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Published Thursday, Jan. 7, 2010 | 12:59 p.m.
Updated Thursday, Jan. 7, 2010 | 1 p.m.
Legalizing marijuana may be a positive step toward concentrating law enforcement and detention efforts where they are needed most, but even proponents of legalizing marijuana should be concerned about the latest effort.
The initiative would legalize pot for adults but could land them in prison (remember Jessica Williams?) for getting in an accident even days later when they are not impaired.
The initiative rightly prohibits driving under the influence of marijuana but fails to address Nevada's prohibited substance law, which makes it illegal to have traces of pot in your blood. In essence, it would amount to a penalty for engaging in a legal activity. Wonder what the petition's authors were smoking when they skipped over this catch. We'll ask them to explain soon on an upcoming edition of Face to Face.
If the state and also the country wants to make millions and probably billions in tax revenue, the legalization of marijuana is the single greatest idea that we could have. Not only will we generate tax dollars, we will save money on policing something that should be legal anyway.
why should there be so many restrictions on marijuana.make it like booze.you can buy as much as you want,the potency you desire down at the corner liquor,grocery,tobacco or convienance store .set a reasonable amount that you can have in your bloodstream.prescribe penalties for providing it to minors.hey majority rules. put it to a vote.
Dana Gentry makes a good point. Nevada's prohibited substance law would have to change as well. I'm all for it.
I can't believe it's still illegal. It's like the dark ages.
Let's get this loophole in the marijuana initiative fixed so it doesn't give the Legislature a chance to reject it from the get-go.
"Wonder what the petition's authors were smoking when they skipped over this catch." Dana, please, no more 'wonder what they were smoking' observations. Can we please rise above the juvenile cliches everytime the subject of marijuana comes up?
To: To my fellow bloggers
Not having ever used Marijuana or dope, I can't personally say if the personal benefits of dope are good or bad for me. What I can say with 100% certainty is that in my 36 years of Law Enforcement on the streets, in the trenches, is that CRIME always involves Dope somewhere down the line.
By the same token Dope doesn't always involve Crime. When dope doesn't involve crime it usually manifests itself in the destruction of a human being, whatever age, male or female, income status, religion, race, sexual orientation, life style etc etc.
It manifests itself by changing personalities, causing brain damage, degrading physical medical conditions, degrading social conduct and develops a propensity to break the law for more money for more dope. These are my observations and conclusions after a lifetime of police work in our community.
Our country, our state is governed by the rule of law, if the people collectively want to develop a law or change an existing law that supports the use of dope, then so be it. But do it honorably with all the information at hand and all the facts, circumstances and consequences considered.
just an old cop reflecting,
Gordon Martines
Hi, Gordon Martines. Are you talking about marijuana or dope? Are they the same? If so, who needs facts when you can call it dope?!
P.S. What do you think of alcohol?
Marijuana should either be decriminalized or outlawed absent of enforcement.
Although decriminalization would be preferred, a diverse culture requires hypocrisy thus, criminalizing marijuana possession and sales but not enforcing penalties appeases the majority by allowing parents to tell their children "marijuana is illegal" while taking the liberty as an adult to indulge without fear of criminal penalty.
It has been concluded that enforcement of marijuana laws actually creates more social harm than marijuana usage by society.
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About the acticle. They can tell just like alcohol the amount of THC in your blood. So what is wrong BABY BOOMERS pass this law even if you don't smoke you probably have in your past. You know it's potential in bring in millions of people just like AMSTERDAM pulls many of the people who smoke marijuana. The huge casino's could have their own smoke bars just like a regular bar. There are so many people smoking it illegally that the only people getting rich is the drug pushers. DO SOMETHING RIGHT FOR ONCE FOR THE CITY OF SIN AND "VOTE"
there's quite a difference between "dope" (heroin) and marijuana. the effects of alcohol are 100 times more dangerous than marijuana.
Reply to: Dana Gentry
Your question as to whether Marijuana is the same as Dope, it all depends on who you ask and under what circumstances.
Example: If, as a police officer, you legally go into a residence (like a crack house) because of another suspected crime and you ask the owner if there is DOPE in the house, the owner will tell you "THERE IS NO DOPE", but then says there is only some Marijuana in small baggies in the back room.
You see the crack-head owner doesn't feel or believe that Marijuana is dope. Later, at the jail, it is pointed out that it is dope and against the law.
If you ask me personally if Marijuana is dope I would reply "Yes".
