Posted on 08/28/2017 6:09:36 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
Federal and state data show that the number of drivers involved in fatal crashes in Colorado who tested positive for marijuana has more than doubled since 2013. A Denver Post analysis of the data and coroner reports provides the most comprehensive look yet into whether roads in the state have become more dangerous since the drug's legalization.
It shows that Increasingly potent levels of marijuana were found in positive-testing drivers who died in crashes in Front Range counties.
The trends coincide with the legalization of recreational marijuana in Colorado.
However, Colorado transportation and public safety officials say the rising number of pot-related traffic fatalities cannot be definitively linked to legalized marijuana.
The industry counters that the data is imprecise and does not definitively link fatal crashes to marijuana use.
(Excerpt) Read more at kktv.com ...
People smoke weed freely while driving here in a good sized city in Iowa. It would be easy to police if they wanted to. I smell it all the time while bicycling.
A lot of pot users also drink Alcohol, so it probably makes them even more impaired.
Pot today with it’s vastly higher THC levels is physiologically more damaging than alcohol.
As toxicologists say, the dose is the poison. But, a joint does more harm than a martini. Personally, my suggestion is to avoid both. But the neurological effects of high concentrations of current levels of THC in pot are severe. Obviously, if you are drinking a fifth of gin a day you will be worse off than if you have one joint a month. But, apples to apples, today’s concentrations of THC are worse. In fact, past studies are of limited value because of the lower concentrations of THC in pot. Colorado and other states will, unfortunately, demonstrate how destructive modern pot is. Having said that, I do not support the “War on Drugs”, nor do I think there is anything wrong with legitimate medical uses of pot (life is full of trade-offs).
“Pot today with it’s vastly higher THC levels is physiologically more damaging than alcohol.”
Another false statement. The higher the THC the less you need to use to achieve the desired effect. As a legal medical marijuana patient I can assure you from personal experience your claim has zero basis in reality.
“Neither is good for you (with the apparent exception of moderate amounts of red wine).”
Actually, cannabis has been a wonderful medicine I started using in 2015. I went from 5-6 medications a day to 1: cannabis, to treat chronic depression & crippling anxiety. I’m happy to say I’m a happy person after decades of being miserable.
As with all foods & medicines: too much is never good for us.
“But, a joint does more harm than a martini.”
Prove it!
As I wrote, adults can do any stupid damn thing they want, as long as it doesn’t involve public intoxication (or non-drug crimes such as assault, murder, theft, etc.). Nevertheless, I don’t support drug use or drug laws (other than as relate to minors.)
I understand that dope does damage to the developing brain. But how about the 30+ year old brain?
Again, I don’t touch the stuff and don’t think you should, but I am wondering if the risks of damage to the developed brain are minor or non-existent - especially compared to alcohol.
I scanned the replies; it’s appalling how many didn’t read the article.
It reads like it was written by someone in between bong hits.
It’s nonsensical.
...today’s concentrations of THC are worse.
I don’t think its the potency that matters, but how much you ingest, relative to its potency. Do you smoke a whole joint or just take a single puff? Do you mix the same quantity into your brownies?
Meaningless without the raw data.
“More than doubled” could be 20,000 to 45,000.
Or it could be 1 to 3.
But anyway, I agree with you. The reporter and editor of this story should BOTH be fired. To publish a story like this without the raw data (what, are they afraid any discussion of actual numbers will cause their brain-dead readers to lose focus and click somewhere else? ... maybe that’s it)...
For them to publish a story like this and leave out the raw data is to announce to the world that they and their organization are MORONS.
Facts are facts. Weed based traffic deaths ate up. So I guess the claims that legalized weed would usher in the Age of Peace Love Unicorns Aquarius and Universal Brotherhood weren’t true.
I actually don’t care if people want to blow their brains out with pot or booze or heroin or anything. But weed has one particular annoying side effect. It turns people into insufferable pot evangelists. You don’t see junkies or drunks claiming that their addiction is a public service. Just potheads..... and acidheads. An interesting coincidence.
You are obviously defensive about your pot use. Pay attention: I don’t think it should be illegal, but I also don’t support RECREATIONAL use. If I had your problems, and pot alleviated them, I’d use it. If I had severe back pain that opioids would relieve, I’d use them. But I would use neither recreationally. As for the alcohol/pot harm debate, the left for a long time has propagandized on the issue, and as they have seized institutions, governmental and otherwise, the discussion has become less than candid. The same has happened with discussions of the climate, the sodomite lifestyle, “gender”, and many other issues. As for the issue of relative harm, I think it was arguable in the old “mellow yellow” days. With THC concentrations now reaching 27%, we are in completely different territory.
