[swake]

Originally Posted by WesternPilgrim

But there just isn't any reason why we have to go there. The whole medicinal schtick is fraudulent. Marijuana, if legalized, will be another massive regulatory can of worms. Furthermore, the proliferation of its use among non-criminals will be a nightmare for law enforcement.

Alcohol use is tamed by centuries of custom, convention, and tradition - not to mention law - and the externalities are still enormous. Why legalize another mind-altering substance prone to be abused, and with zero history and culture, for society to figure out how to manage? It makes no sense.

I have no part in this fight. I have used pot under 10 times in my life and not in at least 25 years. But marijuana has been illegal for less than 100 years and has been around for thousands. Drugs were made illegal in the early 20th century, and that included alcohol. We reversed the ban on alcohol but not on other previously common drugs like cocaine and marijuana. We then started our long failed “War on drugs”.

[Griffis]

Originally Posted by swake

...marijuana has been illegal for less than 100 years and has been around for thousands. Drugs were made illegal in the early 20th century, and that included alcohol. We reversed the ban on alcohol but not on other previously common drugs like cocaine and marijuana. We then started our long failed “War on drugs”.

Yes, and anyone with even a very basic knowledge of history is aware how successful alcohol prohibition was.

[linicx]

Come back and tell us how fraudulent pot is when you NEED it for medical reasons.

Originally Posted by WesternPilgrim

The whole medicinal schtick is fraudulent.

[Griffis]

Originally Posted by linicx

Come back and tell us how fraudulent pot is when you NEED it for medical reasons.

I'd rather be prescribed pot for something for which it is actually effective over some compound of chemicals with 385 warnings that they yank off the market six months after a rash of deaths from it.

Seriously, these Big Pharma commercials are hilarious, though scary...

"Do not touch the pill with your bare hands."

"Do not take if you have ever had sexual intercourse on a Wednesday."

"Do not look directly AT the pill."

"Do not take with food you have ingested orally."

"Do not take if you have ever had a headache."

"Use of this pill may cause severe liver damage, constipation, and thoughts of murder-suicide."

Last time my wife and I were looking at the fine print warning label of some drug she was like "Hello, Doctor. I have insomnia and muscle aches. Do you have a pill that will give me cancer?"

[StillwaterTownie]

Surely, a major reason why marijuana won't be legalized in Oklahoma soon in any way is because so few Oklahomans use it. Therefore, there is not enough demand for its legalization, like there apparently is in Colorado and Washington. That was probably the reason why it wasn't until 1959 when alcohol became legal in Oklahoma. The Baptists, members of the dominant religion in Oklahoma, really had little use for alcohol back then, including 3.2% beer. By the same token, we could legally go to the lot and buy a car on Sunday, but we don't because, there just isn't enough demand out there to do that to make it become legal.

[rockyinyourradio]

A couple of things.. first off, more people than you think use weed on a recreational basis. You may be surprised. However, of course.. far more do not, and with the conservative nature of many here in this state and the fact that we are in the buckle of the Bible belt, don't look for even a medical marijuana measure being passed anytime in the near future, no less than full legalization.. in reality, just won't happen, period. I do hope and pray that these draconian drug laws, for pot in particular be lessened, at least have it decriminalized. As long as we have a conservative run government here in Oklahoma though.. I don't even see that happening. Their answer is lock them all up (unless your one of the fortunate few to have enough money to hire a good attorney to keep you out of jail). Pitiful is all I can say! I am though for much stiffer penalties to the ones who sell it and especially harder drugs; and to the underaged in particular.

[highplainsrus]

I'm glad the cannabis conversation is growing stronger in both OK and TX, with users coming out of the closet. even the old south is beginning to talk seriously about it and judges are becoming more lenient in some places. it may not be long before CO and WA regulations improve enough for other states to use them as models and more research is done to replace myth with science. unfortunately, past pot prisoners remain locked up for years, if not life.

[StillwaterTownie]

Originally Posted by rockyinyourradio

I am though for much stiffer penalties to the ones who sell it and especially harder drugs; and to the underaged in particular.

But Oklahoma state law allows up to life in prison for selling marijuana or for making it into hash. But hardly anyone actually gets that. This is due to the fact that hardly anyone with pot charges ever dares go before a jury trial to settle charges. Instead, they settle out of court, which may not involve any prison time at all, especially if it's the first offense. For crimes done in which no one complains of harm inflicted, I don't see the sense in long prison terms. I'm not interested as a taxpayer in providing free room and board for a pot peddler via prison time, who didn't do anyone harm against his or her will.

Look at all the harm excess alcohol and tobacco consumption causes society. Do you ever complain about the people and companies, who sell that stuff? Maybe you need to be more concerned about the light punishment clerks get for selling cigarettes and alcohol to underage kids. I never heard of any of them going to prison over doing that.

Since Oklahoma legalized lotteries, casinos and tattoo application, all considered far from good pro Christian things, it shouldn't be too hard to eventually decriminalize marijuana.

[StillwaterTownie]

Originally Posted by WesternPilgrim

But there just isn't any reason why we have to go there. The whole medicinal schtick is fraudulent. Marijuana, if legalized, will be another massive regulatory can of worms. Furthermore, the proliferation of its use among non-criminals will be a nightmare for law enforcement.

Alcohol use is tamed by centuries of custom, convention, and tradition - not to mention law - and the externalities are still enormous. Why legalize another mind-altering substance prone to be abused, and with zero history and culture, for society to figure out how to manage? It makes no sense.

Well, WesternPilgrim, the illegal drug pushers very much love you for your stand. You're their friend. They're bright enough to know they can't make a filthy fortune trying to sell something legal, like alcohol and cigarettes in the streets. Perish the thought that marijuana be any more legalized and regulated in the states.

[e_cuyler]

Where I used to live in CA they still had a ton of problems with crime surrounding legal marijuana grows....the growers are popular targets for robbery--guess people want to steal the pot so they can sell it.