This Correlation Between Legal Medical Marijuana States and Traffic Fatalities Is Shocking

originally posted by: ketsuko
Since marijuana replaces your internal ambition and motivation.

What a load of poo that is. I've written dozens of songs, recorded several albums and created a large body of artwork/paintings/photos and build several firearms from scratch over the last 20+ years. The plant in question doesn't replace ambition at all. Sure, it can enhance the traits you already possess. If someone smokes weed and spends their entire day eating Little Debbie snacks and playing xbox it's because they were already inclined to do so, not because they utilized a plant. I know many people who are fully functional adults in many lines of work from contractors to lawyers, a judge and state senators(republicans no less) who use it regularly despite its legal status. None of them seem to be devoid of ambition.

Only shocking to those who lack understanding thanks to the dishonest way cannabis has been portrayed.

The "stoned driver" argument is weak, it indicates total ignorance of truth about weed. Anybody with a tolerance who is "stoned" will maintain complete driving ability. They may even gain a heightened awareness and focus that increases driving ability.

There are a few exceptions such as somebody trying for the first time or with no tolerance. Still, the only risk there is the potential for anxiety or a panic attack in the anxiety prone. The only way cannabis impairs a person in any debilitating physical sense is if a reckless amount of edibles are consumed.

All of that aside, cannabis has a unique effect, the exclusive ability to raise awareness. So the likelihood of someone who's over medicated knowing when they shouldn't be driving is certain, and the chance of them driving when they shouldn't is zero.

The many people driving around on any number of pharmaceuticals is far more concerning. Most of those drugs easily have the potential to impair driving and judgment, especially if abused even slightly.

Seriously, weed is among the least threatening things on the planet. It can only help us, and in so many ways.

Which brings up an interesting point - are there less medicated or less-medicated (meaning quantity and degree) individuals on the road?

How much less Xanax, Oxycontin and other legal "hard drugs" are coursing through the blood of drivers in states where many are opting for the less-debilitating, less harmful marijuana?

a reply to: peter vlar

Sounds like you'll be neighbors to all of my immediate family. I lived in the same area ( Waldo county ) for 25+ yrs. I have since moved to the far north. Even the MidCoast area was getting too crowded for me. But I'm sure you'll love it there.

originally posted by: peter vlar

originally posted by: ketsuko
Since marijuana replaces your internal ambition and motivation.

What a load of poo that is. I've written dozens of songs, recorded several albums and created a large body of artwork/paintings/photos and build several firearms from scratch over the last 20+ years. The plant in question doesn't replace ambition at all. Sure, it can enhance the traits you already possess. If someone smokes weed and spends their entire day eating Little Debbie snacks and playing xbox it's because they were already inclined to do so, not because they utilized a plant. I know many people who are fully functional adults in many lines of work from contractors to lawyers, a judge and state senators(republicans no less) who use it regularly despite its legal status. None of them seem to be devoid of ambition.

it helps to differentiate between the two primary types however, indica and sativa. one is a "downer" the other is an "upper", one more medicinal and the other more recreational depending on your chemistry and usage. the upper seems to be what you and your friends enjoy, boosting creativity and energizing and focusing you. the downer is more of a sedative, contributing to the citizens who veg on the couch browsing netflix for hours at a time.

a reply to: TzarChasm


That's a pretty salient point actually. I've spent so much time working with hybridization and trying to get the best qualities of both indica and sativa that I sometimes gloss over the fact that some people are getting stuff that isn't necessarily of known providence and could be a pure indica or sativa. I know some people who only care about cost and will go for quantity over quality whereas others are smart enough to understand that a smaller amount of a quality item will end up lasting the same amount of time and the end cost is fairly equitable.

a reply to: TzarChasm

The biggest problem I see today is. ...breeders have put too much emphasis on potency as well as yield. Neither of which is in my opinion ...a step toward responsible and productive use of the product.

I dont even smoke the stuff, but if Trump legalizes this it would make some big points for him in my book....


Most of the people I know that do, have no desire to do anything except order take out, play video games, listen to movies or binge watch TV shows when they are stoned.....

Now if we can legalize this stuff we might be able to start climbing out of debt, if Trummp is serious about pulling our fats out of the fire, then he better damn well look at this.....

Just look at the numbers in tax dollars in the states that have

a reply to: RomeByFire

Yeah alcohol creates more death than marijuana by far. They'll never stop demonizing it either.

originally posted by: peter vlar
a reply to: TzarChasm


That's a pretty salient point actually. I've spent so much time working with hybridization and trying to get the best qualities of both indica and sativa that I sometimes gloss over the fact that some people are getting stuff that isn't necessarily of known providence and could be a pure indica or sativa. I know some people who only care about cost and will go for quantity over quality whereas others are smart enough to understand that a smaller amount of a quality item will end up lasting the same amount of time and the end cost is fairly equitable.

i have been told that there is a plateau where the given concentration will cease its elevation and level out regardless of how much is administered, which ties in to the "quality over quantity" you mentioned. wasting half your medicine because you like how it feels when using a fraction gives you roughly the same effect. im not sure if this is reliable, but perhaps you have noticed a similar pattern. its also worth pointing out that even without the actual medicinal components of cannabis, the plant itself is more than practical in its myriad applications. why all the focus on smoking when there are other industries just waiting to be blown wide open with the hemp revolution?

That is one interesting article, and it makes some valid points.

In the end, the skeptic in me thinks this isn't a complete study.

I think there needs to be much more research, and I think that ATS has some fantastic people to help truly understand what is what.

I volunteer to be a participant. Anybody want to join me in really getting to the bottom of this? I say we do the study in the middle of nowhere with 4 wheel drives and tents.. For safety.

