Michael Phelps smoking from a bong

[jessup]

Looked like a heckuva good bong too.   

especially with that lung capacity!

 

[LightLizard]

well, i inhale and am happy to do so! you go mike!
the only reason it's illegal is because the drug companies can't make a good enough product from it yet. they tried refining it into a pill, but nobody likes it because it doesn't work as good as the home grown stuff.
here in canada a government project set up a huge pot farm in an underground abandoned mine. the purpose was to grow medical marijuana
for the people with chronic illnesses that had authorisation to use cannabis. but the government growers don't know how to grow decent weed, so the 'customers' all sent their weed back in favour of their neighbourhood dealer's supply.
canada was about to de-criminalise it, but bush's people spoke up and said if we did they would barr many other companies' access to the borders, so we backed off. now, with a real presidant in place, i believe that it will happen and i couldn't be happier about that.
i still have my cannais club card, so i can purchase high quality, organic-grown cannabis, so i don't really care, but it's good to know that the courts will be able to focus on real crimes soon, for a change.
 

[willieandwinnie]

Good grief such a small bong we use to hit out of a 3 footer in a freinds basement. Then not be able to leave for quite some time. Good times in the early '70's I did inhale...Boxman

Boxman, I knew there was a reason I loved you. 

[monrein]

In my city a group called The Compassionate Society used to provide baked cannabis cookies for my friend Bill who had throat cancer.  They were a godsend for him.

[nursewratchet]

The "pot pill" works wonders, is very cheap, and any MD can presribe it.  It does not however, get you high like pot, but the appetite stimulant, and anti nausea benefits are still there.  The pill is called Marinol, and IMO, only a matter of time before pot itself will (should) be legalized.  Again, only my opinion.   

[kitkatz]

Legalize pot and tax it to death!

[nursewratchet]

Legalize pot and tax it to death!

  EXACTLY!!!!!

[MandaMe1986]

I agree legalize it

[TynyWonder]

Marinol?   never heard of it................things that make you go hhhhmmmm

I wonder if just any doc would give it to ya?  I looked Marinol up online and from what I read, it seems that it would cost ALOT more than the "illegal" marijuna?      Why am I not surprised?       

[LightLizard]

i'd prefer 'de-criminalisation' to outright legalizing it. i would rather have some control over the quality, and if it's legalized, and the government takes it's chunk, you can bet there will be the restrictions on growing your own and quality control will be up to government 'experts' -who have shown so far to be massively ignorant about the growing of decent bud.
marinol does cover some of the features of cannabis. what i get from it (cannabis, that is) is appetite enhancement, lower B/P, a laxitive effect, sleep aid, relaxation and creative stimulation. marinol can't do all that.

(plus; it pisses off the man. )

really, i don't care if it's illegal forever. i'm gonna use it whenever i want. some laws were created by idiots and maintained by jerks, so why worry?

i figger the worst they could do is give me the death sentence. they just might be too late on that one, too.
pass de spliff, mon.
 

[paris]

Goofynina would be saying "puff, puff"   Pass the green leafy stuff.   

[okarol]

Goofynina would be saying "puff, puff"   Pass the green leafy stuff.   

    

[Sluff]

I can hear her saying that for sure. 

[paul.karen]

I agree with lightlizard and im sad i never met Goofynina.  My kinda gal sounds like

back to the subject.  i CANT believe this is still in the news.  Even more so i cant believe the cop/sheriff is still threating to arrest Mike over a PHOTO.  Any lawer could have this tossed out of court.  What was in the bong?  can you prove it?  Bongs are sold to smoke tobacco products through.  Although i have yet to meet anyone who used a bong for that purpose.

So you go copper.  Spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to convict mike.  Then give him a $200 fine so he can walk out of court on a misdemeanor charge and go back to the pool.
And we wonder why our economy is down the tubes.  Cause of this kind of wasteful stupid spending.
IMO

[BigSky]

The police have already arrested a number of people in the matter.  Not to mention the dope who tried to sell the bong on ebay.   Even though Phelps has already confessed, I would think a good lawyer could get this case dismissed if it is brought against him.


There are several things that keep the government from legalizing it and taxing it, some of which could include.

1.  Once commercialized and marketed similar if not the same health side affects as tobacco would be realized.

2.  Unlike tobacco, it can be easily grown at home and processed at home thus bypassing the tax system.

3.  If one has been drinking and driving there is a reliable test, there is no such test for pot that is reliable due to the nature of the drug. Staying in the system days after use.

4.  The workplace environment.  Most have a zero tolerance for drug and alcohol use and people can be random UA'd or depending on profession tested after an accident.   The problem would be for a reliable test to determine if people were under the influence at the time of a UA or in an accident.

5.  Opening up even greater  access to children.

There is probably a number of other reasons also in the view of the government.


It would depend if the government thinks it could overcome some of this stuff to legalize it IMO.

[nursewratchet]

The police have already arrested a number of people in the matter.  Not to mention the dope who tried to sell the bong on ebay.   Even though Phelps has already confessed, I would think a good lawyer could get this case dismissed if it is brought against him.


There are several things that keep the government from legalizing it and taxing it, some of which could include.

