The Legalization of Weed

[Chef Jim]

With pot now 100% legal here in California I’ve been partaking more than I did when I just had my medical card. It’s interesting to read about the effects of different strains. I don’t get to try a lot of them because I use so very little that a gram will literally last me months. I buy indica to help me sleep and sativa during the day on weekends.  Here’s the thing. How do you know what you’re getting?  With booze it was easy. An IPA tastes like an IPA. Pinot like a Pinot. Scotch like a Scotch etc etc. As many of you know I’m against over regulation by the government but things like this I’m ok with. 

 

Oh and here’s the cool part. I live in the suburbs of Orange County so there are no dispensaries here so they deliver to your door. Had two deliveries since moving here over a year ago. Both times by a hottie.  “Hey baby...wanna get high?”   ?

[Tiberius]

Massachusetts is about to go legal but they have all sorts of bureaucratic problems to get through. That's the closest to NY. I promised my mom some pot cookies to see if she likes that medication for her Parkinson's. Anything to help. 

[Heavy Kevi]

Well it's getting a vote in January for NY as well. They are drawing up the bill as we speak.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/13/nyregion/marijuana-new-york-cuomo-legalization.html

 

It's about to be everywhere legally. Just in NY the study shows around 700 million in tax revenue yearly, as well as creating a whole new industry and a bunch of jobs and new businesses.

 

As far as the "knowing what you are getting", knowing about weed you can tell alot by close look, feel, and smell. Is it wispy or is it dense? Smell like skunk or cat piss? Etc, etc... But by bringing it to the light (being legal), there is definitely a better understanding, experience, and confidence in what you are getting. Just like anything else it helps to be educated on the topic.

[Steve O]

Don't smoke it myself but it's not like making it a criminal substance has stopped its use. Why not let financially troubled governments benefit from the sale instead of criminals? For the argument that most users of harder drugs started on pot, I point out that most alcoholics started on milk. Did smoke for a few years in my teens and early twenties, simply outgrew it, never felt like it was something I just had to quit because it was ruining my life.

[The Poojer]

My son qualifies for a Medical card here in the Philly suburbs, I am exploring the options to see if it really does have therapeutic benefits.  I personally don't partake.

Edited August 24, 2018 by The Poojer

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Jersey still dragging their ass on their bill, but from what I've heard it could even be available in your local convenience store. Which would be rather convenient.

 

[Soda Popinski]

I believe the biggest push to keep it illegal is by big Pharma.   They know its better as a pain killer than the opioids they make a ton of money on now.   It will be cheap and abundant and they don't have a monopoly on it.   

 

I don't partake and haven't since high school.  But it would be nice to know i could legally if it does pass in FL.   I think they are putting it on the ballet in 2020.    Tax it and use that money for all kinds of crap.  

[May Day 10]

Its coming in New York...  

[Marv's Neighbor]

No Fracking in NYS, BUT..........

[thenorthremembers]

Get ahead of the game and invest in Frito Lay, and Hersheys now.

 

 

[Canadian Bills Fan]

October 17th in Canada

[The Real Buffalo Joe]

I watched my own mother go through rehab five times for legally prescribed pain killers. Never seen anybody go through rehab, at least that wasn't court ordered, for pot. My father in law is either in a grumpy mood all the time from the pain, or loopy from pain pills. Pot would be that perfect medium he needs.

 

I've never tried it myself, but I've been considering it. I was diagnosed as ADHD from a young age. They gave my Ritalin, and a few others that we experimented with. It helped me pay attention in class, but I had no appetite, and was a zombie at recess and other times that were supposed to be fun for me, so I stopped taking it around 10th grade or so. I argued back and forth on whether or not ADHD was a real thing, or even if I had it. I'd basically come to the conclusion that it was real, but the side effects outweighed the benefits of the medication.

