When you feel in your gut that things are not right then it’s time to change direction. Been there a few times!

Hi Larry-
Hope you consider “Visiting” in Jacksonville!! Miss you.

This message immediately hit home to me. My whole family would visit friends and relatives weekly when I was very young. We also had visitors to our home all the time and it was always exciting to see who the next visitor would be. My father often brought home strangers to get to know them or to give them a meal. When I was a young adult in middle school, my parents encouraged me to ride my bike to elderly neighbor’s homes to help them around their house and yard. Later, when I could drive, I often drove to grandparents’ homes to help them out with painting, gardening, or getting to appointments. All of these activities gave me a sense of connection and pride as I saw how much I was helping others. And of course, I carried this visiting mission into my adulthood. As a teacher for 31 years, I would dedicate much of my summers to visiting people I didn’t get to see throughout the year. Now that I’m retired, I can schedule visits throughout the weeks and months. I am often organizing simple get-togethers with family and friends, both old and new. And, I still get the most satisfaction when visiting the elderly. Yes, other people give us all kinds of things we need. It works both ways. Who needs you today?

Just celebrated my 70th in great form – my husband gave me tickets to a Blue Jays game in Toronto (2.5 hr plane ride from here), tickets to the theatre to see “Come from away,” about Gander hosting the 911 plane passengers,, and tickets to Bruno Mars!!! How’s that for stepping out!

Good advice. I also believe small business owners should listen to their employees plans. If you have a top producer taking his wife to a KISS concert at the Webster Bank Arena, you should offer to pay for those tickets or at least buy the employee dinner for him and his wife prior to the show. Our owner did neither of these and I think these types of gestures go a long ways.

Yes, I often try to smile to make myself feel better..and smiling while talking on the phone to someone I don’t know makes me sound happier, I’m pretty sure.

Wow! Thinking about people in my past saying “who do you think you are”! What they were saying is “don’t try to be different…you must be like us” (average) Crazy!

If it ain’t from the “inner” the “outer” will only be a bad acting performance that will eventually deteriorate. Like trying to hold a beach ball under water. It eventually comes to the surface.

Thank you

Prioritizing can be challenging! So many things I want to do.

WOW Lary. Liberia’s the world with much less rules and regulations less taxes less restrictions = a better world. I agree. Let go for it.

I say no to all so called recreational drug use. It brings down society and harms work place results.

Yes yes yes…. it should be legal!! My father in law just passed from lung cancer. They gave him various forms of opioids for pain management. There were so many horrible side effects that he said he would rather be in pain . We asked about cannibas edibles …. we found a source in DC ….. my father in law has been in AAA for over 30 years , the whole time vehemently against all drugs , after trying the edibles , he said he felt almost normal again . He actually began telling us that he can’t believe that cannibas is still illegal . I have other friends have similiar experiences with their parents dying and preferring cannabis edibles .

The legalization of MJ is long overdue and has proven very successful in Colorado and other progressive states that have legalized it.
These states are seeing a dramatic drop in opioid use and a reduction in drunk driving. Citizens are no longer having their lives ruined by being charged for using MJ and the state is no longer having to pay to incarcerate these people. Many people have received very lengthy prison sentences in for profit prisons due solely to MJ convictions. Many of these are detained indefinitely under “Three Strikes Your Out”.
The US has by far the highest rates of incarceration of their citizens, more than any other country in the world. Much of this is due to our failed drug policies and “War on Drugs” which has not worked and which Jeff Sessions is trying to revive. Taking the profits from the MJ industry away from organized crime in Colorado and other states that have leagalized it and diverting to schools and social programs have taken a bite out of organized crime and added hundreds of millions of tax revenue to be used for positive social programs.
There has not been a statistically large increase in users noted as the result of legalization within the state. The entire Country of Canada has just legalized MJ and many more are soon to follow.

