GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl
Senior Associate
"How you win matters." Ender, Ender's Game
Joined: Jan 2, 2011 13:33:09 GMT -5
Posts: 11,291
|
Post by GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl on Feb 21, 2016 17:08:30 GMT -5
I was chatting with my DB who lives in Maryland. Maryland recently de-criminalized the possession of less than 10 ounces of pot. If caught, one gets a ticket (much like a speeding ticket) and pays a fine. (Although, there is no official supplier of the pot so people must still buy from a dealer.)
Pot is fully legal in Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and D.C.
Nineteen other states allow its use for medicinal purposes.
So, is smoking pot such a big deal anymore?
How does one draw the distinction for kids between states that have legalized some, or all, use of pot with states that still consider its use and possession a crime?
As a parent, this is one of those times when it should be an "all or nothing" kind of a deal.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Oct 13, 2024 15:27:56 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2016 17:11:01 GMT -5
Draw the distinction. While it's still not legal here I wouldn't do it, because breaking that law has consequences in PA that I wouldn't want to live with...
I do wish it was uniformly legal though...
|
|
GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl
Senior Associate
"How you win matters." Ender, Ender's Game
Joined: Jan 2, 2011 13:33:09 GMT -5
Posts: 11,291
|
Post by GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl on Feb 21, 2016 17:16:59 GMT -5
Draw the distinction. While it's still not legal here I wouldn't do it, because breaking that law has consequences in PA that I wouldn't want to live with... I do wish it was uniformly legal though... I agree, that the penalties in states where pot use and possession is still illegal can be life-changing, and not in a good way. But, in talking to YDS and his friends, they're of the (mistaken?) belief that pot is no longer a big deal either from a drug abuse point of view or a law enforcement point of view. They think its just a matter of time until it is uniformly legal. But, of course, that time is not now. I don't think they are necessarily thinking recklessly or stupidly -- as a society, we are definitely sending a mixed message. It's an interesting and provocative conversation to have with one's kids. The generation gap is alive and well in some respects.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Oct 13, 2024 15:27:56 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2016 17:17:34 GMT -5
MN decriminalized several years ago. I treat it the same as alcohol when talking to my son because criminal or not, he isn't old enough to be messing with either one.
|
|
GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl
Senior Associate
"How you win matters." Ender, Ender's Game
Joined: Jan 2, 2011 13:33:09 GMT -5
Posts: 11,291
|
Post by GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl on Feb 21, 2016 17:23:14 GMT -5
MN decriminalized several years ago. I treat it the same as alcohol when talking to my son because criminal or not, he isn't old enough to be messing with either one. So, if he was 21 and smoking, would you care from a drug abuse point of view?
|
|
haapai
Junior Associate
Character
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 20:40:06 GMT -5
Posts: 5,984
|
Post by haapai on Feb 21, 2016 17:24:40 GMT -5
I'm under the impression that it can still be a giant stinking deal if the feds are involved and G-- only knows how things get weighed. I think that as a parent, you owe it to your kid to explain how the local authorities may have decriminalized dope but the feds reserve the right to do whatever the heck they want to, including disqualifying a youngster for any form of federally sponsored student loans. You don't have to opine on whether this is right or wrong, just inform your kid of the giant slipknot that has formed.
Er, what does DB mean to you? It means Dutch Boy/Boi to me. I really don't know what you mean by it except that it probably refers to either your brother or your son (boy).
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Oct 13, 2024 15:27:56 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2016 17:28:40 GMT -5
Yeah, pot is like alcohol for all intents and purposes. I teach responsible use of mid controlling substances, plus legal distinction in pa, and the distinction between alcohol/pot and other drugs. I agree it should soon be legalized nationally...
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Oct 13, 2024 15:27:56 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2016 17:30:00 GMT -5
MN decriminalized several years ago. I treat it the same as alcohol when talking to my son because criminal or not, he isn't old enough to be messing with either one. So, if he was 21 and smoking, would you care from a drug abuse point of view? Would you care if he went drinking with friends? Automatically assume alcohol abuse?