 

A friend of mine has the exact same story throughout elementary and high school. He was a huge pothead back in the day before I knew him. To the point where it was a strain on his marriage so he quit. But recently in the past year or so, he took it up again in moderation, and has told that it doesn't affect him like it used to, and helps with his ADHD. If anybody had ADHD, you'd know that although those afflicted ususally tend to be above average intelegance, we have trouble getting things done because our brain is going 8 miles a minute, and trying to think about 3-4 things at once. Cleaning the house means sweeping the kitchen, going to the living room to get the dust pan, picking up all of the clothes in the living room, doing a load of laundry, bringing the towels from the laundry room to the bathroom before starting the load, and an hour later you have 5 tasks halfway done. According to him, it just slows him down a little bit, and helps him concentrate. 

 

 

[Chef Jim]

1 hour ago, The Poojer said:

My son qualifies for a Medical card here in the Philly suburbs, I am exploring the options to see if it really does have therapeutic benefits.  I personally don't partake.

 

The process for getting a card here in CA when you needed one was a joke.  I went to Dr 420 (yeah I'm serious).  The "nurse" took some info and led me to a room that had a table, chair and a laptop and said "the doctor will be right with you".  No medical degrees on the wall.  I imagined the laptop was to enter more information regarding my illness (major sciatica pain).  Nope in a couple minutes Dr 420 pops up on Skype.  We did not talk about my sciatica other than the level of pain. They never looked into my claim of back pain, never spoke with my doctor and ever examined me.  We talked about dosages and that smoking was the best way to control dosage than edibles.  It's all about the money.  An absolute joke. 

1 hour ago, Soda Popinski said:

They know its better as a pain killer than the opioids they make a ton of money on now.   

 

 

It is?  As I mentioned the reason I got the medical card was due to sciatica pain.  The pot did absolutely nothing.  Opioids?  Oh yeah baby!!  The big difference is the addictive nature of the narcotic.  

[Soda Popinski]

21 minutes ago, Chef Jim said:

 

The process for getting a card here in CA when you needed one was a joke.  I went to Dr 420 (yeah I'm serious).  The "nurse" took some info and led me to a room that had a table, chair and a laptop and said "the doctor will be right with you".  No medical degrees on the wall.  I imagined the laptop was to enter more information regarding my illness (major sciatica pain).  Nope in a couple minutes Dr 420 pops up on Skype.  We did not talk about my sciatica other than the level of pain. They never looked into my claim of back pain, never spoke with my doctor and ever examined me.  We talked about dosages and that smoking was the best way to control dosage than edibles.  It's all about the money.  An absolute joke. 

 

It is?  As I mentioned the reason I got the medical card was due to sciatica pain.  The pot did absolutely nothing.  Opioids?  Oh yeah baby!!  The big difference is the addictive nature of the narcotic.  

That's what Ricky William said, he used MM as a painkiller and it wasn't as harsh on his kidneys and liver when he played football. i do not have firsthand knowledge but seems to make sense to me.  Opioids are terrible, they ruin your organs and they're very addictive.   I've lost family members to addiction to those things, but i've got family members who smoke and they are fine.  

[RochesterRob]

3 hours ago, Shotgunner said:

Well it's getting a vote in January for NY as well. They are drawing up the bill as we speak.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/13/nyregion/marijuana-new-york-cuomo-legalization.html

 

It's about to be everywhere legally. Just in NY the study shows around 700 million in tax revenue yearly, as well as creating a whole new industry and a bunch of jobs and new businesses.

 

As far as the "knowing what you are getting", knowing about weed you can tell alot by close look, feel, and smell. Is it wispy or is it dense? Smell like skunk or cat piss? Etc, etc... But by bringing it to the light (being legal), there is definitely a better understanding, experience, and confidence in what you are getting. Just like anything else it helps to be educated on the topic.

  Meh as to the 700 million.  The state will find a way to blow through that like a Westchester County debutant.  If it amounts to a 25-30 percent tax the black market is not going away.  Just like any agricultural commodity it needs oversight and testing which makes me doubt that could be done for a tax around 10 percent.

[Fadingpain]

5 hours ago, Chef Jim said:

With pot now 100% legal here in California I’ve been partaking more than I did when I just had my medical card. It’s interesting to read about the effects of different strains. I don’t get to try a lot of them because I use so very little that a gram will literally last me months. I buy indica to help me sleep and sativa during the day on weekends.  Here’s the thing. How do you know what you’re getting?  With booze it was easy. An IPA tastes like an IPA. Pinot like a Pinot. Scotch like a Scotch etc etc. As many of you know I’m against over regulation by the government but things like this I’m ok with. 

