Marijuana Legalization May Be Unstoppable

[John Dibble]

My cousin who died from heroin addiction said that marijuana was a gateway drug (granted, he never used it, but as someone who was a drug addict, he should've known something about it.)  My grandma also worked as a nurse in mental health for many years and also said that it was a gateway drug.  The research can say whatever it wants, but you can always get research to say just about anything.

Anecdotes are not statistical in nature, and as such demonstrate nothing in regards to statistics. And seriously, your argument that a drug addict will know something about it is weak as all hell. At least your grandmother is a credible person.

As far as research "saying whatever it wants", typically research like that does not pass peer review. How do you know the research that supports gateway theory isn't just "saying whatever it wants"? You stated that the link has been proven - if you're going to discredit research, then in what way has it been proven? Or are you just pulling things out of your arse?

[Maxwell]

In response to Oldies, If its a gateway to other things that are harmful but it isn't harmful itself, why not just ban the other things. I mean you make your own choices in life, government shouldn't be protecting you from your own decisions. So what its a gateway drug? If it isn't harmful in and of itself, than its illegality should be in question.

[fezzyfestoon]

Alcohol and tobacco are the "gateway drugs" you should be concerned with. The only gateway effect with marijuana is that it is forced into the same market as other illicit drugs. In fact, studies suggest that the gateway effect be abandoned in favor of other more likely causes for any suggested correlation between marijuana use and the use of other illicit drugs. Legalizing it removes it from the illicit drug market, significantly decreasing the likelihood of exposure to hard drugs like cocaine or heroin as seen in the relationship between tobacco and alcohol abuse. One issue I find to be of concern is the relationship between marijuana use and high school dropout rates, which can be negated by the removal of it from the black market as seen by the results of legalization in the Netherlands.

[Likely Voter]

The 'gateway' argument is absurd, the only thing pot is a gateway to is Doritos.

Looking at marijuana, tobacco and alcohol, if one had to be banned for the benefit of public welfare and health it certainly shouldn't be pot. But of course as we are in the land of the free, all three should be available to adults, with taxes and regulations. 

[Badger]

Hey, I don't want my medicine taxed.  They don't tax other medicines do they? Pot should be kept medicinal.

Dude, it's already taxed! I am surprised you haven't noticed. I guess the pungent smell and plethora of weed distracted you?

I guess so. I never noticed a sales tax or anything being charged at the dispensary. Is it just built into the price?

It's always built into the price -- have you ever tried doing math when stoned? Most places don't break it down for you. On my last trip to a dispensary in Santa Monica, though, I got a cash register receipt. My "subtotal" was $43.95; my tax was $6.05 (~13.8%).

If you don't mind me asking, Former M, what is you prescription/medical diagnosis for mj use?

Do I understand you have one too, Torie? If so, could you likewise share?

[Badger]

Oh, you most certainly do not have a prescription. You have a recommendation. Eric Holder will put your doctor in jail if he gave you a prescription.

Ah, I didn't understand that.

Please modify my inquiry into the medical basis of your respective doctor's "recommendations", accordingly.

[Sbane]

I hope not.  I am dead-set against legalizing marijuana, especially because I lost a cousin from a heroin addiction.  And medical marijuana is a complete and total joke.  Can't people find some other treatment for their pain or ailments instead?

Do you know what oxycodone is?

[Torie]

Hey, I don't want my medicine taxed.  They don't tax other medicines do they? Pot should be kept medicinal.

Dude, it's already taxed! I am surprised you haven't noticed. I guess the pungent smell and plethora of weed distracted you?

I guess so. I never noticed a sales tax or anything being charged at the dispensary. Is it just built into the price?

It's always built into the price -- have you ever tried doing math when stoned? Most places don't break it down for you. On my last trip to a dispensary in Santa Monica, though, I got a cash register receipt. My "subtotal" was $43.95; my tax was $6.05 (~13.8%).

If you don't mind me asking, Former M, what is you prescription/medical diagnosis for mj use?

Do I understand you have one too, Torie? If so, could you likewise share?

Sure, it helps me get to sleep sometimes, in which case I switch from my typical sativa to indica. Is that the reason I smoke pot?  F no!  I drop by to see the pot doc every year to tell him the same thing, and he issues a new "recommendation" for $75.  The whole process takes about 10 minutes sometimes a bit more if the doc and I get into real estate or gym chat (he suggested I might buff up more if I "juiced" up more, to wit, increased my testosterone dosage). Any other questions?  

