Six months after marijuana legalization: Colorado tax revenue skyrockets as crime falls

a reply to: Jakal26
Thanks Jakal, it's a subject that's close to my heart so I'm pretty passionate about it. The lies about cannabis end now.

I went out for the fourth! I have to tell ya its liberating to walk in and buy legal. I went to the Village Green Society in Boulder.

With it being my only vise in life, I am considering moving myself. Also we could not find a motel in all of Denver with vacancies. Well, none you would want to stay at anyhow. Looked at rentals as well and 6 months waiting at least for all I checked.

You always see a ton of folks in Denver area that you just know are holding or smoking etc.. To just know that these guys now warrant no more attention from police than anyone else really said a ton to be. You should not be angry with your neighbors is he or she does what they like in this regard. A little Marijuana use should not make a person a criminal.

Please don't forget that there is no shortage of Marijuana on our streets. Colorado just brought it out in the open and now regulates its sale etc.. The days of buying from the same guy peddling harder stuff are gone in Colorado. The shop I visited was very clean and the product was top notch! A few guys were doing Yoga. This beats the crap out of a buying from a guy packing heat who keeps looking out the window repeatedly. Not to mention the last bit of Mexican import stuff I had smelled like gear oil.

a reply to: MarlinGrace

and you know what? I am JUST as guilty of said attacks as anyone else.

Yeah the testing thing concerns me. I mean I drink, but never drive if I have more than one cocktail because I don't want to kill someone and I sure don't want a DUI on my record. I am no scientist. I wonder if one of dem all smart type folks can invent a more immediate test for THC that can be done accurately and without doubt as to whether the THC in the system was old or brand new?

I have no clue...I don't know crap about science. Sure would save a lot of problems though.

But regardless of my overall desire for legalization, NOBODY intoxicated on ANY substance should ever drive or oprate something that can harm others.

originally posted by: KyoZero
a reply to: MarlinGrace

and you know what? I am JUST as guilty of said attacks as anyone else.

Yeah the testing thing concerns me. I mean I drink, but never drive if I have more than one cocktail because I don't want to kill someone and I sure don't want a DUI on my record. I am no scientist. I wonder if one of dem all smart type folks can invent a more immediate test for THC that can be done accurately and without doubt as to whether the THC in the system was old or brand new?

I have no clue...I don't know crap about science. Sure would save a lot of problems though.

But regardless of my overall desire for legalization, NOBODY intoxicated on ANY substance should ever drive or oprate something that can harm others.

Lest we forget. There is no shortage of this stuff on our streets. Folks are driving on it anyhow!

a reply to: Donkey_Dean

point very well taken

a reply to: KyoZero
Back in my youth, I was more likely to be under the influence of marijuana, than not. Be it driving my car, driving the tractor, driving my motorcycle, participating in a hockey game or martial arts tourney...... Etc etc. Never had any problems. Known people that did have problems though, in the same state of mind.

Like beer, I would rather people not drive or operate machinery while high, better safe than sorry. But yeah, good luck finding a method that is accurate, that can tell that you are under the influence now, rather than maybe yesterday, or maybe last week. Piss test I know personally it stays in your system for at least a few weeks, and the tricks like chugging goldenseal do not work lol. People that claim the effects last days are full of it. Unless you want to start busting people for driving hung over too, hangovers in my experience are far worse than being "burnt".

a reply to: TKDRL

yeah and see you point out the biggest problem. I really don't have an issue with people driving hours after smoking. Being on the ambulance I am also well aware that drunk driving (IMO) is so much worse than high driving

a reply to: tothetenthpower

First, it's only been 6 months, but even then...

Are you sure about the veracity of that article?

I mean, just take a look at this one.

More Colorado drivers in fatal crashes positive for pot, study says

By John Ingold
The Denver Post

Posted: 05/15/2014 04:02:14 PM MDT79 Comments

Updated: 05/15/2014 11:35:49 PM MDT

Two new University of Colorado studies paint an ominous picture of the direction of the state since marijuana commercialization, but neither provides conclusive evidence that legal pot is causing harm.

