LOL OK, Wulfe, you first-
An ounce or less of cannabis is an infraction in California. In fact the ticket you'll get for posession of an open container of alcohol will cost you as much as the ticket you get for posessing a small quantity of pot- if you get ticketed at all. Really, you aren't the focus of the WoD. In fact the police in my area don't have time to bust casual users of pot, or in fact to even bust many of the indoor operations growing pot.
Now let's take your wish to go out and smoke pot as readily as I can stop at a bar and drink a beer. You agree neither of us should drive under the influence of ANY subject. OK, so I have my customary two beers after work and I drive home- still sober, my impairment from two beers is negligable. You, OTOH, drop into the corner bar, light up a joint- and, you'll agree, you get stoned, right? Well, what condition are YOU in to drive on home? Is this safe? Personally I'm glad you're confined to your home to safely smoke pot.
Comparing Cannabis to Alcohol is comparing apples and oranges. In fact law enforcement realizes the concequences of drunk driving and it's a certainty you will do some jail time if you get caught driving while drunk. By your own example- you standing on your back porch getting stoned- the most that might happen to you is you get your pot taken away and issued a citation. Most likely a cop will tell you to confine your smoking to indoors. OTOH, stand out on your back porch swigging Jack Daniels and guess what? You are going to jail for being drunk in public. Due to liability that's simply SOP nowadays.
Wolfe, I appreciate your arguements for decriminalization and I agree we have substances currently legal whose effects on individuals and society are much worse than cannabis. But the penalties now against the casual user are so mild that I'm sure you'll agree that the risk of getting busted for smoking a joint in the privacy of your own home is pretty remote.
Nifty, concerning the girl who OD'd on Ecstacy- How could she have been saved by capitulating to the War on Drugs? We also have a War on Illiteracy. We also have a War on Teenage Pregnacy. We also have a War on Hunger. And you know what? We still have pregnant teens, illiteracy and hunger. Should we just give up?
I agree with you that education is tantamount, but doesn't it seem hypocritical to preach the ills of a substance (Ecstacy) while at the same time decriminializing a similar substance (Cannabis) that are linked together not only by the opponets of cannabis but also by its proponents? Ah yes- a political football kicked back and forth by both sides.
N1kpaz, how much did you spend on booze last night? Please, pot is pretty cheap. To imply you could go drinking for less than you can buy pot for is wrong.
Dead, actually i appreciated the post. In no way does it diminish the problems drug addiction has on society, so I was responding to the downplaying of that aspect of drugs. However, "Troll King?" LOL Please, this is no troll. This is a serious issue that one side sees as a hurdle to overcome for personal freedom and the other side sees as a gate that if opened will allow the further erosion of our society.
