Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Drugs Maine Voters Are Weird
Posted by Dominic Holden on Wed, Nov 4, 2009 at 3:44 PM
Most of them hate gay people, but they like pot:
Voters approved a referendum making Maine the fifth state to allow retail pot dispensaries, but medical marijuana advocates say it won't become like California, where hundreds of marijuana shops have popped up and come under critical scrutiny.California, Colorado, New Mexico and Rhode Island allow for places where medical marijuana patients can legally buy pot. Maine voters gave their approval Tuesday, 59 percent to 41 percent.
I'm trying to wrap my mind around the voter who's fine with pot stores in the middle of town but, criminy on a cracker, don't let two men enter into a state-sanctioned contract that has no bearing outside their home! I've always looked at drug policy, gay rights, abortion, and death with dignity through the same lens: It's about liberty to do what someone wants in the sanctity of their own body. And I'm guessing that most Maine voters who voted for pot yesterday have a libertarian mind about a woman's right to chose and end-of-life care. But the thought of two men having dirty gay poop sex—I'm sure that's what it's really about—short circuits their logic when they consider gay marriage. At least those are mostly older voters. They'll all be dead soon—unless the medical marijuana keeps them alive.
1
"I'm trying to wrap my mind around the voter who's fine with pot stores in the middle of town but, criminy on a cracker, don't let two men enter into a state-sanctioned contract that has no bearing outside their home!"
Imagine a voter who doesn't like gays. and smokes pot. wham! does that work? It's not like these people are schooled in legal philosophy, Dominic.
Imagine a voter who doesn't like gays. and smokes pot. wham! does that work? It's not like these people are schooled in legal philosophy, Dominic.
2
There won't be equality for gay people until someone finds a cure for religious bigotry. Smoking pot has nothing to do with it.
3
I'm looking forward to some analysis on the rampant homophobia in the white community. Maine is disproportionately white - dramatically so - I find it hard to believe that this has nothing to do with the vote, and isn't more influential than marijuana usage. The silence on the blogosphere about this fact is staggering - political correctness run amock.
5
When the civil rights of Gay Americans (and it's only ever been Gay Americans no other minority group that have had their civil rights put to a popular vote) are put to a vote, don't expect victory. Gay Americans, as odd as it may seem, are still hated by most Americans and it's been shown in state after state after state after state.
6
Rednecks like pot. They get high and drunk and drive their snowmobiles into trees. That's Maine in the winter.
7
It's simple: There is a certain percentage of libertarian-minded voters who are only concerned with protecting freedoms that apply to specifically to themselves: They can see a clear enough benefit for themselves being able to smoke pot legally, but since they can't see any benefit in being able to marry somebody of the same sex, they don't recognize it as a "right" and don't care to sanction it. Plus, they probably suspect it will cost them money somehow, and libertarians are categorically opposed to paying for anything.
8
@3: I don't think you can say "Prop 8 failed because black people voted against it" and then turn around and say "Gay marriage failed in Maone because white people voted against it."
Sargon has it nailed, for what it's worth.
Sargon has it nailed, for what it's worth.
9
In my albeit limited experience, many people against gay marriage don't see it as a gay rights issue, they see it more as a "definition of marriage" issue. I've heard people otherwise wholly for gay rights contend that they can't get behind gay marriage because they just don't believe that that's what marriage is. Not that that makes any sense to me, but it could help explain.
10
"At least those are mostly older voters. They'll all be dead soon—unless the medical marijuana keeps them alive."
Do we know already that that's the case among Maine voters who voted against gay marriage? If so, that'd be encouraging, but I'd like to see the data.
Do we know already that that's the case among Maine voters who voted against gay marriage? If so, that'd be encouraging, but I'd like to see the data.
13
They are honest hard working people with a strong set of moral values. No matter how much they are disparage here. When you have a loved one afflicted with a terminal illness, the medical use of a substance (as opposed to the uncontrolled use for recreation, abuse and criminal use that Dom advocates) is a compassionate decision.
