will marijuana ever be legal???

[silverjon]

Young brains are still developing. It stands to reason that they're vulnerable in ways adult brains are not, in ways we don't understand.

I had a high school boyfriend who smoked up a lot. It definitely wasn't making him smarter, but I think it helped him cope with the whole stepfather-who-hated-him thing. "Persistent, dependent" user.

[Exodor]

link

Clearly the solution is to criminalize every plant that might adversely affect the brains of those under the age of 18.

[Defiant]

Clearly the solution is to criminalize those under the age of 18.

FTFY.

[Toe]

I would have traded 8 IQ points to be able to smoke weed all through high school I still would have gotten straight A's

[LawBeefaroni]

I wonder how that study compares to this one.

[PLW]

I assume you mean in the US? Because it's already legal lots of other places. I expected it to end up de-facto legal in CA, and then spread from there. It's like gay marriage plus tax revenues.

Can I update this prediction... on both counts? Nice job Colorado.

[Exodor]

I assume you mean in the US? Because it's already legal lots of other places. I expected it to end up de-facto legal in CA, and then spread from there. It's like gay marriage plus tax revenues.

Can I update this prediction... on both counts? Nice job Colorado.

And Washington.

[Daehawk]

Our asshole of a governor here in TN won't even let us vote on it. Asswipe.

[RMC]

All I can say is that I actually got to experience first hand how horrible Marijuana is for people. I have never used drugs, but grew up in a household where my father did Marijuana on a daily basis. He had all the excuses, he was a Vietnam vet, he had pain from this and that.

I watched as a man that had a successful business in four states turn into a cab driver and eventually just stayed at home on the dole. He actually became dumber and dumber the longer he used the stuff.

My father was brilliant and very successful, until he started using Marijuana again. And you know what? He dies at 52. Because his body gave out on him. Was all of this caused by Marijuana? No, not by a long shot. But did it help him to become the waste he was at the end of his life, yes it did.

So everyone that wants to tell me that it is no more harmful than alcohol, I can give you concrete proof from my fist 28 years of life that this is not true. <shrug> Most supporters of Marijuana laugh at me, and tell me my father was a waste, and that's why he died the way he did. But I lived it, and saw how the drug took over his life, and how it destroyed his mind. For him it was never a 'gateway' drug, as he never did any of the 'harsher' drugs so I can say that is bunk, but he did truly lose intelligence to the drug.

[Canuck]

I'm sorry to hear about your father but if you replaced marijuana with 'alcohol' in every instance, would your post be any different? I don't see alcohol being illegal. I've never done drugs either but I think harmless substances are harmless when consumed in moderation.

[rshetts2]

All I can say is that I actually got to experience first hand how horrible Marijuana is for people. I have never used drugs, but grew up in a household where my father did Marijuana on a daily basis. He had all the excuses, he was a Vietnam vet, he had pain from this and that.

I watched as a man that had a successful business in four states turn into a cab driver and eventually just stayed at home on the dole. He actually became dumber and dumber the longer he used the stuff.

My father was brilliant and very successful, until he started using Marijuana again. And you know what? He dies at 52. Because his body gave out on him. Was all of this caused by Marijuana? No, not by a long shot. But did it help him to become the waste he was at the end of his life, yes it did.

So everyone that wants to tell me that it is no more harmful than alcohol, I can give you concrete proof from my fist 28 years of life that this is not true. <shrug> Most supporters of Marijuana laugh at me, and tell me my father was a waste, and that's why he died the way he did. But I lived it, and saw how the drug took over his life, and how it destroyed his mind. For him it was never a 'gateway' drug, as he never did any of the 'harsher' drugs so I can say that is bunk, but he did truly lose intelligence to the drug.

You have my sympathy regarding your dad but your fathers problem was not marijuana. He needed a crutch and thats the one he chose. If it hadnt been pot, it would have been something else. To make a generalized statement regarding marijuana like that shows a lack of understanding of the subject matter. I can give you a personal story, regarding marijuana, thats pretty much the opposite of what you put out.
My sister had cancer ( thank god "had" is the operative word here ) On and off , she went through decades of chemo treatments before she went into remission. During the vast majority of that time she smoked marijuana to help her cope with the pain, nausea and depression. Today she is a bright, active and vibrant individual. She has three kids and a loving husband and is living a very good life. She started fighting cancer when she was 19 years old and almost 20 years of smoking marijuana has not corrupted or diminished her in any way.
All I can say is I got to experience first hand how beneficial Marijuana is for people.
The important fact regarding substance abuse is its not about the substance, its about the abuse. Your fathers mental condition was far more damaging to him than the marijuana ever was. If your father had chosen alcohol as his substance his spiral would have likely been even more pronounced. One more fact about marijuana, it is not chemically addicting, unlike so many of the recreational drugs rampant in society. Your father could have stopped smoking anytime he wanted to, if he had the will to do so and suffered no ill effects from chemical withdrawl. His dependency was mentally based and not a property of marijuana. Blaming your fathers issues on marijuana is like blaming a rifle for causing a spree killer to start shooting people.

