What We're Smoking (MJ legalization FAQs)

[Birdie Num Nums]

Just announced today: 'First-Ever Congressional Bill To Decriminalize All Drugs Announced Ahead Of Nixon Drug War Anniversary':

A first-ever bill to federally decriminalize possession of all currently illicit drugs—and incentivize states to follow suit—is being introduced in Congress.

The measure, which will be filed later this week, is timed to coincide with the 50-year anniversary of President Richard Nixon’s declaration of a war on drugs that has contributed to mass incarceration, disproportionately impacted communities of color and created collateral consequences for countless Americans who have been criminalized for possessing certain psychoactive substances....

 

[Qs Laptop]

Just announced today: 'First-Ever Congressional Bill To Decriminalize All Drugs Announced Ahead Of Nixon Drug War Anniversary':

From the article:
Almost half of the federal prison population is currently serving time over drug-related offenses—a much smaller percentage of which is for possession alone—and so the direct impact of the legislation’s decriminalization provision would be somewhat minimal on incarceration rates, especially when factoring in the size of state-level prison populations.

Most states have decriminalized marijuana possession. Unless you have more than "X" amount, in Minnesota it is 1.5 ounces, you will NOT go to jail and you face a potential fine of $200.

So what's the minimum amount of cocaine one should be able to have for personal use? What about meth? Heroin?

I favor decriminalizing for possession for personal use and going after the dealers, but this is a slippery slope.

 

[Keim]

So what's the minimum amount of cocaine one should be able to have for personal use? What about meth? Heroin?

I favor decriminalizing for possession for personal use and going after the dealers, but this is a slippery slope.

Keep in mind: When talking about decriminalization we arent talking about no penalty drug use. We are talking about paying for treatment over incarceration.

 

[Dtail]

My DGF uses it for medical purposes and it is helpful for reducing various body pains.

 

[LRDave]

One word: Delta 8

 

[Qs Laptop]

Keep in mind: When talking about decriminalization we arent talking about no penalty drug use. We are talking about paying for treatment over incarceration.

Decriminalization typically means little legal consequence for having a small amounts of drugs for personal use. Paying for treatment may or may not be part of the deal.

In Oregon a person can possess up to 2 grams of cocaine or meth and the penalty is a violation, like a traffic ticket. If you have up to 8 grams of cocaine or meth the penalty is a misdemeanor charge and a $100 fine which will be waived if you agree to have a "health assessment" and/or attending an addiction recovery program. The state pays for the the addiction programs by using tax revenues from the sale of legal weed.

 

[RobbieB]

When I was doing cocaine I always had a gram or less. Except from a buy. That was an "8 ball" (3.5 grams) minimum.

 

[Qs Laptop]

When I was doing cocaine I always had a gram or less. Except from a buy. That was an "8 ball" (3.5 grams) minimum.

And what do you think of Oregon's new law which would allow up to 8 grams of cocaine in possession with virtually no consequence?

Do you consider 8 grams a lot for personal consumption?

(Why do they call 3.5 grams an "8 ball?")

 

[stepford]

(Why do they call 3.5 grams an "8 ball?")

1 oz = 28.3g. So 1/8th of an ounce is 3.5g - hence 1/8th = an 8-ball (amazing, those handy facts remembered from the druggie era).

And what do you think of Oregon's new law which would allow up to 8 grams of cocaine in possession with virtually no consequence?

Do you consider 8 grams a lot for personal consumption?

The question isn't whether possessing 2g of coke (or 8g of meth, for that matter) is 'bad', but whether the relative harm to society of allowing that level of possession is greater or less than that of criminalizing that behavior. 50 years of performing one side of that experiment with unsatisfactory results suggests that perhaps it is time to try another approach.

 

[MRG]

1 oz = 28.3g. So 1/8th of an ounce is 3.5g - hence 1/8th = an 8-ball (amazing, those handy facts remembered from the druggie era).




The question isn't whether possessing 2g of coke (or 8g of meth, for that matter) is 'bad', but whether the relative harm to society of allowing that level of possession is greater or less than that of criminalizing that behavior. 50 years of performing one side of that experiment with unsatisfactory results suggests that perhaps it is time to try another approach.

+1

Yes but some day repeating the same actions expecting different results is going to work.

 

[Koolau]

[emoji4]

There's a bunch of old propaganda that is still actively produced. I received something a couple years ago from a well respected KC area hospital with an oped "There's Nothing Medical about Marijuana" spouting almost Refer Madness levels of lies.

