About normstamper

End the Drug War

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  Seattle Freeze vs. liberal attitudes towards pot

  3 0 Not a weird question at all. Seattle's a wonderful city, but some say it has only a patina of politeness, a facade of openness and generosity toward newcomers. I don't know about that. When I arrived in '94, I found that, like any other city, there are Seattleites who are naturally outgoing and welcoming, others who prefer to keep to themselves. I'm guessing when it comes to the question of pot, you'll find a lot of people who use it and don't feel a need or have a desire to talk about it. Perhaps because they're worried or cautious about who they're talking to? Others? Can't shut 'em up. They'll happily start or join a conversation about the legal, botanical, technological, social, political, and economic issues that attend the subject. I have faith you'll land some new friends who share your interests, as well as your level of comfort in the ongoing, multi-dimensional conversation about pot. Meanwhile, I hope you'll do what you can to support the legalization, regulation, and normalization of cannabis. All the best. normstamper answered in 420: The Straight Dope About Pot over 2 years ago Answer, comment & read 2 more answers »

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  How much taxpayer money would be "saved" in WA if a pot legalization initiative (like I-1068) passes (with regard to incarceration and paperwork)?

  2 0 Excellent question. The unscientific answer is, a bundle. I don't have time to do the math, sorry. You'd have to take Alison's arrest figures for the state of Washington, calculate the number of arrestees who went to jail (vs. being handed a ticket), were charged, went to court, were convicted, went to jail or prison. Figure out how much time is involved at each step, total up patrol officer, detective, prosecutor, (possibly) public defender, judge and other court officers, correctional officials' investment in the process, add in at least a portion of the jail and prison costs necessary to build and maintain cells for high-end marijuana inmates... Even a simple infraction or misdemeanor ticket entails significant costs. Time to write it, seize and impound the evidence, process it through the system. It would make a terrific dissertation topic... Of course, coarse generalizations of costs may be inferred. But not off the top of my overtaxed head. Anyone else out there? Sponsors of the initiative? If not, it's not a bad time to put a band of (volunteer) number-crunchers to work. Money talks (you can quote me). normstamper answered in 420: The Straight Dope About Pot over 2 years ago Answer, comment & read 4 more answers »

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  Does Marijuanna PREVENT cancer?

  2 3 There's evidence it might: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/25/AR2006052501729.html Something about killing aging cells, and the healing properties of cannabinoids. In any event, research has demonstrated the huge safety edge pot smokers have over tobacco users and heavy drinkers. normstamper answered in 420: The Straight Dope About Pot over 2 years ago Answer, comment & read 4 more answers »

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  federal aid

  0 0 I don't know. History: Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) succeeded in getting legislation passed in '98, signed into law by President Clinton in October of that year, that denied federal student financial aid for the possession of drugs. Period. Heroin or marijuana? Didn't matter. A pound of grass or a handful of stems and seeds? Didn't matter. As I recall, there was a relaxation of the law which permitted those convicted of minor pot possession to continue receiving financial aid if they underwent a "drug rehab" program of some kind. And, I know there's been an effort to chip away further at the draconian, anti-civil liberties law. But I'm just not up to speed. Any others out there who can weigh in, get us all up to date? normstamper answered in 420: The Straight Dope About Pot over 2 years ago Answer, comment & read 3 more answers »

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  What is SPD's view on carrying weed on your person? Will I be arrested or fined? Is it up to the officer? How much is a serious offence?

  6 0 I've been away from the department for over 10 years, so bear with me. Three years into my retirement (2003) 58 percent of city voters made simple adult possession of marijuana the police department's (and the City Attorney's) lowest enforcement priority. Truth be told, such cases were never much of a priority but this made it official, and it has made a positive difference (even fewer arrests, fewer prosecutions, fewer criminal records). If you're in the city of Seattle, in possession of 40 grams or less, theoretically you'd fall under the "lowest priority" law. Keep in mind, however, that low priority does not mean no priority. Technically, you're at risk carrying any amount of cannabis on your person. How much is a serious offense? The initiative's language called for any amount of marijuana "intended for personal use." However, the possession of 41 grams could bump you up to the King County Prosecutor's Office, and a felony charge. To end on an encouraging note, new City Attorney Pete Holmes is living up to his campaign promise not to prosecute simple possession cases at all, barring "out-of-the-ordinary circumstances." normstamper answered in 420: The Straight Dope About Pot over 2 years ago Answer, comment & read 2 more answers »

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  THC vs CBD

  0 0 Beyond my reach, but thanks for the link. Interesting findings. normstamper answered in 420: The Straight Dope About Pot over 2 years ago Answer, comment & read 3 more answers »

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  Pot and parenting?

  3 0 First, I agree with you. Pot should be legal and, you're right, it is demonstrably safer than alcohol (check out the book, Marijuana is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink? by Steve Fox, Paul Armentano, and Mason Tvert, with a Foreword by yours truly). While cannabis may be used in a variety of ways, smoking seems to be the most common method. Given the social, cultural, and regulatory transformation of attitudes (and behavior) toward tobacco smoking, it's not surprising that a parent who drinks a beer in front of his or her kid would hesitate to smoke a joint in front of the child. While fear-mongering opponents of the legalization of marijuana like to argue that smoking weed poses the same dangers as tobacco consumption, they're wrong. (See http://www.drugpolicy.org/marijuana/factsmyths/) Still, I think your reticence to light up in front of a young child is laudable, a personal choice that should be encouraged. Thanks for the question. normstamper answered in 420: The Straight Dope About Pot over 2 years ago Answer, comment & read 5 more answers »

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