Colorado, Washington approve recreational marijuana use

Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
edited November 2012 in Spurious Generalities
:STON: Washington was a win by a fairly narrow margin with 55% or 1,029,446 for and 45% or 826,952 against.

:BONG: In Colorado it was even closer with 54% or 1,050,836 in favor and 46% or 911,962 opposed.

:HOOK: The race for medical marijuana in Arkansas is very close with 52% or 477,525 in support and 48% or 443,065 against the measure.

:PASS: The decision to allow medical marijuana in Massachusetts was not even close with 65 or 1,661,973 casting in favor and only 37% or 963,796 still stuck in 1937.

:WEED: Ever since 2004, when Montana voters legalized medical marijuana by a higher percentage than any other state in the nation, the Montana state legislature has been trying to play fuck wit games. Like when they tried to repeal the 2004 measure outright with House Bill 161 (vetoed by Governor Brian Schweitzer on April 13, 2011). Montana Medical Marijuana Veto Referendum, IR-124 (2012) will place a legislative revision of an approved 2004 medical marijuana measure to a vote, instead of making it a law automatically. The measure was slated to become a law on May 13, 2011. I other words the people of Montana spoke loud and clear in 2004 and the fuck in the state house have been trying to undermine the will of the people ever since. The Governor vetoed an outright repeal of he peoples 2004 referendum. Then before the fucks could override the veto IR-124 made the ballot and placed their shenanigans on hold for another round of peoples choice.

:420: Montana Ref 124: Expand Medical Marijuana... survey says... 57% or 93,901 yes and 43% or 71,706 no. Fuck the state house the people have spoken, twice! This country is in a major state of change in the way it views weed. All the people who were brainwashed in the 30's, 40's, 50's and even the 60's are fading way or waking up and the baby boomers have all at least tried it. Medical experts are starting to become more and more vocal in their support and even law enforcement is tired of arresting people for weed. I can't say I am overjoyed at 4 more years of Obama but 4 years of Romney would not have made a difference as they both work for the same ring leaders. But this was a red letter day in the U.S. for NORML and other like orginizations and advocates of 420 around the world.


:GPOT:




Source:SBAN:
By Allison Linn, NBC News
Voters in Colorado and Washington on Tuesday approved measures allowing adults to use marijuana for any purpose, NBC News projected, marking an historic turning point in the slow-growing acceptance of marijuana usage.

In Massachusetts, voters also approved an initiative allowing people to use marijuana for medicinal purposes, NBC News projected. In Arkansas, a similar initiative failed, according to NBC News projections.

In all, voters in six states were being asked to decide on a wide array of laws around legalizing marijuana for medicinal or recreational purposes.

In three of those states – Colorado, Oregon and Washington – voters were deciding whether to allow people over 21 to use marijuana for any purpose.

In addition to Massachusetts, voters in Arkansas also are being asked to approve the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. In Montana, they are being asked whether to revamp an existing law to make it more restrictive.
The laws legalizing marijuana for recreational or other purposes could face federal challenges, because marijuana possession is still a federal crime. But so far, the Justice Department has declined to discuss how it might react if the laws pass.

Proponents say it’s about time pot was made legal and that it would create new avenues of tax revenue. But opponents say legalization would lead to more drug abuse and concerns about things like driving while impaired.

Opponent Kevin Sabet, a former senior advisor to the Obama administration and an assistant professor at the University of Florida’s college of medicine, said he was expecting legal challenges at the state and federal level.

“This is just the beginning of the legalization conversation, so my advice to people who want to toke up legally or think that they can buy marijuana at a store tomorrow is that we’re a very long way from (that),” Sabet said.

Proponents of the legislation also said they expected some legal wrangling. “It sets up a clear and obvious challenge with the federal government,” said Allen St. Pierre, executive director of NORML, which has fought for years to legalize cannabis.

But proponents also were celebrating what they saw as a turning point in a long-running battle to make marijuana more available to the general public. “We are reaching a real tipping point with cannabis law reform,” said Steve DeAngelo, a longtime advocate for legalizing marijuana and the director of the nation’s largest medical cannbabis dispensary, Harborside Health Center in Oakland, Calif.

