Medicinal Marijuana usage?

[Aerich]

Well, Canada may be getting there. There was talk of decriminalization before the election, but with a minority government I expect it won't fly until the Liberal party has a comfortable majority. It's also been pushed aside by the same-sex marriage issue, lately.

[Intrepid]

Originally posted by Animal: The problem with legalizing marijuana is the lack of control. I tend to agree that alcohol and tobacco are certainly more destructive than marijuana, however, what's to stop somebody from lacing marijuana with cocaine, or crack, or meth?

If legalised, it'd be like someone selling their own home brew beer or something, what's to stop them lacing the beer with heroine? etc
Well cost, why would a dealer waste money? if anything the person would pay extra for it to be laces, and that is not the problem, the problem is that other drug not the marajuana.

[Dreamer128]

People here buy their Marijuana in coffeeshops, not from shady dealers in dark alleys. I think people often get the wrong idea when you use the word coffeeshop. In my home town, the coffeeshop is only a few doors away from the police station,and in the middle of the main street. It's also quite a classy place. We occasionally go there for lunch (they have one of the best kitchens in town) or tea. It's not a haven for criminals. And I doubt the owner is willing to go both bankrupt and to jail by lacing marijuana with hard-drugs.

[ 09-25-2004, 09:13 AM: Message edited by: Dreamer128 ]

[Animal]

Originally posted by Intrepid: quote: Originally posted by Animal: The problem with legalizing marijuana is the lack of control. I tend to agree that alcohol and tobacco are certainly more destructive than marijuana, however, what's to stop somebody from lacing marijuana with cocaine, or crack, or meth?

If legalised, it'd be like someone selling their own home brew beer or something, what's to stop them lacing the beer with heroine? etc
Well cost, why would a dealer waste money? if anything the person would pay extra for it to be laces, and that is not the problem, the problem is that other drug not the marajuana. [/QUOTE]Lacing marijuana has been a tactic and still is to entice the user into a harder drug. Granted, it's not common practice but it does happen.

[Animal]

Originally posted by johnny: quote: from Animal Perhaps, but for it to be legal and safe it needs to be controlled by the government to prevent lacing with harshing drugs. By giving control to the government you taking away the income for a lot of small time dealers. So where do those dealers get there income from now? Cocaine, heroine, meth, crack etc... This is the gateway that folks are talking about.

No it doesn't need to be controlled by the government, that's what i've been trying to tell you. The Netherlands is proof that it doesn't get out of control, and that it doesn't increase numbers of harddrug dealers. Basically nothing has changed, those who smoke, probably still smoke as we speak, those who don't, don't even give it any thought. Coke and heroine dealers will always be around, simply because dealing harddrugs is more profitable, it's just not a big issue overhere, it's more or less an accepted situation. It's a better approach than declaring war on drugs (whoever came up with that line, is the ultimate dumbass), but apparently the rest of the world is not yet ready for it [/QUOTE]Your last line may be true. I don't think that North America is ready.

Hard drugs is a big issue here, and as I've said some of the more dubious dealers will lace their pot with various hard drugs to get the user addicted hence the need for government control.

[Bahamut]

One of the reasons why I love the Netherlands.

On a more serious note, I believe that marijuana is indeed harmless enough to be legalized. It would be like saying that you banned a stronger strain of cigarettes.

About the other drugs as I am studying them now, they do need specific supervision and monitoring. Marijuana can be treated like alcohol: "Use moderately, and don't smoke and drive"

It would be one heck of an experience if you did I think, but I wouldn't dare.

[Rokc Cadarn]

Originally posted by Animal: Lacing marijuana has been a tactic and still is to entice the user into a harder drug. Granted, it's not common practice but it does happen. [/QB]

I can only speak from personal experience here, but I smoked marijuana heavily for about eight years, as have most of my friends. In all of that time I never bought any that was laced, nor did anyone I know. Actually, the very few times I ever saw it laced, it was done on purpose by the smoker to make it stronger (and I've seen more people lace cigarettes than marijuana, by the way).

Heroin dealers are still going to exist whether you legalize marijuana or not, but it doesn't follow that all of the old marijuana dealers would start selling heroin. Life in prison is a pretty major deterrent. Small time dealers can't make a viable living off only selling marijuana anyway, so either they're already selling stronger drugs or more likely they have legitimate jobs as well. In regards to the big time dealers, the govt. has been fighting for decades to put them out of business; as I see it legalization is the only way to win a winless war.

The gateway drug theory has no scientific evidence to back it up. Obviously, most hardcore drug users smoke marijuana, but the vast majority of marijuana users do not do hardcore drugs (according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 14 million Americans smoke marijuana at least once a month, as opposed to only 404 THOUSAND who use heroin). If you really think about it, calling marijuana a gateway drug is really a very sly way to justify outlawing marijuana without actually having to prove that the drug itself is dangerous.

I could write for pages on this subject, but all of the info is out there. I was flipping through the channels and happened to actually see that show you are talking about, Animal. It was Montel, and it was without a doubt the best daytime talk show I've ever seen. The "experts" from the anti-drug agencies came off like complete a-holes ("Well we're nearing a major breakthrough [pause] in about 15 more years..."), while the real doctors were obviously pretty pissed that they weren't able to prescribe it yet. I'm glad that you were won over-- one more for the good guys. Obviously, I'm for absolute legalization despite the fact that I don't smoke it anymore, but at the very least the fed govt needs to stop infringing on state laws and allow those that need it to have it.

[Timber Loftis]

http://www.marijuanalogues.com/

I saw this in Chicago, and laughed my buttootie off.

Lots of publications highly recommend it.

http://www.marijuanalogues.com/press/

[ 09-28-2004, 05:44 PM: Message edited by: Timber Loftis ]

[Jaradu]

Hahaha, the videos on there are hilarious, Timber! [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]

[ 09-28-2004, 05:54 PM: Message edited by: Jaradu ]

[Timber Loftis]

Apparently, I'm being confuzzled with a Dutchman. Nevertheless, glad you enjoyed. Yes, the videos are straight outta the act -- very good stuff. I highly recommend them. Careful, there is foul language.