20 years for importing marijuana

[Mitch Cronin]

Ok, ok, ok, let's say for arguments sake your right...then answer my question.  Is this the final line in the sand or would you suggest a continuous easing of all drug laws?

Heck no, I wouldn't suggest any such thing. When it comes to those peddling the nasty, highly addictive drugs, like the scumbags that hang around schoolyards hoping to create new addicts, for instance, I'd be in favour of extremely harsh penalties.

I always find it amazing how many folks, when they don't agree with the law ... be it the posted speed limit, smoking pot etc. ,,,,, think that it is OK to break the law. Folks that is the path to anarchy.

The ones that really bother me are those with children, quite the example to set for the young one.

Use the democratic process to have the laws changed if you don't like them, if you can not get them changed.....move to somewhere where that particular law is not in place or ............

Wow... I wonder who that was aimed at.

I guess the cop who hands you a ticket for 15k above the posted limit, just before he finishes his shift, hops in his own car, drives home at 20k above the limit and smokes a joint with his wife and his neighbors - the judge, the lawyer, the MD, and the politician - is an anarchist too? He and those rotten neighbors should all just "............"? But his other neighbor... the guy who never speeds (at least he never admits to it... we'll ignore all those excursions to 5, 10 maybe even 15k above the posted legal limit, so it fits our argument better), and never smokes that horrible, illegal drug, but comes home from work and drinks himself to sleep in front of his kids every night... He's ok, right? ...'cause that's not against the law.

[Guest rattler]

Heck no, I wouldn't suggest any such thing.  When it comes to those peddling the nasty, highly addictive drugs, like the scumbags that hang around schoolyards hoping to create new addicts, for instance, I'd be in favour of extremely harsh penalties.

Wow... I wonder who that was aimed at.

I guess the cop who hands you a ticket for 15k above the posted limit, just before he finishes his shift, hops in his own car, drives home at 20k above the limit and smokes a joint with his wife and his neighbors - the judge,  the lawyer, the MD, and the politician -  is an anarchist too? He and those rotten neighbors should all just "............"? But his other neighbor... the guy who never speeds (at least he never admits to it... we'll ignore all those excursions to 5, 10 maybe even 15k above the posted legal limit, so it fits our argument better), and never smokes that horrible, illegal drug,  but comes home from work and drinks himself to sleep in front of his kids every night... He's ok, right? ...'cause that's not against the law. 

Mitch, my message was aimed at all of those folks who think / believe if they don't like a particular law that it is OK to break it. Nothing personal but it does seem that more and more folks have that attitude. Bringing up hypothetical examples of abuse by the police does nothing to enhance your argument. Again, if you don't like the laws, work to change them. Who knows, perhaps the popularity of the Liberal party in Ontario (who want to make pot legal) is a good example of democracy at work to change the "pot" laws.

I don't think anyone on this forum has never broken the speed limit. Those of us who live in large urban areas do so on a daily basis as not keeping up with the flow (you know those fast drivers) is dangerous and must be done to avoid being run over. As far as illegal drug use, that is another kettle of fish. Re your various points about alcohol, the major difference is that alcohol is legal, pot is not. Maybe the way to go is to start a local movement in your community to ban alcohol and let the community decide, after all it was not too long ago when you could smoke in public.

[Mitch Cronin]

Nothing personal

... With all due respect, that seems like balderdash to me! You made it quite personal by bringing up speed limits in this thread about a separate subject. You knew exactly how I feel about that subject. You took care to aim. That's personal.

Bringing up hypothetical examples of abuse by the police does nothing to enhance your argument.

Reality needs no enhancement. My eyes have been open to the truth of that "hypothetical" situation for thirty years.

if you don't like the laws, work to change them.

One possible way of contributing to doing so is with discussion on a forum such as this, or any other... I get the sense here that you're objecting to the statements of opinion that our laws may be wrong. Because your opinion sides with the existing laws, does that make your opinion more valid than mine?

I don't think anyone on this forum has never broken the speed limit. Those of us who live in large urban areas do so on a daily basis as not keeping up with the flow (you know those fast drivers) is dangerous and must be done to avoid being run over.

But you just said that's the path to anarchy? Which is it Rattler? Is it OK to break those laws or not? I thought you said those people really bother you? I find myself wanting to mention that I regularly drive through one of Canada's largest urban areas, and I've been driving the speed limit for more than a year now, and I haven't been run over once. How about you? Maybe there just might be a convenience factor involved eh?... and rather widespread, slight disregard for posted speed limits that a majority feel are too low?

Re your various points about alcohol, the major difference is that alcohol is legal, pot is not.

Now here I have to conclude that you really aren't aware of the "major difference".... Pot doesn't generally make people want to do dangerous things... it doesn't make people bold and angry... rather it tends to tame anger. It doesn't make people feel invincible, it tends to make one feel comfortable blending with their surroundings, not wanting to stand out. ...and it hasn't got the addiction factor that alcohol has. Our current laws - created by a generation of people who believed the incredible farce as portrayed in the movie "Reefer Madness" - change none of that.

I don't want to suggest alcohol should be made illegal. I like rum. In fact, I may like it too much... that addiction factor was beginning to worry me, so I've quit for a time... Many, as you are undoubtedly aware, aren't able to do that before the addiction has firmly locked it's talons in them. I've known many pot smokers of all sorts, including some who probably like it too much, but I've never seen a single one of them destroy their lives and their families because of it. In contrast, I've seen several destroyed lives (too often literally) because of alcohol. That alcohol is legal and pot is not, is most likely a result of the opinions of those, like yourself, who really don't know what smoking pot does to a person, and what it doesn't do.

That brings me to a happy thought of my mother that I'll share, partly just for fun...:

Born in '22, a Londoner, war bride... of that generation... Knowing her boys had occasionally indulged in the wicked herb had made her curious... On one occasion, one of my brothers, his wife, and myself offered her the opportunity to sample the effects for herself, and she accepted. She kept trying to compare the effects to alcohol, and since it was nothing like it, she believed she was feeling no effects... until I pointed out to her that very carefully coming downstairs on her bum, (because she thought she might fall) while laughing like she hadn't laughed in years, wasn't exactly evidence of feeling "no effects". She began to see the differences.... and much to her credit, she later admitted she couldn't reconcile the truth with what preconceived notions she'd had.

There are a few people who have opinions based upon past experiences, who support existing laws, but there are many, many more people who have no idea at all, yet contribute to our existing laws because of what they think they know. And I suspect, there are more still who know the current laws regarding marijuana use are just plain silly.

That, sir, is only my opinion. .... and I'm not suggesting anyone should leave, or "..........", or shut up if they don't agree.

[Guest rattler]

Ah Mitch......My experiences in this area would prob. amaze you (been there, done that) but this thread is not about me or indeed you, it is however about breaking the law! My comment stands, if you don't like the laws .... work to change them, if change does not happen and you can not live with the laws as they are.....then move!

By the by, when I want to get "personal" I have no problem with drawing my opinion to the specific attention of an individual by putting their name first in my post, as I did with this one. You were not the only person on this forum who way back when voiced their opinion that it was ok to speed, nor are you the only one who also was of the opinion that pot should be legal.

You may find the information contained on these sites (just twp of many) to be of interest or not!

National Institute on Drub Abuse

www.streetdrugs.org - article

I will drop the subject as it is not good for one's "blood pressure" cheers