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper acknowledged legal challenges but said the state would work to resolve the conflict between federal and state laws. "It's probably going to pass, but it's still illegal on a federal basis. If we can't make it legal here because of federal laws, we certainly want to decriminialize it,” he told NBC’s Brian Williams.
Seventeen states and the District of Columbia already have laws allowing for the medical use of marijuana, according to the National Council of Legislatures.

The initiatives in Washington, Oregon and Colorado would take things one step further, explicitly allowing people to smoke pot for more than just medicinal purposes.

The idea of legalizing marijuana has gained acceptance in recent years. A Gallup poll released in October of 2011 found that 50 percent of Americans now favor legalizing pot. A decade ago, only around 34 percent were in favor. Liberals and adults under 29 are the most likely to approve of legalizing use of the drug.

Here’s a look at the states considering marijuana laws Tuesday.

Arkansas: Voters in Arkansas will consider whether to legalize marijuana for medical purposes.

Colorado: Voters in Colorado are being asked to approve a bill that would allow people 21 and over to possess and use a small amount of marijuana for recreational purposes. A similar measure was defeated in 2006.

Massachusetts: Voters in Massachusetts are being asked to vote on whether it’s OK to legalize marijuana for medical purposes.

Montana:In 2004, voters in Montana approved a law allowing marijuana for medical purposes. Then, in 2011, the legislature approved replacing it with a new, more restrictive one. Voters on Tuesday will decide whether to allow those restrictions to be upheld.

Oregon: Voters in Oregon are being asked to decide whether to legalize marijuana use for people who are 21 years or older, and to tax and regulate it in the same way as alcohol.

Washington: The Washington bill would allow people over age 21 to possess a small amount of pot for personal use.

Comments

  • Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
    edited November 2012
    Really? 25 views and not one of you stoners has anything to say about this?
  • ArkansanArkansan Regular
    edited November 2012
    Issue 5 here in Arkansas failed courtesy of conservative christains. The debates were hilarious the family council basically fell back on marijuana is bad mkay?
  • Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
    edited November 2012
    Unfortunately just a little less than half the country is still brainwashed by propaganda from the last 80 years. But every year new ground is gained and this year was the biggest leap forward since 1937. Hang in there brother and edumucate them Hatfields & McCoys up thar in them hills.
  • SpinsterSpinster Regular
    edited November 2012
    Arkansan wrote: »
    Issue 5 here in Arkansas failed courtesy of conservative christains. The debates were hilarious the family council basically fell back on marijuana is bad mkay?

    Or the "its the worst drug of them all, its gateway drug..." What about all these stupid legal synthetic weed that keep popping up? I dont smoke weed, anymore. But I believe there is nothing dangerous about it.
  • Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
    edited November 2012
    I use it medicinally to treat PTSD as allowed in several of the current medical marijuana states. If I stopped smoking pot people might get hurt.
  • mashlehashmashlehash Regular
    edited November 2012
    I use it medicinally to treat PTSD as allowed in several of the current medical marijuana states. If I stopped smoking pot people might get hurt.

    That is some statement to make but I know you're just joking. You really do suffer from such chronic Post Traumatic Stress Disorder? I suppose it's never out of the question to joke when you've got the upper hand. ;)

    Overall, I might testify that marijuana is habitually forming, either under terms of medicinal or recreational use. Someone might question as to why I clarify that it has a habit forming tendency, under the supposed supervision of a medical doctor or otherwise. It could be that most users of marijuana were conditioned to a certain school of thought long before ever being introduced to marijuana, deciding for themselves at the time that it was either a valid or invalid form of medication and thereby, an acceptable or unacceptable drug for modern society. An idea that is abstractly parallel to that of a tobacco break at a designated smoke area. Furthermore; to question it in a positive, negative, or neutral light, one might ask about routes of administration.

