Answering the Libertarian argument for drug legalization

[Finfeatherfur]

Here is my perspective:

I put my self through school working as a deputy sheriff. Once through paramedic school I worked as a medic for both private ambulance services, finally ending my medical career in civil service work in a big city. After 15 years of medical calls and thousands of overdoses, I have never - EVER - transported or arrested someone overdosed on marijuana. Why? Because it is impossible to do! You will go to sleep before you stop breathing. I have run hundreds of calls, and had 3 that were fatal from acute alcohol poisioning. I have also transported more patients on prescrition Rx overdoses then I care to discuss.

Now that I am an oilfield guy, working part time in LE as a hobby, I see the problems from all angles. As an employer, we are forced to conduct drug testing on workers. Yet I can have a guy high as a kite continue to work because he has a prescription from a quack of a doctor. BUT, a man who has worked his entire life will go bankrupt trying to fight cancer and is arrested if he has some ganja to help with his side effects of chemo. Yet, we can make an arrest of a known drug dealer carrying 500lbs, to have the case plea bargained down to a simple possession and get their vehicle back.

To make matters worse, I can be sued and loose everything for having some leach of society video me trying to take a combative 25 y/o into custody who is naked in the street high on bath salts trying to eat my face that was tazed 4 times with no effect, so we go hands on, fighting for our life. The residents of the tax paid housing complex called us to deal with these people, but when we are on the ground fighting to control the maniac, they only film to have document for an attorney and offer no assistance to gain control of the subject.

Or how about the criminal drug dealer that has no job, owns 5 vehicles over $50k, and gets out of jail before the paperwork is complete for selling Roxi's to kids under 18y/o.

Do I like what I see - hellll no! Can it be fixed? At this point I am not so sure. I do know that I am more worried about 2 things right now more than anything:
1)- The abuse of prescription pills is staggering and out of control, with no end in sight. Yet, the DEA and FDA continue to allow it to happen.
2)- If this country doesn't do something really fast with the METH epidemic coming on so strong and fast, marijuana will be the last thing on their mind! I have never seen people as desperate as a METH head trying to score. It is very scary to see, and most have children that are getting stuck in the middle.

This rant is my opinion only, and not associated with the thoughts or ideas of others associated with any employers I have. I will continue to fight the war on drugs in this capacity and will remain vigilant in that fight. I will obey orders of my superiors and try to raise my kids in a manner that leads them down an honorable and successful path in life. With the help of GOD and my wife, I hope I am successful.

[Montauk17]

Originally Posted by Finfeatherfur

Here is my perspective:

I put my self through school working as a deputy sheriff. Once through paramedic school I worked as a medic for both private ambulance services, finally ending my medical career in civil service work in a big city. After 15 years of medical calls and thousands of overdoses, I have never - EVER - transported or arrested someone overdosed on marijuana. Why? Because it is impossible to do! You will go to sleep before you stop breathing. I have run hundreds of calls, and had 3 that were fatal from acute alcohol poisioning. I have also transported more patients on prescrition Rx overdoses then I care to discuss.

Now that I am an oilfield guy, working part time in LE as a hobby, I see the problems from all angles. As an employer, we are forced to conduct drug testing on workers. Yet I can have a guy high as a kite continue to work because he has a prescription from a quack of a doctor. BUT, a man who has worked his entire life will go bankrupt trying to fight cancer and is arrested if he has some ganja to help with his side effects of chemo. Yet, we can make an arrest of a known drug dealer carrying 500lbs, to have the case plea bargained down to a simple possession and get their vehicle back.

To make matters worse, I can be sued and loose everything for having some leach of society video me trying to take a combative 25 y/o into custody who is naked in the street high on bath salts trying to eat my face that was tazed 4 times with no effect, so we go hands on, fighting for our life. The residents of the tax paid housing complex called us to deal with these people, but when we are on the ground fighting to control the maniac, they only film to have document for an attorney and offer no assistance to gain control of the subject.

Or how about the criminal drug dealer that has no job, owns 5 vehicles over $50k, and gets out of jail before the paperwork is complete for selling Roxi's to kids under 18y/o.