One study shows more drivers involved in fatal car accidents in Colorado are testing positive for marijuana — and that Colorado has a higher percentage of such drivers testing positive for pot than other states even when controlled for several variables. But the data the researchers use does not reveal whether those drivers were impaired at the time of the crash or whether they were at fault.

"The primary result of this study may simply reflect a general increase in marijuana use during this ... time period in Colorado," the study's authors write.

The other study shows that perceptions of marijuana's risk have decreased across all age groups with the boom in marijuana businesses in the state. The study also finds that near-daily marijuana use among adults increased significantly starting in 2009, relative to states without medical marijuana laws. But the study's authors acknowledge that they cannot show Colorado's marijuana laws are the reason for the shifts in attitudes and use.

"Even though causality cannot be established, Colorado would be wise to implement prevention efforts regarding marijuana and make treatment for those with marijuana use disorders more broadly available," the study concludes.
...
The Colorado State Patrol only just this year began keeping track of marijuana-impaired driving arrests. So far this year, 228 people have been cited in impaired-driving cases involving marijuana. Those cases make up about 13 percent of total impaired-driving citations issued by the State Patrol.

John Ingold: 303-954-1068, [email protected] or twitter.com/john_ingold

www.denverpost.com...

Although according to the studies no causality can be established they do show a trend. Some of you, or probably most of you, would state that the increase in fatal car crashes in which people's autopsy showed they had smoked MJ is simply because there are more people using it, but that they were not impaired. However, according to the Colorado State Patrol they have caught so far 228 who were impaired due to MJ. Yeah, 228 is not a lot, but first it's only been 6 months. Second, how many MJ impaired drivers were not caught?

And guess what doctors are saying?

Today, I applaud the American Medical Association, the United States’ largest professional organization for physicians, for rejecting marijuana legalization — and the launch of another tobacco-like industry. The AMA has issued a clarion call despite heavy pressure to remain neutral on this subject.

Neutral. No reputable doctor or scientist who truly understands the harms this addictive substance inflicts on health and safety — especially on the health and safety of children — could remain neutral. I’m pleased to see the AMA went even further by calling for full funding of the Office of National Drug Control Policy and for thorough study of the impacts of marijuana legalization on the states of Colorado and Washington, where rates of THC-impaired drivers reportedly are soaring.

The AMA’s stance is aligned with the stance of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, also known as Project SAM. I am honored to serve alongside SAM’s co-founders, former U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy and former White House senior drug policy advisor Kevin Sabet, on SAM’s board of directors. I invite you to learn more about SAM’s stances on marijuana and public health, marijuana as medicine, marijuana and legal reform.
SAM issued this statement about today’s AMA decision:

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD — The delegates at the 2013 Interim Meeting of the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates, in National Harbor, Maryland, today voted to pass a resolution on marijuana, “Council of Science & Public Health Report 2 in Reference Committee K,” explicitly opposing marijuana legalization and fending off a challenge to “neutralize” their position.

The report changes H-95.998 AMA Policy Statement on Cannabis to read in part: “Our AMA believes that (1) cannabis is a dangerous drug and as such is a public health concern; (2) sale and possession of cannabis should not be legalized.”

“The AMA today reiterated the widely held scientific view that marijuana is dangerous and should not be legalized,” said Dr. Stuart Gitlow, chairman-elect of the AMA Council on Science and Health and a member of SAM’s board. “We can only hope that the public will listen to science, not Big Marijuana interests, which stand to gain millions of dollars from increased addiction rates.”
...

drthurstone.com...

Remember what big tobacco did for so long by claiming "smoking cigarettes is completely safe?" the problem with MJ is not that it causes harm to self, (which it does btw) but it impairs memory, motor function and judgement, and you don't need to smoke 3-6 joints for these side effects to occur, as you would for alcohol.

I stand by my position that if MJ is legalized throughout the U.S. then why not legalize another controlled substance like Methadone?... BTW, of course I don't think methadone should be legalized... MJ should be considered a controlled substance like methadone and other controlled drugs.

Here is a link to the American Medical Association stand on MJ.

www.ama-assn.org...

BTW, the American Psychiatric Association has a similar stance on MJ.