While this topic has been beaten to death as to whether good ,bad or otherwise there will never be the right answer
I can remember hiring technicians and discussing tatoos and how they need to be covered. In todays society of the up and coming work force 8 out of 10 now sport tatoos as it is self expression. Society aka your customers have them and in some instances a discussion occurs between the parties talking about them in a very positive way. Here in Canada, the entire country will be legalized in October so it is most definitely here to stay. It will be multi billion dollar industry and already we are seeing all the spinoff companies being developed that are aligned with this industry. Rather than fight it at least ot will be regulated and government will receive a fair pound of flesh for it. If it helps to take the industry somewhat our of the hands of the biker gangs, cartels etc I’m for it. There will always be that underground black market but again if it can be regulated and controlled better, then i don’t think we’ll see rampant abuse of the substance. There are so many other products out there such as otc medicines and prescription drugs that people abuse and some lead to death. What do you do in that case? In the end as a business owner it is your call as to whether you won’t hire a person who partakes in using. The pool of people in our industry is forever shrinking as it is and you just may become a victim of no or limited availability of people wanting to work for your company. As with anything else whether alcohol, smoking policies and other items that you deem important you do need to have it clearly laid out and in your company manuals. In the end it is your own call and no one elses. Rather than me taking this firm stand on not hiring people that recreationally partake or use for medicinal purposes, i need to see how it can be of benefit. And lastly for the record, i tried back in my younger years and didn’t care for it so because it’s now going to be legalized it’s not going to change me to go out and buy some. I quit smoking 11 years ago because i knew it wasn’t good for my health.

Per “Crucial Conversations” – “Nothing Fails like Success”. In other words, if we only focus on finding “the answer”, as soon as we have it, it will lead to failure. If we only focus on finding “the” answer, we are doomed to this failure. Too big an issue for “a” solution, “an” answer.

If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Frederick Douglass.

Keep trying things, keep failing, keep observing, keep learning – that’s what I hope to do for the rest of my humble existence. I think this issue would benefit from that approach as well.

Hi Larry,
I admire your willingness to bring up a controversial issue. Keeping it brief… 1) comparison with alcohol as a recreational drug is valid, 2) we accept alcohol use as part and parcel of our culture, 3) pot is not nearly as debilitating, addictive or poisonous as alcohol, 4) The DEA has zero reports of marijuana deaths, yet 6 people per day die of alcohol poisoning from binge drinking alone (not alcoholism). 5) There are 80,000 alcohol related deaths a year in the US. 6) the effective medical properties of marijuana are tremendous, including benefits against pain, anxiety, nausea, epilepsy seizures, muscle spasms, PTSD, sleeplessness, even psoriasis. 7) Incredibly, marijuana is still classified as a DEA Schedule 1 drug… i.e. highly dangerous, little or no medicinal value and essentialy no research permitted.
Full disclosure: I rarely drink alcohol, have disdain for drunkenness, and I never use pot. I was hit by a drunk driver which totalled my car & nearly cost me my life. My father benefitted greatly from marijuana for relief from nausea and severe pain during his final 2 years fighting cancer & chemo. I also feel strongly that any substance must be used responsibly and not abused.
-Ray Luhn, Branford CT

The fact that legalization can (likely does to some extent) encourage use of marijuana particularly among those underage is a negative. Restricting our use of mind altering “stuff” (which we do needfully with alcohol) is a good thing done by a civil society. But restricting use is far different from eliminating; teenagers who wanted to smoke pot have been and would be doing so regardless of legality. Of course, that also applies to grown adults. Nevertheless, legalization does eliminate one barrier – probably the biggest – that provides some level of deterrence, or at the least delayed use.
On balance, I think decriminalization of marijuana is good. It saves tax payers legal (including incarceration) costs, and generates revenue. Maybe the best way to counter balance the negative aspects is to work toward helping our youth view pot smoking for simply recreation purposes as a sign of immaturity or personal foolishness. Another fact to present to youth, without overstating or using as a scare tactic, is statistics on how pot often leads to experimentation with dangerous and addictive drugs.
Basically, I think fully grown adults who smoke pot for relaxation and enjoyment causes little, if any, bad effect for them or us as a society. Still, I worry about the negative effects it will have on those not yet established in life. It’s been available to them, but legalization makes access easier (even those its illegal for them to purchase or possess) and in doing so tells them it’s seen as harmless.