    I'll stop right there for now and ask, do you prefer to smoke or vaporize your marijuana? How do you feel about baked goods in general? Preference? :confused:

    Also I love the format of this thread and the statistics. Good Job :thumbsup:
  • Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
    edited November 2012
    mashlehash wrote: »
    That is some statement to make but I know you're just joking. You really do suffer from such chronic Post Traumatic Stress Disorder? I suppose it's never out of the question to joke when you've got the upper hand. ;)

    Overall, I might testify that marijuana is habitually forming, either under terms of medicinal or recreational use. Someone might question as to why I clarify that it has a habit forming tendency, under the supposed supervision of a medical doctor or otherwise. It could be that most users of marijuana were conditioned to a certain school of thought long before ever being introduced to marijuana, deciding for themselves at the time that it was either a valid or invalid form of medication and thereby, an acceptable or unacceptable drug for modern society. An idea that is abstractly parallel to that of a tobacco break at a designated smoke area. Furthermore; to question it in a positive, negative, or neutral light, one might ask about routes of administration.

    I'll stop right there for now and ask, do you prefer to smoke or vaporize your marijuana? How do you feel about baked goods in general? Preference? :confused:

    Also I love the format of this thread and the statistics. Good Job :thumbsup:

    First thanks for the kind words about the thread. Second, yes, I really do have PTSD related to military service and marijuana has been proven to help with PTSD. There is a book called "The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World" by Michael Pollan that PBS made into a 2 hour special. It spends about 25 minutes on marijuana and can be veiwd here;

    http://video.pbs.org/video/1283872815/

    The part on marijuana is between 55:16 and 1:22:55. The chemistry of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, it's relation to the human brain, the naturally produced cannabinoid anandamide and PTSD begins at around 1:12:30 and gets very specific to PTSD at around 1:16:00. But to really understand the whole relation between the treatment of PTSD and marijuana you really need to watch from about 1:12:00. If I were to try and abstract it in a few sentences as a layman it would go something like this.

    Just like remembering things is an important survival tool so is forgetting things. We touch a stove when it is hot when we are little and we remember not to do that again. But when stressful things happen to us our brains tend to erase or at least obscure those memories. Anandamide (the brains own marijuana) attaches to the same receptors that Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol does. Anandamide is the chemical the brain release in order to erase or obscure these painful and or debilitating memories. Studies in humans show that those with lower levels of anandamide not only have better memories but are more likely to develop stress disorders if exposed to personal trauma such as that experienced by veterans. The above average or better memory that comes with lower levels of anandamide does not allow for he brain to sufficiently erase or blur traumatic memories. When you smoke marijuana the Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol attaches to the same receptors in the brain as does anandamide and helps to keep those memories properly blurred.

    To answer you question about my preferred method of ingestion I am jut an old school doobie fool. But I have used a ood vaporizer and was very impressed. I would prefer to eat my weed but that requires easy affordable access to high quality product such as in one of he medical marijuana states. The thing about weed food is you need to make sure convert the THCA to THC via decarboxylation before you cook with it. But provided you do that and have some good stuff you can get some great results with food.
  • bornkillerbornkiller Administrator In your girlfriends snatch
    edited November 2012
    I wonder what the % difference would be in utah?
  • Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
    edited November 2012
    I am not sure with the Mormons it would even make it on the ballot. But it is interesting to note that the Mormons were trafficking marijuana from Mexico to Utah sort of, in the early 1910's. A number of Mormons moved to Mexico when polygamy was outlawed in Utah in 1910. When they returned to Utah, marijuana was one of the things they brought back with them. Marijuana was outlawed with a number of other common vices as part of Mormon religious prohibitions enacted into law in 1914.
  • ArkansanArkansan Regular
    edited November 2012
    Originally posted by Spinster
    Or the "its the worst drug of them all, its gateway drug..."

    That right there is one of if not the most common argument that I hear. The truth is though that most of the people I have met that are against it could not be convinced otherwise to save their fucking lives, no matter how well structured, supported, and reasoned your arguments may be even though theirs are usually complete shite. I haven't smoked in years since but honestly I still firmly support its legalization for both medical and recreational purposes. Interesting to note TDR that you use it to good effect for PTSD, I was talking to my mother, a clinical psychologist, about the whole issue and that was one of the conditions that she mentioned that she felt it offered relief for.