...
There is no current scientific evidence that marijuana is in any way beneficial for the treatment of any psychiatric disorder. In contrast, current evidence supports, at minimum, a strong association of cannabis use with the onset of psychiatric disorders. Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to harm, given the effects of cannabis on neurological development.
...

www.psychiatry.org...

a reply to: ElectricUniverse

So what?

It up to that individual if they want to take the risk.

If someone wants to drink bleach let them.

What the point of jailing people for possession? If they want to harm themselves or take whatever let them. Jailing and prosecuting them not going to fix anything, just bleed money and make there situation more miserable.

For someone that spouts individual rights about guns id expect some tolerance.

originally posted by: tothetenthpower
Yet the moral fabric of America remains un-tainted..

Rest of the article..

Six months on, Colorado’s marijuana shops are mushrooming, with support from local consumers, weed tourists and federal government taking a wait-and-see attitude.

Tax dollars are pouring in, crime is down in Denver, and few of the early concerns about social breakdown have materialized – at least so far.

“The sky hasn’t fallen, but we’re a long way from knowing the unintended consequences,” said Andrew Freeman, director of marijuana coordination for Colorado. “This is a huge social and economic question.”

To think that given people some freedom would get positive results!

In the first four months, marijuana sales amounted to more than $202 million, about a third of them recreational. Taxes from recreational sales were almost $11 million.

So further down the line, we are still seeing that the benefits outweight the risks. Hell they've only had two deaths attributed to this and anybody who knows anything about pot will tell you that those people died of idiocy, not pot smoking. I would also venture a guess there were more than 2 alcohol or other drug related deaths in the same time frame.

In any case, crime is down, revenue is up.

What more do you people want?

~Tenth

We saw the same effect after alcohol prohibition was ended in the 1930's. The WOD is just as foolish as Prohibition.

originally posted by: crazyewok
a reply to: ElectricUniverse

So what?

It up to that individual if they want to take the risk.

If someone wants to drink bleach let them.

What the pint of jailing people for possession? If they want to harm themselves or take whatever let them. Jailing and prosecuting them not going to fix anything, just bleed money and make there situation more miserable.

For someone that spouts individual rights about guns id expect some tolerance.

This. If you are only free to do something that is "good for you" (that "good" being determined by someone else) then are you truly free?

One should be free to consume whatever substance they want as long as they are responsible for the consequences, IMHO. I can see someone who stays clean and sober resenting paying taxes to support someone who does not.

a reply to: ElectricUniverse
If you wish to believe the AMA and the APA go right ahead. I see two industries just trying to protect their monetary interests, being the two largest drug pushers in the world. They want you to use their expensive synthetic treatments, not something you could grow in your windowsill.

You cannot effectively control something like that, same as you cannot control other natural things like alcohol. Any natural sugary juice without chemical added crap can be made into alcohol in two weeks. Although aging it a lot more is better of course.

a reply to: NavyDoc

Exactly.

Also as you likely know. 99% of hard drug users have mental health issues or are stuck in poverty or both and use these substances as a form of self medication to escape.

What the point of throwing them in jail?

Jail is one huge drug den. Not only do you come out still addicted to drugs but feeling more depressed and more worthless and on top stuck with a criminal record that renders you a 2nd class citizen unable to do all but the most low paid menial jobs. Talk about make the situation that made you turn to drugs worse!

As fo Cannabis? Most are normal everyday people. Most the people I was at uni with experimented with it. None of them are drop out junkies, there microbiologists, Biochemists, pharmacists and Doctors.

Throwing them in jail would just reduce them to the level of the hard drug users and likely push them into hard drugs while in jail plus ruin there future.

Its a pointless exercise jailing people for drug possession.

originally posted by: ElectricUniverse
BTW, the American Psychiatric Association has a similar stance on MJ.

...
There is no current scientific evidence that marijuana is in any way beneficial for the treatment of any psychiatric disorder. In contrast, current evidence supports, at minimum, a strong association of cannabis use with the onset of psychiatric disorders. Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to harm, given the effects of cannabis on neurological development.
...

www.psychiatry.org...

