Maybe the kid wouldn't eat lunch or take a nap?

This is why we need sterilization laws for idiots like this !

The child won't die from this or even be harmed. Don't believe the MSM hype. Though I would not let my child ingest it just as children should nto really ingest coffee as they are still developing.

manufacturing???? Dont they mean grew a plant?

A naturally occuring plant is one that grows wildly without human input or intervention. While marijuana is a plant that COULD occur naturally, growing the plant in pots from seed in your garage or spare bedroom with the assistance of UV lights is not 'naturally occuring'.

The child won't die from this or even be harmed. Don't believe the MSM hype. Though I would not let my child ingest it just as children should nto really ingest coffee as they are still developing.

The AMA says that their studies are revealing that pot use will blunt (excuse the punt) the brain development of children and teenagers, not the MSM. It also says that pot use by adolescents is more likely to bring schizophrenia out in those with a latent predisposition to it; what that means is that a kid who might not ever develop a mental illness is exponentially more likely to develop one if he/she smokes pot during their adolescent development.

I'm guessing you smoked quite a bit as a teenager....

Yes, I love the use of "manufacturing" in the media's persistent kow-towing to the failed War on Drugs.

Legalize pot and ban idiots from reproducing.

mike-2598123

O' it would be so great. We need to offer people cash for sterilization. Need a crack fix? Sell your sterility!

Why are some of you making such a big deal out the article saying "manufacturing?" It means producing at a quantity whether it is natural or not. Quit reading into things. So stupid!

J R Browenstein

That is interesting considering they are prescribing it for autism.

@jr browenstien, the study you read was produced by lieing government sacks of @!$%# who will say and do anything to keep the public under thumb. If you read any study from any other government or any ivy league school they make it very clear that cannabis forewards the evolution of the mind and helps to prevent and even reverse diseases like alzhiemers and parkinsons. And FACT is that the chemicals that make marijuana do what it does are produced naturally in the human mind, so to claim they do anything harmful is obsurd.

JR Browenstein, I'm not advocating anything, certainly not pot for tots. But I've read that research as well. I have a hard time believing it, as well over half of the people in my age group would fall into the category of using during their adolescent development. So I think more study is needed . Of course, "they say that" and "are revealing that" really means that the studies have not shown a correlation yet. It's kinda like calling it the "gateway drug". Gateway to giggles and White Castle binge eating maybe.

"as well over half of the people in my age group would fall into the category of using during their adolescent development."

That would explain why about the half the people here are pooh-poohing this as just a "mistake" or "poor choice."

Still waiting for Browenstein to punt. However, I don't think toddlers should ingest smoke of any kind. I am very concerned that the child was around firearms and the whole situation that called for guns in the first place. This child seems to not have had any medical conditions so I would hope they are not being exposed to use of any psychoactive drugs. Going to the extent of trying to compare this to crack or meth use is way over the top though.

I hope not!

Welp. That's Centralia for you. They're not exactly the smartest monkeys on the planet around there.

I'm all for the legalization though I don't use myself, but FFS people, stop giving those opposed to it anymore ammo.

Gotta love PWT!

How stupid is the news business.

You obscure the picture of the child, yet you GIVE HIS MOTHERS NAME AND PICTURE !!!

For the people who know HER, they can figure out the name of the toddler.

Its like saying "the identity of the only daughter of Jane and John Doe of 123 Main Street is being withheld because she is a minor."

PLEASE STOP IDENTIFYING CHILDREN THROUGH THEIR PARENTS !!!

"Baby bong hit"? I thought she put some weed in his mouth and smoked it from his rear end. Kinda cute having a baby bong.

Saw this last night when I was flipping through the news channels. They only talked
about an old tunnel and the world’s biggest wood building up here in good ol Canada.
Thank you U.S. for providing me with non fictional entertainment for the evening and for making my current place of residence look sane in comparison. lol

mpa-4893349 I only counted 3 posts before yours that fit your description somewhat, though not one wrote "poor choice" or "mistake".

As I stated, I'm not suggesting that bong hits with your 2 year old is acceptable, I'm calling the results of the study the person referenced (well not really -- it was a "they") a bunch of crap based on a whole generation of people , now in their 50's and 60's who are normal and used (and many still use) weed. That's all.

And the fact is, some parents are using marijuana (ingested not smoked) to control violent outbursts in their autistic children where they are doing harm to themselves.

sigh.... People like this give mature smokers of marijuana a bad name.

Dirp- The parents names are a matter of public record. Like gossip, sure, local people can figure it out BUT, you won't be able to search the kids name in the future, because it wasn't given. Plus, since they're such @!$%#ty parents, maybe the kid will get a new set.

And while I am all for legalization, you should never give children things to smoke. Pot, like cigarettes, can harm your lungs. It's not for kids. Like my favorite Pot Slogan shirt- "Pot is great, but kids must wait". Also, there is no need to feed your kids a bunch of coffee either. Perhaps, parents should just work on helping their kids learn and grow in a healthy way, rather than fast tracking them to substance abuse (caffeine, weed, alcohol, sugar, whatever).

Out of allllllllllll the stoners I know, not a one of them would think this is a good/decent/healthy idea. Just plan in stupid and negligent.

R Browenstein, you might want to read more studies. The study about lowering IQ in teens is being challenged because the study was a sham. The study about pot causing mental disorders is being reviewed also, it's a pretty empty argument about pot use compared to cigarettes, and alcohol, look up korsakoff syndrome.

Threes lots of @!$%# out there that will screw you up, but pot is at the low end. Most of the stuff that causes problems including death are obtained at the prharmacy, or grocery store.

@Momo It's not the Media that Loves the word "Manufacture" it's Law Enforcement they want it to sound evil like Manufacturing Methamphetamine they are ignorant when it comes to MJ they know what they were taught MJ is a Drug just like Heroin they wouldn't refer to somebody as Manufacturing Azela's so why when someone decides to cultivate an herbal plant for their own personal use inside their own Home is it such a Big Deal and frowned on as if you were a Common Criminal. I'm not pushing anything on anybody I just want to be Left the F%$k alone.

Arthur, Kind of doubt that these camo gun nuts are Obama voters. It just goes against common sense to think a Democrat would dress his child as a hunter and have a stash of weapons. Could happen, but I would bet a thousand dollars and give 4 to 1 odds (if we could prove it) that if these people voted, it was for Mittens.

Why are some of you making a big deal about the article saying "manufacturing"?

Hey, Momo - these parents should not have been able to manufacture any children, in any quantity, naturally or not.

pot use by adolescents is more likely to bring schizophrenia out in those with a latent predisposition to it

The AMA has it wrong on this one. What occurs is that the teens that are predisposed to schizophrenia tend to self medicate before the symptoms are full blown, in other words the majority of schizophrenics have smoked pot prior to the onset of their disease, which leads to the false assumption that it has something to do with schizophrenia. After the disease manifests itself the majority of schizophrenics become cigarette smokers, as high as 99%.

maybe the kid had a belly ache...and what the doctor prescribed didn't work...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aA9OqUuA6a0

Wireman, Arthur - type her name into FB. It's the new Google for people. Yep, she's there.

I can't tell what her political beliefs are, but she's big into religion. Plus, she "liked" Smokin' Js recently.

Parents giving their children alcohol occurs 100x more frequently than this isolated bong incident.

.

Sheeeesh, Washington State and Colorado....two peas in a pod.

A Colorado "weed dealer" was recently arrested for selling pot on Craig's List.

This is what happens when State Laws VIOLATE FEDERAL LAWS.

Hummmm ... Every parent is responsible for making the best informed choices for Their children s best interest ... no one else ... what the child eats, drinks, ingests, views, touches, etc is their domain .. not yours or the state! Thats what loving & caring parents do .. by nature .. not by fiat nor government decree. Human history of who survives & who dosen't is a result of this .. Tragic at times but a truism. Leave parents alone if they are not actually displaying a non disputable form of abuse .. mental or physical, and this is not one of those .. Your intervention does more harm than the parents indiscretion or mistake ...

That said .... this kid probably had a smile or a grin for a week! lol

Pot as u call it does damage people. I'M 53 & have a 21 year old son that did'nt need this problem. yet u idiots think u know more than I do; Think again. Due to my pot smoking in the Air Force my son is austic from my use. My son is hurting from my use of this drug. So quit thinking ur safe. Just lies, wishfull thinking, because I live with this problem everyday of my life, since my son was born. '' NO JOKE PEOPLE ''

brings back fond memory's of drinking dad's beer...and mom's whiskey...brother's pot...my kids are normal...except they think i'm and old hippie...

I do not agree with giving a child pot, but at least it is natural and will not harm the child unless overdone. Yet, Children's services can force a five year old to take mind altering drugs and call it OK because some quack said they are "Bipolar, ADD or ADHD", when you can control hyper people with a balanced diet. When really the foster parents just can't handle the child because they want to go home to their family and the foster parents are feeding them nothing but junk food. I should know, we are fighting CPS because they took my Grandchildren from a loving home, they want to go home. The foster parents drugged the 5 year old to shut him up.

