One thing I can't figure out is why everyone assumes driving while stoned will be a crucial new safety and law enforcement problem. People realize that one of the main reasons pot is being decriminalized is because it's use is so widespread already, don't they? That thousands of Calgarians drive stoned every week, and that this has been true for decades?
Legalizing pot will only moderately increase use, and I expect even that mainly during an initial period when former users take it up again as a novelty. There won't be a dramatic increase in people smoking pot, or driving stoned.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by fotze
If this day gets you riled up, you obviously aren't numb to the disappointment yet to be a real fan.
The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to CliffFletcher For This Useful Post:
One thing I can't figure out is why everyone assumes driving while stoned will be a crucial new safety and law enforcement problem. People realize that one of the main reasons pot is being decriminalized is because it's use is so widespread already, don't they? That thousands of Calgarians drive stoned every week, and that this has been true for decades?
Legalizing pot will only moderately increase use, and I expect even that mainly during an initial period when former users take it up again as a novelty. There won't be a dramatic increase in people smoking pot, or driving stoned.
In Colarado usage amoung Adults in the past 30 days from 7.6% to 12.5%
So it's a pretty big jump in users but given the absolute numbers shouldn't increase the risks of people driving stoned significantly.
Purely speculative but I would think that if you are the type of person who is responsible enough not to drink and drive you probably aren't going to smoke and drive so I feel like the risk is probably the same.
__________________
The Following User Says Thank You to corporatejay For This Useful Post:
sorry if I missed it but have you guys discussed the fact the Liberals plan an excise tax on both medical marijuana as well as recreational? $1 per gram or 10% of the retail price, whichever is higher.
I guess I just assumed as a prescription drug, that medical marijuana should have been exempt. doesn't seem right to charge tax for people that have legitimate medical reasons for using.
sorry if I missed it but have you guys discussed the fact the Liberals plan an excise tax on both medical marijuana as well as recreational? $1 per gram or 10% of the retail price, whichever is higher.
I guess I just assumed as a prescription drug, that medical marijuana should have been exempt. doesn't seem right to charge tax for people that have legitimate medical reasons for using.
This also gives insurance companies even more reason to not provide coverage for medical cannabis. Makes no sense why anyone currently prescribed cannabis should see an increase just because people will also be able to use it recreationally.
People have always used psychoactive substances – and they always will. They do so principally for one of two reasons, for pleasure, or to relieve pain (physical and emotional). About 90 per cent of people who use illicit drugs don't have a drug problem. Same goes for licit drugs like alcohol. Some people like wine, others a few tokes, some the occasional snort of cocaine or a hit of MDMA.
Very few users become addicted, regardless of the drug, and those who do almost all have an illness, and they will not be dissuaded (or cured for that matter) by prosecution. Not to mention that punitive anti-drug measures harm the marginalized and racialized disproportionately.
Decriminalizing drugs is not a radical idea – at least not once you dispense with the hysteria. Mainstream groups like the Canadian Public Health Association support decriminalization because, when you look at the science dispassionately, it works.
There is also good real-world evidence. About 25 countries have decriminalized drug possession to varying degrees. The most notable is Portugal, which in 2001, passed groundbreaking laws that essentially allow anyone to hold a 10-day supply of drugs for personal use – whether it's 25 grams of marijuana, two grams of cocaine or one gram of heroin, ecstasy or amphetamines.
Instead of sending people to jail, drug users can be sent to a "dissuasion panel" for a chat; most people receive no penalty (though fines and community service are possible), and those who seem to have an illness are prescribed therapy or other forms of treatment.
Since the change was enacted, there has been little change in the levels of drug use, the rates of infectious diseases like HIV and hepatitis C (which are often spread through needle-sharing) are down sharply and overdoses have dropped by a factor of five.
This is not to suggest decriminalization is a silver bullet. Portugal has also invested the savings from not prosecuting drug users into harm-reduction measures. But those programs have been more effective because they have removed the stigma for people who need help from thinking they are criminals.
The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to rubecube For This Useful Post:
It's a little disappointing that Jagmeet Singh the leader of the federal NDP brought up decriminalization of all drugs and Trudeau immediately shot it down and said they won't even entertain the idea.
It's a little disappointing that Jagmeet Singh the leader of the federal NDP brought up decriminalization of all drugs and Trudeau immediately shot it down and said they won't even entertain the idea.
He's also been pretty resistant to legalizing the purchase of prostitution - which is inconsistent with the Liberal position prior to the Harper governments, and with the name of the party itself.
