Single joint leads to trafficking charge for high school student

[bradm]

Were the cops who busted the student for trafficking also busting students for sharing (or giving each other) cigarettes? Heck, were they busting students for even having cigarettes? As far as I know, minors are not allowed to possess tobacco, and it's illegal for someone to give a minor tobacco (which sounds like the equivalent of trafficking to me).

Aloha,

Brad

[mattm]

I actually heard somewhere that minors can't purchase tobacco but someone told be there was nothing saying they couldn't have it. Probably wrong there but I've been curious on that one for a bit.

I remember being in highschool and under 19. We used to get the older students to buy us alcohol. 5 of my friends have died from alcohol and driving (4 in one car so just two seperate incidences). None have ever suffered any serious injury or injured another with weed. So I wonder, too, did they arrest the seniors buying the alcohol for the younger folks?

[hamilton]

What I meant was that at an age where the brain is capable to handle the most information, and where the bulk of a person's development and learning occurs, I think the use of pot would prevent someone from achieving their full potential due to marijuana's effects on short-term memory.

I'm pretty sure that the bulk of a person's development and learning take place at a far younger age - specifically, during the first few years of your life. But I do agree that a person definitely should not be smoking pot at that age. Of course, I've never actually seen a toddler with a joint in their mouth, either.

[Dr_Evil_Mouse]

I think much of my high school education was compromised by all the time I spent wondering what being high was all about.

[Velvet]

Charging this kid will do nothing about the drug situation at her school. Charging thousands of kids will do nothing about the drug situation at their schools, history and logic proves it.

When I was fourteen I could buy my own cigarettes at the store, it was legal to sell smokes to anyone, and getting beer was easy - all you had to do was hang out in front of the beer store and ask people to buy it for you. Almost nobody would say no 'cuz it wasn't 'very' illegal. Nowadays with all the signage and fines and the like it's significantly harder for kids to get booze and cigarettes. Pot is way easier to get for most teenagers, I know because my students and I talk about these things fairly often. ]

So it seems to me that if pot was controlled in the same way that tobacco and alcohol are it would go a long way towards alleviating the problem.

Maybe the gov't doesn't bother controlling pot because they know it's not as dangerous as tobacco and alcohol?!?!?

[ggrtrhhrtgg]

Of course, there is no way to determine whether someone's potential has been curtailed due to chronic pot use. That said, what if I told you that I personally know people who are (by any description) chronic marijuana users, and have been for more than 20 years; since Junior High School? Such people have achieved graduate degrees, professional degrees, and have excelled in professional positions.

I don't think its a stretch here to say that smoking pot at highschool is determental to your education, I would suggest that is a fact, based on experience. I don't think you can argue that no matter how you want to put a spin on it.

Drugs are a major fucking problem in the school system. As an adult, you have much better judgement on what you get involved with, as a teen, you may not be aware of all of the risks, and they are not at the age where they are responsible for themselves.

I think its a great scare tactic actually, hopefully, it may lead to students to think twice about taking their recreational habits to school.

[ggrtrhhrtgg]

there is certainly a kid that smokes up and goes the opposite way.

source?

Downtown St. Catharines could cover that.

[secondtube]

thank you for the intelligent post Velvet....

[Booche]

Look Roller, just because you couldnt get anything accomplished when you were smoking the cheeba aside from gaining 15 pounds, eating double Whoppers and watching Monday Night Raw, that certainly doesnt mean others cant become 'successful'. Although, that term can be defined any way you please, because back in those days I thought you were as successful as you were ever going to be.

So if I read the vibe correctly in this thread, everyone is fine with pot being readily available to minors?

Thanks Velvet.

[Guest Low Roller]

Look Roller, just because you couldnt get anything accomplished when you were smoking the cheeba aside from gaining 15 pounds, eating double Whoppers and watching Monday Night Raw, that certainly doesnt mean others cant become 'successful'. Although, that term can be defined any way you please, because back in those days I thought you were as successful as you were ever going to be.

I even accidentally enjoyed a Slip show while on the pot.

[StoneMtn]

It is not smoking pot that causes people problems with their education. It is skipping school and not doing your work.

Some kids will smoke pot and go to class. Some will only smoke after school or on weekends. Some will smoke and skip class. Some won't smoke pot, but still skip class.

I'm sure numerodos has had an experience in which his or someone's education was interrupted and they were a pothead. Personally, as I said, I know many very successful, very educated people who have used marijuana very regularly for a long time.

Anecdotal comments are not evidence. Downtown St. Catherines is not a source (unless you start surveying people there) and besides I have no idea what it looks like.

I'm not putting a spin on anything. Like numerodos, I am also speaking from experience.

(Now, maybe people consider me an unsuccessful loser, with an opinion of no value, but that is another issue. Otherwise, my experience is as good as anyone's.)

EDIT TO ADD: No doubt "drugs" are a major problem in the school system. All drugs, or is there no need to draw a distinction?

Edited May 18, 2006 by Guest

[Dr_Evil_Mouse]

It is not smoking pot that causes people problems with their education. It is skipping school and not doing your work.

Well put. The same could be said for when teens' hormones kick in.

[ggrtrhhrtgg]

It is not smoking pot that causes people problems with their education. It is skipping school and not doing your work.

Some kids will smoke pot and go to class. Some will only smoke after school or on weekends. Some will smoke and skip class. Some won't smoke pot, but still skip class.

I'm sure numerodos has had an experience in which his or someone's education was interrupted and they were a pothead. Personally, as I said, I know many very successful, very educated people who have used marijuana very regularly for a long time.

Anecdotal comments are not evidence. Downtown St. Catherines is not a source (unless you start surveying people there) and besides I have no idea what it looks like.

I'm not putting a spin on anything. Like numerodos, I am also speaking from experience.

(Now, maybe people consider me an unsuccessful loser, with an opinion of no value, but that is another issue. Otherwise, my experience is as good as anyone's.)

EDIT TO ADD: No doubt "drugs" are a major problem in the school system. All drugs, or is there no need to draw a distinction?

I don't want a misunderstading here. I am not suggesting that students that smoke pot will be unsuccessful. As a teacher, and an individual that smokes pot on occassion, I would not recommend smoking pot before class. I don't think its going to enhance your abilities in the classroom.

I am a big advocate of living responsibly. Well, at least most of the time. I support my school's zero tollerance for drugs in the school. In my opinion, its not the time or place to use them. I like to drink socially, but, I don't drink before or during school, once again, in my opinion it is not the time or place to practice that.

Anyhow, eventhough there may be a hundred success stories for each "child" that experiments with drugs, I would still prefer to support a policy that reduces the possibility for the one tragic case where a student life is either lost or damaged because of their association with drugs.

[dave-O]

I'm a day late and $1 short, but this is one of the greatest posts I've ever seen here:

I really should avoid sweeping generalizations.

But then for every kid that smokes up yet becomes a lawyer, there is certainly a kid that smokes up and goes the opposite way.

[Tooly]

if that kid gets a trafficking charge from handing a doob to another kid, thats friggin sad. that will totally fuck up their life, like the shit says, passport, borders, yadda yadda.

i dont think drugs in highschool are such a good idea nowadays, trust me, this is a new stance im taking, it sure wasnt the one i took in high school, but ive gotta agree with no.2, i really doubt pots going to enhance your classroom abilities, unless the class is bonghits 101.

what happened to the old willy? or did willy forget where the purple was

ps: stephen harper sucks balls