 

Oh and here’s the cool part. I live in the suburbs of Orange County so there are no dispensaries here so they deliver to your door. Had two deliveries since moving here over a year ago. Both times by a hottie.  “Hey baby...wanna get high?”   ?

Pot delivered legally, by hotties, right to your front door, huh?

 

California really is the land of milk and honey.

 

 

3 hours ago, Chef Jim said:

 

The process for getting a card here in CA when you needed one was a joke.  I went to Dr 420 (yeah I'm serious).  The "nurse" took some info and led me to a room that had a table, chair and a laptop and said "the doctor will be right with you".  No medical degrees on the wall.  I imagined the laptop was to enter more information regarding my illness (major sciatica pain).  Nope in a couple minutes Dr 420 pops up on Skype.  We did not talk about my sciatica other than the level of pain. They never looked into my claim of back pain, never spoke with my doctor and ever examined me.  We talked about dosages and that smoking was the best way to control dosage than edibles.  It's all about the money.  An absolute joke. 

 

It is?  As I mentioned the reason I got the medical card was due to sciatica pain.  The pot did absolutely nothing.  Opioids?  Oh yeah baby!!  The big difference is the addictive nature of the narcotic.  

Every now and again I have some type of dental or periodontal work done and I end up with a prescription for 30 relatively weak opioid pills of some type.  That **** is fantastic and I have to admit, if I could go to the grocery store and buy 100 of them for $7.00 like some Tylenol, I would, and I'd be addicted.

 

 

[RaoulDuke79]

46 minutes ago, Fadingpain said:

 That **** is fantastic and I have to admit, if I could go to the grocery store and buy 100 of them for $7.00 like some Tylenol, I would, and I'd be addicted.

I'm right there with ya. I've done my fair share of stuff, but I promised myself I'd never try heroin, because I  know I'd probably be addicted within a  month. I've got an addictive personality to begin with, so I  knew that it would probably be the end of me. I always said though, that when I'm on my deathbed, hopefully a long while from now I'd give it a go to see what all the hype is about.

[DC Tom]

I'll support the legalization of pot if and when it's accompanied by the criminalization of Tom Petty music.

[Pete]

12 minutes ago, DC Tom said:

I'll support the legalization of pot if and when it's accompanied by the criminalization of Tom Petty music.

what did the guy at the Phish show say when the drugs wore off?

 

 

 

 

 

 

this music sucks

[dpberr]

Legalized prostitution isn't far off on the horizon.  The government is running out of vices, drugs and things to tax and make some money on.  Why have an illegal market where you spend money to police it when you can legalize it and make money?  

 

Alcohol

Tobacco

Firearms

Pot

Gambling, now with sports betting

 

Another thing I can see the government regulating and taxing in the future:  Assisted suicide pharmaceuticals.  

 

 

 

 

[The Real Buffalo Joe]

22 minutes ago, DC Tom said:

I'll support the legalization of pot if and when it's accompanied by the criminalization of Tom Petty music.

C'mon Tom. Get to the point. Let's roll another joint. 

[707BillsFan]

7 hours ago, Chef Jim said:

With pot now 100% legal here in California I’ve been partaking more than I did when I just had my medical card. It’s interesting to read about the effects of different strains. I don’t get to try a lot of them because I use so very little that a gram will literally last me months. I buy indica to help me sleep and sativa during the day on weekends.  Here’s the thing. How do you know what you’re getting?  With booze it was easy. An IPA tastes like an IPA. Pinot like a Pinot. Scotch like a Scotch etc etc. As many of you know I’m against over regulation by the government but things like this I’m ok with. 

 

Oh and here’s the cool part. I live in the suburbs of Orange County so there are no dispensaries here so they deliver to your door. Had two deliveries since moving here over a year ago. Both times by a hottie.  “Hey baby...wanna get high?”   ?

I work in LE, so the whole "partaking" for the last 30+ years as been a big NO. I retire soon. Not saying I will, but the option will be there. I had my fair share before I got serious about going into LE as a career (before I was 18). My daughter has quite a few connections, dang CA kids (she also had her 420 card). It's on the list of things to consider...it wouldn't be a hard pass. 

