Submitted by Quinn Symonds of Mason City –
Today the news broke, or at least the silence did. A super secret project between myself a city councilman and a high ranking member of Iowa’s NORML was leaked. Nick Taiber, a Cedar Falls councilperson reached out to me and my group a few months back about a project. He had some serious concerns that I couldn’t ignore. He told me some things that I knew already but did a great job of putting it into perspective.
Basically prohibition is racist, and prohibition in Iowa is as racist as it gets. The facts are this, in Iowa blacks make up less than 5% of the actual population, but make up more than 25% of the prison population. Usage of marijuana between races in Iowa is virtually equal, yet blacks are 8.53 times more likely to get arrested as white people, and in his city where he helps govern the stats are even worse.
This led civil rights groups like the Cedar Valley group for Undoing Racism to reach out to him because they knew as a libertarian leaning councilmember he would be sympathetic to ending the war on drugs. That led Nick to my group, Iowa First, asking for any help that we could provide. Well, we will have our decriminalization bill completed within the next few weeks to be presented. It is professional and thorough, and legal for any city in Iowa to implement.
Now you can argue whatever angle you want to say there isn’t racism involved, I would actually ask that you do. My challenge for you though, is to do it in a non-racist manner. You could argue an education and poverty gap, you could also argue that young black folks are just more scared of police than white people. If you want to call reverse racism there, however there are studies that show that police are more likely to shoot black people than white people too. Getting back on track I personally blame the quotas given to the drug task teams to appropriate their funding from state and federal agencies, scared young black people make easy targets.
So what makes this so unique? Well we have a councilman jumping through all the hoops to get something done for the people of his community. His city government is a bit different than what we are used to up here by Mason City, his is a mayor strong government. In Mason City and from what I understand most surrounding communities we have a council strong government. So for Nick it’s a little bit harder, but he’s trying and that speaks mountains towards his personal integrity.
For something like this to pass in Mason City All we would need is a super majority vote between the council members. Four council members to say ok, that will work. Sounds easy right, not really. Council members in Mason City have done a great job of insulating themselves. I have never gotten so much as a reply from an email, and when I see one after a meeting they run. Kuhn does talk to me however, but it’s usually at a democrat event and I’m usually gushing over his wonderfully sculpted hair. And honestly if any of these councilmembers want to play the victim card against me, I want to hear it.
So how do you get the attention of your council when they don’t pay attention and a simple super majority vote would decriminalize marijuana in Mason City as well? Well I could write a long blog calling them out like I am now. I could also include many points showing how other councilmembers across Iowa are working hard for their citizens like I am now. I could spend the rest of my time talking about how police could better spend their time patrolling for real criminals. After all, it would help out our city in more ways than one. We did embarrassingly lose our human rights commission, this would certainly make our city look more progressive than regressive. It would keep our jails less full by making simple possessions like a parking ticket up to certain amounts. Not victimless crimes like smoking a bowl before bed, or even ease pain that currently “legal” medications in Iowa don’t help.
I’m also a big fan of bringing back community service for offenders. I know our highways need cleaning. I wasn’t impressed finding a Fazoli’s cup out by Indianhead Square 10 years after it had been closed when I adopted a portion of the highway. I know the fairgrounds could use some help cleaning, as well as our many parks could use some free help. The bill is nearing its completion and will be done within the next week, maybe two and will be very malleable for any city in Iowa to use, in fact we encourage you reach out to us to use it.
The point is, this is what good local government looks like. I would love to see several Nick Taibors sitting on our council guiding our city. Even in a council strong government like ours he would be able to make a larger impact. Our council has a lot to learn from him and silly me, I admire his courage and dedication and I’m proud to be part of this movement.
I forgot to ask…In your “studies of pot smokers” did you per chance ask them how much alcohol mommy drank or meth she used while pregnant? Or do you just choose to blame pot?
@Watchdog,pot does NOT cause birth defects. Obviously your friends brains are lacking power from alcohol useage. Pot is the safest of any drugs. It’s non addictive, non narcotic& has many health benefits. I’m not against legalizing it. I just think having our city council work on the would be a HUGE waste of time. Alcohol & meth cause more problems.
