Pot.

[Pethegreat]

But you need something that would hold up in court. A sobriety test on video would be good. Otherwise its your word vs the cops word.

Unless you are munching on proper space brownies or have smoked a few bowls/joints you really don't get that messed up as far as balance goes.

Dude, right before the SATs? HOLY SHIT, that would be so much easier! Not being so stressed out.

No you will be going "OMG this feels so good. A hotdog, pizza, small child would be wonderful right now!"

[EO Violation]

Originally Posted by Stratopwn3r

Being relaxed though

That's why you'd smoke it after.

You don't get shitface drunk before a test (you want to pass), so why would you get high? A lot of the effects are similar.

[Mr. Matt]

Originally Posted by NiteStryker

There is really no reason to not have it legalized without making alcohol illegal as well.

There's talk of turning alcohol into the social pariah that smoking has become in recent years, using much the same methods (WHO considers global war on alcohol abuse - health - 20 April 2008 - New Scientist).

In this world of nanny states, alcohol won't be the bastion of socially-acceptable stupidity for much longer I'm afraid.

The only hurdle I see is there is no "breathalyzer", so to speak, for pot.

You don't really need one. If someone's been smoking marijuana recently enough for it to have an impact on their driving, particularly if they've been doing it in their car, the stench would be sufficient to give them away. People say cigarettes smell, but holy hell, cheeky cigs beat them in terms of strength. I suppose there are ways of getting around even that, but police seem reasonably good at detecting stoned people without the use of breathalysers at the moment.

[TodtheWraith]

Originally Posted by Mr. Matt

You don't really need one. If someone's been smoking marijuana recently enough for it to have an impact on their driving, particularly if they've been doing it in their car, the stench would be sufficient to give them away. People say cigarettes smell, but holy hell, cheeky cigs beat them in terms of strength. I suppose there are ways of getting around even that, but police seem reasonably good at detecting stoned people without the use of breathalysers at the moment.

What the fucking difference does it make?? Reckless driving is reckless driving. If someone can dope up & still drive he can't get caught.

[Mr. Pedantic]

That is an interesting point of view you've taken. Because even though they're quite similar from a health perspective, from a social perspective they're completely different, in that alcohol is much more accepted for use in society, and it's consequently (or otherwise) much more prevalent. However, that's not what I'm fascinated with. The reason I said it's an interesting point of view is that I'd have expected you to want to ban alcohol as well, instead of legalizing marijuana. Because if you're going with the health side, which is the only side your argument makes sense from, wouldn't it be much more favourable to ban both, rather than legalize both?

[Orchidea]

its very hard for the nation to tax it, since they can't really control the stuff. Yeah, its ironic, they keep alcohol legal, even though its one of the biggest things out there to produce cancer (heard in the news just.. yesterday?), but i don't really care, i'll die someday anyway, so why not enjoy it with both hands?

[Mr. Matt]

Originally Posted by TodtheWraith

What the fucking difference does it make?? Reckless driving is reckless driving. If someone can dope up & still drive he can't get caught.

I'm a heavy drinker. Some might say I have a problem with the stuff (they would, of course, be wrong). I have a reasonably high tolerance for alcohol, and could no doubt drink most people under the table without much effort. But even I wouldn't think of drinking anything and driving, because no matter how well you hold your drink, it will still have an impact on your judgement and reaction times. Even if there are no external signs that somebody has been drinking, it will still affect them more than even they realise.

The same is largely true of marijuana. Despite the hordes of people who will no doubt clamour to argue with this statement, it does have a negative impact on your ability to drive - whether you realise it or not. Drivers under the influence of drugs should be prosecuted as severely as drivers under the influence of alcohol.

[Admiral Donutz]

Originally Posted by Orchidea

its very hard for the nation to tax it, since they can't really control the stuff. Yeah, its ironic, they keep alcohol legal, even though its one of the biggest things out there to produce cancer (heard in the news just.. yesterday?), but i don't really care, i'll die someday anyway, so why not enjoy it with both hands?

You ca't control it? Here in the Netherlands it seems to worl out pretty well with the "coffeeshops". I don't know about the prices of this white market versus the black (illegal) market but I do know enough drug users like to know that what they are being is of reliabale quality, where as back alley crack can be filled with all sorts of nasty stuff.

[Orchidea]

Originally Posted by Admiral Donutz

You ca't control it? Here in the Netherlands it seems to worl out pretty well with the "coffeeshops".

it really works? well thats good. is being taxed around there?

Originally Posted by Admiral Donutz

where as back alley crack can be filled with all sorts of nasty stuff.

thats pretty much the case on everything that goes back alley, right?

[Admiral Donutz]

Originally Posted by Orchidea

it really works? well thats good. is being taxed around there?

Yes, in a nuthsell it works like this:

Coffeeshop owners buy in cannabis products and such (which is actually illegal, as people can't grow or sell drugs). The coffeeshop is then required to check it's products, prepare it for sale and such, sell it over the counter (which means it's taxed). The use of soft drugs isn't actually legal, by law it's still sort of illegal but the law isn't enforced, therefor it's decriminalized.

As you may geuss people aren't to happy with this policy anymore, those in favour of legalized (soft)drugs find it's time to make the thing officially legal, including the process of coffeeshops buying from people that sell it to them. Those against it all ofcourse simplt state the law should be enforced (and that drugs ae bad and all that).

As for growing drugs, the police does rade homes and fields when they suspect/discover drugs being grown there. Though a few town over a decriminilized option here too: public growth facilities, basically a city owned building with the facilities to grow soft drugs. This creates a bit of tention though between various goverment departments (the national goverment still enforces/support the current law of not being allowed to grow drugs thus they don't like other authorities allowing this).

thats pretty much the case on everything that goes back alley, right?

Yes you could say that, that DVD player or stereo set bought in the back alley could be quite fishy aswell. It might get you into trouble with the police but atleast it won't kill you like some fishy drugs might... And the same goes to alcohol, from time to time your read about self made alcohol (in Russia and such) that contained all sorts of nasty chemicals and ended up killing some people. Why buy back alley alcohol if you can buy it in the store (at an affordable price ofcourse and all that).? The same goes for drugs, or should I say "other drugs" as alcohol, tabacco, cannabis and such are all drugs, even caffeine could be classified as a drug.