Slog - Comments on Marijuana: Like a Bullet Through Your Brain

Comment by Non

Non — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:20:11 -0800

The only self-harm that occurs is the box of nutragrain bars that I just flew through with my munchies

Comment by kinaidos

kinaidos — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:33:24 -0800

Would that all the administraton played Russian Roulette that way, with at least four bullets, maybe more, depending on how many bullets *accidents* count for.
But they've forgotten the biggest threat of all *the munchies*. Given our ever fattening youth, that's a pretty credible threat.

Comment by Bison

Bison — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:39:29 -0800

"With all the evidence now available, simple prudence requires parents to prevent their children from using marijuana. Those parents who fail to do so are uninformed or irresponsible, or both."

...Or merely human and therefore capable only of controlling the behaviors of their kids while in their presence, if then.

Comment by w7ngman

w7ngman — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:40:27 -0800

I hate silly drug reporting as much as the next person, but it was a metaphor. Not a bad one, either.

Comment by rob

rob — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:48:52 -0800

Weird how the graph shows sharp increases almost exactly coinciding with the Carter (1976-80) and the Clinton (1992-2000) administrations, and gradual decreases during the Reagan/Bush I and Bush II eras. I can't believe these figures are real; they've either been heavily jiggered or the Republicans change the standards or survey more aggressively to try to show declines due to the billions they throw at the "war" on drugs.

Comment by Westside forever

Westside forever — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:58:50 -0800

The whole "war" on drugs has evolved into something that much more resembles the military-industrial complex than sane public health policy.

The people who most gain from the current approach can't afford to give up a millimeter of ground for fear of their whole house of cards falling down. To expect a rational approach that minimizes harm and gets the government out of your personal life is unrealistic.

The public doesn't want to pay for treatment, but curiously, they seem willing to pay for incarceration. Meanwhile prohibition supports prices and encourages the violence that comes with hard core organized crime.

Too bad we seem so unable to have an intelligent and honest conversation about how to deal with the issues--since people will take drugs that make them feel good, no matter what the law says.

Comment by w7ngman

w7ngman — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:00:12 -0800

#5, perhaps it's more that the decline in marijuana usage between 1980 and 1992 has more to do with the increased availability of cocaine during the Reagan administration?

Comment by Will in Seattle

Will in Seattle — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:08:46 -0800

So is this why Canada's GDP is growing THREE times as fast as the USA GDP is and they're more efficient?

Sure. Uh huh. Tell me another fib ...

Comment by litlnemo

litlnemo — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:12:30 -0800

Goddamn, I always thought the Class of '79 were a bunch of stoners, and now I have proof!

What was going on in the 80s, though? Don't tell me "Just Say No" actually had an effect. I was there, and I don't think it did.

Comment by Bison

Bison — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:23:38 -0800

@7
Cocaine use among high school seniors DID peak in 1985:

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/dcf/du.htm

Comment by James

James — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 20:19:08 -0800

"People have been smoking pot for thousands of years..."

Really? God, I wish they'd teach this shit in school. I'm way behind...

Comment by robot2501

robot2501 — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 21:02:02 -0800

I'm sure the drug czar would rather have kids on Ritalin and other "safe" prescription drugs. Kids don't kill themselves using those drugs, oh no no no.

Comment by Mr. X

Mr. X — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 23:41:06 -0800

@12,

And big Pharma can't patent weed...

Back during the whole WTO thing, a bunch of my friends were arguing that America is a police state, and I thought they were wrong (or at least premature). I'm eating those words with a fork and spoon right now, lemme tell ya....

Please remember this post the next time I rail against tolls and the new tracking technology that goes with them, or get mad about the burgeoning nanny state, because it's all of a piece....

Comment by Micah

Micah — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:52:30 -0800

I wonder how much the increase seen in 1992 had to do with the release of Dr. Dre's The Chronic. Snoop and Dre made smoking weed cool again.

Comment by Tom

Tom — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 05:03:55 -0800

Back in the 70's/80's it seemed that everybody under 30 something, smoked pot, or had smoked pot, etc. I remember getting my car fixed and the mechanic sparking one up and going over the bill. If it was every going to be legalized that was the time. Right now use, is marginalized to teens, college kids, music/art people etc, so the general public doesn't care one way or the other. Basically, pot isn't great for you but it isn't this "menace" or worth the tax dollars that drug czar would have us believe. If pot were to be legalized it would be either due to a major increase in usage and the gov't just gives in, or somewhere down the road the Fed gov't becomes totally insolvent and needs to eliminate useless gov't spending - pot is legalized and taxed. I'm betting on the latter sometime in the next 30 years.

Comment by Adam

Adam — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 05:23:16 -0800

When one considers that marijuana was used to pay taxes prior to 1900, is the least toxic of substances (caffine will actually kill you if you take to much-you actually can't "OD" on pot) and this all stems back to restricting hemp production and turning hemp to paper (think Hearst Dupont Anslinger(the first drug czar) I believe back in the 40's. Read Peter McWilliams "Ain't nobody's Businees if you do-The absurdity of consensual crimes in a free society for more info on the real story on how pot became illegal.

Their is also rising data that it is the over 40 white-collar workers who are actually the bioggest consumer's not kids-I can speak to that personally:)

Bottom line the "War on Drugs" is like the "War on Terror" both are things you can't "win" and waging a war brings all kinds of abuses to the system. Do I want everybody smoking crack or shooting heroin-no. But as i said before-as long as your not hurting anybody else's person or property-AIN'T NOBODY'S BUSINESS IF YOU DO!

Comment by margoharris

margoharris — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:58:14 -0800

When marijuana is targeted and becomes hard to get, meth use and production goes up.