Gwinnett Solicitor on Marijuana

[brownhornet]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Good luck, Dreamer. The U.S. already has one of the highest rates of weed use in the world (16.5%) but maybe that is the brave new world.

I certainly don't want people locked up for pot but doubt that encouraging its further use is a good thing.

And this means what lol. Countries all over the world are legalizing marijuana because they realize how stupid it is for it to be illegal anyways. Let me ask you a question and im not being funny at all here. Are you a black male? If so, if you've done any research, you do know the reason why marijuana was outlawed to begin with, right? It's just kinda funny to me where people choose to pick their battles. If you're this adamant against marijuana then surely you're pro medical opiates being shut down right? And alcohol, and tobacco, and fried chicken, po boys, fried pork chops, macaroni and cheese, chicken and dressing, etc. But realistically, ALL of these things kill more people yearly than weed. With black people alone in the south high cholesterol, heart disease and hypertension kill more people yearly 1000 times over than weed ever will. But somehow, I don't see people with an agenda against Popeyes or KFC.

[DJDeadParrot]

Originally Posted by arjay57

The fact that I believe pot should be decriminalized doesn't mean that I endorse it or recommend that people go through life stoned.

Originally Posted by arjay57

But our strategy for maintaining global competitiveness is to encourage pot smoking?

Originally Posted by arjay57

I certainly don't want people locked up for pot but doubt that encouraging its further use is a good thing.

Who is endorsing or encouraging its use?

[flamadiddle]

Originally Posted by DJDeadParrot

Who is endorsing or encouraging its use?

Well, I'll go out on a limb here.

Although everyone is different and my experience may be an outlier, I'd have a tough time not endorsing or encouraging its use "in moderation". Some of the worlds greatest artists and musicians were advocates of marijuana use. The great Louis Armstrong for example! Satchmo loved his weed and it may have contributed to some of the best music ever created. Countless other examples could also be made here...

For me, it induces creativity, makes everything more interesting, gets me motivated and creates a third person experience where I'm able to step outside the box and evaluate where I'm at in life and contemplate the path I need to take to remain successful. The stereotype of some guy sitting on a couch with a bag of Doritos watching cartoons couldn't be further from the truth. So yeah, while everyone is different and I always advocate moderation, I'll go out on a limb and endorse it. Is that really a bad thing?

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by DJDeadParrot

Who is endorsing or encouraging its use?

Just look at the outrage that arises when I say that I'm not giving people a pat on the back for getting stoned. Are we also supposed to bow down and say, "Oh, yes, being a pothead is a great thing, please get stoned."

Why isn't it enough to simply decriminalize it? As I've said a gazillion times, just treat it like alcohol and tobacco.

[flamadiddle]

Big news today at the Federal level...

Key Committee In Congress Approves Marijuana Legalization Bill

https://www.forbes.com/sites/javierh.../#276e87e52c35

[markjames68]

Legalize and tax it. I don’t use weed but we need to stop these draconian approaches to enforcement.

At the same time, employers should still be OK to demand drug-free workplaces if they so choose.

[DreamerD]

Originally Posted by flamadiddle

Big news today at the Federal level...

Key Committee In Congress Approves Marijuana Legalization Bill

https://www.forbes.com/sites/javierh.../#276e87e52c35

I hope that this passes the House. I'm not sure if it will the Senate as it stands. I would hope that Georgia tries to emulate this bill regarding helping people who have mostly been impacted by this war-black men. It would be pretty upsetting to see these corporations immediately get all the licenses and spaces to benefit while the people who have been arrested and faced criminalization and the aftermath of it get nothing.

Originally Posted by markjames68

Legalize and tax it. I don’t use weed but we need to stop these draconian approaches to enforcement.

At the same time, employers should still be OK to demand drug-free workplaces if they so choose.

I don't use it either but demanding a drug-free workplace as you say is part of the draconian approaches to enforcement you speak of. I understand not coming to work under the influence, but you are saying it's okay for a company to be able to fire someone for thc in their system regardless if they are not under the influence at the time of work.

[markjames68]

Originally Posted by DreamerD

I don't use it either but demanding a drug-free workplace as you say is part of the draconian approaches to enforcement you speak of. I understand not coming to work under the influence, but you are saying it's okay for a company to be able to fire someone for thc in their system regardless if they are not under the influence at the time of work.

I don’t “demand” a drug-free workplace, but it’s an option for employers. Don’t like it? Don’t work there.

Assuming we get toward legalization it would be tough for most employers to do enforcement anyway except for safety-related jobs, and ones involving transportation.

Today, pilots are potentially subjected to breathalyzer tests. I’d expect the same for pot.

[brownhornet]

Most jobs couldnt care less if people use weed anyways. They only test for cheaper insurance.

[DreamerD]

Originally Posted by markjames68

I don’t “demand” a drug-free workplace, but it’s an option for employers. Don’t like it? Don’t work there.

Assuming we get toward legalization it would be tough for most employers to do enforcement anyway except for safety-related jobs, and ones involving transportation.

Today, pilots are potentially subjected to breathalyzer tests. I’d expect the same for pot.

That's easy for some people to say because their industy typically does not drug test often and so they can work for someone else. If I worked in construction, it would leave me very few options.