I say that we decriminalize all drugs. Below is an interesting article about how this has worked in Portugal. And as for marijuana I believe that for the most part people aren’t going to pick up and move just because they are able to smoke pot in those states. There will be a small percentage of people that do so and there may be an increase of people already living in the state that decide to start using. I strongly feel that marijuana will soon be legal across the United States, it’s too widely used and accepted for it to not be. It’s all a matter of time.

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1893946,00.html

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I do not think that laws affect people’s actions. Those that are willing and desire to smoke pot, shoot heroin, or drop acid for that matter, are going to do so whether it is illegal or not. So to your question, maybe a small percentage of people will feel the desire to move to a state where pot smoking is legal. If they choose to do so, so be it. I think that people should have the right to choose where to live based off the environment that state or community provides. However, I do not believe there are a lot of people that will choose to pick up and move just so they can legally smoke pot. Because lets face it, lots of people already smoke pot even though its illegal and they aren’t being hauled off to jail so why make the effort to move when your life wont change that much. I do think that colleges in those states might see an increase in applicants that smoke pot. College students that smoke weed will definitely weigh the fact that they can smoke legally.

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Pete, the article had some interesting information, but unless I missed it, it didn’t speak to the affects it had on the families or the daily work performance of the drug users. For those who maintain their jobs and use drugs, usually the number of times they are late for work, make mistakes on the job, and their incidents of accidents on the job are increased. I’m not talking about those who use drugs on the job, just the residual effects of drug use and how it influences the user.

I have talked to people who honestly believe they can use drugs like, heroin, crack, and meth and not get addicted. I have yet to meet or hear of the occasional crack user.

http://www.ehow.com/list_6790396_effects-substance-abuse-workplace.html

http://www.livestrong.com/article/109582-substance-abuse-affects-family/

This is interesting but back to my initial question about other states following in it’s legalization or people moving to these states.

I was in high school during the seventies and heard a lot of the stoners talk about finding someplace where marijuana was legal and they could spend the rest of their lives partying and getting high. Actually, I kind of owe the stoners. I had tried it a couple of times at parties, but hearing them talk and what their general attitude was toward things, turned me off of it before it became a problem.

I guess part of my reason for this discussion was to see which way the pendulum was swinging. In my real life, face to face discussions with people, most seem to feel that there are absolutely no negatives to marijuana use other than driving high. Every time I’m around marijuana users I can see multiple negatives its had on their lives.

If a person wants to openly smoke marijuana wouldn’t they want to move somewhere they could smoke it without any fear of being arrested? They could sit in their back yards light up a bowl and wave to the police as they drive by. Wouldn’t that be the users ideal utopia?

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@jlriggs57aol-com Yes, they probably would want to move somewhere where they could openly smoke marijuana. But I believe if this is how people come to make their decisions, so they can roll up a fat one and smoke in front of the cops, and thats what matters to them, then good for them. Stupid people are stupid people. And stupid people will make stupid decisions. If its not marijuana, it will be something else. They are destined to make stupid decisions in the end because thats who they are. So if they want to move somewhere else, good for them, I will be here. WORKING. Getting things done on time, being productive. And if people can smoke or do drugs and be productive. Good for them, if they can’t, well then too bad for them. They chose to do drugs, there is enough education out there that we all know drugs are bad. If you go down that road, its your PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY to figure it out. For people living in those states that may get more stoners or druggies, they are more than welcome to leave the state if they want. But I personally do not care what other people do with their lives, I only have control over my own.

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I guess I have been in construction so long I think in those terms as far as work goes. In my line of work someone comes in hung over or half high and does the wrong thing, I’m injured or dead. All the “I’m sorry’s” won’t change it. If the person get’s fired, I’m still injured or dead. But I guess in an office setting it really wouldn’t make any difference.

Maybe the best policy is just to let everyone do what they want, then deal with it when it effects us on a personal level.

I think it’s the idea of a nation where most of it’s citizens are walking around stoned that concerns me. It’s a thing nightmares are made of. I guess I will just have to give it more thought and possibly have to get used to.

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I have only seen harm to children when their parents use any drug.

People are dumb and lazy enough without drugs so I hope the legalization fad gives way to better reasoning.

Teens are in a position to do themselves great harm by enjoying drugs and they will have a lower potential their entire lives if they don’t get a good skill for the workplace and develop a good work ethic and respect for the law.

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