Pot Could Become Legal In Two Months Colorado Voters Will Soon Decide If Marijuana Should Be Legal
DENVER -- In November, Colorado voters will decide if people should be allowed to possess small amounts of marijuana.
There have been reports recently that the state's Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) would use $10,000 to campaign against the initiative.
Tuesday, however, DEA agent Jeff Sweetin said that is simply not true. Sweetin opposes the initiative that would make it legal to carry up to 1 ounce of marijuana.
The DEA said it will not overstep its mission, which is to enforce drug laws, but Sweetin said it will continue to educate the public about the dangers of smoking pot.
The DEA said any amount of marijuana should be illegal. The marijuana initiative states that anyone 21 years or older could legally carry 1 ounce of pot or less in Colorado.
"I just see that as totally ludicrous both as a father and as a drug enforcement officer," said Sweetin.
Sweetin said, despite reports to the contrary, his office is not campaigning against it or fundraising.
"We don't have $10,000 in money. There may be organizations that are raising money," said Sweetin. "There is no $10,000 in money that I've ever heard of."
If the DEA were to get involved, Safer Colorado's Mason Tvert said it would be an enormous conflict of interest.
"The DEA is paid to enforce drug laws, not to educate, not to campaign," said Tvert, Safer Colorado's campaign director for legalizing marijuana.
While Sweetin is clear he is not campaigning, he is also not hesitant to share his opinion.
"All the research we see on marijuana continues to tell us it's a very dangerous, addictive substance," said Sweetin.
Tvert said it is no more dangerous than alcohol.
"The prohibition of marijuana, as Jimmy Carter said, is more damaging than the drug itself," said Tvert.
The DEA said if the public comes to them for information, they will gladly share their expertise. As of now, they said, they are stepping out of this debate.
If it passes, the DEA said they will still enforce federal law which makes pos
Posts: 2321 | Registered: Aug 2006
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posted
One needs to question whether or not the federal government ever should of had the power to regulate your intake of any substance.. Arguing that alcohol is worse than weed is pointless and is exactly the kind of distraction that the government hopes will fill the minds of potheads the country over.
Posts: 2965 | Registered: Aug 2005
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posted
You have a good point relentless and I agree it is a some what child like stand but some time it is necessary to make a comparision to make a point.
I personally do neither any more because I was sick of making an ass out of my self.
I have known kids that have went to jail in the sixties for a joint and had felonies on there record
Posts: 6008 | From: phoenix az | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
I understand, but that point has been made for years.. I've sat stoned in many a place and listened unwillingly to that same borish argument... None of that is the point.. nor should it be. The point is that our federal government is not intended to be this powerfull.. We are not to fear our government.. Our government is to fear US. And yes I gave up weed quite a few years ago as it no longer suited my needs.
Posts: 2965 | Registered: Aug 2005
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posted
The point is that our federal government is not intended to be this powerfull.. We are not to fear our government.. Our government is to fear US.
uhoh... we need to stop agreeing like this...
there is no place in the constitution to justify it... prohibition was the 18th ammendment.. which was repealed by the 21st ammendment...
the govt has no constitutional right to control substances...
-------------------- Don't envy the happiness of those who live in a fool's paradise. Posts: 36378 | From: USA | Registered: Sep 2003
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Another point is so many people make a good living controling pot it would be a big blow to the economy.
Posts: 6008 | From: phoenix az | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
I think Pot is the "gateway drug" upside. Ask most crack heads and they started on pot. No....everyone that smokes pot will not become a crack head, But every crack head started on Marijuana.
Posts: 1178 | From: Mobile, AL | Registered: Aug 2005
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quote:Originally posted by andrew: I think Pot is the "gateway drug" upside. Ask most crack heads and they started on pot. No....everyone that smokes pot will not become a crack head, But every crack head started on Marijuana.
And how many of these peole also started on alcohol and cigarettes?
Posts: 134 | From: PA | Registered: Mar 2006
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posted
"Ask most crack heads and they started on pot."
I don't believe that those that make that claim have asked very many or they wouldn't feel so certain they know anything about the subject.
I have asked more than just one or two, and the most frequent causes seems to be either "everyone does it" i.e., peer pressure) or that it was a seeming escape from the hopelessness of poverty and social stigma.
And this,
"But every crack head started on Marijuana.",
I know as a fact is simply a falsehood!
Notice that if the first of those statements were corrrect, the implication is that "most" but not "all" crack heads started on pot, a direct contradiction to the second claim, that "all' started on pot!
Why issue such misinformation?
Posts: 11304 | From: Fort Worth, Texas | Registered: Mar 2005
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quote:Originally posted by andrew: I think Pot is the "gateway drug" upside. Ask most crack heads and they started on pot. No....everyone that smokes pot will not become a crack head, But every crack head started on Marijuana.