I could maintain a serious focus, we need music, bonfires, some meat to burn, and a hellacious supply of some serious green.

C'mon people, I welcome friends and enemies on this board.

Let's go do it for the science, let's do it for the kids.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

It's interesting that years ago a British study proved that marijuana actually makes people better drivers. They did a test, and proved that reaction times were greatly improved with marijuana, as long as it wasn't combined with any alcohol or other drug. I believe that cannabis has components that the human body can become deficient in, similar to sailors getting scurvy. I think cannabinoid deficiencies can create things like osteoporosis. It has been proven that certain terpenes in the plant (specific oils are individually called terpenes) strengthen bones.

There are terpenes in the plant that help many medical symptoms. Ocular pressure is one of them (Excruciating pressure inside the eye, that can be debilitating). Modulation of autoimmune conditions, possibly the cure for autism, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, and just overall a life prolonging herb - when it is used as a medicine in moderation by people that need it.

I know about how Monsanto is getting involved in the Cannabis business also. They are starting to "work" with certain cannabis seed suppliers on "who knows what". They have also started to try to get the commercial operations in legal states to use their well-known BT-Toxin on cannabis plants. If they get enough seed companies onboard, they will probably end up altering all of the crops to be "Roundup Ready" etc.!

a reply to: TzarChasm

i have been told that there is a plateau where the given concentration will cease its elevation and level out regardless of how much is administered

That ceiling does seem to exist when the route of administration is smoking or vaporizing, but with eating it there seems to be no limit until you can literally no longer walk and just fall asleep hard. It can actually be an extremely intoxicated unpleasant experience.

originally posted by: GoShredAK
a reply to: TzarChasm

i have been told that there is a plateau where the given concentration will cease its elevation and level out regardless of how much is administered

That ceiling does seem to exist when the route of administration is smoking or vaporizing, but with eating it there seems to be no limit until you can literally no longer walk and just fall asleep hard. It can actually be an extremely intoxicated unpleasant experience.

the difference between medicating and abusing. people who do that are what i call gateway users. they use until its no longer effective, then they look for something stronger. rinse and repeat. no substance is safe for those folks.

a reply to: InFriNiTee

It's interesting that years ago a British study proved that marijuana actually makes people better drivers.

This is totally true. People have a hard time accepting this but the truth is cannabis (when used properly and responsibly) improves driving. It has the potential to improve just about everything really. The stereotypes stuck to it are way off.

originally posted by: RomeByFire

originally posted by: Gatexan
I'm much more worried about the other drivers on the road after a few drinks , or the staggering amount of people driving right now on high doses of various opiates .

But alcohol and its repercussions (drunk driving) is a normal and accepted part of American society.

It doesn't matter how many people die a year of alcohol or alcohol-related incidents - people just say "meh."

Same thing with guns.

But cannabis? It's the devils lettuce.

Correction.. it's the devil's KALE, dagnabitt!
.. Get with the times already man!

originally posted by: GoShredAK
a reply to: InFriNiTee

It's interesting that years ago a British study proved that marijuana actually makes people better drivers.

This is totally true. People have a hard time accepting this but the truth is cannabis (when used properly and responsibly) improves driving. It has the potential to improve just about everything really. The stereotypes stuck to it are way off.

paranoia makes for very defensive driving. mostly because you dont want to get pulled over while your high is screamingly obvious (or so it seems). and a little bit because your coordination feels slightly off due to an advanced state of relaxation. relaxed paranoia...the sweet spot for any operator. not enough to freak out, but enough to pay attention to everything and react smoothly but quickly. works well with muscle memory but not with learning motor skills for the first time. motor skills, get it?

a reply to: ketsuko

Technically, it depends on the variety of cannabis. There's the geontype (cannabis) then the phenotype (indica, sativa). Generally, indica (wide-leaf strains) can be very narcotic and sleep-inducing, to the point of being strong narcotics. The stronger THC indica plants that aren't balanced by CBD are the strong appetite-inducing strains.

Then you have hybrids. They are combinations of phenotypes that are mostly stabilized to produce the desired result. These can be anywhere from narcotic to energy producing, depending on the balance of the genetics.

Sativa plants are generally skinny-leaf strains. They can be uplifting, motivational, energy producing, appetite supressing (THCV), make people more creative, artistic, and even paranoid - depending on the terpenes. These can be very high in CBD, and suppress seizures and other problems like that.

Altogether, there needs to be more studying on the broad range of medical versatility that the unique flower has. Hemp and cannabis are the most versatile plants in the world. The 10 dollar bill of 1914 had hemp harvesters on the back of it. It wasn't long until those same bankers banned it!

a reply to: Krazysh0t

I was an avid skater in my teen years in California in the eighties and was sponsored by Santa Cruz. It was very common to see skaters (including pros) smoke a bowl under the platform of a huge half-pipe ramp before starting a session. We are talking about doing arial tricks way over the top of a ramp that goes to vertical.

There was no impairment at all in the skating abilities, on the contrary! If you are an experienced user, pot will bring you into a certain "flow" and give you a better feel for gravity, momentum, friction, etc. In later years, I also experienced this riding motorcycles. There is also the additional benefit of reduced anxiety, keeping your mind calm and hyper-focused on your actions and surroundings. This focus does take a bit of a conscious effort, but as stated in the OP, marijuana users are aware of their "impairment", and they will adjust accordingly.

For someone with little or no experience, there is a learning curve to go through before you get these benefits.

soulwaxer

Great discussion...



If anything it makes life bearable.

I never thought I would live to see it legal.

Here I sit. Finally a great injustice is corrected.