[RMC]

All I can say is that I actually got to experience first hand how horrible Marijuana is for people. I have never used drugs, but grew up in a household where my father did Marijuana on a daily basis. He had all the excuses, he was a Vietnam vet, he had pain from this and that.

I watched as a man that had a successful business in four states turn into a cab driver and eventually just stayed at home on the dole. He actually became dumber and dumber the longer he used the stuff.

My father was brilliant and very successful, until he started using Marijuana again. And you know what? He dies at 52. Because his body gave out on him. Was all of this caused by Marijuana? No, not by a long shot. But did it help him to become the waste he was at the end of his life, yes it did.

So everyone that wants to tell me that it is no more harmful than alcohol, I can give you concrete proof from my fist 28 years of life that this is not true. <shrug> Most supporters of Marijuana laugh at me, and tell me my father was a waste, and that's why he died the way he did. But I lived it, and saw how the drug took over his life, and how it destroyed his mind. For him it was never a 'gateway' drug, as he never did any of the 'harsher' drugs so I can say that is bunk, but he did truly lose intelligence to the drug.

You have my sympathy regarding your dad but your fathers problem was not marijuana. He needed a crutch and thats the one he chose. If it hadnt been pot, it would have been something else. To make a generalized statement regarding marijuana like that shows a lack of understanding of the subject matter. I can give you a personal story, regarding marijuana, thats pretty much the opposite of what you put out.
My sister had cancer ( thank god "had" is the operative word here ) On and off , she went through decades of chemo treatments before she went into remission. During the vast majority of that time she smoked marijuana to help her cope with the pain, nausea and depression. Today she is a bright, active and vibrant individual. She has three kids and a loving husband and is living a very good life. She started fighting cancer when she was 19 years old and almost 20 years of smoking marijuana has not corrupted or diminished her in any way.
All I can say is I got to experience first hand how beneficial Marijuana is for people.
The important fact regarding substance abuse is its not about the substance, its about the abuse. Your fathers mental condition was far more damaging to him than the marijuana ever was. If your father had chosen alcohol as his substance his spiral would have likely been even more pronounced. One more fact about marijuana, it is not chemically addicting, unlike so many of the recreational drugs rampant in society. Your father could have stopped smoking anytime he wanted to, if he had the will to do so and suffered no ill effects from chemical withdrawl. His dependency was mentally based and not a property of marijuana. Blaming your fathers issues on marijuana is like blaming a rifle for causing a spree killer to start shooting people.

Your right of course, I only lived with him for 27 years. I have no idea what his problem was. Thanks for confirming what I already know about people who think Marijuana is harmless.

[AjD]

In addition to the Washington State/Colorado (full state legalization) and Massachusetts (medical use) victories.... here in Michigan it looks like the city of Detroit has decriminalized marijuana (as well as Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids and Ypsilanti).

Will Obama's 2nd term finally see marijuana removed from the Schedule 1 list ("no medical value")? That would be the bellwether for national decriminalization.

[rshetts2]

All I can say is that I actually got to experience first hand how horrible Marijuana is for people. I have never used drugs, but grew up in a household where my father did Marijuana on a daily basis. He had all the excuses, he was a Vietnam vet, he had pain from this and that.

I watched as a man that had a successful business in four states turn into a cab driver and eventually just stayed at home on the dole. He actually became dumber and dumber the longer he used the stuff.

My father was brilliant and very successful, until he started using Marijuana again. And you know what? He dies at 52. Because his body gave out on him. Was all of this caused by Marijuana? No, not by a long shot. But did it help him to become the waste he was at the end of his life, yes it did.

So everyone that wants to tell me that it is no more harmful than alcohol, I can give you concrete proof from my fist 28 years of life that this is not true. <shrug> Most supporters of Marijuana laugh at me, and tell me my father was a waste, and that's why he died the way he did. But I lived it, and saw how the drug took over his life, and how it destroyed his mind. For him it was never a 'gateway' drug, as he never did any of the 'harsher' drugs so I can say that is bunk, but he did truly lose intelligence to the drug.

