OT: Sens Lounge XCVIII: 1000-Post Rule is Back Edition

[maclean]

Yeah, only a matter of time before the capitalists ruin yet another good thing.

That's why I like the bill being proposed in parliament here in the Czech Republic now - only legalises growing and consuming up to five plants for personal use. Lets people who need/want it take care of themselves without having big business disrupt the market. I actually can't even wrap my head around how they are allowed to sell things like weed gummy bears in a country that won't even let cigarette packs be displayed in case kids see them and suddenly realise they want them.

 

[YouGotAStuGoing]

The real question is is pot inebriating? It doesn't effect motor skills like alcohol.

My day job is in safety advocacy, so let me dive in here:

Yes, cannabis affects a driver in a few ways. Slower reaction time is pretty common, as is a skewed perception of time. Where cannabis is safer than alcohol is that drivers often have a tendency to try and counteract any negatives by driving more slowly and methodically. But this makes them occasionally unpredictable, and can cause issues when they, for example, stay stopped at a stop sign longer than reasonable or don't immediately go when a light turns green. There's a false equivalency with alcohol because it's the only other substance we ever talk about in an impairment context, and driving while high should really be in its own category. But yes, it can impair a driver's abilities in a significant way.

That said, the biggest issue is when a smoker also drinks. They have a multiplicative effect on one another, which can lead to an impaired driver with poor motor skills, poor reaction time, a warped sense of time and no presence of mind to try and counteract any of these.

So bottom line... not worth risking it ever.

 

[Stylizer1]

My day job is in safety advocacy, so let me dive in here:

Yes, cannabis affects a driver in a few ways. Slower reaction time is pretty common, as is a skewed perception of time. Where cannabis is safer than alcohol is that drivers often have a tendency to try and counteract any negatives by driving more slowly and methodically. But this makes them occasionally unpredictable, and can cause issues when they, for example, stay stopped at a stop sign longer than reasonable or don't immediately go when a light turns green. There's a false equivalency with alcohol because it's the only other substance we ever talk about in an impairment context, and driving while high should really be in its own category. But yes, it can impair a driver's abilities in a significant way.

That said, the biggest issue is when a smoker also drinks. They have a multiplicative effect on one another, which can lead to an impaired driver with poor motor skills, poor reaction time, a warped sense of time and no presence of mind to try and counteract any of these.

So bottom line... not worth risking it ever.

I think because most people only have alcohol as a comparison that it clouds what cannabis really is. Because it was illegal for so long and people were lied to about it plays a big part in its negative stereotypes. I would say the decrease in reaction time is no different from someone who is a careful driver to someone who is careless. There are different levels of awareness in all people where as alcohol completely changes the issue and cognitively disrupts hand eye coordination to a far greater extent where it's not even comparable.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

I think because most people only have alcohol as a comparison that it clouds what cannabis really is. Because it was illegal for so long and people were lied to about it plays a big part in its negative stereotypes. I would say the decrease in reaction time is no different from someone who is a careful driver to someone who is careless. There are different levels of awareness in all people where as alcohol completely changes the issue and cognitively disrupts hand eye coordination to a far greater extent where it's not even comparable.

The point is that marijuana impairs at least one key driving skill. The whole "we were lied to so people are too negative" angle doesn't change that.

If safety is priority number 1 (and here is where I believe the problem lies: I think competency should be prioritized because it leads to increased safety but that's just my gut talking) then a DUI should be applicable to people driving after consuming marijuana.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

That's why I like the bill being proposed in parliament here in the Czech Republic now - only legalises growing and consuming up to five plants for personal use. Lets people who need/want it take care of themselves without having big business disrupt the market. I actually can't even wrap my head around how they are allowed to sell things like weed gummy bears in a country that won't even let cigarette packs be displayed in case kids see them and suddenly realise they want them.

Anglo-saxons are very strange creatures

 

[Stylizer1]

The point is that marijuana impairs at least one key driving skill. The whole "we were lied to so people are too negative" angle doesn't change that.

If safety is priority number 1 (and here is where I believe the problem lies: I think competency should be prioritized because it leads to increased safety but that's just my gut talking) then a DUI should be applicable to people driving after consuming marijuana.

Then many things could be seen as having those same effects. What about caffeine? antihistamines? antidepressants? They all have side effects.

Some people are able to drive after drinking alcohol and some aren't. If it were not the case there would be zero tolerance for driving while under the influence. Smoking a joint is one thing, eating 500 mlg of thc is another. 1 glass of wine is fine, 1 bottle not so much.

 

[Engineer]

How do I review how many warning points I have, why I received them, and when they expire?

 

[maclean]

How do I review how many warning points I have, why I received them, and when they expire?

LL
but also, I think click on your user name in the top right, pick go to your profile page, then there's a tab for warnings

 

[Engineer]

LL
but also, I think click on your user name in the top right, pick go to your profile page, then there's a tab for warnings

Thank you! Ive tried to find this multiple times but always ended up on the settings page

 

[The Lewler]

Yeah, only a matter of time before the capitalists ruin yet another good thing.

Damn capitalism. Giving you the highest living standards ever in human history. Bastards.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Damn capitalism. Giving you the highest living standards ever in human history. Bastards.

There is such a thing as too much of a good thing though.

You won't get any argument from me that our standards of living are pretty insanely good but the environmental cost has been disastrous (that will wreck those high standards of living and then some) and I'd argue we have now reached a point where it feels like people are getting dumber.

