Comments on: Inside Holland's "Half Baked" Pot Policy

Amid Calls for Marijuana Legalization in the U.S., CBSNews.com Looks at the Lessons of the Dutch Approach

[thusspokezara]

One big difference between pot and alcohol. Alcohol short half life (i.e rapidly metabolized). Cannabis long half life (i.e stays in your system). You go out and drink (moderately) at night and it is out of your system by the next morning. You go out and smoke pot at night, and it is still in your system the next week.

[Lawyers-Guns-n-Money]

You go out and smoke pot at night, and it is still in your system the next week.
---------------

Yeah, so's a cheeseburger. What's your point?

[thusspokezara]

Another plot by the pharmaceutical industry to increase the sale of anti-psychotics. More pot. More psychosis. More psychosis. More anti-psychotic use. More anti-psychotic use. More profits for the companies.

[bajajohn1]

There is no medical study of any type stating that marijuana use creates pyschosis. If anything, marijuana soothes folks so that they can relax, listen to music or actually use their ears during a coversation. You know, where folks actually talk and the other people listen.

[toldyouso29]

Somehow I don't think so. I think you will see DUI's go up because each person has their drug of choice. for some it is Rx drugs..for others alcohol and for others marijuana or other drugs--people who have a 'taste' for a product will use that product--some will use drugs and alcohol but I doubt the amount will go down--but perhaps over time, the amount who use marijuana will be greater than the amount that use alcohol--I can see the ads now "This is not your father's drug anymore"

[doubledianna]

Toldyouso29..I guess your name says it all " you told us " , but I am wondering , since you seem to think all others are so weak and you alone ( I'm assuming ) are a pillar of strength , what you would do if you needed surgery ? Surely , it would be a sign a weakness , to let the doctors knock you out for that . Forget even the whiskey ..since you are so tough and need no one . And lets not even talk about God ..believing in God would mean needing "outside " help . EVERYTHING that you eat ,drink , inhale , plug-in , etc affects your biochemistry ..your computer is affecting your brain-waves as I write this ..can;t you stop being so judgemental of others and just live your own path in peace ?

[tmittelstaed]

"...I have to admit that when someone tells me that they get high--I tend to see them as immature and weak--no matter how successful they may be in other ways--because it means that at some level, this human being fails to be able to look within and rely on their personal resources and therefore must use outside help to achieve a certain state...."

And, what do you see them when they tell you that they drink a glass of wine every evening, or a pint of beer every evening, or smoke cigarettes? Do you look down on them too?

Or people who are anxious and take prescription valium or some such to calm down, do you look down on them?

Or people who are depressed and take prescription uppers?

Or kids who are ADHD and take prescription Ritalin so they can concentrate in school and learn?

Or what about people who go running and push themselves far beyond the point needed for a good workout, just to get a runners high?

You must look down on a great many, many people.

All of those things are perfectly legal. Fortunately, most lawmakers are not the kind of snob that you are.

[toldyouso29]

Then your world is quite small. I have buried several friends and attended funerals for a few more (mostly motorcycle enthusiasts) who managed to die while racing or driving high on weed. I also know people in accidents who have been 'assisted by others' to get rid of weed evidence before the police got to the accident scene--of course this was before all the fancy tests that now can tell what substance a person was abusing--but back in the day--they just asked people if they were holding or had some reefer on them--if they were coherent and said yes--it was removed so that they would not go to jail as well as to the hospital.

[tmittelstaed]

Of course, if pot is legalised there will be people who drive stoned and cause accidents. But, I think you will see an interesting side effect if pot is legalized, I think you will see the number of drunk people and people on prescription drugs who drive and causes accidents GO DOWN.

People who drive impaired have the mindset that "I'm not impaired" even when they are. The number of people who think like that isn't going to jump just because pot becomes legal. Out of this "pool of fools" is where all the drunk and prescription-impaired and illegal-pot-impaired drivers come from. The pool isn't going to get any bigger, but the distribution within the pool will almost certainly change.

The situation is similar to the speed limits. Remember all the bleeding hearts said how the 55Mph speed limit saves lives - then when they raised it, highway deaths DID NOT increase - and in fact, DECREASED slightly. Why this happen is that the pool of accident-prone-idiot-drivers didn't get any bigger just because the speed limit went up. Just like the pool of "I-dont-think-im-impaired" drivers isn't going to get bigger just because pot becomes available.

[toldyouso29]

No--that is what is called the way a society works. We all give up some things we want and few of us get to do or have everything we want--we persevere and keep pressing. We grow up and learn that some things are allowed and for some reason, some stuff we like or think we should be allowed to do we can't. FAce it--it extends beyond the use of drugs and you are incorrect--those with stills who do not have a license to sell liquor go to jail if they do so (though they do not get their homes confiscated) Many women want to sell sex--but it is not allowed so they don't. Some people want to harm people who are evil --but they don't. Some people believe they should be able to expose every known pervert or tax cheat or...but they don't. That is not freedom it is the compromise we make for living in a society--it means we may have to work with jerks or suck it up to a lying or cheating boss ...it means we don't get to do everything our way even if it does not hurt others.