Good Lord! LOL!Aren’t we glad this fool didn’t win a council or mayor seat! LOL! What a dumb ********. I really think our council has much more pressing issues to work on than pot. What good would it do to waste time on this when the Iowa Board of Medicine won’t even pursue it for medical reasons. And it’s still illegal Federally. duuuuuuh. Best laugh I’ve had in a long time. Thanks Q I needed a good laugh.
So you folks thing pot is so wonderful.
Talk to the parents who have handicapped/challenged children about the effects of pot use. It is one of society’s dirty secrets and it isn’t pretty.
I have visited with many parents who were previous pot smokers that have handicapped kids due to pot use. These parents don’t speak out but they should. Then again, they bear a terrible burden.
Making pot legal is yet another sign of the deterioration of our society.
@watchdog-It is good to hear from you again. I too have noticed problems in the children of people who were on drugs when the child was born. They seem to have behavior/emotional problems that other kids do not. They also have trouble with learning skills. One thing I have noticed is it seems to be time related. It gets worse as they get older. They should be so proud that they did this to their kids just to get high for awhile.
Fetal alcohol syndrome stats? No one is saying pregnant mothers should ingest anything other than clean healthy organic food. But this argument is primarily directed at the decriminalization of simple possession or growing of marijuana so peoples lives aren’t needlessly ruined and stigmatized.
@Philly-stats hell-I am talking about things I have witnessed personally and in some cases even in my own family. People who have ingested drugs during pregnancy seem to have a lot of troubled children with a lot of emotional issues and some learning and speech deficiency’s. I really think it is part of the problem where we are seeing some many children of anti-depressants and other drugs at a early age. Just seems to be a lot of kids with issues. many more than when I was a child.
Why all the comments about pot, pro or con? The answer to Symond’s proposal is moot, do you really think a city ordinance trumps state and federal law? What is this crap about racism and other babble? I can’t believe this moron once ran for office.
Quinn
I hope the bill that you are helping to co-write has a well defined OWI section. If not, there is still a large amount of racial profiling that could occur, despite decriminalization. For instance, a reading of 5 nano grams or more would result in an OWI under the laws set in Colorado. You can have remnant THC in your system long after all of marijuana’s effects have diminished.
My point is this; an officer could lock someone up because weed is present in a users system, even if they aren’t impaired at the time. What if the officer is having a bad day, doesn’t like your ethnicity, or feels hatred because you look like the guy who slept with his wife. Why not test to see if you could get someone you dislike off the street. I’m not saying that these scenarios are common, I’m just stating that they happen. I hope that you gain success in pursuing decriminalization in…
Make sure you watch the whole video, all the way to the end.
Does NIT not understand the difference between legalization and decriminalization? The pot stirring picture above with Tornquist has the caption, “…legalized marijuana…”. The idea being introduced is decriminalization, not legalization. There’s a big difference here. Decriminalization is a good stepping stone though.
Aw look-Philamena’s alter ego is here. Might have known you would come out of your hole.
Since my above comment is of course “awaiting moderation” here again the video I’d like you to watch LVS.
Watch these grandmas in Washington State try cannabis for the first time, watch them turn into drug addicts and thieves right before your eyes! SCARY STUFF!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRBAZJ4lF0U
I watched the video and you can’t tell me that smoking pot will not have an effect on a person while driving. I also saw another video earlier today that I can’t find right now where a man rear ended a DOT officer and was killed, he was found to be high on pot.
I’m for 100% legalization of cannabis but I am in completely agreement that no one should be behind the wheel while under the influence of it. It is true that you can build a tolerance and a more seasoned user can function more “normally” than these ladies are, however that still doesn’t justify it in my opinion. Cannabis is harmless to the user, the it impairs judgement which could lead to harm upon others.
Your comment was reported as offensive 3 times by other NIT readers. It’s been deleted.
Did you view the video? Did you find it offensive?
