Marijuana Laws Killed Two People This Week
If we had a sensible marijuana policy in America, things like this wouldn't happen:
Meanwhile, in Massachusetts, a young father was shot and killed (questionably) by police after fleeing during a traffic stop. It appears he fled because he had a joint of marijuana:
I don't think either of these people made smart choices. But the reason their judgment was clouded has everything to do with the frightening consequences of our drug laws. People are terrified of the drug war and sometimes make unfortunate decisions. Sure, they could refrain from using if they're afraid of jail, but that's no excuse for marijuana laws that hurt people worse than marijuana. Events like these are not the sign of a healthy society with a healthy drug policy.
If our laws cause suicides and police chases, they are quite clearly not making us safer.
A routine marijuana check in Cass County, Michigan, turns deadly.
Michigan State Police say 51-year-old Niles Wilson shot himself when he realized he had been caught growing nearly 130 marijuana plants on his property. [wndu.com]
Meanwhile, in Massachusetts, a young father was shot and killed (questionably) by police after fleeing during a traffic stop. It appears he fled because he had a joint of marijuana:
I don't think either of these people made smart choices. But the reason their judgment was clouded has everything to do with the frightening consequences of our drug laws. People are terrified of the drug war and sometimes make unfortunate decisions. Sure, they could refrain from using if they're afraid of jail, but that's no excuse for marijuana laws that hurt people worse than marijuana. Events like these are not the sign of a healthy society with a healthy drug policy.
If our laws cause suicides and police chases, they are quite clearly not making us safer.
Looking for the easiest way to join the anti-drug war movement? You've found it!
How about the number of people killed while driving high?
Nobody talks about that.
Everybody talks about that.
Everybody talks about that. No one is advocating driving under the influence of any drug, but even if he was high, did he deserve to be shot?
Maybe because the numbers
Maybe because the numbers are so low....
Sure people have died while high. Which do you think will be higher. Deaths with it being legal or it being illegal.
Its very stupid to ban a plant. Ban has been in place for what 38 years?
People need to come up with a list of why it needs to stay illegal or legal and then argue both points themselves.
Why don't we kill off all the posion plants and dangerious animals in this world? Lots of people die from them each year...
cannabis has been illegal in
cannabis has been illegal in the U.S. since the 30's or 40's
legal
thats too bad. think of all the alcoholics that might not have come into being if people could have only smoked pot instead. marajuana is not habit forming or addictive, and who wants to drive when you're stoned anyway? not me. I just hang out, play music, enjoy a game of chess, whatever. marajuana should be legal. its time to stop the madness. anonymous
illegal
Re: Maybe because the numbers
"Maybe because the numbers are so low.."
More common than police officers intentionally or unintentionally killing people during drug investigations.
Not really, I'd like to see
Not really, I'd like to see the numbers on that. Specifically, the deaths caused by smoking weed alone and not smoke and drinking alcohol at the same time, which seems to be the case a lot. Also, make sure that the detection was not from previous uses, like smoking few days ago doesn't count.
tell it to the families
How about the number of
How about the number of people killed while driving and talking on the cell phone? Or driving and messing with the radio? Or from having the music on too loud? Or from driving while tired? Or because someone simply wasn't paying attention?
There are ways to keep ALL reckless drivers off the roads. If a drunk driver was driving perfectly and kept his car within the dotted lines, I doubt a cop would pull him over for he would not suspect any wrongdoing. The same should be true in all cases. If ANYONE is swerving or driving erratically then they should be pulled over and cited for whatever it is they are doing immediately.
lol
ive always been told that drunk driving is what kills, driving while high...you might miss your exit
people killed by high drivers
Perhaps that is because people under the influence of pot drive not much different than when sober. Studies have proven that. And if it did happen, the DEA would inmsist it anounced on every stzation. Sorry, your statement sounds as if you are part of the problem. DEA?
Driving high??
You mean the people actually going the speed limit?
You're wrong
There's a lot of talk about that from Prohibitionists. Presumably because they believe that it somehow reinforces the correctness of their opinion that marijuana should stay illegal. And because there is always the - in my view erroneous - view that easier acces to marijuana will necessarily lead to an explosion in use and abuse, and hence DUI of weed.
There's absolutely nothing to corroborate such a view. The Dutch have had easy access to weed since the 70s and they haven't had any explosion in either use or abuse, nor in "high driving".
I'm sure there are factors that determine the level of DUIs in a society, but it's not the legal status of or accessibility to a particular drug. Social expectations and personal morals are much more important factors, and campaigns like the Designated Driver campaign was actually very succesfuld at shaping social expectations AND giving people an easy way of modifying their behavior. Morals are cool, but somewhere, somehow, there are also practical concerns that needs to be addressed.
Nowadays, with zero-tolerance stupid laws have been passed here and there. In some places in the US 100% sober designated drivers can actually be charged with a crime simply by being in close proximity (in the car) to the other drunk friends. Presumably legislators and moralizers figure that this should stop them from drinking altogether. Other insane laws mean that some parents, who might otherwise supervise a party, can be charged with crimes if anyone under 21 happens to drink or if anyone of those guests happen to sneak out, drive home under the influence and get caught by the police. Result;: parties move to public spaces where DUI _most certainly_ will take place (people DO have to get home, yes?)
