Marijuana legalization measure loses in California

[Kosar_For_President]

This is actually a good thing. Marijuana is decriminalized in many states. More government intervention would of been a bad thing.

 

LOS ANGELES – California voters declined to make their trendsetting state the nation's first to legalize marijuana use and sales, heeding warnings of legal chaos and that pot smokers would get behind the wheel and show up to work while high.

 

The legalization effort was losing by nine percentage points with more than two-thirds of precincts reporting. Backers showed support for the measure by gathering outside the campaign's headquarters to watch returns come in — some of them lighting up joints to mark the occasion.

 

Supporters of Proposition 19 blamed Tuesday's outcome on the conservative leanings of older voters who participate in midterm elections. They also acknowledged that young voters had not turned out in sufficient numbers to secure victory, but said they were ready to try again in two years.

 

"It's still a historic moment in this very long struggle to end decades of failed marijuana prohibition," said Stephen Gutwillig, California director for the Drug Policy Project. "Unquestionably, because of Proposition 19, marijuana legalization initiatives will be on the ballot in a number of states in 2012, and California is in the mix."

 

Tim Rosales, who managed the No on 19 campaign, scoffed at that attitude from the losing side.

 

"If they think they are going to be back in two years, they must be smoking something," he said. "This is a state that just bucked the national trend and went pretty hard on the Democratic side, but yet in the same vote opposed Prop 19. I think that says volumes as far as where California voters are on this issue."

 

The campaign pitted the state's political and law enforcement establishment against determined activists. Images of marijuana leaves and smashed-up cars and school buses appeared in dueling ads during the campaign.

 

In a sign of what a tough sell it was, an exit poll conducted for The Associated Press showed opposition cutting across gender and racial lines, as well as income and education levels.

 

The ballot measure lost in the state's vaunted marijuana-growing region known as the "Emerald Triangle" of Humboldt, Mendocino and Trinity counties. Many in the region feared the system they have created would be taken over by corporations or lose its purpose.

 

Proponents pitched it as a sensible, though unprecedented, experiment that would provide tax revenue for the cash-strapped state, dent the drug-related violence in Mexico by causing pot prices to plummet, and reduce marijuana arrests that they say disproportionately target minority youth.

 

In the weeks leading to the election, federal officials said they planned to continue enforcing laws making marijuana possession and sales illegal and were considering suing to overturn the California initiative if voters approved it.

 

"Today, Californians recognized that legalizing marijuana will not make our citizens healthier, solve California's budget crisis, or reduce drug related violence in Mexico," White House Drug Policy Director Gil Kerlikowske said.

 

Voters in three other states cast ballots on medical marijuana-related measures.

 

In South Dakota, voters rejected for the second time a measure to legalize marijuana for medical use — a step taken by California in 1996 and 13 other states since. Oregon voters refused to expand their state's medical marijuana program to create a network of state-licensed nonprofit dispensaries where patients could have purchased the drug.

 

A medical marijuana measure on Arizona's ballot was too close to call early Wednesday.

 

California's marijuana proposal would have allowed adults 21 and over to possess up to an ounce of pot, consume it in nonpublic places as long as no children were present, and grow it in small private plots.

 

It also would have authorized local governments to permit commercial pot cultivation, as well as the sale and use of marijuana at licensed establishments.

[VaporTrail]

Guess California had way more drug dealers and growers than we thought. lol

[djdawg2010]

I honestly wished it would have passed.

[DieHardBrownsFan]

Good.

[Mr. T]

I really didnt care if it passed or not. The pot heads will buy it anyways; legal or not.

 

 

[Kosar_For_President]

Listen to all you old koots, "pot is for hippies". Too funny.

[VaporTrail]

I don't get why legalization would hurt. It's less harmful than alcohol. If you get caught driving while high, you're gonna be xxxxed just like you are while drunk. It would bring a bunch of tax dollars in. The only people, imo, that have a legitimate reason to not want it are the growers and dealers.