You have my sympathy regarding your dad but your fathers problem was not marijuana. He needed a crutch and thats the one he chose. If it hadnt been pot, it would have been something else. To make a generalized statement regarding marijuana like that shows a lack of understanding of the subject matter. I can give you a personal story, regarding marijuana, thats pretty much the opposite of what you put out.
My sister had cancer ( thank god "had" is the operative word here ) On and off , she went through decades of chemo treatments before she went into remission. During the vast majority of that time she smoked marijuana to help her cope with the pain, nausea and depression. Today she is a bright, active and vibrant individual. She has three kids and a loving husband and is living a very good life. She started fighting cancer when she was 19 years old and almost 20 years of smoking marijuana has not corrupted or diminished her in any way.
All I can say is I got to experience first hand how beneficial Marijuana is for people.
The important fact regarding substance abuse is its not about the substance, its about the abuse. Your fathers mental condition was far more damaging to him than the marijuana ever was. If your father had chosen alcohol as his substance his spiral would have likely been even more pronounced. One more fact about marijuana, it is not chemically addicting, unlike so many of the recreational drugs rampant in society. Your father could have stopped smoking anytime he wanted to, if he had the will to do so and suffered no ill effects from chemical withdrawl. His dependency was mentally based and not a property of marijuana. Blaming your fathers issues on marijuana is like blaming a rifle for causing a spree killer to start shooting people.

Your right of course, I only lived with him for 27 years. I have no idea what his problem was. Thanks for confirming what I already know about people who think Marijuana is harmless.

You're most certainly welcome! I lived with my sister for 18 years and have known her for over 50 so feel free to dismiss what I said. Thanks for confirming what I already know about ignorance.

[Gavin]

I've never used marijuana but it has always perplexed me as to why it is not legal considering cigarettes and alcohol already being acceptable. I mean, I understand serious drugs like cocaine and heroine not being legal. Those ruin lives. But marijuana? The enforcement of laws surrounding marijuana is what ruins lives.

Keeping it illegal is an incredible burden and it is only propping up drug lords financially. This will have to be done on a state-by-state basis.

As AJD stated:
Washington State legalized it this time around: http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/ ... na07m.html" target="_blank

Colorado appears to have done the same.

These are huge and for recreational use.

[noxiousdog]

Your right of course, I only lived with him for 27 years. I have no idea what his problem was. Thanks for confirming what I already know about people who think Marijuana is harmless.

I watched both my grandparents kill themselves with alcohol. One in her 50s. The other late 60s.

[Jag]

I bet Obama can't wait to get his jack booted government thugs all over this. More lives lost and ruined due to Obama's insane War on Pot.

[pr0ner]

Our asshole of a governor here in TN won't even let us vote on it. Asswipe.

[Gavin]

I watched both my grandparents kill themselves with alcohol. One in her 50s. The other late 60s.

I think this is the most valid point. If things like alcohol and cigarettes are legal, then marijuana is a joke.

[LawBeefaroni]

I think it's pretty clear that marijuana has a wide spectrum of different effects on different people. Just like alcohol.

Some people should probably never touch it at all, some people can smoke daily and be just fine. And for the middle of the bell curve, it's probably just fine (and best) in moderation (if someone chooses to use at all).

Just like alcohol. Hell, just like peanut butter. Not like crystal meth.

[RMC]

You're most certainly welcome! I lived with my sister for 18 years and have known her for over 50 so feel free to dismiss what I said. Thanks for confirming what I already know about ignorance.

Of course it is ignorance when I don't agree with you.

Whatever.

[silverjon]

Fair enough on not wanting to be called ignorant, but how come your individual personal experience is the universal example that proves marijuana is dangerous and ruins the lives of all who smoke it, and someone else's personal experience is readily dismissed as insignificant?

[RMC]

Fair enough on not wanting to be called ignorant, but how come your individual personal experience is the universal example that proves marijuana is dangerous and ruins the lives of all who smoke it, and someone else's personal experience is readily dismissed as insignificant?

I guess that, his response says it all. My fathers problem was not marijuana, because he would have become addicted to something else. that was not was I was saying, what I was pointing out was he got less intelligent the longer he smoked. People want to focus on the addiction, which is a problem. But pot kills brain cells, period. There is research that I have read that tries to prove it, not sure if it was really ever proven. But my father was an example of it.