I thought it was adorable, as a matter of fact I shared it on Iowa NORML’s Facebook page. To be fair though there was some naughty language when they were playing their game.
I saw it and it was nothing but play acting. I especially liked all of the dumb comments by brain dead pinheaded doppers.
I saw it too, don’t know why anybody would complain about it.
Every fact in the world can’t stop you from believing a lie, can it?
I watched the video…that was hilarious, and adorable. I could totally see some of my relatives trying marijuana when it becomes legal in Iowa. They always joke about it in a curious way as it is, and they are all into their late 60’s, 70’s and even 80’s.
Obviously, LVS is not in favor of decriminalization based upon their judgement of character. They think everyone is going to become a pothead. They believe everyone who smokes pot is going to rob them. They think everyone who smokes pot is going to get behind a wheel and hit someone.
The propaganda against cannabis displayed over the past century has been proven inconsistent with the actual truth time and time again. We have access to too much information to be ignorant. Legalization is…
Hi Quinn,
Call me or email when you get a chance. I want to talk about this bill
Mike Anderson
Reporter
WCF Courier
Smoke, smoke, smoke that pot.
Somebody has to deliver those pizzas.
So, before we decide on what is best for our community I challenge you to become educated and then make the choice. If not sit back, shut up and watch the show cause you have never did anything for your community anyways naysayers. I have, will, and continue to be involved making our community a better place. As for marijuana decriminalization is a great start. Do some research angry ignorant and then come back with some validity and poignant questions. Do not come back with false claims.
Ignorance runs rampant when we discuss decriminalization. Those who like to name call do so because facts and information escape them. I believe in what you are doing, and backing Nick in Cedar Falls is a great thing. I, and many of my friends, have entrusted those in our city to make decisions on information we simply do not have time to digest and put into action at the level they can. That is why we vote them in; they are supposed to represent our best interests and make educated decisions.
What a bunch of babbling BS! What are you REALLY trying to say Quinn
A.) White people are all racist ‘the black folks’ (your words!) are getting a raw deal.
Or B.) White people need to smoke more dope, and we can count on the black folks to bring it to us if we leave them alone.
My Gawd you’re an idiot…a BABBLING idiot, this entire article should embarrass you enough to stay in your room for the next 6 months to detox yourself.
I’m sorry if that’s your takeaway from my writing.
Just a friendly reminder to play nice here on NIT. Let’s not engage in too much name-calling, please.
I’ll allow it :p
@Buzz: They are only pulling you over for that loud muffler because they want to check for your insurance card and make sure you don’t have any pot.
We do not need to legalize pot in this city. It is no damn wonder that no one voted for you. We have plenty of stoners running around stealing from people who worked for their possession’s. We don’t need to make it legal.
LVS, again you do not know what you’re talking about. Please look up the word “decriminalization”. No one is saying Marijuana should be legal in Mason City. You would still pay a fine or do community work. You would NOT do jail time. And, to top it off, your name would still appear in the paper.
You just can’t help yourself, can you?
@JMO-do you really want to start with me again? Get off your high horse. We all know you are a stoner and a drugger so back off and do your drugs. I don’t need any crap from a paranoid schitzo.
Not everyone that is pro marijuana is a smoker.
Exactly, Quinn.
I’ve told this story before, but I’ll repeat it:
A best friend of mine died from cancer several years ago. She was suffering big time from the chemo and loss of appetite. Another friend gave her some cannabis and we couldn’t believe how much it helped her. The nausea was gone & she could eat. She had QUALITY of life in her last months. It made me a believer.
Does this mean I use cannabis? NO. But if I ever need chemo I’ll be more than willing to try it.
tried to cover your butt their didn’t you?
John, I made a promise to my friend who used cannabis to relieve the effects of chemotherapy. I told her I would support any and all efforts to legalize medical marijuana in all 50 states. While I’m not against legalizing recreational marijuana, a good start would be to allow everyone in the country to have access to this natural pain relieving herb. It needs to happen, and it needs to happen soon.
I’m sorry if you misunderstood my response.