Do I like what I see - hellll no! Can it be fixed? At this point I am not so sure. I do know that I am more worried about 2 things right now more than anything:
1)- The abuse of prescription pills is staggering and out of control, with no end in sight. Yet, the DEA and FDA continue to allow it to happen.
2)- If this country doesn't do something really fast with the METH epidemic coming on so strong and fast, marijuana will be the last thing on their mind! I have never seen people as desperate as a METH head trying to score. It is very scary to see, and most have children that are getting stuck in the middle.

This rant is my opinion only, and not associated with the thoughts or ideas of others associated with any employers I have. I will continue to fight the war on drugs in this capacity and will remain vigilant in that fight. I will obey orders of my superiors and try to raise my kids in a manner that leads them down an honorable and successful path in life. With the help of GOD and my wife, I hope I am successful.

Lots of valid points there bro....I quit my job working in the oilfield for reasons you mentioned. The line of work I was in you always have to work in pairs,a tech and a helper. I was on a jobsite offshore of all places with a loratab junkie as a helper. He is prescribed this medication and pops them like candy. I guess he ran out so he starts asking everyone on the liftboat we were on for pills. Everyone turned him down and he saw a worker in the bunk room with a pill bottle and asked him. He turned him down,he had the pills for chronic back pain and needs them to be able to work. The guy went to work and came back to his bunk later that afternoon and my helper cleaned him out,took every last pill. Even though this little punk deserved it I was worried these guys were about to kill him. I called my boss and told them what happend and they sent him to land while I waited for them to send me another helper. I finished the job and got back to the office a few days later. I was shocked to see the junkie at the shop in work uniform,he did not get fired. I had enough at that point and turned in my work equipment. In the year and a half I was there I got piss tested 7 times and passed all of them. Not just a regular piss test,someone actually watches you fill the cup so you can't hide anything. I know this company is not the only one that does it. It is so hard to find clean employees that they send one's they know can pass a test just to keep the company's image clean on paper. Not that it was case but let's just say I smoked a little herb on the weekends while not at work. Come monday morning I get piss tested and fail and possibly get fired while these junkies get a prescription for these highly addictive pills and abuse the hell out of them. They don't get fired cause they have a doc excuse,makes me sick.

[Clampy]

Originally Posted by Finfeatherfur

Here is my perspective:

I put my self through school working as a deputy sheriff. Once through paramedic school I worked as a medic for both private ambulance services, finally ending my medical career in civil service work in a big city. After 15 years of medical calls and thousands of overdoses, I have never - EVER - transported or arrested someone overdosed on marijuana. Why? Because it is impossible to do! You will go to sleep before you stop breathing. I have run hundreds of calls, and had 3 that were fatal from acute alcohol poisioning. I have also transported more patients on prescrition Rx overdoses then I care to discuss.

Now that I am an oilfield guy, working part time in LE as a hobby, I see the problems from all angles. As an employer, we are forced to conduct drug testing on workers. Yet I can have a guy high as a kite continue to work because he has a prescription from a quack of a doctor. BUT, a man who has worked his entire life will go bankrupt trying to fight cancer and is arrested if he has some ganja to help with his side effects of chemo. Yet, we can make an arrest of a known drug dealer carrying 500lbs, to have the case plea bargained down to a simple possession and get their vehicle back.

To make matters worse, I can be sued and loose everything for having some leach of society video me trying to take a combative 25 y/o into custody who is naked in the street high on bath salts trying to eat my face that was tazed 4 times with no effect, so we go hands on, fighting for our life. The residents of the tax paid housing complex called us to deal with these people, but when we are on the ground fighting to control the maniac, they only film to have document for an attorney and offer no assistance to gain control of the subject.

Or how about the criminal drug dealer that has no job, owns 5 vehicles over $50k, and gets out of jail before the paperwork is complete for selling Roxi's to kids under 18y/o.

Do I like what I see - hellll no! Can it be fixed? At this point I am not so sure. I do know that I am more worried about 2 things right now more than anything:
1)- The abuse of prescription pills is staggering and out of control, with no end in sight. Yet, the DEA and FDA continue to allow it to happen.
2)- If this country doesn't do something really fast with the METH epidemic coming on so strong and fast, marijuana will be the last thing on their mind! I have never seen people as desperate as a METH head trying to score. It is very scary to see, and most have children that are getting stuck in the middle.

This rant is my opinion only, and not associated with the thoughts or ideas of others associated with any employers I have. I will continue to fight the war on drugs in this capacity and will remain vigilant in that fight. I will obey orders of my superiors and try to raise my kids in a manner that leads them down an honorable and successful path in life. With the help of GOD and my wife, I hope I am successful.