This isn't strictly true. The cannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) has demonstrated itself in trials as being as effective as currently prescribed antipsychotics. It's also a well known fact that CBD counters the effects of psychoactive THC and also serves as a neuroprotectant.


March 2012 study; Cannabidiol enhances anandamide signaling and alleviates psychotic symptoms of schizophrenia

*(Anandamide is an endocannabinoid, it's the human bodies own form of THC, interestingly nick-named anandamide by the scientific community after the Sanskrit word for bliss, 'ananda'.)

"Cannabidiol is a component of marijuana that does not activate cannabinoid receptors, but moderately inhibits the degradation of the endocannabinoid anandamide.....In our translational approach, we performed a double-blind, randomized clinical trial of cannabidiol vs amisulpride, a potent antipsychotic, in acute schizophrenia to evaluate the clinical relevance of our initial findings.

Either treatment was safe and led to significant clinical improvement, but cannabidiol displayed a markedly superior side-effect profile. Moreover, cannabidiol treatment was accompanied by a significant increase in serum anandamide levels, which was significantly associated with clinical improvement.

The results suggest that inhibition of anandamide deactivation may contribute to the antipsychotic effects of cannabidiol potentially representing a completely new mechanism in the treatment of schizophrenia." - www.nature.com...


June 2012 PsychCentral article discussing CBD and schizophrenia; Marijuana Compound May Beat Antipsychotics at Treating Schizophrenia

"A certain marijuana compound known as cannabidiol (CBD) can treat schizophrenia as well as antipsychotic drugs, with far fewer side effects, according to a preliminary clinical trial.The research team, led by Markus Leweke of the University of Cologne in Germany, studied 39 people with schizophrenia who were hospitalized for a psychotic episode.

Nineteen patients were treated with amisulpride, an antipsychotic medication that is not approved in the U.S., but is similar to other approved drugs.The remaining 20 patients were given CBD, a substance found in marijuana that is considered responsible for the mellowing or anxiety-reducing effects.

“The results were amazing,” said Daniel Piomelli, Ph.D., professor of pharmacology at the University of California-Irvine and a co-author of the study. “Not only was [CBD] as effective as standard antipsychotics, but it was also essentially free of the typical side effects seen with antipsychotic drugs.”

“These exciting findings should stimulate a great deal of research,” said Dr. John Krystal, chair of psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine, who was not associated with the research. He notes that CBD not only had fewer side effects, but also seemed to work better on schizophrenia’s so-called “negative symptoms,” which are notoriously hard to treat." - psychcentral.com...


Feb. 2013 study: Cannabidiol for neurodegenerative disorders: important new clinical applications for this phytocannabinoid?

"...CBD acts in some experimental models as an anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, anti-oxidant, anti-emetic, anxiolytic and antipsychotic agent, and is therefore a potential medicine for the treatment of neuroinflammation, epilepsy, oxidative injury, vomiting and nausea, anxiety and schizophrenia, respectively.

The neuroprotective potential of CBD, based on the combination of its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties, is of particular interest and is presently under intense preclinical research in numerous neurodegenerative disorders. In fact, CBD combined with Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol is already under clinical evaluation in patients with Huntington's disease to determine its potential as a disease-modifying therapy." - www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov...


Jan. 2013 study; Medical use of cannabis. Cannabidiol: a new light for schizophrenia?

"...Given the need to reduce the side effects of marketed antipsychotics, and their weak efficacy on some schizophrenic symptoms, cannabinoids have been suggested as a possible alternative treatment for schizophrenia. CBD, a non-psychoactive constituent of the Cannabis sativa plant, has been receiving growing attention for its anti-psychotic-like properties.

Evidence suggests that CBD can ameliorate positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Behavioural and neurochemical models suggest that CBD has a pharmacological profile similar to that of atypical anti-psychotic drugs and a clinical trial reported that this cannabinoid is a well-tolerated alternative treatment for schizophrenia." - www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov...


Feb. 2013 study; Cannabidiol as a potential treatment for psychosis

"Although cannabis use is associated with an increased risk of developing psychosis, the cannabis constituent cannabidiol (CBD) may have antipsychotic properties. This review concisely describes the role of the endocannabinoid system in the development of psychosis and provides an overview of currently available animal, human experimental, imaging, epidemiological and clinical studies that investigated the antipsychotic properties of CBD.

