<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div>The gateway-drug argument is a fallacy. Most of us started out on milk. If you want to establish an interesting correlation you need 4 cells of information: how many used Mary Jane and then heroin; how many used MJ but did not use heroin; how many did not use MJ but used heroin; etc. even if you've got a high percentage it is just two of the 4 cells of info needed.</div><div><br></div><div>I think the issue is: Should the government be paternalistic and save us from ourselves? In general, I think no. If you're not going to restrict steaks and guns, I don't see much sspoint in restricting anything else.</div><div><br>On Jun 11, 2013, at 4:42 PM, Tom Hansen <<a href="mailto:thansen@moscow.com">thansen@moscow.com</a>> wrote:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><div>Mr. Keim -</div><div><br></div><div>Instead of listing inifinite sources that tend to support legalizing, regulating, and taxing marijuana, I invite you to start your browsing at an organization of which I have been a member for quite some time . . .</div><div><br></div><div>The National Organization for the Reduction of Marijuana Laws (NORML)</div><div><image.jpeg></div><div><a href="http://www.norml.org">http://www.norml.org</a></div><div><br></div><div>A couple other things . . . </div><div><br></div><div>1 - As far as that illogical claim that 95% of those currently addicted to heroin got their start on marijuana . . . I would be more concerned about the 5% who jumped right in to heroin.</div><div><br></div><div>2 - My "indulgences" led more to increased sales revenue at the neighborhood KFC versus any increased liquor consumption.</div><div><br></div><div>Ah, the memories: While stationed at the Presidio of San Francisco (1977 - 1979), my two favorite haunts were Baker Beach (about a quarter mile south of the Golden Gate Bridge and a two-block stagger from the government quarters in which Rodna and I resided) and a tavern at the corner of Fifth Street and Clement Avenue called the Moonshiner (whose customer base consisted of everything from lawyers to opera singers to Hells Angels . . . and yours truly).</div><div><br></div><div>To make a long (and rather interesting) story short, marijuana was easily procurable at each location. In fact, I recall several occasions where people would sit on the curb, outsde the Moonshiner (that had no entry door, just a slider that would open the entire front end), openly smoking a joint, watching cars (including SFPD) go by.</div><div><br></div><div>Those were the days, my friend . . .<br><br><div>Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</div><div><br></div><div>"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)</div><div><a href="http://www.MoscowCares.com">http://www.MoscowCares.com</a></div><div> </div><div><div>Tom Hansen</div><div>Moscow, Idaho</div><div><br></div><div>"<span style="font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">There's room at the top they are telling you still</span><span style="font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "> </span></div><span style="font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">But first you must learn how to smile as you kill </span><br style="font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "><span style="font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">If you want to be like the folks on the hill."</span></div><div><font size="3"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"><br></span></font></div><div><font size="3"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);">- John Lennon<br></span></font><div> </div></div><div><br></div></div><div><br>On Jun 11, 2013, at 3:24 PM, Darrell Keim <<a href="mailto:keim153@gmail.com">keim153@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><div dir="ltr"><div>Interesting graphic, though a poor logical argument. Sure soda is bad, does that mean we should A. Ban all bad things? B. Legalize all bad things? Isn't there room for a third option? I won't attempt to defend soda. </div>
<div> </div><div>The graphic goes very light on marijuana's harms.</div><div><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-term_effects_of_cannabis">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-term_effects_of_cannabis</a></div><div>
The above page mentions positive correlations to: female infertility, dependency, acute psychosis (but only when tied to an underlying mental disorder), chronic psychosis (in adolescence), increased suicide rate, gateway drug (my personal anecdotal experience backs this-most of the folks I meet in treatment started with either booze or pot), and loss of IQ. Curiously, it doesn't seem to cause lung cancer (though other cancers show a positive correlation), though it does have some of the other health issues usually correlated with smoking. </div>
<div> </div><div>The above are correlated with marijuana. I won't argue that correlation equals causation. I also won't argue that it also correlates with some positives: pain relief, slows cognitive decline, The Eagles famous "Peaceful, Easy Feeling."</div>
<div> </div><div>Sounds to me like neither is a net societal positive...</div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Jun 11, 2013 at 3:00 PM, Tom Hansen <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:thansen@moscow.com" target="_blank">thansen@moscow.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="auto"><div><1010437_10151481021971275_1141633502_n.jpg><br>
<div>Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</div><div><br></div><div>"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)</div><div><a href="http://www.MoscowCares.com" target="_blank">http://www.MoscowCares.com</a></div>
<div> </div><div><div>Tom Hansen</div><div>Moscow, Idaho</div><div><br></div><div>"<span style="font-size:medium">There's room at the top they are telling you still</span><span style="font-size:medium"> </span></div>
<span style="font-size:medium">But first you must learn how to smile as you kill </span><br style="font-size:medium"><span style="font-size:medium">If you want to be like the folks on the hill."</span></div><div><font size="3"><span><br>
</span></font></div><div><font size="3"><span>- John Lennon<br></span></font><div> </div></div><div><br></div></div></div><br>=======================================================<br>
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