Thanks man. Good to hear common sense coming from Law Enforcement.

[AceArcher]

Originally Posted by Finfeatherfur

Here is my perspective:

I put my self through school working as a deputy sheriff. Once through paramedic school I worked as a medic for both private ambulance services, finally ending my medical career in civil service work in a big city. After 15 years of medical calls and thousands of overdoses, I have never - EVER - transported or arrested someone overdosed on marijuana. Why? Because it is impossible to do! You will go to sleep before you stop breathing. I have run hundreds of calls, and had 3 that were fatal from acute alcohol poisioning. I have also transported more patients on prescrition Rx overdoses then I care to discuss.

Now that I am an oilfield guy, working part time in LE as a hobby, I see the problems from all angles. As an employer, we are forced to conduct drug testing on workers. Yet I can have a guy high as a kite continue to work because he has a prescription from a quack of a doctor. BUT, a man who has worked his entire life will go bankrupt trying to fight cancer and is arrested if he has some ganja to help with his side effects of chemo. Yet, we can make an arrest of a known drug dealer carrying 500lbs, to have the case plea bargained down to a simple possession and get their vehicle back.

To make matters worse, I can be sued and loose everything for having some leach of society video me trying to take a combative 25 y/o into custody who is naked in the street high on bath salts trying to eat my face that was tazed 4 times with no effect, so we go hands on, fighting for our life. The residents of the tax paid housing complex called us to deal with these people, but when we are on the ground fighting to control the maniac, they only film to have document for an attorney and offer no assistance to gain control of the subject.

Or how about the criminal drug dealer that has no job, owns 5 vehicles over $50k, and gets out of jail before the paperwork is complete for selling Roxi's to kids under 18y/o.

Do I like what I see - hellll no! Can it be fixed? At this point I am not so sure. I do know that I am more worried about 2 things right now more than anything:
1)- The abuse of prescription pills is staggering and out of control, with no end in sight. Yet, the DEA and FDA continue to allow it to happen.
2)- If this country doesn't do something really fast with the METH epidemic coming on so strong and fast, marijuana will be the last thing on their mind! I have never seen people as desperate as a METH head trying to score. It is very scary to see, and most have children that are getting stuck in the middle.

This rant is my opinion only, and not associated with the thoughts or ideas of others associated with any employers I have. I will continue to fight the war on drugs in this capacity and will remain vigilant in that fight. I will obey orders of my superiors and try to raise my kids in a manner that leads them down an honorable and successful path in life. With the help of GOD and my wife, I hope I am successful.

Well said. It's obvious that you are a professional and are going to do your duty regardless of personal opinion. As such you should be commended.

In my opinion the mess we are currently in really does represent a "Gordian" knot, as such there is only one truly viable solution cut the knot in half by legalizing. Take all the people currently employed in the war on drugs and put them to work in the industry created by helping to regulate the drugs to ensure safety.

It is undoubtably a "utopian" viewpoint... but like i said earlier if you aim small you miss small...

[hawgsquatch]

Originally Posted by Finfeatherfur

Here is my perspective:

I put my self through school working as a deputy sheriff. Once through paramedic school I worked as a medic for both private ambulance services, finally ending my medical career in civil service work in a big city. After 15 years of medical calls and thousands of overdoses, I have never - EVER - transported or arrested someone overdosed on marijuana. Why? Because it is impossible to do! You will go to sleep before you stop breathing. I have run hundreds of calls, and had 3 that were fatal from acute alcohol poisioning. I have also transported more patients on prescrition Rx overdoses then I care to discuss.

Now that I am an oilfield guy, working part time in LE as a hobby, I see the problems from all angles. As an employer, we are forced to conduct drug testing on workers. Yet I can have a guy high as a kite continue to work because he has a prescription from a quack of a doctor. BUT, a man who has worked his entire life will go bankrupt trying to fight cancer and is arrested if he has some ganja to help with his side effects of chemo. Yet, we can make an arrest of a known drug dealer carrying 500lbs, to have the case plea bargained down to a simple possession and get their vehicle back.