In this targeted literature review we performed a search for English articles using Medline and EMBASE. Studies were selected if they described experiments with psychosis models, psychotic symptoms or psychotic disorders as outcome measure and involved the use of CBD as intervention. Evidence from several research domains suggests that CBD shows potential for antipsychotic treatment." - www.europeanneuropsychopharmacology.com...(13)00332-5/abstract


Feb. 2014 study; Effects of cannabinoid drugs on the deficit of prepulse inhibition of startle in an animal model of schizophrenia: the SHR strain

"Clinical and neurobiological findings suggest that the cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system may be implicated in the pathophysiology and treatment of schizophrenia......Our results reinforce the role of the endocannabinoid system in the sensorimotor gating impairment related to schizophrenia, and point to cannabinoid drugs as potential therapeutic strategies." - journal.frontiersin.org...


There's ample evidence, both scientific and anecdotal, to show the efficacy of cannabis as a treatment for psychiatric disorders. The medical profession is in bed with big pharma, and there isn't the same multi-billion dollar profits in cannabis as there is in patented synthetically produced pharmaceuticals. It's in their collective benefit to lie to us.

originally posted by: crazyewok
a reply to: NavyDoc

Exactly.

Also as you likely know. 99% of hard drug users have mental health issues or are stuck in poverty or both and use these substances as a form of self medication to escape.

What the point of throwing them in jail?

Jail is one huge drug den. Not only do you come out still addicted to drugs but feeling more depressed and more worthless and on top stuck with a criminal record that renders you a 2nd class citizen unable to do all but the most low paid menial jobs. Talk about make the situation that made you turn to drugs worse!

As fo Cannabis? Most are normal everyday people. Most the people I was at uni with experimented with it. None of them are drop out junkies, there microbiologists, Biochemists, pharmacists and Doctors.

Throwing them in jail would just reduce them to the level of the hard drug users and likely push them into hard drugs while in jail plus ruin there future.

Its a pointless exercise jailing people for drug possession.

And that's the thing. I don't indulge, but there are many people can come home from a day's work and relax with a joint just the same that many other productive citizens come home and relax with a cocktail. There really is no difference, IMHO.

a reply to: ABNARTY

Crime is down: Obviously. If we take away speed limits, speeding tickets will be down. However, still just as many parking tickets, expired plates tickets, etc.

No, that's not it.
It's because when people are high, they don't BITCH quite so much about everything - they don't get ANGRY at everything - and they're too relaxed to decide to go out and pop a cap in some rival gang-banging dealer who pissed off their sister... they are more likely to laugh it off and cough "whatever". I would think the government and business would be excited to have a populace who is content to toke on the back patio, mind their own business, go to work, and as far as the Capitol Hill shenanigans and warmongering - well, everyone will be chillaxin' and, like,
MEH.

(Also, it's a fact that people high on weed drive SLOWER than people stressed out, sleep-deprived, and pushed to their limits of sanity with the rat race).

This is a long-time overdue, and hopefully, YES - in five years it will be a non-issue. So some people like to smoke pot for recreation, and others use it for medical relief?

I have no problem with that AT ALL.

originally posted by: NavyDoc


We saw the same effect after alcohol prohibition was ended in the 1930's. The WOD is just as foolish as Prohibition.

Except for the fact that with MJ you don't need to smoke 3-6 joints to have impaired motor skills, impaired judgement, a slowed reaction time, etc.

With one joint you get to the high that alcohol gives you after heavy consumption. So essentially it is the same as legalizing drunk driving. Not to mention that the effects of MJ persist much longer than the effects of alcohol.

Here is an excerpt and link to research that was done to pilots after smoking one joint.

Cannabis and its Effects on Pilot Performance
and Flight Safety: A Review
Dr David G. Newman
MB, BS, DAvMed, PhD, MRAeS, MAICD, AFAIM
Aviation Medicine Consultant
Adviser to the ATSB
Released in accordance with s.25 of the Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003 (Cth).
...