Moonbeam: in most cases, I tend to agree with you - the threshold for state intervention should be quite high (no pun intended). But there have to be limits - where there is clear evidence that the child is being or could be harmed. eg: female genital mutilation.

VET.1 - how sure are you that your pot smoking caused your son's problems? That isn't one I've heard before...

Wireman: That's just how they dress up in those parts. Almost everyone around there are democrats.

VET.1 you have scientific proof of that? Cause I'm pretty sure there are parents out there with autistic kids that never so much as took a drink much less smoked pot. As far as you know it could have been the vaccine regiment your required to take in the military just as much as it could have been from smoking pot.

who is the victim in this so-called crime? the child is not a ward of the state so the state has no say in how the parents raise the kid, marijuana is non addictive (physically) , non narcotic, and has no reported cases of death directly resulting from marijuana use. there is no authority anywhere to make marijuana illegal either by state or federal as personal consumption is a right under liberty and there is no authority to prevent free citizens from owning firearms, "shall not be infringed" means just that and can not be trumped. there is also no authority in telling free citizens that they can not grow a plant, mass production and sales are already covered like any other business, personal use and private sales are not and shall not.

who was the victim and what was done? crimes need victims in order for there to be a crime or else its just someones control.

while manufacturing can be used to describe the growing of plants to process: the act or process of producing something, it is the wrong term to use by a mile for growing anything; Cultivate : to foster the growth of <cultivate vegetables>. would you call a corn farmer, a corn manufacturer or just corn farmer? government uses the term 'manufacturing' so that they can make it sound like its something the government can control and legislate. remember the government could not get al capone for what crimes they accused him of, so they invented a new tax evasion law to railroad him. was that justice, even though he allegedly did worse?

prior to ~1900 the whole world used cannabis sativa extensively from hemp paper to hemp riggings and rope, the USS constitution had hemp, our military used hemp up until WW2, most of our founders grew and used hemp as well as smoked the flowers and used as ointments. hemp was the future of mankind -of manufacturing, due to its versatility, easy cultivation and natural resistances. all that stopped in the 30's when progressives in the democrat party along with wealthy competing business owners got together and forced the prohibition of cannabis sativa through lies and manipulation. they actually said that if black men smoke refer, that they will rape your white wives and lots of other blatant lies. refer madness is not some 'cult film,' its an actual government propaganda film and it is not the only one. watch refer madness and tell us all how the prohibition of cannabis sativa was legal?

using racism to scare people into believing what you want is pretty low but i guess if it doesn't fit with your personal beliefs and agendas, its okay right? racism in schools=NO!; government using racism to pass laws=OKAY!

Vet.1, I too have a hard time believing your son's autism was caused by you smoking pot while in the air force. I know many people who have smoked pot daily who went on to have perfectly healthy kids. Stop blaming yourself for something that you probably had nothing to do with. By blaming yourself you are sending the message to your son that there's something wrong with him. Just love him the way he is.

While I am not one to smoke, I do agree that it is, at worst, one of the least harmful things we can do, especially if ingested (I think inhaling smoke does much more harm than the actual drug). I personally believe it is more beneficial than harmful if not smoked. Thing is, just like with anything else, it should be done in moderation.

bet they DEMOCRAPS , and welfare paid for their dope !

Guess you missed the part where they were growing dozens of plants.

It's a pretty safe bet that they had pounds of this stuff and didn't pay one thin dime to smoke any of it.

The child probably did not actually inhale,sort of like Clinton....

She might be the birth mother, but she is not a MOM.

While I don't think it was or is the smartest thing to give a child of that age pot as most may agree. It does concern me that so many folks are just fine with FDA, PhRMA, doctors, parents , etc giving children phycotropic drugs (SSRI) and similar mind altering drugs for minor problems or something that may not even be a problem. Thousands of these kids that have been on these drugs then go off to kill themselves and others. Many out there want to blame guns for the school/ mass shootings but not address the real problem. Here is a list for you to ponder

Eric Harris age 17 (first on Zoloft then Luvox) and Dylan Klebold aged 18 (Columbine school shooting in Littleton, Colorado), killed 12 students and 1 teacher, and wounded 23 others, before killing themselves. Klebold’s medical records have never been made available to the public.

Jeff Weise, age 16, had been prescribed 60 mg/day of Prozac (three times the average starting dose for adults!) when he shot his grandfather, his grandfather’s girlfriend and many fellow students at Red Lake, Minnesota. He then shot himself. 10 dead, 12 wounded.

Cory Baadsgaard, age 16, Wahluke (Washington state) High School, was on Paxil (which caused him to have hallucinations) when he took a rifle to his high school and held 23 classmates hostage. He has no memory of the event.

Chris Fetters, age 13, killed his favorite aunt while taking Prozac.

Christopher Pittman, age 12, murdered both his grandparents while taking Zoloft.

Mathew Miller, age 13, hung himself in his bedroom closet after taking Zoloft for 6 days.

Kip Kinkel, age 15, (on Prozac and Ritalin) shot his parents while they slept then went to school and opened fire killing 2 classmates and injuring 22 shortly after beginning Prozac treatment.

Luke Woodham, age 16 (Prozac) killed his mother and then killed two students, wounding six others.

A boy in Pocatello, ID (Zoloft) in 1998 had a Zoloft-induced seizure that caused an armed stand off at his school.

Michael Carneal (Ritalin), age 14, opened fire on students at a high school prayer meeting in West Paducah, Kentucky. Three teenagers were killed, five others were wounded..

A young man in Huntsville, Alabama (Ritalin) went psychotic chopping up his parents with an ax and also killing one sibling and almost murdering another.

Andrew Golden, age 11, (Ritalin) and Mitchell Johnson, aged 14, (Ritalin) shot 15 people, killing four students, one teacher, and wounding 10 others.

TJ Solomon, age 15, (Ritalin) high school student in Conyers, Georgia opened fire on and wounded six of his class mates.

Rod Mathews, age 14, (Ritalin) beat a classmate to death with a bat.

James Wilson, age 19, (various psychiatric drugs) from Breenwood, South Carolina, took a .22 caliber revolver into an elementary school killing two young girls, and wounding seven other children and two teachers.

Elizabeth Bush, age 13, (Paxil) was responsible for a school shooting in Pennsylvania

Jason Hoffman (Effexor and Celexa) – school shooting in El Cajon, California

Jarred Viktor, age 15, (Paxil), after five days on Paxil he stabbed his grandmother 61 times.

Chris Shanahan, age 15 (Paxil) in Rigby, ID who out of the blue killed a woman.

Jeff Franklin (Prozac and Ritalin), Huntsville, AL, killed his parents as they came home from work using a sledge hammer, hatchet, butcher knife and mechanic’s file, then attacked his younger brothers and sister.

Neal Furrow (Prozac) in LA Jewish school shooting reported to have been court-ordered to be on Prozac along with several other medications.

Kevin Rider, age 14, was withdrawing from Prozac when he died from a gunshot wound to his head. Initially it was ruled a suicide, but two years later, the investigation into his death was opened as a possible homicide. The prime suspect, also age 14, had been taking Zoloft and other SSRI antidepressants.

Alex Kim, age 13, hung himself shortly after his Lexapro prescription had been doubled.

Diane Routhier was prescribed Welbutrin for gallstone problems. Six days later, after suffering many adverse effects of the drug, she shot herself.

Billy Willkomm, an accomplished wrestler and a University of Florida student, was prescribed Prozac at the age of 17. His family found him dead of suicide – hanging from a tall ladder at the family’s Gulf Shore Boulevard home in July 2002.

Kara Jaye Anne Fuller-Otter, age 12, was on Paxil when she hung herself from a hook in her closet. Kara’s parents said “…. the damn doctor wouldn’t take her off it and I asked him to when we went in on the second visit. I told him I thought she was having some sort of reaction to Paxil…”)

Gareth Christian, Vancouver, age 18, was on Paxil when he committed suicide in 2002,
(Gareth’s father could not accept his son’s death and killed himself.)

Julie Woodward, age 17, was on Zoloft when she hung herself in her family’s detached garage.

Matthew Miller was 13 when he saw a psychiatrist because he was having difficulty at school. The psychiatrist gave him samples of Zoloft. Seven days later his mother found him dead, hanging by a belt from a laundry hook in his closet.

Kurt Danysh, age 18, and on Prozac, killed his father with a shotgun. He is now behind prison bars, and writes letters, trying to warn the world that SSRI drugs can kill.

Woody ____, age 37, committed suicide while in his 5th week of taking Zoloft. Shortly before his death his physician suggested doubling the dose of the drug. He had seen his physician only for insomnia. He had never been depressed, nor did he have any history of any mental illness symptoms.

A boy from Houston, age 10, shot and killed his father after his Prozac dosage was increased.