[KD in CA]

6 hours ago, Chef Jim said:

 

The process for getting a card here in CA when you needed one was a joke.  I went to Dr 420 (yeah I'm serious).  The "nurse" took some info and led me to a room that had a table, chair and a laptop and said "the doctor will be right with you".  No medical degrees on the wall.  I imagined the laptop was to enter more information regarding my illness (major sciatica pain).  Nope in a couple minutes Dr 420 pops up on Skype.  We did not talk about my sciatica other than the level of pain. They never looked into my claim of back pain, never spoke with my doctor and ever examined me.  We talked about dosages and that smoking was the best way to control dosage than edibles.  It's all about the money.  An absolute joke. 

 

It is?  As I mentioned the reason I got the medical card was due to sciatica pain.  The pot did absolutely nothing.  Opioids?  Oh yeah baby!!  The big difference is the addictive nature of the narcotic.  

 

When we moved here, my wife called some 'doctor' on the phone, chatted for five minutes, paid him a few bucks and the card came in the mail a week later.  Then she had some hippy chick with a big duffel full of weed and edibles come over and they spent almost an hour talk about varieties, etc.   Hilarious.

[RaoulDuke79]

Seems a bit  crazy that booze is legal and weed isn't for the most part in this day and age.  My dad hated weed, but eventually died from alcoholism. All things considered,  I'd want my kids to be healthy and happy without anything, but I'd prefer they smoke rather than drink down the road. I have a bit of an affliction for both. More the drink, because my wife despises weed. But if I'd have my druthers I'd shift it the other way. 

Edited August 25, 2018 by RaoulDuke79

[Chef Jim]

3 hours ago, KD in CA said:

 

When we moved here, my wife called some 'doctor' on the phone, chatted for five minutes, paid him a few bucks and the card came in the mail a week later.  Then she had some hippy chick with a big duffel full of weed and edibles come over and they spent almost an hour talk about varieties, etc.   Hilarious.

 

Now that’s funny because I referred to the hottie that delivered as my “Tupperware lady”. 

 

By the way it’s strains not varieties. 

 

 

 

Edited August 25, 2018 by Chef Jim

[Marv's Neighbor]

9 hours ago, Canadian Bills Fan said:

October 17th in Canada

Is that Thanksgiving?

[Misterbluesky]

4 hours ago, KD in CA said:

 

When we moved here, my wife called some 'doctor' on the phone, chatted for five minutes, paid him a few bucks and the card came in the mail a week later.  Then she had some hippy chick with a big duffel full of weed and edibles come over and they spent almost an hour talk about varieties, etc.   Hilarious.

Odds are,those overpriced edibles are probably CBD oil only.Just sayin. 

[KD in CA]

8 minutes ago, Misterbluesky said:

Odds are,those overpriced edibles are probably CBD oil only.Just sayin. 

 

Eh, they’re pretty cheap and the wife likes em.  I still prefer to smoke.

[Augie]

I had heard the “gateway drug” argument forever. I worked with a guy who rarely drinks, but says he’d smoke pot if it were legal and his wife didn’t mind. That was his thing in HS and college.  He made an interesting argument. If it’s legal, not only is it taxed and regulated, but you never need to be exposed to that dealer who also has a menu of benzo’s, opiods and all the stuff that can lead down the road to ruin. 

 

 

Food for thought. 

[NoSaint]

29 minutes ago, Augie said:

I had heard the “gateway drug” argument forever. I worked with a guy who rarely drinks, but says he’d smoke pot if it were legal and his wife didn’t mind. That was his thing in HS and college.  He made an interesting argument. If it’s legal, not only is it taxed and regulated, but you never need to be exposed to that dealer who also has a menu of benzo’s, opiods and all the stuff that can lead down the road to ruin. 

 

 

Food for thought. 

 

Was his argument referring to dealers or doctors?!?

[Augie]

2 minutes ago, NoSaint said:

 

Was his argument referring to dealers or doctors?!?

 

Good point, and I’m sure you know better than to get me started.  There is certainly a gray area there.....

