Illegal drug use hits nearly decade high

Greg Dorst, chief executive officer of Cedar House Rehabilitation Center in Bloomington, doesn't hesitate when asked about the most common drugs of choice among those seeking treatment at his facility.

[Lanny]

Typical Lanny pot head remarks. That guy has got to get a life and get off the pot!

[California Sun]

Marijuana is not an opiate. To put them together is like putting together acid and asprin.

[Rick in Redlands]

I am sick and tired of these anti marijuana people (backed by misleading articles, like this one), putting marijuana in the same group as speed, heroin, ecstasy and the rest of problem drugs. You could make the same claim against vicadin, darvocet and most other prescribed pills. For every study against, you can find a study for. I will take a joint over alcohol anytime. But, you can find abusers of everything in life. From food to power to drugs. Quit abusing my personal freedom of choice!

[Good Grief]

Organized crime feeds from the Prohibition trough. The people most vocal about legalizing marijuana are the people who benefit most by keeping illegal, especially the northern California growers. Legalizing marijuana would reduce its value by 90%. Will it provide windfall tax revenues? Probably not. I would expect if legalized that initially there would be an increase in use, and the increase the story quotes may be reaction to possible legalization. Sold in stores, there would be controls. Sold on the street, dealers sell to anyone of any age. Marijuana isn't heroin, meth, or any other physically addictive drug. It's like anything else. Overuse it and it can be a problem. Used in moderation, it is not a problem. Too many people are still around from smoking it in the 70's to believe the lies being told. Do you really want to support organized crime and continue to have your tax dollars wasted on a failed war on drugs?

[Rick in Redlands]

Good Grief wrote:

Organized crime feeds from the Prohibition trough. The people most vocal about legalizing marijuana are the people who benefit most by keeping illegal, especially the northern California growers. Legalizing marijuana would reduce its value by 90%. Will it provide windfall tax revenues? Probably not. I would expect if legalized that initially there would be an increase in use, and the increase the story quotes may be reaction to possible legalization. Sold in stores, there would be controls. Sold on the street, dealers sell to anyone of any age. Marijuana isn't heroin, meth, or any other physically addictive drug. It's like anything else. Overuse it and it can be a problem. Used in moderation, it is not a problem. Too many people are still around from smoking it in the 70's to believe the lies being told. Do you really want to support organized crime and continue to have your tax dollars wasted on a failed war on drugs?

Very good comment!

[Ummm]

The TRUTH of the matter is this.....the ton of 18-, 19-, 20-, 21-, 22-year-old people is due to PRESCRIPTION DRUGS GIVEN TO THEM AS CHILDREN SO PARENTS DID NOT HAVE TO DEAL WITH RAISING THEM RIGHT, INSTEAD THE KIDS ARE MEDICATED FROM FIVE to 15, then bam, no more "MEDICATION."

All you see happening is people self medicating, trying to get back that "familiar feeling" they were so used to. That's your 9% spike.

[Prohibitionist fools]

Funny how Dorst and Morgan don't complain about the thousands of Mexicans killed each year along the border due to a failed drug policy. I would think protecting people from guns and violence would be more of a priority over policing people smoking pot. I don't worry about the danger of my kids smoking pot as much as I worry about them being thrown in a jail cell with violent gang members and other such criminals because they took a hit off a joint. Dorst and Morgan, like so many others, have warped values and ethics. How about we make it a felony to not smoke pot and lock you two up in a cell in the West Valley Detention Center? Doesn't make any senses, does it? Neither do you two.

[dlorahdebarge]

Ummm wrote:

The TRUTH of the matter is this.....the ton of 18-, 19-, 20-, 21-, 22-year-old people is due to PRESCRIPTION DRUGS GIVEN TO THEM AS CHILDREN SO PARENTS DID NOT HAVE TO DEAL WITH RAISING THEM RIGHT, INSTEAD THE KIDS ARE MEDICATED FROM FIVE to 15, then bam, no more "MEDICATION."
All you see happening is people self medicating, trying to get back that "familiar feeling" they were so used to. That's your 9% spike.