1.  Once commercialized and marketed similar if not the same health side affects as tobacco would be realized.

2.  Unlike tobacco, it can be easily grown at home and processed at home thus bypassing the tax system.

3.  If one has been drinking and driving there is a reliable test, there is no such test for pot that is reliable due to the nature of the drug. Staying in the system days after use.

4.  The workplace environment.  Most have a zero tolerance for drug and alcohol use and people can be random UA'd or depending on profession tested after an accident.   The problem would be for a reliable test to determine if people were under the influence at the time of a UA or in an accident.

5.  Opening up even greater  access to children.

There is probably a number of other reasons also in the view of the government.
  There IS a UA test for Pot.  Not an issue.

It would depend if the government thinks it could overcome some of this stuff to legalize it IMO.

[BigSky]

There IS a UA test for Pot.  Not an issue.

I think you misunderstand what I am saying.

If say a workplace accident occurs the person can be tested for alcohol.  The test is straight forward.  Either one has it in the system or they do not and action is taken.

However due to the nature of pot staying in the system days after its use, or weeks or more in heavy users.  How does a test play out.  The individual could have not used for several days but still test positive for the drug by a UA can they not?

[Romona]

The bong owner tried to sell it on e-bay. He was arrested.

[nursewratchet]

There IS a UA test for Pot.  Not an issue.

I think you misunderstand what I am saying.

If say a workplace accident occurs the person can be tested for alcohol.  The test is straight forward.  Either one has it in the system or they do not and action is taken.

However due to the nature of pot staying in the system days after its use, or weeks or more in heavy users.  How does a test play out.  The individual could have not used for several days but still test positive for the drug by a UA can they not?
  I don't know how long it's positive for.  Good point, if it stays in there. 

[Bill Peckham]

The police have already arrested a number of people in the matter.  Not to mention the dope who tried to sell the bong on ebay.   Even though Phelps has already confessed, I would think a good lawyer could get this case dismissed if it is brought against him.


There are several things that keep the government from legalizing it and taxing it, some of which could include.

1.  Once commercialized and marketed similar if not the same health side affects as tobacco would be realized.

2.  Unlike tobacco, it can be easily grown at home and processed at home thus bypassing the tax system.

3.  If one has been drinking and driving there is a reliable test, there is no such test for pot that is reliable due to the nature of the drug. Staying in the system days after use.

4.  The workplace environment.  Most have a zero tolerance for drug and alcohol use and people can be random UA'd or depending on profession tested after an accident.   The problem would be for a reliable test to determine if people were under the influence at the time of a UA or in an accident.

5.  Opening up even greater  access to children.

There is probably a number of other reasons also in the view of the government.


It would depend if the government thinks it could overcome some of this stuff to legalize it IMO.

I think you hit on a number of unique issues with pot. The issue that it stays in the system after the fact - that testing could show it is present even though it was not a factor in the event that requires testing - is a problem now and it would still be a problem.

But #1 isn't likely to turn out that way. No one is going to be smoking a pack of joints a day. So there is the difference in the amount of smoking pot vs. tobacco. And there is also the issue that tobacco contains numerous carcinogens that just aren't in pot. http://whyquit.com/whyquit/A_Tobacco_Additives.html  I suppose it is possible in the post legalized world Flavor and Engineering Additives might be added but it doesn't seem likely.

#2 would not impact tax revenues that much. People avoid cigarette taxes by driving to the Indiana reservations but generally busy people don't have time to do that just as busy people don't have time to grow their own pot. It would be more like the issue of people making their own wine - it would be a novelty to bring out when friends are over and then you switch to the good store bought stuff.

#5 Keeping it illegal keeps it in the hands of kids. Getting pot is easier than getting alcohol if you're a teenager because pot is illegal.

[BigSky]

I think you hit on a number of unique issues with pot. The issue that it stays in the system after the fact - that testing could show it is present even though it was not a factor in the event that requires testing - is a problem now and it would still be a problem.

But #1 isn't likely to turn out that way. No one is going to be smoking a pack of joints a day. So there is the difference in the amount of smoking pot vs. tobacco. And there is also the issue that tobacco contains numerous carcinogens that just aren't in pot. http://whyquit.com/whyquit/A_Tobacco_Additives.html  I suppose it is possible in the post legalized world Flavor and Engineering Additives might be added but it doesn't seem likely.

#2 would not impact tax revenues that much. People avoid cigarette taxes by driving to the Indiana reservations but generally busy people don't have time to do that just as busy people don't have time to grow their own pot. It would be more like the issue of people making their own wine - it would be a novelty to bring out when friends are over and then you switch to the good store bought stuff.

#5 Keeping it illegal keeps it in the hands of kids. Getting pot is easier than getting alcohol if you're a teenager because pot is illegal.

1.  That is debatable.  When the Indians had tobacco everyone wasnt smoking packs a day either.  Commercialization and marketing to the masses changes things awfully fast.   While they may not be the exact same carcinogens, there are just as many in weed.

2. It is a complex issue about reservations and taxes and allotment of tobacco.  It does occur but is greatly exaggerated.  We  have 7 Indian Reservations in the State and it isnt a problem.

True anyone can make wine.  However its an extensive process to that of growing a plant.


5. Again that is debatable.  However studies taking what kids say show that twice as many use alcohol vs using weed.