Pass the Bong...NH House to vote on Legalizing Weed...

[ApS]

Originally Posted by PaugusBayFireFighter

Not my cup of tea, more the younger generations choice.

Study Claims Marijuana Reshapes Brain Of Users

The scientists call their study the first “to show casual use of marijuana is related to major brain changes.”

Maybe there really are repercussions to smoking pot. A new study holds that two neural regions key to emotions and motivation become misshapen or abnormally large after repeated pot smoking.

The scientists call their study the first "to show casual use of marijuana is related to major brain changes."

The study was paid for by the National Institutes of Health, the Office of National Drug Control Policy and Northwestern Medicine's Warren Wright Adolescent Center. The paper will be published Wednesday, August 27, 2014 in the Journal of Neuroscience.

To exemplify their claims, researchers used an MRI machine and the brains of 40 people between the ages of 18 and 25. They claim that the more marijuana a person smokes, the more those two neural regions get "damaged."

Dr. Hans Breiter, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, co-authored the study. He says, "Anytime you find there's a relationship to the amount of marijuana consumed and you see differences of core brain regions involved in processing of rewards, the making of decisions, the ability to assess emotions, that is a serious issue."
This study explains a lot.

[Farfrumbehavin]

It's diificult to make a strong argument when you consider that alchohol has been legal for as long as it has, and has done the damage that is has done. But as far as personal use is concerned, If you were to spend 1 hr with my nephew, and see the effect that it has on him, and his level of ambition and his attitude toward the world around him, WOW, that will scare you! There is a reason that they calll it DOPE! THe good news is the damage is not permanent, I have some proof of that. I have no issue with legalizing it, but I choose to not use. I have goals! And by the time I reach them I'll have more, That's what drives me forward!

[ApS]

Comparing alcohol with pot ignores use of both—simultaneously.

__________________________________

Marijuana use is a back door way to cripple the Oil & Gas industry in Colorado.

They’ve tried to do it already—an effort that failed—but Oil & Gas companies are generally required by their insurance companies to randomly test employees for drugs and alcohol. All sub-contractors are also required.

Can you imagine what Oil & Gas company liability insurance rates will do if marijuana use is allowed?

If this stoner wins his case, look for businesses to flee Colorado at their first opportunity:

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireSto...-case-25858504

[VitaBene]

Originally Posted by ApS

Comparing alcohol with pot ignores use of both—simultaneously.

__________________________________

Marijuana use is a back door way to cripple the Oil & Gas industry in Colorado.

They’ve tried to do it already—an effort that failed—but Oil & Gas companies are generally required by their insurance companies to randomly test employees for drugs and alcohol. All sub-contractors are also required.

Can you imagine what Oil & Gas company liability insurance rates will do if marijuana use is allowed?

If this stoner wins his case, look for businesses to flee Colorado at their first opportunity:

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireSto...-case-25858504

Now that this thread is in purgatory... dude you need to get stoned and chill out! Life is waaay too short

[PaugusBayFireFighter]

Originally Posted by VitaBene

Now that this thread is in purgatory... dude you need to get stoned and chill out! Life is waaay too short

I read your suggestion. I will follow it, even though it was meant for another!

[ApS]

Originally Posted by Farfrumbehavin

It's diificult to make a strong argument when you consider that alchohol has been legal for as long as it has, and has done the damage that is has done. But as far as personal use is concerned, If you were to spend 1 hr with my nephew, and see the effect that it has on him, and his level of ambition and his attitude toward the world around him, WOW, that will scare you! There is a reason that they calll it DOPE! THe good news is the damage is not permanent, I have some proof of that. I have no issue with legalizing it, but I choose to not use. I have goals! And by the time I reach them I'll have more, That's what drives me forward!

A study more than thirty years in the making found that smoking marijuana permanently lowers intelligence, or IQ. Frequent pot smokers (even those who had given up marijuana) tended to have deficits in memory, concentration, and overall IQ.

The reduction in IQ for those who smoked pot heavily prior to age 18 was most pronounced: an average of eight points. An eight point reduction in IQ is enough to have a significant, negative impact upon your life.

To put it into context, consider that individuals with an IQ of 110 have an average net worth of $71,000 and individuals with an IQ of 120 have an average net worth of $128,000.