Here’s one summary of the issue that is valuable:
https://amgreatness.com/2016/09/25/lie-travels-comparing-alcohol-marijuana/
“Culture warriors”, their friends in government and universities, the nascent pot industry, and politicians eager for new revenue sources will all muddy the water. In 20 years all will see the wreckage, just as the drug culture of the 60’s left it’s wreckage. Do not misunderstand, I am not saying alcohol is benign. The temperance movement, much maligned, had a legitimate point. Alcohol is enormously destructive, and that in large part because of it’s social acceptance and widespread availability. Given the same level of acceptance and availability, pot will be a huge problem. Having said that, criminalization, like Prohibition, is the wrong response to RECREATIONAL use. Some people will always use alcohol and other drugs. There are no utopian solutions. What you can do is provide disincentives (no welfare for drug users), enforce laws against any form of public intoxication, and work at persuading people.
We basically agree. I addressed this elsewhere - as toxicologists say, the poison is the dose. More and more evidence is accumulating that modern pot is leading to psychosis disorders and other problems. People need to understand that the culture warriors have politicized this subject and that they largely control the narrative in the media, academia, and government. Here’s a summary that you might find helpful:
https://amgreatness.com/2016/09/25/lie-travels-comparing-alcohol-marijuana/
I don’t agree with the author’s pro-criminalization/Prohibitionist policy position.
We basically agree. I addressed this elsewhere - as toxicologists say, the poison is the dose. More and more evidence is accumulating that modern pot is leading to psychosis disorders and other problems. People need to understand that the culture warriors have politicized this subject and that they largely control the narrative in the media, academia, and government. Here’s a summary that you might find helpful:
https://amgreatness.com/2016/09/25/lie-travels-comparing-alcohol-marijuana/
I don’t agree with the author’s pro-criminalization/Prohibitionist policy position.
Read it. Sounds like marijuana is going through the same transformation as alcohol back when they started distilling hard stuff.
It’s hard to die from drinking beer, but fairly easy from vodka.
It sounds like most modern marijuana is more comparable to hash from back in the day.
I live in the heart of Cornbread Mafia territory. They used to grow a lot of marijuana here. When it becomes legal, I plan on growing it and making my own medicinal compounds. I have two friends that used extracts and oils from Marijuana as part of their treatment to heal stage 4 cancer. I have another friend that controls what should be a debilitating illness with the use of a marijuana oil extract.
I’m a firm believer in the healing qualities of it. This matters since my wife and I are 63 and have not had health insurance since 1/1/2014, the day Obamacare took effect. We are highly successful using diet and natural methods to stay remarkably healthy for our age. Well, that and trusting in the Great Physician.
I wonder how potent a plant grown from the seed of a modern “high potency lid” would be. Are the plants more potent, or is it some processing that happens after the fact?
“You are obviously defensive about your pot use. “
Fallacy. You don’t know me well enough to make such a declarative statement. I’m a happy cannabis user, thankful for the medicinal benefits cannabis provides. When I read false statements regarding cannabis I tend to point them out as there is no good reason for a false statement or a declaration made out of ignorance in any discussion.
“With THC concentrations now reaching 27%, we are in completely different territory.”
It’s a wonderful territory to be in, IMO. Due to the higher THC content today I require less cannabis to achieve the medicinal benefits I require. This saves me $$$ & time. Also, your 27% number is woefully out of date. There are now cannabis strains of near 35% THC. Plus there are ways to use cannabis in concentrated forms with THC levels of near 100%.
At least your get the prohibition portion of the argument correct. It boggles the mind to see “conservatives” advocating for more nanny-state interference in our lives.
Enjoyed the back & forth. Have a great rest of the day :)
“I’m a firm believer in the healing qualities of it”
I’m living proof cannabis has healing qualities. I was scant days from agreeing to a voluntary stay in a long term facility. Thankfully, a friend suggested I look into medical marijuana as an alternative. Thanks be to God in Heaven I took her advice & learned 1st hand what a wonderful medicine cannabis is.
We live in KY and our pastor of our old church has serious cancer. We’ve tried to get him to use medical marijuana but he refuses because it is illegal. It’s now gone into his lungs.
Peace be with your pastor.
A childhood friend of mine lost her husband 2 years ago to ALS. Numerous friends of his brought him cannabis so he could treat himself & have a better quality of life but he too refused to use any of it.
Thankfully, medical marijuana is becoming more & more acceptable across the country. Americans should have legal access to cannabis to use as they see fit, IMO.
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