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tsatske -> RE: First U.S. marijuana cafe opens in Portland | Reuters (11/15/2009 5:18:29 PM)
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quote:
....and can i assume from this that you are a teetotaller? Or just another hyprocrite?
I am a teetotaler. Someone else asked the person this was directed to if they were a recovering addict - well, I am a teetotaler for the most common reason, because I am in recovery. My children, otoh, are teetotalers because they are aware that addiction can be a genetic problem, and they have seen enough of its devastating effects in their extended family. (by the grace of God, I and their father were sober before they were born)
I support the legalization of drugs for a mydrid of reasons.
The war on drugs is costly and does not work. It is used as a law of political expedency when the powers that be wish to tighten the screws on someone they have no other reason to harrass, or when they can not legally back up their reasons. It is used as a fear club, to curtail the freedoms of law abiding citizens, because, if we don't, 'this will get worse.'
It is racist, age-ist and classist. the mind altering drug of choice of minorities, less well to do citizens and younger people is illegal, while the drug of choice of rich old white men is legal. Yes, there are users of both in every race and class, but the statistics still bear out that it is a racist law.
It is generally agreed by many or even most citizens that minor personal drug use is a 'victimless' and minor crime. Many respectible adults admit to doing it at some point in their lives and often see it as a normal and understandable youthful mistake. Yet the consequences of getting caught doing this while young can be life destroying. You can ruin your chances to get into the educational institution of your choice, become inelegable for student grants and loans, for job corpse, and for the military. at any age, you can lose your job for what you do on your off time.
It is socially stigmaed to the point that anyone who is known to be a drug user is at best an idiot and a loser, at worse dangerous and violent. this stigma is spread like poison into the polical arguement about the laws surrounding this issue - if you think that any drugs should be decrimalized, you are a druggie. So, let me repeat - I am sober for almost 3 decades, my sons have never had a drink or used a mind altering drug, and we believe that marajania, at the least, should be decriminalized.
One last reason - if my 12 year old daughter ( dear mods - fictional stick person. I do not have a child who is not past college age.) wishes to experiment with some beer or vodka, an idea I stenously suggest she should not do, she must first hang around a liquor store in a bad nieghborhood, not a great idea, that, until she finds someone who will buy her a beer or a bottle and then give it to her, for which they will probably want to be repaid with more then cash. good god. I think i said this is a bad idea. Having done so, she now, unfortunatly, has a hookup, in case she ever wants another beer, or possibly even a pack of cigerrettes.
OTOH, if my 12 year old daughter wishes to experiment with marajana - again, a very bad idea - she must find someone who sells the stuff on the street corner. Having done so, she now has a hookup, in case she ever wants to be meth or oxy.
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