Hammad Memon, age 15, shot and killed a fellow middle school student. He had been diagnosed with ADHD and depression and was taking Zoloft and “other drugs for the conditions.”

Matti Saari, a 22-year-old culinary student, shot and killed 9 students and a teacher, and wounded another student, before killing himself. Saari was taking an SSRI and a benzodiazapine.

Steven Kazmierczak, age 27, shot and killed five people and wounded 21 others before killing himself in a Northern Illinois University auditorium. According to his girlfriend, he had recently been taking Prozac, Xanax and Ambien. Toxicology results showed that he still had trace amounts of Xanax in his system.

Finnish gunman Pekka-Eric Auvinen, age 18, had been taking antidepressants before he killed eight people and wounded a dozen more at Jokela High School – then he committed suicide.
Asa Coon from Cleveland, age 14, shot and wounded four before taking his own life. Court records show Coon was on Trazodone.

Jon Romano, age 16, on medication for depression, fired a shotgun at a teacher in his
New York high school.

Missing from list… 3 of 4 known to have taken these same meds….

What drugs was Jared Lee Loughner on, age 21…… killed 6 people and injuring 14 others in Tuscon, Az

What drugs was James Eagan Holmes on, age 24….. killed 12 people and injuring 59 others in Aurora Colorado

What drugs was Jacob Tyler Roberts on, age 22, killed 2 injured 1, Clackamas Or

What drugs was Adam Peter Lanza on, age 20, Killed 26 and wounded 2 in Newtown Ct

I think it's pretty obvious the child didn't inhale any smoke. If he had he would have been coughing his ass off.

I think this is a case where the parents thought it would be funny to video their kid "hitting" a bong knowing full well the kid wouldn't be smoking anything. It reminds me of other times when parents thought it would be funny if a kid was pretending to drink a beer or from a wine bottle but knowing full well the cap or cork was in place so the kid wasn't really drinking anything and it would make a funny picture.

For all of you freaking out about this kid smoking weed and stunting his brain growth need to frickin' relax. The child didn't smoke anything. I believe he was just imitating his parents motions as far as hitting a bong.

With that said, though, I do think there is a time and a place for everything and smoking pot in front of children shouldn't be done. That goes for anything from tobacco to alcohol to etc. Obviously, kids shouldn't be smoking pot (duh). But, I also think it is pretty hypocritical of those condemning these parents for allegedly giving weed to their kid when I know parents give their kids a sip of wine or beer from time to time and some parents even use a drop of hard liquor to numb the pain for a baby's teething.

Even if this was a harmless joke that didn't hurt the child, the real damage that has been done is to the marijuana legalization movement. This only gives fodder to the anti-pot crowd and continues the perpetuation of the stereotypes surrounding pot smokers. Do we ever see articles about smart intelligent successful people who smoke marijuana responsibly? Yes, these people do exist but it seems the lame stream media will only pick up on the stories that would continue the demonetization of weed and lend credence to the lies and propaganda of the DEA and their ilk.

Twenty years from now after pot has been fully legalized at the federal level this story wouldn't be making it into the headline news.

The child won't die from this or even be harmed. Don't believe the MSM hype.

While this may be true it is still a bad habit as is smoking. If nothing else there are long term effects to the lungs over prolonged usage and we certainly don't know what the effects are on a developing mind. Shall we start kids drinking too?

A couple Obama voters, no doubt.

With all the guns? Probably Romney voters if you ask me.

To fishman, that is really eye openning! If that is all fact, which would not surprise me at all, it would appear that the medical field, not for say pointing at Dr.'s need to take note as well as all parents with children or any adult on scripts like this!!! Let the 2nd amendment alone and focus on this!!!! Let's see an article on this rather than gun laws!!!!

I would like to see the video for myself before deciding. All I see is a picture of a kid standing next to someone holding a bong. As far as the police statement, should we just take their word for it? Were the plants and firearms within reach of the child?

Here is a few for you to ponder as well Fishman.

- Tyler, age 8 died as a result of blunt force trauma caused by a speeding motorcyclist high on Pot. The motor cycle struck the side of the PARKED Minivan, launching the cyclist through the side panel window, striking the 8 year old FULL FORCE in the upper torso and head. Pretty amazing that harmless weed WAS responsible for this death.

- Lyne Maldraves, age 16 held up a local gas station with a toy pistol concealed in a bag. She was later arrested during a drug bust at a local hotel where she was purchasing marijuana with the stolen money.

- Judy Wang, age 46, mother of 3 and a local prosecuting attorney was killed in a motor traffic accident while being struck from behind on the interstate. Court records show the motorist was doing 108 mph when he struck Mrs Wang. During his testimony, David James Bugni, 26 stated he was late and on his way to a bong party. A blood sample taken from Bugni about 90 minutes after the wreck turned up both alcohol and marijuana, though his blood-alcohol concentration was below the legal limit of 0.08. Bugni pleaded guilty on July 14 to felonies of negligent homicide and criminal endangerment based on an agreement with the state. (Amazing, another death caused by wonder weed intoxication)

- The head of the Montana Department of Justice's narcotics bureau said Wednesday that crime has increased in 78 percent of the state's jurisdictions since medical marijuana became legal in Montana.

Mark Long told the Gallatin County Republican Women during a luncheon that crimes associated with medical marijuana have included homicides, robberies, thefts and assaults. And he added that, because the state is "saturated with medical marijuana," it's become a source for the illegal selling and purchasing of the drug as well. Most crimes involve those without the means of purchasing the drug, resorting to other crimes to obtain the drug or the funds necessary to purchase marijuana.

- Jason Christ might have been unhappy with his phone service, but he went too far when he allegedly threatened to bomb a Verizon store, a prosecutor told a Missoula County District Court jury Wednesday. Last week, Christ – best known as a medical marijuana entrepreneur with a tendency to smoke cannabis in public – was banned from the University of Montana campus after allegedly smoking marijuana in the School of Law library, where he was preparing for his trial. Here is a link about Mr. Christ from NORML, you know the pro pot advocates http://www.opposingviews.com/i/activist-jason-christ-busted-hurts-medical-marijuana-cause . From this article, " A search of the offices of an outspoken medical marijuana provider turned up 729 medical marijuana recommendation forms apparently signed by physicians with no patient information filled in, a newspaper reported Wednesday.

Several former employees of the Montana Caregivers Network have told police that pot provider Jason Christ kept pre-signed forms, and that information was used to obtain a warrant, the Missoulian said."In July, Christ was charged with criminal mischief anddisorderly conduct after a dust-up at a Missoula auto repair shop.Christ went to the Automotive Clinic on Catlin Street, complained about work done on his car, allegedly started to smoke marijuana and ripped an automotive manual when employees complained, according to Missoula police Sgt. Bob Bouchee. Last month, he pleaded guilty in Municipal Court in connection with that case, and paid a $250 fine with a $101 surcharge. A charge of disorderly conduct was dismissed."

- Terrance Seymour is accused of killing Kris Matthews on Sept. 19 as they argued over a $20 bag of marijuana, and the murder of Brandon Whitby, 21, as the two argued over a stolen moped.

Seymour could have faced first-degree murder charges in those cases, which has a mandatory life sentence, in addition to charges of robbery, assault and conspiracy charges.

Now, all but the two second-degree murder charges and the two felony use of a firearm charges will be dropped. However, as a fourth-felony offender who has pleaded guilty to two murders, the likelihood that 19-year-old Seymour will ever get out of prison are slim.

Yeah, you people are right. Those who smoke dope don't harm a soul.... MORONS.

Will the Watcher:

Yeah, you people are right. Those who smoke dope don't harm a soul.... MORONS.

You are nitpicking articles that happen to have marijuana in there some where and blaming the drug for the carelessness of human beings.

Pot doesn't kill people. People kill people.

None of anything you posted is a reason to keep pot illegal or a reason to continue the vastly expensive and catastrophically failed marijuana prohibition.

Your saying "you people" and "MORONS" is telling in that it's the PEOPLE that use the drug that you hate.

Will the Watcher

- Judy Wang, age 46, mother of 3 and a local prosecuting attorney was killed in a motor traffic accident while being struck from behind on the interstate. Court records show the motorist was doing 108 mph when he struck Mrs Wang. During his testimony, David James Bugni, 26 stated he was late and on his way to a bong party. A blood sample taken from Bugni about 90 minutes after the wreck turned up both alcohol and marijuana, though his blood-alcohol concentration was below the legal limit of 0.08. Bugni pleaded guilty on July 14 to felonies of negligent homicide and criminal endangerment based on an agreement with the state. (Amazing, another death caused by wonder weed intoxication)

Should I post examples of people being high on life that committed crimes? We can do this all day...its silly. Legalize pot. Its much more benign than alcohol. Anyone with a brain knows this. You cant cure stupid no matter what you ban or allow.

Intoxication is intoxication wether it a legal or illegal substance. The original point made overwhelmingly by fisherman was those were all prescribed medications, Legal. Can't just point at illegal!