The idea is that the government knows or has considered the RAMIFICATIONS of what we each do to most aspects of society and they then establish our parameters for our existence within that society.

of course, all people do not adhere to these rules. Those who do not are called criminals--they operate outside of societal rules--for some reason, they think the rules do not apply to them, or THEIR particular fetish, habit or proclivity should be exempt so they ignore the "law" of course the result of that is when found out and proven--these type of people lose their physical freedom. What we have the freedom to do in America is dream and pursue within parameters--when we want those parameters challenged or changed--we then have the 'freedom' to elect people who better reflect what we want--at least we hope that they do.

[doubledianna]

Wow ...IThoughtItWasFunnyNOPE..... I'm amazed that you already KNOW your kids are going to grow up to be "responsible citizens who don't need a prop to face reality " , thats just wishful thinking . Your kids are going to have their own path in life , one that YOU cannot change with all your narrow-mindedness . You sound like the kind of person who would drive a kid to try almost anything to not be like you . Even smoking the God-given PLANT you call evil.

[tmittelstaed]

Just because many cocaine users have also used pot does not mean that many pot users are going to use cocaine. That's a false correlation if there ever was one. It's exactly like saying that since all robbers use guns, that all gun owners are robbers.

[tmittelstaed]

"...The difference between the words "addictive and habit forming is one of semantics not degrees...."

Baloney. An addition is a specific medical condition. Changes to body cells and systems are measurable and can be shown in blood and cell analysis. "habit forming" is NOT a medical condition it is purely psychological. No changes to body systems or cells are measurable or detectible.

If you take someone who smokes pot and put him through a battery of tests you will find that other than smoke residue in his lungs (which is no different than living in a dusty environment) and THC in his cells, that his body systems do not have any other evidence when he isn't smoking pot that he smokes. By contrast with narcotics, nicotine, alcohol, & caffine, there are chemical changes that take place in the body, that become more pronounced after long exposure.

I have seen plenty of republicans out there who have very obvious personality changes when they do not get their daily fix of Lush Limpaw on the radio, by all criteria, they are absolutely psychologically addicted to his radio show. They are in the same boat as your psychologically addicted potheads. Shall we arrest them and put them in jail? By your logic we should.

[tomanyt]

toldyouso29 ... Never heard or seen anyone get pulled over or cause an accident because took a toke or two.

[toldyouso29]

No that was not the question, the question was : would people who don't smoke already because it is illegal do so if it was legal and would SOME of those people get behind the wheel and drive?

now to your question--NO--I would not get behind the wheel and drive--BUT others would , like some people speed when others don't and some drink and drive--it is disingenius to imagine that everyone who uses will have the integrity to use responsibly or that with the using and poor judgment will not on several occassions--come tragedies just like we have now with Drunk driving--only the modus operandi of the DUI will change--but the innocents will be dead just the same.

[toldyouso29]

The black market would not sell less pot. Those who bought on the black market would not have the overhead and more importantly would not have to pay taxes, either sales or revenue--many of those who buy now--would continue to use and buy that way--they would also NOT report it and would keep the government out of the loop. the government knows this.


Those who think gov legalization will solve THEIR problems and all will be right with the world, negate that before middle class urban and suburban persons were introduced to marijuana, it was used by others--those networks and supply lines will not change...they will expand--there will be those who buy from the government and rest easier knowing their drugs are "allowed" and there will be those who buy (like they buy almost everything else in this country--on the black market. They will be persons who don't trust the government or want to be a part of that system--they will be the ones who have been buying it from their 'friend' or neighbor for years--they will pay no tax, they will not be monitored or be part of any system and the government will probably allow no private growth that they cannot control--and who knows how much a grower can grow unless they can check up on you and do it faster than any warrant can allow? The government allows no legal business on American soil that they do not profit from and they don't do stuff so that some citizens can feel good and have permission for what they do.

[The_Free_Thinker]

everyone seems to forget something about drugs, and that is that cigarettes and alcohol are drugs too... the dumbest, most ignorant thing i always hear from people is that weed is a gateway drug and it leads to harder drugs. they say people usually dont go into harder drugs without using pot first.

here's a question for those who thing weed is a gateway....

How many people go on to weed or any other drugs without first using alcohol or cigarettes?

do not knock down pot use or its users unless you dont have alcohol in your house or cigarettes in your bag. dont give me the "its different b/c they are legal" bull either

drugs are drugs people, you either partake in them or you dont.

[AttentionDeficit]

If the price goes "through the roof", people will simply grow their own

[lorajeantn]

by toldyouso29 July 14, 2009 3:50 PM EDT
Yep. If Marijuana was legal, I would have tried it--if only to see what all the fuss is about.

But that isn't the question. The question is would you then drive, or would you still respect the law?

[toldyouso29]

This may surprise you, but my ascerbic comments are in direct response to those I have been given--even more surprising but worth noting--I do not blog to sway people to my point of view--for politics--yes--for this--I do it simply to express my opinion and for catharsis--with that criteria in mind--I have no desire to validate or get approval or agreement for my position from anyone --except myself.

[toldyouso29]

lmao--and above is another one--and who said "dead men tell no tales" they may not--but many bloggers will use their words in lieu of their own--right?

[toldyouso29]

Yep. If Marijuana was legal, I would have tried it--if only to see what all the fuss is about.