That is decriminalization? I misunderstood the term. It’s not a crime, but they take your money and enslave you for a bit? 
Peddling alternative drugs only works if there is a demand for them. I don’t think such a conclusion - that demand will increase for more nefarious drugs if pot is legalized - has been definitively drawn.
By the Gateway drug, it is arguable that tobacco smokers would graduate to marijuana.
I voted to legalize it but I feel it has devasting affects on young students. I would like to see panels go around to the schools and give no bullshit accounts of how pot affected their lives. I also feel pot is dangerous if driving or operating machinery, in some cases even walking if an individual becomes too absent minded. Speaking from my own experience which I realize is unique to me.
I have a slight problem with drug testing in that pot stays in the system so long. I see no problem with adults using pot in a responsible manner.
Agreed. Weed is for people that have found their way in life, it’s not for people that are looking for it.
Decriminalization means that it would just be a little bit illegal. More along the lines of a minor traffic violation. Pay the fine (which gives money to whatever level of government is appropriate) or have a judge knock the penalty down to community service (which serves the community in some way).
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I have not read the thread.
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I do not smoke marijuana.
I have smoked marijuana in the past, but it just doesn’t interest me. In my (limited) experience, it does not appear to be more harmful than alcohol. Indeed, how often do you hear of someone getting baked and beating up his wife? My personal opinion is that people shouldn’t smoke marijuana; but it’s not my job to tell people what they can do as adults. I doubt regulation would be any more effective that the regulation of alcohol, but regulation isn’t effective now. I say make it legal, and regulate it like alcohol insofar as it can be regulated so.
My daughter just got her card today…she can chose a “caregiver” to grow plants for her…and is allowed to have in her vehicle a large quanitity of pot if she is stopped. But you cannot be under the influence of pot while driving…glad michigan is taking a step in the right direction!!!
No, there isn’t.
I’d want a cite for this.
This has nothing to do with the thread topic. It’s just that I’d want a cite for any claim that a nontrivial productive use had been found for kudzu.
Where I stand is, I think dope should be legal, but I’m against the notion of large corporations having an economic interest in having Americans spend more time stoned. That just seems to be a Bad Idea, IMHO.
So: make possession legal. You could have it, you could grow it, you could give it to your friends. And for all practical purposes, you could buy from or sell to your friends, too, or your friends’ friends, or random passersby. It would be technically illegal, but it would one of those crimes that wouldn’t be worth the cops’ trouble to try and bust anyone over, and the consequences if you’re caught would be trivial.
Under this regime, dope would be pretty easy to get hold of: if you didn’t grow it yourself, it would be easy enough to ask around and find someone who did, who might want to sell some to you.
But making commerce in dope illegal, even at the parking-fine level, would keep the corporations’ hands off it, and keep them from having a reason to promote marijuana use via advertising.
I’m not sure I agree with alcohol being at 21, but I do see marijuana as closer to alcohol than tobacco. The latter does not noticeably alter behavior (except when you try to quit).
Excellent post/username combo!
And what is your daughter’s email address? 
Heroin and meth are highly addictive. So peddlers may simply give away free samples in order to increase future sales.
I’m not saying that we should pass laws solely based on speculation, but it’s something to consider.
Heroin and meth dealers can do that now.