Let me start by saying I HATE DRUGS! I HATE pharmaceuticals and I HATE this awful Heroin epidemic! I LOVE that you are addressing this topic, as there are many out there that need to be educated. The more we talk about it, the more we all understand and get on the same page. I could honestly write a novel, but I will “try” to keep this short. Let’s start with basics. Marijuana is not classified in the same category as “drugs”. The word “drug” carries a negative connotation that misrepresents what the plant really is, a mind and body healing MEDICINE. We have an endocannabinoid system in our bodies (as do animals by the way) and this endocannabinoid system has cannabinoid receptors all over the body. The cannabinoids of the plant naturally attach to our receptors. Coincidence? I think not.
I have seen both sides as I worked in a both a traditional pharmacy and in a Medical Dispensary. Let me tell you the best education for this medicine (Marijuana) is seeing all the lives that it has changed and saved, yes, I said saved, right in front of your face. I have seen it all, from different types of pain, to cancer, to mood disorders, insomnia, epilepsy, you name it. And the best part is no horrible side effects with Cannabis! If anything, you will notice that while you were taking it for X that Y is now better too.
Can you take too much for your tolerance? Absolutely. However, worst case, you will eat a lot and fall asleep. It is impossible to overdose and die from Marijuana…think of how many strawberries you would need to eat to die from it…so much that it cannot happen as you cannot possibly consume that amount. Unlike opioids where too much causes your body to fail doing its normal involuntary functions such as breathing, heartbeat, etc. Cannabis is tolerance-based meaning everyone may need a different amount. “New” patients are started low and slow and titrate up on dosing as needed. Dose, strain, and cannabinoid are all taken into consideration depending on what you are treating. If you consume within your tolerance you are 100% functional. Again, to reiterate, consuming more than your tolerance would just make you hungry and sleepy. When taken within your tolerance, there actually are strains that help you focus and be more productive!
I do not like using the term “cure all” as I believe a multi-pronged approach is always good, however, Cannabis comes darn close. Cannabis can be a solution to this opioid epidemic, epilepsy, mood issues, and more. And contrary to what we are told, we have MANY cures for cancer, and Cannabis can be one of them. I can completely understand why many of you may be in doubt, as I too was taught that this plant can have no positive benefit to society. Valuable education is hidden from society all the time. Always ask questions, please keep learning. All I ask is that you keep and open mind and listen to all these stories, especially those of the men and women who have bravely served our country and suffer from PTSD that can now lead a normal life again because of Cannabis.
Addressing teens recreational use is tough for sure, but I feel this is the smallest piece of the issue. As some of you already commented, it will not harm like alcohol does and you do not have to worry about your kid dying from consuming Marijuana. Kids will experiment, that is part of growing up, but this is the least of your worries compared to heroin, alcohol, pregnancy, STDs, and driving. Some of you may even have a child (depending what age and what state you live in) that has GREATLY benefited from Medical Cannabis.
If you or a loved one has benefited from Cannabis don’t be afraid to share your stories for fear of being judged. Your stories are the ones that will teach society the truth. God Bless America!!!

Also, in reference to the comment Ray in Utah made. You arent exactly comparing Apples to Apples there. Alcohol WAS legalized, which lead to large scale use. Pot has not, as of yet. Therefore, your numbers are going to be skewed,….grossly! IF pot becomes as wide spread as alcohol, you WILL see those similar numbers! More people die in CELL PHONE related deaths than DRINKING. If you add pot into that mix, it will be adding that many more opportunities. There are also studies that say smoking one marijuana ciggarette, is the same to you lungs as smoling 10 regular cigarettes. There is also a conditioned caused by long term use of marijuana that CAUSES uncontrolled vomiting. Studies also say that pot kills more brain cells than drinking and can effect short and long term memory. I’m all for it being used in select medical situations but, just like every pill you see advertised on TV, for every one thing it helps, there are 10 new things you may know suffer from! Take this and you will be able to moving more freely! But, it can cause uncontrolled vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, loss of eye sight, and oh yes…..DEATH! Those drugs are legal, in controlled use for a reason. Marijuana should be no different.

