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Seeing a lot of stories about the Washington law permitting the possession and smoking of marijuana by adults for recreational use. Being in Missouri, I don't have much cause to worry about Washington law, but thinking ahead (should similar laws find their way closer to home):
- is it legal to sell marijuana? If not, how does someone legally obtain the marijuana they are permitted to possess and smoke?
- I assume employers can prohibit an employee from smoking marijuana on the job (just like they can prohibit drinking at work), but does Washington permit drug testing and, if so, can an employer still fire an employee who tests positive for marijuana use?
- is it now permissible to grow your own stash?
I'm sure there are other issues (aside from the conflict with federal law), but those are a few that I can think of now.
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It's all brand new, dude. No one knows how it's going to play out, and it's still against the Federal laws, so now the blue states can scream "state's rights!".
I haven't smoked pot in ages, and so have no axe to grind either way, other than that I am OK to have pot legalized if the majority is on board. If it finally gets all the way legal, and scoots the the supreme court, I just might take get stoned and listen to Dark Side of the Moon one more time.
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We passed a referendum last month to allow the sale of "medical marijuana" in Massachusetts. Apparently, you have to get a prescription from a doctor that allows you to buy marijuana at a shop that is licensed by the state. The cities and towns are quickly drawing up legislation to limit the location of the marijuana shops in much the same way they do with strip joints, adult book stores and the like. The city in which I work is currently authoring an ordinance to allow marijuana shops only in the most fetid swath of a federal superfund site that used to be a dumping ground for cow hides from the tanneries that existed there in the late 19th century.
From what I understand, there's a hefty expense involved in buying medical marijuana. You have to pay a registration fee of around $500 to the marijuana shop in addition to the price of the weed itself, which is going to have a hefty markup because you're not buying it from the corner dealer who is selling nickel bags. And you have to find a doctor who is willing to sign the note without worrying about his reputation.
The cops are freaked out because people can possess up to a "60-day supply," whatever that is. They say that's where the flaw in the legislation lies, because one guy who smokes a joint a day to help him with glaucoma could end up selling what he doesn't use to his friends.
Last edited by artie_fufkin (12/07/2012 11:15 pm)
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From what Ive heard is the the states that are allowing it also allow people to grow up to so many plants. I havent done alot of research tho. The biggest issue I see with it is driving. At least in Illinois. You cant drive stoned but there is no measurement on when a person is stoned like there is for being drunk. Any amount is cause for a DUI drugs. Marijuana stays in your system for 28ish days. There for you couldnt/shouldnt drive legally for a month after each joint even tho the effects probably wore off in a matter of hours. DUI drugs is the same as DUI alcohol and I think we all understand it isnt something you want on your record.
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Another issue I see is illegal searches. Every K9 is trained to hit on the smell of Marijuana. If it is made legal then the dog are hitting on something they shouldnt. It either makes all the dogs useless or the other option is to search the car even tho the dog might have not hit on an illegal substance. I dont see how the later would be constitutional. Think about the expense of retiring all K9s and training new ones.
I see it being a mess. It is alittle more complex then the folks carring signs around believe. I mean setting an illegal level for THC in the system in order to enforce DUI drugs wont be an easy task. And it isnt just getting stopped and wrote a DUI. What if you are in an accident after having smoked. Do you wanted charged with Reckless Homicide for smoking a joint a day ago for a simple traffic mistake that results in death? Or wrote the DUI because the testing is somewhat mandated in bad accidents? It is hard enough to find a ride home after bar hoping. Now you might be asking folk to not drive for weeks or a full month. Those are just some legal issues with it. It doesnt even take into account the social issues.
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60 day supply looks to be defined as 1 - 6 ounces...That is alot. That would be felony level in Illinois. You have to possess over 10 grams to be a felony here in Illinois and that is olny after you already been convicted of it once. The first time the possess of 10-30 grams is a class A misdemeanor. 0-2.5 grams is class C misdemeanor. 2.5 - 10 grams is a Class C misdemeanor. Most of those misdemeanor can be plead down to nothing through court. Basicly what I am saying is that it is pretty much already legal.
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APIAD wrote:
60 day supply looks to be defined as 1 - 6 ounces...That is alot. That would be felony level in Illinois. You have to possess over 10 grams to be a felony here in Illinois and that is olny after you already been convicted of it once. The first time the possess of 10-30 grams is a class A misdemeanor. 0-2.5 grams is class C misdemeanor. 2.5 - 10 grams is a Class C misdemeanor. Most of those misdemeanor can be plead down to nothing through court. Basicly what I am saying is that it is pretty much already legal.
It's been legal here for the last five years or so to carry up to one ounce, but even before that you had to be an asshole to the cop in order to get busted for simple possession of marijuana. I can't remember the last arrest report I read where the perp got charged with that only. If the cops caught a bunch of kids smoking dope in a car or something, they'd just confiscate the marijuana and send them on their way.
Opiates are a much bigger deal here. The drug stores won't even stock Oxy because they were getting ripped off so much.
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"The drug stores won't even stock Oxy because they were getting ripped off so much."
They prescribed that for me for the kidney stone I had last month, and I would have been a lot more uncomfortable without it. It was the first time I had ever taken that drug, and I can see why abusers would like.
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Max wrote:
"The drug stores won't even stock Oxy because they were getting ripped off so much."
They prescribed that for me for the kidney stone I had last month, and I would have been a lot more uncomfortable without it. It was the first time I had ever taken that drug, and I can see why abusers would like.
I'm allergic to opiates, which in a way is probably a good thing. I was prescribed Oxy for my shoulder after surgery, and I broke out in a rash that made my skin bright red. My wife calls that drug control number they put on the side of the prescription bottle at 2 a.m. and the first thing the woman on the other end of the phone says is "Don't have him take any more."
My wife: "Errr, yeah. Seeing how he looks like a lobster right now, I'd worked out that part already."
I can't imagine what a kidney stone feels like. I think I'd rather watch a John Cusack film festival.
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Max wrote:
artie_fufkin wrote:
I think I'd rather watch a John Cusack film festival.
Or, perhaps, explain why pitcher "wins" are such an important stat?
Because the World Series trophy isn't given to the team with the highest cumulative VORP?
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artie_fufkin wrote:
Max wrote:
artie_fufkin wrote:
I think I'd rather watch a John Cusack film festival.
Or, perhaps, explain why pitcher "wins" are such an important stat?
Because the World Series trophy isn't given to the team with the highest cumulative VORP?
Nor is it given to the team who was leading after five innings, and who then goes on and wins the game.
Last edited by Max (12/12/2012 4:10 pm)