SURVEY: Should Thailand legalize marijuana?

[Stokakrishna]

Traffic is allready vely dangerous with loads of accidents. That will only get worse.

There are many drunk drivers, then we also get stoned drivers.

Also it isn't any good for the working mentality.

I don't see any advantage for when it was legal in Thailand.

give me at least one documented example of stoned driver causing an accident

[ham]

it is more then 50 years in this mad war on drugs (realized by a criminal called "Nixon") of wasting tax-money and criminalize mostly the best of our people due to an overpopulated state employees department after the legalization of alcohol after the prohibition. At the front of this fight was a sick man with the name Anslinger and his helpers. After some smart government staff realized that this is is also a good tool to criminalize mexican immigrants (legal and illegal's) and furthermore a good source for the CIA and all those allies to make secret (black) money until today. In the late sixties also a perfect tool to search all those not conform with the right wing government's, and this not only in the US. same in Europe. Also we know that the criminalization of "Ganja" in Thailand is a tool for the cops to make a good pocket money in the touristic areas all over the country. All this is just a sick behaving of sick people all over the planet. How many people die through wrong medicamentation in the hospitals? Nevermind, this is also big (legal) money of some big industry's!

B.t.w. some many years ago Ganja was been smoked everywhere in Thailand, families were using it for dinner mostly in the soup (Tom Yam Khung), but the Alcohol Industry was very successful in this and just look the alcoholism in this country (or everywhere else), it was also sold on the local markets, nobody had a problem with it.

[beammeup]

The pot heads are already here and always have been. Its just not visible because its illegal. If it were legal then it surely would be the land of smiles. I dont think much would change, maybe a few more Amsterdam type cafes or Rasta bars. More and better pizza places for sure. Legalize it! Put the tax revenue into schools or hospitals rather than the crooks pockets.

[thailanddogerator]

IT will be anyway legalized when US will have explained to the rest of the world and especially to the local doggies that they must do it !

[geistfunke]

How to Get on a Government Watch List:

#1: Vote Yes.

I do not understand this point. I think you should vote honestly if you have some sympathy for the Thais left.

[Jessi]

It will never happen in Thailand, they make too much money from it being illegal.

[ParadiseLost]

Two reasons: as cannabis use goes up, alcohol use goes down.

Garbage talk. The opposite is true. Have you ever smoked pot with friends? The #1 thing pot smokers want to do is get beer. Studies have shown where pot use is legal, alcohol purchases are the same or higher than before legal pot.

Hmm I would say somewhere in the middle is more likely to be true.

Would you agree:

1. The majority of drinkers are not smokers, those who try when drunk usually have bad experiences .

2. While majority of smokers also drink, smokers are less likely to be heavy drinkers.

3. Drinkers are more likely to get drunk in public places.

4. Smokers are more likely to partake in private homes (where it's illegal).

5. While alcoholism is recognised as a disease, smokers are not physically 'addicted'.

From this it is clear to me that smokers are less likely to be out at night 'getting beers in', preferring to stock up and entertain at home. If the beer runs out it is not likely to be a big deal. Pizza would be far more important.

It also leads me to conclude that:

1. Drinkers are far more likely to drive home at night incapacitated than smokers, and

2. Legalising weed would not increase the number of incapacitated drivers at all - the smokers that drink will already be doing this today.

[Lammbock]

Absolutely YES!

[Skywalker69]

http://uk.businessinsider.com/health-benefits-of-medical-marijuana-2014-4?r=US&IR=T

http://time.com/3931863/medical-marijuana-benefits/

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/16/research-supports-marijuana-benefits.aspx

[Guitar God]

Here's where I'm getting my info, it's bottom line data showing that traffic deaths decrease after MJ legalization.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-watch/wp/2014/08/05/since-marijuana-legalization-highway-fatalities-in-colorado-are-at-near-historic-lows/

There are other reports too.

People who prefer to drink will probably continue to drink but with cannabis is scarce, smokers switch to alcohol or other dangerous drugs. That's my explanation for why overall alcohol use goes down when MJ is legalized.

They guy sitting next to me in the expat bar drinking whiskey, beer, smoking cigarettes and saying (unironically) "I hate drugs " whenever the subject of ganja cones up, isn't going to be one of the people switching.

Two reasons: as cannabis use goes up, alcohol use goes down.

