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My dad is on the night shift, and going in, he'll see a lot of cars pulled over in the emergency lane, sometimes two together. Our guess is that there is a drug deal going down. On my morning commutes, I never see that many vehicles stalled or in a wreck so what is it that causes far more vehicles, out of a far smaller population of vehicles to "stall" or have wrecks??? It's hard to enforce though as most patrol officers are patrolling solo and I doubt anyone would want to approach a suspected, and possibly armed, drug deal alone.
Legalization isn't the answer. If marijuana suddenly becomes legal, then what about cocaine? Maybe legalize heroine next? Oh, and we can legalize opium after that! Drugs serve no purpose in society; neither does tobacco, but at least its damaging effects are long-term, you don't get spaced out and high off tobacco. Alcohol gets you drunk, but at least drunkenness is fairly obvious, and field-testable. Other than laziness, there's no reason to allow drugs like these in our society.
I say legalize it and tax the crap out of the stuff, on top of that limit its use to a few controlled places. That alone would not only boost local economies but help the government out of its debt or you could keep it at the state level and use the revenue to fund the education and transportation systems. In a state like South Carolina for example that money would do wonders for its local roads.
That has got to be the craziest argument I've yet seen from the anti-highway crowd!
Blame the drug trade on the highway system??
Ha! Guilty -- I know it sounds fairly crazy. Honestly, I don't blame the high amount of drug trafficking in Atlanta solely on the highway system. There's a general agreement that the highway system in Atlanta makes it more attractive as a drug hub, but obviously there are other factors involved.
What I was suggesting is that, among the many down sides to having a transportation system and built environment that so primarily focuses on the mobility of cars, there is also the fact that the number of interstates leading to the metro facilitates drug trafficking.
And though it may be pie-in-the-sky dreaming on my part, I'd still like to see at least a little bit of intown interstate infrastructure removed some day. Or, more accurately, I'd like to see the city's format grow in such a way that there's less of a need to focus on a high volume of cars driving to it or through it. If that scenario lessens Atlanta's appeal for drug traffickers, that's icing on the cake.
Location: Mableton, GA USA (NW Atlanta suburb, 4 miles OTP)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cqholt
The private prison industry makes a ton of money off the petty, drug related lock ups. That is 1 rthing that is holding legalization back.
Just because a business exists now doesn't mean it should exist in perpetuity. Horse harness makers had to deal with a changing marketplace a century ago. Maybe it's time for the for-profit prison system to go the way of the dodo as well?
There are quite a few differences between horse harness makers and prisons.
Even in the unlikely case anything changes, it would take decades to dismantle that system.
Just because a business exists now doesn't mean it should exist in perpetuity. Horse harness makers had to deal with a changing marketplace a century ago. Maybe it's time for the for-profit prison system to go the way of the dodo as well?
I do support the for-profit prison system, I was stating that it is a big lobbyist and will influence legislators. America has the most people locked up of any industrialized country, very sad that drug convictions are locked up with violent crime offenders.
My dad is on the night shift, and going in, he'll see a lot of cars pulled over in the emergency lane, sometimes two together. Our guess is that there is a drug deal going down. On my morning commutes, I never see that many vehicles stalled or in a wreck so what is it that causes far more vehicles, out of a far smaller population of vehicles to "stall" or have wrecks??? It's hard to enforce though as most patrol officers are patrolling solo and I doubt anyone would want to approach a suspected, and possibly armed, drug deal alone.
Legalization isn't the answer. If marijuana suddenly becomes legal, then what about cocaine? Maybe legalize heroine next? Oh, and we can legalize opium after that! Drugs serve no purpose in society; neither does tobacco, but at least its damaging effects are long-term, you don't get spaced out and high off tobacco. Alcohol gets you drunk, but at least drunkenness is fairly obvious, and field-testable. Other than laziness, there's no reason to allow drugs like these in our society.
Let people make their own choices. If they choose to smoke and snort and inject then so be it. I agree, the fight against drugs is quite useless. We waste so much money on the drug fight. The fight will never be won.
Just some thoughts on legalizing pot. Try to remember, some strains of pot have anywhere from a 13-32% THC content? This is NOTHING like the lung burning shake your parents used to irritate their throats with. I'm not sure I want I-285 25% full of drivers under the influence of anything to include pot. Driving impairment is just that, impairment. You can have a beer or two and maintain. Try having a hit or two of island madness and you are cooked....for hours.....
Be it alcohol, pot, pills, whatever, it puts others at risk and therefore ends your right to gamble with their lives. Get over it. Ain't going to happen. It's a laughable argument and you know it.
Taxes. This is fools gold. Prime example is smoking. Tax revenues pulled in from tobacco in 2009 was slightly over a billion....with a b. sounds like a lot, doesn't it? It is. However, that very same year, we spent 16 BILLION treating patients with tobacco related illnesses. Putting hot smoke into ones lungs damages the cilia lining and passageways as much as any irritant. Couple that with a thick resin residue and it can't be good over time. Just can't. You can't make this math work. At least cigarettes do not impair driving, just the scent of their clothes. No, taxing pot will never, ever offset the cost to treat the respiratory illnesses that will follow some few decades later. Try again. It's a bad argument. And as far as taxes taking the incentive to grow out is not true. The minute the cost rises high enough due to taxes, black market pot will enter. It's easy to grow and distribute pot. Alcohol? Not so much. It's too tempting so this anticipated windfall of revenue is a myth. Market forces would make a government program either sell it dirt cheap thus lowering the taxes or, induce black market pot by raising the price. Just can't win in the herb market. Won't happen.