Well done Fishman - hypocritical parents decry the expansion of marijuana laws meanwhile stuffing their kids full of prescription drugs with no long-term scientific study into their effects. But this is nothing new, such has been the case with middle-class suburban housewives for generations, inflaming a moral panic about hippies while popping their own favorite socially acceptable substances - courtesy big pharma and the elected politicians who live in the industry's pocket.

"Just say no" to drugs for kids, and just say no to standardized testing. Libertarians unite! around the marijuana issue.

Oh and I could go on with hundreds of names of kids and young adults who have killed themselves due to takeing prescrbed mind altering meds for things as minor as ADHD.

School Shootings & Psychotropics- Guns Don't Kill But Medicated People Do

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M84lGnftIYo

youtube.com/watch?v=M84lGnftIYo

How many people just (only) smoking some pot have gone out on shooting rampages? If any I bet if any you could count them on one hand as pot is a depressant/relaxor but in some folks can cause anxiety. Many of the folks that experiance anxiety stop smoking as it then is unpleasant unless they are smoking due to pain, nausea, glaucoma, etc.

Now just look at the number of killings due to prescribed drugs or even alchohol which both are legal

Why do idiots film this stuff to begin with???? I love the morons that film their crimes and wonder how it got them in so much trouble LOL.

It seems that the shallow end of the gene pool is getting larger by the minute!

And my point wagewatcher is to say ANY DRUG is harmless is assinine at best. People will do anything to obtain thier drug of choice to feed thier addiction. And before anyone says pot isn't addictive, I will submit this to you. There are 2 kinds of addiction - physical and psychological. Physical addiction is those things we see common with meth and prescription drugs. The withdrawl, the DTs, the physiological alterations to the body. Psychological addiction is that repeated behavior where one experiences that high. The euphoric craving of ingesting a substance to achieve a desired physiologic state. POT, like any other drug is an addiction.

Now while we can argue all day on how pot is less harmful than booze, less harmful than cocaine, heroine, meth, etc, the bottom line is a drug is a drug. And for some to say any drug should be legalized for recreational usage is, in my opinion, completely assinine. We already have enough problems with that other drug - booze -, you know that "harmless" drink that is responsible for thousands of deaths every year. I have already pointed out people are NOT content with just sitting on thier couch, smoking thier mary jane and munchin tater chips. THEY hit the streets and cause traffic fatalities. They committ crimes like armed robbery, murder, burglary to obtain thier harmless wonder weed.

The funny thing is, if you look at the top 3 reasons why people committ crime, and especially true for crimes like embezzlement, they are committed to feed a drug habit, a drinking habit, or a gambling habit. Attend open court sessions or even the substance abuse court and see for yourself.

I think it is absolutely hypocritical for anyone to say kids shouldn't smoke dope, preach that, then turn around and do it. The double standards are beyond stupid. But alas, we all make excuses for why we do the things we do, put any spin or twist on those things we do, and present the half baked lies and diminish the true nature of the acts we committ. We never accept the full responsibility of anything we do, it is always someone elses fault, always a "being victimized by the system" for being faced with the reality of being held somewhat accountable when we get caught, and then we martyr ourselves by championing the cause of legalizing the very things that got us into trouble in the first place.

I guess the true bottom line is NOTHING is as harmless as it seems, and regardless of what any of us say, feel, or believe, there will always be someone out there that just can't fathom the illegality of thier addiction. If we can demonize something like soda, potato chips, and deep fried foods, how in the hell can we say ANY DRUG is perfectly OK.

Will the Watcher

I agree that there is lack of taking responsibility for ones actions, and I also believe that is a major cause of degradation of society. But what I see as truly hypocritical is government selectively determining and legislating morality.

The question we should ask is why? Usually you can follow the money and find the answer. People can brew their own alcohol, but it is not the norm. Because the majority of alcohol is manufactured and sold, it can be taxed easily. And because pot can be grown by anyone easily, and most likely would never be able to be manufactured and taxed, government has pushed society in the direction of using one vise over another.

You mentioned soda, potato chips, and deep fried foods. Let's explore that one. Obesity and the health affects it causes kills more people than most other drugs combined, but let's follow the money. Promoting processed foods raises tax revenue. Also, since a huge part of GDP is healthcare, which I see as maintenance, promoting this crap increases revenue that would otherwise not be there. Also, the legal drugs are a huge industry, which also adds greatly to GDP and revenue.

I believe this is by design and really has no basis in morality of a specific vice, but has to do with revenue. The problem is that through the Dept of ED we have generations that have been taught to implicitly trust what ever they are told by government. Pot bad, alcohol good, etc.

I don't use, but I don't believe it should be government mandate to tell people they can't as long as they take responsibility for their actions.

Will the Watcher:

POT, like any other drug is an addiction.

POT is an addiction? Are you trying to say that anyone who smokes pot is an addict? Or any other drug for that matter? Wouldn't that also mean if you drink one serving of alcohol then you must be, according to your logic, an alcoholic? Please clarify.

Am I also to believe from your post that you think we should be a drug free society? Are you a Puritan of some sort and thinks everyone should live a life free from inebriation or partaking of any drug?

People have been using drugs for thousands of years and if your goal is to have a drug fre society, well, good luck with that endeavor. You will NEVER achieve that goal. Especially in a country where people are free to make a choice. That is unless you want to change our Constitution and replace it with some kind of totalitarian doctrine dictating to everyone how they are supposed to live their lives and what they can or cannot put into their own bodies. If you think the reason why the government wants to keep marijuana illegal is because of health or safety reasons you would be sorely mistaken. It's all ways about the dollar and profits in this country. There is the real motivator for perpetuating a costly and failed drug war.

And for some to say any drug should be legalized for recreational usage is, in my opinion, completely assinine.

What is completely asinine is the continuation of the spectacularly failed and very costly drug war, especially marijuana prohibition. We tried alcohol prohibition all ready and we all know the results of that failed policy. But we still seem to have not learned the mistakes of prohibition in the 20's because here we are nearly a hundred years later and repeating the same mistakes. All prohibition has accomplished is having more violence, deaths, and corruption. You talk about the crime associated with drugs yet seem to ignore the fact that it is prohibition causing the majority of it all. For someone who wants to reduce violence and crime you would be a hypocrite to want to continue with the abomination of prohibition.

I have already pointed out people are NOT content with just sitting on thier couch, smoking thier mary jane and munchin tater chips. THEY hit the streets and cause traffic fatalities. They committ crimes like armed robbery, murder, burglary to obtain thier harmless wonder weed.

Of the millions of people that do smoke weed responsibly you want to penalize them for the actions of the few that commit crimes. If pot were responsible for these people's actions then there would be chaos in the streets because millions of people smoke pot. Your statement is all encompassing and you are trying to give the impression that all pot smokers act in these ways which is just not the case.

I think it is absolutely hypocritical for anyone to say kids shouldn't smoke dope, preach that, then turn around and do it.

So are you telling me that if you tell your kids not to have sex then you, as an adult, shouldn't have sex? Do you see the ridiculousness of your logic? Obviously children shouldn't partake of adult activities because, well, they're CHILDREN!!!

If we can demonize something like soda, potato chips, and deep fried foods, how in the hell can we say ANY DRUG is perfectly OK.

NO drug is perfectly OK! Actually, any behavior that causes someone harm isn't OK. Addiction to anything can be harmful be it to cheeseburgers to sex to drugs to whatever. I believe the real problem here is addictive personalities and behavior. Again, I ask you, do you think just because someone takes a drug they automatically are an addict and then need rehabilitation? I think not. Many people can be responsible with their drug use just like people can be responsible for their alcohol use. We live in a free society and people should have the right to control their own lives and not let the nanny government dictate to citizens how to live their lives. I agree people should be held accountable for their actions especially if they are harming others. But, if you are going to start eliminating everything under the sun that might cause someone harm then you may as well stop living.

OK Rat, let's examine your arguments.

POT is an addiction? Are you trying to say that anyone who smokes pot is an addict? Or any other drug for that matter? Wouldn't that also mean if you drink one serving of alcohol then you must be, according to your logic, an alcoholic? Please clarify.

Am I also to believe from your post that you think we should be a drug free society? Are you a Puritan of some sort and thinks everyone should live a life free from inebriation or partaking of any drug?

IF we look at addiction as it truly is, that is to say a person who continually seeks that chemical gratification, that high, that inebriation then of course you would have to consider that is an addiction. Likewise when that gratification comes at the expense of committing crimes, deciding to either buy dope or pay your bills, and engaging in such behavior that it becomes destructive, certainly we can say that is addiction. I am not a puritan by any means. But what I see as the "excuses" of getting high, drunk, smoked up, stoned, or what have you is the "I had a bad day at work", "Life sucks", "My old lady is cheating on me", "I lost my job", "the cat crapped in my cereal", and the host of other excuses we see, the so called "reasons" why people are dope addicts, boozers, and basically dregs the underlying truth is they do it because they refuse to cope, refuse to better thier situation, feel sorry for themselves, lack the intestinal fortitude to push forward. Drugs become the vehicle, the crutch basically for an inability and a lack of desire to cope.