The federal government recently put a blanket patent on all of the medical uses for the plant. The companies that make synthetic drugs to help in the medical field went ballistic. I am not a user, but I know several, they use it responsibly just like they do alcohol. I have come to the conclusion that there are some invested companies who have much to lose by its medical use, if you can grow your medicine in your planter, why buy their really expensive synthetic. As a person who lives with a lot of pain ( bad decisions from youth as many of us do) I am very interested in looking at its pain management properties because the synthetic chemicals I’ve had to use, have caused more harm than good. It is not legal even for medical use in my state currently, so I don’t pursue it. But I think the conversation we had about this plant 30 years ago had a very specific slant to it for profiteers. I have completely reversed my position on this plant. As far as creating more users, look to Europe, most drugs are legal but public intoxication is frowned on heavily. Bad decisions will be made by an who are determined to make them regardless of regulation and to try to legislate people who refuse to make good decisions into making them, has never worked. Culture and education, man can it go along way.

Pot is dangerous to teens and any discussion should be separated from legalization. As someone who lived in the State of Vermont which boasts informally that its main cash crop is marijuana, I have seen multiple families fall apart as a result of marijuana substance abuse. The high school kids I grew up with who were stoners –most of them didn’t graduate, many winded up with criminal records, or worse, their lives and dreams evaporated. And that was when marijuana was radically weaker than today’s drug. Today, there is poor leadership as to kids smoking pot. They hear about legalization and medical marijuana and the Big Marijuana industry pushes the message that is is a recreational drug that is medicinal and that it is no big deal and actually actively markets to teens by selling pot in the form of candy (e.g. gummy bear pot), or easy sexy delivery systems (vaping with flavors, yellow highlighters to get high during school). In my wealthy Fairfield County community, I see kids (mostly the athletic crew) now “dabbing” –using blow torches to reduce pot to a high THC resin content of 75% –forget the quaint 25-30% THC of the 1970s. At that level, we are talking a dangerous drug, nevermind risking major fire and burn issues. The drug treatment community knows and sees the problem with pot and teens and sees their manipulation by Big Marijuana much like the early days of cigarettes. The risk of substance abuse, typically 9%, can go up to or over 17% for teens who start young and who smoke regularly (which the avg stoner teen boy playing video games does). Further, pot affects a teen’s motivation, executive functioning, and academic success. Indeed, they can lose up to 10% of their IQ due to pot. For an average kid, this effectively puts them below average intellectual functioning. Finally, based on initial research and empirical data beginning to be seen the past 5 years, there appears to be a direct linkage to serious mental health issues for chronic teen users. I have heard first hand accounts of wretching stories about boys who were lost to their families due to pot abuse. I predict that within 5 years, we will be shocked at the outcome of opening the floodgates to marijuana on our youth in the way that we have. I have gone to conferences and spoken to the leading thought leaders including Kevin Sabet of SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana) and medical professionals and they are aligned that these are very dangerous times for our teens. Some say they welcome legalization if only so we can finally learn all there is to learn about the composition of marijuana and do further research on its effect on the brain. I take no stand on the legal aspect because I think the Big Marijuana Business wants us to focus there and not on the ugly truth of pots impact on teens. Ideally, every parent should be pressing every state legislature to set aside an adequate amount of money for awareness, prevention and treatment of teens and follow up to make sure the message is loud and clear. While there may be medical benefits and little side effects if used properly by adults, it is a VERY DANGEROUS drug NOT TO BE MISUSED BY OUR YOUTH. If you want to hear from the other side that is not profiting billions of dollars on the subject, go to: https://learnaboutsam.org/. Kudos to you for raising this polarizing topic!

Yes marijuana and all other drugs should be legal. I think people shouldn’t do drugs at all (even Tylenol), and those that choose to are dumb. But all drugs should be legal, and here’s the reasons why in no particular order:

1. Wether it’s legal or not, people are going to do it. People break laws all the time. Speeding, texting and driving, drinking and driving, underage drinking, rolling through a stop sign, riding a bicycle on a “walking only” path, etc. In some cases, especially with the younger crowd, doing illegal things is regarded as “cool” and encourages poor behavior. The demand for drugs is independent of their legality.