    I myself used it during my teen years both for recreation and to treat stomach issues. Gastrointestinal issues run in my family and at about 13 I started having bouts of severe pain and periods where I had to go on a bland diet or else the pain became constant. These bouts usually lasted around two weeks, at about 15 I started smoking socially and noted during one of my bouts that smoking greatly eased my intestinal pain and typically shortened the duration of my bouts.
  • bornkillerbornkiller Administrator In your girlfriends snatch
    edited November 2012
    I am not sure with the Mormons it would even make it on the ballot. But it is interesting to note that the Mormons were trafficking marijuana from Mexico to Utah sort of, in the early 1910's. A number of Mormons moved to Mexico when polygamy was outlawed in Utah in 1910. When they returned to Utah, marijuana was one of the things they brought back with them. Marijuana was outlawed with a number of other common vices as part of Mormon religious prohibitions enacted into law in 1914.
    Hmm! That's quite an interesting little piece of mormon history. :cool:
  • Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
    edited November 2012
    If religious sheep are told by their leaders that something is bad for 2 or 3 generations then it becomes fact in that group.
  • bornkillerbornkiller Administrator In your girlfriends snatch
    edited November 2012
    The only place a sheep belongs in NZ is on my table as food or in the paddock for romance.
  • Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
    edited November 2012
    Unfortunately the majority of the sheep in the U.S. are in he voting booth every year.
  • DaktologistDaktologist Global Moderator
    edited November 2012
    bornkiller wrote: »
    The only place a sheep belongs in NZ is on my table as food or in the paddock for romance.
    Fucking this.
  • (nameless one)(nameless one) Regular
    edited November 2012
    This thread reminds me of this:
  • Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
    edited November 2012
    I love the guys in the deep sea suits. But this thread reminds me of this.[SOUNDCLOUD]
  • RemadERemadE Global Moderator
    edited November 2012
    Why does my Country follow yours into a War, but not to allow herbs to be smoked freely if one wishes?

    GOD...DAMMIT!
  • Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
    edited November 2012
    RemadE wrote: »
    Why does my Country follow yours into a War, but not to allow herbs to be smoked freely if one wishes?

    GOD...DAMMIT!

    Your Country follows the U.S. into war because that is what both nations masters wish.
  • RemadERemadE Global Moderator
    edited November 2012
    Your Country follows the U.S. into war because that is what both nations masters wish.

    You said it, Brother.

    As for PTSD, I use MJ to help with my Crohn's and insane mood swings. I have a small degree of PTSD thanks to my past in non-Military activities but I can confidently say that it stops the aches, pains and ultimate feelings of despair, anger and almost uncontrollable rage.

    Namely because I'm pretty subdued after smoking/vaping it, but it just makes the world have a nicer glow to it and I don't feel so paranoid when out in public.

    Yeah that's right people. Less paranoid. The only thing that does make me paranoid are the laws, and ultimately those who enforce them.

    Real stupid circle there. Also a good video from Sky News (whom I usually disagree with) where they interviewed a representative from the USA about the futility and business of the Drug War - talking of the private Prison system, the need to cut back spending in areas that frankly aren't that important (like the herb) and that the new Generation can see past the lies and disinformation.
  • Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
    edited November 2012
    I have been reading the amendment 64 in Colorado. They have created 5 brand new industries in their state. Licensed cultivation of marijuana, Licensed cultivation of hemp (not more than .3% THC), licensed marijuana/hemp manufacturers, licensed retail stores, and licensed testing facilities. With any luck my VA disability should be approved by no later than February. That will mean 14 months of back pay or a minimum of about $22,000. I am looking at farmland in Colorado and waiting to see what mechanisms/requirements they put in place in order to be licensed to grow hemp. Yup, hep not marijuana. Why not marijuana Beave?, you ask. Well I can still grow up to 6 plants of good weed for my own use. That and growing medical marijuana or even good recreational dope is much more time consuming and expensive than growing hemp and hemp can be grown outdoors on large tracts of land with more success. To grow good marijuana you have to go hydro and grow indoors to control you light cycle and flowering. You also have to sex them to avoid seeds. But with hemp you want seeds, lots and lots of seeds. That is where the valuable and versatile hemp oil comes from. So yeah, I am looking at the feasibility of becoming a hemp farmer. Hell as a disabled vet I might even be able to get some kick ass federal farm subsidies who knows.
  • bornkillerbornkiller Administrator In your girlfriends snatch
    edited November 2012
    That's the way dude. There will always be a market for hemp. :thumbsup:
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