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Oct 13, 2024 15:27:56 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2016 17:33:24 GMT -5
MN decriminalized several years ago. I treat it the same as alcohol when talking to my son because criminal or not, he isn't old enough to be messing with either one. So, if he was 21 and smoking, would you care from a drug abuse point of view? I probably wouldn't be thrilled if he was a heavy user any more than I would be if he was a heavy drinker, but no, I don't think I would get worked up about casual weed use like I would if I found out he was popping pills or doing something like heroin or cocaine.
|
|
GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl
Senior Associate
"How you win matters." Ender, Ender's Game
Joined: Jan 2, 2011 13:33:09 GMT -5
Posts: 11,291
|
Post by GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl on Feb 21, 2016 17:34:12 GMT -5
So, if he was 21 and smoking, would you care from a drug abuse point of view? Would you care if he went drinking with friends? Automatically assume alcohol abuse? Me? No. But, given my age, there is a tinge of "it's a drug!!!" in my psyche, LOL!!! The reality is that alcohol and pot are similar in the appropriateness of their use -- time, place, amount, situation.
|
|
GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl
Senior Associate
"How you win matters." Ender, Ender's Game
Joined: Jan 2, 2011 13:33:09 GMT -5
Posts: 11,291
|
Post by GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl on Feb 21, 2016 17:35:50 GMT -5
So, if he was 21 and smoking, would you care from a drug abuse point of view? I probably wouldn't be thrilled if he was a heavy user any more than I would be if he was a heavy drinker, but no, I don't think I would get worked up about casual weed use like I would if I found out he was popping pills or doing something like heroin or cocaine. I grew up with the warning that pot is a gateway drug to heavier drugs. Is it the general consensus that that is no longer the case?
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Oct 13, 2024 15:27:56 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2016 17:38:32 GMT -5
Pot is a 'gateway' to drug users when it is a crime....
Alcohol IS a drug. So is caffeine.
|
|
|
Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Feb 21, 2016 17:38:50 GMT -5
Draw the distinction. While it's still not legal here I wouldn't do it, because breaking that law has consequences in PA that I wouldn't want to live with... I do wish it was uniformly legal though... I agree, that the penalties in states where pot use and possession is still illegal can be life-changing, and not in a good way. But, in talking to YDS and his friends, they're of the (mistaken?) belief that pot is no longer a big deal either from a drug abuse point of view or a law enforcement point of view. They think its just a matter of time until it is uniformly legal. But, of course, that time is not now. I don't think they are necessarily thinking recklessly or stupidly -- as a society, we are definitely sending a mixed message. It's an interesting and provocative conversation to have with one's kids. The generation gap is alive and well in some respects. While pot is no longer illegal in WA, it may be a reason to be fired as many companies have a zero tolerance about it, just like alcohol. However, most testing cannot tell if you smoked last night or an hour ago, unlike alcohol. So smoke if you want, but it may hamper your employment.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Oct 13, 2024 15:27:56 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2016 17:40:54 GMT -5
That is a god distinction point to make!
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Oct 13, 2024 15:27:56 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2016 17:44:05 GMT -5
True. Employers still test here.
|
|
|
Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Feb 21, 2016 18:01:38 GMT -5
Yep, TD just got called in for a random drug test. The company he worked for randomly calls you and you have 2 hours to show up. If your lab slip is not stamped, it is considered a failure and you are fired.
|
|
haapai
Junior Associate
Character
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 20:40:06 GMT -5
Posts: 5,984
|
Post by haapai on Feb 21, 2016 18:13:44 GMT -5
Employers still test here too and if you think that a medical card or decriminalization will protect you, you've probably been smoking too much. If popped for post-accident testing, you must jump through the hoops in the proper order, at the proper time, have reliable witnesses, and be totally willing to admit that your semi-legalized cannabis use is also a really, really big problem that you are willing to seek help with. If you fail to dot an i, or run into a liar, or lose your cool, or get bad advice, or forget for one single moment that you are playing with fire, you could be headed down the chute.