To help prevent law suits (I suppose) the (legitimate) drug industry once informally promoted the saying "Show me a drug without side-effects and I'll show you a drug without effect." I would turn that about 180 degrees and suggest that a drug with as many "effects" (side or otherwise) as MJ MUST SURELY have some "good" (useful) effects. At one time, MJ was schedule 1 (Fed) meaning it had no useful purpose AND was not eligible to be looked at as a potential source of "good effects" I think MJ is still schedule 1. (I'm butchering all this but you get the idea.)

I never understood the concept of "locking up" a drug with that many potential uses - and it turns out that many of those effects ARE useful. STILL the Feds say "no - never - not under (almost) any circumstances." Just shameful.

I consider myself more libertarian than conservative/liberal. Only problem is that libertarians never go far enough. I think you should be allowed to ride a motorcycle without a helmet. BUT, if you do and your brains are spread on the concrete, I think it's okay for YOUR INSURANCE Co. to have a clause that says it is your problem. When you show up at the ER without insurance, THEY should be able to say "it's your problem." IOW Do ANYTHING you want (to yourself) but be willing to deal with the consequence on your dime. End of sermon - since it will never happen that way.

Not a fan of getting high and I knew a bunch of pot smokers back in the day - for the most part they dropped out of college, did dead-end j*bs and smoked pot. Their life that they chose so okay by me. Just not what I wanted to spend my life doing. I'm sure plenty of folks would say "Pot never affected me." So I take no stand except as stated - do it at your own risk - don't ask me to help you when you're smoking in your own home - under a bridge. Not looking for a food fight (you know, munchies, heh, heh, ) and you're free to disagree with me as YMMV.

 

[Markola]

People think legal prohibition and federal regulation of the stuff they disfavor is the obvious answer.

DW is off right now to get her monthly medical marijuana prescription, which comes in the form of a vaporizer. It definitely helps with her anxiety and helps her sleep. She’s trying to get the balance right between marijuana and CBD and this month’s cocktail is 50/50.

She has to go to the ATM and get cash, because federal laws regulate banks, therefore banks won’t serve the state-legal medical marijuana industry. It’s so stupid. I wonder if the dispensary has to take a sack of cash downtown to pay its sales taxes?

 

[Janet H]

Cabellas had a sharps container in the women’s bathroom and there were too many pot stores to count. They even have drive thru dispensaries there. The line was at least 20 cars deep.

No thanks. Call me a Pollyanna but I am 100% against legalization. Until you have lived with an addict or have an addict in the family your clueless to the negative effects.

The sharps containers are increasingly common and a general courtesy for insulin users. They also keep potentially dangerous waste out of other trash where custodial staff might be harmed doing routine cleaning.

 

[Koolau]

The sharps containers are increasingly common and a general courtesy for insulin users. They also keep potentially dangerous waste out of other trash where custodial staff might be harmed doing routine cleaning.

I've never actually seen a sharps container in a rest room. Just wondering if such a container would be a tempting target for "users" who need new "works." I THINK it's supposed to be fairly easy for folks to buy syringes these days, but not sure. 20+ years ago, I never had any issue with buying U40 syringes for our diabetic cat. Got a couple of "looks" from the pharmacist, but never any actual issues in procuring these life-saving devices - Cat was not real fond of the process but he seemed to accept it most of the time. YMMV

 

[Keim]

I've never actually seen a sharps container in a rest room. Just wondering if such a container would be a tempting target for "users" who need new "works." I THINK it's supposed to be fairly easy for folks to buy syringes these days, but not sure. 20+ years ago, I never had any issue with buying U40 syringes for our diabetic cat. Got a couple of "looks" from the pharmacist, but never any actual issues in procuring these life-saving devices - Cat was not real fond of the process but he seemed to accept it most of the time. YMMV

The issue for users (at least what I've learned working at the recovery center and safe syringe exchange) isn't ease of purchase. They can be legally purchased. It's cost and quantity. An IV drug user may use 3 or more needles PER DAY. That's why many resort to sharing and re-using needles.

A good sharps container used publicly would need to be somewhat tamper proof to avoid what you fear.

 

[Jerry1]

ever dollar we currently spend on the war on drugs being shifted to treatment for people who need it and programs to discourage use of all drugs - including alcohol.

Or how about working to deal with abuse instead of use. Why should you or anybody get to decide what other adults do for entertainment as long as it doesn't hurt others. Otherwise what's to stop me from deciding that eating beef, or travel, or gardening, or RC planes should be discouraged? It seems best that gov't only deal with problems as they occur, and not impact responsible people from doing what they please.