The big problem - even with alcohol - is the strong drive for total abstinence. Some people just won't concede to the fact that drinking and other drugs use is here to stay, so they try these sneaky laws and regulations that try to sneak Prohibition in through the back door, and then they wonder why society does a crash'n'burn because people routinely defy those laws - yet they are now in a worse position than ever to avoid drunk driving.
Of course, when some drunk torpedoes an innocent it's just more moral jet fuel to the War on Drugs. These fuckers, in my very sincerely view, set up the population for failure and then they can claim moral superiority when something predictably goes a lot worse than "intended".
Did not die from possession
This individual did not die for having a joint. He died from contempt of cop. His evasive behavior showed no _deference_ (as in "assume the position" of submission) to the man wearing an badge, a uniform, and the undisputed power to kill him.
For his failure to show the proper respect and expected body language due our armed overlords, he died.
For his failure to display submissive behavior--had he been on foot--he would have "merely" been batoned and tazed.
Let's stop pussy-footing around the REAL issue, my fellow home-of-the-brave-and-land-of-the-free types.
are you an idiot?
merely tazed and batoned. For a nonviolent offence? Can't you see the way you have been brainwashed by the man?
u are a fool
it is wrong for a trigger happy cop to shoot an unarmed man becuse that man simply tried to evade capture. and if you think otherwise than you are an idiot
You are very correct
(Other posters: do check your sarcasm and ironymeters)
There's definitely some truth to what you say. I've read Ph.D's who say the same as you. It is VERY important that those at the wrong end of the baton show submission. The police is here to take undesirables and deviants and instill into them proper fear and respect for the standards set by society. Insubordination, even vile shit like mentioning your Constitutional Rights, are clearly attacks on both the policeman and society as a whole, and no one is better equipped than the police officer to teach those malcontents a proper dose of respect and submission.
At least that's how they feel. The police.
Psycho cop.
Obviously this guy got his wires crossed. No need for a psych evaluation here.
The Cop should take a bullet to the heart and lung too.
the cop should get the death penalty.
punishing cop
I agree. Cops got to learn that there are consequences to their actions! The entire country needs to retrain their officers that unless the action is life-threatning, wait until the person can be stopped w/o deadly force. Drug especially marijuana laws need to be and slowly are being changed to be more like alcohol.
GOD BLESS AMERICA.
uhhhhmmmkay...
What exactly is it that's so very dangerous about a man simply running - even if it's allegedly away from the police?
The real danger surely comes from the fact that the police officer thinks "allegedly running from the police" is a capital offense that requires him to discharge his weapon in crowded areas.
And what if the person just happens to be running for some other purpose than actually evading the police? How do you feel about gunning down people like that?
Finally I can't help think that you're maybe quite a bit naive on the laws in the USA. Do you have any idea how tough a court trial is and just how many years people go behind bars even for actions that really, truly should not be considered crimes moreso than homosexuality.
You probably don't ever expect to be in the situation, but let's just say you'd returned from the mountains with a 3 month stash of medicinal marijuana that you're bringing a very ill member of your familiy. Do you deserve to be simply SHOT for trying to evade what is surely a drug charge with conspiracy to distribute, and God Almighty forbid you had your legal, concealed firearm in a ankle holster: some places that lil' combo would give you a mandatory minimum of 50 years in prison.
So really, truly ... would you just surrender and take your chances in court? In that kind of a legal system?
Well, let's hope your appetites for changing the workings of your central nervous system never evolves beyond alcohol and yoga, and let's pray no one ever gets sick and you have to bring them the medicine that your government is holdning back.
C'MON
the reason it is illegal is because they (being the government) labeled it a schedule 1 drug,
and the way a drug becomes a schedule 1 drug is that it serves no medical purpose and it is addictive.....this includes cocaine, crack, meth, and many other.
I see no comparison
chemical or herb.
And I also know of many states that have legalized it for medicinal purposes, and I also know that people dont kill or steel from their families to get it, and as far as being addictive...I know plenty of pot heads that stoped smoking it with ease.
and I also have heard from many pot heads that the biggest anti pot people are the meth, coke, crack and pill heads.
imagine that.
I AGREE
not only is weed not a schedule 1 drug it is not a drug at all based on the fact that every other drug in the world u can O.D. on if u take to much excpet weed!!!!!!!!!!!!11
SCHEDULE 1 DRUG
to be a s1 drug,drug is that it serves no medical purpose and it is addictive.....this includes cocaine, threason the government stsates it has noedical purpose, and 80% of the people on this planet knows it does, is thDE3A won't allow the testing of the weed, they won't let colleges and medical research teams grow the plant to do the testing, because they know the truth will come out and they will show themselves the jerks they really are. I knor for a fact ity isn't addictive, I smoked for 35 yesars daily and when
I got married my wife is allergic to pot so I gave it up. it was difficult, but no weithdrawel it's like sex not addictive but feels good and if they made sex a schedule 1 drug. it would be difficult to quit, but no withdrawel.. NOW DO YOU GET IT?
mAILMAN
Cops kill people everyday and get away with it.
