My general question is- Why do you think the legalization of marijuana has drastically shifted in a relatively short period of time?  Are their outside forces dictating this?  An eager government looking for a quick way to pull tax revenue out of a willing to pay group?  I can hardly believe that it is the government yielding to a public demand of popularity.  After all the conspiracy theory would say that the paper industry, big pharma, big prisons, big tobacco, big etc all were working to hold pot down.   did they all give up?

Mar 21, 2019 18:28:34 GMT theend said:

My general question is- Why do you think the legalization of marijuana has drastically shifted in a relatively short period of time?  Are their outside forces dictating this?  An eager government looking for a quick way to pull tax revenue out of a willing to pay group?  I can hardly believe that it is the government yielding to a public demand of popularity.  After all the conspiracy theory would say that the paper industry, big pharma, big prisons, big tobacco, big etc all were working to hold pot down.   did they all give up?

Big Tobacco is going to own Big Marijuana before it’s all said and done.

So confused. Nancy Reagan told us to say no to drugs.

In all honesty, many of the harshest critics of marijuana are all dead and the people making the laws now have grown up with people questioning why the drug is banned at all.

I guess the long term play, would be, if you legalize it, you can control it. And therefore Tax it. There's an entire multi-billion industry, maybe more, formally in the hands of drug dealers and growers that big business isn't profiting from.

I'm no scientist, but we allow people to smoke tobacco - despite the obvious health risks, and drink alcohol - despite the obvious health risks associated with heavy drinking, and the risk and safety to one's self and others while intoxicated.

So...

I think the idea that pot could be illegal while tobacco and alcohol aren't is laughable.
That's being said, legality obviously doesn't equal safety, smoking pot is really dumb, I don't care if you do it, but the idea that you can breathe in smoke that alters your mental state without consequences is a fantasy.

Mar 23, 2019 0:08:31 GMT iNCY said:

I think the idea that pot could be illegal while tobacco and alcohol aren't is laughable.
That's being said, legality obviously doesn't equal safety, smoking pot is really dumb, I don't care if you do it, but the idea that you can breathe in smoke that alters your mental state without consequences is a fantasy.

What I want to see is a real and objective study on the effects (both positive and negative) of pot.    Having classified as Schedule I prevents any serious medical study.   The only "studies" provided are from the DEA which are laughably slanted, almost to the "reefer madness" years.    

Also I find it laughably insane that the enforcement arm of our drug policy are the ones actually in charge of determining what categories each drug falls into.   As a rule allowing law enforcement to set policy is not a good idea.

Mar 23, 2019 0:08:31 GMT iNCY said:

I think the idea that pot could be illegal while tobacco and alcohol aren't is laughable.
That's being said, legality obviously doesn't equal safety, smoking pot is really dumb, I don't care if you do it, but the idea that you can breathe in smoke that alters your mental state without consequences is a fantasy.

Yeah the consequences of inhaling pot smoke are legitimate, for example I got high Wednesday night and ate some uncooked cookie dough, I haven't pooped in a couple days. These are the consequences I have to live with in my life.

I had a conversation with a co-worker the other day about what marijuana legalization is going to mean for Canada. He talked about the fact that now that it's legal, and Canada is a first world country with a relatively well-funded science industry, and the profits from legal marijuana go directly to the government, that we're going to see Canada emerge as a world leader in marijuana research.

Facilities are popping up around the country. Massive buildings that are used for growth and laboratories are being built. There were already a couple in Ontario but there are more being built, there's one in Saskatchewan (and I know for a fact there are a lot of people my age that studied plant biology in Saskatchewan in anticipation of exactly this), I believe there's one in Manitoba, and one was just built here in the interior BC up in Lumby. I'm going there on Monday to work on the fire alarm system. I can't wait.

In 5 years time there's going to be shops in every city that specialize in craft marijuana. The brands are already competing super hard across the country to get their name and product recognized in government stores. I went to the store in Kamloops on Wednesday and the selection was insane, and most of the product was just from BC and Alberta. That doesn't include the dozens of companies I know of in Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba.

