Colorado Legalizes Marijuana For Recreational Use

[vektor]

Originally Posted by T@T

As a non user of weed I have one question, how do they figure out how much is too much to drive a car? by the joint,the drag or just 0%?

I know for myself if I had 2 drags of the stuff I would be a dangerous driver, yet other people might be fine on 10x the amount...slippery slope.

I always figured the easiest way would be to just test reaction times, vision and thc content. There's got to be some standard for minimum reaction time, then just have a thing that beeps/or flashes a light and the person pushes a button when they hear the beep or see the light. A standard vision test and then piss/blood test if they fail both. Everyone's going to be different so a basic test based on driving ability and cognitive functioning would probably be best.

[zamler]

Originally Posted by T@T

As a non user of weed I have one question, how do they figure out how much is too much to drive a car? by the joint,the drag or just 0%?

I know for myself if I had 2 drags of the stuff I would be a dangerous driver, yet other people might be fine on 10x the amount...slippery slope.

Have you ever used marijuana?

I certainly don't think people should smoke up and drive, but if they do, it is not nearly as bad as drinking and driving. It might actually help some people calm down and focus, it depends on the person.

[saskflames69]

Originally Posted by T@T

As a non user of weed I have one question, how do they figure out how much is too much to drive a car? by the joint,the drag or just 0%?

I know for myself if I had 2 drags of the stuff I would be a dangerous driver, yet other people might be fine on 10x the amount...slippery slope.

I've driven with people who have smoked immediately before driving and they are way more cautious. Not a bright idea to begin with, but for some people it actually increases their alertness. Personally, I have never driven while baked and do not plan to do so ever, but I have a friend who has and he has not been in any accidents (yet) because he claims he pays more attention to the road due to his paranoia.

[CampbellsTransgressions]

I'm of the opinion that smoking and driving isn't as dangerous as drinking and driving, but I'm not going to do it. Maybe some people can handle it, but I'm doubtful. Personally, I simply don't have the focus required to drive if I am stoned.

I just get this feeling that most people that are stoned aren't going to get in an accident from driving too fast or doing stupid things, they'll get in an accident by simply being a little bit slower on the reactionary side or just not having the focus required for defensive driving.

[Thor]

I'm for legalizing all drugs by the way, but I'll take marijuana to start with. I remember when that idea repulsed me, but the same reasons why we want to legalize marijuana, many of them apply to all illegal drugs, remove the criminal element, control, safety and options for abusers to have a safe source and access to help without fear of the justice system.

[moon]

Originally Posted by saskflames69

I've driven with people who have smoked immediately before driving and they are way more cautious. Not a bright idea to begin with, but for some people it actually increases their alertness. Personally, I have never driven while baked and do not plan to do so ever, but I have a friend who has and he has not been in any accidents (yet) because he claims he pays more attention to the road due to his paranoia.

I have driven with people who have drank before driving and they were way more cautious. Not a bright idea to do but for many people it makes them way more cautious and they pay a lot more attention to the road.

I can't imagine that any reasonable (there will always be hard core nut jobs) supporters of Marijuana would say that driving while high is a good idea or makes anyone a better driver.

[SebC]

nm, wrong thread

[Gozer]

From Dion's article:

using the Libertarian argument there is no legitimate reason to forbid children and teenagers from using drugs. They have the same rights as the rest of us, don't they?

Stopped reading right there.
Liberty != anarchy

[Daradon]

Originally Posted by zamler

Have you ever used marijuana?

I certainly don't think people should smoke up and drive, but if they do, it is not nearly as bad as drinking and driving. It might actually help some people calm down and focus, it depends on the person.

Absolutely not true, for any person. You are right, it's far less dangerous than drinking and driving, but it does slow reaction time in everyone, and doesn't really help people focus, that's just more of a 'feeling' than an actual benefit.