I lost the election because I chose to run an election on ideas and ideals against an establishment and anti establishment candidate where people where too fixated on personalities and drama than issues that matter. I ran a clean campaign and I’m proud. Now do you have any facts to back up your claims of stoners stealing from cars or is that a generalization that you’ve made that all thief’s must be stoners
@Quinn-Can you read? Do you look at N.I.T.? Are you blind or just choose to ignore the obvious/? You can’t prove a single thing you said and there is proof about what I said everywhere you look. You sound just like Philly. Are you sure you are not him?
I’m cowriting a bill for decriminalization in Cedar Falls. You honestly think I can’t back up my claims with facts?
Quinn would have made a much, much better mayor than Crookmayor. Then again, so would my cat Mitzy.
@Matt-That is not saying much. But the voters didn’t elect him or Max and Max would have been better than both of them put together. You would have been better than any of them in my unbiased opinion. Maybe next time.
Max would have been bored as mayor. He would have been much better running as at large where he could have had a bigger impact.
Mayors are powerful positions. They run proceedings, and can gavel down any speaker. They can get exclusive audience to each council member, and can deliver long eloquent speeches setting the tone and spirit for the city and chamber. They can act as ambassadors for business, and can summon the media at a moment’s notice. If you know how to work the Mayor position properly, you can do wonders.
Yes, perhaps. I wish people would quit asking me if I am running against Kuhn next year. I really haven’t made up my mind yet.
Well evidently the intelligent voters didn’t buy your bs. What issues did you run on? I watched the election fiasco from the NIT gang. Quinn you were nothing more than a patsy for Matt to take votes from the incumbants. Just like this garbage. Most likely it’s a set up to make MC look like fools for trying to decrim pot. I expect the next NIT headline story to be “MC council wastes time trying to decriminalize marijuana instead of more important issues.”
Good article, it will be very interesting to read/see how this turns out. The legalization of marijuana in Iowa, and other states is coming, whether we like it or not.
Guys its coming no matter what there is no stopping it. And honestly why should it be stopped? if you want it out of the hands of children then put an age on it and regulate it. Drug dealers don’t check for an I.D. Taxes from selling it would just go to good things like hospitals and schools. I say let the people smoke if they want to smoke. If you prefer to drink then have a drink . Prohibition didn’t work then and it’s not working now.
We really, really don’t need more marijuana here in Mason City Iowa, we already have far to many issues without adding a new one. I also have a very hard time believing that 4 council members would even vote for that to be legal in our town. Even if by some miracle it were to pass here it is still illegal federally. You still would not be able to get high and drive or go to work high. So as i see it the only reason anyone would want to legalize it is to make it easier to get.
I very much agree with “We don’t need that” Its only asking for more trouble.
Guys its coming no matter what there is no stopping it. And honestly why should it be stopped? if you want it out of the hands of children then put an age on it and regulate it. Drug dealers don’t check for an I.D. Taxes from selling it would just go to good things like hospitals and schools. I say let the people smoke if they want to smoke. If you prefer to drink then have a drink . Prohibition didn’t work then and it’s not working now.
Actually the correct pecking order would be municipality/county, state, then federal. But decriminalizing marijuana by a city council would send a strong political message to Des Moines and the rest of the nation, and would help to facilitate the eventual legalization state wide. Police would still be free to make arrests under Iowa statute, but if they were advised to “low prioritize” marijuana infractions, it would help to form dept policy and attitude.
Soooo, it would be OK to “low prioritize” marijuana infractions, but God help you if a muffler is 1 decibel louder than what you think is proper.
actually it only makes sense, he has no intentions of riding a Harley but he does have the intentions of being a pothead.
@maybe-It is called a stoner and he already is.
