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We have a
As for recreational use and jail time, give warnings, allow leniency at 2g or less like some states do. Don't allow serial violators.
we have a privileged nation of drug abusers period... MJ is just another illicit drug ripe for abuse. Most of us have written Marinol for dying cancer patients and AIDS wasting syndromes for years. Cachexia and wasting dying patients should have access to THC. A physician cannot translate this medicinal usage to the general population or bogus medical indications like ptsd. There are many neuropsychological consequences from MJ and more public health studies are necessary prior to wide spread use. As for assumed direct consequences, we know at "legal" levels of MJ Vs. etoh usage; the MJ patient causes 1.5 times more accidents as confirmed by the CO dept of transportation data.... Youre a doctor, stop listening to the liberal progressive nonsense and read the literature .Fair enough.
If we assume there will be some direct negative consequences of legalization, at what point are the positive consequences outweighing the bad? The massive influx of tax revenue to schools and other underfunded programs, decreased incarceration rates and the associated expenses, decreased opioid addictions/deaths (the studies are in on this one), the list goes on.
Let me pose it in another way... is it a bit disconcerting to know that two of the largest anti-legalization lobbyists are coming from Big Pharma, particularly those with a vested interest in opioid drugs... and the alcohol industry? Could it be they foresee their market share shrinking if MJ was made legal? If legal pot gets more people off pills and drinking less alcohol, I think this is a good thing and reason enough to deal with any negative consequences legal pot brings.
One last point. You make the assumption that an individual who refuses to use pot simply because it's illegal would then use the drug and... do what exactly? Break a different law, like drive intoxicated? I guess I'm not sure what you are assuming this person will do once she/he tries legal pot. He's already shown he won't break a law. So if we can safely assume this person will continue refraining from breaking laws, are you just afraid of him trying pot?
And FWIW, Portugal and some of the Northern European countries have seen a decrease in use after legalization/decriminalization efforts were made (this includes harder drugs too). They have a sound model which appears to be working...I wouldn't automatically assume legalization = free for all drug use.
As for recreational use and jail time, give warnings, allow leniency at 2g or less like some states do. Don't allow serial violators.