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Hey, I don't want my medicine taxed.  They don't tax other medicines do they? Pot should be kept medicinal.

Dude, it's already taxed! I am surprised you haven't noticed. I guess the pungent smell and plethora of weed distracted you?

I guess so. I never noticed a sales tax or anything being charged at the dispensary. Is it just built into the price?

It's always built into the price -- have you ever tried doing math when stoned? Most places don't break it down for you. On my last trip to a dispensary in Santa Monica, though, I got a cash register receipt. My "subtotal" was $43.95; my tax was $6.05 (~13.8%).

If you don't mind me asking, Former M, what is you prescription/medical diagnosis for mj use?

Do I understand you have one too, Torie? If so, could you likewise share?

Sure, it helps me get to sleep sometimes, in which case I switch from my typical sativa to indica. Is that the reason I smoke pot?  F no!  I drop by to see the pot doc every year to tell him the same thing, and he issues a new "recommendation" for $75.  The whole process takes about 10 minutes. Any other questions? 

How much does the testy doc charge to juice you up after hearing your "same thing"? 

[Torie]

Hey, I don't want my medicine taxed.  They don't tax other medicines do they? Pot should be kept medicinal.

Dude, it's already taxed! I am surprised you haven't noticed. I guess the pungent smell and plethora of weed distracted you?

I guess so. I never noticed a sales tax or anything being charged at the dispensary. Is it just built into the price?

It's always built into the price -- have you ever tried doing math when stoned? Most places don't break it down for you. On my last trip to a dispensary in Santa Monica, though, I got a cash register receipt. My "subtotal" was $43.95; my tax was $6.05 (~13.8%).

If you don't mind me asking, Former M, what is you prescription/medical diagnosis for mj use?

Do I understand you have one too, Torie? If so, could you likewise share?

Sure, it helps me get to sleep sometimes, in which case I switch from my typical sativa to indica. Is that the reason I smoke pot?  F no!  I drop by to see the pot doc every year to tell him the same thing, and he issues a new "recommendation" for $75.  The whole process takes about 10 minutes. Any other questions?  

How much does the testy doc charge to juice you up after hearing your "same thing"?  

Man, you have a filthy mind Grumps (no he's straight unfortunately).

Anyway, moving right along, the testy doc is a different doc. I just buy that online after dropping by my sex doc every 4 months or so. Depending on how juiced I feel I want to be (if too juiced, all I want to do is F, and I have other things to do in life), costs about $300 a month maybe.

[Sbane]

Oh, you most certainly do not have a prescription. You have a recommendation. Eric Holder will put your doctor in jail if he gave you a prescription.

Ah, I didn't understand that.

Please modify my inquiry into the medical basis of your respective doctor's "recommendations", accordingly.

I don't have a recommendation but I am familiar with the process. Most of it is bullsh**t. Do you have a problem with that? Why should these people be forced to go to the black market?

[Cory]

My cousin who died from heroin addiction said that marijuana was a gateway drug (granted, he never used it, but as someone who was a drug addict, he should've known something about it.)  My grandma also worked as a nurse in mental health for many years and also said that it was a gateway drug.  And don't forget the countless hippies who graduated from pot to LSD in the 60s/early 70s.  The research can say whatever it wants, but you can always get research to say just about anything.  Where are these studies anyway?

A.) You're kidding, right?

B.) Well no one who I smoked opt with has ever done herder drugs, so therefore it isn't a gateway drug according to the logic of anecdotes. Also, the reason it's a gateway drug is because you have to buy it illegally and thus exposing yourself to other illegal substances.

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

My cousin who died from heroin addiction said that marijuana was a gateway drug (granted, he never used it, but as someone who was a drug addict, he should've known something about it.)

Nice contradiction.

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https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/appeal-to-authority

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lol

[© tweed]

My cousin who died from heroin addiction said that marijuana was a gateway drug (granted, he never used it, but as someone who was a drug addict, he should've known something about it.)

so let's go appoint active drug addicts to head all the relevant federal agencies.

[Ban my account ffs!]

Hey, I don't want my medicine taxed.  They don't tax other medicines do they? Pot should be kept medicinal.