If you ask my opinion of Alcohol, I would reply that I believe Alcohol to be one of the most deadly and destructive controlled substance ever invented.
I hope this clears up any misunderstanding we may have.
Gordon Martines
I think a lot of people are very misinformed on Marijuanas positive side and medical benifits it has more positive benifits then cigarets which does not have even one positive benifit other then making the manufacture wealthy and cancer doctors rich ok alcolhal has more to do with crime by far how many people are in jail for doing something crazy enough to end up in jail and all that was in there system was Marijuana ? and no alcolhal I am a lv native and have been smoking Marijuana for 30 years and have never been in trouble at all no record and I make more then any patrole officer does a year by far unless they make more then 75 thousand a year not too bad for a doper with no high school deploma and its a legit job over 18 years dont be fooled that a person has to go to collage for 5 years to make good money so the ideal that Marijuana users are all low life dopers and criminals is as outragious as saying all pitbull dogs are mean and dangerous. what happened to the saying serve and protect its not to look for any reason you can find to make a persons life even more difficult. think about that
"I can't believe it's still illegal. It's like the dark ages."
--kook
Welcome to Nevada!
Lets get real here. marijuana is illegal because of arcane laws passed 70 years ago at the behest of alcohol and tobacco lobbies that didn't want the competition. We already know that prohibition has no impact on use, drains enforcement coffers and breeds disrespect for the law. If the self-righteous would get out of the way, this is one problem that can be safely set aside while far more serious ones go wanting until then.
Like Gordon, I am a former Law enforcement officer and partially agree with what he said. I don't agree that all crime involves dope somewhere down the line. However if it did the legalization of marijuana likely would go a long way towards eliminating much of the crime. I spent over a year doing as my Captain said "go out and get me all the street drugs you can". I made some observations while on this task force. I ran into a lot of young people, first time users doing as all youngsters do trying the forbidden and this was during a time when possession of small amounts carried stiff penalties. There was no way I was going to destroy a young life by charging teens with possession when I could call the parents show them what I found on their child and the look on the parents face which said "I am going to beat the tar out of you when we get home". This was before a parent giving a child a much needed whipping faced jail time. I was involved in community policing and kept track of all these kids. Not one failed to become a productive citizen. I know things have changed a bit but why?
My theory then as well as now has been that because marijuana is illegal it forced the youth and others who want to use or try the substance "underground" and into a subculture different than if it were legal. These cliques or sub cultures function as a clandestine circle of like minded friends whom, many would not ordinarily associate with but because of the prohibition of the drug they naturally gyrate into these groups. Of the many associates they are now exposed to, the odds of one of the group who ignores the rule of moderation in all things will offer others hard drugs and tout how cool it is. It may be coke, LSD, ecstasy or other stuff but eventually the opportunity and social pressure will cause many to submit to trying other drugs. Much of this hazard would be eliminated were marijuana legalized eliminating these clandestine bonds.
Additionally the numbers I have seen as to the amount of people incarcerated because of marijuana is staggering and places unnecessary burdens on our penal and court systems not to mention the cost in manpower to law enforcement. I see no difference in this and the prohibition of alcohol in the early part of the last century. Any attempt by government to regulate human nature is foolish and there will always be some who will use substances of this nature regardless.
The marijuana users I have dealt with, and that number is large, is not usually involved in crime because of marijuana alone. Most are passive and not aggressive unless other substances such as alcohol are involved. I had much rather answer a call to 10-15 stoners playing music loudly that one man and wife in a domestic dispute as my personal safety is more at risk on the domestic call and the domestic dispute will usually involve alcohol.
Moreover, the hemp industry has a tremendous potential to make the quality of life in America much better but because the inert hemp plant is classified as containing THC (almost none, you would have to smoke a truckload to get high) it is prohibited. I still haven't figured that one out it simply make no sense.
If you draw a line down the center of a paper and put pros and cons there is no question as to what should be done, and that is the legalization of the substance and allow the sale through State controlled/owned outlets. This would severely damage the criminal element taking a huge source of revenue from them and tax revenue would then be realized from the sale of the substance.
Of course this would involve the question of operating a motor vehicle while impaired but that is not a very difficult thing to overcome. Protocol for determining dangerous levels of THC in the body can be determined and placed into law.
As one who smoked marijuana for years I can tell you that I KNOW it impaired my driving. We don't need millions more impaired drivers on the road.