Police Speak Out About Dangers Of Legalizing Marijuana In State

[bobandtorey]

With the legalization of marijuana possibly being added to the state’s November election ballot, police are speaking out about the dangers of recreational use.

Flat Rock Police Chief John Leacher has been meeting with Downriver groups to ensure there is an “educated election this coming fall.”

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result,” Leacher said, commenting on the legalization of marijuana in Colorado in 2012.

Colorado Amendment 64, which amended the state’s constitution, outlined a drug policy for marijuana that passed with 55 percent of the vote.

Since that approval, there has been a reported increase in traffic deaths, emergency visits and overdoses.

According to the Colorado Hospital Association, traffic deaths with a driver under the influence of marijuana increased 92 percent between 2009-14.

The association reported 8,197 emergency related visits the year before it was legalized, with a spike to 18,255 in 2014. The incidents often were related to reported overdose situations.

An overdose usually presents itself with lethargy, decreased motor coordination and slurred speech.

Police said the cause of overdoses is increased levels of THC - or Tetrahydrocannabinol - the principal psychoactive component of cannabis.

According to police, the content of THC in the 1980s was 1.5 percent. Now, it is upward of 25 to 30 percent. The increased levels result in a “more intense high” and, at times, an overdose when there is a higher intake

 

Marijuana edibles can have a level of up to 90 percent THC. The market for marijuana edibles has expanded, authorities said, particularly in states that have legalized cannabis for medical and/or recreational use.

Edibles often are sold as candy and baked goods.

An example given by Leacher is that with an edible marijuana cookie that has a high THC level, it is recommended that a consumer eat only one-eighth of the cookie since the whole cookie would mean ingesting the full THC content at one time.

When it is ingested rather than being inhaled, it can take longer to obtain the “high” people are seeking. That can lead to people eating more because they think it isn’t working properly. As a result, they ingest the high THC content in the edible, which can result in an overdose and death -- three of which have been reported in Colorado.

Leacher said it is important for people to understand there are significant differences between inhaling and ingesting marijuana.

Ingesting typically produces much stronger and longer-lasting effects due to the way the body processes the drug.

When consuming a marijuana edible, it is recommended first reading the product’s packaging. State laws require that it indicate how many servings and total milligrams of THC are in the product. Many companies produce high-dosage products with the expectation that consumers will only eat a portion.

It can reportedly take up to two hours to begin experiencing the effects of marijuana-infused products.

The CBD - or Cannabidiol - levels believed to have potential as medical benefits reportedly stays the same while the THC levels continue to rise.

“It makes you wonder why someone isn’t working to try to cultivate it for the CBD to be more potent for its reported benefits,” Kyle Vernon of Woodhaven said.

 

Vernon said he has several friends and relatives, some with cancer, who have obtained their medical marijuana cards to help reduce nausea and vomiting from cancer treatments.

Vernon said he has seen firsthand how it has helped the people around him, but doesn’t believe it is necessary to open up for recreational use in the state.

“I believe marijuana is a gateway to not only other drugs like heroin, which is becoming an epidemic in our area, but also to crime,” he said.

According to the National Incident-Based Reporting System, there was a 10 percent increase in crime between 2013 and 2014.

Ultimately, Leacher’s mission, along with other Downriver police departments, is to continue to educate people on the impact legalizing marijuana will have.

 

http://www.thenewsherald.com/articles/2016/05/09/news/doc572fd17224ca4602590769.txt?viewmode=3

[Willy]

whast a crock of shiet! statistics prove this is not true.  where do they come up with this stuff.. most be drinking that bootleg whiskey huh? Or maybe drinking lead contaminated toilet water from flint.. that will cause brain damage.

Edited May 11, 2016 by Willy

[trichcycler]

“It makes you wonder why someone isn’t working to try to cultivate it for the CBD to be more potent for its reported benefits,” Kyle Vernon of Woodhaven said.

 

what an as shole!