It's a little disappointing that Jagmeet Singh the leader of the federal NDP brought up decriminalization of all drugs and Trudeau immediately shot it down and said they won't even entertain the idea.
I am with the NDP on this one. Everything should be legalized, so pointless, costly and deadly otherwise.
It's a little disappointing that Jagmeet Singh the leader of the federal NDP brought up decriminalization of all drugs and Trudeau immediately shot it down and said they won't even entertain the idea.
I was thinking the same. What would be the effects of legalizing all drugs? Kill the illegal drug market by destroying their monopoly. We’ve artificially created a minimal supply when there’s an unfortunate demand. If we made alchohol illegal then an illegal market for alchohol would appear.
Drugs have been an issue forever and I’m not sure we’re getting anywhere with solving the problem using current methods. Something different should be tried. Maybe there’s better ways.
I just read it, wow...and when her kids were growing up, her having booze in the house was equivalent to having meth at their fingertips. It's a miracle they survived to adulthood.
The double standard between alcohol and weed by many drives me crazy
I was thinking the same. What would be the effects of legalizing all drugs? Kill the illegal drug market by destroying their monopoly. We’ve artificially created a minimal supply when there’s an unfortunate demand. If we made alchohol illegal then an illegal market for alchohol would appear.
Drugs have been an issue forever and I’m not sure we’re getting anywhere with solving the problem using current methods. Something different should be tried. Maybe there’s better ways.
There is a difference between legalizing and decriminalizing. Decriminalizing would protect users from things like possession charges thus reducing the unnecessary law enforcement costs associated with those nonviolent crimes. Decriminalizing the possession of cocaine would not however give anyone the greenlight to open up a coke dispensary as the drug would still be a controlled substance.
While I applaud the government’s decision to legalize recreational cannabis, I can’t understand why they decided against decriminalizing it until legalization happens. I think it’s ridiculous that you can still be arrested and charged for possession of something that you can currently purchase legally through a licensed producer and that has also been announced will be available for recreational purchase within a calendar year. Complete waste of our justice system’s resources IMO.
There is a difference between legalizing and decriminalizing. Decriminalizing would protect users from things like possession charges thus reducing the unnecessary law enforcement costs associated with those nonviolent crimes. Decriminalizing the possession of cocaine would not however give anyone the greenlight to open up a coke dispensary as the drug would still be a controlled substance.
The issue I have with not legalizing all substances and regulating them for public sales is that organized crime still ends up being involved and you still run a higher risk of overdoses due to tainted substances when you only go for decriminalization.
From that article I posted:
Quote:
About 90 per cent of people who use illicit drugs don't have a drug problem. Same goes for licit drugs like alcohol. Some people like wine, others a few tokes, some the occasional snort of cocaine or a hit of MDMA.
Why do we have such a problem with people doing things like cocaine and MDMA if the vast majority seem to be able to use those substances "responsibly?" It's purely an emotional and ideological position to take.
The Following User Says Thank You to rubecube For This Useful Post:
The "just say no" campaign of the 80s worked really well on me when it comes to hard drugs. I have always assumed that one snort of coke would lead me down a spiral of despair and desperation. Is it common to use occasionally without having problems?
The Following User Says Thank You to Sliver For This Useful Post:
The "just say no" campaign of the 80s worked really well on me when it comes to hard drugs. I have always assumed that one snort of coke would lead me down a spiral of despair and desperation. Is it common to use occasionally without having problems?
It's like most substances that are addictive. I have friends who do it once in a while or just on the weekends and are fully functional members societies, and I have others who started using it and then turned into total addicts who you can't trust. I would say that those in the latter group also generally tend to be raging alcoholics and smokers, as well as the type who if they couldn't score cocaine would switch to meth or whatever else they could get their hands on. Addicts and people with compulsive tendencies are going to do what they do regardless of the legality. Might as well make it as safe as possible for them.
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to rubecube For This Useful Post:
The "just say no" campaign of the 80s worked really well on me when it comes to hard drugs. I have always assumed that one snort of coke would lead me down a spiral of despair and desperation. Is it common to use occasionally without having problems?
Looking at the statistics of how many people have tried cocaine for example compared to the number of people addicted to it I think it’s say to say recreational use without issue is the more common outcome. That isn’t to say it isn’t a very addictive substance or that it’s unlikely a person will develop a dependency. Addictions in most cases have much more to do with the individual as opposed to the drug itself.