Cops kill people everyday and get away with it. First, the courts consider the testimony of of a cop to be equal to two members of the public. Secondly, the AG's are almost always pro-enforcement no matter the case. Cops know this and walk around breaking our laws with impunity. Just one more example of how cannabis prohibition has spread contempt for our civil rights. It's this "them against us" mentality that has given rise to police militancy. Black clothed storm troopers breaking down innocent people's doors in "no knock" raids. Many who innocently defend themselves are killed and have evidence planted on them. This happens so much that even 80 year old ladies who've never commited a crime suffer this indignity. A lot of cops are killed by confused citizens who aren't given time to figure out what's going on. They just think it's a potentially deadly home invasion. Which it really is. Is any amount of drugs worth killing or being killed over? Not by cops, and only if it's truly justifiable. They're suppossed to be held to a higher standard than violent criminals. But, some cops are becoming the very thing which they are fighting not to allow in our society. Trigger happy murderers. We can thank cannabis prohibition for bringing us this and many more evils that do far more harm than cannabis ever could. Please, explain to children how their loved ones deaths made society safe from a plant that never killed anyone by overdose. The majority of cannabis arrests are for non-violent user's. We have no idea how many innocent victims have guns planted on them to keep cops out of prisons. See the problem of public distrust of which all this bad LEO behavior engenders? Ending the war on non-violent cannabis user's is the only way we'll ever de-escalate these problems. In the meantime, the bloodbath full of unnecessary and avoidable deaths will continue to overflow.
DEATH FROM WHAT
Ok,percription drugs, legal way to kill yourself.
alcohol, legal way to kill yourself.
cigarettes, legal way to kill yourself.
cocaine,crack,meth,heroin,etc...,illegal way to kill yourself.
marajuana, legal way to get yourself killed.
CHEMICAL PROCESS
Marijuana is the only illegal drug that i know of that is not altered in any way shape or form, you grow it, dry it, roll it, and smoke it. What about all the other iilegal and legal drugs that hve to go through some kind of chemical processing to get them to the product the users are after, yes alcohol too.
Clearly you need to get out more :)
Psilocybin mushrooms require even less. You can pick them fresh and eat them, or you can dry them and eat the later.
Salvia Divinorum can be smoked in the same way - it's still legal most places in the USA but banned in other places (like my own country Denmark).
Mescaline cacti (peyote, San Pedro) can be eaten raw or by simply cooking a tea.
The MAOi and DMT containing ingredients for ayahuasca can be used by simply cooking a tea with them. Currently only the Sante Daimo in the US can enjoy this sacrament legally as a tea.
Then there's the LSA of Morning Glory and Hawaiian Baby Woodrose. Can be eaten as is or as a tea. Dunno about the legal status of those. (From all accounts it would seem that the purely synthetic LSD, which is related to LSA, is easier on the body than the natural product.)
Amanity Muscaria (red fly mushroom) can be dried and drunk at a tea.
The leaves of the coca plant can be picked and chewed as is.
Raw opium is in no way processed and can be eaten or smoked as is, or you can drink a tea made from whole poppy heads.
Anyway, whether something is "purely natural" or cooked up in a lab is really completely irrelevant to almost anything except the fact that the naturally growing stuff is a great deal easier to make yourself. All that talk of "natural" drugs is nothing but pure romantic nonsense if you study the substances. The purely natural can be just as deadly as anything cooked up in a lab by a chemist.
First, where's the reference
First, where's the reference about the man who was shot while fleeing? I don't see enough facts here to make any sort of judgment. I'd like to have more facts before advocating for the death penalty, like some of the posts here. I also tend to believe that there is irony lost in advocating violence against police when believing that marijuana is a "peaceful" drug.
I venture to guess many people on this thread would be begging for the police as they are being robbed, or if their loved ones were in a horrific car accident.
About the man who killed himself over marijuana- where do you get off blaming the criminal justice system for his death? Heavy metal is also responsible for my mental anguish.
KEEP N IT REAL
GREAT COMMENT!!!
The number of people killed while driving high
Nobody talks much about the number of people killed while driving high. And they shouldn't because it's pretty safe to say that almost nobody has ever died because they were smoking cannabis and driving. Why is it that soo many people automatically assume that if you use a mind altering drug you simply can't operate a motor vehicle? Well, I think it is because the average Joe is so unbeliveably stupid and ignorant at the same time and for some reason thinks that alcohol intoxication is the same as cannabis intoxication. You can prove this by simply looking at the election results. If there was any intelligence involved we would have politicians who could help solve our problems instead of creating them. Instead, someone in the local church says "hey Joe you should run for office, since you are such a God fearing good man" Well, BULLSHIT!!!!!!
Sam Sharp
u dnt understand drugs kill
laws
these laws need to change tommrow marijuanna is not that bad it is used in the u.s. so much at this point..
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