Are you one of the 80 percent?

[DavidMcmillan]

The "data" on both sides of this seems to be a bit in doubt. I would prefer that we give it a couple of years in the states that have made it legal before we make a move that cannot be undone later. There is no compelling reason to be among the first states.

 

[Raoul Duke]

There is no compelling reason to be among the first states.

The $20 million state budget deficit begs to differ.

Besides, if the initiative makes it to the ballot and is approved, Oklahoma would be among the last states to legalize MMJ. That "wait and see" argument lacks serious credibility considering that fact.

 

[TerryMiller]

Looking at that source of the 80%, since it is from Norml, I'd have to ask then where the 400 "likely" voters were located. I could do a similar study up here in Colorado and find way more than 400 that would go along with MJ.

 

[donner]

Granted alcohol has its problems. Obesity from too many trips to the buffet does too and its probably more devastating to the population than alcohol, but at the current time alcohol is legal and certain classes of drugs are not.

Every family in the US for the most part has been devastated by drug and alcohol and buffet abuse. We all know about the prohibition days and the crime that went along with it.

Its just my honest opinion that the people that have had family issues with drugs/alcohol are the people that are the most against it. The users can always justify why its ok to be a user, and make it legal if its not. Some will say FREEDOM!!!! That's OK but when one considers that those that go off the deep end of drugs commit a lot of crimes to sustain the high that comes with it. Not to say that drunks don't commit crimes, but when one is on meth or heroin and stays awake for days at a time they will do anything for the next high. The drunk lays down and goes to sleep. I'm sure there are some stats out there that show what the level is when they wake up but its late and I'm lazy.
My extended family has had major problems with this crap, and I've worked/lived around a bunch that have also had drug/alcohol problems since the 70's, so I'm not the new kid on the block for these issues. I've seen what it all does to families and co-workers over the years.
Abuse is never going away. There is no legislation that will correct it.

Abusers will still steal and kill for drugs, and alcohol, that will never go away until this country is a glass bowl.

Everything has its problems. From alcohol to weed to spray paint to glue to legally prescribed pain killers.

And people steal for any number of reasons, not all of which will lead to the destruction of society.

In the meantime, though, there are people with real problems out there who could benefit from legalization of medical MJ.

I've said it before on here, but my wife was diagnosed with a headache five years ago and it has never gone away. It doesn't cycle and it doesn't stop.

She has it all day, every day. We've been to doctors all over the US, including several at the mayo clinic. She has tried literally a dozen different drugs and nothing has helped. What was amazing, and scary, was how often the side effects of the drugs were often worse than the headache itself. Emotional instability, weight gain, weight loss, lack of energy, hyper activity. You name it and she has experienced it at one point or another.

One pain speciality put her on the synthetic weed and it helped some (though not totally). The pills also have another drawback, you can't divide them. So if you need just a little relief, say half a pill, you can't get it. You take the whole one or nothing. With regular pot you can at least manage the amount more easily.

My point is that you'll never convince me that those drugs are somehow better for her than a naturally occurring plant. Say what you will about those who want to use it recreationally. There will always be people who will abuse whatever they can. That doesn't mean it should stop others who need the relief weed would provide.

 

[twoguns?]

Is there a difference in testing between the syn and the natural....?

 

[JD8]

For those that are worried about the abuse........... when's the last time you saw an ER overrun with THC overdoses? How about someone high on weed committing violent crimes? Now reference alcohol, pills, heroin, meth etc.

 

[Shootin 4 Fun]

Hoddy's incoherent crap....

So should we outlaw everything that people can abuse? Good? Sex? Cars? Money? Gambling? The Internet?

Addictions come in all forms. Making something illegal doesn't make it inaccessible. Guns???

Honestly, I know as many drunks as "potheads" as my grandpa called them, and the drunks are much more of a drain on their families than the stoners. Hell, the stoners are productive members of society and know to stay home when stoned.

 

[DavidMcmillan]

This is what we said about the lottery, etc. and we never quite make it. I'm waiting.

The $20 million state budget deficit begs to differ.

Besides, if the initiative makes it to the ballot and is approved, Oklahoma would be among the last states to legalize MMJ. That "wait and see" argument lacks serious credibility considering that fact.

 

[donner]

Is there a difference in testing between the syn and the natural....?

I'm sure that there are plenty of tests that are done to the syn. The funny thing about it is that the drug was partially developed at Ole Miss, which for a while was one of the few (only) legal pot farms in the US.

But then again, i'm sure there are also plenty of studies regarding the way the natural plant affects the body, as well.

Also, next time a lyrica commercial plays on your tv, give it a listen. My favorite part is 'we don't know how lyrica works...'

I'm not saying MJ would be right for everybody, i'm just saying it is too easy to dismiss the issue as being driven by 'potheads'.

 

[Larry Morgan]

I've said it before on here, but my wife was diagnosed with a headache five years ago and it has never gone away. It doesn't cycle and it doesn't stop.

She has it all day, every day. We've been to doctors all over the US, including several at the mayo clinic. She has tried literally a dozen different drugs and nothing has helped. What was amazing, and scary, was how often the side effects of the drugs were often worse than the headache itself. Emotional instability, weight gain, weight loss, lack of energy, hyper activity. You name it and she has experienced it at one point or another.

You should research Psilocybin. It has been effective in some cases for treating serious headaches, including cluster headaches.

On the topic of Marijuana, if you subscribe to the rhetoric of "If you outlaw guns, only the criminals will have them", then you have to believe that marijuana not being legal isn't stopping a whole lot. Yes, there are some who don't do it because they don't want to risk the legality, but for many, it's simply a small impediment. What it DOES do is make people doing something that many people already doing without hurting anyone into criminals.