How about we just use tax money from weed to subsidize food costs.  Everybody gets cheaper food... but most importantly.. stoners get cheaper munchies.  It'd be every stoner's way of saying "nobody ummm... ummm... God I lost my train of.. ummm... nobody should ummm... yeah.. I'm so hungry right.. oh yeah!  Nobody should go hungry!"

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Hey, I don't want my medicine taxed.  They don't tax other medicines do they? Pot should be kept medicinal.

Dude, it's already taxed! I am surprised you haven't noticed. I guess the pungent smell and plethora of weed distracted you?

I guess so. I never noticed a sales tax or anything being charged at the dispensary. Is it just built into the price?

It's always built into the price -- have you ever tried doing math when stoned? Most places don't break it down for you. On my last trip to a dispensary in Santa Monica, though, I got a cash register receipt. My "subtotal" was $43.95; my tax was $6.05 (~13.8%).

If you don't mind me asking, Former M, what is you prescription/medical diagnosis for mj use?

Do I understand you have one too, Torie? If so, could you likewise share?

I got my recommendation for anxiety and depression, though you can get medicinal marijuana for virtually any reason (incl. "pain"). Most marijuana doctors aren't there to make serious diagnoses. They're there to speed read disclaimers, hand you required medical information, and sign forms. The more patients they see in a day, the better.

A marijuana rec in Los Angeles will run you about $30. Renewals are around $25. The whole process takes 30 minutes, tops. Once you have the recommendation, you can go into a dispensary and purchase from a selection of (typically) 20 strains of varying potency, quality, and freshness. Most dispensaries also sell pre-rolled joints, paraphernalia, hash, oils, and edibles (cookies, brownies, chocolate bars, etc.).

Prices typically range from $25 to 60 for an eighth. Ounces usually sell for $10. Most shops have some strains "on sale," and if you're really hard up for cash, you can even buy "shake" -- the dried leftovers -- for cheap. The only real limits I've seen at dispensaries regard return visits: You can only visit each dispensary once per day.

[Sbane]

Actually chronic pain and MS are the two things for which there is great evidence for the use of marijuana.

[Napoleon]

Ounces usually sell for $10.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Ounces usually sell for $10.

Er, yes, gram.

[fezzyfestoon]

Haha I was gonna say...hot damn!

[Sbane]

10 dollar grams? Cheap stuff or high grade?

[Aliens]

It seems like many politicians who personally believe in marijuana legalization are afraid of saying it in public, so they say that they just want to legalize medical marijuana. 

It's only a gateway drug because it's illegal in the first place.  If you could buy it at a convenience store or a gas station, it wouldn't be a gateway drug.

[tik 🪀✨]

I hope not.  I am dead-set against legalizing marijuana, especially because I lost a cousin from a heroin addiction.

I won't pretend to be sorry about your loss, but I assume it was hard. With this fake sentimentality out of the way, I would like to inform you that what I quoted makes absolutely no sense to most everyon e who just read it. Are you really comparing marijuana with heroin? Are you high?

It's been proven that marijuana use is a gateway to using other drugs.  And why aren't you sorry for my loss?  Granted, it's been almost three years since he died but don't you have any sympathy for the sufferings of your fellow man?

Hey, i have empathy for you to a realistic extant. I don't know you or your cousin so feeling genuinely upset in such an abstract scenario is difficult. I'm only being honest.

I smoked a lot of we'd back in the day. I thought, "If this sh**t is illegal but so safe according t to what I've read, what about everything else illegal?" Then you find out that lots of illegal drugs can be safely consumed if you are informed and smart about it. And others are just awful. So i experimented, as many do. But I would never touch heroin, coke, speed, or pcp. And i had opportunities. My experimentation wasn't without trouble of course, but i learned a lot about life through it and am a better person for it.

[memphis]

Just wanted to point out that many states with medical marijuana do require a very serious medical issue like cancer or HIV to get high. I don't understand why CA would create such a silly system in the first place. Why not just legalize and call it a day?  Marijuana laws are still oppressively enforced here in TN. It's way easier and safer to just tell a psych a sob story that gives you anxiety and then head to Walgreens for some xanax. Just get a haircut, dress conservatively, so they have no reason to believe you're a junkie.  Totally not addictive or dangerous

[Torie]

Sometimes keeping it a muddle is best. The Brits understood the sometime benefits of muddle over Cartesian logic in the way the French simply didn't. The Brits set a good example.