LOL!!  Too funny nine18kk.

"Virgil - you have my condolences"

Nine ,

you don't think that this  kind of thing is worth the money we spend on it, do you?

It's silly...!  Please show me I'm wrong.

--virgil

p..s  no condolences necessary

It's Wrong, Nine!

What did it take to get those guys in possession of so much pot?  Is the feeling of a job well done an appropriate one - I wonder?

Police Officers watching and chasing marijuana smokers, ooh. Talk about welfare, what do those people get paid to watch marijuana smokers anyway?

For Marijuana....It's not worth it, you know.  It's actually legal...

--virgil

Nine18, virgil always throws in the "marijuana smoker" comment anytime large scale dealers or growers are arrested. I think he thinks it helps his arguement. He once even said the prisons are full of people convicted of smoking marijuana. I pointed out his error, but like when anyone calls him on his babble, he ignored it. OB56.

HAHAHAHA!!!

"virgil always throws in the "marijuana smoker" comment anytime large scale dealers or growers are arrested. I think he thinks it helps his arguement. "

What about the part where marijuana is legal, dude?

You're pathetic if you think marijuana GROWERS or smokers should be put in jail.

Marijuana is still legal in California (remember, by popular vote ten years ago?) ... but it appears just too inconveniently so for people like you.

--virgil

p.s. how's that one blue?  Hey,  where are you any way...too bad you can't post under your own avatar?  It's Kinda like using someone else's underwear - Not much dignity to it, uh ?

Marijuana is NOT legal for everyone Virgil.  Don't you once again, have to have a permit to smoke it or grow it?  Virgil, if you have a permit that's really good for you, you went about it the right way. 

Michelle,

You can't get a permit in B-town.

At one time it was possible. But after handing out a few, Youngblood, Jagels et. al. decided it was not good for the county.

To  prove their point they got a "FBI" person to give a press conference on how marijuana is not legal, and how it continues to be a highly addictive narcotic.

Youngblood was happy enough to help arrest those he gave permits to as well. How nice.

Do you think we should continue arresting pot smokers and GROWERS?

--virgil

We sure should.  And we can continue to go round and round about this til we're blue in the face, this is a topic we just will never agree on.

" really good for you"

This issue is not about me.

I'm  certainly not employed in any way that benefits from marijuana's crimminalization - not even in California State corrections however glamorous and socially necessary that profession is.  

--virgil

" We sure should"

Michele,

In you own words can you give me a reason why marijuana should be illegal?

That's all I ask.

We spend a hell of a lot of money on this crap. WE should not. It's really that simple.

--virgil

One more thing.

Who Benefits from Marijuana's criminalization?

--virgil

They decided that they needed to follow Federal law.  Not much point in issuing permits to people so that the Feds can shut them down now is there?

Good job Nine...OB funny.  :-)

Virgil-In my eyes it is a gateway drug.  I've seen many past friends only smoke weed, who then go on to doing much worse and now are either homeless, in prison or have died from an overdose, again marijuana being their gateway drug.  It can be addictive and can alter the mind frame.  I know prescription drugs can do that as well. 

But yeah, I do think it is ok to put away David the drug dealer for selling to young kids or anyone in general.  He does not have a license to sell and they do not have a prescription to buy.  Maybe if I didn't work in the medical field I would have a different view.  I just know doing my job high would not get done properly, accurately, safely, following OSHA guidelines, or even at all if I was high at work. 

I understand some people really need it and that is fine, as long as it's done legally. 

Well, here's one benefit.

Where would we be without court mandated drug rehab programs if marijuana was decriminalized?

You know according to the studies, those forced in to rehab are not as successful in their rehab attempts....

--virgil

" They decided that they needed to follow Federal law"

Who decided?

--virgil

"I understand some people really need it and that is fine, as long as it's done legally. "

Michele,

Here,  you and  I agree. It should be grown and used legally.

A gateway theory on substance abuse with marijuana in mind as the gatekeeper has been proven wrong. ThaT is, there's no connection.

You know, hemp was the main cash crop for  export in the American Colonies.

Marijuana has been around for centuries but considered dangerous only in 1930's America, and of course still is...

--virgil

Michele, Nancy, 

Why should marijuana even be regulated at all?

It's not a gateway drug, we know that.  It has never been regulated before the U.S. felt it necessary to do so.

Its continued prohibition encourages so much venality and human depravity. It's not worth it.

--virgil

RE  gateway drug.  We do NOT know that virgil.  That's YOUR opinion.  Few addicts start out on their "drug of choice",   they work their way up to it.   Amost without fail clients report their first use of a mind altering chemical was with MJ and the average age is around 12 years old.

What ARE you talking about "Where would we be without court mandated drug rehab programs if marijuana was decriminalized?"

Hemp being legal in the past has nothing to do with today.