2. It would save taxpayers money. Policing drug usage cost money. Holding people in jail costs money – taxpayer money.

3. It would reduce violence. This is the most important reason why drugs should be legal. There is huge business growing, processing, transporting, and distributing drugs worldwide. The US is one of the largest markets for illegal drugs, most of which come from Mexico. Since drugs are illegal, these drug businesses cannot operate fairly and peacefully like other businesses. If drug cartel A starts growing marijuana on cartel B’s land, cartel B cannot go to the government and file a complaint since they are an illegal operation themselves. So can cartel B and cartel A decide who gets control of growing land, processing factories, distribution channels, and other illegal drug infrastructure? They kill each other. But not just kill each other, they kill innocent civilians, torture people, dismember them and display what they’ve done for all to see so that their cartel can be the most feared. In Mexico law enforcement officials themselves fear the cartels and their brutality. As a result, cartels rule the land. If a business is illegal, the only way to operate it is through violence and intimidation – which is exactly what happens. The result is innocent people being hurt and killed, their land being stolen, their property being destroyed, their friends and families being threatened, and worse. If drugs were legal everywhere, the trade could be regulated fairly and drug related violence and corruption would cease. For more information read “Narconomics” by Tom Wainwright. The chain of drug related violence extends much further than just Mexico. The same patterns of violence can be seen on the streets of thousands of US cities between drug dealers who compete for business. Since they can’t go to the police for help settling disputes, they turn to violence.

4. It would lower the cost of food and discourage the production of drugs. Since drugs are illegal, a few cartels have monopolized the market and can command high prices for their drugs. This makes growing marijuana and coca plants more profitable than growing vegetables. So cartels steal farmland from farmers to grow drugs. This causes the supply of agricultural products to go down, which increases the price of food for both export and domestic consumption. If drugs were legal and multiple groups could compete to sell their drugs, the competition would drive the price of drugs down, making them less profitable to produce. If the profitability of drugs falls, more fruits, vegetables, and other foods would instead be produced on the same land and drive the price of food down. It would shift the balance point between drug production and food production more towards food.

Ultimately people should be allowed to do whatever they want, so long as it doesn’t harm or infringe upon the rights of anyone else. If people want to harm themselves with drugs, let them. But then what will happen to people that do harmful drugs? See Darwin’s Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection.

In summary, drugs being illegal causes harm to INNOCENT people who choose NOT to do them – violence, intimidation, fear, stolen property, and a higher tax burden. If drugs were legal, the harm would instead be done to the individuals who CHOOSE to do them, who are the only people drugs ought to harm.

Hi Larry, Thank you for writing a very well thought article on legalizing cannabis. I am a pharmacist (for over 16 years) and former medical marijuana Dispensary Manager in CT (for almost 3 years). I recently started my own company MM Consult CT where I am counseling patients and educating the public on cannabis. I have seen 1st hand the amazing medicinal benefits of cannabis. I have helped hundreds of patients decrease their opiate dose and in many cases stop completely. The part people do not realize is you do not have to smoke it or even get high!
Using medical cannabis, I have helped patients achieve full remission of cancers that their doctors had given up on and told them they had 3 months to live. I have helped MS patients go from using a wheelchair, to a walker, to a cane, to nothing at all. I have helped my epileptic patients decreased their seizures by 70% and more. I could go on and on about the medical benefits.
People are worried about the financial and societal benefits/consequences. You spoke about the thousands and probably millions of people (minorities in urban settings mostly) who have been incarcerated for years and decades! And now the majority of states in this country have legalized medical use!
Many refer to Adult use of marijuana as “recreational use”. I disagree and would argue that it is all medicating. Think of why people drink alcohol. Regardless of the quantity they drink, it’s to medicate. Alcohol is used to help dull aches and pains, relieve stresses, decrease inhibitions, elevate mood, and just generally feel better. These are the same reasons people use cannabis. Two big benefits of cannabis are, 1. there is no hang over in the morning and 2. you can’t die from the withdrawal! With cannabis there is less than 9% addiction rate. When withdrawing from cannabis you might be in some more pain for a couple of days, more irritable, and not sleep well. Cannabis has NEVER caused an overdose death! This is not a product that produces anger or violence like alcohol and other hallucinogens (which cannabis is not). I have spoken to a number of police officers who have said they very rarely see cannabis involved in vehicle accidents, domestic disputes, and violence.
The science has shown that we already have receptors in our body (CB1, CB2). We also have endogenous (our body makes naturally) cannabinoids called endocannabinoids. Cannabis is merely replacing what might be missing in order to allow other systems to function properly.
The financial gains the state and nation could make on legalizing cannabis is not quite the golden parachute some supporters might want to believe. But its not just the tax money that helps. Consider all the jobs that will be created. Not just at the dispensaries, but the companies that make smoking accessories, packaging companies, HVAC, security, marketing, real estate, farmers, distribution, restaurants, and even tourism that it can bring in. All the people who have been convicted of non-violent drug offenses, that have knowledge of the industry now have a chance to be a productive member of society.
I am sorry for the long response. There is much research that needs to be done still. But this is a natural product that is not killing anyone. I believe it should be within our right as an adult to grow and consume if I so choose. If anyone has any questions or would like to contact me my email is [email protected].