It looks like smoking pot can lower your tax bracket.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbr...tly-lowers-iq/

Having seen it myself, I'm sorry to hear about your nephew. Would he say he's been "unaffected"?

The reason I ask, is that it troubles me that those "who gave it up" say they were "unaffected"—when they're in no position to give witness to their own condition.

[PaugusBayFireFighter]

Laconia is a step closer to having a medical marijuana facility.
Possibly in the industrial area around the airport.

I can see it now...

Riding down Lily Pond Rd., cool wind in my hair. Warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air.

http://www.laconiadailysun.com/index...-pot-ordinance

[ApS]

Regarding the fact that marijuana is much stronger today...

Excerpted text from site—also features IQ-loss video:

"As many as a quarter of new cases of psychotic mental illness can be blamed on super-strength strains of cannabis, scientists will warn this week...The latest research, to be published in The Lancet, concludes: ‘People who used cannabis or skunk every day were roughly three times more likely to have a diagnosis of a psychotic disorder than were those who never used cannabis.’

Michael Ellis, a Tory member of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said: ‘This powerful new study illustrates that those in government and the police must be careful to send out the right message.

‘Cannabis isn’t a harmless drug: it can ruin lives.’

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz3RuOznPfy

Yet we wonder why we import H1B engineers.

[PaugusBayFireFighter]

Vermont could become the first state in history to legalize recreational marijuana via state legislature with a new bill submitted Tuesday that aims to end prohibition of the plant.

Senate Bill 95 would legalize the possession, use and sale of recreational marijuana in the state for those 21 and older. Adult residents could possess up to an ounce of marijuana and grow up to nine plants.

Non-residents could also enjoy the new laws, legally purchasing up to one-quarter of an ounce of marijuana from a licensed retail shop.

If the measure passes, it's likely that Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin (D) would sign it into law.

Legal marijuana is the fastest-growing industry in the U.S., according to a recent report from industry analysts ArcView Group. Their recent report predicts that over the next five years, 14 more states will legalize recreational marijuana. Along with Vermont, at least nine more states are expected to consider recreational marijuana legalization by 2016.

Massachusetts and Maine will have recreational legalization on the next ballot and both are expected to pass. That means in 2016 New Hampshire could be surrounded by states that have legal recreation marijuana.
Those states will certainly thank the people of NH for their tax revenue.
NH remains the only NE state where your life can be ruined for possessing a joint. Live Free Or Die?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/0...n_6662426.html

[ApS]

Who could have seen this coming?



Plaintiffs say the weed is stinky, and attracts unsavory people.
http://registerguard.com/rg/news/327...juana.html.csp

If New Hampshire needs the money, the Legislature should establish a lottery.

No, wait...




.

[TheProfessor]

Take the tax revenue and run.

Also put a couple of casinos in NH and take that tax revenue and run.

[PaugusBayFireFighter]

Originally Posted by TheProfessor

Take the tax revenue and run.

Also put a couple of casinos in NH and take that tax revenue and run.

NH will be the last state in New England to adopt those suggestions. Live Free or Die only applies to irresponsible things like not wearing seat belts or helmets.

Updated death count from marijuana, ZERO.
Last year's alcohol related death count, 80,000.

The State has no problem opening two huge liquor outlets on the highway though

[PaugusBayFireFighter]

Treatment centers are finally approved for MM. Hopefully the Belknap Cty. dispensary is in Laconia. Unfortunately NH still considers simple possession of small amounts an offense that requires arrest. Getting a medical marijuana ID is the only way to avoid being locked up in NH.

http://www.wmur.com/health/medical-m...state/33486886

[ApS]

Originally Posted by PaugusBayFireFighter

NH will be the last state in New England to adopt those suggestions. Live Free or Die only applies to irresponsible things like not wearing seat belts or helmets. Updated death count from marijuana, ZERO. Last year's alcohol related death count, 80,000. The State has no problem opening two huge liquor outlets on the highway though

The marijuana "death count" you quote was derived from an overdose hoax. With our very imperfect media, it's like a lifetime to reporters waiting several weeks for toxicology reports to "close" the news story. Their job is to get the news—not necessarily the follow-ups—as we have seen repeatedly locally. Deaths resulting from use of marijuana just aren't sought out.

