Okay, you’re just being obtuse now. I never used the word stupid. I don’t imply that people that use pot are stupid. I am saying that the purpose of smoking pot is to get high. This has nothing to do with self control. It has to do with the purpose of pot.
Are you trying to tell me there are people out there smoking pot that do it without the intent of getting high? If that’s what you’re trying to convince me of then you must think I just crawled out from under the rock two hours ago.
I’m not disputing that part of the reason for smoking pot is to relax, but I’m trying to differentiate between getting high and getting drunk. Once again, the intent in smoking pot, for every pot smoker, is to get high. If it’s not, then it defeats the purpose. The intent in drinking, for most people, is NOT to get drunk.
And I think it’s safe to say that the distinction can be made in driving. You can have a couple of beers and legally get behind the wheel. In places where pot is legalized, I doubt there will be any margin that would allow someone that smoked pot to legally get behind the wheel. Why? Because the intent – once again – is to get high.
I fail to see how this is any different than drinking. The purpose of drinking is for the effect. The whole taste thing obviously influences your beverage choice, but I don't believe it is the reason to drink. If it was only about the taste, why would you need to do anything more than wet your palate? Why would you need a couple beers or drinks?
People can smoke to get a little buzz, just as people can drink just to get a little buzz. As you stated, people drink a couple to relax. That does affect things like reaction times and decision making. Maybe not enough to cause legal impairment, but the effect is real.
After experience both effects in my younger and dumber days, I would much prefer to share the road with someone buzzed on pot than buzzed on alcohol. I would also prefer to share the road with someone stoned than someone drunk. Obviously, I would prefer that they just not do either, but I really cannot support the notion that somehow alcohol is less of a problem than pot.
The only thing I see as a factor is the ability of the police to characterize the level of impairment. BAC is easy to measure accurately. With pot you'd need a blood test of THC levels. Urinalysis is a cumulative measure of past use. You can smoke once and pass a urinalysis, and you can smoke frequently then not smoke for days and still fail. The field sobriety tests only go so far. There are some people who just always appear to be stoned when they are not.
I'm not usually on the side of wanting more regulations, but when your decisions about mind altering substances start to affect my safety on the road it is unacceptable. People should not drive after using any alcohol or pot, just as they shouldn't drive while distracted, eating, putting on makeup, daydreaming, etc.....