I wish I could have taken a picture because it blows my fucking mind that a place like that exists. You walk inside and there is product in clear jars on display so you can view and smell the product. There are staff ready to help you, or if you don't want to talk to anyone, they have ipads set up with their entire catalog on them. There's screens set up above the cashiers that show what they have in stock, what they carry but are low on/out of, so you can look at the names and prices and go "hmm, I wonder what the difference is between those sativas" and look them up on the ipad to see information about them, or ask the staff.

I bought an eighth of something called Donegal, grown in Alberta. 22-ish% THC and low CBD content. Sativa-dominant, so I know I'm getting an energetic high (which I prefer to being knocked on my ass), I know what blend it is, what scent it is (pine! as a scotch drinker I fucking love it), what taste and experience I'm to expect...all before I buy the product.

Now, the drawback...I bougth an eighth and paid $30. That includes taxes, it was listed at $27.99. And that was one of the cheapest ones they had. Some brands were over $40 for an eighth, some you could only buy in higher quantities and had to pay more (I saw one that was very high THC content and was $99 for 7 grams!)

But on average that isn't much more than I'd pay on the street, and sometimes depending on where you lived or what quality you were getting, you paid anywhere from $25-$40 for an eighth. And in all honesty, I'm happier paying a bit more per gram and kicking up some tax to the man to get quality product in a safe environment with lots of information at my disposal.

Do you get that from a dealer? Maybe. If they smoke their own product and aren't a psycho that also deals percs or coke and takes the time to talk to you.

I'm just rambling and bragging at this point. I'm not really sure what else to say. If I can get pics on here I'll post some of what I bought and show off some more.

thereallt, I don't know if there really is anything that passes as independent research these days, studies take money and it rarely comes without strings attached.

It's fine to mock shinobimusashi, but nothing comes without consequences. Anecdotally, I know two people that are paranoid pieces of garbage from abusing pot, I have worked with others who lost all ambition and their life revolved around getting high... There have been no studies and we know alcohol damages the brain, why on earth do you think this is going to be different? Because it's natural? So is arsenic

Mar 23, 2019 3:02:38 GMT RT said:

I had a conversation with a co-worker the other day about what marijuana legalization is going to mean for Canada. He talked about the fact that now that it's legal, and Canada is a first world country with a relatively well-funded science industry, and the profits from legal marijuana go directly to the government, that we're going to see Canada emerge as a world leader in marijuana research.

Facilities are popping up around the country. Massive buildings that are used for growth and laboratories are being built. There were already a couple in Ontario but there are more being built, there's one in Saskatchewan (and I know for a fact there are a lot of people my age that studied plant biology in Saskatchewan in anticipation of exactly this), I believe there's one in Manitoba, and one was just built here in the interior BC up in Lumby. I'm going there on Monday to work on the fire alarm system. I can't wait.

In 5 years time there's going to be shops in every city that specialize in craft marijuana. The brands are already competing super hard across the country to get their name and product recognized in government stores. I went to the store in Kamloops on Wednesday and the selection was insane, and most of the product was just from BC and Alberta. That doesn't include the dozens of companies I know of in Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba.

I wish I could have taken a picture because it blows my fucking mind that a place like that exists. You walk inside and there is product in clear jars on display so you can view and smell the product. There are staff ready to help you, or if you don't want to talk to anyone, they have ipads set up with their entire catalog on them. There's screens set up above the cashiers that show what they have in stock, what they carry but are low on/out of, so you can look at the names and prices and go "hmm, I wonder what the difference is between those sativas" and look them up on the ipad to see information about them, or ask the staff.

I bought an eighth of something called Donegal, grown in Alberta. 22-ish% THC and low CBD content. Sativa-dominant, so I know I'm getting an energetic high (which I prefer to being knocked on my ass), I know what blend it is, what scent it is (pine! as a scotch drinker I fucking love it), what taste and experience I'm to expect...all before I buy the product.

Now, the drawback...I bougth an eighth and paid $30. That includes taxes, it was listed at $27.99. And that was one of the cheapest ones they had. Some brands were over $40 for an eighth, some you could only buy in higher quantities and had to pay more (I saw one that was very high THC content and was $99 for 7 grams!)