I don’t think we’re in disagreement. Notice that I said “discourage” use. Basically, public service announcements and the like. Generally, just not promoting it. And treating people who need it is, as you said, dealing with abuse. I agree that people should be free to do whatever they wish for entertainment and I agree that many can do it without harm to themselves or society, but then there’s those that can’t and that’s where our energy should be focused. Mainly, I’m just tired of the war on drugs. It’s not working and it has brought about other costs to society that are not good, imho.

 

[RobbieB]

Yup, some can use (and not abuse) drugs just like alcohol. Some can't.

Which is why AA has millions of members worldwide.

 

[Shredder]

My dog wants to ban catnip, but the hipster cat doth protest.

We grow our own and mostly just make edibles and eat it. We both were medical mj patients prior to recreational becoming legal. In a recreational state it's rapidly becoming no big thing. Cops no longer respond to the neighbor complaining about another neighbor growing a few plants. And as a surprise to some the world didn't end, lol.

 

[FIREarly]

I own a MJ shop... ... ... NOT!!!!!

Ohhhhhhh, gotcha with one of the oldest tricks in the book!

 

[Birdie Num Nums]

...
Not a fan of getting high and I knew a bunch of pot smokers back in the day - for the most part they dropped out of college, did dead-end j*bs and smoked pot. Their life that they chose so okay by me. Just not what I wanted to spend my life doing. I'm sure plenty of folks would say "Pot never affected me." So I take no stand except as stated - do it at your own risk - don't ask me to help you when you're smoking in your own home - under a bridge. Not looking for a food fight (you know, munchies, heh, heh, ) and you're free to disagree with me as YMMV.

I'm in my mid-60s and have known "pot smokers" since high school, although I was never one to partake (at that time) for some reason. Heck, I never drank either and never got intoxicated until I turned 21. I wasn't a prude; it just wasn't my life style. Well, I shouldn't say "never" as I did have maybe two or three beers total before college. Things changed during college, so some degree--beer and MJ-wise.

In all my years since high school I have personally known dozens of people who smoked/smoke MJ. Not a one that I personally know is a basement-dwelling loser with a dead-end job. Rather, some were lawyers, accountants and other professionals. Many had kids but did not use around them. In other words, responsible, otherwise law-abiding and tax-paying people.


Oh, by the way, my hobby from high school is playing music, often in amateur (think garage) and semi-pro bands. Perhaps that's why I met so many pot smokers over the years.

 

[RobbieB]

Back when I was smokin' large, (high school & college) I didn't buy dimes, nickels or "lids", I bought pounds. Some for me and some for my friends.

But then you needed to smoke 2 joints to catch a buzz. Now it's 2 hits -

 

[NW-Bound]

... I consider myself more libertarian than conservative/liberal. Only problem is that libertarians never go far enough. I think you should be allowed to ride a motorcycle without a helmet. BUT, if you do and your brains are spread on the concrete, I think it's okay for YOUR INSURANCE Co. to have a clause that says it is your problem...

Prior to ACA, my private health insurance would not cover motorcyclists.

About MJ, I have never tried it in my life, and never hung around MJ smokers, else I guess I could have tried it.

I used to smoke cigarettes, but quit 18 years ago.

 

[Vacation4us]

The sharps containers are increasingly common and a general courtesy for insulin users. They also keep potentially dangerous waste out of other trash where custodial staff might be harmed doing routine cleaning.

Sorry not true. I personally asked the manager as an RN diabetes was my first thought, I was informed otherwise.

We can agree to disagree on legalization. My father was an alcoholic, the ex a drug addict and pothead, and I have a nephew severing his third stint in jail who is a heroin addict. Enough said.

 

[FIREarly]

We can agree to disagree on legalization. My father was an alcoholic, the ex a drug addict and pothead, and I have a nephew severing his third stint in jail who is a heroin addict. Enough said.

Hope your father is still around and living another 24 hours sober. As for your nephew, there is a lot a person can learn in jail. My buddy found religion and made a great turnaround. It's not easy and hope your nephew makes a great recovery/turnaround.

 

[stepford]

Back when I was smokin' large, (high school & college) I didn't buy dimes, nickels or "lids", I bought pounds. Some for me and some for my friends.

But then you needed to smoke 2 joints to catch a buzz. Now it's 2 hits -

Pounds? Yowza. Either you were a very well to do youngster or this was an early demonstration of the entrepreneurial spirit that eventually allowed you to RE.