Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
You know what rankles me. Our government is so intent on regulating every possible part of my life because it's FOR MY OWN GOOD, yet looks the other way when something someone else does actually can kill another person.
People on another thread were up in arms that cops have to play trivial pursuit and pick up every hardened criminal they see not wearing a seat belt. Raise the fines and mandatory jail sentences even though my not wearing a seat belt potentially hurts no one but me. It's my choice no different than it's my choice if I want to ride a crotch rocket motorbike.
Now, states are legalizing pot, but whenever someone is pulled over "driving after toking" (shortened official name of DAT) it's looked at by most proponents and many in government as being OK. I have conflicting views on the right or wrong of pot's legalization, but if you're caught driving after having smoked up, to me it's the same as a DUI. Unlike the seatbelt example your actions can and will eventually hurt someone else.
If you commit a traffic violation, or run into someone, and your under the influence, your going to get a DUI. However, that's not the case anymore.
This is an extreme case where the OP is trying to make it seem like there's some epidemic from marijuana use. That couldn't be farther from the truth.
I'm like you. I support maximum individual liberties, and so long as you have not harmed someone else in the process of exercising them, then I see no need to compromise those liberties. Whether I agree with what you choose to partake in, or not! We already have laws and penalties for DUIs! Enforce them! There are many of us who partake responsibly in the use of cannabis, or alcohol, and our liberties should not be compromised, because of the knuckleheads in the world can't exercise some sort of self control!
You know what rankles me. Our government is so intent on regulating every possible part of my life because it's FOR MY OWN GOOD, yet looks the other way when something someone else does actually can kill another person.
People on another thread were up in arms that cops have to play trivial pursuit and pick up every hardened criminal they see not wearing a seat belt. Raise the fines and mandatory jail sentences even though my not wearing a seat belt potentially hurts no one but me. It's my choice no different than it's my choice if I want to ride a crotch rocket motorbike.
Now, states are legalizing pot, but whenever someone is pulled over "driving after toking" (shortened official name of DAT) it's looked at by most proponents and many in government as being OK. I have conflicting views on the right or wrong of pot's legalization, but if you're caught driving after having smoked up, to me it's the same as a DUI. Unlike the seatbelt example your actions can and will eventually hurt someone else.
We agree except for the driving part. It's not the same as alcohol as far as driving. I don't know why people keep saying that when science shows otherwise.
You can still technically 'drink and drive' you just can't be over a certain limit.
Ms Mendoza... who regularly spoke about her marijuana and alcohol use on public media killed two innocent people as she drove the wrong way on the freeway.
More carnage upon the rest of us through drug abuse and the " its just a plant" faulty mentality
I posted this link because it shows the victims... and yes it was alcohol AND mj in her system...
Its more than just say no... its hell no...
I read this this morning:
"Authorities said Mendoza, who was 20 years old at the time, had gone out to a Coral Springs bar after work where she drank two large fish bowl-sized margaritas."
And you think that the key issue is that she also used marijuana?
Really?
Where is the hair-tearing over the fact that she wasn't even legally old enough to drink?
Or the fact that there are places anywhere on earth serving alcoholic beverages in this sized container?
Or that she was allowed to get into her car and drive away?
So, OP, how do you feel about alcohol and under-age drinking?
You cannot defend the use of mj here... no matter how much you smoke... one only has to read her blogs... look at her life.. substance abuse.. marijuana a central one.. was a complete part of who she was
Deflecting to some anti police agenda isn't even remotely part of this thread ... but..please. do continue to defend the pot princess...
50 percent of the duis where I work now self reporting they used both mj and alcohol ..or mj and perscription drugs before their arrest ... and while operating a motor vehicle... many mm patients getting duis report they thought their script meant that it was "OK"
Please tell me again how being stoned makes you a better driver.. love the CD posters that state that . .
Ever driven with THC in your system?
Yep we need more of this
how many threads do you have to start so that you can spread the word that 'marijuana kills' ? This is really getting old. I'm not sure why you are fixated on this, maybe it came about during that 2000 hour police academy that exists nowhere except in your imagination
We agree except for the driving part. It's not the same as alcohol as far as driving. I don't know why people keep saying that when science shows otherwise.
You can still technically 'drink and drive' you just can't be over a certain limit.
It isn't just that, but it is also the fact that unlike alcohol, cannabis affects everyone differently. Add to that the huge variations in strains, all of which have different effects, and you have a scenario that has too many variables to determine if someone is impaired just because they ingested some earlier in the day.
Impaired is the key word. I believe the only fair way to handle DUI cases that involve cannabis is to require that a field test be conducted. If the driver can pass the field impairment test, then they are not impaired, regardless of what they may have ingested earlier.
I love the fact the OP in the title of the thread admits the driver was "too drunk to care", yet blames the cannabis, calling it indefensible this time!
You cannot defend the use of mj here... no matter how much you smoke... one only has to read her blogs... look at her life.. substance abuse.. marijuana a central one.. was a complete part of who she was
Deflecting to some anti police agenda isn't even remotely part of this thread ... but..please. do continue to defend the pot princess...
50 percent of the duis where I work now self reporting they used both mj and alcohol ..or mj and perscription drugs before their arrest ... and while operating a motor vehicle... many mm patients getting duis report they thought their script meant that it was "OK"
Please tell me again how being stoned makes you a better driver.. love the CD posters that state that . .
Ever driven with THC in your system?
Yep we need more of this
You still don't get it...she is not representative of the average recreational mj user anymore than she represents people who drink a glass of wine with dinner.
A Florida woman who tweeted about being drunk minutes before a fatal
wrong-way crash has been sentenced to 24 years in prison.
A Broward County judge also ordered 22-year-old Kayla Mendoza to remain on
probation for six years after her release. Mendoza pleaded guilty in February to
two DUI manslaughter charges in the November 2013 crash that killed Kaitlyn
Ferrante and Marisa Catronio, both 21.
Evidence showed that Mendoza tweeted "2 drunk 2 care" before the Sawgrass
Expressway crash. Authorities later said her blood-alcohol level was almost
twice Florida's legal limit. Police say she had been out drinking with
co-workers prior to the crash.
Mendoza had faced a maximum of 30 years behind bars.
Yep! And I will be the first to say, do what you want, but if your actions cause harm to another individual then you reap what you sow. The problem is, that it seems too many people are allergic to responsibility these days! Hell, look around you when you're in traffic and see how many knuckleheads are texting while driving!
BBM
Agreed.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.