He dismisses this by pointing out that it was not the pot. But it was, I was there he was not.

It is what everyone that wants to defend any type of bad behavior does. Well it might have affected person 'A' that way, but that person is not the norm. <shrug> Maybe that is even true, but I have known more than a few pot heads, and they have all been losers. Sorry, that is my experience. My father was just the biggest loser that I had to live with. I loved my dad, but he ruined his life. And hell, he smoked(legal stuff) and drank and was an alcoholic on top of the pot as well. Did any of that help? Nope. But the pot had a tangible effect that I could actually see.

So maybe I was quick to respond, but his response was to call me ignorant. Which is bullshit, maybe I was course in my rejection of him telling me I had no idea what I was talking about. But I did not resort to calling anyone names. So really F him.

[Victoria Raverna]

Your right of course, I only lived with him for 27 years. I have no idea what his problem was. Thanks for confirming what I already know about people who think Marijuana is harmless.

I watched both my grandparents kill themselves with alcohol. One in her 50s. The other late 60s.

So maybe the solution is not to legalize marijuana but to ban alcohol?

[noxiousdog]

Your right of course, I only lived with him for 27 years. I have no idea what his problem was. Thanks for confirming what I already know about people who think Marijuana is harmless.

I watched both my grandparents kill themselves with alcohol. One in her 50s. The other late 60s.

So maybe the solution is not to legalize marijuana but to ban alcohol?

And swimming pools.

[Peacedog]

And swimming pools.

Any word on when Mothers Against Driving Tired is forming?

[RMC]

Again, alcohol is bad for people as well. But it is legal. Marijuana is not. If it becomes legal, then fine I will walk away from it. But it is not legal.

<shrug>

[Daehawk]

Our asshole of a governor here in TN won't even let us vote on it. Asswipe.

[AjD]

My father was just the biggest loser that I had to live with. I loved my dad, but he ruined his life. And hell, he smoked(legal stuff) and drank and was an alcoholic on top of the pot as well. Did any of that help? Nope. But the pot had a tangible effect that I could actually see.

Hey RMC, I totally support cannabis legalization (for adults, etc), but I just wanted to say that regardless of all that.... thanks for sharing about your father. It takes guts to do that, especially when it still feels raw. My dad was a less than stellar parent too (actually an understatement), but at least I didn't have to deal with any substance abuse problems.

[Scuzz]

Your right of course, I only lived with him for 27 years. I have no idea what his problem was. Thanks for confirming what I already know about people who think Marijuana is harmless.

I watched both my grandparents kill themselves with alcohol. One in her 50s. The other late 60s.

So maybe the solution is not to legalize marijuana but to ban alcohol?

I am sure there are groups here who would agree with that in a heartbeat. However as we have been down that road and have seen what a shitstorm that caused it is not likely to happen. That alcohol manufactures (like gun makers) are now being sued for the "effects" of their product is a reflection of where those groups are now going.

And for the life of me I don't understand how a product like tobacco remains legal. If any product points up the hypocrisy of government it is tobacco.

[Peacedog]

All I can say is that I actually got to experience first hand how horrible Marijuana is for people.

That's a terrible story, and I'm sorry you had to live it.

But that story is not a sound basis for making policy decisions or laws. It is, in fact, the exact opposite of a sound basis for making policy decisions and laws. It's an argument based on emotion, and an ineffective argument at that. That it is an argument based on emotion is not inherently a bad thing. But if we allow emotion to override reason and logic when it comes to policy and law making, bad things tend to happen. These has been true for, oh, ever. It was true before alcohol prohibition was put in place in the 20th century (an inarguably ruinous decision). It has frequently been true since (e.g. sex offender laws). It's hard enough to anticipate side effects and react to unintended consequences. The laws we pass based on emotion exacerbate this.

Generally, we should meet arguments based on emotion with scorn. But not always, because this isn't yet another national argument for prohibition. And because like the feller once said "sometimes you need the bar, and sometimes you need the kitten". But I'm also not particularly concerned with convincing you of anything. Me personally, I'm for a combination of decriminalization and legalization for some banned substances. Not all of them. You are entitled to your opinion; I think the argument is probably moot and in the next decade or two most if not all states will legalize marijuana regardless of what you and I want (what the federal government will do is harder to discern).

Drug prohibition fails in it's most basic goal, and incurs costs that I don't find worth paying. Under today's rather more draconian laws and law enforcement, your father would not have been stopped from going down the path he did (by laws/law enforcement/etc). This is fact. I know it because of what I have seen.

