All good points. All reasons why I don't smoke marijuana.
None of them are explanations as to why it is beneficial to our society to destroy marijuana users by making them felons and sending them to prison.
I've never understood it, and I never will.
I'm very glad my state (washington) will no longer be wasting people's lives, and law enforcement resources, enforcing outdated laws against a harmless recreational hallucinogen.
On the federal level, it's still illegal, and in many workplaces it is too... Now what??? Do you really want a line worker at Boeing smoking on his lunch break? Or the factory worker in Ford? Or how about the pilot flying your airliner???
Companies can choose to prohibit its use among its employees. We can choose to work there or not. The government has no right to tell someone what they can possess or put in their body.
Sure they do, Mike. Tobacco and booze are heavily regulated. Try to buy unpasteurized beer. Ask the moonshiners if the gov't has no say in their affairs.
I am conflicted on pot - my boss is a recreational user and other than that is a capable, hard working and intelligent man. But like it or not, it IS a gateway drug for a lot of kids and is the first stop they make on the road to destroying themselves...and their families. When families start to fall, communities usually follow.
My biggest beef with legalizing it is that it won't solve anything and will only encourage the users of other, far more hazardous drugs - to push for legalization too.
I am smart enough to realize this is not a harmless weed, and that any law pertaining to it will have secondary and tertiary repercussions down the road. We really need to think about this before doing anything.
OldNFO, no I don't want them toking up before they build my car. But I think the proper response to that is for the company to fire them, not for the police to jail them. ;-)
Glen, the only reason that pot is a "gateway drug" is because you buy it from your bootlegger. If you bought it in the liquor store, the story would be very different.
Well, as Navy vet who was a DER, I know *medically* that there are reasons to avoid most intoxicants unless they are prescribed for certain coditions. And when they are prescribed, the patient receives instructions on what the side effects of the intoxicant are. Heck, even alcohol-based cough syrup comes with a warning label.
OTOH, it isn't what you put into your own body that matters. It's how your behavior, performance, and actions matter when others are involved.
It's true: your rights end where my nose begins. And whether you're intoxicated when you ended my rights or completely sober, you should be held completely responsible for your actions. After all, nobody FORCED you to ingest that intoxicant - right?
Who is arguing that someone shouldn't be held responsible for their actions while high?
We hold people to the same standards whether they are drunk or high or whatever. Always have.
Legalizing marijuana is not the same thing as making it legal to drive, or fly airplanes, or build airplanes, or go to work at all, while high.
I've never heard of an employer that would not reprimand or fire an employee who showed up to work drunk.
Why do you and Old NFO seem to assume that this would not be the case with legal pot?
Why the automatic assumption that someone causing harm to another person while high would be given a pass, or that it would be allowable for a guy at Boeing to smoke up during his lunch break?
Neither of those things is a realistic fear of legalizing pot.
NFO - I will guarantee you that the boys at Boeing are hitting the bong. At least half the people under the age of 50 are in my shop and I will bet that holds for any other outfit too. I ain't saying it's right - but I am saying it's happening whether we like it or not.
As far as regulating it BP...how do you propose to do that when any idiot can grow this crap and distribute it at less than half of what the gov't can?
I've heard so many arguments against marijuana.
ReplyDeleteit will fry your brain.
Marijuana users get dumb and slow.
Its a waste of money
Its bad for your lungs.
All good points. All reasons why I don't smoke marijuana.
None of them are explanations as to why it is beneficial to our society to destroy marijuana users by making them felons and sending them to prison.
I've never understood it, and I never will.
I'm very glad my state (washington) will no longer be wasting people's lives, and law enforcement resources, enforcing outdated laws against a harmless recreational hallucinogen.
On the federal level, it's still illegal, and in many workplaces it is too... Now what??? Do you really want a line worker at Boeing smoking on his lunch break? Or the factory worker in Ford? Or how about the pilot flying your airliner???
ReplyDeleteCompanies can choose to prohibit its use among its employees. We can choose to work there or not. The government has no right to tell someone what they can possess or put in their body.
ReplyDeleteI own me and you own you. They don't.
Sure they do, Mike. Tobacco and booze are heavily regulated. Try to buy unpasteurized beer. Ask the moonshiners if the gov't has no say in their affairs.
ReplyDeleteI am conflicted on pot - my boss is a recreational user and other than that is a capable, hard working and intelligent man. But like it or not, it IS a gateway drug for a lot of kids and is the first stop they make on the road to destroying themselves...and their families. When families start to fall, communities usually follow.
My biggest beef with legalizing it is that it won't solve anything and will only encourage the users of other, far more hazardous drugs - to push for legalization too.
I am smart enough to realize this is not a harmless weed, and that any law pertaining to it will have secondary and tertiary repercussions down the road. We really need to think about this before doing anything.
OldNFO, no I don't want them toking up before they build my car. But I think the proper response to that is for the company to fire them, not for the police to jail them. ;-)
ReplyDeleteGlen, the only reason that pot is a "gateway drug" is because you buy it from your bootlegger. If you bought it in the liquor store, the story would be very different.
Well, as Navy vet who was a DER, I know *medically* that there are reasons to avoid most intoxicants unless they are prescribed for certain coditions. And when they are prescribed, the patient receives instructions on what the side effects of the intoxicant are. Heck, even alcohol-based cough syrup comes with a warning label.
ReplyDeleteOTOH, it isn't what you put into your own body that matters. It's how your behavior, performance, and actions matter when others are involved.
It's true: your rights end where my nose begins. And whether you're intoxicated when you ended my rights or completely sober, you should be held completely responsible for your actions. After all, nobody FORCED you to ingest that intoxicant - right?
Old NFO - I wouldn't want a line worker at Boeing drinking alcohol on his lunch break, either.
ReplyDeleteWeak argument.
Burt;
ReplyDeleteWho is arguing that someone shouldn't be held responsible for their actions while high?
We hold people to the same standards whether they are drunk or high or whatever. Always have.
Legalizing marijuana is not the same thing as making it legal to drive, or fly airplanes, or build airplanes, or go to work at all, while high.
I've never heard of an employer that would not reprimand or fire an employee who showed up to work drunk.
Why do you and Old NFO seem to assume that this would not be the case with legal pot?
Why the automatic assumption that someone causing harm to another person while high would be given a pass, or that it would be allowable for a guy at Boeing to smoke up during his lunch break?
Neither of those things is a realistic fear of legalizing pot.
NFO - I will guarantee you that the boys at Boeing are hitting the bong. At least half the people under the age of 50 are in my shop and I will bet that holds for any other outfit too. I ain't saying it's right - but I am saying it's happening whether we like it or not.
ReplyDeleteAs far as regulating it BP...how do you propose to do that when any idiot can grow this crap and distribute it at less than half of what the gov't can?