Kentucky governor says he’ll never legalize marijuana because of the ‘overdoses’

[Swordsmyth]

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin (R) appeared on a local radio show this week and called legalized marijuana a “sucker’s bet,” and something that will never happen so long as he’s in office. Why? Bevin says he’s concerned about overdoses.
“We are not, while I’m governor, going to be legalizing the use of marijuana in this state for recreational purposes or for revenue-generating purposes,” Bevin said on Terry Meiner’s WHAS radio show. “There are people overdosing based on ingestion of products that are edibles and things.”
Contrary to what the governor believes, however, while an individual can certainly have a “bad trip” from marijuana usage, there have been zero reported deaths from marijuana “overdoses,” according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Bevin points to the uptick in marijuana-related emergency room visits in Colorado, one of the first states to legalize marijuana, as evidence of the danger it poses. It is true, Colorado did see an increase in emergency room visits following legalization, according to a study released by the state’s Department of Public Safety. From 2014 to mid-2015, 956 emergency room visits per every 100,000 were possibly related to marijuana consumption. In the years before it was legalized, from 2010 to 2013, that figure was 739 per every 100,000 visits.
The study’s authors, however, attribute that rise to the decrease in stigma surrounding marijuana; after legalization, more people were open to trying the drug for the first time who may not have been aware of the side effects.


And even though Bevin calls the notion of legalizing marijuana a “sucker’s bet,” Colorado has been consistently reaping its economic benefits.
Legalized marijuana roughly 8,005 full-time jobs and added about $2.4 billion to the state’s economy last year, an analysis from the Marijuana Policy Group (MPG) shows. The pot business is a stronger economic driver than nearly 90 percent of industries active in Colorado.
Deaths as a result of drug overdose have skyrocketed in the U.S. in recent years, but not because of more lax marijuana laws. In 2016 alone, roughly 64,000 people died of a drug overdose — a 22 percent increase from the previous year — driven by synthetic opioids like fentanyl, the New York Times reported earlier this year.
Bevin’s state of Kentucky had 33 drug overdose deaths per 100,000 residents last year — the second highest rate in the country.

More at: https://thinkprogress.org/kentucky-g...-685f5c04fcb3/

[Raginfridus]

How does one od from a reefer?

[dannno]

The study’s authors, however, attribute that rise to the decrease in stigma surrounding marijuana; after legalization, more people were open to trying the drug for the first time who may not have been aware of the side effects.

There is a dual-effect on the stigma thing, here.. Once legalized, if someone ingests "too much", they might feel more inclined to seek help at the hospital than when it was illegal.

[dannno]

How does one od from a reefer?

1:20

[Raginfridus]

1:20

If Dr Paul had as much publicity as Clinton/Trump - heck, his opponents at the time - he'd have been President.

but Russia... they're stealing votes

[Lamp]

Who the hell cares?

[GunnyFreedom]

I was just about to post this.

https://insiderlouisville.com/metro/citing-marijuana-overdoses-in-colorado-bevin-says-he-will-never-legalize-pot-in-kentucky/

seriously, Bevin?

You don’t have to be all pro-pot we know you need the socon votes, but repeating the lies and BS false propaganda? Yeah no. That’s messed up.

You could have just maintained a States-Rights position, claimed that the people didn’t want it, let the legislature override you, and been looking for another job after the next election. Instead you chose to go eyeball deep into the reefer madness propaganda. Bad idea.

[Root]

How does one od from a reefer?

I’ve never even come close. Had some wild hallucinations from some edibles once but that’s it.

[Dark_Horse_Rider]

meanwhile heroin is rife in Kentucky, you goddamned hippocrite !!!!

[asurfaholic]

Well he's not wrong though. And for Chris's sake guys, think about the children.

[Raginfridus]

meanwhile heroin is rife in Kentucky, you goddamned hippocrite !!!!

[specsaregood]

I was just about to post this.

https://insiderlouisville.com/metro/citing-marijuana-overdoses-in-colorado-bevin-says-he-will-never-legalize-pot-in-kentucky/

seriously, Bevin?

You don’t have to be all pro-pot we know you need the socon votes, but repeating the lies and BS false propaganda? Yeah no. That’s messed up.

You could have just maintained a States-Rights position, claimed that the people didn’t want it, let the legislature override you, and been looking for another job after the next election. Instead you chose to go eyeball deep into the reefer madness propaganda. Bad idea.

I remember people here talking about how this guy was better than Randal and more pure Libertarian or some horse pucky.

