California to legalize and tax marijuana

[mr_anderson]

Mostly because the Dutch themselves dont partake - the coffee shops are for tourists not locals

Having a close relation who lived there for 7 years and visited extensively, trust me, the dutch partake .... just not in coffee shops (their equivilent of our temple bar).

Yet still no window-jumpers.

[QuizMaster]

Whatever you say about marijuana, alcohol is worse.
Worse in every way. More toxic, more anti-social, even more expensive. Though I suppose a tax would fix that.

[Wakeupcall]

Whatever you say about marijuana, alcohol is worse.
Worse in every way. More toxic, more anti-social, even more expensive. Though I suppose a tax would fix that.

Alcohol is not more expensive unfortunately...

But the money for the weed currently helps to fund gangs.

What I have noticed lately though now that people are loosing their jobs, more and more people have plantations going. I guess it will take a few years of practice for us Irish growers to meet the same quality levels as DAM...

But put it this way, a large majority of the people I grew up with who are now jobless are growing it. I enjoy paying these people for their product as I know they would be working only for they cannot find work and they have been working for years!

My money helps keep a family afloat now they grow it, I buy it, they put food on their table. SImple as

[cHeal]

No study whatsoever. Based on one person's anecdotal opinion. Who also concurs that the only actual risk is to those with pre-existing schizophrenia.
The studies referred to in that edition of the journal of Psychiatry all focus on the medical BENEFITS of cannabis.



Research has suggested that regular users of the drug are up to six times more likely to develop schizophrenia, although whether the drug is the direct cause remains disputed.

Again, concurs with what I said about predisposition.

The Department of Health says it is now generally agreed among doctors that cannabis is an “important causal factor” in mental illness.

The UK Department of Health is overtly lying. Medics generally agree the exact opposite, that it is NOT a causal factor at all.

A study published in the journal Addiction predicts that, if the causal link between cannabis use and schizophrenia is accepted, rates of the illness will increase substantially by 2010, especially among young men.

Except there is no causal link.



The reason for the link is unclear. Social consequences of frequent cannabis use include educational failure and unemployment, which could increase the risk of depression.

...

But when the number of psychotic symptoms at age 11 was controlled for, this increased risk dropped to become non-significant. This suggests that people already at greater risk of later developing mental health problems are also more likely to smoke cannabis.

...

The total number of high quality studies on cannabis use and mental health disorders remains small, stress Rey and Tennant. And it is still not clear whether cannabis can cause these conditions in people not predisposed by genetic factors, for example, to develop them.



From the same researcher who brought you "Your friends make you rob houses" - J Abnorm Child Psychol - PubMed Results[Jour]+AND+30[Volume]+AND+419[page]
and "Abortion makes you mad"- J Child Psychol Psychiatry - PubMed Results[Jour]+AND+47[Volume]+AND+16[page]

The source of his doctorate is unknown, it seems.



It pays to read past the headlines, you know...

I think that deserves a ZING!

[justcallmetex]

The link will never be proven 100% because mental illness is not a physical illness. You can dispute all the research evidence if you have time - but most of it indicates a link - like it or not.


Mostly because the Dutch themselves dont partake - the coffee shops are for tourists not locals

So you tell me the Dutch have a system where they generate income off letting people enjoy a little of what they like. Have a steady tourist trade as a result and the local people remain unaffected mentally by the product being sold?

Not for me. Ban the sh1t it's got nothing to offer!

[darkhorse]

All in your cannabis free narrow mind which is also jaded by the propaganda.

So because I accept the overwhelming available research you think I have a 'narrow mind'?
Or could it be because you dont like the conclusions researchers have reached?
I think you need to clear the cannabis from your head to allow rationality to return

Having a close relation who lived there for 7 years and visited extensively, trust me, the dutch partake .... just not in coffee shops (their equivilent of our temple bar).

Yet still no window-jumpers.

Although some Dutch obviously partake, the Dutch are mostly very conservative are want to see them closed down. The government over there have recently decided to let them be until 2010 after which they will probably shut them all down.
Last year they banned them from within 250m from schools which resulted in 43 more closing down. Most of the customers come from France, Germany and Belguim resulting in a form of tourism the Dutch dont want.
Bizarrely, they introduced a smoking ban in July 2008 - except in coffeeshops.

[Wakeupcall]

So because I accept the overwhelming available research you think I have a 'narrow mind'?
Or could it be because you dont like the conclusions researchers have reached?
I think you need to clear the cannabis from your head to allow rationality to return

I will keep doing the things I currently do as it reaps infinite financial rewards, this includes consuming cannabis. Once again I find someone trying to tell me what I can or cannot do. What makes you think you have the right to tell me what I can or cannot do? You are blindly arrogant.

My rationale is almost perfect, most likely infinitely superior to yours.

You have lost in this thread, quit before you dig any deeper.

If you don't want to smoke it then don't! Why not just sit back and let the tax pay for your local cancer facilities.

[Boggle]

Bizarrely, they introduced a smoking ban in July 2008 - except in coffeeshops.

Wrong. Tobacco is banned in coffeshops also. Grass is fine though.

Although some Dutch obviously partake, the Dutch are mostly very conservative are want to see them closed down.

Many Dutch partake - although you are right in one way, in so far as it appears from the Dutch case that legalising cannabis actually has the effect of reducing the amount of users (how many people do you know who 'smoke' to be a rebel- especially in school).

So because I accept the overwhelming available research you think I have a 'narrow mind'?
Or could it be because you dont like the conclusions researchers have reached?
I think you need to clear the cannabis from your head to allow rationality to return

You are the one who is trying to restrict what others may and may not like based on zero conclusive evidence. Maybe you need a rationality check.

Mostly because the Dutch themselves dont partake - the coffee shops are for tourists not locals

Again, the locals take it home and smoke somewhere its not E6 for a hot chocolate or a coke!

Edit: Oh and btw, take away their coffee shops and teh tourist industry would tank. Its a boring little place on the whole. Still reckon we should legalise it here - between pubs and coffee shops we'd clean up tourist wise.

[darkhorse]

I will keep doing the things I currently do as it reaps infinite financial rewards, this includes consuming cannabis. Once again I find someone trying to tell me what I can or cannot do. What makes you think you have the right to tell me what I can or cannot do? You are blindly arrogant.

My rationale is almost perfect, most likely infinitely superior to yours.

You have lost in this thread, quit before you dig any deeper.

If you don't want to smoke it then don't! Why not just sit back and let the tax pay for your local cancer facilities.

No-one can tell you what you can or cannot do but you are subject to the laws of Ireland -you cant drive on the wrong side of the road, you cant do lots of things the law doesnt allow...
Thats not blind arrogance - that a very obvious reality accepted by most people.
One of the reasons why cannabis is banned is due to the link with mental illness which is backed up by a lot of research - most of which you dont seem to like.
Obviously there are other reasons why it is banned as well - such as the link with other drugs (the gateway effect), the link with organised crime, etc

[Boggle]

One of the reasons why cannabis is banned is due to the link with mental illness which is backed up by a lot of research - most of which you dont seem to like.
Obviously there are other reasons why it is banned as well - such as the link with other drugs (the gateway effect), the link with organised crime, etc

Are you actually trying to tell me that some thought went into the banning of cannabis?

Oh, and whatever about the mental illness side of things, which can be refuted ad nauseum, the gateway effect is a manufactured myth brought about by the fact that those who sell hash, also sell other stuff (generally).