The marijuana debate
Rev_Blair @ Fri Mar 04, 2005 8:28 pm
$1:
I'm just curious what we want to legalize next? Heroin? Blow? Crystal meth? Just where do you draw the line peoples?
It was all legal until around the turn of the century. You could go to a drug store and buy it, usually in the form of patent medicines. There were no massive addiction problems.
Why draw a line at all? Treat addiction as what it is...a medical problem. Regulate it, sure. Tax it if you want. The modern addiction problem is as much a result of prohibition as any other cause though.
$1:
This is not a shot but Rev how are corporations agianst this?
Marijuana was originally outlawed because of lobbying by the cotton and oil industries. They didn't really care whether people were getting high or not, but they had a definite dislike for industrial hemp. They are still among the biggest supporters fo keeping pot illegal.
The modern pharmaceuticals have joined the lobbying in a big way. While they have been a part of it since the beginning, they have been pushing to keep pot illegal more and more since the topic of medicinal marijuana became part of the mainstream discussion. Surprisingly enough many of them have been doing research into, or have patents pending on, prescription drugs based on marijuana. It is clearly not in their interest for people to be able to smoke a joint or eat a brownie to get the same effect.
ziggy @ Fri Mar 04, 2005 8:56 pm
AdamNF AdamNF:
There is no evidence that there is a large number of people who wish to smoke weed but don’t because it is against the law. Therefore there is no reason to assume if weed is legalized there will be a huge influx of people showing up to work stoned dragging down the economy.
2 words.
Piss test In my province you have to p in the cup to get allmost any job.
ziggy @ Fri Mar 04, 2005 9:05 pm
ziggy ziggy:
AdamNF AdamNF:
There is no evidence that there is a large number of people who wish to smoke weed but don’t because it is against the law. Therefore there is no reason to assume if weed is legalized there will be a huge influx of people showing up to work stoned dragging down the economy.
2 words.
Piss test In my province you have to p in the cup to get allmost any job.
And they want to watch you,Sure they would even hold the cup but that's when you say Fuck off,the toilets have the handles duct taped so it cant be flushed.
Pretty degrading process all in all. Fail the piss test and expect a full body search after. Dont eat any poppy seed bagels either,myth busters showed it to be true,you will test positive for opiates if you have a few poppy seed bagels.
canadian1971 @ Fri Mar 04, 2005 9:09 pm
$1:
Therefore there is no reason to assume if weed is legalized there will be a huge influx of people showing up to work stoned dragging down the economy.
I personally wouldn't consider smoking pot at work! But the more I think about the other people I know who smoke pot, and the fact that I can't think of any of them who do not smoke while at work, the more I am inclined to agree with the latter part of it! That is to say I think more people WOULD show up to work stoned. For awhile atleast, until people saw how many companies would fire those who did.
The gov. says (or soon will) that I can marry a guy and have freaky man sex(which I dont want to do), and thats ok, but if i smoke a joint(which I likle to do) then I am bad, and can be(all be it a very small chance) thrown in jail! 
That being said...Just finished rolling a nice little coner of the stinkiest weed Ive had in awhile
...so if you'll excuse me
ziggy @ Fri Mar 04, 2005 9:32 pm
it's everywhere,specially in BC
$1:
Only a week ago, tenants of a townhouse development in the Vancouver suburb of Coquitlam were surprised after an RCMP bust uncovered as many as 28 pot-growing operations in the modest complex.
"We've had seagoing containers buried underground, basically building underground bunkers near Clearwater (B.C.), " said Nadeau.
"There were 20 of them buried and interconnected with five industrial-size ventilation systems to circulate air."
Several months ago, RCMP in the B.C. Interior conducted another raid - basically on the entire community.
"It's kind of like the wild West," said Nadeau.
There were as many as 20 grow-ops "in a town of about 50 people. It seemed as if a good portion of the town was involved in criminal activity," he said.
"We've had seagoing containers buried underground, basically building underground bunkers near Clearwater (B.C.), " said Nadeau.
"There were 20 of them buried and interconnected with five industrial-size ventilation systems to circulate air."
Several months ago, RCMP in the B.C. Interior conducted another raid - basically on the entire community.
"It's kind of like the wild West," said Nadeau.
There were as many as 20 grow-ops "in a town of about 50 people. It seemed as if a good portion of the town was involved in criminal activity," he said.