You are absolutely right...and let's not forget that those same parents have been medicated themselves under the guise of good medicine...drug cartels are alive and living in the US..ie Pfizer, Abbott, MS$K,...alcohol is legal, marijuana should be legal. The problem is the spike in the population without enough jobs to go around. We need to stop exporting jobs and "crack down" on the border...

[Wiley Coyote]

Marijuana kills just like alcohol, prescription drugs, cocaine, heroin, etc. There is no difference, but we have to have some kind of societal standard otherwise you have anarchy and we might as well govern like they do in Somalia. Local warlords instead of elected government. Potheads are no different than alcoholics. Unproductive lazy losers. Does that mean we should legalize marijuana just because alcohol is legal? No, you only serve to double the problem. Marijuana and alcohol abuse along with low expectations of our children is the main reason they don't work the fields, restaurants and other unsavory jobs. If they were all sober with the high drive and energy teen or young adult should have we wouldn't be importing both high and low tech labor. Bottom line is that marijuana does hurt us as a country and to make it legal just because something else is legal is just plain stupid. The medical marijuana argument is really dead and gone if you look at the people Lanny holds up as needy medical patients. They are all long term potheads and not patients of any kind. He will not provide any kind of real medical documentation for any of them because his argument goes straight out the window. He is a snake oil salesman. He has been challenged many times to provide valid information and always fails to come through.

[Mr Hoss]

The Inland Valley Drug Free Community Coalition is a right wing Evangelical fake Christian organization that uses scare tactics & lies to sell their brand of cool-aid to America. Just like the Republican Tea baggers have plans to take over America and reform our nation in their image!!

Either you drink their cool-air or you go to jail!

Lanny told the truth and Lanny said it right!

Only right wing idiots listen to the Government lies anymore. We all know the federal government has lied to the people for decades. Where are the WMD's BUSH???

Republicans work to support corporate America and not the people. Keeping Marijuana illegal means billions for prisons owned by right wing republicans. Billions for the Alcohol industry, 10's of millions for the funeral industry to pay for the deaths caused each year by drunk driving.

The Government numbers combine both legal & illegal Marijuana users just to make their number inflated and look larger. Again the government is playing with truth's and facts to confuse people and continue the lies!!

Farmers still can't grow hemp because of the cotton industry and many other man made corporate products who would loose market share if hemp is ever allowed to be grown.

Hemp oil can power a car and it's not part of the food supply thus not raising the cost of food!

You can import hemp oil, hemp cloths, hemp burgers (there great too) all 100% legal from Canada. Were loosing the jobs the tax and the benefit because of our Government protection of corporations profits. The Government keeps the lies going on and on all for the sake of PROFIT...not protection!!!

[Mr Hoss]

Wiley Coyote wrote:

Marijuana kills just like alcohol, prescription drugs, cocaine, heroin, etc. There is no difference, but we have to have some kind of societal standard otherwise you have anarchy and we might as well govern like they do in Somalia. Local warlords instead of elected government. Potheads are no different than alcoholics. Unproductive lazy losers. Does that mean we should legalize marijuana just because alcohol is legal? No, you only serve to double the problem. Marijuana and alcohol abuse along with low expectations of our children is the main reason they don't work the fields, restaurants and other unsavory jobs. If they were all sober with the high drive and energy teen or young adult should have we wouldn't be importing both high and low tech labor. Bottom line is that marijuana does hurt us as a country and to make it legal just because something else is legal is just plain stupid. The medical marijuana argument is really dead and gone if you look at the people Lanny holds up as needy medical patients. They are all long term potheads and not patients of any kind. He will not provide any kind of real medical documentation for any of them because his argument goes straight out the window. He is a snake oil salesman. He has been challenged many times to provide valid information and always fails to come through.