As far as calming you down, it can do that, but if you are so tense driving you need to smoke up to calm down, then you shouldn't be driving sober either. That's just a bad driver all around. No one should believe they are a better driver on marijuana the same way no one should believe they are better drunk.

As for tests, I don't know how they test you. Obviously there are drug tests for if you have any in your system, but right now they are all urine and blood based and can't be done at the side of the road or in a timely fashion. An impairment test would have to be figured out. I imagine it's like any other dangerous driving test. Because you can be deemed unfit to drive on maybe substances other than alcohol, and even because even sleep deprivation.

[polak]

I can't imagine driving stoned and driving fatigued is any different.

[Daradon]

using the Libertarian argument there is no legitimate reason to forbid children and teenagers from using drugs. They have the same rights as the rest of us, don't they?

The problem with this argument is twofold and is based on development. One, dangerous substances stunt growth. Physical growth and mental growth. As a child is still growing they need every advantage they can get to become a strong smart individual. These substance don't affect full grown bodies in the same way. Secondly, a child may not have matured enough to make a responsible decision weighing the risks of the substances on their life or body.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by polak

I can't imagine driving stoned and driving fatigued is any different.

You'd be wrong, statistically.

[vektor]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

You'd be wrong, statistically.

what are you basing this off of, just curious.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by vektor

what are you basing this off of, just curious.

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthr...ed#post1400126

[polak]

Even better!

I really don't think we need roadside test for people driving baked. Charge them for what law they broke and thats it. If the US dept. of transportation article is correct that is. No need to add extra punishments for kicks.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by moon

I have driven with people who have drank before driving and they were way more cautious. Not a bright idea to do but for many people it makes them way more cautious and they pay a lot more attention to the road.

I can't imagine that any reasonable (there will always be hard core nut jobs) supporters of Marijuana would say that driving while high is a good idea or makes anyone a better driver.

However alcohol impairs reaction times in a way that weed does not especially the drunker one is. So you can be cautious all you want while drunk but you still may not have the actual reaction time to be able to avoid some accidents.

Not saying driving on weed is safe at all. After having done a lot of activities in both states it is obvious that alcohol impairs your reaction time in a much more detrimental way. Biggest eye opener for me was playing foosball a game of almost pure reaction. Fairly drunk players were about 10x worse than normal. No noticeable difference while stoned.

[polak]

Alcohol also gives you a sense of confidence and handicaps your ability to see your mistakes.

Thats why people think they're "fine" when they're obviously plastered beyond belief.

Weed does not do that.

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by moon

I can't imagine that any reasonable (there will always be hard core nut jobs) supporters of Marijuana would say that driving while high is a good idea or makes anyone a better driver.

Agreed. I know the studies that are out there but there hasn't been any scientific studies to show this. It should be treated exactly like alcohol. No driving, doing it in public, etc.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by vektor

I really don't think making drugs like meth and heroin legal is a good idea, at all. The difference being they are actually chemically addictive, you take heroin once and you are physically addicted. Not marijuana, you take it once and there is a 0% physical addiction meaning you decide and not your bodies chemical reaction to it. Opiates have become a problem before in places like China because of their extremely addictive properties, nobody is giving out bj's for pot.

Again, I don't think the legality of it is what deters people from using heroin or meth. All I need to do is walk down Pandora here in Victoria and I know I never want to touch the stuff.

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by rubecube

Again, I don't think the legality of it is what deters people from using heroin or meth. All I need to do is walk down Pandora here in Victoria and I know I never want to touch the stuff.

Exactly. Tobacco use has been cut almost in half in the last couple decades in the USA and it's legal. If legality had anything to do with it the numbers should be going the other way. People make their own choice to smoke or not to smoke. They haven't sent anyone to prison, fired shots, don't have criminal gangs managing tobacco in the streets and use has been cut. They spend $14b a year in fighting the War on Drugs, and there has been an increase not only in users, but users between 12-19. Education & treatment.