[djdawg2010]

I don't get why legalization would hurt. It's less harmful than alcohol. If you get caught driving while high, you're gonna be xxxxed just like you are while drunk. It would bring a bunch of tax dollars in. The only people, imo, that have a legitimate reason to not want it are the growers and dealers.

 

 

I agree for the most part, but if you're a dealer or a grower, why wouldn't you want to see it legalized? It would then be a legitimate business. At any rate, people need to do their research about marijuana, and realize the real reasons that it was made illegal. It had nothing to do with necessarily being an intoxicant, but more so about the paper industry losing a lot of money, because of hemp being a better fiber! Furthermore, there were racial overtones as well. Get this; one reason they made it illegal was because they thought it would help in keeping the illegal immigrants out! Really? How is that working out right now?

 

IMO the people who truly stand to lose the most money are those who work in law enforcement, such as cops, judges, lawyers, ect... as well as big pharm companies! They'd rather hook us on all of the other shit that they prescribe, which tends to have even worse side effects, and tends to be highly addictive. I mean, for cryin' out loud they have a pill for everything nowadays! Plus, I don't believe pot is the "gateway drug." If you think about it, tobacco or alcohol would be the true gateway drugs, as that is usually where it starts! I mean, I've smoked my share of weed back in the day, and NEVER had the desire to try other crap like coke, heroin, crack, LSD, shrooms, or extacy! NO THANKS!

 

I say legalize pot for the other uses such as making paper, (for all of those envrionmentalists out there, we can save A LOT of trees). We can also make clothing, and perhaps restart the textile industry in this country. Browns fans, ever notice where your Browns cap is made? Usually Thailand, Bangledesh, Taiwan or China. WTF do any of those people in those countries know about the Cleveland Browns??? We need jobs, and another revenue and this could definitely be another revenue stream in this country if people would open their eyes to some of the benefits. And definitely for it's medicinal values such as treating chronic pain, or helping cancer and AIDS patients in increasing their appetites, as well as in some instances treating anxiety, and depression.

[VaporTrail]

I agree for the most part, but if you're a dealer or a grower, why wouldn't you want to see it legalized? It would then be a legitimate business.

 

And then they'd be competing with corporations for the same money.

[djdawg2010]

And then they'd be competing with corporations for the same money.

 

 

I suppose. But small potatoes IMO. You can choose to grow tomatoes or buy them in the grocery store. I think it's time to end the prohibition of pot. It didn't work with alcohol, and it's certainly not working with this. People still do it, and will continue to do so, legal or not. I think you will continue to see initiatives on the ballot to get it legalized. Maybe not here yet, as we're always the last to do anything (look how long it took to get gambling legalized here). But once another state legalizes it, more states are sure to follow suit. Here is food for thought. Do you know that marijuana is the LARGEST cash crop in the US. Even more than corn and soy beans. Pretty funny considering it's illegal!

[Westside Steve]

And then they'd be competing with corporations for the same money.

Hey Vape,

 

Just noticed your sig.

Is that true? I can respect an honest Democrat or Taliban or child molester or devil worshipper but.....

WSS

[Mr. T]

Listen to all you old koots, "pot is for hippies". Too funny.

 

 

Your right behind us.

 

We should clarify old hippies smoke pot while our new breed of young hippies buy zanax. they dont like the smoke.

[Kosar_For_President]

Your right behind us.

 

We should clarify old hippies smoke pot while our new breed of young hippies buy zanax. they dont like the smoke.

 

I guess Zanax is better, because it's from a doctor. Oh man, the FDA was right.

[djdawg2010]

Your right behind us.

 

We should clarify old hippies smoke pot while our new breed of young hippies buy zanax. they dont like the smoke.

