Thread: Cannabis

Kinda figured this would fit in here

Originally Posted by Speedster

So true, DZEC. In WA, half of the sale price is state taxes, compared to 0% in the black market.

It’s one thing to actually make money on a substance Canadians feel is not a threat to thier collective ways of life, and quite another via the savings incurred from policing, prosecuting, and ultimately jailing productive members of society. That’s going to be a huge savings!

Where Canada really forward thinking, they would take all the profits of the sales and put it towards mental health. In spite of what anyone says, “recreational use” of pot is a desire to escape reality. That’s a mental health issue. If they put the proceeds toward mental health and addiction services, crime rates would plummet (proven fact lost on much of America unfortunately). Then maybe they could put some resources towards solving white collar crime. You know, the crimes that REALLY cost every tax payer money.

I’m a fan of the legalization of pot. But in spite of people rambling off that pot isn’t physically addicting, as a crutch it is. Having lived in Holland and Jamaica collectively, I’ve seen what “pot addiction” can do. Jamaica with it still being illegal and not having mental health facilities leaves some of the population lost. Same in Holland, but they earmarked tax revenue to mental health facilities and the issue is lessened.

On paper, in the aggregate, legalization is way cheaper and less dangerous to society than It being a controlled substance. We will see soon enough if the economists were right - assuming gov doesn’t “steal” - I mean redirect all the revenue away from mental health.

Ha! Who are we kidding! Of course they will. It’s going to be a cluster!

I'm one of the many who have smoked pot in the past, but for whom it isn't a big deal. I'd rather have a sip of 18yo Highland Park or a good quality beer, but that's just me. So I don't have a big personal stake in this whole thing at the moment, but I think legalization is an important first step, and that once the kinks are worked out, our society will be better for it.

Among my reasons for thinking this:
1) as has been mentioned, taking money out of the pockets of organized crime and putting it towards our collective revenue. Back in the mid 90s and again in the early 2000s, I lived and worked in downtown Winnipeg and got to know an incredibly diverse cross-section of the community. Youth at risk, former gang bangers, addicts, folks dealing with addictions, folks dealing with mental health issues, and some who were dealing with all the above. Long story short, at that time pot distribution was firmly in the hands of Hells Angels and their feeder gangs. One of those youth at risk ended up dead (his name was Sirak and he was 14 when murdered) when he apparently tried to make a bit of $$ himself on the side when he was part of one of the Angels' feeder gangs. So to me, anything that cripples organizations like that while at the same time bringing in money for schools, roads, hospitals, etc., can't be all bad
2) the enforcement of previous pot legislation has been *clearly* shown to be massively disproportionate in its enforcement, largely along racial lines. The number of non-Caucasian Canadians with criminal records for simple possession is completely out of whack with reality. I don't like racist policies, nor do I like racist enforcement of policies, so again, it can't be all bad to scrap the existing system
3) as has also been mentioned there are many benefits associated with cannabis. Now that it's legal, hopefully research into those can proceed unfettered.
4) I honestly think the social cost of pot is WAY lower than that of alcohol. How many men get baked then go home and beat their wives and children compared to how may get drunk and do the same?
5) quite a few of my favourite people are either occasional or fairly regular users of pot, and I'm happy to think they can now do something that harms *no one* without fear of legal consequences.

My prediction has always been that there will be a big hoo-hah for a short while after legalization, then things will settle back down to more or less how it already was: those who want to consume cannabis will do so. Those who do not will not. And we'll look back and wonder why we all got so excited about this in the fall of 2018.

in the Netherlands it has been available as long as I remember. In the eighties I have smoked hashish a few times. I did not really like it. To me it felt like getting drunk without the hangover. I prefer a good alcoholic beverage.

Today’s shave with my first ever online pot order.
There’s hemp in the soap.
Guess my face will be high?

Cheers.

I get the feeling you’re quite tickled about the laws changing 52! Lol

I have smoked enough pot in the past to equal more than enough for 10 men.
That said, I haven't touched the stuff in over 25 years. I think. In the US its still tested by employers. Yep, being in Colorado the taxes collected hit an amazing number in the first year. They have come down a little but not much. I hope the money is being used properly but I won't hold my breath when it comes to the state's controls on the money.
The Government says its illegal still. Where the line is for someone to not cross? I have no clue. How can the state say yes but answer to the government?

Personnaly, My step-son (31) lives in my house along with his daughter (6) and he finally got his life straightened out with the help of his mother. He is now a licensed Union Electrition. Makes good money and has finally got collectors paid off. Now he's working towards being in the Black instead of Red. Working on getting his Masters Licence. The problem I have is he smokes Pot daily. He doesn't keep it at home. I know he uses while working. I quit telling him he is taking a chance at ruining his and his daughter's life just so he can get high because it wasn't doing me any good.

So, if he requested to "pee in a cup", he is screwed! A quality job and life go down the drain! Where is the possitive? I'm against the state's rules allowing the use of M.J. as I know that it is addicting as I had to beat it in my past. It wasn't as hard to beat as cigarettes as I beat that too, but it wasn't easy. Some people don't have the will to control themselves. And the fact that it screws with your long-term memory is a fact. Another thing I know personally.

I wish I had never smoked pot and wish it would go away, but as they say, want in one hand and s............

I will get off my high horse now. JMHO. Now you know where the Gasman stand on this and I will say no more about it.

Originally Posted by earcutter

I get the feeling you’re quite tickled about the laws changing 52! Lol

I can neither confirm, nor deny my ticklish-esk-ness over the laws changing.

Originally Posted by MikeB52

I can neither confirm, nor deny my ticklish-esk-ness over the laws changing.

Well, that explains half your posts lol!!

Just kidding, just kidding!

I find this thread really interesting from a US perspective. IMO, which counts for nothing, we have enough mental health and substance abuse issues without making it easier to get another "mode alterer". On the other hand, earcutter raises the interesting point that IF the tax revenue were used to establish a real system of mental health care and addiction treatment, maybe it wouldn't be all bad.

As it stands now, we have almost no real mental health system in the US, and abuse of all "drugs", including prescription drugs is skyrocketing.