14
Most of Maine does not hate gay people. Slightly over half of Maine voters approved that bullshit. The other half worked tirelessly against to vote it down, and came just short of their goal.
Sweeping generalizations are supposed to be what the other side does.
Sweeping generalizations are supposed to be what the other side does.
16
@15 - I thought the same thing and had to keep myself from laughing out loud in my cubical at work.
17
The same thing happened in Montana back in '04-- the medical marijuana and anti-gay marriage amendment passed the same year.
I think the main issue is that there's a butt-ton of money in the anti-gay lobby, but not so much in the anti-pot lobby.
That and the imagery of a dieing person being denied a drug that will ease thier suffering is a lot more straightforward than finding an image of gay rights that's going to really resonate with people who aren't really all that comfortable with gays in general.
I think the main issue is that there's a butt-ton of money in the anti-gay lobby, but not so much in the anti-pot lobby.
That and the imagery of a dieing person being denied a drug that will ease thier suffering is a lot more straightforward than finding an image of gay rights that's going to really resonate with people who aren't really all that comfortable with gays in general.
18
Plenty of homophobes (racists, too) like pot. And no, they're not all old or ill. It's easy for me to see it, as I grew up in the South.
19
I agree with several of the others here: It's a fallacy to equate a "liberal" attitude about cannabis with liberal social values in general. Sure, plenty of pro-pot folks are progressive-alternative types. But plenty are also rednecks, self-absorbed yuppies, self-described libertarians of the Cato Institute vein, and plain-old hypocritical Republicans (per LoveChild's oh-so-righteous intolerance).
21
My only advice to LGBT in Maine is take your queer ass and your queer cash across the border to Canada. They may not like you anymore in Nova Scotia but you're still an equal under the law.
22
I don't think supporting gay marriage is a libertarian position. The libertarian position would seem to be more marriage is private/religious and the government shouldn't be handing out licenses.
23
Mainers don't like bein' busted havin' weed in tha' cah, but think two dudes gettin' married is wicked queeah. Lot's of folks is like this. I ain't that suprised tha referendum took a diggah.
24
i grew up in a neighborhood that was all Republican Deadheads, so this isn't shocking to me at all.
28
There is a big division in Maine that I think is important to understand. There is a great ruined interior--poor economy, rampant alcoholism, long-term structural poverty. I grew up there and that is where the majority of the people who voted for the ban live. People try to manage their lives through two avenues: Religion and drug use. Many people use both and don't see the hypocrisy. It's a part of the state that is depopulating because of the economy and in crisis. That's why people stick to their values so firmly.
Remember, in southern Maine, in Portland, South Portland, most coastal towns, the majority--by a lot, voted to uphold legal same sex marriage. I wouldn't make any assumptions about Maine as a whole state because of these divisions.
Remember, in southern Maine, in Portland, South Portland, most coastal towns, the majority--by a lot, voted to uphold legal same sex marriage. I wouldn't make any assumptions about Maine as a whole state because of these divisions.
29
Don't forget about the small, dedicated bloc of voters who mindlessly vote "yes" on everything. In my backwards state, people voted "yes" to build a high-speed monorail, then voted "yes" four years later to scrap the monorail. More recently, they voted "yes" to require 60% approval for future amendments, which continue to pass almost without exception.
I don't know how many people actually operate this way, but I bet it's enough that a lot of these amendments would go the other way if "yes" and "no" were reversed.
I don't know how many people actually operate this way, but I bet it's enough that a lot of these amendments would go the other way if "yes" and "no" were reversed.
30
Nothing to do with equal rights......Any person can marry, just not people of the same sex.
What's the big deal. Marriage is overrated anyway.
At least gay couples will never have to pay alimony.
What's the big deal. Marriage is overrated anyway.
At least gay couples will never have to pay alimony.
31
Nothing to do with equal rights......Any person can marry, just not someone of the same sex.
What's the big deal. Marriage is overrated anyway.
At least gay couples will never have to pay alimony.