My brother is a drug addict and a habitual crack user (who has smoked about 5 men's share of marijuana in his lifetime). He was, more or less, an addict before birth (and more besides, but this isn't about that). An unfortunate result of his rather poor rolls on Genetic Inheritance Tables 4-2d and 4-2e. D100 was never his strong suit, I guess, but that was the ball game and there wasn't really anything my parents could do about it. The "real" trouble goes back about 15 years, though. That's when the arrests began. Being kicked out of 3 highschools (1 public) and a boarding school was cute compared to what came next.

I'm not interested in going punch for punch on the "hey, here's a fun drug addict story" front. I suspect I would come off as condescending even in trying not too. I've had front row seats to a severe crack addiction for 15 years. As another feller once said, "I have seen shit that will turn you white". This is all beside the point, though.

In those 15 years, despite the billions of dollars (several hundred billion across state and federal in that period, actually), it's never been that difficult for my brother to get drugs, and crack especially. Being in prison - where he has spent the bulk of his 9 year old daughter's life - has merely slowed, and not stopped, his ability to get drugs, and crack especially. If he had money, or maybe a couple of packs of smokes, he needed only desire to scratch the itch.

Prohibition says this will not be, and yet it is. Prohibition is a categorical failure.

There are plenty of people who would say "if only we had spent more money"; they have been saying that for 4+ decades (and they said it back when alcohol was banned as well). I am here to tell you that if we had spent 15 trillion dollars over the past 15 years, my brother would have been able to get drugs pretty easily.

You can, I'll note, be against drug prohibition as it exists but also against legalization. That's fine if that's your position, and it's important to remember this is a possible position when discussing legalization versus not (though I would suggest that there are a number of people - not here - that take this position while really just being prohibition supporters). Drug prohibition as it currently exists is a 4 decade long shit smorgasboard being force fed to us by a government that allowed it's mind to be made up by emotion and not reason.

And that's all there is to it. I sympathize with your families suffering, but we can't make laws based on it. It isn't working.

[Anonymous Bosch]

I sympathize with your families suffering, but we can't make laws based on it. It isn't working.

This. A 1000x this.

The 21st amendment to the U.S. Constitution ought to serve as a testament of the utterly futile folly of national prohibition (not to mention the billions our government squanders on marijuana prohibition, and the long overdue question of whether marijuana prohibition actually makes any sense whatsover).

RMC, if it helps to dispel the notion of marijuana = loss of intelligence, it's worth remembering that Carl Sagan was also a user and advocate of marijuana, and claimed that it helped to inspire some of his work and enhance sensual and intellectual experiences.

[Victoria Raverna]

I sympathize with your families suffering, but we can't make laws based on it. It isn't working.

This. A 1000x this.

The 21st amendment to the U.S. Constitution ought to serve as a testament of the utterly futile folly of national prohibition (not to mention the billions our government squanders on marijuana prohibition, and the long overdue question of whether marijuana prohibition actually makes any sense whatsover).

RMC, if it helps to dispel the notion of marijuana = loss of intelligence, it's worth remembering that Carl Sagan was also a user and advocate of marijuana, and claimed that it helped to inspire some of his work and enhance sensual and intellectual experiences.

I think there are some research that show that marijuana usage can reduce brain abilities like verbal memories and some mental skills for some period of time after usage. Now if you're a very smart person, maybe even with the reduce capability, you're still able to do great works.

The point of stopping people from using marijuana is not to protect those smart and capable people who can't be harmed by marijuana usage, but to protect weaker people who can be seriously harmed by the drug.

It is the same deal with alcohol, some people can drink and not become alcoholic, but that doesn't mean alcohol drinking can't harm people.

[silverjon]

Alcohol can kill brain cells. Meth can kill brain cells. Um... lack of oxygen kills brain cells. Etc.

I had a boyfriend in high school who smoked a lot of pot. You could argue that it was something that helped him cope with epilepsy, or that it was a contributing factor to it (petit mal or just spaced out? who knows). Same for his abusive stepfather. I don't really know, but he did seem stupider when he was high, which was frequently. I don't know where he ended up.

I don't smoke pot myself because I've never enjoyed it.

I've married someone who at this point smokes a small amount every day, pretty much. This is after a 10+ year period of abstinence from all drugs and alcohol after kicking a crack habit. The decision-making process was ultimately that moderation is possible in some substances, but not others. It works. Now, J is smart, not necessarily book smart, but a person capable of processing a lot of information quickly. Big picture smart. I would be unhappy married to someone I couldn't view as a mental equal, so if the marijuana had turned into an issue in that respect, I'd object to it. But I have no reason to do so.

