Legalization of drugs, pros and cons!

[UofMfan]

Originally Posted by Andrew, Jr.

Oxycotin caused me to have a heart attack. I am not surprised it legal in CA. It takes a year or so for things to come across and make it to the East Coast.

It is sold with a prescription in FL. Perhaps the State you reside at is different.

[Massive]

I have to say, I found this thread very interesting, but mostly for the fact that not many who've posted have mentioned actually using these so called 'recreational' drugs, I personally smoke pot, but not for fun, I smoke because first and foremost it is the most effective painkiller for my disability.
I've had rheumatoid arthritis since I was in my teens and I've been put on most of the drugs available from the BMA (British Medical Association), now there are some which are only available in the US, because the medical association here deems them to be too unsafe/untested to prescribe to Brits, and those I have taken have more often than not had such major side-effects that I was worse off on them than off, so, if my RA's really bad, I'd much rather smoke, even my Consultant in hospital only has issues with my smoking pot because of the fact that I am smoking and not eating it ... Most doctors and police officers I know would legalise some drugs in a heart-beat, because they know of the benefits and in regards to the police, it would be far less paperwork/foot slogging for them to do.
Amsterdam hasn't fallen apart since it was made legal there, and I don't see how a country cannot benefit from legalising the likes of pot. Harder drugs, however, is a different matter, I've seen heroin kill people, I've bured two friends, so far, who've OD'd, and I don't care to see that happen to any more of my friends.
So, should drugs be legalised? IMHO, some should yes, whereas others, definately not, isn't it bad enough that kids are out on the streets killing each others with knives and guns without giving them free reign to then kill each other with 'bad' batches of their drug of choice??

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by Massive

I have to say, I found this thread very interesting, but mostly for the fact that not many who've posted have mentioned actually using these so called 'recreational' drugs, I personally smoke pot, but not for fun, I smoke because first and foremost it is the most effective painkiller for my disability.
I've had rheumatoid arthritis since I was in my teens and I've been put on most of the drugs available from the BMA (British Medical Association), now there are some which are only available in the US, because the medical association here deems them to be too unsafe/untested to prescribe to Brits, and those I have taken have more often than not had such major side-effects that I was worse off on them than off, so, if my RA's really bad, I'd much rather smoke, even my Consultant in hospital only has issues with my smoking pot because of the fact that I am smoking and not eating it ... Most doctors and police officers I know would legalise some drugs in a heart-beat, because they know of the benefits and in regards to the police, it would be far less paperwork/foot slogging for them to do.
Amsterdam hasn't fallen apart since it was made legal there, and I don't see how a country cannot benefit from legalising the likes of pot. Harder drugs, however, is a different matter, I've seen heroin kill people, I've bured two friends, so far, who've OD'd, and I don't care to see that happen to any more of my friends.
So, should drugs be legalised? IMHO, some should yes, whereas others, definately not, isn't it bad enough that kids are out on the streets killing each others with knives and guns without giving them free reign to then kill each other with 'bad' batches of their drug of choice??

I hear this often from other RA sufferers - pot helping with pain and even the swelling, stiffness, etc. There are times I wish this was something I could utilize for RA. I have just never cared for pot myself, even when first using it as a teen. It just makes me too anxious and I don't like feeling out of control, which the anxiety brings with iton for me. Probably a wiring thing.... However, I have met other people that have the same difficulty with pot. Alcohol isn't something I like all that much either and don't like to be around people that are way drunk or high. Acupuncture helps me quite a bit, but my insurance won't cover the treatments. Crazy- they will cover pain killers that can be addictive or are not so great to take while trying to work, or just live life.

CA has a pot decriminalization measure coming up and it includes taxation. I am going to vote for it. Msdemeanor's sentiments about this align with mine. Criminalization of pot just seems nuts to me overall.

I do not, however, believe pot to be totally safe, but think adults ought to make up their own minds about its possible side effects, especially with frequent, long-term use. On the other hand, it does have some positive medicinal purposes that have been demonstrated for a very long time. Other substances are a different matter for me.

[Mitmo01]

California hopefully passes that measure and then the rest of the country will be sure to follow... not only will that measure help all people access marijuana if they want to without legal retribution but it will also help California out with its huge deficit and take the money away from the cartels and the criminals....

also Atlast...i know a lot of people that do not like smoking it so they use the vaporizer method, clean and smoke free with all the benefits of the THC...might be something that could help you with your pain....

[Massive]

Here in the UK they partially decriminalised pot and then not long after they reinstated it as higher classification, it really amazes me, when there are doctors here who will prescribe it for arthritis sufferers and people with cancer, my little brother could've used it when he was having chemo and radiotherapy and a friend of mine went out of her way to get him some medical grade pot to help him!
I know there are some people who have issues with smoking it too AtLast, and my advice to them is to cook with it, you can make a tincture in vodka which you can apply directly to the affected areas, and that's not something new, I read about it when reading about victorian medical practices ... Also, when ingested the effects last for longer, but what they really need to do is further research into using the painkilling element of the canaboid for pain relief.
Also, and this is an aside from the legalisation issue, and something which still disgusts me to this day, the research department in Newcastle University found a cure for arthritis, which was one injection, per year, which left sufferers of arthritis totally pain free until the next injection and the pharmaceutical companies here quashed it because, from what I saw, they knew they would lose millions in revenue

[UofMfan]

Originally Posted by Mitmo01

California hopefully passes that measure and then the rest of the country will be sure to follow... not only will that measure help all people access marijuana if they want to without legal retribution but it will also help California out with its huge deficit and take the money away from the cartels and the criminals....

also Atlast...i know a lot of people that do not like smoking it so they use the vaporizer method, clean and smoke free with all the benefits of the THC...might be something that could help you with your pain....

I wish that were true, but so far that hasn't been the case with other issues like same-sex marriage, etc.

I think the Conservative side of California, those folks who voted for Prop 8, are only considering legalizing it because of its fiscal benefits.

So although I agree with your sentiment, I don't believe that because CA passes this law other states are just going to follow suit.

[Mitmo01]

and on the subject of rape victims---here is something that can acutally help victims of rape and ptsd if it were legal....MDMA and Psyilociban--magic mushrooms and LSD

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100423/...N5Y2hlZGVsaWN0

Psychedelic research organization: http://www.maps.org

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by Mitmo01

California hopefully passes that measure and then the rest of the country will be sure to follow... not only will that measure help all people access marijuana if they want to without legal retribution but it will also help California out with its huge deficit and take the money away from the cartels and the criminals....

also Atlast...i know a lot of people that do not like smoking it so they use the vaporizer method, clean and smoke free with all the benefits of the THC...might be something that could help you with your pain....

Ah, HA!!! Wonder if it would make a difference with the anxiety thing.... dunno... Interesting, never thought of this! Amazing what this site brings!!