I think we can agree the problem of drunk drivers is pretty substantial. I would also think we can both agree drunk driving related accidents, dui's, and the host of other societal problems involving booze are 100% preventable. People PLAN on going to the bar. They Get in thier car with the intention of going to the bar. They CONSCIOUSLY after having driven to the bar consume alcohol. And then CONSCIOUSLY get behind the wheel. NO WHERE, chief in the whole miriad of conscious decisions comes the most important one. The safe ride home. The designated driver. It is becoming MORE COMMON PLACE drivers under the influence of pot and other drugs are causing traffic fatalities. They are running over kids playing in the yard. They are crashing into houses. They are adding to an already alarming problem. So is the solution to say screw it, let people get high, stoned, drunk and take to the streets? Or do we modify that behavior in the name of public safety?

What is completely asinine is the continuation of the spectacularly failed and very costly drug war, especially marijuana prohibition. We tried alcohol prohibition all ready and we all know the results of that failed policy. But we still seem to have not learned the mistakes of prohibition in the 20's because here we are nearly a hundred years later and repeating the same mistakes. All prohibition has accomplished is having more violence, deaths, and corruption. You talk about the crime associated with drugs yet seem to ignore the fact that it is prohibition causing the majority of it all. For someone who wants to reduce violence and crime you would be a hypocrite to want to continue with the abomination of prohibition.

The so called war on drugs is a folly in its current form. The idea is that if you squeeze supply, the demand will suddenly disappear. The correct way of ending these types of things is to target the source of the problem. The source isn't the dealer, but the consumer. It becomes even more apparent when you have people who for what ever reason start with that first drug usage. And we will disagree I am sure, because you see pot as harmless. I don't. I have seen 1st hand the lengths people will go to to obtain thier high. I have attended the funerals of those killed by SMOKED UP drivers. I have attended funerals of those killed over dime baggies of that "weed" that can be grown anywhere.

I attended a trial not to long ago, where the same argument was made concerning child pornography. The sicko actually said "the censorship of pornographic images of ANY person, of ANY age, was a violation of thier 1st Amendment Right." They went on to say they viewed these images and videos in the privacy of THIER OWN HOME, and should NOT BE SUBJECTED TO the prohibition of thier "freedoms" within the confines of thier house. Furthermore, this sick POS actually had the gall to say we are all natural creatures and it is an abomination to deny ourselves the natural urges that we feel, and by denying ourselves the fundamental rights of satisfying those needs we are perpetuating a monopoly on various industries to regulate what is "morally" acceptable. And yes, this sicko was found guilty, and his sentence was FAR FAR LESS than what I would consider justice.

Of the millions of people that do smoke weed responsibly you want to penalize them for the actions of the few that commit crimes. If pot were responsible for these people's actions then there would be chaos in the streets because millions of people smoke pot. Your statement is all encompassing and you are trying to give the impression that all pot smokers act in these ways which is just not the case.

The same argument can be made for gun ownership. The few that committ crimes are having the imposing effect on those responsible gun owners who, unlike drug users, have a constitutional right to own and bear firearms. Certainly in your argument a gun rights activist could easily substitute the word pot or marijuana with Guns and you have the same argument being made. But of course, guns are evil - it isn't the few PEOPLE that misuse those weapons - but the whole firearm itself. Never mind the facts that drugged and drunk drivers kill more people in a month than firearms are responsible for a year. Never mind that guns are not the only tool criminals use to engage in thier enterprises. But the one thing is certain, guns are used in a majority of the cases involving the drug trade. I never hear about someone being shot or bludgeoned to death with a pot pipe to steal or obtain a gun, but I sure as hell hear about someone being shot over the theft of a dime baggie of dope.

We live in a free society and people should have the right to control their own lives and not let the nanny government dictate to citizens how to live their lives. I agree people should be held accountable for their actions especially if they are harming others. But, if you are going to start eliminating everything under the sun that might cause someone harm then you may as well stop living.

And this is the crux of having laws, of regulating an acceptable standard of behavior. What is right to you and what is right to me might be totally different. What is perfectly ok to some is not ok to others. This is the same bull@!$%# that goes on with that "clean indoor air act". No longer can you smoke in a bar, or a casino, or in some places, even your own damned yard, because that nasty 2nd hand smoke might harm someone else in that bar or gambling hall. Funny though, ALL THAT BOOZE they are consuming is NEVER of consequence to those these drunks go out daily and kill, harm, maim, injure, or otherwise "victimize" that person who happens to cross paths with that boozer. Sure smoking causes health problems, but let's be honest, eating and drinking any processed food will kill you too. But we sure as hell accept the 50 ingredients in a can of Green Beans, the 90+ chemical ingredients in a pot pie, and the silly assed notion that cows milk will kill you if it isn't pasturized, chemically enhanced with a synthetic vitamin D compound, and isn't healthy. But sure seems to me, prior to our USDA regulated standards of "safe food", people had less incidents of obesity, less heart disease, less cancer, less diabeties, less digestive problems, far fewer "food alergies", and were actually HEALTHIER than our modern miracles of science. Sure you can say the same about pot. People can say the same about Heroin, Cocaine, and the host of naturally occuring opiates found in plants. So where do we draw the line? With your drug? With my food? With Heroin Harry's Drug? And how about the other jackasses out there that think METH should be legal? Or ecstacy?

But I do think we agree people will do whatever they wish. I disagree with you and your contention that MANY PEOPLE can be responsible with thier drug use, just like thier alcohol use. If people's responsible BOOZE USE is anything to gauge the responsibility in consumption and usage, then hands down, I would say your are extremely misguided. IF responsibility equates to for example, in 2010, where 10,228 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, accounting for nearly one-third (31%) of all traffic-related deaths in the United States. This amounts to one death every 48 minutes. According to estimates, someone is injured in an alcohol-related accident every two minutes, About two-thirds of DUI convictions are for first time offenders (Source CDC). In the United States, the public cost of alcohol-induced traffic incidents is estimated to be around $114.3 billion per year. This includes $51.1 billion in monetary costs and roughly $62.3 billion in life losses. The driver is not the only one financially affected in these situations; people other than the drunk driver pay around $71.6 billion (the larger chunk mind you)for alcohol-related crashes, in enforcement, insurance costs, and property damage, then I think there is NO SUCH THING AS A RESPONSIBLE DRUG USER.

Will the Watcher

I disagree. It is not about drug use, it is about accountability and responsibility. Guaranteed, we publicly execute some drunk for killing a family while driving while wasted it would change behavior knowing that there would be consequences for actions.

Some might argue it cruel and unusual, but what about the rights of the victims? That was cruel and too often usual.

It should be about victims rights. IF there is no victim, then you retain whatever rights you choose.

And I agree John. This is the whole crux of the how to stop violent crimes argument. When you have a deterrent, i.e. capital punishment for any violent crime, be it robbery, burglary, murder, rape, or the attempted commission of a violent crime lands you in prison for life (and I mean FOR LIFE) the rewards will always outweigh the risks of committing that crime.

We are too damned consumed with the hug the criminal attitude, forgetting about the victim of that crime. We encourage the list of excuses, responsibility shirking, the non accountability, not responsible garbage. We further reward it with the average 14 years of appeals before sentence is carried out. We worry about the "suffering" of the poor bastard on death row and how they might be too fat, too scared, too emotionally distressed to meet thier fate. It sure as hell wasn't a concern whatsoever about the fear, the pain, the anxiety, the no chance of parole, appeal, or consideration of the victim. No, instead ALL CHOICES were off the table, and the victim got what the victim got. THIS mentality needs to end. The gurney trip, go to sleep, pain free, morality bull crap of respecting the humanity of those who had NO RESPECT for the humanity of thier victims garbage. Let capital punishment be a beheading. An axe will slice through fat as quick as a hot knife through melted butter. Axes are reusable. They are CHEAPER than the $68 drugs to send the convicted and condemned off with. And believe me, there is no need for monitors, doctors, medical staff hanging around. The head comes off and there is no question about the demise of that convict.

And yes, I agree executions should be as public as possible. Set the example with the deterrence, and let the punishment speak for itself. But we aren't that way, and as a result, we encourage criminality with our pansy assed approach to punishment. 98% of cases are settled with a plea bargain. The jacked up thing about it is 100% of the victims never recieved such a consideration or offer.

So we can agree that it has nothing to do with civil liberties, what people choose to do, or not do, unless it affects others?

I think a lot of people could use some understanding that it is the biased towards criminal legal system that lawyers have created that is the problem, not what people choose to do if it affects no others. I wish we could strip all law and precedence and revert to the Constitution and start all over with and see what we come up with. Quick trials, quick justice, without all the crap.

I was actually refreshed a couple of weeks ago when the man was shot dead half inside a window in someones home and the mother simply stated that it sounded like something he would do, instead of defending him. She knew he deserved it. We need more of that.

