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Germany Will Move Forward with Marijuana Legalization

marijuanamoment.net

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Re: Germany Will Move Forward with Marijuana Legalization

#41
post #19

Marijuana decriminalization amd legalization was billed in part based on the notion that it wasn’t going to change people’s behavior, just decriminalize existing activity. At least in DC, it’s led to a noticeable uptick in marijuana use. You can smell it in the streets in many parts of the city, including in office buildings. It’s sad to see Germany go down the same road.

> it’s led to a noticeable uptick in marijuana use It'd be interesting to know if that coincided with a reduction in use of other, more destructive drugs such as alcohol.

So far that data is relatively inconclusive, per https://www.cato.org/policy-analysis/effect-state-marijuana-...

"These data show no clear relationship between marijuana legalization and alcohol use. Alcohol use increased more than the national trend in Washington (1 percentage point more), Massachusetts (2.3 percentage points), California (1.9 percentage points), and Oregon (1.2 percentage points) but decreased in Colorado (–0.75 percentage points), Maine (–1.4 percentage points), Alaska (–1.1 percentage points), and Nevada (–1.8 percentage points)."

Interesting to see that the data doesn't reflect what I anecdotally have noticed among my friend group: a near-universal pivot from alcohol to cannabis for 50-80% of occasions. Some 100%. That said, my friend group's demographics probably play a part in this.

Re: Germany Will Move Forward with Marijuana Legalization

#42
post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find it hard to believe marijuana is the only substance dealers in a park serving an urban center with a penchant for clubs/night life like Berlin are peddling...

No one said it was.

Why do you think marijuana legalization will substantially change anything in your park then?

Re: Germany Will Move Forward with Marijuana Legalization

#44
post #19

Marijuana decriminalization amd legalization was billed in part based on the notion that it wasn’t going to change people’s behavior, just decriminalize existing activity. At least in DC, it’s led to a noticeable uptick in marijuana use. You can smell it in the streets in many parts of the city, including in office buildings. It’s sad to see Germany go down the same road.

Sad to see that harder drugs like alcohol are legal even today. Does anyone in your family consume alcohol, rayiner? Pretty sad to see alcohol being sold so openly and consumed, in front of children.

Re: Germany Will Move Forward with Marijuana Legalization

#46

Sad. We need to move away from smoking, not encourage this cancer-causing good-for-nothing behavior. Not to mention it causes streets to smell like a skunk.

I think I can argue that it's rational to take care of the most pressing issue you face in a given circumstance. I know we as humans aren't very rational, which is why for example I'm typing this message right now instead of working on a task a client wants done today.

BUT we can probably agree it's a generally good thing to focus on bigger problems before smaller ones.

It seems whether or not marijuana causes cancer is an open question: https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana...

> Whether smoking marijuana causes lung cancer, as cigarette smoking does, remains an open question.67,70 Marijuana smoke contains carcinogenic combustion products, including about 50% more benzoprene and 75% more benzanthracene (and more phenols, vinyl chlorides, nitrosamines, reactive oxygen species) than cigarette smoke.67 Because of how it is typically smoked (deeper inhale, held for longer), marijuana smoking leads to four times the deposition of tar compared to cigarette smoking.71 However, while a few small, uncontrolled studies have suggested that heavy, regular marijuana smoking could increase risk for respiratory cancers, well-designed population studies have failed to find an increased risk of lung cancer associated with marijuana use

Meanwhile, alcohol kills 74,000 people each year in Germany https://movendi.ngo/news/2019/04/18/study-germany-has-an-alc... and costs the country 40,000,000 euro for healthcare costs.

Yet a cursory look at your comment and submission history finds nothing on the topic of this (compared to weed) HUGE killer in Germany. Maybe you're taking up the fight somewhere else, but I think, just like I'm not going to finish this comment and get right back to work, you probably are laser-focusing on this objectively minor health issue (weed usage) for whatever reason, perhaps reefer-madness propaganda? I'm not sure, I'm curious why you think it's an issue compared to something like alcohol, that actually kills lots of people in Germany (I couldn't find any statistics tracking how many people are killed each year in relation to weed in Germany, but my understanding of the drug is that the number should be 0 in terms of actual overdose).

Re: Germany Will Move Forward with Marijuana Legalization

#47

Sad. We need to move away from smoking, not encourage this cancer-causing good-for-nothing behavior. Not to mention it causes streets to smell like a skunk.

Weed doesn't cause cancer, perhaps you are thinking of cigarettes

Has there been any advancement towards showing that it does? 10 years ago there was nothing, I know.

The person you're replying too is clearly just spreading FUD and probably has never partaken in their live - sad!

Re: Germany Will Move Forward with Marijuana Legalization

#48
post #19

Marijuana decriminalization amd legalization was billed in part based on the notion that it wasn’t going to change people’s behavior, just decriminalize existing activity. At least in DC, it’s led to a noticeable uptick in marijuana use. You can smell it in the streets in many parts of the city, including in office buildings. It’s sad to see Germany go down the same road.

More people should try weed who haven't. Melts that stick up the butt, as if were.

Re: Germany Will Move Forward with Marijuana Legalization

#49
Finally!

I have a guide on how to buy weed in Berlin. A big chunk of it warns readers about how sketchy and dangerous it is if you don’t have a trusted contact. Weed is frequently contaminated with really nasty chemicals.

A Canadian or American reader might not appreciate how different the environment is from their pre-legalisation days. The weed you buy is genuinely dangerous.

Re: Germany Will Move Forward with Marijuana Legalization

#50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I just go by own impressions - which are that it feels skivvy as all get out to walk through, or in the general vicinity of that park. Hence, rendering it basically useless as a "park".

Strange impressions you have and totally disagree. The park is vibrant and full of kids and families over the day.. dealers don't even annoy you usually if you signal strong non-interest or don't fall into typical buyer group.. you can even walk safely through the park at darker times when you stick to the big ways (though I mean to feel safe, I'd say you are almost safe everywhere as safe as you can be in a big germ…

You are both right, in my opinion. It’s fine if you can get over the dealers on every corner. The park is full in the summer and children play there. The dealers behave well and won’t harm you, but there are dealers on every corner.
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