http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonk...-legalize/

It's only cool to say you smoke weed on an anonymous poll when it's illegal.

I'm putting this in the same category as more illegals will increase wages, higher minimum wages will create jobs, and so on.

(12-16-2014 12:37 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  I'm putting this in the same category as more illegals will increase wages, higher minimum wages will create jobs, and so on.

so the "it's BS because I don't want to believe it due to my political ideology" category?

John, the only problem with your chart was last years (2010-2012) numbers appear to have gone up, while the 2012-2014 numbers went down for _ALL_ Drugs with the exception of Amphetamines.

I don't think you can pull anything out of the chart that you selected and use that as a basis for "Drug legalization works!"

The adults are smoking the supply. Reefer Madness.

(12-16-2014 12:43 PM)john01992 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 12:37 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  I'm putting this in the same category as more illegals will increase wages, higher minimum wages will create jobs, and so on.

so the "it's BS because I don't want to believe it due to my political ideology" category?

It's BS because it doesn't make sense. What was the point of legalizing something if less people use it? How does making something legal and easier to get drop usage?

(12-16-2014 12:43 PM)john01992 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 12:37 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  I'm putting this in the same category as more illegals will increase wages, higher minimum wages will create jobs, and so on.

so the "it's BS because I don't want to believe it due to my political ideology" category?

Actually, it could be even further down than that, or it could be further up. You'd probably get a much different number if you polled every tweener in the 8th (times are really shiit if you're polling 8th graders about weed), 10th, and 12th grade.

(12-16-2014 01:12 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 12:43 PM)john01992 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 12:37 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  I'm putting this in the same category as more illegals will increase wages, higher minimum wages will create jobs, and so on.

so the "it's BS because I don't want to believe it due to my political ideology" category?

It's BS because it doesn't make sense. What was the point of legalizing something if less people use it? How does making something legal and easier to get drop usage?

Exactly

(12-16-2014 12:59 PM)DaSaintFan Wrote:  John, the only problem with your chart was last years (2010-2012) numbers appear to have gone up, while the 2012-2014 numbers went down for _ALL_ Drugs with the exception of Amphetamines.

I don't think you can pull anything out of the chart that you selected and use that as a basis for "Drug legalization works!"

There are two takeaways from the data. 1. that we saw an even bigger dive right as legalization occurred.

2. the data nullifies any claims that GOPers made saying we will see a rise in usage if full legalization were to happen.

This is not my first time posting a thread on this topic and in the past I have stated that it is still very early to tell to see what the trend will be. but the early returns are very good and are anything but bad news. You can find similar polls where they focused primarily on Colorado that had similar results.

(12-16-2014 01:12 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 12:43 PM)john01992 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 12:37 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  I'm putting this in the same category as more illegals will increase wages, higher minimum wages will create jobs, and so on.

so the "it's BS because I don't want to believe it due to my political ideology" category?

It's BS because it doesn't make sense. What was the point of legalizing something if less people use it? How does making something legal and easier to get drop usage?

May want to read up on the success Portugal has had decriminalizing all drugs.

Generally the idea is that by legalizing drugs, it actually becomes harder for people under the legal age to buy drugs because their suppliers go out of business, or they become legit sellers. People who buy pot want to do so legally, so they will quickly move from buying via an illegal method to a legal method. You quickly stop having so many dealers selling without a license, so the only viable place underage teens can go are dispensaries, and they won't sell to them for fear of losing their license (just like a liquor store). Prior to legalization dealer's were worried they would get busted during any drug deal, not just ones for people who were underage, so they were willing to take the risk with anyone. Now, if they go about this legally, they can sell to anyone of age and very easily say no thanks to those who are underage. Also, police should be able to focus more specifically on selling/distributing to underage teens, rather than the population as a whole.

I equate this with the prohibition of alcohol. If alcohol was illegal for everyone, you would have a large black market that had the same barriers to entry for a 50 year old as a 13 year old, and you would basically be relying on the morality of someone breaking the law to not sell to someone they thought was too young to consume.

(12-16-2014 01:14 PM)LSU04_08 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 01:12 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 12:43 PM)john01992 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 12:37 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  I'm putting this in the same category as more illegals will increase wages, higher minimum wages will create jobs, and so on.

so the "it's BS because I don't want to believe it due to my political ideology" category?

It's BS because it doesn't make sense. What was the point of legalizing something if less people use it? How does making something legal and easier to get drop usage?

Exactly

LOL you two are a special pair. You guys live in a fantasy land where yall think "if it's outlawed people will not do it as much"

that is not always the case, and it's especially true with drug policy. Have you guys not heard of the 18th amendment? because the legacy of that piece of legislation is that prohibition can do more harm than good.

I know it's hard to think outside of one simplified chain of thought, but let me help you. Making something illegal opens up the black market which could make it easier for people (especially underage kids) to obtain. You are also opening up a coolness/rebel factor that by making it illegal, more people will want to do it simply because it's illegal. again that is especially true for underage kids.

and again I must stress that this is for teens, not the general population...which is something i'm not sure you understand is part of the OP.

not an insult ==> but your attitude is on the lowest level of thought process possible. you two embarrass yourselves by stating if something doesn't fit your understanding of the situation...it must be wrong. I mean seriously smn you basically stated the data was wrong not be refuting the data but because "it doesn't make sense" to you. Thats about as bad as it gets.