Garbage talk. The opposite is true. Have you ever smoked pot with friends? The #1 thing pot smokers want to do is get beer. Studies have shown where pot use is legal, alcohol purchases are the same or higher than before legal pot.

Hmm I would say somewhere in the middle is more likely to be true.

Would you agree:

1. The majority of drinkers are not smokers, those who try when drunk usually have bad experiences .

2. While majority of smokers also drink, smokers are less likely to be heavy drinkers.

3. Drinkers are more likely to get drunk in public places.

4. Smokers are more likely to partake in private homes (where it's illegal).

5. While alcoholism is recognised as a disease, smokers are not physically 'addicted'.

From this it is clear to me that smokers are less likely to be out at night 'getting beers in', preferring to stock up and entertain at home. If the beer runs out it is not likely to be a big deal. Pizza would be far more important.

It also leads me to conclude that:

1. Drinkers are far more likely to drive home at night incapacitated than smokers, and

2. Legalising weed would not increase the number of incapacitated drivers at all - the smokers that drink will already be doing this today.

[Jingthing]

Thailand is not going to legalize marijuana.

We all know that, right?

OK, maybe 50 years from now.

Why not focus on something more realistic like ... should Thailand reduce it's taxes on WINE (as wine is incorrectly demonized as a vice product when it's actually a health promoting / culinary enhancement product)?

Such a change would also be a boon for the nation's restaurant industry as wine sales in restaurants would greatly increase, increasing total revenue, and potentially even tax revenues, if figured based on the total volume.

The government could even get involved in promoting specific kinds of wines that pair well with Thai food.

Edited November 2, 2015 by Jingthing

[MaeJoMTB]

They should allow grown-ups to do anything they want.

As long as they aren't harming anyone else.

[banglassie]

Two reasons: as cannabis use goes up, alcohol use goes down.

Garbage talk. The opposite is true. Have you ever smoked pot with friends? The #1 thing pot smokers want to do is get beer. Studies have shown where pot use is legal, alcohol purchases are the same or higher than before legal pot.

Sources please. I'm not saying you are wrong. But when I was in my early 20's I was smoking more days than not, and I never craved beer after I smoked, I usually craved coca cola and chips. In fact, I got quite turned off from beer while being stoned. Now I'm not saying this holds true for everyone, I know a lot of people start to smoke together with beer and somehow make them become like made for each-other. But I was drinking way less than I am now. In fact, If there would not be such a big risk involved here I would prefer to smoke and not drink here. But I wouldn't take the risk, I'm not 22 anymore. And the other thing I learned - which probably is individual as well - is that most people I know, including myself, simply grow away from weed the older we get.

But I completely believe you that alcohol sales don't really go down. There are loads of people who don't really enjoy to smoke. I can't say I do anymore since it just makes me too spaced out and I'm used to the opposite, mental-numbing alcohol.

But from my own experiences I wasn't even enjoying the taste of beer when I liked to smoke..

[Guitar God]

The first is a peer reviewed journal also published by the NIH

http://www.harmreductionjournal.com/content/pdf/1477-7517-6-35.pdf

This was published in Addiction Research and Theory a Journal.

http://www.leafscience.com/2014/02/01/marijuana-may-lower-use-alcohol-harder-drugs/

[ParadiseLost]

The first is a peer reviewed journal also published by the NIH

http://www.harmreductionjournal.com/content/pdf/1477-7517-6-35.pdf

This was published in Addiction Research and Theory a Journal.

http://www.leafscience.com/2014/02/01/marijuana-may-lower-use-alcohol-harder-drugs/

Thanks for the info - the more people are educated about this plant the sooner governments will change their stupid policies.

This screwed up planet would have been so much better had the 'hippies' won in the 1960s. How many wars and how many lives destroyed since and all for what? Billionaires instead of millionaires.

I say we rewind to 1970 and start again: one thing is for sure - the music was better...

[seancbk]

Traffic is allready vely dangerous with loads of accidents. That will only get worse.

There are many drunk drivers, then we also get stoned drivers.

Also it isn't any good for the working mentality.

I don't see any advantage for when it was legal in Thailand.

I don't think there would be much of an impact on road safety if cannabis was legal. I'm way more concerned with drunk driving and driving under the influence of meth.

And what about working mentality? I have seen no problem with that in anyone I know? As you may know parts of US has legalized and parts of Europe have seriously decriminalized. I know very successful people who prefer a joint after work. I can't see it has changed their work ethics. Just because something is legal it doesn't mean one should do it 24/7. It's not like it would be accepted to go out and have a few shots of tequila on your lunch break or before you come to the office.