And how many of these peole also started on alcohol and cigarettes?
quote:Originally posted by andrew: I think Pot is the "gateway drug" upside. Ask most crack heads and they started on pot. No....everyone that smokes pot will not become a crack head, But every crack head started on Marijuana.
I agree. Going from being sober or smoking cigarretes straight to crack, is like going from playing in little league straight to the major leagues.
Posts: 2321 | Registered: Aug 2006
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quote:Originally posted by andrew: I think Pot is the "gateway drug" upside. Ask most crack heads and they started on pot. No....everyone that smokes pot will not become a crack head, But every crack head started on Marijuana.
I agree. Going from being sober or smoking cigarretes straight to crack, is like going from playing in little league straight to the major leagues.
nope--Little League to majors would require extraordinary talent, drive, direction and so forth...
getting addicted to crack requires only likely circumstances, eg, one's body chemistry, predisposition and so forth... a "flaw," if you will...perhaps not biologically accurate, but certainly not talent. Some try it and forget it, while others try it and the next day are hunting more...
I tell ya, there is something insidious about crank/crack and human DNA...
In high school, the anti-drug folk warned us that one toke of pot led straightaway to heroin addiction. That's why they lost so many of their audience, who simply knew better from experience.
But crank/crack both--even though different compounds--are tremendously addictive for those susceptible. I've seen otherwise psychologically hardy individuals get simply swept away... By that I mean, peeps who weren't simply "talked into" things, not peer-pressure susceptible, etc. One kid I tried to help got started on crank cuz at first he could work longer, hold two jobs, work extra shifts, etc. By the time I was his last stop before sleeping in cardboard boxes? He couldn't work 30 minutes in the yard...
posted
Here is my problem with legalizing pot. In the area I'm in there is a big problem recently with nasty mean people lacing the pot that gets sold to the highschoolers with Opium and other "stuff".
Kiddies think they're playing with a non-addictive drug and don't know enough to realize the sh*t is laced. Two months down the line they switch em to regular pot that don't do sh*t for em and they end up forced into buying the harder stuff or going through withdrawl and detox.
It's a mean game getting played.
I don't mind legalization if it is regulated...won't say I've never had a puff and enjoyed myself...but want to make sure crap like that gets shut down hardcore in the process.
BF
-------------------- No longer eligible for government service due to lack of tax issues. Posts: 5178 | From: Up North | Registered: Dec 2005
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Mary jane vs alchohol: Did you ever hear about anybody smoking a bunch of weed and committing a crime?
Actually yes.
Some of my friends who lived next to a golf course got high and decided that it would be fun to steal golf carts and tool around downtown. Wouldn't a been a big deal but a couple of them decided to try and lose the cops on the back nine when they were busted. LOL
-------------------- No longer eligible for government service due to lack of tax issues. Posts: 5178 | From: Up North | Registered: Dec 2005
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posted
Going from my own experience in my youth, I believe pot is a gateway drug. While it doesn't make you crave something stronger, it lowers your resistance or hesitancy to try something different/stronger. That's how I discovered coke which turned into my drug of choice for a long time. If I had never smoked pot though, I'd never have tried it. Cig's and booze are something different. I dont believe that smoking a Camel is gonna make you want to try pot, there's no connection there. Same thing with alcohol, it doesn't lead to drugs, just makes you want to drink more.
Posts: 5729 | From: Wisconsin | Registered: Sep 2003
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Could be Tex. Some kind of attraction to legal vs. illegal. I don't really agree with that though. It's a matter of "well, this didn't harm me" so it lowered my worries about trying something else.
Posts: 5729 | From: Wisconsin | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
The thing you can blame for pot's luster is MTV. That's where our youth are told every five minutes life is better when you are high. Life is better when you sell drugs. Life is better when you make every bad decision possible.
Posts: 2965 | Registered: Aug 2005
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posted
I don't believe pot is a gateway drug. I believe ppl who are interested in trying pot will be interested in trying other things. Its the mentality of the person.
But, its helps you make stupid choices because it makes you stupid, even though you think you're so cool.
MTV? Nah, I dont think that was it, but if you want to talk about BET, then we have a conversation.
Posts: 184 | Registered: Sep 2005
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posted
Look, I'm 47 now. It was 25 - 30 years ago that I was involved in this chit. It wasn't MTV (wasn't around) or the fact that the "dealer" had harder stuff. We never had a dealer that we wen't through, just a group of buddies where someone hopefully had some smoke or could get some if we all pitched in. But, if I had never tried pot, I can say with certainty I'd have never progressed onto other drugs. Again, I feel it lowers your hesitancy to try other things, at least in a young mind. Now? I can't do it, makes me want to shut all the curtains and cower in a corner. Been drug free for 15 years or so but I still likes my Bombay Sapphire on occasion. Doesn't make me want to get involved in the drug scene again though.
Posts: 5729 | From: Wisconsin | Registered: Sep 2003
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