We've had a number of interesting threads on this subject in my time here. I know feelings range all over, but the one thing that surprises me time and again when it's brought up is how many on our side are in favor of legalization, or at least decriminalization.

KIRO radio (Seattle) the other morning was running what sounded like their first positive piece about President Trump. They were talking about how AG Sessions had made a threat to go after states that had "legalized weed" and that recently, Trump overruled him favoring for state's rights to decide on this sort of thing.

I've said it to friends and family for a while now, I've said it here, and I'll say it again: If we want to see a complete melt-down of The Left, as The Right, let's own the "legalize weed" thing. Choomster Obama wouldn't touch the issue with a ten foot pole in his administration.

If Trump somehow made things happen, the way he manages to do, I could see this bolstering the vote for the mid-terms and the next presidential election. Even if you disagree with that, you can't deny that the shock and awe from across the aisle that would follow. Can you imagine old crusty hippies arguing against legalizing weed because Trump wants to do it? Just imagine!

Flame suit /on.

Sessions is proving himself to be a blithering old fool. And that is sad, as I was a fan of his.

As far as pot goes, this thread will turn out no better, nor worse than any that has come before it. People on both sides just don't respect the alternate opinions of others. It's just way too easy to claim that the opinions of others "doesn't happen", than it is to have an honest conversation about an imperfect subject.

They’ll either:

be against it because Trump is for it or

they’ll be offended that Trump has culturally appropriated the idea from [insert victim group du jour]

They’ll have the media and Hollyweird on their side no matter which path they choose.

---

Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity

DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.

I'd like to see a on the spot test similar to a breathalyzer that can tell if someone is impaired, going up or coming down.

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:
As far as pot goes, this thread will turn out no better, nor worse than any that has come before it. People on both sides just don't respect the alternate opinions of others. It's just way too easy to claim that the opinions of others "doesn't happen", than it is to have an honest conversation about an imperfect subject.

I dunno, man. A different time, and a different set of circumstances now frame the discussion. Quite a lot has changed in the last few years. I never thought I would see MMJ billboards in Florida, had to peel my jaw off the floorboards rolling through Rockledge a few weeks ago.

quote:

Originally posted by DSgrouse:
I'd like to see a on the spot test similar to a breathalyzer that can tell if someone is impaired, going up or coming down.

To be able to do that, we need to be able to legally study it. Schedule 1 drugs can't be studied this way, to my understanding.

I'm for less government in any shape or form.

quote:

Originally posted by SIG228:
I'm for less government in any shape or form.

+1
The older I get, the bigger gov't gets. It has metastasized.

Either we are free to run our own lives, or we are subjects of the government.

As things stand right now, the alcohol industry has an incredible amount of influence on our elected officials, so the idea is, "Alcohol is legal up until you do something under the influence that makes you a danger to others."

I find it amazing that people agree with this standard with reference to alcohol, but not with regard to pot.

Seriously, here is how I see things, and how anybody who has been around others who imbibe and/or smoke would see things:

* First choice: SOBER driver
* Reluctant second choice: Driver who has smoked pot
* Unacceptable LAST choice: Driver who has consumed alcohol

quote:

Originally posted by SIG228:
I'm for less government in any shape or form.

Indeed!

In a way, I'm surprised that more places have not legalized the over the counter sale of commercially grown weed. Solely because of the potential windfall in taxes that could be collected.
I've always thought that most governments could not resist a new source for tax revenue.

I don't think I would like conservatives to take ownership of this

let those who stuffed these laws up our asses reap with windfall when all the problems pop up

quote:

Originally posted by SIG228:
I'm for less government in any shape or form.

Same. And they’ll tax the hell out of it no matter what, like they do in Colorado. Maybe we can use these stoners to pay for much needed infrastructure repair.

I would only tolerate relaxing marijuana lows if we increased strictness and accountability for misuse while working or driving. I think the penalties for misuse in the circumstances should be very great to discourage misuse.

quote:

Originally posted by Practical:
I would only tolerate relaxing marijuana lows if we increased strictness and accountability for misuse while working or driving. I think the penalties for misuse in the circumstances should be very great to discourage misuse.

See, there’s already laws on the books and we have field sobriety testing. Everywhere. As gun owners, we recoil at “common sense gun legislation” talk since we know there’s already a metric shit-ton of written law about it at every level of government. And then we say stuff like this about weed like it isn’t already just as regulated and defined by law in terms of what it is to be impaired. Makes me chuckle.

If we enforce the laws we already have (in this case pertaining to driving impaired) rather than try to add more legislation, we’d probably be better off as a whole, regardless of the issue.

I wish they’d at least start by not banning firearms purchases by people who are prescribed medical Mary Jane.

I'd say 95% of the people I encounter smoking are driving.



There's those that say the worst thing it does is makes people relaxed, mellow, lazy.
Yeah that's just what we need more of.

quote:

Originally posted by cas:
I'd say 95% of the people I encounter smoking are driving.



There's those that say the worst thing it does is makes people relaxed, mellow, lazy.
Yeah that's just what we need more of.

Where are you driving?

quote:

Originally posted by nhtagmember:
I don't think I would like conservatives to take ownership of this

let those who stuffed these laws up our asses reap with windfall when all the problems pop up

I have no idea what you mean by this.

Sure. Lets legalize weed.

Honestly.... I'm for it.

But I'll expect a trade off...

Let's ACTUALLY CRIMINALIZE other, harder crime.

Around here, it takes A SHIT TON OF CONVICTIONS to actually go to prison.

I mean... multiple actual convictions for VERY SERIOUS CRIMES like burglary, robbery, assault, assault with a deadly weapon... to do ANY SERIOUS time in prison (I mean, like more than 1 or two years.)

I have "usual suspects" that I have dealt with over 8 years, who have served at least 3 stints in prison for burglary. Think about that. 3 times, they have been arrested, tried and convicted for separate, multi offense, burglary offenses. As in 3 actual trials (each with multiple victims), spent time fighting those cases and hiding from arrest, and been incarcerated, gotten out, and been arrested for similar crimes.

That's absurd. The first two times, the suspect ADMITTED ON TAPE to over 20 burglaries each trial. Both times, he was sentanced to multiple years, and was released just around a year served each time.

He is about to go on trial for the 4th time. I have the same amount of faith is our mickey mouse system here...

Show me the change where people who cross the line into crimes against other people get to serve ACTUAL time, not just what the judge says... the ACTUAL NUMBER OF YEARS SERVED so they can't continue to prey upon everyone else who actually does have all their shit together...

THEN, and ONLY THEN... all the potheads and can smoke all they can smoke provided they dont' cross the line into lesser forms of filth.

Medical marijuana has legitimate uses but having seen the effects of chronic MJ use many times over, I am convinced that states will rue the day they made recreational marijuana legal.

Get the Federal Government out of it and let the states decide.