bats

Did you ever read this article by Sue Arnold? Sue used to campaign for legalization of cannabis after finding that skunk gave her her eyesight back but after her son had a psychotic episode she changed her mind

http://gu.com/p/jedj?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Alan2005

Yeah. No question, it should be legal. As annoying as it is, being an insufferable twat shouldn't make you a criminal.

Stinkypup

I agree with the DUI heavy penalties/bans

Oink

There's a story on the difficulties in having a consistent empirical measure of intoxication, tonight on The National (CBC).

Stinkypup

Yeah I could see that, as with other drugs is tricky- get them to some tricky hipster tasks -if confused then book em- and lifetime ban

scrubbedexpat091

Like how some alcoholics can function at times enough to get through life at a blood alcohol level that would knock most of us out, wondering if long term users build a tolerance to the stuff.

Like how some on legal medications people can build a tolerance to where the drug no longer works well for the desired result after a long period of use.

Stinkypup

DUI is above a certain alcohol blood level, tolerance obviously isn't accounted for-re drugs, drug blood screening is sometimes done in ER if people pitch in after an MVA though probably not enough- this is for recreational and prescription drugs which could impair driving ability.
Yes tolerance to drugs builds up, as you say like alcohol- it is still wrong to drive under the influence- judgement is impaired however much these idiots feel that they are in control

caretaker

I use it with a vaporizer to control chronic pain now with good results, though I smoked it recreationally for over 40 years. I know far too many professionals (including a doctor or two) and successfull buisness-people who use it regularly to believe that long-term users mostly become "non-functioning". I just received an award at work for 35 years of service and I'm still working after 6 surgeries in 5 years, and using half the dosage of synthetic morphine I'd need otherwise (using the appropriate strain is important). A standard roadside test for impairment like they had before breathalizers makes sense, since like alcohol, it doesn't have the same effect on everyone. With marijuana being so powerful now and the popularity of edibles the possibility of someone having a psychotic episode because of it is far more likely than in the past so it shouldn't be available to minors, like alcohol. The wikipedia page on long-term effects of marijuana is certain to get bigger and bigger, and there will no doubt be some negative long-term effects found which are 100% attributable to marijuana use, and then they will be added and publicised.

bats

There's quite a profit to be made in medical marijuana

How Rob Kamermans made $500K as Canada's top medical marijuana doctor — until police came knocking | National Post

Stinkypup

Hmm- my "colleagues" have been known to charge $250 to approve forms for anyone wanting To pay the cash the certificates/licenses not interested in medical history, medications, drug history, just the cash- they deserve their come-uppance IMO

caretaker

$250 seems like a lot, add usurious to the charge of unethical.

Stinkypup

Yes, I agree absolutely- they are on very shaky ground but seem to get away with it somehow

KuroKuro

Say what you want about weed in general, but I would pay good money for any drug that worked and was not (too) harmful to me that would swap out period pains for a slightly buzzed tingling feeling in my ovaries.

scot47

If we made it compulsory maybe those annoying pro-cannabis people would shut up.

BristolUK

Your luck's in. I was tinkering with my chemistry set last night and...