Thailand has a great potential to create a vibrant export market. As weed continues to be more accepted over in the west I believe people will start to urge for more and more strains from all around the world. And the classic 'Thai sticks' are famous. While weed can be grown anywhere under the right circumstances I still believe people will start to prefer "naturally grown in the Asian sub-tropic sun and soil" and similar slogans from around the world. People tend to love to have a lot of options.

There really isn't much good fact to support that weed and road accidents are connected, in fact there's quite a lot of studies that shows otherwise.

Here are some sources:

http://thefreethoughtproject.com/kind-study-finds-virtually-driving-impairment-influence-marijuana/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/02/09/stoned-drivers-are-a-lot-safer-than-drunk-ones-new-federal-data-show/

http://norml.org/library/item/marijuana-and-driving-a-review-of-the-scientific-evidence

http://time.com/3930541/marijuana-impact-driving/

Well said.

The Family and Estate of Bob Marley began working with a Private Equity Firm to create a global brand to sell Marijuana and Marijuana products. Thailand could do something similar and take advantage of the history behind "Thai Stick" (as you mentioned)

Here is part of the press release from 2014 when the Marley brand was announced.

The Marley family and a Seattle-based private equity firm announced the creation of Marley Natural, “a premium cannabis brand rooted in the life and legacy” of one of marijuana’s most devoted sons.

The line will include pot-infused creams, accessories (like vaporizers in the style of e-cigarettes) and strains of “heirloom Jamaican cannabis,” inspired by the herb that Marley enjoyed in extravagant, finger-sized joints.

A true corporate brand is a major milestone in the ragamuffin world of legal cannabis, where most products still have juvenile names (like Alaskan Thunderf--k) and a sales machine that depends on bikini girls and graffiti markers.

By contrast Marley Natural will look like a modern consumer product, cleanly packaged and marketed with the help of the same agency that branded New Balance and Starbucks Coffee. The cannabis itself will be sold as “loose packed” buds, oils or concentrate, executives said. Sorry, folks, no pre-rolled joints.

“This is what the end of prohibition looks like,” said Brendan Kennedy, the CEO of Privateer Holdings, which owns Marley Natural and plans to run it out of a loft space on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. “Bob Marley started to push for legalization more than 50 years ago. We’re going to help him finish it.”

[ParadiseLost]

Thailand is not going to legalize marijuana.

We all know that, right?

OK, maybe 50 years from now.

Why not focus on something more realistic like ... should Thailand reduce it's taxes on WINE (as wine is incorrectly demonized as a vice product when it's actually a health promoting / culinary enhancement product)?

Such a change would also be a boon for the nation's restaurant industry as wine sales in restaurants would greatly increase, increasing total revenue, and potentially even tax revenues, if figured based on the total volume.

The government could even get involved in promoting specific kinds of wines that pair well with Thai food.

Get your own survey...

Completely agree with you though.

[Guitar God]

In my experience that's not the case, nor is it in the two peer reviewed studies quoted above.

Most people I know who smoke don't drink.

Two reasons: as cannabis use goes up, alcohol use goes down.

Garbage talk. The opposite is true. Have you ever smoked pot with friends? The #1 thing pot smokers want to do is get beer. Studies have shown where pot use is legal, alcohol purchases are the same or higher than before legal pot.

[ravip]

Anyone has a list of countries that had legalized marijuana?

Edit

http://www.newhealthguide.org/Where-Is-Marijuana-Legal.html

Edited November 2, 2015 by ravip

[KonaRain]

Thai Sticks without seeds were soaked in opium..who knew?

I couldn't drive in Thailand with weed.

Too used to driving on da right.

Needs an age limit for young drivers.

High tech detection on the street for smoking drivers.

Can I still change my vote?

(Get off that list, ya know)

[KonaRain]

California just released 37,000 non violent hempsters and drug salesmen.

Cest' LA vie

[KonaRain]

Heads didn't drink in my day..

I don't. My son is a sommelier..

Hawaiians used to drink and take Acid..

One or the other, Brah..

Weed does make it hard to work, though.

That's why I drove for hotels.

Still play music!

Sources..

I think cigs are the gateway to harder stuff

[KonaRain]

Heads didn't drink in my day..

I don't. My son is a sommelier..

Hawaiians used to drink and take Acid..

One or the other, Brah..

