Do a lot of people in CO smoke pot? Should MJ be legal? (Aspen: limo, taxis)

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by CosmicWizard

President Obama won't go after Washington or Colorado for making pot legal.

I saw that too, he said the govt has bigger fish to fry and doesn't want to interfere in what the states have authorized.

Interesting how the politics *might* now play out....
- Huge backlash from the public that forces his hand and makes him crack down, or maybe
- GOP goes ballistic on him for whatever reason they wish and the GOP incurs the backlash, further losing cred with younger voters.
- GOP caught in a catch-22, i.e., they holler about "states rights" but here is Obama honoring what two states have legalized.
- Nothing much happens, everyone shrugs, life goes on, smoke'm if ya gottem.

[Josseppie]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

I saw that too, he said the govt has bigger fish to fry and doesn't want to interfere in what the states have authorized.

Interesting how the politics *might* now play out....
- Huge backlash from the public that forces his hand and makes him crack down, or maybe
- GOP goes ballistic on him for whatever reason they wish and the GOP incurs the backlash, further losing cred with younger voters.
- GOP caught in a catch-22, i.e., they holler about "states rights" but here is Obama honoring what two states have legalized.
- Nothing much happens, everyone shrugs, life goes on, smoke'm if ya gottem.

Overall I have not seen much of any backlash not only in Colorado or the state of Washington but all over the nation. So I don't think anything will happen.

[CosmicWizard]

Josseppie wrote: Overall I have not seen much of any backlash not only in Colorado or the state of Washington but all over the nation. So I don't think anything will happen.

If there is a lash in any direction, I think it will be a forwardlash with more states following the lead of Colorado and Washington. The time has come to the tell the pharmaceutical industry to f*ck off.

[DurangoJoe]

Originally Posted by CosmicWizard

Josseppie wrote: Overall I have not seen much of any backlash not only in Colorado or the state of Washington but all over the nation. So I don't think anything will happen.

If there is a lash in any direction, I think it will be a forwardlash with more states following the lead of Colorado and Washington. The time has come to the tell the pharmaceutical industry to f*ck off.

I would agree CW. I don't see any sort of backlash, especially given the approval levels for both recreational & medical cannabis.

More states will be be following CO & WA fairly quickly. It's already being discussed in MA and New England in general only has one state that doesn't now have medical cannabis (New Hampshire). It will happen just like alcohol and as more & more states legalize, it will no longer be a big deal. At some point down the road, the feds will quietly relax everything and seek taxation.

Ten years from now, people will be looking back with wonder and laughing about how stupid the entire jihad against cannabis was and lament all of the lives ruined by the 75 year prohibition.

All in due time......

[Josseppie]

I agree with both of you on that!

[GJJG2012]

[quote=VenusAllen;220050
I have a very close, near middle-aged, family member who has suffered from severe anxiety, depression, and social phobia her entire life and weed has proven to be the ONLY panacea, for her. She has been prescribed numerous medications through "legitimate" sources, none of which worked and most of which exacerbated her problems. She never drives or works while under the influence so what's the harm? Could it be that this is a control issue? Here is a "drug" that cures her conditions, doesn't infringe on anyone else, and yet she is a criminal...go figure.

The next angry pothead I run into will be my first, but I can point to hundreds of angry alcohol drinkers I've met, and there are reasons for that. Potheads are generally calm and there has never been an instance of a pot "overdose". As a rule, we aren't involved in violent acts because we are simply too mellow after getting high. Leave those of us who will NEVER affect your life to our safe, sometimes therapeutic, vice.[/quote]


There are plenty of angry potheads, but they are the ones who've gone too long without it, because of price, not being able to find it, not willing to go to dangerous neighborhoods in the middle of the night, not wanting to be locked up if caught, etc.

It's sad that most who are strongly against it would refuse to read even 1 good medical study. Fact-free opinions seem to be the most cherished right for half the population.

The US Dispensatory of 1851 recommended cannabis for all mental problems, according to book "Licit & Illicit Drugs", published by Consumers Union (the Consumer Reports people) in the early '70s.

Some police officers still lobby saying very dangerous drug with no known medical use, despite 1,000+ studies (see Granny Storm Crow's list), verifiable anecdotes, use by over 1 billion people since our earliest recorded history without a single verifiable death as a direct result. For 120+ medical conditions, it can work better than pills (rxmarijuana.com). Wikipedia had much good info, sources must be cited.

[DentalFloss]

Originally Posted by GJJG2012

Some police officers still lobby saying very dangerous drug with no known medical use

Actually, most cops I know (and for some strange reason, I know a surprising number of them) are looking forward to retiring, so they can smoke up lol.

[GJJG2012]

Originally Posted by Josseppie

Overall I have not seen much of any backlash not only in Colorado or the state of Washington but all over the nation. So I don't think anything will happen.

Where I live, police union purchases the guv every time, so people with many medical problems like me that are not adequately helped by Docs & Big Pharma get their choice of committing suicide or moving far away from friends & family & everything familiar. Time poll: 25% of Americans say they are in chronic pain.

Years ago a DEA agent told me that their instructions were don't bother to prosecute if under 500 plants or 500 lbs. But the DEA comes if requested by state, county, or municipal law enforcement. So they watch as local LEOs arrest, & claim Feds made them do it when that is not true.

The police should realize that a reasonable tax on MJ, with them getting a significant % of the money, would get them more $$ than seizing cash, cars & houses from some who grow a few plants to treat their medical conditions. Still, we imprison at 5 times the average rate due to phony war on some drugs.

Just several months ago, police & DEA raided, threatened, or shut down 100s of medical MJ dispensaries.

A recent poll said 1 in 6 admit to being MJ users. A CNN online poll said 96% say it should be legal for all adults, 2% medical only, 2% illegal for all. Yet over 98% voted for a keep prohibition president.

[Captain_Fingers]

Originally Posted by GJJG2012

A recent poll said 1 in 6 admit to being MJ users. A CNN online poll said 96% say it should be legal for all adults, 2% medical only, 2% illegal for all. Yet over 98% voted for a keep prohibition president.

This is a good example of statistics being used to mislead. The fact that 98% of the people voted for either Obama ot Romney is a total non-indicator of thier views on cannabis legalization; correlation does not mean causality.

We all know that there were more intensely hyped issues during this campaign, that campaign money flowed mainly to Obama and Romney, and that third party candidates were not even allowed to debate.

[Captain_Fingers]

Originally Posted by Josseppie

Overall I have not seen much of any backlash not only in Colorado or the state of Washington but all over the nation. So I don't think anything will happen.

Thats great to hear! Have you noticed an increase in openness, assuming thats even possible?