 

 

The latest thing is kids using Aderol who are NOT ADHD! They're using it to get high! I had a 20-something tell me once he tripped on Robitusin after drinking a whole bottle! I was like "um hello, dumbass wanna shut down your liver and kidneys?!" When was the last time that you heard of someone dying from smoking too much weed? It doesn't happen! Now, when was the last time you heard someone die from alcohol poisoning? That in fact does happen! There is also some sort of synthetic weed going around called K12 or spice. Anyone here of this shit? Supposedly it is a synthetic potpourri that has THC qualities, but is extremely harmful! If I were to smoke, I'd rather have the real thing.

 

Speaking of Zanax, I remember at one point in my life where my stress was out of control, and I asked the Dr. one time for something to take the edge off, and he prescribed me Zanax. I started reading the possible side-effects; which was basically don't operate heavy machinery or a motor vehicle, and pretty much don't do anything while you're on the stuff, and I said forget it!

[Mr. T]

I guess Zanax is better, because it's from a doctor. Oh man, the FDA was right.

 

I got this from a friend;

 

Did ya see this? Research scientists rated all known drugs, best is 0 and 100 being the worst. They scored heroin a 55 and crack a 54, crystal meth 33 and cocaine a 27. The most harmful drug… alcohol, with a score of 72! Ouch!

 

I’m going to start right now living healthier…Anyone know where I can score some crystal ...meth?

[djdawg2010]

I got this from a friend;

 

Did ya see this? Research scientists rated all known drugs, best is 0 and 100 being the worst. They scored heroin a 55 and crack a 54, crystal meth 33 and cocaine a 27. The most harmful drug… alcohol, with a score of 72! Ouch!

 

I’m going to start right now living healthier…Anyone know where I can score some crystal ...meth?

 

 

I can't believe that meth would be ranked as safer than alcohol! Hell from what I've heard it's even dangerous to make! Heroin too? Wow. I wonder where pot and cigarettes ranked.

[VaporTrail]

I tried adderal my freshman year, had two days to write a final philosophy paper, no classes, all my other finals were done, and I had no motivation to do it. Got some from my friend, and figured I'd sit around and play some Pro Evolution Soccer while I waited for it to kick in. I was kinda crappy at the game, but for some reason I put it on the hardest difficulty level (which is ridiculously hard). Before I knew it, 15 hours had passed, I was hungry, and I'd played 2 entire seasons, winning every single game and tournament.

 

I never touched adderal again.

[VaporTrail]

 

LSD gets a bad rep. I'd really like to try it sometime, sit under the stars and talk with the universe. It's really only harmful if you handle it like an idiot (like every other drug in existence). Yes, you can kill yourself while you're hallucinating some freaky shit, but that's why you get a babysitter. The drug itself won't actually harm you.

[Kosar_For_President]

 

LSD gets a bad rep. I'd really like to try it sometime, sit under the stars and talk with the universe. It's really only harmful if you handle it like an idiot (like every other drug in existence). Yes, you can kill yourself while you're hallucinating some freaky shit, but that's why you get a babysitter. The drug itself won't actually harm you.

 

Did it done it, many times. Don't do it. And it's really harmful because they use formaldehyde and arsenic to make it and extract the LSD. 99.9% of the time you don't know how or who made it. Trust me, don't mess with it. Take mushrooms, at least you know where that came from, under a pile of cow shit.

 

This graph is based on dependence. It is skewed because when dependent on heroin and meth you are near dead. I have heard that normal use of heroin is less taxing on the body, per a friend. But trust me if you are using heroin, you have an addiction problem which leads to death. There are functioning alcoholics out there for 40 years. The physical harm is done quickly. That is the difference.

[djdawg2010]

 

LSD gets a bad rep. I'd really like to try it sometime, sit under the stars and talk with the universe. It's really only harmful if you handle it like an idiot (like every other drug in existence). Yes, you can kill yourself while you're hallucinating some freaky shit, but that's why you get a babysitter. The drug itself won't actually harm you.