And why are we talking about this AGAIN?  You and I have gone round and round on the subject.  And you're wrong.  :-)

  "Few addicts start out on their "drug of choice",   they work their way up to it"

Here's one study to add to possibility marijuana is not a gateway....

 http://drugs.homeoffice.gov...

Is it worth put putting close to a million  (FBI STATS) Americans a year in jail for?

All things considered , is there anything that justifiies marijuana's criminalization in terms of adverse effects marijuana may have on society?

 --virgil

Virgil-people use marijuana and get use to it or want something more.  They then start experimenting with other drugs, making that the gateway drug.  I have spoken to several people who state they firststarted with using marijuana.

And yes, keep arresting dealers and buyers, it's worth it in my eyes!

 "Hemp being legal in the past has nothing to do with today"

Nancy,

just pointing out that the use of hemp was common in Colonial American. The colonies exported it to the French and English for the ship building trade - rope.   It was (is) also used as a raw material for clothing and paper.

I don't remember reading about colonial stoners, but we do know using cannabis was common among slaves and tenet farmers - it alleviates fatigue. I imagine use of it  by  merchant mariners is plausible, too.

Hemp, among other things,  was and is a common raw material for all kinds of textiles. You should actually read up on - you're so opposed to it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

Wiki is actually a decent place to start.

--virgil

I have spoken to several people who state they firststarted with using marijuana.

Betcha every single one of them started with beer. 

"Virgil-people use marijuana and get used to it or want something more.  They then start experimenting ..."

Michele,

Some people are going to have a problem with dependency issues, the reality is that most don't (won't).

--virgil

OK virgil.  Have it your way.  All I've done is study mood/mindaltering chemicals, addictions,  and spend thousands of hours talking to and listening to addicts.  Eh...But what do I know? 

Nancy,

You're not suggesting I haven't spent, at least, the same amount of  time on this issue as you, are you ?

did you reAD that link?

--virgil

No cheese, please, Nancy.

--virgil

I'm not suggesting anything since I don't know anything about you.    I just said YOU are wrong.  That's MY opinion.  Obviously you believe I am wrong.  That's YOUR opinion.

Now, unless you want me to copy and paste my past posts on this topic, I am done here.  I've been arguing this subject since before you were blogging here (at least under virgil) and it really is pointless.  All WE are doing is arguing.

I can understand why you become incensed when your knowledge, based on your experience, is brought into question... 

You didn't read the link, did you? 

Nancy,

I'm not the only one who disagrees with your knowledge and experienced based opinion. 

---virgil  

virgil..there you go again.  I thought you'd gotten past reading something into my posts that wasn't there.  Being adamant isn't the same as being incensed.

It's not even a matter of having anything about me called into question, it's just tiring going over the same lines like actors in a play.

As for you not being the only one who disagrees with me?  Did I say you were?  Tsk tsk..reading something that isn't there again.  People disagree with me all the time.  Did I not say it's YOUR opinion and MY opinion?  That's because you and I are the ones arguing about it.  And, to reiterate, it is MY opinion based on my studies and experience.  I'd guess yours are based on your study and experience.

And lastly, no, I didn't read the link because I've read gazillion umpteen links and continue to do so for the part time job I now have.  I've read pros and cons.  I've read studies that valid date my opinion and I've read studies that oppose it.

I'll have to close with this little tidbit.  I have posters here always asking if I went to their link.  And when I post a link and ask if the op poser looked at it I get answers like "no, I didn't need to."  Funny how one sided people can be.

Carry on McDuff, in my opinion your opinion is still wrong.

Can we end this now?

"And lastly, no, I didn't read the link because ..." 

Of course not...

--virgil

"Can we end this now?"

Tell that to 800,000 people a year who are arrested for marijuana related charges. You think that's good idea, uh?

Go get em....! Do you actually tell youself you know all there is to know about marijuana prohibition?  And, I bet you tell yourself  how good it is for everybody, too.

Yeah, damn, Marijuana's been bad for, um let's see, 60 years - for Americans, anyway, especially those living in B-town.

--virgil

Nancy,

For all  you know about this, you still have yet to give me a good reason to criminalize marijuana.

And since we're there,  give me a link to support your informed opinion.

You Can't. You would have already.

--virgil

I recieved an email this evening and thought I'd share the contents with you  virgil.

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I gotta say though Virgil sticks to his guns.  I admire his persistance.

" You have years of personal experience on this issue, as I do. We both have seen what marijuana has done to people and their families."

Was that before or after marijuana was criminalized?

Nancy

I can only say, it's shame you can go no further with this topic (waste of a good mind).

Blue is amoral - that's why we don't see him posting under his own avatar anymore.

And, I suggest the reason you enjoy quoting him rather than learning what you can about this issue has everything to do with the way b-town does its law watching.

Enjoy your Beer, blue.

--virgil