It would depend on what "civil liberties" we are discussing. After attending that trial of the "medical marijuana provider" who got caught with those kiddie porn images on his cell phone, and the subsequent search of his home where they turned up even more kiddie porn, I would think he - and he said so much during his trial - that his civil liberties to do what he wanted in HIS HOME, were his business.

And it struck me as interesting that the WONDER WEED didn't cure him of his perverse ailment. But I do agree with you, it would be nice to "start over" as it were, and realize we have laws in this land for a specific reason. We, as a society, just tend to not have the balls to hold people 100% accountable.

OK Will, let's examine your responses:

IF we look at addiction as it truly is,...

So if someone does any drugs, alcohol included, to "cope" with daily stress they are an addict? Just one joint, or just a drink or two, they are considered an addict? But they still pay their bills, pay their taxes, go to work, do their chores...they must have a problem because they don't deal with the stress and pressures they way you do? As long as they aren't hurting anyone and are responsible I say THAT IS THEIR CHOICE! If someone is committing crimes to achieve their high and hurting someone then yes, that would be an addiction where someone needs help and should pay their dues to society. But if they aren't affecting you WTF business is it of yours what they do with their lives and how they deal with the pressures of this society? If they develop a problem then they should seek help. Your post still doesn't give any real reason for drugs to remain criminalized.

What about those people who do it just for the fun of it and they don't need it as a crutch to "cope"? Are they considered an addict as well?

...and the host of other excuses we see, the so called "reasons" why people are dope addicts, boozers, and basically dregs the underlying truth is they do it because they refuse to cope, refuse to better thier situation, feel sorry for themselves, lack the intestinal fortitude to push forward.

This comment says it all. So if someone uses chemicals to relieve stress then they are a dreg?! If they use drugs to relieve stress then they are a boozer or a drunk or a dope addict??!!! Please get off your high horse and stop looking down your nose at others who deal with life differently than you do. Just because you have the "intestinal fortitude" to deal with life differently doesn't give you the high ground to stick your nose in the air at others. Your definition of an addict is basically anyone who does drugs or alcohol must have a problem and must, therefore, be an addict. What a bunch of BS!

I think we can agree the problem of drunk drivers is pretty substantial.

Yes. But with education and public awareness drunk driving has decreased over the years, especially with young people.

It is becoming MORE COMMON PLACE drivers under the influence of pot and other drugs are causing traffic fatalities.

Um, actually, I haven't seen this trend. If this were true I'm sure the lame stream media would have picked up on this and the anti-drug crowd would be all over this. Do you have any evidence or links or studies that back up this statement? Also, can you back up the claim where there is a rash of fatal accidents that were ONLY due to marijuana usage? And I'm not talking about "tests showed marijuana in the system" BS because we all know pot stays in the system long after the effects of the high have dissipated. You could smoke a joint a month ago and can test positive today even though the high only lasted for 3-5 hours.

So is the solution to say screw it, let people get high, stoned, drunk and take to the streets? Or do we modify that behavior in the name of public safety?

Of course NOT! Driving under the influence is and should stay illegal. Why change that? As with alcohol, people who do drugs can be responsible and not drive while under the influence. Those who do pay the price. Tragedies are going to happen if they are illegal or not and there is no sure fire way of preventing that. Education is the key to preventing these tragedies from happening. Prohibition does nothing to prevent this and actually causes more tragedies associated with the drug trafficking, gang wars, etc.

The correct way of ending these types of things is to target the source of the problem. The source isn't the dealer, but the consumer.

You say you aren't a Puritan but it sure seems your perfect world and idea of a Utopia would be a drug free world. You have to accept the reality that drug use IS HERE TO STAY. Drug use has been around since the dawn of civilization and nothing is going to change that. So you are very wrong in your statement about the consumer being the problem over the dealer. It is actually the illegal drug trafficking that is the REAL problem. Prohibition fuels organized crime and corruption and gives rise to more violence and deaths than all illegal drug use combined. You wanting a drug free society is a pipe dream at best.

And we will disagree I am sure, because you see pot as harmless.

ANNNNNT!!!! (game show buzzer sound) Wrong again! I have never said pot is harmless. What I will say is that of all the drugs legal and illegal, pot is by leaps and bounds less harmful. Marijuana use alone has never killed anyone. Thousands upon thousands of people die every year from using alcohol and tobacco yet there isn't one single death from pot. But, can you tell me why pot is sooooo harmful? The worst thing I can think of that pot MAY cause is COPD which is by far a very few limited cases. Pot isn't for everyone and just like alcohol isn't for everyone. For the majority of pot smokers they don't have these adverse effects. Short term memory and low sperm count are some side effects but if that is considered harmful I'd rather have those side effects compared to alcohol and tobacco which cause numerous deadly side effects like cancer, etc.

I have attended the funerals of those killed by SMOKED UP drivers.

And you are telling me that ALCOHOL didn't have anything to do with that traffic fatality? Pot alone caused that fatality? Need speed factor was involved? No other factors period?

I have attended funerals of those killed over dime baggies of that "weed" that can be grown anywhere.

An easy and obvious solution to this is END PROHIBITION which drives the black market and the violence and deaths surrounding illegal drug trafficking. You are blaming the drug when it's the laws that are to blame.

I attended a trial not to long ago, where the same argument was made concerning child pornography.

How you compared child pornography, which obviously haves a VICTIM, to smoking pot in the privacy of ones home is incorrigible to say the least. Nice way to tie in a sick activity such as child porn to pot smokers (sar). GEEZUS!!! Nice try though...

The same argument can be made for gun ownership. The...

WTF does guns have anything to do with the current subject. If anything the war on drugs and drug prohibition exacerbate the problems with gun violence. I'm all for people having the right to bear arms. Like they say, "guns don't kill people, people kill people". You sum it up in this one sentence:

But the one thing is certain, guns are used in a majority of the cases involving the drug trade.

Again, drugs are not the root problem. IT"S THE LAWS and PROHIBITION!!!

And this is the crux of having laws, of regulating an acceptable standard of behavior.

I agree. We must have laws. But, we also must have common sense laws. The laws that support prohibition DO NOT WORK and cause more harm than all illegal drug use combined. Making drugs illegal is NOT the answer. Education is very key to preventing the ills of society in every aspect. If we spent as much resources as we spend on the drug war and drug prohibition I would bet the farm we would see dramatic results. It wouldn't totally eradicate society's problems but it would be many many times more effective. If heroin were to be made legal tomorrow would you go out and start doing heroin? NO! You wouldn't because all ready have the knowledge of the harms of using that drug. This "just say no" crap is so ineffective and a laugh!

So where do we draw the line?

Free will. People should have the freedom to make their own choices. BUT, those choices should not and cannot infringe on the rights and welfare of others. That is where the line is drawn. That's where the laws should come in and make people who do cross the line pay for their infringement. Tragedies are going to happen regardless of any law. We live in an imperfect world and no legislation is going to change that.

But I do think we agree people will do whatever they wish.

Yes.

I disagree with you and your contention that MANY PEOPLE can be responsible with thier drug use, just like thier alcohol use. If people's responsible BOOZE USE is anything to gauge the responsibility in consumption and usage, then hands down, I would say your are extremely misguided.

I don't see why you would disagree for millions upon millions of people are responsible in their use of drugs and alcohol everyday. I wonder what the percentage is of all the drug and alcohol users who are responsible vs. the irresponsible ones who cause harm to others? Looking at alcohol, you stated there were 10,228 alcohol related traffic fatalities in 2010. It was estimated in 2011 that 130 million people drank alcohol. So, assuming this average is steady from year to year, that would mean 7% were deviant. Are we to penalize the other 93% based on the other 7%? I think not. While I do not down play the tragedies surrounding drug or alcohol use and that we don't have issues or problems to deal with, I do think you are extremely blowing this out of proportion.

...there is NO SUCH THING AS A RESPONSIBLE DRUG USER.

Tell that to the 97% of alcohol (a drug) users who are responsible.

Sorry this was so long but I had to respond in kind. I think the bottom line here is we are going to have to agree to disagree on many issues surrounding this subject. We could keep debating in circles to no end. Thank you for not turning to verbal insults as many have done in the past when discussing this very controversial issue.

Peace.

Will the Watcher

Kiddie porn affected others and it may not have had anything to do with pot, What I stated was what people do is their business as long as it does not affect others. I believe it is the legal system, without ramifications, (forgive the really bad pun) that has made people believe they can do anything they want without consequence. The key is that it must not affect others.

I don't care if someone wants to get high. I don't care if someone is gay. I don't care if a couple wants to do sexually deviant things to each other as long as both are willing. It is when it affects others that it becomes a societal issue.

Mentally ill people who happened to be taking medication and killed has some nut job posting that it was the medication and not the illness? Glad they aren't a doctor.

