# Illegal activity **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 27, 2012, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-activity/616910 "2012-03-27T02:00:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-activity/616910/1 "2012-03-27T02:00:57Z")
This [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=646390) was closed for encouraging illegal activity. The last line of the OP states, “I am legal!” I’ll assume that **Mewl Dear** lives in a state where medical marijuana is legal, and has a valid prescription. So why close it? ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-activity/616910/2 "2012-03-27T02:18:32Z")
I closed it because I didn’t think it mattered if the OP has a prescription for it or not, it’s still illegal in the US as a whole. Furthermore, the topic seemed to be inviting everyone to reply to talk about how they smoke it and what they like to do (as opposed to asking for advice on ways he could try), in which case I doubt everyone who replied would have a valid prescription. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-activity/616910/3 "2012-03-27T02:26:30Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > I closed it because I didn’t think it mattered if the OP has a prescription for it or not, it’s still illegal in the US as a whole. But that’s not at all being enforced in the medical marijuana states. Matter of fact, the U.S. Attorney’s office here in Colorado recently ordered that medical marijuana dispensaries within 100 yards of a school be closed, and did nothing about those that were not. > [@](#): > > Furthermore, the topic seemed to be inviting everyone to reply to talk about how they smoke it and what they like to do (as opposed to asking for advice on ways he could try), in which case I doubt everyone who replied would have a valid prescription. This makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-activity/616910/4 "2012-03-27T02:48:56Z")
Plus, the name of this site has at times given a confusing impression as to our purpose, so there’s an extra incentive for the mods to nip discussions of that sort in the metaphorical bud. ---
**Author:** ![sangfroid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@sangfroid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sangfroid)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-activity/616910/5 "2012-03-27T03:08:04Z")
Unfortunate. It would be nice if the Straight Dope® could give the straight dope on “straight” (read:legal, at least in some places) dope. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-activity/616910/6 "2012-03-27T03:10:55Z")
Eh… while it’s illegal on the federal level it’s still not a good thing to have in discussion on the Dope. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-activity/616910/7 "2012-03-27T04:30:07Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > But that’s not at all being enforced in the medical marijuana states. Be that as it may, we defer to federal law in instances like this one. We’re being conservative to try to avoid the very unlikely event that this causes some kind of problem for us or for posters. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-activity/616910/8 "2012-03-27T05:23:35Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > But that’s not at all being enforced in the medical marijuana states. Matter of fact, the U.S. Attorney’s office here in Colorado recently ordered that medical marijuana dispensaries within 100 yards of a school be closed, and did nothing about those that were not. First of all it’s 1000 feet. Secondly, the federal government’s Attorney General in Colorado is simply allocating prosecutorial resources: However, Walsh also said the targeted enforcement should not be interpreted as creating a “safe harbor” for medical marijuana dispensaries that are not within 1,000 feet of a school. “This office will continue this program until all marijuana dispensaries in Colorado operating within 1,000 feet of a school have been warned and ceased operation,” Walsh wrote in the letter. “To be clear, this program is not at the direction of Washington, D.C., but at my direction as U.S. Attorney and as a Coloradan, exercising the discretion that the Department of Justice has left local U.S. Attorneys to take local circumstances into account in determining how best to address the enforcement of federal laws against marijuana trafficking.” Read more: [http://www.coloradodaily.com/ci\_20223263/u-s-attorney-responds-boulder-da-garnetts-request?source=most\_viewed#ixzz1qI6WJG6B](http://www.coloradodaily.com/ci_20223263/u-s-attorney-responds-boulder-da-garnetts-request?source=most_viewed#ixzz1qI6WJG6B) [Coloradodaily.com](http://Coloradodaily.com) Those who smoke pot break federal law. Of course prosecutors set priorities based upon the situation on the ground. By an astonishing coincidence, federal prosecutors in other jurisdictions have also adopted the 1000 foot guideline. But I would predict that federal enforcement behavior will fluctuate to some extent over the next several years. More seriously, IMHO if somebody really wants to discuss this topic, they should exercise heightened care when they word their OP. Although thinking it over there _are_ specialty message boards with more qualified discussants. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-activity/616910/9 "2012-03-27T12:42:28Z")
Given the gigantic number of deaths, medical expenses, and suffering caused by tobacco smoking, which the country is struggling to reduce or eliminate, it’s insane and hypocritical to do anything that encourages any other kind of smoke inhalation. Period. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-activity/616910/10 "2012-03-27T13:18:48Z")
That may well be, Sailboat, but that’s not About This Message Board. In fact, all these discussions about the issue are really not appropriate for this forum. There’s other forum areas for that kind of thing. (Within the law.) Not here, please. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-activity/616910/11 "2012-03-27T20:44:31Z")
Whoops. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-activity/616910/12 "2012-03-28T00:11:43Z")
So, if sodomy is illegal in my jurisdiction I can’t post about the pleasures of anal sex? ---
**Author:** ![\_Olive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/4af34b/32.png) [@\_Olive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_Olive)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-activity/616910/13 "2012-03-28T02:10:25Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > So, if sodomy is illegal in my jurisdiction I can’t post about the pleasures of anal sex? hey …how about prostitution …there are a few posters talking about picking up “girls” ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-activity/616910/14 "2012-03-28T02:38:12Z")
Or driving in the left lane when you’re not passing ---
**Author:** ![\_Olive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/4af34b/32.png) [@\_Olive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_Olive)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-activity/616910/15 "2012-03-28T05:40:52Z")
jaywalking … ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-activity/616910/16 "2012-03-28T06:22:47Z")
What if it had been titled _How do you take your pot when you’re in Peru_? ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-activity/616910/17 "2012-03-28T13:50:57Z")
It seems to me the Dope could put a disclaimer somewhere, saying something like “we neither support nor condone questionable activities, however, we realize that some adults choose to discuss these in an open forum and will allow it.” Honestly, it’s not like someone asked for advice on how to murder their neighbor and get away with it. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-activity/616910/18 "2012-03-28T14:09:49Z")
How about we take every rule to its ridiculous extreme because if the rules aren’t completely black and white we just can’t handle it? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-activity/616910/19 "2012-03-28T15:20:52Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > How about we take every rule to its ridiculous extreme because if the rules aren’t completely black and white we just can’t handle it? I can’t think of much more ridiculous extreme example than worrying about promoting marijuana use. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-activity/616910/20 "2012-03-28T15:24:55Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > IHonestly, it’s not like someone asked for advice on how to murder their neighbor and get away with it. [Or have they?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=646136) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-activity/616910.md?page=2)