12-10-2023, 09:29 PM
Quote: @JimmyinSD said:
@MaroonBells said:
https://twitter.com/UpBeatSkeletor/statu...05428?s=20 He forgot the part where the pot heads flock to legalized places and hard drug use skyrockets and people shit on the streets.
I tend to agree on pot being relatively harmless, but if the shit show that seems to follow legalization in other states is the result, I will keep voting against legalization here and not complain a bit about cops looking the other way on its use, which many do as long as people aren't being stupid with it or getting into harder shit.
I dont think it's really been stigmatized in my area in decades, as long as people aren't abusing it publicly and then it's no worse than somebody shit faced, and certainly not difficult to get if you know anybody.
I've worked in social work/mental healthcare for the last 20 plus years. Needless to say there is a massive connection between mental health, drug abuse and homelessness. The last two being direct results of the first. The idea that places that legalize weed saw an increase in hardcore drug use and shitting in the streets statistically may be accurate. However your assumption that it's due to weed legalization is anecdotal.
Historically, the first places to legalize weed were incredibly liberal. That extends to how they view and treat the homeless population. Where as less liberal states politicians are more likely to send them packing rather than spending any real money trying to lessen the problem.
The conservative states saw the legalization off weed in other states as an opportunity to decrease their homeless population. There wasn't some great migration of hardcore drug users choosing to pay out of pocket to relocate simply because weed was legal.
What happened is the more conservative states and cities will literally pay homeless people to relocate."Here's X number of dollars and a list of cities out of the region we will pay for a bus ticket to. You agree to take this deal then you waive your right to any assistance if you choose to return. Sign on the dotted line"
The cities on that list are liberal and unlikely to return the favor by paying off homeless to go back to where they came. There are literally cities in the country who have bus lines dedicated to nothing but shipping their homeless out west to liberal states