Notfiveo

I did not post the posts you are referring to, but look up the side effects of those meds. Among most is thoughts of suicide, doing harm to others. The drug industry knows quite well what these drugs are capable of. Otherwise, what would give them the reason to list them as possible side effects other than to create plausible deniability?

Commercials on TV nowadays are more interesting than the shows when a drug one comes on. Next time listen to the side effects. It is better than a horror flick.

Rat - "How you compared child pornography, which obviously haves a VICTIM, to smoking pot in the privacy of ones home is incorrigible to say the least. Nice way to tie in a sick activity such as child porn to pot smokers (sar). GEEZUS!!! Nice try though..." Here is a link to the story of the Medical Marijuana "CARE GIVER" as they are referred to as. http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/miles-city-medical-marijuana-convict-sentenced-for-child-porn/article_4b728fc2-6bff-11e2-8146-0019bb2963f4.html

So sorry to bust your bubble here chief, but as you can see I bring facts to this discussion, as I attended this trial in person.

Your statement, "Education is very key to preventing the ills of society in every aspect. If we spent as much resources as we spend on the drug war and drug prohibition I would bet the farm we would see dramatic results." Here is the fallacy of your argument. WHO hasn't heard, seen commercials, KNOW there is a law against drinking and driving. There isn't a single person who hasn't heard IF YOU DRINK DONT DRIVE. But yet it occurs daily. The education is there, the simple fact is PEOPLE don't give a damn about the law, they only care about THEM. How many times do we hear, "I never thought it would happen to me." when it concerns getting caught drinking and driving. Did you realize for every 1 drunk driver caught, an average of 15-20 more are not. And did you realize, according to statistics, 1/3 of the drivers you encounter on the highway has consumed prior to getting behind the wheel. OF that 1 in 3, 45% of them are legally over the limit. Now I don't know about you, but education sure as @!$%# doesn't seem to be solving THAT problem.

We can also point to the main stream media exposure of METH. How many billboards do you see with some zombie faced kid or adult who is a meth addict. How many public service announcements are there on TV, Radio, in the paper, on the internet, concerning the dangers of METHAMPHETAMINES. Again Rat, the education is there, but do people listen? HELL NO they don't. And why is it that with all of the education, all of the warnings, all of the dangers being put out there that we continue to have the problem? It boils down to "It won't happen to me." "What I do with my body is my business." Well, we have seen more examples than the sterling "POT DOESN'T KILL" argument blown out of the water. ANY intoxicant, be it drugs, be it booze, be it prescription meds affect the human brain and slow reactions. It distorts depth perception. It alters "reality". And people don't give a @!$%#, because THEY are more important than those they can harm on the streets.

You said, " BUT, those choices should not and cannot infringe on the rights and welfare of others. That is where the line is drawn. " I couldn't agree more. So let's look at rights and welfare. Every accident, every health problem, every habit, every visit to the doctor costs ALL OF US. Did you know that? It costs us in insurance premiums, it costs us in taxes, it costs us in co-pays, it costs us in ways that it shouldn't. And when someone elses drug use, someone elses health choices, increases my insurance premiums and yours, you best bet it infringes on my welfare. Less money in my pocket, and I am paying for your drug rehab. How fair is that? But here again, it is YOUR CHOICE, I just have to pay for it.

And you stated "blowing this out of proportion". Isn't that what is happening with the debate on guns? The acts of a handful now infringing upon the rights of those who responsibly own firearms? How about legal rights? You think when a criminal goes to court, IF they go to court (remember according to DOJ statistics only 2% of ALL crimes result in trial) do you honestly think the rights of the victim are ever considered? Hell no they aren't. It is all about the perpetrator, and the victim becomes a mere footnote lost to obscurity.

And John, you are right. Kiddie porn isn't necessarily a victimless crime. However, you need to remember the argument that POT is a naturally occuring, easily cultivated substance. It can be grown in a closet with a lamp. It got its street name "weed", because it grows like a weed. It can grow ANYWHERE. So, answer me this. Why is it, people are buying this @!$%#, when it is easier to grow than dandelions. WHY is it being trafficked? WHY are people committing burglary, robbery and murder to obtain it? IF the argument is do what you want in your own house, WHY are people engaged in that ILLICIT transaction, when you can grow it in the privacy of your house?

The bottom line is people want what they want. They don't care about anyone but themselves and fulfilling that desire to have what they want to have. That is the nature of addiction. And let's be honest here, if POT wasn't addictive, that is, if POT didn't get you high, why would you smoke it? Why would you care about it? The truth is, it is exactly that physiological reason you want that drug. And when you seek a drug to get that high, you now have stepped into a psychological addiction. And as we know, addiction costs ALL OF US, not just the user, as the statistics show I provided earlier with the costs of drunk driving. Just something to consider...

I repeat:

I think the bottom line here is we are going to have to agree to disagree on many issues surrounding this subject. We could keep debating in circles to no end.

Our stances may be different Rat. But truthfully, I think we see some of the issues eye to eye. I think we both agree those who committ an act against an other should be held accountable. I would even venture to say that though our views are opposing, we are learning something from each other, and we are being exposed to thoughts and ideas that perhaps we hadn't thought about, or instances, or disturbing things we thought were not possible.

I have heard the Pot makes you mellow argument. But yet, I can point to Jason Christ and his antics which totally contradicts that argument. And perhaps you have never knows THC to amp up and enhance a pot smoker's "anti-social" behavior. But here is Jason Christ, the example.

You in an earlier reply alluded to pot smokers not being involved in such sickening behaviors as kiddie porn. And yet, here is Mr. Flor, a medical marijuana care giver, sentenced to 10 years for kiddie porn.

And while I will agree with you that people are people, no 2 are the same, there are some I am sure that will smoke and stay home. Happy and content eating chips, drinking pop, and watching Mall Rats, not causing a lick of trouble. And to be honest Rat, I had at one time advocated for Medical Marijuana, for those that were sick and dying. To ease the pain of cancer and aids. And along comes people like Jason Christ, who hijacked that compassionate usage and tried to turn it into thier own little shell game. In the meantime, legitimate patients who could benefit from the medicinal uses of marijuana are basically being exploited by the recreational high hop heads like Mr Christ, who used to have a medical marijuana card. His ailment as disclosed in court when HIS card was revoked was hemmoroids. Imagine that scamming a pot card intended for the sick and dying, those suffering REAL PAIN, for something a bit of prep-h should alleviate. I could also point to our neighbor, a few doors down. 16 Years old, has a pot card for, take a guess.... Menstral Cramps. 16 and can legally get high, but can't drink a beer. Again something some Motrin or some other OTC medication can mitigate, and she gets a pot card. Of course, Mommy and Daddy aren't "indulging" in her medicine. No, not at all. He recently was charged with contributing to the deliquency of minors by selling pot brownies to kids. Imagine that. His trial is scheduled for June, barring of course another instance of Plea Bargain Mania.

Now, as goofy as all of this sounds, THIS is Montana. The 48th most populated state with just over 1 million people. And if WE have these kinds of problems here, what the hell is going on in places like California? I am sure these types of incidents are not limited to a state this sparsely populated. I am sure it is just a sample of bigger travesties.

But I do wish you well, as I do anyone I engage in conversation with. Our opinions may differ, but I always hope those I agree or disagree with don't end up as some headline in the local paper as another victim of a drugged or drunk driver, or the victim of some senseless crime. Be safe.

I sincerely hope this woman never gets her kids back.

...and that's your comment? No wonder society is unraveling so quickly. The slippery slope is turning into a plunge.

Not that i think its ok, but I thought the same thing. Kids that age dont know how to inhale and hold it. I doubt he even got any into his lungs.

andy,

Where were you when you saw a one-year old teabag their mother, hiding in the closet?

Andy, your late for your"bonfire" meeting tonight. It's your turn to bring the gasoline and don't forget your clean bedsheet.......

Andy 270972 - You are an idiot . . . and likely a racist. What was that earlier comment about the gene pool?

Andy must be talking about himself and his mom. What a dumb ass.

Speaking of the gene pool. Andy is living proof that sometimes even a defective sperm cell finds the egg.

"sees thru the glass" well hello bill clinton ! "I smoked marijuana but I didn't inhale "

Is this your blog alias bill ?

It's not the damage that was or wasn't caused- it was the intent. If someone doesn't feel that feeding smoke to a kid is a bad thing, what else will they think is a-ok?

It's so horrible that the child smoked some pot. Better put him on some Ritalin or Adderall quick.

Andy, looks to me like the kid in the picture is white. There goes your theory. I know everyone's entitled to their opinion but if you can't come up with a coherent thought it's best to keep that opinion to yourself. "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt."

The big propaganda bosses over at MSNBC simply wanted to help push their anti-MJ agenda in favor of pro-Big Pharma. Nothing new to see here.

Actually Einstein, many departments and states refer to growing cannabis as "manufacturing" it.

@ CelticStormer, Fellow Physicist... In the state of Washington the charge is "Cultivation of Marijuana". I don't care what other states consider it because this infraction occurred in what state? That's right. The state of Washington. Again, the editorial department is chock full of fail by not reporting the correct charges and pushing on the fear mongering machine.

