't forthcoming in the new year. It's pretty funny that BC was once considered a leader in the pot world, and now it's the odd one out (given that it's effectively legal in California already, the vote would be formalizing it and closing discretion loopholes). And, if Canada [I]does[/I] legalize it on the federal level, that's all the more pressure on the US. Canada's criminal law being federally defined means individual provinces can't independently legalize it, which is pretty much the only reason why BC hasn't already. [editline]24th October 2016[/editline] [QUOTE=Kigen;51254977]It just needs to be completely legalized. There isn't any good reason I've seen to keep it illegal. If anything treat it like cigarettes (illegal for under 18, taxed, etc).[/QUOTE] I think it should be treated like alcohol, as it's an intoxicant and alters your cognitive capabilities.

[QUOTE=elixwhitetail;51254996] I think it should be treated like alcohol, as it's an intoxicant and alters your cognitive capabilities.[/QUOTE] No. The two are absolutely not comparable, the 21+ laws are there because alcohol is deadly poisonous if you drink too much.

[QUOTE=phygon;51255152]No. The two are absolutely not comparable, the 21+ laws are there because alcohol is deadly poisonous if you drink too much.[/QUOTE] I smoke weed daily and I think that if you smoke a joint and then get behind the wheel of a car straight afterwards you're being criminally irresponsible. Agree or disagree? If you agree, then you should agree with me that it should be regulated more like alcohol than like tobacco; nobody gets arrested for getting into a car after lighting up a cigarette unless they lit their cig around an explosion hazard or something. If you disagree I'd be interested in hearing why.

postal is abusing his power

[QUOTE=phygon;51255152]No. The two are absolutely not comparable, the 21+ laws are there because alcohol is deadly poisonous if you drink too much.[/QUOTE] Studies point to Marijuana causing undeveloped brains (read: people under ~25 years of age) to develop differently than non-marijuana smokers' brains.

[QUOTE=geel9;51255170]Studies point to Marijuana causing undeveloped brains (read: people under ~25 years of age) to develop differently than non-marijuana smokers' brains.[/QUOTE] smoke weed every day and brain fine. dont know what talking about

[QUOTE=Kigen;51254977]It just needs to be completely legalized. There isn't any good reason I've seen to keep it illegal. If anything treat it like cigarettes (illegal for under 18, taxed, etc).[/QUOTE] In California tobacco is illegal for anyone under the age of 21. I assume marijuana will in fact be treated the same here.

[QUOTE=elixwhitetail;51255165]I smoke weed daily and I think that if you smoke a joint and then get behind the wheel of a car straight afterwards you're being criminally irresponsible. Agree or disagree? If you agree, then you should agree with me that it should be regulated more like alcohol than like tobacco; nobody gets arrested for getting into a car after lighting up a cigarette unless they lit their cig around an explosion hazard or something. If you disagree I'd be interested in hearing why.[/QUOTE] Weed vs Alcohol: [code] Weed | Alcohol ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- makes you slower, | makes you much more slower and dumber ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- makes you paranoid-> safer driver | makes you too confident -> dangerous driver ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ reflexes not much affected | reflexed very much affected ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ dangerous if driver very high(blunt-like) | driving can be dangerious after 2-3 beers ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [/code]

[QUOTE=Fourier;51255330]Weed vs Alcohol: [code] Weed | Alcohol ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- makes you slower, | makes you much more slower and dumber ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- makes you paranoid-> safer driver | makes you too confident -> dangerous driver ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ reflexes not much affected | reflexed very much affected ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ dangerous if driver very high(blunt-like) | driving can be dangerious after 2-3 beers ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [/code][/QUOTE] Weed vs Alcohol: impaired | impaired That's all I need to know. You might think your reflexes are fine and you're paying attention, but drunk drivers think they're fine, too. Now, how long you have to wait until it's safe to drive after smoking up versus after imbibing alcohol, that's not the same. I'm not calling for laws that are word for word identical except replace booze with weed, but this shit is a cognitive intoxicant and should be regulated as such.

Being sleepy is much more dangerous than being high.

[QUOTE=Fourier;51255330]Weed vs Alcohol[/QUOTE] This seems more like your opinion (or experiential data) rather than based on any actual research ok like you're arguing that x is more dangerous than beingb high, being high is still dangerous while driving it doesnt matter if its less so than alcohol. Tobacco doesnt get you lit

[QUOTE=Milkdairy;51255362]This seems more like your opinion (or experiential data) rather than based on any actual research, smoking personally severely impairs my ability to navigate and react to things ok like you're arguing that x is more dangerous than beingb high, being high is still dangerous while driving it doesnt matter if its less so than alcohol. Tobacco doesnt get you lit[/QUOTE] I have 5 years of experience with driving myself, driving with others, and so on and I can definitely say that drunk drivers are fucking scary to drive with meanwhile high drivers are just chill happy campers. Oh and all people I know who were drunk drivers well everyone caused accident, someone has already replaced 7 cars :downs: Meanwhile drivers who drove high, nope just chill. Some of them had some accidents but ironically they were sober.