 

 

Never tried LSD or shrooms for that matter. No urge either. I wouldn't like the idea of hallucinating (though weed has some mild hallucinogenic effects). I also don't like the fact that the effects last 8-12 hours, and you are unable to sleep. I tend to be high strung, so that shit would probably freak me out! Now if it was something that only lasted about an hour, then maybe so.

[Mr. T]

Leftover Halloween candy and coffee is enough stimulus. Who needs anything else.

[VaporTrail]

I hate caffeine so much. I really think there should be some kind of regulations with that drug. I used to drink like 3 vanilla cokes a day, but then 2adays happened and I quit drinking pop. 5 years later and I haven't really touched anything with caffeine since, don't like chocolate, coffee, or tea, and I avoided pop. Now, whenever I need to pull an all nighter, I drink a coke at 9 and I'm jittery and wired until 1pm the next day.

[djdawg2010]

I hate caffeine so much. I really think there should be some kind of regulations with that drug. I used to drink like 3 vanilla cokes a day, but then 2adays happened and I quit drinking pop. 5 years later and I haven't really touched anything with caffeine since, don't like chocolate, coffee, or tea, and I avoided pop. Now, whenever I need to pull an all nighter, I drink a coke at 9 and I'm jittery and wired until 1pm the next day.

 

 

I used to drink a ton of pop when I was younger. I always drank coffee and still do. Now, I drink pop maybe once every few months for a taste here and there. As for coffee, I'm completely worthless in the morning without that first cup. I'll usually have 2, sometimes 3 cups a day, which actually isn't bad for you. And I drink it straight black. I used to take sugar, but not anymore. I drink a ton of water throughout the day as well. After work, I'll usually have a couple of beers. I don't do hard liquor. Never liked it, and it always makes me sick. Not to mention some people get really nasty on that hard shit. I don't like meds as for some reason though I have no known allergies, but anytime I do have to take something for some reason, I tend to get some of the negative side effects. I had shingles last year, and the crap that they put me on really made me feel like shit, not to mention the pain from the shingles themselves. I called the doc about the pain and he prescribed me darvocet. I thought maybe he'd give me Tylenol with codene. I said forget it about the darvocet! Plus a buddy of mine gave me a bud instead, which pretty much took care of the pain. I'm not above an occasional toke every once in a while, and if you really think about it I was using it for medicinal purposes, as it really did help. No nasty side effects like an opiate, or any risk of getting addicted either.

[Kosar_For_President]

I used to drink a ton of pop when I was younger. I always drank coffee and still do. Now, I drink pop maybe once every few months for a taste here and there. As for coffee, I'm completely worthless in the morning without that first cup. I'll usually have 2, sometimes 3 cups a day, which actually isn't bad for you. And I drink it straight black. I used to take sugar, but not anymore. I drink a ton of water throughout the day as well. After work, I'll usually have a couple of beers. I don't do hard liquor. Never liked it, and it always makes me sick. Not to mention some people get really nasty on that hard shit. I don't like meds as for some reason though I have no known allergies, but anytime I do have to take something for some reason, I tend to get some of the negative side effects. I had shingles last year, and the crap that they put me on really made me feel like shit, not to mention the pain from the shingles themselves. I called the doc about the pain and he prescribed me darvocet. I thought maybe he'd give me Tylenol with codene. I said forget it about the darvocet! Plus a buddy of mine gave me a bud instead, which pretty much took care of the pain. I'm not above an occasional toke every once in a while, and if you really think about it I was using it for medicinal purposes, as it really did help. No nasty side effects like an opiate, or any risk of getting addicted either.

 

You know what is worse then ANY of this. Corn Syrup. In a test it grew cancer cells, exponentially.

[djdawg2010]

You know what is worse then ANY of this. Corn Syrup. In a test it grew cancer cells, exponentially.

 

 

Interesting.

[Kosar_For_President]

Interesting.

