Paul Ryan Says Feds Shouldn’t Interfere With Legalized Medical Pot

KCBS ^ | September 7, 2012

[Ken H]

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (CBS/AP) – Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan tells a Colorado television station that the federal government shouldn’t interfere with states that have legalized medical marijuana.

Ryan told KRDO-TV in Colorado Springs that he personally doesn’t approve of medical marijuana laws. But he said that states should have the right to choose whether to legalize the drug for medical purposes.

[3Fingas]

No intent to build a straw man as it were.

My question “Where does it stop?” was thrown out there to libertarian-minded folks who want all drugs legalized.

No doubt alcoholism is the most destructive substance in absolute terms; however, it is legal and widely accessible whereas heroin and crack, etc. are not legal and are abused by a much smaller group of people than is alcohol. So, for example, if heroin were legal and as widely used as alcohol, then the study that you cited would look a lot different.

So as not to distract any further from the main point of this thread, we should return to the main point of this thread.

As I stated earlier, I support the right of the citizens of any state to vote to legalize marijuana within their state, especially in the case of prescribed medical marijuana. I personally do not support the use marijuana for recreational purposes, but that, again, should be a matter for the states to decide. Imho.

[HiTech RedNeck]

It’s insane to use medications that have risks upon patients for whom that risk does not apply? Sounds like a crazy statement to me.

[jch10]

This was in the 60’s....before the ban. Lots of women took the anti-nausea medicine then. Doctors prescribed much more medicine during pregnancy than they do now.

[Usagi_yo]

No, it was never legal, never ever legal. Pot has always been illegal even during the times you *think* it was legal.

[JimRed]

But he said that states should have the right to choose whether to legalize the drug for medical purposes.

CODE WORD ALERT! CODE WORD ALERT!
STATE'S RIGHTS = RACIST! STATE'S RIGHTS = RACIST!

[Liberty Valance]

bttt

[fr_freak]

These problems in my neighborhood began with the legalization of drug collectives. So, no. You’re wrong. And thanks for insulting my city.

And you’re welcome, Northern California, for all the tax money Southern California supports you with, so you can sit around stoned all day in your oh-so-civil, problem-free drug dens.

Hey, I'm not saying its your fault that LA sucks. LA is suffering from all of the pathologies that are plaguing California as a whole and the USA in general - rampant illegal immigration and the resulting gang infestation, and left-wing socialism which has disintegrated and destroyed everything good in society. SF sucks for the same reason, and Sacramento is quickly joining the two of them. If someone told me that SF was suffering from crime, decay and anti-social behavior because of marijuana dispensaries, I would laugh at them too, because the real cause is that it has been a Democrat socialist "sanctuary city" hellhole for decades.

As far as your claims that Northern California is receiving tax money from LA, I'd like to see some proof of that. Given that some of the biggest taxpayer money drains come from welfare programs and supporting illegal aliens, I'd guess that LA takes far more than it gives out.

[bigfootbob]

Where are you from? You are about as sick as they come. A true fascist, your type are nutburgers and dangerous to liberty.

[freedommom]

Hemp IS NOT marijuana. You would have to smoke a whole field of it to get a buzz...

[DBrow]

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1556-4029.2011.02021.x/abstract

This article from Forensic Sciences is interesting. They had street samples of weed with concentrations of THC ranging from 15 to 22% THC, about the potency of hashish. The concentrations were high enough that they investigated the DNA of the plant material to see if it had been genetically engineered. They had some historical numbers from a decade or so ago showing much lower levels.

I can’t post the article, but I can refer to the abstract. There are lots of hits online about it, I searched for “journal of forensic sciences genetically modified cannabis” and got many hits. I’ve seen a few other articles in DEA’s “Microgram” journal about increased potency, too.

The journal article does suggest an increase in potency, which in and of itself is not bad, it just means that people use less mass to get the same effect.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/dr-raj-persaud/has-cannabis-been-secretly-modified-_b_1688684.html

Here is a Huffpo article that is a bit less scientific, but it does mention some researchers and papers to do some further reading.

Oh and the JofForens article found no obvious evidence of genetic manipulations.

[what's up]

Don't get me wrong...I think it's great.

I just think it's hilarious that Ryan is reaching far into Obama territory past the Blue Dogs and may now pick up some OWS votes.

[TigersEye]

Yeah, that’s really great. I smoked some Thai Stick and shared a really tiny joint of Acapulco Gold with three other guys in the ‘70s both of which were far more potent than any of the new designer strains I’ve tried in recent years. It’s a plant. The resin contains the active principle and you can play with cultivars to get more resin and more THC in the resin but in the end the THC is THC.

[TigersEye]

They’ll go for it too. Some of them. 0bummer lied to them about their Kind Weed and that’s one thing they wont’ forget. LOL

[newzjunkey]

Anything, including water, is toxic in large enough doses. Maximum dosage isn't a suggestion, it's there for safety. The liver, not kidney, damage from acetaminophen happens at twice maximum dosage over an extended period. It's safe product. Marijuana causes brain abnormalities, drop in IQ and more but it's perfectly safe because it's natural, don't you know. /s Yeah, so is hemlock.

Paul Ryan has the right view here. Medical use should be allowed on the state level.