Marijuana laws- O/T

[btcarfagno]

Originally Posted by veleno45

I am generally for anyone to do whatever the heck they damn well please, but I am undecided on the pot subject, but this quote is the problem I cannot get over.

If it is always done in the home, smoke away, have fun. But it does infringe upon my rights when taken to the streets. This statement will of course be compared to alcohol consumption which is not a proper comparison. I never got drunk while standing next to a man drinking beer.

SOmeone sell me on being a supporter of legalization without talking about rights infringement or the ridiculous "fewer criminals" and "end war on drugs" junk.

That's kind of like saying "Sell me on why I shouldn't stick my hand into an active woodchipper without all the safety issues crap". I mean...when you narrow the scope of the rebuttal it doesn;t make for much of an effective debate.

Tom C

[brookdodger55]

FYI

Homelessness is up 150% in Denver as many head there for the free flow of weed costing the city a lot more money. Most shelters including the Salvation Army are funded by the city and the state along with private donations, cost have increased for all shelters. Most cities think about tax revenue but over look the added cost of treatment, homelessness and the decline of neighborhoods. Not for legalizing it.

Mike

[vintagetoppsguy]

Originally Posted by brookdodger55

FYI

Homelessness is up 150% in Denver as many head there for the free flow of weed costing the city a lot more money. Most shelters including the Salvation Army are funded by the city and the state along with private donations, cost have increased for all shelters. Most cities think about tax revenue but over look the added cost of treatment, homelessness and the decline of neighborhoods. Not for legalizing it.

Mike

Don't forget about the link between homelessness and crime, and that the potential for crime increases if one has been homeless for an extended period of time.

[packs]

Well, what about if every state legalized it? Don't you think people seeking treatment would just remain where they are?

Your argument is confusing to me. You're basically saying that because treatment is available in one place and not others, that there is something surprising about people seeking treatment going to an area where they can receive it.

You are also saying anyone needing medical marijuana or looking to benefit medically from receiving treatment is homeless.

[btcarfagno]

Originally Posted by brookdodger55

FYI

Homelessness is up 150% in Denver as many head there for the free flow of weed costing the city a lot more money. Most shelters including the Salvation Army are funded by the city and the state along with private donations, cost have increased for all shelters. Most cities think about tax revenue but over look the added cost of treatment, homelessness and the decline of neighborhoods. Not for legalizing it.

Mike

If this is true, it seems to me that Denver will have created something akin to a light gathering moths around it during the overnight hours. The attraction of legalized weed is a strong attaction for some whose sole purpose in life is to live off the government dole to begin with. The legalization, it would seem to me, did not suddenly create homelessness in Denver. Rather, it attracted those from elsewhere who were already predisposed in the first place. To me, there is no cause and effect relationship.

It is like saying the light at night created more moths in the world and thus if there were more lights everywhere we would be overrun by months. This is not true. It is called daytime. If marijuana were legalized everywhere, what you may be seeing in Danver is not what would happen everywhere. Those already predisposed would simply remain where they are and homeless populations would not skyrocket overnight.

Tom C

[packs]

There are zero valid arguments against legalizing medical marijuana.

Anyone saying no is probably someone who would gladly take painkillers like Oxycontin for no other reason than because a doctor prescribed it. Well guess what? Medical marijuana is prescribed by a doctor!

You would without hesitation consume medical heroin because in your eyes a doctor gave it to you. But for some reason you would take issue with a doctor prescribing medical marijuana, despite the fact that Oxycontin and drugs like it kill people every day, while there has never been anyone whose life was taken by marijuana. Give me a break. There are no logical arguments against it.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by brookdodger55

FYI

Homelessness is up 150% in Denver as many head there for the free flow of weed costing the city a lot more money. Most shelters including the Salvation Army are funded by the city and the state along with private donations, cost have increased for all shelters. Most cities think about tax revenue but over look the added cost of treatment, homelessness and the decline of neighborhoods. Not for legalizing it.

Mike

As I stated with some certainty, the cause of homelessness has almost nothing to do with marijuana. Out of thousands of homeless I have interviewed not one single person has told me it is because of marijuana. Not one. They have told me it's because of alcohol and other drugs, but not one person I have counseled has said it was marijuana that caused it. Nervous breakdowns, alcohol, hard drugs, mental disorders, a series of really poor choices...those are some of the reasons. But if anyone wants to use weed, roaming elephants, people playing guitar, or anything else they can imagine to say it causes homelessness, no one will stop you.

[veleno45]

Originally Posted by btcarfagno

That's kind of like saying "Sell me on why I shouldn't stick my hand into an active woodchipper without all the safety issues crap". I mean...when you narrow the scope of the rebuttal it doesn;t make for much of an effective debate.

Tom C

I understand, but I feel those are weak arguments. If we legalize pot drug dealers disappear? No. Only the pot drug dealers...well, no again, of course not. Dealers are capitalist and will always grow/blend better stuff. So what is the argument for legalization? Purely our infringing on my rights? My rights are infringed every day because something isn't socially acceptable or isn't deemed safe. So what is the next discussion, taxes? Maybe I can agree with that at least.