Weed does make it hard to work, though.

That's why I drove for hotels.

Still play music!

Sources..

I think cigs are the gateway to harder stuff

[johnnysunshine]

I think de-criminalizing might be the best solution as the USA has done for many states.

No one should be put in jail or even fined for their ingesting the smoke of a plant.

Just to remind everyone, this is not a drug and should not be confused with man made drugs like cocaine, heroin, aspirin, statin drugs, etc. Man did not make marijuana, it was here already and part of our package we call Planet Earth which was created by Source.

I hope everyone is clear on this point!

[faraday]

Traffic is allready vely dangerous with loads of accidents. That will only get worse.

There are many drunk drivers, then we also get stoned drivers.

Also it isn't any good for the working mentality.

I don't see any advantage for when it was legal in Thailand.

give me at least one documented example of stoned driver causing an accident

Just because this information is most likely not available,it does not mean this doesn't happen.

Drug testing after an accident is relatively new.

[nervona81732]

I have been a stoner earlier in life and to all those !@#$% who think ganja would be a traffic problem, get a !@#$%^& life. Obviously you have never smoked a joint and drove a car. People who drive stoned are the most cautious people behind the wheel. Drive stoned and you think your going 150 KPH and look down at your speedometer and your going 30 % of that rate. Very cautious when stoned. I prefer to be stoned on ganja rather than alcohol. Thailand needs to wake the #$%& up and see what the rest of the world is now realizing. Alcohol tobacco and prescription drugs are the demise of this planet. BUT they make lots of people incredibly rich. Follow the money you old decrepet farts. Keep your stinking opinion to your self. Your ideas are as old as you are. Thank GOD there is a new level of conciousness alive and well on this planet. GET !@#$%^& real dudes. BTW I have not imbibed for years because of my job and now live in ( 40 years behind the world Thailand ) but I welcome a shift. Take a look at USA states that have legalized medical and recreational ganja. They are swimming in surplus funds and crime is down , abuse by younger down, alcohal related deaths down and on and on and on. I think all you negative arse holes should just find someplace else to live away from decent people who don't listen to MSM and swallow everything their puppet masters tell them about reality.

I F!@#$%G endorse this message with pride and conviction and all you ARSE HOLES can go stuff it. Give me a jingle I'll take you. One by one.

The end.

[element555]

- Would boost tourism by 1000%

- Would open minds on and reflexion on extremely conformist and selfish society

- Would change minivans drivers behaviors ? (replacing ya ba)

- Like in the rest of the world cannabis is still the best way to treat some disease for which medication fails or has deadly/dangerous side effects

[Bernard Flint]

I have been a stoner earlier in life and to all those !@#$% who think ganja would be a traffic problem, get a !@#$%^& life. Obviously you have never smoked a joint and drove a car. People who drive stoned are the most cautious people behind the wheel. Drive stoned and you think your going 150 KPH and look down at your speedometer and your going 30 % of that rate. Very cautious when stoned. I prefer to be stoned on ganja rather than alcohol. Thailand needs to wake the #$%& up and see what the rest of the world is now realizing. Alcohol tobacco and prescription drugs are the demise of this planet. BUT they make lots of people incredibly rich. Follow the money you old decrepet farts. Keep your stinking opinion to your self. Your ideas are as old as you are. Thank GOD there is a new level of conciousness alive and well on this planet. GET !@#$%^& real dudes. BTW I have not imbibed for years because of my job and now live in ( 40 years behind the world Thailand ) but I welcome a shift. Take a look at USA states that have legalized medical and recreational ganja. They are swimming in surplus funds and crime is down , abuse by younger down, alcohal related deaths down and on and on and on. I think all you negative arse holes should just find someplace else to live away from decent people who don't listen to MSM and swallow everything their puppet masters tell them about reality.

I F!@#$%G endorse this message with pride and conviction and all you ARSE HOLES can go stuff it. Give me a jingle I'll take you. One by one.

The end.

Your nastiness, verbal abuse and horrid nature, shows me to keep waky baky ilegal

[smotherb]

Traffic is allready vely dangerous with loads of accidents. That will only get worse.

There are many drunk drivers, then we also get stoned drivers.

Also it isn't any good for the working mentality.

I don't see any advantage for when it was legal in Thailand.

A stoned driver is more likely to be going 3 kph.

[bil2054]

Drunk drivers run stop signs.
Stoned drivers stop two car lengths back and wait for the sign to change green.