A letter to my congressional representative on medical marijuana

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Thread: A letter to my congressional representative on medical marijuana

Philippus Flavius Homovallumus 20:55 08-31-2009

Originally Posted by AlexanderSextus:
Noooooooooo... there is a basic legal theory here. As long as you do not infringe on another person's civil rights and/or cause them any harm, you should be able to use any drug you want. What to do when the drugs cause harm to a person is a public health issue and not a criminal law issue.

They made alcohol illegal and that created Al Capone and only forced the market underground as the demand for alcohol not only remained, it increased upon prohibition. Making Alcohol illegal once again, would be EVEN WORSE, than prohibition in the 20's.

60% of all drug cartel profits are from Marijuana, just as the majority of profit for organized crime in the 20's was illegal alcohol.

The fact that Marijuana is illegal is currently creating "Al Capones" and "Pablo Escobars" across the globe.

"Eliminate all laws" as you put it would be ludicrous because we would not be able to deal with cases involving injured parties and/or disputes in Equity... For example, under a purely common law stance on Cannabis, If one were to smoke marijuana, that would be fine, but if a person then got behind the wheel of a vehicle they would then be in possession of a Lethal Weapon while under the influence and that person should be prosecuted.

In the UK most Pot seems to be grown by spotty, fat, lazy slobs. Very little is actually imported, I suspect. After all, what would be the point when Dave down the road grows it in his shed.

Maybe it's different in the US, but here I don't think Pot is really huge business.

Idaho 21:44 08-31-2009

Originally Posted by Philipvs Vallindervs Calicvla:
In the UK most Pot seems to be grown by spotty, fat, lazy slobs. Very little is actually imported, I suspect. After all, what would be the point when Dave down the road grows it in his shed.

Maybe it's different in the US, but here I don't think Pot is really huge business.

To the US posters: The UK has, for the last 3 years or so, experienced a media offensive greater than the 'reefer madness' nonsense of 1950's USA. This seems to have been orchestrated by some very well connected and well organised (but entirely misguided) campaigners.

Sorry Philipvs Vallindervs Calicvla - but your replies show that you know absolutely nothing about the UK cannabis market, or about the drug itself. You seem to be informed only by the media frenzy.

Cannabis can trigger psychosis in rare occasions - alcohol increases your chance of psychosis by 400%. Making it/keeping it illegal makes no difference to levels of consumption. All it does is guarantee a profitable black market run by gangs (spotty fat lazy slobs? Where did you get that nonsense from?). The market is worth billions a year. Also the quick grown, poorly dried and cured product tends to be much more edgy and paranoid than well grown weed.

Making drugs illegal is about moral panic, and nothing to do with sensible law-making.

Philippus Flavius Homovallumus 22:27 08-31-2009

Originally Posted by Idaho:
To the US posters: The UK has, for the last 3 years or so, experienced a media offensive greater than the 'reefer madness' nonsense of 1950's USA. This seems to have been orchestrated by some very well connected and well organised (but entirely misguided) campaigners.

Sorry Philipvs Vallindervs Calicvla - but your replies show that you know absolutely nothing about the UK cannabis market, or about the drug itself. You seem to be informed only by the media frenzy.

Cannabis can trigger psychosis in rare occasions - alcohol increases your chance of psychosis by 400%. Making it/keeping it illegal makes no difference to levels of consumption. All it does is guarantee a profitable black market run by gangs (spotty fat lazy slobs? Where did you get that nonsense from?). The market is worth billions a year. Also the quick grown, poorly dried and cured product tends to be much more edgy and paranoid than well grown weed.

Making drugs illegal is about moral panic, and nothing to do with sensible law-making.

Well, all the dealers I've ever met are fat spotty slobs.

Ice 23:13 08-31-2009

Originally Posted by Philipvs Vallindervs Calicvla:
Well, all the dealers I've ever met are fat spotty slobs.

That's great. You assume all dealers are fat lazy dealers from the select few you have met.

This nonsense is still what drives this idiotic "reefer madness" crap Idaho refers to.

Philippus Flavius Homovallumus 23:23 08-31-2009

Originally Posted by Ice:
That's great. You assume all dealers are fat lazy dealers from the select few you have met.

This nonsense is still what drives this idiotic "reefer madness" crap Idaho refers to.

Hey, sorry I've only met a dozen or so.

In any case, I have yet to see any evidence presented here that Cannabis is a positive thing. Right now, this reads like a bunch of guys who smoke the stuff and want it legalised so they can do it in public. Not a single source has been presented to actually refute the claim that Cannabis can cause a psychotic break. The claim that alchohol makes a break 400% more likely has not been supported, and the only positive stuff has been claims along the lines of, "hey, we're more responsible than drinkers anyway."

Ice 00:45 09-01-2009

Originally Posted by Philipvs Vallindervs Calicvla:
Hey, sorry I've only met a dozen or so.

In any case, I have yet to see any evidence presented here that Cannabis is a positive thing. Right now, this reads like a bunch of guys who smoke the stuff and want it legalised so they can do it in public. Not a single source has been presented to actually refute the claim that Cannabis can cause a psychotic break. The claim that alchohol makes a break 400% more likely has not been supported, and the only positive stuff has been claims along the lines of, "hey, we're more responsible than drinkers anyway."

Originally Posted by :

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Does Cannabis Cause Psychosis? #
There are several distinct types of "causes": necessary, sufficient, and component. A necessary cause is one that must be present before the result can occur. A sufficient cause is one that is, by itself, enough to cause the result. A component cause is one that is part of a "constellation" of causes that work together to bring about a result.

