Partial Transcript: Episode 12 (Pot for Everyone!)

Virginia: We’re so excited that it was legalized in Colorado and Washington.

Andrew: There were a couple other states were medical use has been legalized.  I wish Texas would legalize it.  I want the sales tax revenue.

Virginia: Texas has the problems with the drug cartels.

Mike: Prison crowding.

Virginia: I had a friend who got caught with a recreational amount.  It ruined his college career.  He spent years trying to clear his name.

Andrew: I don’t smoke.  I don’t have an inclination to.  But, it’s weird to me that you can get in massive, life-ruining amounts of trouble for growing a plant.

Nick: Or possessing a small amount of it.

Andrew: We’re talking about a plant, not a nuclear warhead.

Virginia: It’s been around for thousands of years and has been used by several civilization.

Mike: Any they use it to make rope, clothes…

Andrew: Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t the reason it’s called “weed” due to it’s ability to be grown anywhere?  I think I remember reading something about weed being grown on public land.

Nick:  No.  I think it was that weed was growing itself on public land.

Andrew: Apparently this was like “ditch weed.”  Low THC levels.

Nick: When they did that big fly-over in Dallas, it was pretty obvious that the people weren’t just growing ditch weed.  It was a legitimate operation.

Virginia: Here’s what gets me about the south Dallas thing.  We shut down their operation.  Now all of those people who were buying weed from south Dallas are now buying from the cartels.

Nick: Mexican weeds aren’t normally as big of a deal than it used to be.  California weed has gotten a reputation as high quality.

Andrew: You’re not supporting murderers.

Nick: They’re still drug dealers.

Virginia: Now these guys can be legal and conduct business within the scope of the law.  We can regulate the trade now.

Andrew: And don’t forget that you can tax it!  There are a lot of people who don’t agree with cigarettes or alcohol.  So they tax it.  It’s called a sin tax.  It’s great because we get tax revenue, people aren’t going to jail, and we’re not funding these horrible cartels in Mexico.  How is this not the common sense choice?

Nick: Let’s stop the “people aren’t going to jail for growing a plant” argument.  You can make opium and heroin from a plant.  But that’s stuff that we don’t want around.

Virginia: To me, more should be legal.

Andrew: People who are going to screw themselves up are going to screw themselves us.

Virginia: Let’s review informed consent, which is what we were talking about before the podcast.  The argument is: When you go into the hospital for surgery, they give you a list of the benefits and risks associated with the surgery.  You read the paper, and you sign it.  That is informed consent.  You know what you’re getting into.  The opinion that I read on the Internet was that if you can make an informed decision about alcohol, having surgery, or smoking a joint, then you should be able to make a decision about snorting cocaine or taking meth.  That includes prescription painkillers.

Mike: Chalk it up to Darwinism?

Nick: Weed is pretty benign.  It’s different than other drugs.

Virginia: I’m going to call you out on this.  On another podcast, you said that people should be able to go as fast as they want if they’re a good driver and know what they are doing.  Why should you not be allowed to take heroin if you know the risks?

Nick: Because it’s just that bad of a drug.

Andrew: The only one impacted by the drug is the user.

Nick: Taxpayers pick up the tab for users when they end up in the hospital.

Mike: You could say the same thing about speeding.

Thanks for reading our transcript!  Check out iTunes for the full show!  Please leave us a review or give us stars.