I noted that Canada's answer to medical marijuana was to provide it "just for the asking". Alas, patients complained: "It's not very strong".

What to do?

A Canadian could go to a recent "Pot Show" in Colorado, where marijuana wares are amply displayed. Police arrested one distributor who was selling illegal drugs under the table.

In Canada, the Supreme Court says that medical marijuana can now be eaten—delivered in cookies and candies. This is making bad law "from the bench." Children will surely be affected.

"The 7-0 ruling on medical marijuana offered the biggest rejection of the government’s stated war on drugs since 2011, when the Supreme Court said unanimously that federal authorities had no right to close a Vancouver clinic at which drug addicts could inject illegal drugs under medical supervision.

“The argument that medical marijuana must be smoked is, after all, ideological, counterproductive in terms of health and lacking any factual foundation,” he said in an interview."
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...ticle24912888/

I watch Colorado news for some inkling that the state did the right thing by its voters. Today, a Colorado man used a gun to shoot through his foot "to see what it felt like". This does not auger well for the 93 million Americans who are out of work—with millions worldwide whose goal is to take any US position offered. Will those American unemployed be rejected by employers when they're suspected as having a psychotic disorder?

"Compared with someone who had never smoked, a weekly user of high-potency weed was about three times as likely to be diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. For daily users, the risk increased to five times".
The Washington Post

Do we need more auto- and boat-drivers with suspected psychotic disorder?



From Europe, "stunting" news:

"Cannabis is the most widely available illicit drug in Europe, and it's estimated that it's been used by 80.5 million Europeans at least once in their life.
...
Dr Rivzi said the research may have a wider impact than just health, adding: "Early puberty is associated with younger age of onset of drinking and smoking, and early matures have higher levels of substance abuse because they enter the risk period at an early level of emotional maturity."

The researchers say their findings, presented at the European Congress of Endocrinology in Dublin, will lead to a better understanding of the dangers of drug abuse on growth and development in children."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/scie...s-shorter.html

Or, consider this comment:

"...It’s just one of my many experiences from my 2 yr stint running a company in San Francesspool. after that, I ran a company based in Amsterdam for 2 yrs. I’m quite aware of the stoned out morons and their impact on society.

if you want to be a stoner... do it at home. just don’t try to tell anyone it’s normal."

[PaugusBayFireFighter]

Originally Posted by ApS

The marijuana "death count" you quote was derived from an overdose hoax. With our very imperfect media, it's like a lifetime to reporters waiting several weeks for toxicology reports to "close" the news story. Their job is to get the news—not necessarily the follow-ups—as we have seen repeatedly locally. Deaths resulting from use of marijuana just aren't sought out.

That's because there aren't any.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by PaugusBayFireFighter

That's because there aren't any.

Canada's Supreme Court has ruled that marijuana can be legally eaten as well as smoked. (And that hospitalized patients can inject their own hard drugs in their rooms).

The deaths occurred as Colorado lawmakers are scrambling to create safety regulations for the largely unmonitored marijuana snacks. On Thursday, the Legislature advanced a package of bills that would lower the amount of THC that could be permitted in a serving of food and require more extensive warning labels.

One dead after shooting himself in the head. Another jumps from a high-rise. Nine dead in Colorado, twelve dead in Coachella...

(Excerpt)

An autopsy report listed marijuana intoxication as a significant contributing factor in the death of 19-year-old Levy Thamba Pongi.

Toxicologists later found that the cookie Pongi ate contained THC — marijuana’s intoxicating chemical.
http://topekasnews.com/edible-mariju...-12-coachella/

And then it's the hospitals' burn units comparing THC with meth-lab explosions:

The THC extraction labs are as dangerous, as explosive, as popular as – if not more so than – meth labs now.’”
—Kevin Wong, marijuana legalization analyst
http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/s...n-victims.html

Even before recreational marijuana went on sale here on New Year's Day 2014, Colorado businesses sold marijuana-laced edibles for medical use. But some packages resemble other tasty sweets and have caught some adults off guard with their potency. In some cases, they've also fallen into the hands of children.

Who'd have guessed this was coming from a vote in Colorado?

[Old Sarge]

Save millions of dollars fighting a lost cause: the war on marijuana, did we not learn anything from prohibition?

I posted this because the issue is again before the NH senate!