[QUOTE=Fourier;51255345]Being sleepy is much more dangerous than being high.[/QUOTE] it's why people aren't meant to drive cars while sleepy

[QUOTE=Fourier;51255388]I have 5 years of experience with driving myself, driving with others, and so on and I can definitely say that drunk drivers are fucking scary to drive with meanwhile high drivers are just chill happy campers. Oh and all people I know who were drunk drivers well everyone caused accident, someone has already replaced 7 cars :downs: Meanwhile drivers who drove high, nope just chill. Some of them had some accidents but ironically they were sober.[/QUOTE] Tbh Im not saying you're wrong cause everyone reacts differently to weed but it should still be regulated while driving cause theres a factor of impairment

There needs to be a legal limit for THC intoxication while driving, just like there is for alcohol. End of story. The biggest hurdle is finding some kind of metric to measure it by. It's not as straightforward as blood-alcohol content [url]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2722956/[/url] [quote]In summary, laboratory tests and driving studies show that cannabis may acutely impair several driving-related skills in a dose-related fashion, but that the effects between individuals vary more than they do with alcohol because of tolerance, differences in smoking technique, and different absorptions of THC.[/quote]

Definitely, it should be regulated. I just wouldn't put it on same bar as alcohol because it's unfair.

Time to get America out of the Stone Age and into the Stoned Age

[QUOTE=C0linSSX;51255411]In summary, laboratory tests and driving studies show that cannabis may acutely impair several driving-related skills in a dose-related fashion, but that the effects between individuals vary more than they do with alcohol because of tolerance, differences in smoking technique, and different absorptions of THC. ][/QUOTE] Can confirm, experienced smokers will show almost no impairment while inexperienced will have big difficulties (doing anything at all)

[QUOTE=geel9;51255170]Studies point to Marijuana causing undeveloped brains (read: people under ~25 years of age) to develop differently than non-marijuana smokers' brains.[/QUOTE] 25? Aww come on. I'm probably going to be 22 when it gets maralized up here.

[QUOTE=elixwhitetail;51254996] I think it should be treated like alcohol, as it's an intoxicant and alters your cognitive capabilities.[/QUOTE] Cannabis can either impair or significantly improve your cognitive abilities. THC can impair it and CBD has the opposite effect, with studies confirming it treats the synptons of mental disorders like ADHD similiar to Adderall but with a different method. Where Adderall slows down breaking down of dopamine chemicals in the brain which regulates behavior and cognitive function CBD just creates more of it bringing the patient up to the same levels as a normal individual. Honestly its nothing like alcohol since there are so many strains that have so many uses.

[QUOTE=Daniel Smith;51255431]25? Aww come on. I'm probably going to be 22 when it gets maralized up here.[/QUOTE] I wouldn't worry, alcohol has been found to have the same effects yet it's still legal to drink at 18/21 in most countries. Also, if I recall correctly the studies in question only make that conclusion for heavy usage (i.e. smoking every day regularly)

[QUOTE=geel9;51255170]Studies point to Marijuana causing undeveloped brains (read: people under ~25 years of age) to develop differently than non-marijuana smokers' brains.[/QUOTE] Been smoking all my life.. never had any issues graduated with a 3.8 GPA and hold a full time job that pays almost $30 an hour for the last 7 years...

[QUOTE=Cyler;51255522]Been smoking all my life.. never had any issues graduated with a 3.8 GPA and hold a full time job that pays almost $30 an hour for the last 7 years...[/QUOTE] Well thank god for you, Single Anecdotal Piece of Evidence!

[QUOTE=Cructo;51255533]that's nice for you but different people react differently to substances[/QUOTE] That is true, but how it was stated made it sound like that is how it affects everyone which is not true.

[QUOTE=SGTNAPALM;51255167]postal is abusing his power[/QUOTE] don't be a grass, man.

[QUOTE=elixwhitetail;51255165]I smoke weed daily and I think that if you smoke a joint and then get behind the wheel of a car straight afterwards you're being criminally irresponsible. Agree or disagree? If you agree, then you should agree with me that it should be regulated more like alcohol than like tobacco; nobody gets arrested for getting into a car after lighting up a cigarette unless they lit their cig around an explosion hazard or something. If you disagree I'd be interested in hearing why.[/QUOTE] I don't think that we should base laws around certain possible behaviors, especially when those behaviors aren't even proven to be dangerous. I'm not saying that smoking pot and driving is safe, but I've felt significantly more inebriated/unable to drive when taking anti-allergy medication than when I was high and that doesn't have a 21+ limit

Nobody should be taking anything that even slightly impairs the ability to drive while driving. Even if it's just a low lying feel good. This includes many OTCs and countless pharmaceuticals. With that being said, weed is still not going to impair you anywhere in the ballpark of alcohol.