MARIJUANA HAS NEVER KILLED ONE PERSON IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND NOT ONE DEATH!!

YOU SIR ARE TELLING LIES AND I AM CALLING YOU A LIER FOR DOING SO!

Go back and read your bible, drink your cool-aid and ask God for forgiveness for telling lies...shame on you!

[Ed Nugent]

So, you 86 the crime syndicates by legalizing the industry. It's legal for the seller...
BUT, it's still illegal to use it / mandatory 30 days jail / webcam in your cell... ;^)
-- a cool site; Balkingpoints ; incredible satellite view of earth

[Genuinely American]

Can't blame this on Bush !!!

[Kurtz]

Legalization will certainly solve all those problems directly attributable to Californians being insufficiently stoned................

[Duuuuuude]

Marijuana never hurt anyone,just because I'm 30, still live at home and work at Taco Bell, doesn't mean I'm a loser. Dude I'm hungry!

[What a jerk]

Wiley Coyote wrote:

Marijuana kills just like alcohol, prescription drugs, cocaine, heroin, etc. There is no difference, but we have to have some kind of societal standard otherwise you have anarchy and we might as well govern like they do in Somalia. Local warlords instead of elected government. Potheads are no different than alcoholics. Unproductive lazy losers. Does that mean we should legalize marijuana just because alcohol is legal? No, you only serve to double the problem. Marijuana and alcohol abuse along with low expectations of our children is the main reason they don't work the fields, restaurants and other unsavory jobs. If they were all sober with the high drive and energy teen or young adult should have we wouldn't be importing both high and low tech labor. Bottom line is that marijuana does hurt us as a country and to make it legal just because something else is legal is just plain stupid. The medical marijuana argument is really dead and gone if you look at the people Lanny holds up as needy medical patients. They are all long term potheads and not patients of any kind. He will not provide any kind of real medical documentation for any of them because his argument goes straight out the window. He is a snake oil salesman. He has been challenged many times to provide valid information and always fails to come through.

Where do you get your information? For more than 30 years I have owned three successful businesses in San Bernardino County and teach classes at a local college. Is that what you consider to be unproductive and lazy? A better example would be your lack of education and knowledge of the subject. To speak without any facts, that is being lazy and unproductive.

[Rick in Redlands]

Wiley Coyote wrote:

Marijuana kills just like alcohol, prescription drugs, cocaine, heroin, etc. There is no difference, but we have to have some kind of societal standard otherwise you have anarchy and we might as well govern like they do in Somalia. Local warlords instead of elected government. Potheads are no different than alcoholics. Unproductive lazy losers. Does that mean we should legalize marijuana just because alcohol is legal? No, you only serve to double the problem. Marijuana and alcohol abuse along with low expectations of our children is the main reason they don't work the fields, restaurants and other unsavory jobs. If they were all sober with the high drive and energy teen or young adult should have we wouldn't be importing both high and low tech labor. Bottom line is that marijuana does hurt us as a country and to make it legal just because something else is legal is just plain stupid. The medical marijuana argument is really dead and gone if you look at the people Lanny holds up as needy medical patients. They are all long term potheads and not patients of any kind. He will not provide any kind of real medical documentation for any of them because his argument goes straight out the window. He is a snake oil salesman. He has been challenged many times to provide valid information and always fails to come through.

You are not very educated on the subject...did you just finish watching "reefer madness" before making your claims?

[Duuuuuude]

Kurtz wrote:

Legalization will certainly solve all those problems directly attributable to Californians being insufficiently stoned..........

Duuuuuuuude do you think we can by weed with our EBT cards?, that would be awesome Duuuuuude.

[ChronicplantDOTc om]

I don't thing weed should be illegal! Vote yes on Prop. 19! Signup at chronicplant.com for the hottest in music and weed related news.

[California Sun]

Indeed, vote yes on Prop. 19.