 

Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) recently conducted a study revealing that cancer cells have a particular liking for refined fructose. In tests, pancreatic cancer cells quickly fed on refined fructose and used it to divide and proliferate rapidly within the body.

 

"These findings show that cancer cells can readily metabolize fructose to increase proliferation," explained Dr. Anthony Heaney of UCLA's Jonsson Cancer Center, one of the authors of the study.

 

Published in the journal Cancer Research, the findings also reveal that not all sugars are the same, a widely held belief in mainstream medicine. Tumor cells love both glucose sugar and fructose sugar, but fructose directly causes cancer cells to reproduce and spread in a way that glucose does not.

 

"Importantly, fructose and glucose metabolism are quite different," wrote the team in the study paper.

 

So the study solidifies the fact that there is a major difference between high fructose corn syrup, a highly-refined sugar commonly used in processed American foods and beverages, and refined sugar cane. Both can lead to health problems, but high fructose corn syrup is worse in terms of cancer growth.

 

"I think this paper has a lot of public health implications. Hopefully, at the federal level there will be some effort to step back on the amount of high fructose corn syrup in our diets," said Dr. Heaney in a statement.

 

It is already known that the pancreas has to work much harder to metabolize fructose than it does glucose and other sugars, so it makes sense that fructose consumption is implicated more seriously in contributing to pancreatic cancer growth.

Green Tea kills cancer cells.

[djdawg2010]

Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) recently conducted a study revealing that cancer cells have a particular liking for refined fructose. In tests, pancreatic cancer cells quickly fed on refined fructose and used it to divide and proliferate rapidly within the body.

 

"These findings show that cancer cells can readily metabolize fructose to increase proliferation," explained Dr. Anthony Heaney of UCLA's Jonsson Cancer Center, one of the authors of the study.

 

Published in the journal Cancer Research, the findings also reveal that not all sugars are the same, a widely held belief in mainstream medicine. Tumor cells love both glucose sugar and fructose sugar, but fructose directly causes cancer cells to reproduce and spread in a way that glucose does not.

 

"Importantly, fructose and glucose metabolism are quite different," wrote the team in the study paper.

 

So the study solidifies the fact that there is a major difference between high fructose corn syrup, a highly-refined sugar commonly used in processed American foods and beverages, and refined sugar cane. Both can lead to health problems, but high fructose corn syrup is worse in terms of cancer growth.

 

"I think this paper has a lot of public health implications. Hopefully, at the federal level there will be some effort to step back on the amount of high fructose corn syrup in our diets," said Dr. Heaney in a statement.

 

It is already known that the pancreas has to work much harder to metabolize fructose than it does glucose and other sugars, so it makes sense that fructose consumption is implicated more seriously in contributing to pancreatic cancer growth.

Green Tea kills cancer cells.

 

 

Heard that too. I really don't like tea, but I do have some green tea at home for when I get a cold. I think I'll have to consider keeping it on hand on a regular basis, as well as drinking it once a day.

[Westside Steve]

I think we hyperventilate over weed.

 

My only gripe with weedheads is that they seem to be more committed to it than drinkers.

I mean either can have the excesses but only a few guys get drunk all day and a lot of potsmokers seem to take a hit or two as the day goes on.

More seem to carry a stash than would carry a bottle.

 

That said I don't like to rehearse with guys that are drinking beer or smoking weed because they don't p[lay as well and don't remember what they xxxxed up as well.

 

But geez I certainly think it's insane to lock some poor asshole up for it.

Also any physician should be able to prescribe what he thinks will help a patient.

But I also think guys who obsess over getting high tend to seem stupid.

 

Lets just be realistic about it.

 

Hell if it was a prescriptin drug big Pharm would make a mint.

Taxing it won't make up for the billions it brings in to:

Rehab clinics

Cops

prison workers

Judges

Politicians

Dealers

Lawyers

Growers

They all make a living.

And why buy it and pay a huge tax if you can grow great pot in your house?