FWIW, I don't like what some of my pot-smoking co-workers have to face, especially since the drunks are so much harder to work with. It's also been over a decade since someone worried about my health tried to stimulate my appetite using chemical help. I have fond memories of those friends, but not of what they prepared for me.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Oct 13, 2024 15:27:56 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2016 18:34:35 GMT -5
I think it is a good time to invent a better test for 'in real time' use
|
|
|
Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Feb 21, 2016 19:19:59 GMT -5
I think it is a good time to invent a better test for 'in real time' use The problem isn't the test, but how it is metabolized by your body. Pot is fat soluble, so it sticks around and slowly leaches out of the tissue. I can't imagine how you are going to work around this, because it isn't the quality of the test that is a problem.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Oct 13, 2024 15:27:56 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2016 19:30:46 GMT -5
|
|
formerroomate99
Junior Associate
Joined: Sept 12, 2011 13:33:12 GMT -5
Posts: 7,381
|
Post by formerroomate99 on Feb 21, 2016 20:26:14 GMT -5
A friend of mine got a pot conviction 20+ years ago. Tiny amount. She didn't even spend the night in jail. 20 years later she was getting repeatedly chucked from piddly little clerical jobs, despite getting good performance reviews, because these companies had government contracts that required them to adopt a 'zero tolerance' policy. They didn't even tell her why. It took her years to figure out what was going on.
Until this 'zero tolerance' nonsense goes away, having drugs show up on a background check is going seriously diminish a person's career prospects.
|
|
GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl
Senior Associate
"How you win matters." Ender, Ender's Game
Joined: Jan 2, 2011 13:33:09 GMT -5
Posts: 11,291
|
Post by GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl on Feb 21, 2016 20:58:22 GMT -5
I'm under the impression that it can still be a giant stinking deal if the feds are involved and G-- only knows how things get weighed. I think that as a parent, you owe it to your kid to explain how the local authorities may have decriminalized dope but the feds reserve the right to do whatever the heck they want to, including disqualifying a youngster for any form of federally sponsored student loans. You don't have to opine on whether this is right or wrong, just inform your kid of giant slipknot that has formed. Er, what does DB mean to you? It means Dutch Boy/Boi to me. I really don't know what you mean by it except that it probably refers to either your brother or your son (boy). Darling Brother, is correct...well, at least, how *I* use the abbreviation. ;-)
|
|
ken a.k.a OMK
Senior Associate
They killed Kenny, the bastards.
Joined: Dec 21, 2010 14:39:20 GMT -5
Posts: 14,238
Location: Maryland
Member is Online
|
Post by ken a.k.a OMK on Feb 21, 2016 22:11:56 GMT -5
In Maryland the possession of small amounts is a civil fine. They are going after the dealers.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Oct 13, 2024 15:27:56 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2016 22:51:11 GMT -5
Hopefully it is legal in the entire USA in 20 years when I retire cuz I'm gonna smoke a big fatty to celebrate. If not I'll get a medical card. I may or may not have smoked occasionally many years ago but the reason I don't now is what it could do to my career.
Pot is nowhere near as dangerous as alcohol, I may or may not know from experience.
|
|
Tiny
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 29, 2010 21:22:34 GMT -5
Posts: 13,494
|
Post by Tiny on Feb 22, 2016 0:02:28 GMT -5
Hopefully it is legal in the entire USA in 20 years when I retire cuz I'm gonna smoke a big fatty to celebrate. If not I'll get a medical card. I may or may not have smoked occasionally many years ago but the reason I don't now is what it could do to my career. Pot is nowhere near as dangerous as alcohol, I may or may not know from experience. What does that mean? I keep hearing/reading that... what is that a euphemism for? I assume it's a euphemism...
