With all due respect, has he directly hurt himself or others as the result of his marijuana use?
He wouldn't hurt someone else Rich, even to save himself, I think. As to hurting himself, define hurt. There doesn't appear to be any direct effect on his physical health, but psychologically, who can tell? Has THC altered his chemistry to that effect, or is his apathy toward life the result of something else? I don't know. To my knowledge, the long term physiological effects of THC on the brain are still poorly understood.
I know of at two successful physicians that destroyed practice and family over their addiction to sporting clays....it IS "addicting" to the right person, regardless of whether it is to you or me.
The problem with that argument Rich, is that there's a distinct difference between a psychological addiction and a physical addiction. Gambling, eating, and I guess even sporting clays
can become an addiction, but while it might be distressing to go without, it won't kill you. A person physically addicted to a substance must
have it. Without it, death can be a heartbeat away, and unbearable agony is assured. A true addict had a choice the first, second, or maybe the third time, but after that, he has no choice. It's either use or die.
I've intentionally avoided the drug debate. There are good points made, both pro and con, and I'm finding it more and more difficult to take a side, but I will wholeheartedly agree that the War on Drugs simply isn't working. I also think that the specific drug, and its effects, should determine whether or not dot gov should stick its nose in. Some drugs, like grass, render a person passive, but others can and do cause violence and aggression. Crystal meth comes immediately to mind. Couple that with a physical addiction and you have a dangerous person, directly because of the drug. Multiply that person by tens of thousands, and you have a true threat to society.
Are more restrictions by dot gov the answer? Well, the results of the War on Drugs thus far screams a solid no. But the problem persists, and it is
a problem. So what is the answer? Damned if I know, but I think we need to put a whole lot more effort into finding it.