Is Weed Coming To a Town Near You??

[boater]

Classic thread. I love watching the tea-tollers and pot heads going at it.

[WhoTom]

26 minutes ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

I read tobacco use with marijuana not good.

 

Then there's the whole smoking it thing.  Won't we see rise in cancers, lung cancer?

 

https://www.webmd.com/lung-cancer/guide/marijuana-lung-cancer-risk

 

Note that it may vary with the smoking implement used. A waterpipe (bong) will filter out a lot of the bad stuff, while smoking a joint or a bowl has no filtration. And with legalization, we now have a great assortment of edibles, which many consumers are choosing over the smokables.

 

Also from the article linked above: "Animal research suggests that some chemicals in marijuana work against tumor growth, which could explain why lung cancer isn’t showing up as often as scientists might expect in people who smoke it."

 

Related to that, I read about a study done in the 70s or 80s. The researcher wanted to show a causal link between smoking cannabis and lung cancer. He made four groups:

• people who smoke cigarettes but not weed
• people who smoke weed but not cigarettes
• people who don't smoke at all
• people who smoke both weed and cigarettes.

Much to his surprise, the lung cancer incidence rates were, in ascending order:

1. people who don't smoke at all (lowest incidence rate, not surprising)
2. people who smoke weed but not cigarettes (slightly higher than non-smokers, but not a lot)
3. people who smoke both weed and cigarettes (considerably higher)
4. people who smoke cigarettes but not weed (highest, by a lot)

He concluded that weed may, in fact, have some sort of preventative effects when it comes to cancer. But because of its previous Schedule 1 classification, it was nearly impossible to run experimental studies on its chemistry. Maybe now such a study is possible. I've also seen preliminary studies suggesting that it may reduce the growth rate of pancreatic cancer.

 

 

[billsfanmiamioh]

I’m currently working on a masters degree in medicinal cannabis science & therapeutics on the side. It’s from U Maryland school of pharmacy which is pretty highly regarded (pun intended). There is much potential in the industry from both a therapeutic and business perspective. I’m interested in both enough to see where it takes me. 

[Just Jack]

Someone I know in the fire/police service has said that they've had to turn away recruits because pot is still illegal at the federal level.  

[Bad Things]

New Zealand had a referendum last year, asking voters if they wanted to legalize the wacky week.

Sadly it failed, with 50.7% of voters opposing the legalization and 48.4% in support.  Who knows when we'll get another chance to vote on it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_New_Zealand_cannabis_referendum

 

I was really hoping for it to pass, but part of me was relieved because we may have dodged a bullet.  I've visited Colorado and Seattle a couple times in the past few years and really didn't like the way it was set up in CO.  I felt it was just too "in your face", if you know what I mean.

[Bill from NYC]

5 hours ago, dpberr said:

Weed is the next big government revenue cash engine across the United States.  It just makes too much money to ignore in a time period of pensions and pretty much every state government flat broke and desperate for cash.  With so many states either losing taxpayers or no longer generating replacement taxpayers, it's an attractive revenue source.  

 

After that, it'll be legalized prostitution.  Sounds wild, but it'll find its way into conversation.  Think about the billions you'd make from a casino that offers booze, gambling, weed, and prostitution for however much money you've got.  You'll pave a lot roads with that revenue.

When the feds get sick of organized crime making huge money in something, they take over the racket and tax it. Alcohol and gambling are great examples. Then, they attach federal penalties to the competetion (RICO), and form agencies to squash the competetion (ATF). 

 

At some point, the government will put out the word (after it is legal) that weed is a health menace. They will give out grants to folks who will do studies to "prove" this. Then, a joint will cost 10 dollars and up. It doesn't matter if weed isn't as bad as tobacco as long as government "studies" say it is. The idea is to bilk citizens out of tax dollars.