[PaugusBayFireFighter]

Originally Posted by Old Sarge

Save millions of dollars fighting a lost cause: the war on marijuana, did we not learn anything from prohibition?

I posted this because the issue is again before the NH senate!

And once again, defeated by the senate, ignoring what the people want.

Massachusetts, Maine and Vermont will have recreational marijuana on the ballots in November. Meanwhile, in the LFOD state, you go to jail for small amounts of it.

The more than 30,700 Americans who died from alcohol-induced causes last year doesn’t include alcohol-related deaths like drunk driving or accidents; if it did, the death toll would be more than two and a half times higher.

Updated death toll from fatal marijuana overdose: It's still ZERO!

Instead of the state spending $100 million on marijuana prohibition why not focus on the drugs that are killing people? Heroin and alcohol.

Live Free or Die is a joke motto. This state is the most restrictive in New England.

[PENIVISA]

Why is it that people don't understand that people are dying everyday from opiate overdoses and Marijuana is where it all started. Ask anyone what there first drug was. Police,fire and medical personnel are carrying narcone to prevent deaths. Who is paying for this? I know there is not a simple solution to this as legalization creeps "dangerously" closer. Medical marijuana as I see it can be very dangerous as there trying to find ways to stop drugs from being flooded on the communities and now go see a doctor for a medical marijuana card. I got a few good reasons to get one and if the good reasons don't work then I can come up with a bad one that"ll work if that's the path I choose to take.
Taxes and greed are going to kill a lot of friends and family of everyone

[Old Sarge]

Originally Posted by PENIVISA

Why is it that people don't understand that people are dying everyday from opiate overdoses and Marijuana is where it all started. Ask anyone what there first drug was.

I bet it was alcohol, not pot!

[PENIVISA]

Originally Posted by Old Sarge

I bet it was alcohol, not pot!

You "may" be right sarge but I was talking about illegal drugs

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by PaugusBayFireFighter

Updated death toll from fatal marijuana overdose: It's still ZERO!

Not quite true PBFF...How many of those alcohol related deaths and accidents also had marijuana in their system??... If a person is arrested for alcohol DWI they do not test for marijuana. Just because they don't test for it doesn't mean its not there.

This state as well as the entire country certainly does not have alcohol DWI under control and it IS a big issue. Now the state should legalize another impairment drug when they cant control the one that's legal already??...I'm not sure I agree with that.

You and I both know that smoking a joint while drinking increases impairment ten fold or more...how do you stop the MANY irresponsible people who will smoke weed and drink then get behind the wheel of a car??

Hey, I have nothing against the responsible use of marijuana. Unfortunately our society is very irresponsible and making it legal will only give easier access to those who are not responsible.

I'll be honest, I'm on the fence on this issue but I do see and understand both sides of the argument...

Enjoy the weekend!!

Dan

[PaugusBayFireFighter]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

Not quite true PBFF...How many of those alcohol related deaths and accidents also had marijuana in their system??... If a person is arrested for alcohol DWI they do not test for marijuana. Just because they don't test for it doesn't mean its not there.

This state as well as the entire country certainly does not have alcohol DWI under control and it IS a big issue. Now the state should legalize another impairment drug when they cant control the onge that's legal already??...I'm not sure I agree with that.

You and I both know that smoking a joint while drinking increases impairment ten fold or more...how do you stop the MANY irresponsible people who will smoke weed and drink then get behind the wheel of a car??

Hey, I have nothing against the responsible use of marijuana. Unfortunately our society is very irresponsible and making it legal will only give easier access to those who are not responsible.

I'll be honest, I'm on the fence on this issue but I do see and understand both sides of the argument...

Enjoy the weekend!!

Dan

In all fairness Dan, I did write 'fatal overdose', not deaths caused by idiots who get high and do stupid things. Personal responsibility is still paramount. You cannot fatally overdose from marijuana.
You and I both know it would take someone minutes to find and buy weed anywhere. It's been that way forever.
Decriminalizing small amounts won't make it any easier to obtain. It will actually lift a burden off law enforcement. They have much bigger problems to deal with like meth and heroin. That has been my observation and the opinion of many of my police officer friends, both state and local.

I plan on catching my first small mouth off the dock today. Water just hit 50 degrees here.
If you're on Paugus and you see smoke near Christmas Island it's just me burning leaves!