Marijuana Legalization and Regulation

[Delthefunky]

Pretty good analysis by freakonomics re: dangers of alcohol vs. marijuana

http://freakonomics.com/2014/04/17/w...radio-podcast/

[troutman]

Jamaica just legalized small amounts for personal use.

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/...uana-1.2972694

Two ounces, five plants per household.

[GreenLantern2814]

Weed is a great drug. It provides a good high and all things considered, it's not super dangerous. The ability of marijuana to 'ruin your life' is often greatly overstated. If you are using so much that you become a less effective human being, there are FAR greater problems going on in your life than your marijuana use.

Personally, I have just concluded a stretch of ten weeks where I was smoking anywhere from four to six bowls a night. That was WAY too much. I didn't derive nearly as much enjoyment from it as I would've had I used it in moderation. But the plant wasn't making me do this. I was profoundly unhappy with my relationship and the direction my life was going - to the point where I had to be permafried just to spend an evening watching Netflix with my girlfriend.

Shockingly, once I removed myself from the bad situation, my desire to be high every waking moment I wasn't at work wasn't nearly as strong.

If you're unhappy, rest assured you will find a way to act out and undermine yourself. Whether it's with weed, alcohol, fast food, or daytime TV.

So unless the government has a plan to legislate against sadness, please let me buy this in a goddamn store?

[drewboy12]

It's great in Vancouver now. It has essentially been decriminalised by the city, and the dispensaries are incredible. quality, safe, cheap. Cops have better things to worry about.

[worth]

Originally Posted by drewboy12

It's great in Vancouver now. It has essentially been decriminalised by the city, and the dispensaries are incredible. quality, safe, cheap. Cops have better things to worry about.

How does it work? This is a medical dispensary correct? I read that there are only 40,000 valid medical marijuana users in the country. That seems really low to having dispensaries popping up.

[Itse]

One of my best friends has pretty effectively ruined his life with marihuana. Yes, obviously it's not just the marihuana, but I'm pretty sure if he'd have taken his drug use more seriously as a problem and not thought of it as "relatively harmless" and "just marihuana", things might have been different.

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by AcGold

My thoughts:

keeping it illegal only increases crime, heard straight from the mouth of a BC officer. They know that it being illegal creates an industry, inflates the price of the bud and in effect drives more criminals to the potential profit. The criminals in BC don't want it legalized.

Originally Posted by Pacem

Meh that is not true. In the twenty years i've been smoking in BC, the street prices haven't gone up at all. I pay less for weed then I did 20 years ago for my own personal usage. At the supplier level, the price has plummeted. Pounds sell for significantly less then they used to sell for.

IIRC, troutman posted a Rolling Stone article on legalization in Colorado and the cost of a JOINT is about $15.

ONE JOINT.

Legalization makes it more expensive. I thought perhaps you could buy a pack of maybe 5 doobs for the price of a pack of cigarettes but $15 a joint is unreal.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Itse

One of my best friends has pretty effectively ruined his life with marihuana. Yes, obviously it's not just the marihuana, but I'm pretty sure if he'd have taken his drug use more seriously as a problem and not thought of it as "relatively harmless" and "just marihuana", things might have been different.

But it is relatively harmless. Name five other recreational drugs less dangerous than weed.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Itse

One of my best friends has pretty effectively ruined his life with marihuana. Yes, obviously it's not just the marihuana, but I'm pretty sure if he'd have taken his drug use more seriously as a problem and not thought of it as "relatively harmless" and "just marihuana", things might have been different.

I am all for legalization, but sure, some people have problems moderating themselves. That is unfortunate, but maybe if marijuana was legal, educating people about proper use wouldn't be so taboo. Finding help might not be as shameful or detrimental to their image either if what they are doing is at least legal.

Personally, I think prohibition actually promotes binge use of the drug. It's illegal to have, so many people use it up as quickly as to not have it on them or in their home for very long. The mentality just creates an environment for abuse.

[BsFaninCGY]

This is all anecdotal for sure, but my experiences:

I injured myself about a year ago. Prior to that I had weed under control, worked out every other day, ate well and generally was doing pretty great. Then I ran into an old flame who loved to smoke. I got injured and it began - all we did was smoke. It makes me introverted and paranoid and incredibly critical (of myself, situations and others). We didn't work out, but Mary Jane was back in my life and she stuck around. I gained 25 pounds. My work suffered (self employed, so no risk of firing, just not performing as well). I had to stop going to the gym for a few months due to the injury, but once I healed up I didn't return - no motivation. I think I'd be a tad melodramatic if I say my life was "ruined", however, it certainly wasn't very enjoyable.

That's the thing with weed in your late 20's/early 30's (for me) - it's not fun like it was casually smoking in high school when you were being a rebel. Now you're 'supposed' to be a functioning adult who contributes to society. All I was doing was working (sometimes high), and then getting baked. I lived alone, family out east, and spent all my waking moments smoking.

Finally I decided to get back in the game, and luckily, met a great girl in Nov. I quit weed on the spot - I didn't want to #### this one up. It's been going great, I'm back at the gym trying to get back to where I was a year ago, work is on the upswing and I've been very productive.

But there is that issue that was touched on earlier - the underlying root of why one goes the way I did. Sadness? Loneliness? Addictive personality traits? Some sort of neuroconnection formed when I was learning to crawl? Who knows, but it's there for me. And I'm sure it's there (and way worse) for others. For anyone to judge and say it's not life ruining is a little ignorant from my perspective. We all like to laugh and quote Bob Saget from Half Baked, but that's not reality.