[muppy]

57 minutes ago, billsfanmiamioh said:

I’m currently working on a masters degree in medicinal cannabis science & therapeutics on the side. It’s from U Maryland school of pharmacy which is pretty highly regarded (pun intended). There is much potential in the industry from both a therapeutic and business perspective. I’m interested in both enough to see where it takes me. 

ditto Sir/Ma'am. I partake for medicinal purposes. Here in Cali where it has been medically legal for years the knowledge Im interested in knowing are  investigations into more medically sanctioned (UCSD level)  treatment protocols for such things as migraine headache, autism research, those affect me especially. The hardest thing for me is figuring out the doseage. My UCSD Dr's say "we don't like you inhaling smoke we  prefer you partake in edibles or tea etc. FINE BY ME .

 

#depressionanxiety

Edited December 14, 2021 by muppy

[DrDawkinstein]

2 hours ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

Any correlations to the mental health crisis we are seeing on the rise?  Will there be testing to find out if people might be predisposed to psychosis?

 

To me it's like guns. I am not anti-gun because I know people enjoy them and use then responsibly... Yet... We got a mess on hands with the people who can't.

 

The mental health crisis has been raging long before weed legalization. While cannabis can bring out latent underlying issues, nothing has been tied to the substance directly/independently. The bigger issue is the American stigma, and lack of services and healthcare to get help.

 

2 hours ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

I read tobacco use with marijuana not good.

 

Then there's the whole smoking it thing.  Won't we see rise in cancers, lung cancer?

 

There are plenty of studies that show smoking it is far cleaner and less harmful than cigarettes (with all those additives like honey, tar, etc)

 

However, folks aren't smoking/combusting it anymore. It's all about vaporizing the bud, which is super clean and leaves far less resin than smoking. (And not like the bad "vaping" all the kids are doing which is simply inhaling god-know-what chemicals)

 

Lots of data on both of your questions already exists since cannabis has been legal in certain countries for a long time now.

[billsfanmiamioh]

1 hour ago, muppy said:

ditto Sir/Ma'am. I partake for medicinal purposes. Here in Cali where it has been medically legal for years the knowledge Im interested in knowing are  investigations into more medically sanctioned (UCSD level)  treatment protocols for such things as migraine headache, autism research, those affect me especially. The hardest thing for me is figuring out the doseage. My UCSD Dr's say "we don't like you inhaling smoke we  prefer you partake in edibles or tea etc. FINE BY ME .

 

#depressionanxiety

Smoking / vaping / is (a little) easier to titrate an accurate dose since it avoids first pass metabolism (which there is generally great variability from

person to person). There’s still quite a bit with smoking / vaping but it’s a little more consistent. Perhaps something like a vaporizer would be beneficial? One of the ways this whole thing progresses as medicine will be when there are better innovations for delivery mechanisms & establishing better consistency. There’s a lot to be studied and learned, mainly because it’s been very hard to in the past due to its schedule 1 status. Hopefully that continues to change. 

[Augie]

5 hours ago, teef said:

i've also never agreed with the idea that once it's sold in an area, the streets will be flooded with high drivers.  i mean there may be a tick up, but you didn't exactly have to be a super criminal before to get your hands on pot in the first place.  people who know better won't drive, and others unfortunately won't care.  driving high will be like having a few beers at happy hour and driving home.  it's not a good idea, but i'm sure you'll see it, (we already see it).

 

Maybe the good news is people go out to happy hour, then drive home. People who puff at home probably stay home (glued to the couch). 

 

I think it will happen in time, but living in the SE I’m not a couple towns away, I’m a few states away. If you can do shots at happy hours and drive home, why not raise revenue legalizing pot? 

 

I worked with a guy who made an interesting argument. If people think it’s a gateway drug, you eliminate that by making it available at organized dispensaries. The dispensary doesn’t have the other menu options that lead you down that horrible road, but your street dealer probably does. 

 

 

.