Also CelticStormer... A wolf cares not of the opinions of sheep. and you are definitely sheeple being herded right where the media wants you to go. THINK FOR YOURSELF.

Well then Sherlock, they're all wrong.

Eric,

It is only proper to cite where you steal your quips from, what was that from, the movie Troy?

As a smoker I can tell you, the mother, and bill clinton, that you do not actually need to inhale to feel the effects of cannibus. Furthermore the child is far to young to be subjected to it. For those saying it isn't harmful to a child, you are the same people that think a little brandy on the gums for a 2year old isn't harmful. Legalizing cannibus is still a must do in my opinion, right up there with taking this child from these foul parents whose real goal was looking cool on the internet.

AND, stupid enough to somehow allow it to taped (and nothing should surprise us if the f*in idiots taped it themselves).

Can you imagine when we were kids back when people sometimes did this thinking nothing of it, of parents/grandparents taking pictures of giving screaming, teething babies whiskey?

I can almost guarantee the parents or one of their meth head friends took this on their free celphone and then uploaded it to look cool. Never mix your fun, stick to one.

OK Lore, who said anything about meth? None in the article, so why try to make it worse than what it is?

Does Gerbers come in a cheetos flavor?

No, like those are @!$%#ing stupid enough to vote republican and then wonder why the economy went to @!$%# because they have no idea what the republican party stands for, they just didnt want beaners or fags to have rights.

Wow Brandon, hate much do you? Grow up

Right, stupidity is based on who you voted for.

I rather like to think that stupid people are the ones who piss and moan about the other political party non stop.

Nothing in my comment about Obama had anything to do with Repubs or Dems. It was a Patriotic comment, Obama is the worst president ever and being fooled by this man...is stupid. I am neither of the parties...I am an American Patriot. I only care for my Country and for her people (The ones that belong here)...so my statement about Obama was about the man.

People that have to proclaim their patriotism on line, usually don't have any.

ARRR thar Pyrate, I do like those who voted for President Obama. Thanks for asking. But I don't care for the Repub people in this article.

Nothing in my comment about Obama had anything to do with Repubs or Dems. It was a Patriotic comment

Pyrate is on schwag and telling stories.

If Pot was legal everyone would be so happy. All the angry people on this vine would write sweet messages to each other and there would be no more gun violence. Kids should smoke pot at an early age to start a new revolution.

Nothing in my comment about Obama had anything to do with Repubs or Dems. It was a Patriotic comment

That's right Pyrate, and being the patriotic American you are you'd be much happier if it was the traditional "
"Good Ol' Boy" President that we've always had before. You know, like Junior for instance. You can just look at him and see he was clearly a much better President. Get used to it, this time Obama, next time perhaps a woman.

As tough as the state system might be, it sounds preferable to these two or their families.

Stoners raising a stoner baby. Swell break for the kid.

RESPONSE to post # 11 - oops.

I also hope the kids name is not "Cheech"..........

If it had been MV, he's still be in jail where he belongs.

Actually, yes, letting your toddler smoke pot DOES make you a bad parent.

Pffft!!! I think most coherent people would agree that doping your toddler probably qualifies as bad parenting.

If you are so stupid as to endanger your child's life or development at 22 months, your child is better off with other parents.

You had me until you added that religious stuff.

Thank you Judge Coreee for your brilliant assessment of the situation. You must be perfect and have done nothing wrong in your life. I commend you. As for the rest of us out here just trying to survive, being human is not that easy and sometimes WE make mistakes. We can forgive people we love...but what about those we don't? I for one will not judge this Woman because I don't want to be judged for my stupidity. Would you like all this attention for your mistakes...HHHMMMM?

Oh, I never said I agree with what she did and as for religious stuff...if you don't like it...don't read it.

Giving pot to a toddler is not smart, giving beer to a toddler is not smart, judging people for their less than stellar decisions seems to be the thing to do now a days.

Pyrate -

There are mistakes. And then there is being bereft of any sense of responsibility or concern for your child's welfare.

LOOK!!! EVERYBODY. Can you honestly say that you have NEVER made a bad decision, one that could have hurt somebody or could have landed your a$$ in jail? I know I can't. We can all sit back and write things about this person and their dumb decision to let the child and the BONG meet...but all I'm saying is that you have the right to not like what this person did...but take the child away from the parent and destroy that childs life?...and the parents? WOW!!!, she didn't beat the child to death, she didn't throw the child into the street...she made a bad decision, something we all have done...and you want to judge and condem...who in the hell do you think YOU are?

"who in the hell do you think YOU are?"

Sober, sane, responsible? And I worry for your children if you have any.

UP YOURS DUDE!!! My family is none of your damned business...how's that? My children are grown, a Sheriff and a Marine. And if you came over and judged me like some of the people on here are doing...I would make you a grease spot. It is not your right or mine to judge anyone. You and I both don't know all of the story, MSN never gives it all.

There's definitely a difference between making poor choices, and letting your kid hit a bong. Anyone who thinks that letting your kid ingest pot is okay, is actually moving us backward away from legalization for adult recreational use. Idiots like the parents in this article, and situations like this, make people wary of legalizing it and allowing it to be a free-for-all among people who have no common sense or self control.

I'm all for complete legalization of recreational use and cultivation for adults. Never for kids. If you live in a state where weed is legal, and your kid gets their hands on your stash and accidentally munches down a nug, shame on you! - do what it takes to prevent it from happening again. No harm, no foul, really. But actually standing there watching and allowing your kid to puff off your bong while filming it? That's poor parenting, plain and simple.

Pyrate -

Ooh! Anger issues as well as cognitive disfunction. Ny, my.

Oregon -

Nicely stated.

Your funny MPA-4803349, anger comes when my family and my life becomes someone else's folly. Keep your comments to the story at hand and leave my life and family out of your miscreant way of thinking. Oh!...and where is this cognitive dysfunction you say I have?

People call others out for being judgmental as a defense mechanism for their own stupidity.

Mary -

I usually don't encourage fools to indulge their torture fantasies on these boards. BUT - go for it!

LOL @ MaryMRevis. Can we do sterilization on your family? Anyone in your family ever make an unwise choice? Typical.. Republicant, No eh Mary?? Just a hunch she is.

Eye for Eye, Sterilization for a Sterilization?

Unwise choice? Well, the first one was getting pregnant and not being ready to be a responsible parent. The second one, giving the child a bong hit. Let the child try pot when THEY know what it is. The third, the parents being around "friends" that thought it would be funny to film it.

For pot being such a chill drug, you sure getting in quite an uproar over it.

WOW!!! Someone got my point.

Come to think of it, I took my first steps as an infant when I hobbled over to my grandfather who gave me a sip of his beer.

NBC leaves that up to the readers.

LMAO @ you're an idiot. Marijuana/Pot/Weed, etc whatever you want to call it, is 100% safer than ANY prescription or OTC medication on the market today. Safer than Aspirin or Tylenol, hands down. Stupid decision by the parents yes, I am sure we'll hear that old catch phrase "Weed is more dangerous than alcohol, etc" soon from the talking heads who are just as ignorant and flippant as you are.

I tried over 40 different FDA approved migraine medications in 20 years, until I realized they weren't helping, only making me sicker and less able to function. Alas, these meds, most of which the US Navy and Veterans Administration forces upon the person or else. I switched to medical grade cannabis a few years ago. Since then I am a better and happier person, able to function and live a somewhat normal life, with 2-3 migraines a week, which occurred on active duty in the Navy 22 years ago.

Legalize it. Regulate it.

Good for you. Glad you are happy with the results of the cannabis, really.

Now tell us again how much "better" it is for a developing toddler.

And please note I didn't find it necessary to call you first name.

well it would be great for adhd in kids there was this mom who was dosing her kid on pot and the kid seemed really happy. she wasnt letting him smoke though she was cooking it down with butter and giving it to him in pill form. it looked like it worked really well. kids drink alchol sometimes and all the people i know who were around weed and booze as a kid grow up to be pretty aware and smart pretty fast.

Idiots have been giving little kids pot and cigarettes to smoke ever since these substances have been in use. It is stupid and wrong and certainly not good for the children. Cigarettes are much worse and can create nicotine dependence very quickly. I have been told by researchers that young children do not experience any sort of "high" from marijuana like adults do, but that does not mean that it does not harm development, including from secondhand marijuana.

Mabel - While I disagree with your point, I agree that emerging norms about marijuana will challenge us in new ways to determine what is and is not acceptable behavior with this psychoactive plant. Clearly, giving it to children is way outside the boundaries of decency.

If you are going all racist on us, use your search engine before you embarass yourself. These folks are pasty white.

I wasn't commenting on the "pasty whites". I was commenting on the "dark negroes".

Look at the pot calling the kettle...

Is that embarrassing itch disturbing your thought processes?

WTF?

Quell....please quell yourself.