But on average that isn't much more than I'd pay on the street, and sometimes depending on where you lived or what quality you were getting, you paid anywhere from $25-$40 for an eighth. And in all honesty, I'm happier paying a bit more per gram and kicking up some tax to the man to get quality product in a safe environment with lots of information at my disposal.

Do you get that from a dealer? Maybe. If they smoke their own product and aren't a psycho that also deals percs or coke and takes the time to talk to you.

I'm just rambling and bragging at this point. I'm not really sure what else to say. If I can get pics on here I'll post some of what I bought and show off some more.

Spent a good 20 minutes staring in amazement at your avatar, thinking the WWE title was said ipad and then contemplating moving to Canada for the experience. Gotta see if I can transfer to the Canadian Post Office.

Mar 23, 2019 9:32:24 GMT iNCY said:

thereallt, I don't know if there really is anything that passes as independent research these days, studies take money and it rarely comes without strings attached.

It's fine to mock shinobimusashi, but nothing comes without consequences. Anecdotally, I know two people that are paranoid pieces of garbage from abusing pot, I have worked with others who lost all ambition and their life revolved around getting high... There have been no studies and we know alcohol damages the brain, why on earth do you think this is going to be different? Because it's natural? So is arsenic

Been smoking for a long time and I'm in the best physical shape I've ever been in my life right now at 34 making more money than I ever have in my life, I've had like 3 days off in the last 3 months and I get up at 3:50 AM to hit the gym every morning. Also the best uncle in the world, spend most of my spare time with 4 year old neice and 1 year old nephew, enrolled my neice in gymnastics last month take off early on Teusdays and Thursdays to take her. I'm sorry that you know some losers with no motor and no heart in their life, I smoke weed and fit none of your stereotypes at all whatsoever. People who are losers with no motor that smoke weed would probably be exactly the same without smoking weed, probably has a lot more to do with being raised poorly and having no inspiration in their lives. People need inspiration in their lives, some folks are seemingly genetically predisposed to not be inspired by... anything.

There are a lot of people out there in the world like me that do not fit the mold of what movies and media have instilled into people's heads what a "pot head" is supposed to be. I think that is the reason why things are changing in this country. Not everybody that smokes weed is like Cheech and Chong or Half Baked, there are people that smoke weed who raise good families and live successful lives, hard working stand up people that break their fucking backs for a living. I'll always say just walk 1 day in my shoes and I guarantee you're whole perception of marijuana will change.

Nobi, its great that you're having a good experience. But argumentatively, anecdotal experience does not make a scientific argument. I look forward to when we have enough science based research in this discussion

Mar 23, 2019 13:12:47 GMT shinobimusashi said:

Mar 23, 2019 9:32:24 GMT iNCY said:

thereallt , I don't know if there really is anything that passes as independent research these days, studies take money and it rarely comes without strings attached.

It's fine to mock shinobimusashi , but nothing comes without consequences. Anecdotally, I know two people that are paranoid pieces of garbage from abusing pot, I have worked with others who lost all ambition and their life revolved around getting high... There have been no studies and we know alcohol damages the brain, why on earth do you think this is going to be different? Because it's natural? So is arsenic

Been smoking for a long time and I'm in the best physical shape I've ever been in my life right now at 34 making more money than I ever have in my life, I've had like 3 days off in the last 3 months and I get up at 3:50 AM to hit the gym every morning. Also the best uncle in the world, spend most of my spare time with 4 year old neice and 1 year old nephew, enrolled my neice in gymnastics last month take off early on Teusdays and Thursdays to take her. I'm sorry that you know some losers with no motor and no heart in their life, I smoke weed and fit none of your stereotypes at all whatsoever. People who are losers with no motor that smoke weed would probably be exactly the same without smoking weed, probably has a lot more to do with being raised poorly and having no inspiration in their lives. People need inspiration in their lives, some folks are seemingly genetically predisposed to not be inspired by... anything.