What an ignorant comment. How would legalizing it bring an issue of “more marijuana”. Its here, its everywhere and you are just too close minded to see it. Very upstanding people use it for personal reasons and others for medical issues than are proven to be aided by cannabis. legalizing it doesn’t mean its going to be on every corner and shoved down your throat. Its no different than staying away from bars if u don’t approve of drinking poison. Simply dont associate with it, but open your…
@closed mind-Wake up. Marijuana is ILLEGAL in Iowa and on the Federal Level. It is illegal to drive under it’s influence and you can not hold a job if you get tested and are positive. I lost one of the best supervisor’s I ever had because he got caught in a random test and I had to let him go. Is it worth your job, home and family to get high on something that is proving to be more dangerous every day. I just read today that pot smoke is every bit as harmful as tobacco. They are lawbreakers
quit hiding behind laws as your excuse. Laws have never been bound by what is morally correct and incorrect. But yes it is illegal and will cost people those things. But it is their choice to make, not ours. Which is one of many reasons why we should stand behind the decriminalization of marijuana. Its taken a lot away from people who are not violent and have done nothing wrong other than break an immoral law. Yes smoking anything is toxic/harmful to the body? there are other way to intake mary.
It is not their choice when their actions could affect me or my family. If they are stoned and drive down the street and hit one of my family it definitely is my business. If they become addict’s and start stealing from me or mine it becomes my choice. If they go to work hung over and injure one of my family it becomes my business. If the get fired and end up on welfare it becomes my business. If they break into my house or garage to steal my stuff it becomes my business,
cont-if their health gets so bad they end up on disability or Obama’s welfare insurance it becomes my business, if they go out and knock someone up and have have a fatherless child it becomes my business because my taxes will have to help raise the child or they will pay social security and take away from the funding. You really need to wake up or sober up.
@LVS: So by your own admission: “I lost one of the best supervisor’s I ever had because he got caught in a random test and I had to let him go.” Clearly if he was so competent, yet was using marijuana, shouldn’t that wake you up that perhaps the propaganda about marijuana users being “ignorant criminal dope heads” is wrong?
Philosophus, excellent post. I see LVS hasn’t answered it yet.
@JMO-Why would I reply to such a dumb a## comment. He broke the law and lost his job over it. Why would I want a rule breaker in charge of a shop? It doesn’t matter how good I thought he was, he proved I was mistaken. Last I heard he is now a welfare baby trying to get sober. Another life ruined by illegal drugs.
Another life ruined by the ILLEGAL STATUS of marijuana, which is precisely why marijuana should be legalized.
It’s simple logic LVS, that you seem to have trouble understanding. If marijuana were legal, your supervisor would still be working and excelling at his job, yet he was punished, and is now as you say suffering unemployment and welfare status.
Wake up.
This bullshit drug war was precisely why I wasn’t allowed to join the military and serve my country, and subsequently why I developed bitter attitudes towards the military and my country in general. Why can’t you understand how much harm this war against drugs is causing? Do you just not care? I don’t think you do, which is why I have trouble accepting you as a human being. Prove me wrong.
You said that you have seizures, the military’s position on drugs was not the reason you couldn’t get in. You can blame it on them all you want but it comes down to the fact that you were sick.
I was age 23 when I was denied enlistment. I did not have seizures at the time. I only have minor stress-based ones today, that marijuana does alleviate. However, good rest, proper diet also helps as well. I was in Virginia at a recruiters office and the bus pulled up ready to ship me off to processing and boot camp but the recruiter pulled me out of line because he got the criminal report back from Mason City, and I was denied enlistment. I requested Airborne Ranger.
While in AIT my roommate was taken because he was wanted in dallas for murder. If you are a felon or wanted fugitive then you will not be in the military. You blame them for being smart and not taking you when it was your fault to begin with.
Is there no end to your deliberate propaganda? I was coming home from a Grateful Dead concert in Kansas City and I was pulled over by local Mason City police officer for driving under suspended license. I forgot I had a few “hits” of LSD in my cut off army pants pocket (the thigh pocket). I didn’t even do the LSD, just had it from a hippy who gave me it in Kansas. When I changed into the jail house garb, they found it going thru my clothes. Lab tested it positive and I was charged.
First of all I never said what you were charged with, just that you were arrested. Getting caught with LSD is still YOUR fault not the military’s or the mason city police. Man up and accept what you did and stop blaming others for your screwup.