Making beer wine or good whiskey costs a lot and is a pain in the ass.

 

And let's not kid ourselves that the multi billion dollare cartels will just open up taco stands when that money dries up.

 

But I have nothing morally against it.

I just don't smoke it since I don't like the buzz.

But I don't like some dork in Washington telling us what we are or arent allowed to do.

Wihin reason....

WSS

[heckofajobbrownie]

It's a very benign drug. I can barely see the rationale for wasting the legal system's time with it.

 

If you legalize it, you'll have more people using it than you do now, but probably not by much. Some of those people will abuse it. But "abusing" marijuana doesn't carry the same social costs as other drugs.

 

At the very least it should be decriminalized, and public use of it should get you a ticket, nothing more. Some states are headed that way already, including California.

[djdawg2010]

I think we hyperventilate over weed.

 

My only gripe with weedheads is that they seem to be more committed to it than drinkers.

I mean either can have the excesses but only a few guys get drunk all day and a lot of potsmokers seem to take a hit or two as the day goes on.

More seem to carry a stash than would carry a bottle.

 

That said I don't like to rehearse with guys that are drinking beer or smoking weed because they don't p[lay as well and don't remember what they xxxxed up as well.

 

But geez I certainly think it's insane to lock some poor asshole up for it.

Also any physician should be able to prescribe what he thinks will help a patient.

But I also think guys who obsess over getting high tend to seem stupid.

 

Lets just be realistic about it.

 

Hell if it was a prescriptin drug big Pharm would make a mint.

Taxing it won't make up for the billions it brings in to:

Rehab clinics

Cops

prison workers

Judges

Politicians

Dealers

Lawyers

Growers

They all make a living.

And why buy it and pay a huge tax if you can grow great pot in your house?

Making beer wine or good whiskey costs a lot and is a pain in the ass.

 

And let's not kid ourselves that the multi billion dollare cartels will just open up taco stands when that money dries up.

 

But I have nothing morally against it.

I just don't smoke it since I don't like the buzz.

But I don't like some dork in Washington telling us what we are or arent allowed to do.

Wihin reason....

WSS

 

 

All very good points WSS!!! As for the over committment from pot smokers, I think a bigger deal gets made out of it than alcohol, because of the fact that pot is illegal, yet in a lot of ways safer than alcohol, and other drugs legal or illegal. It's not so much obsessing over it, but more like you said about not having some dork in Washington telling us what we can and cannot put in our bodies. Educate your kids about drugs and alcohol, and the dangers, I agree 110%! I think that it's important that parents be parents and make a conscious effort to teach their kids right from wrong, and help them in making the right choices in life. As a father, I'm constantly involved in my son's life, and always making sure of his well being, because that is what a parent does! However at the same time; as a grown ass man, let me decide what is right or wrong for me, and formulate my own opinion and what I choose to consume, or what is right or wrong for my kids. I don't need the government, or the schools to tell me how to raise my child, nor try to play parent. Unfortunately, if someone wants something bad enough they'll do it, legal or not. I just think with pot continuing to keep it illegal is so petty when there are much worse substances out there. And if you look at it, there is a lot of abuse of prescription drugs, especially pain killers and those are highly addictive.

 

 

As for the cops, politicians, judges, lawyers... there are plenty of REAL crimes out there to keep these people busy, then bothering people who want to grow, or smoke a God given plant! Let's go after true hard core criminals like murderers, rapists, child molesters, and other violent crimes instead wasting our tax payers money on prosecuting someone for a weed charge! As for the growers, legalization would then make then legitimate, so either fall in line, or find a new line of work. And if someone wants to grow their own, for their own personal use, then so what? Again, you can choose to grow your own tomatoes (my step dad did, as well as squash, zuchini, cucumbers, strawberries.. you get the idea) or you can choose to buy them in the grocery store. So, let someone who wants to grow their own, do so.