There are a lot of people out there in the world like me that do not fit the mold of what movies and media have instilled into people's heads what a "pot head" is supposed to be. I think that is the reason why things are changing in this country. Not everybody that smokes weed is like Cheech and Chong or Half Baked, there are people that smoke weed who raise good families and live successful lives, hard working stand up people that break their fucking backs for a living. I'll always say just walk 1 day in my shoes and I guarantee you're whole perception of marijuana will change.

And doctors used to prescribe cigarettes, colour me unimpressed. 

To Nobi’s point, I’ll say this: the smartest person I know smokes more weed than anyone I’ve ever met.

I didn’t smoke weed in high school despite the fact most of my friends did. I don’t know why but I’m glad I held off. I got good grades and I’m positive if I started smoking weed earlier than I did, I’d be in a different place right now.

But that’s not the case for everyone. My friend Matt is a fucking genius and has been smoking weed since he was 14. He’s one of those kids that gets 99% on an exam and gets upset he didn’t get 100%. He’s currently a nuclear physicist. And yeah he still smokes daily.

I’m not going to pretend like that’s proof weed makes you smart or anything, but I think it’s safe to say weed affects everyone differently. And many people can get high every day and still function, and maybe some can even be better people than they would be if they didn’t have that medicinal relief that weed provides.

Mar 23, 2019 20:29:45 GMT nazzer said:

Nobi, its great that you're having a good experience. But argumentatively, anecdotal experience does not make a scientific argument. I look forward to when we have enough science based research in this discussion

Goes both ways. Incy's anecdotes hold no more or no less weight than Nobi's.

Mar 24, 2019 22:08:11 GMT Emperor said:

Mar 23, 2019 20:29:45 GMT nazzer said:

Nobi, its great that you're having a good experience. But argumentatively, anecdotal experience does not make a scientific argument. I look forward to when we have enough science based research in this discussion

Goes both ways. Incy's anecdotes hold no more or no less weight than Nobi's.

Yeah of course. This is why actual research will be great. Problem is we don't get to go inside your brain until you're dead, so were left with pseudo self reporting social sciences.

Mar 24, 2019 22:08:11 GMT Emperor said:

Mar 23, 2019 20:29:45 GMT nazzer said:

Nobi, its great that you're having a good experience. But argumentatively, anecdotal experience does not make a scientific argument. I look forward to when we have enough science based research in this discussion

Goes both ways. Incy's anecdotes hold no more or no less weight than Nobi's.

I never said they did, my evidence was anecdotal.... As I stated  :suspic:

I don't care if people smoke pot, couldn't care less... 

What I care about is the amount of BS that was behind the legalize it campaign, when you have pot heads claiming it's a cure for everything from Cancer to depression.
It's irresponsible... I don't believe that any drug should be illegal, because I don't see the point in wasting government resources on persecuting an industry that is going to exist regardless.
Decriminalization doesn't make something safe and I don't think there is any reason to believe that a mind altering chemical won't have long term impacts on mental and physical health outcomes.

Yes, not everyone is going to end up a schizophrenic and some people can smoke the whacky tobaccy and be nuclear physicists the same way some people can smoke until they're 105 without getting cancer.
I am concerned that people will start smoking way more than they did before when there has been no proper studies into the effects.
The cannabis of today is very different to what they had in the 60's.

There are so many reasons to be careful.
Same deal with steroids, I think there are benefits and risks... People can evaluate the risks and proceed as they choose.
In most things in life I don't feel a need to make people agree with me, but if someone's argument isn't rigid and well thought out, I won't accept it.

Mar 23, 2019 0:08:31 GMT iNCY said:

I think the idea that pot could be illegal while tobacco and alcohol aren't is laughable.
That's being said, legality obviously doesn't equal safety, smoking pot is really dumb, I don't care if you do it, but the idea that you can breathe in smoke that alters your mental state without consequences is a fantasy.

It's true, at the end of the day, you are inhaling smoke. But at the same time, it also comes with it's benefits, definitely helps with nausea. Even now when I've grown past the daily usage of high to get high, I still return for the occasional positive. Plus, there's always the non-smokables, can get good and mellow off a nice tray of brownies.

The federal government of the USA is so weird about pot. There are several states that have it legalized, and yet I can't enter the country if I have any connection with a company that produces marijuana. What?