Thanks for delving into this subject Larry. Full disclosure, I am not a social user of any mind altering substance, legal or otherwise. My personal belief and initial reaction is just say no to drugs and alcohol. But that’s my view. Society and government has a different view. I have enjoyed reading most of the posts and many were very educational. If people were responsible and accepted the results of their personal choices regarding drugs and alcohol, who am I to say what they can and can’t do as long as it doesn’t harm others. Unfortunately that’s not the world we live in. If there is an option available to reduce the social burden placed on responsible citizens that the irresponsible have put on us I’d support it because something positive (other than sales revenue and recreational use) should come from a change this big.

I will do my best to express my opinion, kindness and respect for others is intended.
I don’t believe alcohol should be legal never mind pot and I have done my share of both. By the grace of God and through the prayers of my family and friends I made it from 13 to 25 and was finally able to quit smoking cigarettes at 40 and am now 45 still paying for the mistakes/choices I made 20-30 yrs ago. Don’t get me wrong I’ve always worked and now I own a business and have employees, so I’m not just a burnout from the 80’s. So having done it and knowing what it does to some people there is absolutely no good reason to legalize it. Sure maybe some people can take it or leave it but what about the one that can’t, is the money really worth it?
Pot may have a purpose for the terminally ill and those who are in chronic pain, it probably isn’t much worse for people than the pills they prescribe, so make it available for those people.
If your looking to fix the multi trillion dollar deficit with legalization, keep looking because no matter how much revenue the legalization of pot will bring in it will never be enough to fix the financial mess this country is in (but that is a whole other topic). Legalizing gambling and opening up casinos was suppose to create all kinds of revenue but its still not enough and will look to taxpayers to pay the difference.
If we are going to legalize it because its a big problem and its expensive to put people in jail (I’m sure there is a better way to help people learn its bad for them) and we can’t seem to stop it, then maybe there are a lot of things that should be legalized.
It seems that the majority feels that smoking pot isn’t hurting anyone but the user. The reality is that it will hurt the youth of America as they grow up in a society that promotes or accepts the use of narcotics (alcohol included) as normal and a good and moral thing to do.
Maybe the government knows that if they give freedom it is easier to take freedom. Keep smokin, you won’t even know your missing your guns or your freedom of speech or your freedom of religion but at least everybody is high.

Wow….looks like you hit a nerve with this one 🙂 I get what your saying about legalizing MJ…and it makes a lot of sense. As for the reason why our politicians would pass this ? I think about prohibition days of alcohol…..I believe they figured out, “hey, we could keep people down, alter their thinking, tax the hell out of it, and make a bundle of money for us to spend as we wish” FOREVER !

decriminalize it!

Like you, I abhor it. Forty plus years ago, my grandfather voted against cigarette tax in the Idaho legislature. and he was heavily criticized for it. At the time, he felt, why should we tax someone more for their habit than someone else for theirs such as entertainment etc. Today I think the consequences to society as a whole would perhaps make an adjustment in the tax thinking as society as a whole bears a financial burden from smoking.
Now we have marijuana. I feel much as you do, but what are the long term societal consequences? As much as I am against it, I think penalties for the negative impacts to others should be increased such as impaired driving etc. With that said I say, Tax it and eliminate the government burden of crime. Let’s destroy the over the border illegal trade.