Cannabis is a commonly used recreational drug, which has widespread effects within the body.
Smoking is the most common form of administration. The adverse effects of cannabis on
behaviour, cognitive function and psychomotor performance are dose-dependent and related to
task difficulty. Complex tasks such as driving or flying are particularly sensitive to the
performance impairing effects of cannabis. Chronic cannabis use is associated with a number of
adverse health effects, and there is evidence suggesting the development of tolerance to chronic
use as well as a well-defined withdrawal syndrome. There is also evidence that the residual
effects of cannabis can last up to 24 hours. Significantly, the modern dose of cannabis is much
more potent than in the past, when the majority of the research was conducted. As such, the
reported adverse health effects may well be conservative. Although only a limited number of
studies have examined the effects of cannabis on pilot performance, the results overall have been
consistent. Flying skills deteriorate, and the number of minor and major errors committed by
the pilot increase, while at the same time the pilot is often unaware of any performance
problems. Cannabis use in a pilot is therefore a significant flight safety hazard.
...

www.skybrary.aero...

That research was conducted when MJ was less potent than it is now. There are studies that show the potency of MJ has increased 6-10 times from the dose of the 1960s and 70s.

Myths and Current Research

INTRODUCTION

Second only to alcohol, marijuana is the most popular and widely used drug in the United States. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 95 million Americans age 12 and older have tried pot at least once. By 2001, the proportion of under-18 users had increased by 67% since the 1960’s. Researchers attribute this to the significant increase of pro-drug messages in multimedia venues. Students of all ages today have access to the Internet where they can easily find websites that promote marijuana use, kits for beating drug tests, and can advertise and sell marijuana and paraphernalia. Meanwhile, the prevalence of higher potency marijuana (which is measured by the levels of THC delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is increasing.

According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, marijuana is much more powerful and so are the mind-altering effects associated with use. Average THC levels rose from less than one percent in the mid-1970s to more than six percent in 2002. This means that even what is considered just skunk weed, can be six to ten times more potent than what was available in the 60’s and 70’s. No marijuana is the same; dealers can mix marijuana with other substances, from oregano to being laced with PCP, which means you can’t rely on what you are getting. Sinsemilla potency increased in the past two decades from six percent to more than 13 percent, with some samples containing THC levels of up to 33 percent.
...

oade.nd.edu...

originally posted by: ElectricUniverse

originally posted by: NavyDoc


We saw the same effect after alcohol prohibition was ended in the 1930's. The WOD is just as foolish as Prohibition.

Except for the fact that with MJ you don't need to smoke 3-6 joints to have impaired motor skills, impaired judgement, a slowed reaction time, etc.

With one joint you get to the high that alcohol gives you after heavy consumption. So essentially it is the same as legalizing drunk driving. Not to mention that the effects of MJ persist much longer than the effects of alcohol.

Here is an excerpt and link to research that was done to pilots after smoking one joint.

Cannabis and its Effects on Pilot Performance
and Flight Safety: A Review
Dr David G. Newman
MB, BS, DAvMed, PhD, MRAeS, MAICD, AFAIM
Aviation Medicine Consultant
Adviser to the ATSB
Released in accordance with s.25 of the Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003 (Cth).
...

Cannabis is a commonly used recreational drug, which has widespread effects within the body.
Smoking is the most common form of administration. The adverse effects of cannabis on
behaviour, cognitive function and psychomotor performance are dose-dependent and related to
task difficulty. Complex tasks such as driving or flying are particularly sensitive to the
performance impairing effects of cannabis. Chronic cannabis use is associated with a number of
adverse health effects, and there is evidence suggesting the development of tolerance to chronic
use as well as a well-defined withdrawal syndrome. There is also evidence that the residual
effects of cannabis can last up to 24 hours. Significantly, the modern dose of cannabis is much
more potent than in the past, when the majority of the research was conducted. As such, the
reported adverse health effects may well be conservative. Although only a limited number of
studies have examined the effects of cannabis on pilot performance, the results overall have been
consistent. Flying skills deteriorate, and the number of minor and major errors committed by
the pilot increase, while at the same time the pilot is often unaware of any performance
problems. Cannabis use in a pilot is therefore a significant flight safety hazard.
...

www.skybrary.aero...

