re: Retail (legal) pot has zero health benefits due to cross breeding.

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Why are you so anti marijuana?

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I dont think its anti-marijuana more than it is the people who hail it has all these superhuman benefits that aren't really shown to exist through data. I dont care about legalizing marijuana or making it illegal. I just do not think its an issue to scream and holler about in comparison to all the other issues in our country.

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I think it's good that people get as much info as possible before voting to legalize it.

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Why would you be against legalizing it if:

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Just my own preference. If people want to get drunk or baked that's their business. I just try to avoid them.

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I'm undecided

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Not going to argue the medicinal properties of pot because we didn't legalize it recreationally here in Colorado for medicine. We legalized it because it is stupid for anyone to get arrested for smoking it or possessing it. Trying to criminalize it takes away from resources that can be used to fight real crime. We regulate it and tax it similar to alcohol and tobacco as a luxury item. We generated so much in taxes from it last year that every resident is getting a refund from their state income taxes. So now instead of all the money going to criminal groups it is being put to use by the state for the citizens. As a resident here and occasional smoker, I think we have done a hell of a job with it and expect to see every state adopt our model in the next few years.

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We legalized it because it is stupid for anyone to get arrested for smoking it or possessing it.

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Do you have any experience with anyone smoking it in public? As I understood the law, you can't smoke in public- quite similar to alcohol. Is that enforced, or do you know anyone who's been "busted?" And if so, what's the penalty? A fine? A night in jail? I've always been curious about how big of a "problem" people smoking in public would be and what would actually be done about it.



Before anyone misreads the quotations around the word "problem" up there, it's sheer curiosity that makes me wonder how severe the punishment is for this offense, because somewhere like New Orleans, where alcohol is legal practically everywhere, I could see some really sore people for being arrested for smoking in public, as opposed to something like being fined or, Heaven forbid, the officer kindly confiscating it and saying "be safe. Have a good night," rather than just looking/walking away.

It's a huge issue for me and I'm an adult with a family. It should be a huge issue for any American who values common sense, liberty, tax dollar waste, and/or medicinal needs.

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One thing concerns me is that legal growers are breeding in higher and higher THC levels. Why?

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What do you care if you don't even smoke.
Higher THC levels just means people will pass out faster. Are you scared higher THC will make the already rambunctious stoners act even more intense?

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One thing concerns me is that legal growers are breeding in higher and higher THC levels. Why?

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because they can and that is what the customers want?

why would this concern you?

there is not one legitimate argument against the legalization of marijuana

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I have suffered from insomnia for years. Marijuana works very well for me. What do you think is a safer and more effective alternative?

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I will admit that I do not know which cannabinoid is responsible for somnolence I am also not certain if it has detrimental effects on sleep like other substances like Alcohol, thus you'll see me abstain from mentioning those or recommending alcohol for sleep. Forgive my ignorance. I'm not a sleep expert. Here are my thoughts on the subject:

1) smoking it isn't good for your lungs. If you do choose to smoke it, use a filter of some sort. Unfiltered and you'll still run the higher risk of mouth/throat cancer (think of it not caused by tobacco or marijuana but by just irritating things in general, smoke with particulate matter being considered "irritating.")

2) when you say "safer," if you don't take into account social consequences, I've got nothing. But a Schedule I for personal use is a poor decision (regardless of how stupid its schedule status is and that's not my point). If you're in a couple of states, you're about as safe as with anything else. If you've got any first degree relative with schizophrenia, you should seek an alternative. If you are a heavy user, be aware that hyperemesis (unstoppable vomiting) can be induced by marijuana, and I've seen it severe enough to perforate the esophagus of a pair of young (20s) guys. It's life-threatening. If you don't feel otherwise I'll but can't stop throwing up, particularly if you ever cut down or off the amount you take it, seek medical treatment. It's not a scare tactic to get you to stop, nor am I recommending that you cease to use marijuana because of it- it's information for you and nothing more. Everything has a life-threatening side effect in medicine. People should know them.

3) sleep hygiene is highly effective. It's also highly impractical. There's plenty of reading online, I can expand if you'd like. But basically, your room is a dark place for you to have sex, sleep, and change your clothes. Training your body to sleep in your room works. Again, impractical. There are other tidbits if it interests you. This would, technically, be safer than a pharmaceutical intervention. I don't expect that you'll try it or have success with it. Behavior changing is always the most effective treatment, but it's stupidly hard and people are unwilling to do it. I, myself, suffer from insomnia and have terrible sleep hygiene. I know how to fix it. I just don't. Thus, my low expectations for you (generic "you")

4) safe, effective (neither safeR or MORE effective were said):
Melatonin- probably not helpful in someone who has tried "more serious" things. A great place to start for any insomniac. Wouldn't hurt to try. Cheap and OTC, 10mg recommended dose. I myself take 5mg with good success. Benadryl and other first generation anti-histamines, particularly vistaril, are effective. On a psych ward full of substance abusers, it got the majority of them to sleep quickly with no complaints. Minimal side effect profile in a young, otherwise healthy individual. Vistaril is the better option- it's Rx only. Benadryl is similar and OTC, but it's less effective and the doses aren't to promote sleep (so it works, but you're using it despite it not being bred/tailored for the right thing). There are a couple of things labeled as anti-psychotics that are effective. Seroquel is the most neutral of them. I forget if it's weight-neutral or possibly caused people to put on a little weight. But it's very safe and effective. There are also a handful of anti-seizure meds that do good work here.
Things like Ambien and Valium and those classes are not good due to high potential for abuse as well as, similar to alcohol (working on the same receptor, actually), lead to a "restless" sleep. So you sleep more, but the quality of the sleep is worse. Some people function fine with it. Some do not.



If you are legitimately interested in stopping, there are equally safe and effective alternatives that have no social drawbacks- harm reduction is an important aspect of medicine that is overlooked (and irrelevant if you're a Washington or Oregon guy, almost definitely. Unless you've got a certain kind of job). If you're not, please take into consideration the damaging effects of smoking and opt for another route of ingestion. And, as always, just be safe.