Ron Paul, others to introduce marijuana bill

[smokey the elder]

Prohibition didn't work for alcohol. It led to organized crime, violence, and the gov't spending money trying to fight the organized crime and violence.

Prohibition doesn't work for "illegal" drugs. It leads to organized crime, violence and the gov't spending money to fight the organized crime and violence.

Are some drugs very dangerous? Sure. Just look up the properties of the ones in your medicine cabinet and sold legally in packs. IMO, the long-term answer is to regulate and tax production and consumption, as is done with alcohol and tobacco; and have severe penalties for misbehavior under the influence akin to DWI.

[Grace]

Prescription pills taken as directed are estimated to kill one American every five minutes. More Americans are addicted to medications than cocaine. ...

Our Daily Meds by Melody Petersen

Sept. 18, 2003 -- Marijuana smoking isn't harmless, but at least it won't kill you.

WebMD - Daniel J. DeNoon

[pomtzu]

I'm obviously not going to get a reply to my previous post, so I'll state my opinion in spite of that.
I'm in agreement with Randi 100%. IMO, there are much worse legal products readily available. Of course #1 being alcohol. But what about the common household products that some use to get high by huffing or sniffing - glue, White Out, aerosol propellants, gasoline - just to name a few. These can be deadly or cause serious brain damage.
Years ago (in the 70's) I was employed by the Univ of DE. It was at that time that I experimented with marijuana a couple of times. It was as readily available as a drink of water, and was used by not only the students, but the PHD's, department heads, and probably the university president too. It honestly did nothing for me and I couldn't understand what all the hype was about. I can get more of a buzz by drinking a glass of wine. So those couple of times was enough for me.
The long term effects of marijuana still aren't proven, unlike that of alcohol. However, I would hate to see any pregnant woman smoking pot, or anything else for that matter, and of course no alcohol, if she values her health and that of her unborn child. Marijuana passes thru the placenta to the fetus, and I have read that it can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, ectopic pregnancy, fetal development abnormalities, neurological damage, etc. Yet there are women who discount this and believe that it is less harmful than other factors. Fools!!!
So unless you're male, physically unable to bear children, or past child bearing age, then stay away from the weed! And for others that enjoy it, then I hope that one day it becomes legal. If it does, I would imagine it would come with all the consequences that alcohol does, as far as abuse of the product is concerned.

[Lady's Human]

I think I've posted this before, but here's my take on the issue:

Take 50 guys, put them in a room, and give them a couple kegs of beer.

Take another 50 guys, put them in a room, and give them an equivalent amount of marijuana.

Which group is going to need police assistance sooner?


The only thing the second group is going to endanger is a pan of brownies or the clerk at the local 7-11 after they run out of chips.

[Edwina's Secretary]

But think of all the drug testing facilities that will be put out of business!

[Karen]

But think of all the drug testing facilities that will be put out of business!

No, after all prescription drug abuse is on the rise, sadly. Most people that go through random drug testing, like truck drivers, are screened for a number of things. My buddy once got flagged because she had not known she was going to work that day (got called in mid-morning) and had already a lemon-poppyseed muffin for breakfast. The poppy seeds were enough to trigger a positive for drugs on the test. Thankfully, they had a policy in place and tested her again on subsequent days, and she was clear.

The facilities will still have plenty to do.

[smokey the elder]

That's where the "consequences" part comes in. Say, for example, marijuana becomes legal. A private corporation could still have a drug testing policy (my opinion on that is out of the scope of this debate) that people would have to comply with.

[RICHARD]

No, after all prescription drug abuse is on the rise, sadly. Most people that go through random drug testing, like truck drivers, are screened for a number of things.

I had my first experience with morphine a few months ago.....

No, not THAT way.....I was in the ER and a nurse came and plugged a syringe into the IV and 'let me have it'.

Not a "good high" at all. No, I didn't ask for it and was really irritated that I had to have it in the first place.

During my stay in the hospital I had three of the most irritating roommates on the planet.

One was a guy a few years older than I was and he constantly complained that he was not being given the "Right Pills" by the docs/RNs.

He stated that he was being given pills that were a different color from the ones he took- this fool didn't know that generics meds are different colors from the 'standard' pills produced by the manufacturers who originally made/figured out the formula.

Another idiot - he was in because his friend -fresh out of jail - sucker punched him in the face and left him with a raccoon mask across his eyes.

This cat told the RNs that he was in huge pain because of the chipped/cracked teeth he had suffered and needed morphine or "anything they could give him" for his woes. The funny part? He was drinking iced tea for his two day stay.
I can think of nothing more painful than a mouth of ice cold liquid with a mouth of busted up teeth.

When the nurse came in and asked me if I wanted a 'pain shot' I told her "No, I didn't like the way it made me feel...."

When she left the room, the guy started in on me about not wanting (morphine).

"I'll take your shot if you don't want it..."

I shot back at him that I didn't like the way it made ME FEEL and let him know what I thought about people that begged for specific drugs. I used a few expletives to punctuate my point and he didn't say much after that.

The last moron I shared the space with was some idiot kid who had a car accident and really didn't seem like he gave a shiat about keeping himself in good health.

When he was brought in he complained about EVERYTHING. His biggest gripe?

His meds.

He knew EVERY med he had taken, was taking and demanded/suggested stronger doses from everyone he spoke to. (It was rather funny because he had all the names, doses, times and increases for all the meds he was given, memorized!)

I had to listen to the litany of meds, the amounts and times a day he had to have them. He also went into detail about how he would like to have the doses increased!

-----------------------------------------------------------

All of them wanted a 'shot' before they were discharged.

And they all were so insistent on getting 'morphed up' that I was seriously wondering if I was getting a contact high just by being in the room with them - that is how badly the exuded the desire to get that last shot of M in.

The whole experience of having to share quarters with a bunch of people who were frigging morph heads gave me more to dislike about anyone who abuses that crap.

It did nothing for me - the docs and RNs were kind of blown away that I had endured my injury with nothing more that aspirin - it made me feel like I had a vise around my head and made me very irritable.

Also, The three 'gents' didn't have the best personalities on the planet.

They were all shady and the one that complained about the pill colors would not leave until they gave him his 'shot of M'.

---------------------

There is a huge problem with people abusing prescript meds and judging from what I saw, heard and experienced in the last two months?

It's way bigger than anyone wants to admit.

[RICHARD]

Which group is going to need police assistance sooner?


The only thing the second group is going to endanger is a pan of brownies or the clerk at the local 7-11 after they run out of chips.

Shut up.

I once had four stitches put in my wrist after wrestling with a pan of HOMEMADE brownies.

No, they were not 'funny baked goods'.



The baker may have been cooked.