 

it makes me wonder why someone isnt working to get it rescheduled with medicinal benefits at the federal level.

makes me wonder why an official that has stated "cannabis has no medicinal value"....still has a job

[bobandtorey]

Vernon said he has several fVernon said he has several friends and relatives, some with cancer, who have obtained their medical marijuana cards to help reduce nausea and vomiting from cancer treatments., some with cancer, who have obtained their medical marijuana cards to help reduce nausea and vomiting from cancer treatments.?

 

I wonder  how Mr. Vemon would feel if his friends and relatives had a Court date and couldn't say medical marihuana to a jury 

 

I'll ask him if anyone knows his contact info 

[Wild Bill]

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result,” Leacher said

 

He must be referring to the failed drug war.

[AbominableDro-Man]

The danger- "We wont make as much money! We wont be allowed by law to raid someones home for marijuana and then keep their belongings and sell them off for our own gain. This is upsetting to us, because we really like to ruin the lives of people who aren't actually harming anything."

Edited May 11, 2016 by AbominableDro-Man

[AmishRnot4ganja]

I don't get the correlation between medical marijuana and an increase in "crime". He seems to be implying that using marijuana leads to criminal behavior? I question this assertion.

[AmishRnot4ganja]

Well, they lost the Medical Marijuana battle so this time they are going to go all out and throw every bit of fecal matter on the wall they can in the hope that enough of it sticks to prevent recreational marijuana from going legal. They are entering the stage of hysterical fear and will be trying their best to infect everyone else with their disease.

[AbominableDro-Man]

I'm just waiting for there to be some form of public outcry against the police for discriminating against disabled, medically cleared patients. I'm just saying, the complaint game is STRONG now a days, and this is one of those issues that needs that attention. Because it IS, in and at its' core, discrimination against patients with how it currently is.

Edited May 13, 2016 by AbominableDro-Man

[bobandtorey]

I'm just waiting for there to be some form of public outcry against the police for discriminating against disabled, medically cleared patients. I'm just saying, the complaint game is STRONG now a days, and this is one of those issues that needs that attention. Because it IS, in and at its' core, discrimination against patients with how it currently is.

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FMIGOP11%2Fposts%2F10153675230051696%3A0&width=500"

[AbominableDro-Man]

Exactly. Things like that. Why aren't there a parade of college students marching around calling for the "fairness" of marijuana patients at those events? Reminding the people who are attending that they are supporting bigotry at its' core, over a darn plant.

[ilynnboy]

The danger- "We wont make as much money! We wont be allowed by law to raid someones home for marijuana and then keep their belongings and sell them off for our own gain. This is upsetting to us, because we really like to ruin the lives of people who aren't actually harming anything."

How correct you are.

A very close person to me had just got off work on Friday after cashing his construction job check.

Well he was dumb and smoking a joint while driving in Flat Rock.

He was pulled over, searched arrested and taken to their police station.

Subsequently he was willing to forfeit his entire $978 paycheck, pay the towing impound fees and Buy back his truck and tools.

It cost him around $3500 to walk away with No Charges.. Just pay up son...luckily it just Disappeared.

Like it never happened. He was Lucky.

That's how I see The drug war...Skewed from All sides.

One persons experience, yours may differ.

Edited May 14, 2016 by ilynnboy

[trichcycler]

cost me 2500$ court app/fees/etc to make my possession of under 20 grams of marijuana material go away in the 1980's, so with inflation .......

[Wild Bill]

I had to buy my car back when my son got pulled over in it and the cops spotted  a Hash Bash flyer. They searched him and found a pack of papers and a roach in his cigarette pack.

 

He was arrested for possession of marijuana and paraphernalia. They impounded the car and I had to go pay the ransom to get it back. Around $1000 if I remember correctly. He was then given a plea for possession of paraphernalia and fined.

 

Keeping the public safe, that's what they're all about!

[bobandtorey]

Thank everyone 

 

Will Mi Legalize fix all of that or has the MMMA already done so ?

[ilynnboy]

Nothing short of legalization like Tomatoes will Ever fix it.

But don't hold your breath on that one.

Stages of legalization is All we will ever be able to see.

Never fully Legal.

Always with caveats or punishment due..

For what?

Using The safest recreational herb ever Found ?

Like Ever..