But there is a very reasonable political debate about destroying a man’s patriotism, and ability to serve his country for a simple possession of a controlled substance. Those who are willing to ‘trash out’ millions of humans for possession charges need their head examined, and are only doing so to keep the government controlled by special interest elites. Good old boys drinking beer and driving 4×4’s are much easier to direct and control then free-thinking hippies.
And I am “manning up”…to confront this long-running unjust policy which has mis-characterized and abused citizens for decades. We are all citizens of the United States, and punishing those who have experimented with substances: insinuating they are not fit for government service or full citizenship, is abhorrent, and severely contrived. Not only is the policy unjust, but it is hypocritical and inconsistent (as many soldiers are alcoholics.)
You have it completely backwards as usual. With you it is always someone else’s fault. If he had not smoked the illegal crap to begin with (his decision) and he knew the consequence’s, he would not have tested positive and would not have been fired. He knew the rules and decided he would brake them. Just like you do and have done. It is no one’s fault but your own.
Drugs are illegal, if you get caught doing drugs or carrying drugs you go to jail, thats the law. If you don’t like it then tough. You got caught breaking the law so that makes it your fault, not theirs. Stop being a spoiled little brat and deal with it, you made a choice and it was the wrong one so deal with it and grow up.
You posted your comment on the wrong thread LVS. Your everyday display of ignorance and diminished competence, yet you want everyone to believe your way is the right way?
Although you (and others) may act like a “strict adherent to the rules”, we all know that’s bullarky and changes depending on what laws effect whom…with tailpipes being the most pressing example.
As I brought up in the gun ban scenario, would you turn in your gun if law required you to?
Laws are of men, and can change in a session of Congress. You give weight to the law as if it is a natural law of physics,gravity for example; IT IS NOT. As many have pointed out repeatedly, there have been numerous bad laws which were eventually overturned. Maybe, I believe you have joined LVS in the sinking ship and appear ready to go down with it to a watery political / ideological grave. If you at all possess the ability to reverse yourself by thinking logically, now is the time
Ok I am only going to say this once peter so listen up. I am sick and tired of your rants. You are a broken record. If you don’t like the laws then petition to have them changed, until then you have to obey the laws no matter what they are. Just because a law can be changed doesn’t mean it should be or is a bad law, just because you don’t like it. Either grow up or shut the F up, I am tired of reading your complaining so what I am going to do is STOP reading your complaining.
You cannot win this argument with truth,logic, or fairness, so you probably will resort back to brute thuggishness, and overpowering, which has been the standard modus operandi of those who waged war against “drugs” in the first place. But marijuana is merely a plant, and because alcohol is indeed a drug, and kills many people, along with tobacco…any credibility you may wish to achieve depends first on your declaration of war against alcohol and cigarettes. Will you pledge now?
Ok I am only going to say this once (loud tailpipe owner) so listen up. I am sick and tired of your rants. You are a broken record. If you don’t like the laws then petition to have them changed, until then you have to obey the laws no matter what they are.
Well stated old chap. Now let’s go out there and start writing tickets for violation of
321.436 MUFFLERS, PREVENTION OF NOISE
I’m with you on this one…seriously.
Sorry LVS, I was wrong. I got caught up in the conversation with Maybe, and see that yes indeed you did reply to the correct thread.
Excellent comment. But, just to clarify, they’re not asking for it to be legal. Decriminalization is different.
I’ve stated several times that I don’t use it and I wouldn’t even know where to get it. But if I lived in Colorado or Washington I might try it. More than once I’ve explained about a best friend who was kept alive longer by using cannabis when she was fighting cancer. It gave her an appetite and she was able to eat, thus allowing her several more months.
I was replying to “educate yourselves”.
