Medical Marijuana

[Caddy Shack]

Thanks for the input Ann - glad it worked out for you! I've had chronic neck problems since 2001, likely stemming from a couple of falls on my head while racing bikes in the 90's. Years ago I was told there was nothing clear cut in my scans to indicate surgery. This despite a lot of pain, and stiffness, and I have not been able to look up for years.

Recent MRI's show no significant changes, but I do have two protruding discs, loss of the normal curve, and " moderate " narrowing (stenosis). Still, they remark that there is no significant narrowing of the spinal canal. I did have a cervical epidural years ago as a test but it did not help.

Currently I'm waiting so see an ortho or neuro for an evaluation of the recent scans. I guess the thinking to this point has been that it could be connective tissue damage which would not be helped with surgery.

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by Oliver47

Unfortubately, the only way to consume medical marijuana is by sailing to ports where marijuana is legal, and then buying and consuming it while in port.

Though still technically illegal to have it on a boat under federal law and transporting it.....plus.... most state Medical Marajuana ID cards are only valid in a state you can prove residency (definitely in NJ)....therefore cant be used in another state.

From NJ site FAQs...

"I possess a medicinal marijuana patient card from another state; may I use it in NJ to obtain medicinal marijuana?

No, to be eligible for the New Jersey Medicinal Marijuana program you must:

Maintain a bona fide relationship with a New Jersey physician who is registered and approved by the MMP*and,

Be certified with a debilitating medical condition by the approved NJ physician*and,

Be a New Jersey resident."

[RobD527]

If they kept the Medical Marijuana in pill form (like they should) 99% of the users wouldn't get prescriptions they would just continue to buy it illegally on the streets

[Sailorman Ed]

Let me start by saying I am not a user. I did not take the time to read all 11 pages so far but are there actual cases of people loosing boats due to small amounts of marijuana on board? I do not mean large amounts or smuggling, I mean like the typical user might have? I did a quick search and found this:
"The Coast Guard spokesman said there are associated penalties that are determined at a later date at Coast Guard headquarters. Factors taken into consideration include the amount of involved marijuana and whether someone was under its influence while operating a boat, he said.
A typical penalty for possession of pot on a boat would be a fine, he said. Someone boating under the influence of any substance would be charged criminally, he said, “because we know it’s deadly.”"

I have non boating friends using medical marijuana and it really seems to make a huge difference in improving their lives. I probably would not want them standing watch alone traversing the ICW at night but I would do that either. It does seem that some on this forum have very strong opinions against marijuana but having used it long ago, it certainly seems far less a problem than alcohol yet the federal government is still stuck in the 1950s with their approach. So any actual cases of sailors loosing boats just being stopped by the CG for routine boarding?

[ScubaTyke]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

No... But I'm a registered nurse who knows the law and who's heard all the excuses.

Guessing you are teetotal, non coffee\tea\coke\etc drinker too.....

[Mike OReilly]

Come to Canada. Recreational marijuana becomes legal October 17 of this year.

Just don’t try and take your stash back across the Canada/USA border.

[Lepke]

I winter in a timber county with high legal and illegal drug use. We use to have lumber mills, plywood mills, etc., but now we just ship logs to Asia. Lotta people with no job prospects.

I don't do drugs, but know plenty that do. They tell me the illegal pot is half price since medical pot and recreational pot laws. Even people I know that had a medical card (and probably needed it) now buy street pot. Their licensed growers dropped the license and now grow for the street. No regulation, no doctor visit, no hassle. The government makes everything difficult.
Speaking as a non recreational drug user, the war on drugs was lost 50 years ago by people that thought they can just make things they don't like illegal and the things go away. If it was up to me there would be no illegal drugs, no prescriptions for anything, just drug sales like anything else. The billions saved could be put to better use.