That research was conducted when MJ was less potent than it is now. There are studies that show the potency of MJ has increased 6-10 times from the dose of the 1960s and 70s.

Myths and Current Research

INTRODUCTION

Second only to alcohol, marijuana is the most popular and widely used drug in the United States. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 95 million Americans age 12 and older have tried pot at least once. By 2001, the proportion of under-18 users had increased by 67% since the 1960’s. Researchers attribute this to the significant increase of pro-drug messages in multimedia venues. Students of all ages today have access to the Internet where they can easily find websites that promote marijuana use, kits for beating drug tests, and can advertise and sell marijuana and paraphernalia. Meanwhile, the prevalence of higher potency marijuana (which is measured by the levels of THC delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is increasing.

According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, marijuana is much more powerful and so are the mind-altering effects associated with use. Average THC levels rose from less than one percent in the mid-1970s to more than six percent in 2002. This means that even what is considered just skunk weed, can be six to ten times more potent than what was available in the 60’s and 70’s. No marijuana is the same; dealers can mix marijuana with other substances, from oregano to being laced with PCP, which means you can’t rely on what you are getting. Sinsemilla potency increased in the past two decades from six percent to more than 13 percent, with some samples containing THC levels of up to 33 percent.
...

oade.nd.edu...

Your comment is flawed in that someone who is not used to drinking can be legally and practically impaired after one drink, regardless the BAC.

No one advocated driving while impaired. Can you say that someone who indulges in a joint at home is any more a threat to others than someone who has a six pack of beer at home?

originally posted by: NavyDoc

Your comment is flawed in that someone who is not used to drinking can be legally and practically impaired after one drink, regardless the BAC.

No one advocated driving while impaired. Can you say that someone who indulges in a joint at home is any more a threat to others than someone who has a six pack of beer at home?

How is my comment flawed? Your body can metabolize 1 beer/drink per hour. Not to mention that eating while drinking helps metabolize alcohol faster. While a joint is smoked and goes directly to your lungs. A joint is metabolized by your body in about 24 hours.

...
A good guide is to drink no more than one drink per hour because that’s all your body can process. A standardized drink is equivalent to one 12 oz. beer, a 5 oz. glass of wine or a 1 ½ oz. shot of hard liquor.

A standardized drink is the amount of alcohol the average person can metabolize in about one hour. It is important to know that most mixed drinks, coolers, and strong ales or lagers may contain more than twice the average amount of alcohol
...

www.sbcc.edu...

...
Duration of Effects: Effects from smoking cannabis products are felt within minutes and reach their peak in 10-30 minutes. Typical marijuana smokers experience a high that lasts approximately 2 hours. Most behavioral and physiological effects return to baseline levels within 3-5 hours after drug use, although some investigators have demonstrated residual effects in specific behaviors up to 24 hours, such as complex divided attention tasks. Psychomotor impairment can persist after the perceived high has dissipated. In long term users, even after periods of abstinence, selective attention (ability to filter out irrelevant information) has been shown to be adversely affected with increasing duration of use, and speed of information processing has been shown to be impaired with increasing frequency of use. Dronabinol has an onset of 30-60 minutes, peak effects occur at 2-4 hours, and it can stimulate the appetite for up to 24 hours.
...
Panel’s Assessment of Driving Risks: Low doses of THC moderately impair cognitive and psychomotor tasks associated with driving, while severe driving impairment is observed with high doses, chronic use and in combination with low doses of alcohol The more difficult and unpredictable the task, the more likely marijuana will impair performance.
...

www.nhtsa.gov...

So, you can guarantee that whomever smokes a joint, for recreational purposes, is going to stay 24 hours within the confines of their house or barracks? Of course not. That would mean that for smoking one joint the people who do it for recreational purposes should do it on the weekend, or whenever their day off is.

My concern is this. Some of the same side effects you get from smoking a joint are similar to some of the side effect of controlled substances like methadone as an example. Since drugs like methadone are controlled substances, so should MJ be considered a controlled substance. Not to mention that the legalization of MJ throughout the U.S. would make a precedent for the legalization of other illegal and controlled substances.