Edited December 14, 2021 by Augie

[muppy]

regarding marijuana and its medical properties/uses/benefits. Noone will question regarding someone using a prescription from a medical Dr.  "Oh look at those people driving around medicated how dare they"......for me marijuana is the same its not the woo get high drug (unless that is why you need take it to alleviate depression for example) I would love to see Cannabis practitioners who specialize in treatment of the myriad of all benefits it can provide. Not just the THC laden get high type weed but CBD for pain and other uses.

 

and they Im sure do exist somewhere.

 

My wisdom is in knowing how much I dont know.

 

lol

 

m

[gdabillsfan]

23 hours ago, dpberr said:

Weed is the next big government revenue cash engine across the United States.  It just makes too much money to ignore in a time period of pensions and pretty much every state government flat broke and desperate for cash.  With so many states either losing taxpayers or no longer generating replacement taxpayers, it's an attractive revenue source.  

 

After that, it'll be legalized prostitution.  Sounds wild, but it'll find its way into conversation.  Think about the billions you'd make from a casino that offers booze, gambling, weed, and prostitution for however much money you've got.  You''ll grease a lot of palms with that revenue.

There fixed it for you.

[Poleshifter]

There is a little shop in Tonawanda that sells what looks like beautiful buds, but these things have been neutered during the growing process and have zero or miniscule THC. There ought to be a law against that sort of thing.

 

At least 3.2 beer will give you half a buzz.

 

[Gugny]

15 hours ago, Poleshifter said:

There is a little shop in Tonawanda that sells what looks like beautiful buds, but these things have been neutered during the growing process and have zero or miniscule THC. There ought to be a law against that sort of thing.

 

At least 3.2 beer will give you half a buzz.

 

 

Does the shop display the amount of THC?  If so, then it's on the consumer to make the decision.

[Poleshifter]

I think they tell you if you ask about it. There is no kind of real cannabis buzz available in the shop, just CBD tinctures and these faker buds. They are not pretending it's the real thing.

 

[billsfanmiamioh]

1 hour ago, Poleshifter said:

I think they tell you if you ask about it. There is no kind of real cannabis buzz available in the shop, just CBD tinctures and these faker buds. They are not pretending it's the real thing.

 

It’s hemp flower. Non psychoactive, (basically) all CBD, less than .3% THC. “Legalized” by the 2018 farm bill. 

[PromoTheRobot]

On 12/13/2021 at 11:11 AM, Gugny said:

View which municipalities have made the decision to opt out of adult-use marijuana dispensaries and/or on-site consumption lounges in their jurisdiction. NOTE: While this dashboard is updated regularly it does not represent real-time, official information on municipalities’ opt-out decisions. 

 

https://rockinst.org/issue-areas/state-local-government/municipal-opt-out-tracker/

 

 

NH chooses to remain an island of prohibition surrounded by legal states and a legal country.

[PromoTheRobot]

On 12/13/2021 at 12:26 PM, Wacka said:

Hopefully no in Cheektowaga. Don't need more dopeheads driving around.

 

Yeah that's what they say to scare you but it never works out that way. It's no different than any other store.

On 12/13/2021 at 12:47 PM, Wacka said:

Don't want more people that are in no shape to drive on the streets. 

 

Surprise. Those people are already smoking pot and doing whatever. Buying it legal doesn't change anything except bring all those black market dollars above board.

 

[PromoTheRobot]

On 12/13/2021 at 4:22 PM, ExiledInIllinois said:

I get it... But we simply don't know if propaganda holds true because it's been illegal forever. 

 

Marijuana is a hallucinogen.

 

 

 

Huh? No it isn't. Not even close.

 

As for why it's been illegal you should read up on it. In a nutshell, it was made illegal in the 30s because it was perceived as the drug of Blacks and Hispanics. The worry was white kids would start using. That's where Reefer Madness came from.

 

But then in the 60's marijuana laws were a convenient cudgel against anti-war types. You can't jail someone for protesting but you can jail them for pot.

 

That's why pot has been illegal in America.

[Gugny]

50 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

NH chooses to remain an island of prohibition surrounded by legal states and a legal country.

 

Live Free Not High?