Comments on: Legalizing Marijuana

By: Barbara Jacoby

Barbara Jacoby — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 20:22:08 +0000

Thank you so much for sharing your comments here. I understand what you are saying and do agree that this is often the case. However, in my particular case, it wasn’t. With my ex, we dated and lived together for a year before we got married and there was never even a hint of abuse. After we were married for about 5 months, when he had been drinking to excess and smoking pot, he hit me for the first time. And this was his behavior for the next 10 years until I left. Interesting to me is the fact that he often drank to excess before that first incident but never made a move to violence. And as I learned later, he certainly was not the only one who fits this particular pattern.

By: Tori

Tori — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 18:45:20 +0000

Hi Barbara –

Thank you for sharing your story with us. Please remember…many domestic violence perpetrators are charming and kind at times…but at the end of the day, they are still abusers. While drugs and alcohol can contribute to violence, abusers are abusers…and blaming abuse on marijuana or alcohol perpetuates non-accountability for abusers. While I understand and appreciate your opinion, your take on this subject can be very misleading to current victims who may read your blog.

By: Barbara Jacoby

Barbara Jacoby — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:22:49 +0000

Thank you for providing your opinion. However, I am the one who lived this nightmare for ten years and I know what he was like when he was sober – pretty darn great. But when he was drinking, he was initially funny and then sometimes became verbally abusive and then usually passed out. But when he added the pot to the alcohol, he became aggressive and mean and accusing and physically violent. and pleasenBelieve me when I say that sugar never brought about any anger or violence.

By: Shari

Shari — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:27:01 +0000

I disagree with you that it was the marijuana that made your partner violent. I have seen it used for medical purposes for cancer patients and all it did was provide appetite, prevented nausea and no one got angry and put a gun to someone’s head.
If someone is angry and violent, they are angry and violent…..whether they drink, smoke pot or eat too much sugar.

By: Barbara Jacoby

Barbara Jacoby — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:39:28 +0000

You are certainly entitled to your opinion and I thank you for sharing. But after having read the information provided in the other posts here, there is no way that I can ever vote in favor of legalizing marijuana now. Although we certainly need to generate new revenue, it should never be at the expense of the harm that would result to way too many other people. There has to be a better way. You indicated that you have another idea. If you wish to share, I am always open to having you share it here.

By: bryan fernandez

bryan fernandez — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:15:20 +0000

look we have outgrown the system. we have to move on and yet keep americas ways. We are a capitolist country we’re not in cuba. start with new ideas equal to the times we are in. we have to realize that we have a high national debt and need to get money flowing into the system without borrowing or raising that debt. we should modify some laws at to let the users use and keep a open mind. have exams to see if you are emotionally, mentally, and physical fit to obtain a license to smoke. and to keep the medical field happy, you give the pharmaceutical companies the rights to deal these drugs straight from the farmers. and then in return with all the income can then lower the prices on other expensive drugs that for example are given to cancer or hiv positive patience. this also creates more tax payers and less criminals. more tax payers, because of the marijuana users who have a record for using will now be wiped clean, and out of jail and apart of the work force. all the income should go to healthcare and our national debt. to solve the medcare problem i have another idea.

By: Barbara Jacoby

Barbara Jacoby — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:49:53 +0000

I am sorry but I do not have the knowledge or background to respond to the questions that you have put forth here. Perhaps someone else can provide an educated response for all of us. If so, it would be greatly appreciated.

By: Barbara Jacoby

Barbara Jacoby — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:40:29 +0000

I am not in a position to judge what you need to do in order to deal with the health issues in your life. But I am in a position to tell you and anyone else who reads this that I am absolutely appalled to learn that you can’t get your follow up treatments for cancer because you can’t afford it. I wish I had the money to change that for you or that I could find a way to change this. Have you ever contacted a group like the American Cancer Society or one of the many others out there to find out if they can help you or direct you to some group who can get you the help you need to change this? If anyone has any ideas/suggestions about how we can help Teresa, please let us know or write to Teresa directly. This is a sad, sad commentary on the state of things for this to happen to anyone.

By: Teresa Whittaker

Teresa Whittaker — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:25:26 +0000

I need to respond to what you said about the info Heather gave you.
I know the negative effects drugs have on people & thier bodies. Try going thru Chemotherapy…..
I do not currently smoke it at all due to finances. Before that i have gone years in between without smoking, either because of no $ (which means that my health issues where not dealt with)or i simply did not want to.
Again, it’s a matter of personal accountability. I for 1 never did drugs when i was pregnant, EVER, all 4 of my kids.
Then can Heather explain to me why my 10 year old son was diagnosed with Bi-Polar at 3 years old? VIOLENT manic episodes you cannot imagine. The side-effects of all the medication they give for that far outweight marijauna.
I will tell you why. It’s not due to drugs, it’s genetics, passed thru the genes of the parents…etc.
SOme people are just predisposed to certain things, …addiction, being 1 of many things.
I will admit that some people who use marijuana or any drug to excess, can be susestible to other health issues.
People also use marujuana & alcohol to self-medicate.
But marijuana does not cause Bi-polar or any other mental illness.

By: Teresa Whittaker

Teresa Whittaker — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:45:49 +0000

I cannot and will not speak for anyone else’s behavior nor will i take responsibility for it, regarding alcohol or marijuana. I can only speak for mine, as well as take responsibility for mine.

I have been a chronic ensomniac for as long as i can remember, since i was a teenager. I have tried every slepping pill made, prescription & over the counter….None of them worked, either they just did not work or the side effects were worse than not sleeping. I also have had Migraines since an auto accident. I am also a Breats Cancer survivor.

The only thing that i have ever been able to do, that has no adverse sideeffects, is marijauna. It makes me sleepy so i can ACTUALLY sleep…helps with pain…and with the Cancer, it was the only thing that helped my stomach(and many other side-effects) so i could hold down a couple ounces of O.J. .

I have never had a prescription for it’s use. I have never spent my rent or bill $ on it, i budget it in. If i have enough $ to get it after my bills are paid, cool, if not i’m S>O>L.
I have never smoked on a daily basis & do not ‘need’ to.
I also have never smoked when i had obligations of any kind…kids, work or school. Only on my own time & space.
Also, it was not the ‘jump-off drug’ that lead to other drugs.

I have however had problems with alcohol….It runs in my family. So i cut that short soon as i recognized that is where it was leading.
That of course did not stop me from being the typical CO-DEPENDANT and getting involved with alcoholics. Abusive alcoholics, who were abusive ONLY on alcohol….

Personally, i think alcohol should be as illegal as marijuana is now.
With penalties more stiff.

But if legalizing marijuana is a way of raising revenue, i am all for it!
I’d rather be able to buy it lagally (being legal…what a concept?) and help raise revenue ; Then to have my taxes raised or have my insurance premiums raised to pay for a healthcare plan that i wont even qualify for. I am under-insured, not uninsured…i don’t qualify for the new plan.
My insurance only pays $2000.00 a year, everything else gets applied to co-insurance or deductable. I cannot even get my follow-up treatments for my cancer because i cannot afford it.

This whole subject is a matter of personal accountability…and sadly, some people just won’t do that. I do not however think that I should be penalized for thier behaviour.