This morning I’m reading an interesting report on the impact of the legalization of pot in Colorado, and some of the negatives that the South Dakota pro-pot legalization forces don’t really care to discuss in their pursuit of medical marijuana in the state as they ease us towards full legalization. Did I say some of the negatives? Reading the review of the report from the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area group, I’m not seeing a lot of positives.
But this isn’t about the overall report. This is about how in Colorado, it seems that there’s a high incidence of pain inflicting the residents of the state.
In the same breath as she calls the AG and police chiefs ignorant, Melissa Mentele, sponsor of the pot legalization measure, promotes her cause with such platitudes as “Our smallest and most vulnerable residents need this medicine… Help us #stoptheseizures.”
But the reality is that once it became available in Colorado, using pot for seizures became less than secondary:
Out of 115,467 Colorado residents with medical pot cards, roughly 2% are claiming a need to use it for seizures. And 107,384 claim to need it because of “severe pain.”
Basically, to get their Pot cards, just like the R.E.M. song, Everybody Hurts.
While we’re far fewer in population in South Dakota, I suspect there would be a corresponding proportion of people “reporting pain” in South Dakota to get their pot smoking card.
I’ll have more fun facts to come as I peruse the report for more on the Colorado experience – Such as where they rank on child pot use as a result of their “grand experiment.” (They’re #3 while we’re #46)…
And how many pot labs have blown up recently for the ‘miracle drug’ that they want to bring to a South Dakota neighborhood near you:
Finally the real costs of legalization are starting to emerge in these stats and even more will be coming soon. Ironically the stats seem to run contrary to the claims those pushing for medical marijuana which is really pushed by recreational users, addicts and especially those who stand to make a fortune being legal drug dealers. Do they care about the negative consequences? Nope! That’s everyone else’s problem. Meanwhile expect more snake oil claims than “this miracle plant being a gift from God solves all problems on Earth.”
The one-sided “report” Pat cites comes from a government agency that wouldn’t exist without drug prohibition. Read a rebuttal here:
http://reason.com/blog/2014/08/15/drug-warriors-try-but-fail-to-show-that
I think potheads will be on the forefront of civil rights legislation in this country in the years to come. Just think of all the inequality they are going to suffer by becoming an aimlessly futile subclass to our society. Somebody is going to have to take care of their every need while they bask in their self-induced coma. That somebody will end up being everyone else.
Spencer have you ever had the unfortunate experience of working with potheads at a place of employment? They came in stoned or got high at work? It sucks for everyone that has to carry their load. Think of the owner of the business. It’s bad enough already and if this crap is legalized it will only get worse.
Even ordering a pizza can be an ordeal when it keeps coming not as you ordered because the fast food industry is filled with potheads when they are not at their mother’s basement playing video games.
Alcohol is a far worse drug Spencer so you want it to be illegal also?
Yes, I do want to make alcohol illegal. Ethanol should only be available in a denatured state.
I wondered who would bring up the strawman argument.
Go to Colorado, potheads.
First year numbers after legalization painted an even more interesting picture (and funny!). Of the chronic pain sufferers at that time, 80% were males age 21-27 living in Summit County, ie: snowboard country.
How come SD never gets a Med MJ initiative that looks like Minnesota’s? In MN – the smoking of MJ is not allowed – only oils, pills, vapors; the oils are extracted and used as an actual Schedule II drug; no one is allowed to grow plants in their homes – all extraction is done in pharm labs. I’d vote for one that looked like that. For some reason, the pot heads are writing the proposed legislation and the actual medical benefit is thrown to the side. Morons.
Those out of state legal pot grower/dealers are going to throwing lots of their cash to outspend whatever opposition we can organize to fight this here in South Dakota. They outspent the opposition in Colorado and they will do what they can to control their false message.
Have you noticed the out of state online pro-pot comment posters whenever any type of pot story is in the media? Most likely they are paid to do so.
For those against medical pot, one thing you should do is visit a large hospital pediatric oncology unit, look at the kids,they smile a lot when not puking from chemo. Look at the parents it might be the happiest day of their life if they should see their kid manage to eat a saltine without puking their guts out as they’ve been doing for days. Do you know what happens in a bone marrow transplant a few of those kids will have to try to survive? Massive doses of radiation and drugs, it kills the immune system, the least germ could kill them before the white blood cells rebuild and will if the transplant goes bad….And you. you ignorant selfish people would deny them something that might make their and their parents suffering a bit more bearable? Do you people know what is used for the excruciating pain most of you will never know? Morphine. Why aren’t “you people” whining to ban a drug like that? What the hell does it matter to “you people”:most of those kids are going to die.
Jaa Dee,
selfish people? How about the selfish people pushing this to support their addiction and use those that need really medical help to advance their own agenda? They didn’t go the Minnesota route because they couldn’t get high going that route.
the Minnesota version is much harder to abuse
I see that you apparently agree with “ignorant”, at least you know your self..Do you think the kids I have seen too many of should suffer more than might be necessary because of the “ignorance” of your ilk? .. I did ask a question, why don’t you answer it….
I’d support the MN version. In fact, I have been saying that for a long time. Treat pot the same as other narcotic type drugs, available only thru a pharmacy with a doctor’s prescription, just like MN is doing. If the reason the pro pot legalization people want it is truly for medicinal purposes, then the should not have a problem with this.
Fortunately, neighboring states like Colorado and Montana are responding to these widespread abuses by repealing or otherwise restricting their medical marijuana laws. We all look forward to your post on that topic, Powers.
“Paul is first major-party candidate to court pot donors” http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GOP_2016_PAUL_MARIJUANA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-06-30-03-12-53
I can see Gaddy and gang at SDAP go crazy for this guy only because of pot and never check out the candidate and what his other stances are. “dude as long as we can get our weed that is all we care about!”