Just like not every person who drinks alcohol is going to turn into an alcoholic, not every person who smokes up is going to turn into a useless pothead.

[msduncan]

Democrats have waged a 20 year campaign against smoking cigarettes.

Pot, however, is ok. I submit to you that both cause health problem insomuch that inhaling smoke into your lungs is BAD for you.

However, I have officially moved left on the following issues over the last 10 years:

1. Gay marriage. If you want to, then do it. No skin off my back.
2. Legalization of pot. Again, if you want to then do it. Just don't let us catch you operating a vehicle while you are high.

So I guess my entire point here is that it irritates me that people act like pot is actually GOOD for you. Inhaling ANY kind of smoke is NOT good for you. Period. I don't begrudge people from doing it -- just recognize the health risks. Same goes for big gulps. The government has no business telling me what size drink I should have.

[Victoria Raverna]

Democrats have waged a 20 year campaign against smoking cigarettes.

I think maybe they'll wage war against marijuana smoking if Philip Morris and other tobacco players start selling marijuana cigarettes when marijuana become legal.

[msduncan]

Democrats have waged a 20 year campaign against smoking cigarettes.

I think maybe they'll wage war against marijuana smoking if Philip Morris and other tobacco players start selling marijuana cigarettes when marijuana become legal.

Probably right.

[Combustible Lemur]

Democrats have waged a 20 year campaign against smoking cigarettes.

Pot, however, is ok. I submit to you that both cause health problem insomuch that inhaling smoke into your lungs is BAD for you.

However, I have officially moved left on the following issues over the last 10 years:

1. Gay marriage. If you want to, then do it. No skin off my back.
2. Legalization of pot. Again, if you want to then do it. Just don't let us catch you operating a vehicle while you are high.

So I guess my entire point here is that it irritates me that people act like pot is actually GOOD for you. Inhaling ANY kind of smoke is NOT good for you. Period. I don't begrudge people from doing it -- just recognize the health risks. Same goes for big gulps. The government has no business telling me what size drink I should have.

I don't actually disagree with you, but the issues are a little more nuanced than you make them out to be. Yes, there are MomsAgainst'Smoking out their who want to wipe it out, there are also conservative's out there who wish to legislate away vice. And many who are okay with only legislating away public smoking, (do what you want but not next to me). And there are other wanting to make it more difficult for kids to get hold of smokes. Pot's okay in that few people are promoting public intoxication, smoking in bars, or smoking while driving. And Many more (the real reason that it rare for these votes to work) aren't so much pro pot, as anti drug war despite the hollywood pothead comedy. Pot is good for you in some specific ways(nausea, appetite, stress, glaucoma ), inhaling burning embers is not. Joint's in theory are also not equitable to cigarretes. It's like equating an ear of corn with a twinkie. One is a dried herb off of a plant, one is a highly processed and chemically enhanced product. (this is becoming more complicated as the black drug market becomes more sophisticated and uses pesticides and other filler/chemicals to treat crops)

So while I agree with your conclusion, it's not helpful to couch it in ye olde, stupid liberal hippy nanny staters.

[AjD]

Inhaling smoke is definitely not good for you, long-term. Interestingly, the marijuana community has been exploring healthier delivery methods for years now (and not just edibles like pot brownies/cookies). Herbal vaporizing - which isn't smoking, as the marijuana doesn't combust - has become very popular.

But the vapor innovation that seems the most forward-thinking (and lung healthy) is cannabis oil. It's just the oils distilled from the plant and sold as a liquid. I was at a party last summer, and a girl was casually sipping on a small hi-tech white wand. It had an LED light, a USB charging port, and looked like something you might buy at an Apple store. There was zero odor, and it fit in her pocket. I asked her what it was and she said, "The future! Smoking's for old hippies honey."

(It looked something like this - not sure if this is the exact one):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28ahicJbk1E" target="_blank

[Zarathud]

My post this morning must've slipped through the intertubes, but I'm with RMC.

Society has become much less tolerant of alcohol overuse and tobacco use, so I don't see the argument that their current use requires legalization of marijuana. In my mind, marijuana has fallout consequences for not only the user, but also his or her family, friends and community.

It's a matter of balancing competing harms. But in Chicago, the police aren't going to go after marijuana unless you're dealing/holding large amounts or being stupid about it (i.e., open and notorious lighting up). That pisses me off as much as the drug use, frankly.