And yes, us Mainers do LOVE pot.
What's the big deal. Marriage is overrated anyway.
At least gay couples will never have to pay alimony.
And yes, us Mainers do LOVE pot.
32
@31
That's kind of like saying you can outlaw the bible but it's okay because Christians and atheists are both 'equally forbidden' to read it.
Pot has nothing to do with dignity or insight. All you stoners out there who think you're enlightened - you aren't much different than the punk breaking beer bottles in the Cumberland Farms parking lot.
That's kind of like saying you can outlaw the bible but it's okay because Christians and atheists are both 'equally forbidden' to read it.
Pot has nothing to do with dignity or insight. All you stoners out there who think you're enlightened - you aren't much different than the punk breaking beer bottles in the Cumberland Farms parking lot.
33
What about me? I am against legalizing pot but completely in favor of marriage equality, and I'll explain my reasoning now. If my son is gay then I definitely want him to be able to marry whomever he ends up falling in love with, and I certainly hope he would find "Mr Right" and be eternally happy, with all the tax breaks we give to people who claim to be eternally happy. But I do NOT want my son smoking pot, legal or not, and I would hope that maybe the risk of prosecution, huge fines, and maybe imprisonment would deter him from it. I know it's a cliche, and you all know lots of exceptions to it, but without fail the people I've known who smoke pot don't do much of anything else. They sit on their butts on the floor (not even the couch) and play video games and eat just about anything crunchy from a crinkly foil bag. (Doritos, Cheetos, just about anything guaranteed to turn the pads of fingers and then the game controller orange.) I would actually prefer that my kid go out and become a clear-minded member of society. Yes, pot is non-lethal and all, but it's not really known for increasing ambition or productivity. I suppose it relaxes you after a hard day at work, but I tend to equate being stoned with being drunk and I wouldn't want my kids to be binge-drinkers either.
Aside from that, , would it be possible, were pot to be legalized and regulated and all that, to pre-determine strength? The same way you can read the booze label and know the proof, I mean. You can slowly sip your wine or beer to ensure you don't get overly intoxicated, but how could you do that with pot?
Aside from that, , would it be possible, were pot to be legalized and regulated and all that, to pre-determine strength? The same way you can read the booze label and know the proof, I mean. You can slowly sip your wine or beer to ensure you don't get overly intoxicated, but how could you do that with pot?
35
@33:
Absolutely, the amount of THC (the active ingredient in pot) can be measured and "tweaked." Just like with tobacco and booze.
It could be done several different ways: GMO crops bred for less THC, "cutting" the final product with an inert substance, or raising the temperature for a brief time, in effect "boiling" away some of the THC from the final product (THC burns away at a lower temp than the rest of the plant).
Absolutely, the amount of THC (the active ingredient in pot) can be measured and "tweaked." Just like with tobacco and booze.
It could be done several different ways: GMO crops bred for less THC, "cutting" the final product with an inert substance, or raising the temperature for a brief time, in effect "boiling" away some of the THC from the final product (THC burns away at a lower temp than the rest of the plant).
36
Also, the way THC works on the brain is not like other drugs like opiates or alcohol. Once your synapses are soaked in the stuff, they simply shut down, and no matter how much more is in the bloodstream, you aren't going to get any more benefits.
The only thing left is to keep increasing the amount in the bloodstream until toxicity kills the body, and that amount is approximately 40,000 times the amount required to get high. So good luck with that. Hee!
The only thing left is to keep increasing the amount in the bloodstream until toxicity kills the body, and that amount is approximately 40,000 times the amount required to get high. So good luck with that. Hee!
38
# 36 Part of what you say is correct. Smoked cannabis works on the limbic system, not the central nervous system. But, you simply cannot overdose on cannabis, there is no toxic level. That makes it the safest drug, controlled or not, that we have. Even water has a fatal dosage level. Aspirin kills 76,000 each year. By the way, there are over 60 active cannabinoids in cannabis - THC is only one of them.
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