DEA to reclassify Marijuana

I think that a large part in the delays and foot dragging in the legalization of the product is so that politicians and their cronies can invest on the ground floor and set things up so that the maximize gain from the legalization.

Man I thought for sure this thread would be locked by now. Way to go, everyone else :)

In reply to P3PPY :

I think that those who have no interest in partaking just don't want smoke blown in their face or people operating heavy machinery. That's a low bar that's merely a willingness to respect others and one's self, I'd hope that anyone would be willing to respect those wishes. 

I think this is an excellent example of the polite and communal undertone of this forum. 
9/10 this was posted by a bot and could be flamed, BUT on the 1/10 chance it WASNT, no one is going to say anything and chase off that new person. 

SV reX said:

I'm not sure where I stand on this any more. 
 

As a (mostly) non-user I've always been supportive of legalization. I don't care what people do recreationally in their leisure time. 
 

As a person who interacts with quite a few people who use MJ regularly both at work and in my social circles, I also know that it's not harmless.  It impacts both the users and the people around them. 
 

I recognize the medicinal value, but I know very few people who use it for medical reasons. 
 

I'm not sure where I stand any more.  I know it helps my dog. 

I too have mixed feelings about the legalization of MJ.  I would never suggest that this is justification for legislation but the whole thing feels wrong to me.  I can't even really articulate why.  My favorite mexican restaurant here in Albuquerque closed because the vape store next door offered the landlords a ridiculous amount of money for the restaurant space to put in a dispensary.  There's more demand for pot than there is for excellent food.  Or, at least there's more money in pot.  Either way that just seems wrong.

In reply to APEowner :

I feel the same way about legalizing gambling.  What's the net benefit to society?  How many poor people are going to get poorer hoping for that one in a million shot?

In reply to APEowner :

The amount of smoke shops and dispensaries in ABQ is astounding. I've been hearing that there's not enough demand and some of them are already closing. Just curious, which restaurant? 

Allegedly, more tax money will come out to fund other state programs. I haven't read into it to be able to know how true it is. But, I hope it is. 

Captdownshift (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to Mndsm :

Ironically the money I save cultivating my own cannabis goes towards consuming better quality food. And I have started growing my own food. This summer's project entails chilis that properly hot (serrano equivalent)  that won't destroy my GI due to the ulcerative colitis. Not many people mess around with grafting soft tissue plants, but you can graft a Scotch bonnet branch onto a poblano plant prior to flower and fruiting. The fruit will be as hot as a scotch bonnet, but the plants produced by the seeds within the fruit will grow into a plant who bares fruit that is about 2/3-3/4 as strong. I'm working on a second generation of hybrids this year. 

I'd like to subscribe to your newsletter.

EchoTreeSix said:

In reply to APEowner :

The amount of smoke shops and dispensaries in ABQ is astounding. I've been hearing that there's not enough demand and some of them are already closing. Just curious, which restaurant? 

Allegedly, more tax money will come out to fund other state programs. I haven't read into it to be able to know how true it is. But, I hope it is. 

Las 4 Lunas.  It was a little hole in the wall but the woman who owned made some amazing burritos. 

1988RedT2 said:

In reply to APEowner :

I feel the same way about legalizing gambling.  What's the net benefit to society?  How many poor people are going to get poorer hoping for that one in a million shot?

It should all be legal, drugs, prostitution, etc. Why? No one is forcing you to drink, smoke MJ, shoot heroin, gamble your life savings, pay a lady of the night for services, etc. 

I mean, alcohol prohibition was a smashing success in the US. 

I've never cared for gambling because I know they didn't have the money to build all those giant buildings on people winning. If you don't have the common sense to understand that, not my problem. I was recently in Vegas for almost a week staying at Caesar's Palace, I didn't drop even $1 dollar into a machine or card table. 

EDIT: As to the net benefit? The Las Vegas metro area has a population of 2.2 million. 400k of which work in the casinos accounting for $21 billion in wages and salaries. And that doesn't account for all the ancillary employment related to the casinos. 

So, it's been 5.5 months since this thread started. Any new news on the reclassification of marijuana?

1988RedT2 said:

In reply to APEowner :

I feel the same way about legalizing gambling.  What's the net benefit to society?  How many poor people are going to get poorer hoping for that one in a million shot?

The benefit to society is fewer people in jail for possessing and/or selling a plant that grows in the ground. Fewer people with a criminal record for enjoying an intoxicant that's no worse for you than alcohol. A freer society in general is a good thing. And I say this as a non-user who tried it once and didn't like it.

Tom_Spangler (Forum Supporter) said:

1988RedT2 said:

In reply to APEowner :

I feel the same way about legalizing gambling.  What's the net benefit to society?  How many poor people are going to get poorer hoping for that one in a million shot?

The benefit to society is fewer people in jail for possessing and/or selling a plant that grows in the ground. Fewer people with a criminal record for enjoying an intoxicant that's no worse for you than alcohol. A freer society in general is a good thing. And I say this as a non-user who tried it once and didn't like it.

Also less money going to criminal organizations, and law enforcement devoting fewer resources to a non-issue.

These benefits will increase substantially once it is legalized on a federal level and a sufficient time passes for the population to adapt to this being normal instead of new and novel.

Legal everywhere instead of a patchwork of legality based on jurisdiction. The revenue gained moving through the formal banking system instead of dispensaries having to deal in cash-only funneled through gray banking systems.

In reply to Beer Baron 🍺 :

You said it much more eloquently than I would have. 

I know here in OK, "I have anxiety" which who doesn't? Here is your card. My better half has one to help with the pain of her RA. 

It's so strong now, it gives me panic attacks!

In reply to Musvaleny :

I want to know what the holdup is this time? Government takes forever and now matter what, they will screw it up and it will be terrible.

In reply to VolvoHeretic :

https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/update-deas-efforts-reschedule-cannabis-what-you-need-know-2024-09-11/

TLDR: The comment period ended at the end of July for the initial pass of rulemaking. There's an administrative hearing on December 2nd, a process that could take a couple years depending on how many stakeholders registered to speak. From there, another public comment may be opened depending on what stakeholders have to say. The final rule will then be written and opened for public opinion for 30 to 90 days. Afterward, depending on who is in charge of the executive branch, it may be rewritten, abandoned, or put into action.

We're still a few years out from anything happening.

The number of people I see around here smoking weed, in public, while on a break at work, always creates a question for me:

Why can't I walk around sipping from a mickey of Vodka while at work?

In reply to Streetwiseguy :

Oh, you certainly CAN (just put it in one of those insulated water bottles).

Showing up for work after, in an impaired state (in either case)... that is another issue.

To, maybe your point.  Yes, it's clearly more socially, and legally, acceptable to be smoking weed in public than drinking in public.  Realistically, smoking weed in public should be treated the same as drinking in public.

In reply to aircooled :

I really enjoyed being able to drink in public when I lived in Germany. Heading out, grab a bottle of beer at the corner store, drink it while riding the train to wherever you're going.

Or grab a bottle of wine on the way to the park and just sit along the bank of the river enjoying it with friends.

In reply to Beer Baron 🍺 :

Best part of riding the Metra train in Chicago is grabbing a beer at the French market and enjoying it on the train ride.