[a64pilot]

I have always been for letting people have anything they want to take drug wise. It would prevent a lot of crime, I think, just give it to them.
However in my world it would come with some catches. You would have to register to get any of the “good” stuff, and particularly strong stuff would come with a loss of privileges, like Welfare and a drivers license and other things I’m sure.
However it would be tough to implement, cause who would think that a known Heroin, Cocaine and Amphetamine addict should be allowed to raise children?
Easy to say, but how do you take the kids away, and where do you put them?

[atmartin]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I have always been for letting people have anything they want to take drug wise. It would prevent a lot of crime, I think, just give it to them.
However in my world it would come with some catches. You would have to register to get any of the “good” stuff, and particularly strong stuff would come with a loss of privileges, like Welfare and a drivers license and other things I’m sure.
However it would be tough to implement, cause who would think that a known Heroin, Cocaine and Amphetamine addict should be allowed to raise children?
Easy to say, but how do you take the kids away, and where do you put them?

That sounds pretty sinister. You could apply similar thinking to people's medical or psychological records and lord knows what else.

[keepondancin]

Gateway drug is the first beer you stole from your parents fridge.

[psneeld]

I pretty much can care less about the whole drug argument even though I spent a lot of time in the drug war.

But I know quite a few people who drink but don't do any drugs.

Every marijuana smoker I know has used other drugs.

Gateway drugs? Lifestyles? I have no proof...just my personal experiences.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by atmartin

That sounds pretty sinister. You could apply similar thinking to people's medical or psychological records and lord knows what else.

Yes, see the problem?
However somehow you would or should try to find a way to mitigate the damages that will occur.
I don’t pretend to have the answers, Just seems like most things have problems associated with them

Just seems that any addiction can be a horrible thing, making you capable of unspeakable monstrosities
https://www.wisfarmer.com/story/news...ay/1296222002/

[boatpoker]

With Cannabis just legalized the Canadian Government is now discussing the potential issue of even employees or investors in cannabis companies being permanently banned from the US.

CBC News Articlehttps://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/far...rder-1.4828905

CPB and USCG seem to have a different opinion than some states. I'd think those Federal Agencies are the ones to worry about.

[hellosailor]

"Easy to say, but how do you take the kids away, and where do you put them?"
I don't say it is good, right, preferable, or best.

Long before a certain high profile person said "It takes a village" the Kibbutzniks were already raising children in communal nurseries. Yes, you had parents. And presumably drugs and alcohol were not problems, because kibbutzes tend to work the asses off their members. Or rather, the members voluntarily work their asses off, and having each of them duplicate their efforts to raise children...yeah, that's a lot of redundant time used.

The folks I know who were raised on kibbutzes seem to be, well, as normal and healthily adjusted as any other quiet psychopath next door.

Kibbutz, foster home, orphanage...I think how well it is done, is more important than which path is chosen. Or you can do as the Spartans did: Put the infant out in the woods, if it survived, great. Another Spartan! (Ahem.)

Drugs versus children? Isn't that confusing the issue, when every state already has some version of "Child Welfare" busily trying to keep children out of the hands of poor, sometimes outright evil, parents? Drugs are hardly significant in that larger picture. Drugs have nothing to do with placing a three year old in a tub of scalding water to exorcise demons, and yes, that keeps happening too.

[BlueSlue]

Originally Posted by psneeld

Though still technically illegal to have it on a boat under federal law and transporting it.....plus.... most state Medical Marajuana ID cards are only valid in a state you can prove residency (definitely in NJ)....therefore cant be used in another state.

Not technically illegal - full stop illegal under U.S. federal law, which supersedes state law and our current AG is completely against the legalization of marijuana, so expect no leniency. If your boat is anywhere where it could be boarded by the coast guard (even at the dock), it is just too risky to have it on board, because you will be subject to federal law and the feds don't give a damn about your prescription. It's a completely stupid situation, but it is what it is for now.

A friend of mine saw a woman who was smoking weed on the dock get arrested by coasties at a marina. The coasties told her to get on her boat for whatever reason and she complied. Once she was on her boat, they had jurisdiction and they were able to search her boat and arrest her.

Until we get a change in federal law, it's safer to keep marijuana well away from your boat.