 

[Stylizer1]

Damn capitalism. Giving you the highest living standards ever in human history. Bastards.

Depends on what you consider a high standard of living.

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

Damn capitalism. Giving you the highest living standards ever in human history. Bastards.

Yes, but without such things as unions most of us would not be able to experience the high living standards that capitalism can bring. It's a system IMO, that needs to be regulated rigorously. I feel like this could turn into a very nuanced and intense conversation.

 

[Stylizer1]

Mr. Roper

Or

Mr Furley

 

[Disclose]

That's why I like the bill being proposed in parliament here in the Czech Republic now - only legalises growing and consuming up to five plants for personal use. Lets people who need/want it take care of themselves without having big business disrupt the market. I actually can't even wrap my head around how they are allowed to sell things like weed gummy bears in a country that won't even let cigarette packs be displayed in case kids see them and suddenly realise they want them.

we cant even grow in Quebec. we sure got screwed on that one.
i dont wanna buy from them. i wanna grow it myself and save money.

 

[PoutineSp00nZ]

There is such a thing as too much of a good thing though.

You won't get any argument from me that our standards of living are pretty insanely good but the environmental cost has been disastrous (that will wreck those high standards of living and then some) and I'd argue we have now reached a point where it feels like people are getting dumber.

I think capitalism is a victim of it's own success. Over time the money filters up to the point where a very few people control vast amounts of wealth.

It's hard to open small businesses these days because you're competing against major conglomerates.

Can't open a coffee shop anymore, how many businesses has Walmart destroyed? Not even getting into insurance companies, banks or the impact all this has on democracy.

I think capitalism works great for a while. But without more intense governemtn regulation, eventually the middle class starts to shrink and we will be left with nobles and peasants again.

Granted modern day peasants are themostcomfortable peasants in history.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Then many things could be seen as having those same effects. What about caffeine? antihistamines? antidepressants? They all have side effects.

Some people are able to drive after drinking alcohol and some aren't. If it were not the case there would be zero tolerance for driving while under the influence. Smoking a joint is one thing, eating 500 mlg of thc is another. 1 glass of wine is fine, 1 bottle not so much.

Sleep deprivation! For me, working 3rd shift for so long and living in the country, my driving skills have turned to shit. I won't drive in Ottawa's downtown anymore at all, or any place that congested.

It really doesn't take much for folks to lose their driving effectiveness. Something simple as having a bad day at work and dwelling on it during the drive home can be enough distraction to cause an accident.

 

[maclean]

I think capitalism is a victim of it's own success. Over time the money filters up to the point where a very few people control vast amounts of wealth.

The only qualm I have about this statement is the "over time" part. We can imagine it would over time if we somehow started at an equal starting line, but that was never the case in history. I think what capitalism is primarily a "victim" of is that it implicitly rewards some the worst parts of human nature. For all that it rewards much-touted things like hard work, innovation, etc., it rewards underhanded practices and exploitation even more, and in fact these things are often necessary if hard work is actually to lead anywhere.

 

[saskriders]

Capitalism has no doubt made the world a better place in many ways. The force of the free market is very powerful and can change society in many ways, however there is no guarantee those changes will be beneficial to society. The role of government in the economy should be to regulate the economy so that behaviour that benefits society is profitable and by extension will be the behaviour of the most successful businesses.

 

[Stylizer1]

Capitalism has no doubt made the world a better place in many ways. The force of the free market is very powerful and can change society in many ways, however there is no guarantee those changes will be beneficial to society. The role of government in the economy should be to regulate the economy so that behaviour that benefits society is profitable and by extension will be the behaviour of the most successful businesses.

Correction, capitalism has made the colonists world a better place and made them the gate keepers..

 

[Stylizer1]

The only qualm I have about this statement is the "over time" part. We can imagine it would over time if we somehow started at an equal starting line, but that was never the case in history. I think what capitalism is primarily a "victim" of is that it implicitly rewards some the worst parts of human nature. For all that it rewards much-touted things like hard work, innovation, etc., it rewards underhanded practices and exploitation even more, and in fact these things are often necessary if hard work is actually to lead anywhere.

Perfect statement.

 

[saskriders]

Correction, capitalism has made the colonists world a better place and made them the gate keepers..

The standard of living has improved virtually everywhere over the last few decades.

 

[Ray Kinsella]

I really do think that it is a little too ironic.

I once literally found 10,000 (plastic) spoons and all I needed was a knife. That song instantly velcroed to my brain for the rest of the day.

 

[maclean]

The standard of living has improved virtually everywhere over the last few decades.

There are two main problems with that metric: 1) going back to our minimum wage discussion earlier, the minimum wage has also been steadily increasing, but at a lower rate than the economy as a whole, i.e. the fact that someone has more in absolute terms does not change the fact that someone else is benefiting much more off the situation. Letting an insignificant amount trickle down to the poorest is the best way to keep a system in place; 2) I think it is worth considering what the baseline is - over the past few decades but how much did colonial society hammer them into the ground before that? What hope do people have of achieving a lifestyle comparable to ours in countries where all their resources are controlled by multinational corporations that export the profits after divvying up a tiny percentage among local lackeys (who are also rewarded by receiving all criticism for the state of things)? Basically they can either try to escape to the "West" or become one of those lackeys themselves.

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

Capitalism is no where near being a perfect system ........... but it sure as heck is way better than whatever is in second place.