High Times for the CA State Legislature

Linus wrote: Wow, are you illiterate or what? I said the ILLICIT kind has only one purpose. You even quoted that part. Learn to read, then come back.

Most churches use grape juice.

Now, my concern is this: would it just be another method to impair operating of vehicles? The main argument is that people should be allowed to do it in their homes or others' homes, or provided it was legalized, marijuana bars (which would cause all kinds of problems right there) and they simply won't drive. Now we all know this is not going to happen. It's the same thing with alcohol, they tell us to be responsible, but more people are killed by drunk driving than the substance itself. It doesn't work, regardless of laws. If your judgement is borked, what's to stop you?

I'll now say this: I haven't done the research. But, this is the case with MANY of the people opposing legalization of pot, so I pretty much represent a majority of 'Merica. Feel free to inform me.

As I said. I haven't done the research or smoked pot. What are the differences/similarities?

DeTrevni wrote: As I said. I haven't done the research or smoked pot. What are the differences/similarities?

There aren't alot of similarities really. Being drunk tends to increase the risks the user takes, while marijuana tends to make the user very aware of their impairment. While I dont agree with driving under the influence of anything, it is vastly safer to drive high than it is to drive drunk. Yes, there have been studies on this done, I'm not just talking out of my butt. If you look on youtube, the bbc did a televised test on this subject, and there wasn't really a difference in performance, and in fact the driver was much more cautious when he was high because he was aware that he was impaired.

There are studies out there that suggests that it is possible to drive under the influence of marijuana, with little impairment, such as this study here: http://erowid.org/plants/cannabis/cannabis_driving3.shtml#st udy3_results

This study came to this conclusion:
"Driving quality, as rated by the subjects, contrasted with observer ratings. Alcohol impaired driving performance according to the driving instructor, but subjects did not perceive it; marijuana did not impair driving performance, but the subjects themselves perceived their driving performance as such. Both groups reported about the same amount of effort in accomplishing the driving test following a placebo. Yet only subjects in the marijuana group reported significantly higher levels of invested effort following the active drug. Thus there is evidence that subjects in the marijuana group were not only aware of their intoxicated condition, but were also attempting to compensate for it. These seem to be important findings. They support both the common belief that drivers become overconfident after drinking alcohol and investigators' suspicions that they become more cautious and self-critical after consuming low doses of THC, as smoked marijuana."

There's also this video that has a person go through a course, he did a decent job at driving:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLmHL7YznUI

They came to the conclusion that it really depends on how much you smoke.  This guy smoked one joint, and his driving according to the video was decent enough to pass the driving course.

There is also information that opposes that viewpoint as well:
http://erowid.org/plants/cannabis/cannabis_driving5.shtml
Obviously came to an opposite conclusion as the above.


I personally have driven while under the influence of marijuana.  This was about an hour after smoking, and it's always late at night.  Various friends of mine have told me that I do a perfectly fine job at driving (even the ones who are 100% sober).

But really, it seems to vary from person to person, there are complete idiots out there that lose touch with reality while stoned, and people that have the ability to concentrate on the current task at hand.  So I guess it depends on a lot of factors.

Also, pot doesn't make you irritable, aggressive, or a general asshole, yet alcohol often does.

Linus wrote: Wow, are you illiterate or what? I said the ILLICIT kind has only one purpose. You even quoted that part. Learn to read, then come back.

Is there a difference between this ILLICIT marijuana and the medicinal marijuana that you don't seem to mind?

Is there no illicit alcohol, then?

See, the problem with your "illicit" argument is that people can (and normally do) get/be stupid when they are drunk. Marijuana is no different...other than the moronic reasons posted above by the dingbat you quoted from another forum.

Linus wrote: Recreational marijuana-- Should not be allowed.

And the legitimate reason for this is....?

Susan Storm wrote: If I may be so bold - I do find the idea of "medicinal marijuana" rather silly.

You may not be so bold, but I'll humor you:

Medicinal in that it eases the pain. Like morphine or various hydrocodone products.

Susan Storm wrote: If I may be so bold - I do find the idea of "medicinal marijuana" rather silly.

It really should be phrased "marijuana for medicinal purposes", since "medicinal" and "recreational" are the same stuff.

Susan Storm wrote: lamo excuses about "medicinal" purposes.

They exist and help, however lame the purposes or excuses may be. I'll concede that the way most stoners present the argument would lead one to believe that there is no other pain reliever on MJ's level, but strength and non addictive qualities could be a major selling point.

Edited by Gatyr - 08 August 2007 at 6:43pm