Finally, the alcohol argument. Alcohol is much, much easier to control. God knows the trouble it causes and without a doubt, is the most widely abused drug in America, however it IS tightly controlled and unless you buy moonshine, the quality and relative proofing and safety of product are clear. Now, open that up to everyone's backyard. Quality and distribution would be a free for all. You, the consumer will never, ever really know what they are getting. And most won't care if it has mites or chemicals laden in the pot for increased potency.
Legalizing pot for any of these reasons fails on paper. Save legal pot for truly medicinal purposes of alieving pain for the truly suffering I have no problem with. It's compassionate and can be controlled. I'm not all that concerned about someone having a few puffs in their house and staying put anymore than those who have a few drinks. Just be responsible. Don't drive and put yourself and others at risk. You don't have that many rights.
Legalization while interesting just doesn't make sense.
I'm not sure I want I-285 25% full of drivers under the influence of anything to include pot. Driving impairment is just that, impairment. You can have a beer or two and maintain. Try having a hit or two of island madness and you are cooked....for hours.....
Be it alcohol, pot, pills, whatever, it puts others at risk and therefore ends your right to gamble with their lives. Get over it. Ain't going to happen. It's a laughable argument and you know it.
I completely agree that nobody has the right to drive while impaired. But having a few shots of tequila makes a person cooked...for hours... too. Experienced, responsible pot smokers -- like experienced, responsible drinkers -- know how to control their intake, and when they've had too much to drive.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Caleb Longstreet
However, that very same year, we spent 16 BILLION treating patients with tobacco related illnesses. Putting hot smoke into ones lungs damages the cilia lining and passageways as much as any irritant. Couple that with a thick resin residue and it can't be good over time. Just can't.
You can't compare tobacco-related illness with smoking pot, because the quantity of weed smoked is a tiny fraction of tobacco use. I don't know anyone who smokes the equivalent of a pack a day of weed. In addition, many people eat it instead of smoking. Sure, hot smoke of any kind is bad for you. But the decision to ingest it should be up to the individual, not the government.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Caleb Longstreet
The minute the cost rises high enough due to taxes, black market pot will enter. It's easy to grow and distribute pot. Alcohol? Not so much.
Finally, the alcohol argument. Alcohol is much, much easier to control. God knows the trouble it causes and without a doubt, is the most widely abused drug in America, however it IS tightly controlled and unless you buy moonshine, the quality and relative proofing and safety of product are clear. Now, open that up to everyone's backyard. Quality and distribution would be a free for all. You, the consumer will never, ever really know what they are getting. And most won't care if it has mites or chemicals laden in the pot for increased potency.
It's easy to grow pot, but it's not easy to grow good pot, in quantities large enough to distribute. The stuff people grow in their backyards is not enough to be a quality concern.
Alcohol is easier to control, because we've been doing it for years. Controlling the quality and safety of weed is not impossible, we'd just need to put the time and resources into figuring out how. While it continues to be illegal, users have no idea what they're getting and no recourse if it's bad. Legalizing it would make it safer, not the other way around.
Just some thoughts on legalizing pot. Try to remember, some strains of pot have anywhere from a 13-32% THC content? This is NOTHING like the lung burning shake your parents used to irritate their throats with. I'm not sure I want I-285 25% full of drivers under the influence of anything to include pot. Driving impairment is just that, impairment. You can have a beer or two and maintain. Try having a hit or two of island madness and you are cooked....for hours.....
Be it alcohol, pot, pills, whatever, it puts others at risk and therefore ends your right to gamble with their lives. Get over it. Ain't going to happen. It's a laughable argument and you know it.
Taxes. This is fools gold. Prime example is smoking. Tax revenues pulled in from tobacco in 2009 was slightly over a billion....with a b. sounds like a lot, doesn't it? It is. However, that very same year, we spent 16 BILLION treating patients with tobacco related illnesses. Putting hot smoke into ones lungs damages the cilia lining and passageways as much as any irritant. Couple that with a thick resin residue and it can't be good over time. Just can't. You can't make this math work. At least cigarettes do not impair driving, just the scent of their clothes. No, taxing pot will never, ever offset the cost to treat the respiratory illnesses that will follow some few decades later. Try again. It's a bad argument. And as far as taxes taking the incentive to grow out is not true. The minute the cost rises high enough due to taxes, black market pot will enter. It's easy to grow and distribute pot. Alcohol? Not so much. It's too tempting so this anticipated windfall of revenue is a myth. Market forces would make a government program either sell it dirt cheap thus lowering the taxes or, induce black market pot by raising the price. Just can't win in the herb market. Won't happen.
Finally, the alcohol argument. Alcohol is much, much easier to control. God knows the trouble it causes and without a doubt, is the most widely abused drug in America, however it IS tightly controlled and unless you buy moonshine, the quality and relative proofing and safety of product are clear. Now, open that up to everyone's backyard. Quality and distribution would be a free for all. You, the consumer will never, ever really know what they are getting. And most won't care if it has mites or chemicals laden in the pot for increased potency.
Legalizing pot for any of these reasons fails on paper. Save legal pot for truly medicinal purposes of alieving pain for the truly suffering I have no problem with. It's compassionate and can be controlled. I'm not all that concerned about someone having a few puffs in their house and staying put anymore than those who have a few drinks. Just be responsible. Don't drive and put yourself and others at risk. You don't have that many rights.
Legalization while interesting just doesn't make sense.
Are you serious? Alcohol is legal but drinking and driving is illegal... same laws can apply for being stoned and driving.
Also taxes. Some taxes collected are better than no taxes collected. Currently, drug enforcement is just an expenditure.
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