It simply is a miracle. I use it for my epilepsy. The question i pose is why are we allowed to go home have a drink get all pissed off and cause some domestic violence , but can’t take a load off at the end ofthe day with a joint. I have heard many drunk and disorderly stories, and i have to say stoners are some of the most down to earth people you will ever meet. What would u rather have ur tax money go to a kid rotting in jail for minorposession of pot or see that money goto schools n…
hah yes you are right, 1 step at a time! Its easy to get ahead of myself on this subject when i see soo many uneducated people spreading misinformation. Also i’m very happy to read that cannabis was able to help a friend through a rough misfortune. I hope they were able to do it openly and not feel the need to hide it during a rough time. Best regards to you and your friend.
@educate-I have said many, many times that I have no problem whatsoever with medical marijuana. I just do not believe and no one will ever convince me that recreational pot is good for you or should be legal to use. We just do not need another mind altering drug on the streets.
And all the power to you for your opinion, I also agree that recreational use can be harmful as it can make people lazy and undesired to better their lives, when abused. But other things such as internet, television, fast food, and convenience can all be abused as well. (my opinion) But this opinion shouldn’t tread on the rights of others. People will always find a way to what they want. We shouldnt be spending money on propaganda and enforcing opinions/bad laws that hurt good people….
If you dont want to assoicate with it, then you by all means dont have to. But people should have the right to use it in safety. Going to a dealer who may or may not be associated with unsafe drugs isnt ideal. By legalizing marijuana you are taking money from dealers and putting it back into the community as well as bringing education on the subject instead of ignorantly ignoring that ITS HERE AND ITS NOT GOING AWAY. Who are we to decide what is best for others? So much for freedom?
Educate yourselves please
You are on the right track. If you want to drink , drink. If you’d rather smoke, Smoke. Wanna do neither then don’t. Your human you can make your choice, I use it for epilepsy and it works wonders. Many people use it for many reasons . I say let it be free
@Anon-Glad Medical Marijuana works for you. However, Washington State has published that they have a major problem with marijuana poisoning among teenager’s. They have only legalized medical marijuana and already the kids are ending up in the E.R. with increased heart rates, paranoia and all types of stomach problems. They do not know the long time effects of pot use as yet but they do know that the smoke is just as toxic as tobacco and it affects your brain.
You wouldn’t mind citing a source would you?
Read it on Yahoo News this morning.
LVS: Compare the amount of admittance to the ER by kids presenting with anxiety and some paranoia (not doubting that marijuana can do that to young people) with the amount presenting for alcohol intoxication and auto accidents due to drinking…resulting in serious maiming and death to themselves and innocent motorists. Also compare the amount of rapes and sexual assaults occurring because of teenage drinking. Get all those figures together LVS and look at them side by side.
Nice try at diversion. The discussion is about marijuana not alcohol. Everyone knows about the bad effects of alcohol. But people like you keep on smoking and drinking.
One discussion cannot be had without cross referencing the other, since Cannabis is incorrectly viewed as some sort of “intoxicant” rather than viewed as a medicine and spiritual enlightenment tool. Anything used to excess can be bad. Safe usage of marijuana can be had, and that can only be discussed when it has become decriminalized and legalized. Continually scapegoating it and maligning it with false facts only serves to confuse and obfuscate the true discussion.
Nothing false about my comments. I wouldn’t expect a stoner to understand that.
LVS, I’m not a stoner. I’m in a state where recreational marijuana use isn’t allowed. I haven’t had any for days now, and I have no inclination to want any. It’s propaganda put out to suggest marijuana is addictive. It isn’t. Stop with all the name calling…or should I call you a Dry Drunk? An Alchy? A boozer? A red face? Come on LVS…you’ve been doing so much better lately. I hate to see you regress.
Really? You post it all over N.I.T. and then because you don’t currently have any you think everyone will forget it. Again, I don’t drink, was never a drunk and don’t have a red face. I worked for a living. Paid my taxes, own my home and car (it is not a worn out Geo). Mostly I don’t call you names because I just ignore most of your comments.
Medical marijuana is currently legal for recreational use in CO and WA, not just medical. As of 2015 OR and AK recreational will be legal along with DC. There is no problem in WA. Better metabolism wouldn’t hurt. Thanks for writing this article and trying to help push Mason in the right direction.