(12-16-2014 01:44 PM)john01992 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 01:14 PM)LSU04_08 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 01:12 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 12:43 PM)john01992 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 12:37 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  I'm putting this in the same category as more illegals will increase wages, higher minimum wages will create jobs, and so on.

so the "it's BS because I don't want to believe it due to my political ideology" category?

It's BS because it doesn't make sense. What was the point of legalizing something if less people use it? How does making something legal and easier to get drop usage?

Exactly

LOL you two are a special pair. You guys live in a fantasy land where yall think "if it's outlawed people will not do it as much"

that is not always the case, and it's especially true with drug policy. Have you guys not heard of the 18th amendment? because the legacy of that piece of legislation is that prohibition can do more harm than good.

I know it's hard to think outside of one simplified chain of thought, but let me help you. Making something illegal opens up the black market which could make it easier for people (especially underage kids) to obtain. You are also opening up a coolness/rebel factor that by making it illegal, more people will want to do it simply because it's illegal. again that is especially true for underage kids.

and again I must stress that this is for teens, not the general population...which is something i'm not sure you understand is part of the OP.

not an insult ==> but your attitude is on the lowest level of thought process possible. you two embarrass yourselves by stating if something doesn't fit your understanding of the situation...it must be wrong. I mean seriously smn you basically stated the data was wrong not be refuting the data but because "it doesn't make sense" to you. Thats about as bad as it gets.

Illogical.

(12-16-2014 01:35 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 01:12 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 12:43 PM)john01992 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 12:37 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  I'm putting this in the same category as more illegals will increase wages, higher minimum wages will create jobs, and so on.

so the "it's BS because I don't want to believe it due to my political ideology" category?

It's BS because it doesn't make sense. What was the point of legalizing something if less people use it? How does making something legal and easier to get drop usage?

May want to read up on the success Portugal has had decriminalizing all drugs.

exactly.

(12-16-2014 01:13 PM)LSU04_08 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 12:43 PM)john01992 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 12:37 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  I'm putting this in the same category as more illegals will increase wages, higher minimum wages will create jobs, and so on.

so the "it's BS because I don't want to believe it due to my political ideology" category?

Actually, it could be even further down than that, or it could be further up. You'd probably get a much different number if you polled every tweener in the 8th (times are really shiit if you're polling 8th graders about weed), 10th, and 12th grade.

give it a rest. 8th graders using drugs and polling them to see if they do goes back decades.

(12-16-2014 01:47 PM)EverRespect Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 01:44 PM)john01992 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 01:14 PM)LSU04_08 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 01:12 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 12:43 PM)john01992 Wrote:  so the "it's BS because I don't want to believe it due to my political ideology" category?

It's BS because it doesn't make sense. What was the point of legalizing something if less people use it? How does making something legal and easier to get drop usage?

Exactly

LOL you two are a special pair. You guys live in a fantasy land where yall think "if it's outlawed people will not do it as much"

that is not always the case, and it's especially true with drug policy. Have you guys not heard of the 18th amendment? because the legacy of that piece of legislation is that prohibition can do more harm than good.

I know it's hard to think outside of one simplified chain of thought, but let me help you. Making something illegal opens up the black market which could make it easier for people (especially underage kids) to obtain. You are also opening up a coolness/rebel factor that by making it illegal, more people will want to do it simply because it's illegal. again that is especially true for underage kids.

and again I must stress that this is for teens, not the general population...which is something i'm not sure you understand is part of the OP.

not an insult ==> but your attitude is on the lowest level of thought process possible. you two embarrass yourselves by stating if something doesn't fit your understanding of the situation...it must be wrong. I mean seriously smn you basically stated the data was wrong not be refuting the data but because "it doesn't make sense" to you. Thats about as bad as it gets.

Illogical.

This is the problem with todays republican party. they want nothing to do with good policy...but can give no rational explanation as to why. national & international trends agree with my position. You think it's wrong but can't give one reasonable explanation as to why.

(12-16-2014 01:44 PM)john01992 Wrote:  Making something illegal opens up the black market which could make it easier for people (especially underage kids) to obtain. You are also opening up a coolness/rebel factor that by making it illegal, more people will want to do it simply because it's illegal. again that is especially true for underage kids.

Does your logic also apply to guns, or just the pot you want to smoke?

(12-16-2014 01:49 PM)john01992 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 01:35 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 01:12 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 12:43 PM)john01992 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 12:37 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  I'm putting this in the same category as more illegals will increase wages, higher minimum wages will create jobs, and so on.

so the "it's BS because I don't want to believe it due to my political ideology" category?

It's BS because it doesn't make sense. What was the point of legalizing something if less people use it? How does making something legal and easier to get drop usage?

May want to read up on the success Portugal has had decriminalizing all drugs.

exactly.

It's odd that people do not equate marijuana decriminalization/legalization with repealing prohibition. This doesn't necessarily mean all sorts of drugs should be decriminalized or legalized because of the harm that using them can do directly to the user, and indirectly to those around the user, but we shouldn't ignore the issue because of a preconceived notion about a substance.

Portugal took that stance and has done very well combating a lot of the issues that come up with drug use more effectively then if they had just locked people up.