Potentially endangering children and pets far more than you running by and catching a whiff while someone is smoking outside?

Your health is not going to suffer much by running past someone who's smoking.

Obviously I'm not talking strictly pot here, but just because you find the odor of cigarettes/alcohol obnoxious does not mean that people should not be able to use their own discretion in choosing to use them where it is legal. Especially considering the fact that it does not pose an imminent health risk to you as a passerby.

FREE THE LEAF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Much? It shouldn't suffer at all. Why should I have to smell that?

lol lol

I could see this in someone's siggy or used as a bumper sticker if it isn't already.

True story: more people have tried marijuana in the U.S. (per capita, of course) than have in the Netherlands.

Trying and continued use are two different things.

You can't get a contact high from simply smelling pot as you run by.

You can't get lung cancer from simply smelling pot OR cigarettes as you run by.

If someone is completely wasted and reeks of booze, you can't get drunk from smelling it, and as long as that person doesn't touch you or harm you in any way, they are fully within their rights. "Harm" does not include "that person is smelly."

You don't *have* to do anything. But are you proposing an outlaw on passing gas because the smell is obnoxious? What about Indian Food, you wanna outlaw that too?

Coffee isn't "good" for you and some people can't stand the smell. I say we should ban drinking coffee in public places. After all, it seems like I'm using the same logic as you.

Any health risk to you as a non smoker and someone who doesn't smoke pot as you run by someone who is doing either of those things is negligible.

Come up with better reasons for the continued outlaw of marijuana. "Oh well I guess if they just do it in their homes that would be OK" is not a good reason. There are better reasons than that.

Sure they are.

Other studies show that teen use (as in past month use) of marijuana is about half what it is in the U.S.

In no way do statistics of any kind show that decriminalization leads to some form of widespread use.

Some of the comments you've made are pretty disgusting and unnecessary so I won't comment on those.

I never said you could get lung cancer or get high from passing by it. I'm just saying that as a runner I shouldn't have to run into that. I don't like the smell, and yes, cigarette smoke gives me a headache.

I'm sure they'll pass it, so let's just see what happens when it's passed. If it is made legal, they're really going to upset a lot of people. Alcohol abuse and drug abuse also make some people do and say things to other people they shouldn't.

You go ahead and choose what to respond to. That was all to make a point, and I think many would be hard pressed to find what is "pretty disgusting there." Considering the fact that I could have said "OMG HOMELESS GUYS TAKE SHITS ON THE SUBWAY I THINK WE SHOULD OUTLAW HOMELESS."

Passing gas is not necessarily "disgusting" but I suppose that's in the eye of the beholder. Sorry I "offended" your dainty sensibilities, perhaps I should be outlawed from posting on GC, hmm?

Personally I commend people who choose to go outside to smoke rather than smoking inside. They're not endangering any children/pets with prolonged exposure to second hand smoke.

You running past =/= prolonged exposure. It does not affect your health. Sorry you get a headache but scents triggering headaches also =/= a health risk.

As a runner, perhaps you should run along less crowded streets. Just because you run doesn't mean people don't have a right to use legal controlled substances where it is legal to use them.

<snip>

And why is that? Shouldn't they have that right to smoke inside. Especially if it's below 0 outside.

ETA: and I'm not the one offended by your comments, but you seem to be offended by mine. Do you smoke pot?

Here are a couple of questions running through my mind about potential problems with legalization in only California:

1. Would it cause problems with enforcing the ban in neighboring states?
2. What is the likelihood that someone would go to a "coffeehouse" in CA then get behind the wheel and drive home to neighboring states?
a). What would be the effect on the traffic accident rates for interstate traffic?
b). How would it affect interstate commerce?

Obviously as someone who doesn't use and probably won't even if it were legal, I don't have a huge invested interest in whether or not it's legalized. However, I don't like when legal controlled substances have different rules between states.

There's nothing stopping me from driving to a Casino in Michigan, a concert in Wisconsin, or a gas station in Indiana. If I can live my life based in one state but visiting several states fairly regularly, how can we expect pot smokers to all live in California?

Well I guess you feign offended pretty well, then.

I think when I said "because they're not endangering their children or pets to prolonged exposure" I covered that pretty well. It's a choice that's their right to make, and bully for them for sacrificing themselves so that their kids don't have to deal with many of the the longterm effects of their addiction.

ETA: Whether or not I smoke pot is none of your business, but since I've already posted it, no I do not. Haven't you already been flamed for point blank asking people questions that are none of your business before?

Fine.

I still don't agree with any of your statements.