To make matters worse, I can be sued and loose everything for having some leach of society video me trying to take a combative 25 y/o into custody who is naked in the street high on bath salts trying to eat my face that was tazed 4 times with no effect, so we go hands on, fighting for our life. The residents of the tax paid housing complex called us to deal with these people, but when we are on the ground fighting to control the maniac, they only film to have document for an attorney and offer no assistance to gain control of the subject.

Or how about the criminal drug dealer that has no job, owns 5 vehicles over $50k, and gets out of jail before the paperwork is complete for selling Roxi's to kids under 18y/o.

Do I like what I see - hellll no! Can it be fixed? At this point I am not so sure. I do know that I am more worried about 2 things right now more than anything:
1)- The abuse of prescription pills is staggering and out of control, with no end in sight. Yet, the DEA and FDA continue to allow it to happen.
2)- If this country doesn't do something really fast with the METH epidemic coming on so strong and fast, marijuana will be the last thing on their mind! I have never seen people as desperate as a METH head trying to score. It is very scary to see, and most have children that are getting stuck in the middle.

This rant is my opinion only, and not associated with the thoughts or ideas of others associated with any employers I have. I will continue to fight the war on drugs in this capacity and will remain vigilant in that fight. I will obey orders of my superiors and try to raise my kids in a manner that leads them down an honorable and successful path in life. With the help of GOD and my wife, I hope I am successful.

I hear you man I live and work in Humboldt County, the weed capital of the world. I personally do not think the suff is any worse than any other addictive poison, but I cannot get over the attitudes of the gowers. It is a for profit scheme and they will do anythng to make a buck. They do not pay taxes, and every time I see a guy come in with five hunderd pounds of weed and a food stamp card and state funded medical card it disgusts me. The worst thing that ever could happen to these guys is if weed was legalized and Pfizer and Pepsico took over the market. They also don't care whose water they poison or how much wildlife they kill, as long as they are able to make that all powerful buck. Scum of the Earth in my very educated opinion.

I appreciate your opinion MathGeek and I understand your motivation. I just absolutely will not tolerate a government that is strong enough to enforce a moral or theological system. I think that by raising our kids to be smart and make righteous decisions, we are winning the war far more than by making laws that cannot be enforced without draconian measures.

As far as the weed worshipers are concerned:

It aint medicine.
It don't cure cancer.
Smoking anything is unhealthy.
It doesn't help autistic children, any more than any sedative. Parents who give thier kids weed in any form for any reason are abusive.
It is availiable via prescription as Marinol to help chemo patients.
It is addictive.
Weed smells bad and when you don't notice it anymore that is how we know you are an addict.
Porn, booze, pizza, candybars, and fishing are addictive too. I don't want to outlaw any of those things either, whether I agree with them on a moral basis or not.

I love battles of wit.... Especially when I am better armed than my opponents.

[mcjaredsandwich]

Originally Posted by hawgsquatch

I hear you man I live and work in Humboldt County, the weed capital of the world. I personally do not think the suff is any worse than any other addictive poison, but I cannot get over the attitudes of the gowers. It is a for profit scheme and they will do anythng to make a buck. They do not pay taxes, and every time I see a guy come in with five hunderd pounds of weed and a food stamp card and state funded medical card it disgusts me. The worst thing that ever could happen to these guys is if weed was legalized and Pfizer and Pepsico took over the market. They also don't care whose water they poison or how much wildlife they kill, as long as they are able to make that all powerful buck. Scum of the Earth in my very educated opinion.

I appreciate your opinion MathGeek and I understand your motivation. I just absolutely will not tolerate a government that is strong enough to enforce a moral or theological system. I think that by raising our kids to be smart and make righteous decisions, we are winning the war far more than by making laws that cannot be enforced without draconian measures.

As far as the weed worshipers are concerned:

It aint medicine.
It don't cure cancer.
Smoking anything is unhealthy.
It doesn't help autistic children, any more than any sedative. Parents who give thier kids weed in any form for any reason are abusive.
It is availiable via prescription as Marinol to help chemo patients.
It is addictive.
Weed smells bad and when you don't notice it anymore that is how we know you are an addict.
Porn, booze, pizza, candybars, and fishing are addictive too. I don't want to outlaw any of those things either, whether I agree with them on a moral basis or not.

I love battles of wit.... Especially when I am better armed than my opponents.

If smoking is unhealthy, edibles. Smells bad?? You've never smoked good weed. And addictive? Lmao x 100000