All of the recent research into this issue has found that cannabis is neither necessary nor sufficient to cause schizophrenia by itself.5 Rather, it is most likely a component factor when combined with a variety of other potential issues such as genetic pre-disposition or difficult childhood. Cannabis use, along with its attendant lifestyle and subculture, probably worsens symptoms in some of those vulnerable to psychotic disorders. The same is commonly said of the psychedelics such as LSD or psilocybin. As we don't know what causes schizophrenia, determining how important a factor cannabis use is cannot be determined.

Cannabis use could be a precipitating component in several ways. Heavy cannabis use may worsen certain coping mechanisms and weaken familial or social support through social disapproval. Fear of legal problems could cause anxiety and paranoid feelings; actual legal problems could damage self-esteem, damage hopes for life goals, or cause serious life problems. Cannabis intoxication can lower inhibitions and self control, worsen some symptoms to the point of dysfunction, or be part of a lifestyle that involves irregular sleep or other instability. It is easy to imagine that the effects of frequent or high dose cannabis intoxication could exacerbate these underlying instabilities and lead to increased paranoia and delusions.

Hundreds of papers have been published in the last few years looking at the very popular issue of whether cannabis causes psychosis. This issue has received the international attention of media, governments, researchers, and the general public, all looking for answers. Yet we are still sorting through cluttered fields of data. The main anchor point in the noise is that there is a near consensus that cannabis use and psychotic disorders are correlated, but the nature of the relationship is still far from clear.

http://www.erowid.org/plants/cannabi..._health3.shtml

AlexanderSextus 01:01 09-01-2009

I posted a really long article refuting the claim that it causes psychosis.

Once again, did you just tl;dr it?

Philippus Flavius Homovallumus 01:13 09-01-2009

Originally Posted by AlexanderSextus:
I posted a really long article refuting the claim that it causes psychosis.

Once again, did you just tl;dr it?

The one where the boys at Kings demonstrated a link and then the rest of the article tried to dance around that, and it ended with a totally subjective claim that Cannabis users are more responsible than drinkers?

Idaho 11:51 09-01-2009

Originally Posted by Philipvs Vallindervs Calicvla:
In any case, I have yet to see any evidence presented here that Cannabis is a positive thing. Right now, this reads like a bunch of guys who smoke the stuff and want it legalised so they can do it in public.

Of course it isn't positive when used recreationally. Same as drinking wine isn't positive. Or sky diving. Or jerking off. Or watching America's Most Dangerous Car Crashes. It's not about being positive. It's about letting adults make their own choices about what they do with their time and bodies without threat of arrest and losing their livelyhood. The legal status makes no difference to usage. It does make a massive difference to people's liberty, and to the power and wealth of gangs.

When I walk through our town on a friday night, saturday night, or worst of all, sunday late afternoon. I see that this country has a massive drug problem. It's that fermented yeast based drug that has the streets covered with puke, the A&E stocked with injuries and assaults and the bar, pub, off-licence and supermarket tills ringing. Go into those pubs and many of them have a sign up:

PAD: Pubs against drugs...

Philippus Flavius Homovallumus 14:48 09-01-2009

Originally Posted by Idaho:
When I walk through our town on a friday night, saturday night, or worst of all, sunday late afternoon. I see that this country has a massive drug problem. It's that fermented yeast based drug that has the streets covered with puke, the A&E stocked with injuries and assaults and the bar, pub, off-licence and supermarket tills ringing. Go into those pubs and many of them have a sign up:

PAD: Pubs against drugs...

I can't remember the last time I saw someone puke up outside the Old Firehouse, and that is the only place in the city that has allowed me personally to drink enough to become remotely ill.

Though, admittedly, I understand the new carpet in Arena didn't stay white for long.

ajaxfetish 06:37 09-02-2009

Originally Posted by Idaho:
Of course it isn't positive when used recreationally. Same as drinking wine isn't positive. Or sky diving. Or jerking off. Or watching America's Most Dangerous Car Crashes. It's not about being positive. It's about letting adults make their own choices about what they do with their time and bodies without threat of arrest and losing their livelyhood. The legal status makes no difference to usage. It does make a massive difference to people's liberty, and to the power and wealth of gangs.

When I walk through our town on a friday night, saturday night, or worst of all, sunday late afternoon. I see that this country has a massive drug problem. It's that fermented yeast based drug that has the streets covered with puke, the A&E stocked with injuries and assaults and the bar, pub, off-licence and supermarket tills ringing. Go into those pubs and many of them have a sign up:

PAD: Pubs against drugs...

Well said, Idaho. I usually find my opinions very different from yours, but on this we're in complete agreement. I personally abhor alcohol and its many ill effects on people and society, but I would never support an effort to criminalize it (though I'm fine with banning driving or operating other heavy machinery, or otherwise endangering others while impaired). I would never consider taking cannabis, but I am entirely in favor of its decriminalization (with similar restrictions to alcohol). I don't care whether it has some harmful side effects. People have to be allowed to make such decisions for themselves. And its ridiculous to ban pot when two drugs that take a huge and demonstrable toll on society are perfectly legal. All the studies I've seen on the subject show cannabis to be less harmful, on both an individual and societal level, than either tobacco or alcohol. Why on earth do we persist in spending so much of our tax funds on prosecuting and detaining non-violent drug users, and simultaneously encouraging a booming and violent black market trade? It doesn't make any sense.

Ajax

Fragony 23:06 08-31-2009

Originally Posted by Philipvs Vallindervs Calicvla:
Very little is actually imported, I suspect.

Wrong, don't forget about the hash, only natives smoke weed.

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