Posted on 06/11/2019 9:08:58 AM PDT by fwdude
A bill to legalize recreational marijauna in Illinois needs only the signature of Gov. J.B. Pritzker to become law. Colorado has had legal recreational marijuana since 2014. The Colorado Division of Criminal Justice last year came out with an analysis of the effects of the state's legalization of retail sales of marijuana since it went into effect in 2014. It found teen use had not increased, but hospital visits and fatal accidents associated with marijuana use increased. The authors cautioned that many factors can influence the statistics in the report, including people's willingness to admit marijuana use now that it's legalized in the state. Here is a rundown of some of the major findings.
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
I met someone visiting from Colorado and I asked her what she saw as the biggest impact of legalization. Her answer? Auto insurance premiums up through the roof.
None of these things ever turn out. Even Gambling, you find you don’t get anywhere near the $$$ expected.
People just don’t learn.
Legalize it, fine, but don’t sell it as a boon to the economy.
The first “Crime” statistic refutes the argument of the pro-pot libs, that legal sales will thwart the illegal markets.
No kidding. Texas Lottery was supposed to solve much of the school financing problem, but they are still in a constant crisis for funding.
Within a federated union of the several states, I see no reason why some states shouldn’t explore such a path. Colorado made the leap in 2014.
Other states should be able to look at evidence from CO, MA, CA, etc. and decide if it’s a good path to go down.
If the evidence says “this is a bad path” and the voters and politicians in a state like Illinois still insist on saying “Let’s go!” then I don’t know what you can do.
On a personal level, I advise against the use. On an abstract political level, I think people ought to control their own destiny. Government prohibition of a weed has proven difficult.
The problem, as we've seen with a number of issues in the past few decades, is that "permission" soon morphs into "promotion." Can professional organizations continue to ban pot use among member if the government tacitly endorses it through legalization? It is thus deemed a "right" that no professional organization can violate.
Schools, colleges, universities all refuse to cut costs when they can and should. Drive by any city or county administrative building and you will see a parking lot of non-teaching personnel’s cars. I have always questioned the need.
The stats involving MVAs are really scary.
I'm wondering how the pro-pot libertarians spin this damning data?
I have never met stoner who said “Maybe I’m too stoned to drive”.
Legacy costs? That’s what plagues Oregon.
I live in Colorado and challenge the assertion that teen pot use has not increased. It is my experience that it has increased but is no longer being actively being pursued as a criminal charge / activity.
Instead of the nosy neighbor calling the cops on the kids, they just assume it is ok / legal and dont call.
The toxic levels of thc found in the umbilical cords of newborns has risen to numbers i cannot fathom. In addition, there is a rise of thc plus other drugs in these babies as well.
I have not seen these numbers in a 30 yr career, the last 8 to 10 of which has seen increased testing for this.
Btw.. out of the total births, only a few are submitted for tox testing.
What are the real nmbers? Why not show the data? This isn’t being discussed as an ethics issue. Must be the money.
Teachers should already start to see these brains bathed in drugs in the womb in their early ed classrooms.
But look at how much tax revenue we have created.. pretty soon we will have so much, that even ss will be flush with cash. We should rebrand this as kids for cash.
See the link I just posted for why enforcement is such a problem.
Here's my question: If recreational pot legalization does prove to be a societal train wreck, how is this genie to be put back in the bottle?
“Not looking good for the pro-pot side.”
Really?
Did you actually read the article?
Looks pretty innocuous, at worst.
“On an abstract political level, I think people ought to control their own destiny”
I agree with you as long as my money isn’t used to bail them out.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.