[pepsicat17]

Sadly for many people who have serious medical conditions where marijuana could help it is still unavailable to them as an option. If you take any other “controlled substance” prescribed by a doctor you can not use marijuana due to the fact that it is still a federal schedule 1 drug. Even if a doctor (not Dr. Greenthumb but an actual doctor) suggests or prescribes it to you or get a state medical card. You will lose the other medicine you are on  and the prescribing doctor can lose their prescription license so many patients have to make a choice on what they would like to treat and what they wish to suffer with. Go go big pharma and idiot politicians. 

[/dev/null]

The only people who want to keep it illegal are those with a vested interest in the status quo

[Johnny Hammersticks]

Legal for recreational here in VT since 07/01/18, but I hear it will be 18/24 months before they figure out how to regulate and tax it.  No dispensaries until then.  

 

It’s super easy to find all kinds of oils and edibles here though.  Most of them appear to be from California.  I visited a dispensary in Vegas last summer, and it was like in Willy Wonka when the kids got into the room entirely made of candy.  Incredible.

Edited August 25, 2018 by Johnny Hammersticks

[SinceThe70s]

29 minutes ago, /dev/null said:

The only people who want to keep it illegal are those with a vested interest in the status quo

 

That is patently false. I'm married to a woman with zero vested interest who thinks it should remain illegal. You and I may disagree with her reasoning but I can assure you it has nothing to do with maintaining the status quo.

[Buffalo716]

Fudge it. I can’t sleep so I’m about to smoke a few doobies... and just relaxxxxxxx man ? ? ? 

[Doc Brown]

My hope is Trump pushes Congress for federal legalization of weed to piss off Jeff Sessions.

[NoSaint]

5 hours ago, SinceThe70s said:

 

That is patently false. I'm married to a woman with zero vested interest who thinks it should remain illegal. You and I may disagree with her reasoning but I can assure you it has nothing to do with maintaining the status quo.

 

Whats her actual reasoning?

 

I don’t smoke but think we should fully legalize, and other than Pharma  money 

 most of the arguments against legalizing that I’ve come across when really boiled down to their core seem to either amount to either that the person doesn’t understand the actual science, or that they believe their own morals are so superior that they should be able to dictate to everyone. It’s rare that I come across a nuanced and fact based reasoning- but it seems manybe your wife is among those?

Edited August 25, 2018 by NoSaint

[SinceThe70s]

31 minutes ago, NoSaint said:

 

Whats her actual reasoning?

 

I don’t smoke but think we should fully legalize, and other than Pharma  money 

 most of the arguments against legalizing that I’ve come across when really boiled down to their core seem to either amount to either that the person doesn’t understand the actual science, or that they believe their own morals are so superior that they should be able to dictate to everyone. It’s rare that I come across a nuanced and fact based reasoning- but it seems manybe your wife is among those?

 

As I stated, her reasons have nothing to do with maintaining the status quo. You can chose to believe that or not. Beyond that I'm not about to present or debate her opinion on the matter. 

 

I thought the comment that I responded to was superficial. "The only people who want to keep make it legal are those with a vested interest in breaking the status quo" would be just as silly to me.

 

For the record I think it should be legal and I don't agree with my wifes opinion.

 

 

[RochesterRob]

10 hours ago, Augie said:

I had heard the “gateway drug” argument forever. I worked with a guy who rarely drinks, but says he’d smoke pot if it were legal and his wife didn’t mind. That was his thing in HS and college.  He made an interesting argument. If it’s legal, not only is it taxed and regulated, but you never need to be exposed to that dealer who also has a menu of benzo’s, opiods and all the stuff that can lead down the road to ruin. 

 

 

Food for thought. 

  Just my opinion but I don't think that either the black market or the "nasty" dealer are going anywhere.  I think that for at least New York the bulk of the politicians will want to impose a hefty tax to show "that they accomplished something" in regards to revenue.  People are going to seek out what they want just as they did with pot.  It's not a physical process but rather a mental one.  Pot is not literally going to make someone seek out other drugs but the mentality might be "I consumed pot with no ill effects so what is the harm of trying x,y, or z drug?"