Dont think these are bikers.
ziggy @ Fri Mar 04, 2005 10:05 pm
People are getting fed up with paying allmost half their paycheque to the government in taxes,no wonder so many are doing grow-ops.
A guy try's to make an honest living but....
I dont blame them,it's allmost like every man for himself these days.
Working hard to make an honest buck gets out of the way for "getting some of my tax dollars back from those thieving feds" scenario.
People are getting pissed,dont blame them.
When you can make $30,000 tax free dollars every 3 months in one bedroom then why not? It's not like the government wont rip you off at every opportunity anyways and given their honesty in general latlely,I dont know how anyone could ever trust them.
kerfuffled @ Fri Mar 04, 2005 10:12 pm
I will seek it out and smoke it up whether the government wants me to or not, just like I always have and always will.It's just a matter of availability to me 
RoyalHighlander @ Fri Mar 04, 2005 10:15 pm
Then again there are th people that start with a bit of weed, then after a while the weed is too tame for them and they progress onwards to stronger, harder stuff... that how you end up with most junkies...
kerfuffled @ Fri Mar 04, 2005 10:17 pm
ziggy ziggy:
it's everywhere,specially in BC
Dont think these are bikers.
$1:
Only a week ago, tenants of a townhouse development in the Vancouver suburb of Coquitlam were surprised after an RCMP bust uncovered as many as 28 pot-growing operations in the modest complex.
"We've had seagoing containers buried underground, basically building underground bunkers near Clearwater (B.C.), " said Nadeau.
"There were 20 of them buried and interconnected with five industrial-size ventilation systems to circulate air."
Several months ago, RCMP in the B.C. Interior conducted another raid - basically on the entire community.
"It's kind of like the wild West," said Nadeau.
There were as many as 20 grow-ops "in a town of about 50 people. It seemed as if a good portion of the town was involved in criminal activity," he said.
"We've had seagoing containers buried underground, basically building underground bunkers near Clearwater (B.C.), " said Nadeau.
"There were 20 of them buried and interconnected with five industrial-size ventilation systems to circulate air."
Several months ago, RCMP in the B.C. Interior conducted another raid - basically on the entire community.
"It's kind of like the wild West," said Nadeau.
There were as many as 20 grow-ops "in a town of about 50 people. It seemed as if a good portion of the town was involved in criminal activity," he said.
Dont think these are bikers.
Where I live in southernmost Ontario, the majority who get written up in the papers seem to be Asian/Vietnamese
ziggy @ Sat Mar 05, 2005 7:02 am
I know a few of the boys and their easterners growing in BC,when they get enough coin it's back to the east coast for them and retirement.Their not bikers and have absolultly no connection with them whatsoever.9-11 did kill the exports to the US big time.
As for pot being a gateway drug most that go on to the hard stuff have very addictive personalities.Some people can do a single line of blow and think nothing of it and others will want another line right away.
GivePeaceAChance @ Sat Mar 05, 2005 9:24 am
AdamNF AdamNF:
There is no evidence that there is a large number of people who wish to smoke weed but don’t because it is against the law. Therefore there is no reason to assume if weed is legalized there will be a huge influx of people showing up to work stoned dragging down the economy.
My parents, for one, don't smoke it anymore because it's not legal, they even told me they'd smoke it and grow it if it was legal. But going to work stoned, would be like going to work drunk... you would most likely get fired.
putz @ Sat Mar 05, 2005 9:47 am
Personally I haven't smoked weed for 5 years now. However, some of my friends still do and my $0.02 on this....
Decriminalize possesion of small amounts (say like the government 15g). Keep private grow ops illegal, sell the contract to grow to big buisness. Increase the penalty if caught growing, and increase the penalties for all other illegal substances.
Thats how I'd do it (in a really really rough form)
Rev_Blair @ Sat Mar 05, 2005 10:30 am
Why sell the contract to big business? Farming in this country has traditionally been an enterprise of small business people. Growing plants is farming. Besides, if big business gets a hold of it, we'll be getting an inferior product at inflated prices.
Ripcat @ Sat Mar 05, 2005 11:23 am
If they legalize it and people can grow it in their backyards, I'd just be worried that minors could get it too easily. Hop a fence, steal a plant and some kid has pot for a year.