So, legalization? Decriminalization? I guess so. It's a revenue stream for the government and that *could* bring good things. I think if it's done with the intention of protecting citizens (from bad product) then it would be a decent idea. But of course in reality it'll be marketed and monetized and people will get hurt. So that sucks. I'm not against it, but I know I'll be avoiding it.

[GreenLantern2814]

We recently attempted to delay the construction of a cancer centre because we didn't have the money for it. Marijuana is a $6 billion a year industry in BC alone - just in sales tax, that's $300,000,000 extra that could go to roads, hospitals, schools, or Darryl Katz.

Marijuana is certainly not for everyone. It is not risk free. Most of the time, fun costs you.

But in a free-thinking, enlightened society, we have so many more pressing issues than this one. On an individual level, it can be problematic. Given the ease with which one can acquire the stuff, however, and its widespread use regardless of its legality, I think it's reasonably safe to say the walls of our civilization will not come crumbling down should the legalization hammer fall.

[Azure]

Its hilarious when I ask people if they'd rather smoke a couple joints a to relieve chronic pain or constantly be taking pain killers and most say they would take pain killers because 'weed is a drug.'

I guess we have spent 30+ years convincing the general public that marijuana is BAD FOR YOU!!!>!())!)!

[nik-]

Originally Posted by FireFly

IIRC, troutman posted a Rolling Stone article on legalization in Colorado and the cost of a JOINT is about $15.

ONE JOINT.

Legalization makes it more expensive. I thought perhaps you could buy a pack of maybe 5 doobs for the price of a pack of cigarettes but $15 a joint is unreal.

How big is the joint?

The prices per gram for those two states aren't that high, so if you have a 1g joint, or close to that, then that's a reasonable price. "Joint" isn't a system of measurement. You can't apply a flat price.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Azure

Its hilarious when I ask people if they'd rather smoke a couple joints a to relieve chronic pain or constantly be taking pain killers and most say they would take pain killers because 'weed is a drug.'

I guess we have spent 30+ years convincing the general public that marijuana is BAD FOR YOU!!!>!())!)!

What's even more bizarre is the fact oil companies test for marijuana use, while alcohol abuse is rampant in the industry. I've yet to hear a rational explanation why traces of THC in the blood from smoking weed two weeks previously is something the industry must identify for safety purposes, but guys can work on a rig 24 hours after downing 15 rum and cokes.

[FLAMESRULE]

I am 100% for decriminalization of weed. I've smoked it on and off over the last 20yrs. Obviously smoked a lot more as a teenager and through mid-20's.

In September I broke my arms pretty badly at hockey. I couldnt sleep or move it at all and had no interest in taking more serious painkillers (T3's did nothing). So I smoked a bit of weed. Easily the best pain killer I've taken. It was quite amazing just how much better I could sleep for those 8 weeks. Even now the arm aches and bugs me so I just smoke a bit before bed and I'm golden.

Another anecdote is that I dont drink anymore due to alcholism in my family and me turning into a borderline alcoholic. I have ZERO issues with weed and could stop now if needed. Not nearly as addicting as booze (or destructive).

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by nik-

How big is the joint?

The prices per gram for those two states aren't that high, so if you have a 1g joint, or close to that, then that's a reasonable price. "Joint" isn't a system of measurement. You can't apply a flat price.

We decided to take a look at how much recreational marijuana costs in Colorado. We surveyed 25 random recreational stores in the Denver area, as well as 10 retail marijuana stores along the I-70 corridor in the mountains.

To get the average price per store, we eliminated the most expensive and cheapest strains, and then took an average of the remaining ones. Not perfect science but it should give you an idea of the average cost of flowers in Colorado. Please remember that most stores do offer high and low grade strains, which can be 50% +/- of the average cost.

Surprisingly, the average prices are pretty similar to what we saw in early summer around the Denver area. This will undoubtedly change as the requirement that stores grown their own marijuana has been removed as of October 1st. The amount of marijuana grown in Colorado is expected to increase 200-300% over the next year, as more ‘grow only’ operations get up and running. This is going to result in an oversupply, which can only mean lower prices for consumers. Some are predicting $50 ounces by late next year. It will be interesting to see how the market develops, most likely it will end up similar to breweries, where you’ll have your craft growers and then your bulk growers.

https://www.coloradopotguide.com/1987.aspx

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by FLAMESRULE

I am 100% for decriminalization of weed. I've smoked it on and off over the last 20yrs. Obviously smoked a lot more as a teenager and through mid-20's.

In September I broke my arms pretty badly at hockey. I couldnt sleep or move it at all and had no interest in taking more serious painkillers (T3's did nothing). So I smoked a bit of weed. Easily the best pain killer I've taken. It was quite amazing just how much better I could sleep for those 8 weeks. Even now the arm aches and bugs me so I just smoke a bit before bed and I'm golden.

Another anecdote is that I dont drink anymore due to alcholism in my family and me turning into a borderline alcoholic. I have ZERO issues with weed and could stop now if needed. Not nearly as addicting as booze (or destructive).

Isn't it subjective what is addictive/destructive and what isn't?

I could never see myself sitting infront of a VLT shoving in loonies, but hell they seem to get people's attention.

[terminator]

Never met a true pot-head who wasn't super paranoid and lazy.

[nik-]

perhaps the problem is your definition of "true pot head" ... I've known a few and none of them were either of those things.

[Daradon]

Ever ytime I think about this I wonder what's taking so long. This could be a good thing for the economy, at a time when we really need it.

Course it's not going to happen with Harper in charge. Period.