|
|
billisonboard
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 22:45:44 GMT -5
Posts: 38,239
Member is Online
|
Post by billisonboard on Feb 22, 2016 0:17:08 GMT -5
... Pot is nowhere near as dangerous as alcohol, ... What does that mean? ... If you want to lose your inhibitions to do something stupid, get stoned. However If you want to lose your inhibitions to do something truly amazing stupid, you will have to get drunk.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Oct 13, 2024 15:27:56 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2016 0:50:25 GMT -5
If you want to lose your inhibitions to do something stupid, get stoned. However If you want to lose your inhibitions to do something truly amazing stupid, you will have to get drunk. Nailed it. Getting really high will make you order a pizza then maybe toss half of it on the roof and then you fall asleep, getting really drunk can put you in blackout mode and wake up bleeding in a drunk tank. Of the stoners/drunks I have known the stoners worst stories are PG, the drunks are R.
|
|
milee
Senior Associate
Joined: Jan 17, 2012 13:20:00 GMT -5
Posts: 12,344
|
Post by milee on Feb 22, 2016 6:51:24 GMT -5
Hopefully it is legal in the entire USA in 20 years when I retire cuz I'm gonna smoke a big fatty to celebrate. If not I'll get a medical card. I may or may not have smoked occasionally many years ago but the reason I don't now is what it could do to my career. That's another point I bring up with my kids. Not only do many employers test for drugs, but many professional certifications consider criminal convictions to be disqualifiers for professional license. Chiver's example of her friend with the 20 year old conviction preventing him from getting a license to do the trade he apprenticed for is extreme, but not an outlier. I've known CPAs who lost their license over a conviction. Not only that, but many of the state board that do the licensing have fairly broad discretion, so there's not a set formula. You can't assume that one ____ is OK because those are the "rules"; the rules are written so that the board takes the entire application as a whole into consideration. So for one person with no other issues on their application, a conviction for something minor like a misdemeanor wouldn't be a problem. For another person who had previously had a complaint or another issue with their application, a conviction for something minor like a misdemeanor could be the last factor that combines with the other minor factors to make the board deny the license. Yeowch.
Also, one of my sons sometimes talks about being an attorney. While the licensing for attorneys varies by state and for most states a misdemeanor probably wouldn't be enough to get an attorney disbarred, I suspect it would be enough to prevent them from working in many places. Could be risky for an attorney to prosecute or defend people for drug related offenses if they have a publicly researchable record that shows that s/he was a convicted drug user.
|
|
wvugurl26
Distinguished Associate
Joined: Dec 19, 2010 15:25:30 GMT -5
Posts: 21,890
|
Post by wvugurl26 on Feb 22, 2016 7:24:16 GMT -5
I just renewed one of my CPA licenses. It asks about any convictions, misdemeanor included. I worked way too hard to get those licenses to lose them over pot. Plus I work for the Feds and the DEA still says it's illegal. Interestingly MD didn't ask about child support obligations. WV does every time I renew.
Different people make different choices. I make mine based on my professional licenses and my job. I know others may choose differently. I know of someone I'm fairly certain embellished the nature of their business/potential threats to get a concealed carry permit. Not something I would do as in my view I have too much to lose.
|
|
Shooby
Senior Associate
Joined: Jan 17, 2013 0:32:36 GMT -5
Posts: 14,782
Mini-Profile Name Color: 1cf04f
|
Post by Shooby on Feb 22, 2016 7:57:43 GMT -5
Yeah, pot is like alcohol for all intents and purposes. I teach responsible use of mid controlling substances, plus legal distinction in pa, and the distinction between alcohol/pot and other drugs. I agree it should soon be legalized nationally... That may be true. But, employers are still firing people over LEGAL marijuana use. It stays in your system for a long time and is detectable. So, my advice is ,that it's probably no worse than alcohol. But, it you want to be employed, you better think twice about that.
|
|