[Origanalist]

I remember people here talking about how this guy was better than Randal and more pure Libertarian or some horse pucky.

I thought he was pretty good comparatively myself. I hope he has the sense to backtrack on this.

[Working Poor]

FU Bevin. Looks like you want to be voted out of office. I am sure people in Kentucky are tired of it being illegal just like most of the country. It is medicine; it is a crime against humanity for it to continue being illegal. F all the cartel ass kissing politicians vote them all out of office if they don't change this so called law. It might be the one thing that can unite the vast majority of people against the government.

[Brian4Liberty]

No one has died from a marijuana overdose. - Rebekah Entralgo

I hate to be the party-pooper here (or scientist), but nothing in the definition of "overdose" requires death. It's just an excessive dose for a given individual, usually resulting in adverse and undesired side effects (death being the worst possibility).

Pretty sure Bevin is just referring to the common anxiety-attack adverse reaction. And as the author then admits, it often results in emergency room visits.

Does that justify the expensive, liberty-destroying, gang-creating, counter-productive war on drugs? No. Bevin is wrong in that regard.

[oyarde]

Sounds like Bevin needs to get high and go see the Aqua Buddha .

[surf]

Sounds like Bevin needs to get high and go see the Aqua Buddha .

boogity boogity evil weed?

[Matt Collins]

Why does he hate the troops?

[devil21]

If the police tv shows like LivePD are any indication, if it wasn't for weed being illegal the police wouldn't have much to do and the departments would have to be scaled way, way back. Nearly every traffic stop or Terry stop involves weed and leads to searches and arrests. Without weed they'd actually have to go find real crime to investigate.

I hate to be the party-pooper here (or scientist), but nothing in the definition of "overdose" requires death. It's just an excessive dose for a given individual, usually resulting in adverse and undesired side effects (death being the worst possibility).

Pretty sure Bevin is just referring to the common anxiety-attack adverse reaction. And as the author then admits, it often results in emergency room visits.

Does that justify the expensive, liberty-destroying, gang-creating, counter-productive war on drugs? No. Bevin is wrong in that regard.

You're not wrong but the average dimwit listening to the radio automatically equates some kind of life threatening episode with the word "overdose".

[shakey1]

How does one od from a reefer?

Maybe if laced w/paraquat (feds used it during the WOD campaign in the 80s on pot crops)... very toxic.

https://www.intellihub.com/us-gov-ad...uana-in-1980s/

http://www.toxipedia.org/display/toxipedia/Paraquat

[euphemia]

Actually, the governor is right. Government does not need to legalize pot. Government should take all pot laws and penalties off the books and declare it has no position on what people grow for personal use.

[juleswin]

Actually, the governor is right. Government does not need to legalize pot. Government should take all pot laws and penalties off the books and declare it has no position on what people grow for personal use.

That is essentially what it means to legalize something. So yeah, the govt needs to legalize pot. Essentially the stance it takes on every item that is legal like video games, table chairs, skinny jeans etc etc

[dannno]

Actually, the governor is right. Government does not need to legalize pot. Government should take all pot laws and penalties off the books and declare it has no position on what people grow for personal use.

What should their position be on people who grow it and sell it to their neighbor?

[dannno]

That is essentially what it means to legalize something. So yeah, the govt needs to legalize pot. Essentially the stance it takes on every item that is legal like video games, table chairs, skinny jeans etc etc

She is saying that legalizing means regulating it for sale.. she has a point, it shouldn't be regulated, but it should be legal to grow/buy/sell, thus be legalized, just not have any regulations (except maybe an 18+ age limit on sales or something might be acceptable)

[juleswin]

She is saying that legalizing means regulating it for sale.. she has a point, it shouldn't be regulated, but it should be legal to grow/buy/sell, thus be legalized, just not have any regulations (except maybe an 18+ age limit on sales or something might be acceptable)

But the act of not prohibiting something means that it is legalized. So govt automatically legalizes it once the prohibition ends.

[Dr.3D]

Actually, the governor is right. Government does not need to legalize pot. Government should take all pot laws and penalties off the books and declare it has no position on what people grow for personal use.

Yep, just like tomatoes, carrots etc.

[dannno]

But the act of not prohibiting something means that it is legalized. So govt automatically legalizes it once the prohibition ends.

Yes, that is correct, but in colloquial terms, whenever they talk about legalizing they want to put a bunch of regulations on it, whereas when they decriminalize they merely take away certain penalties which is why some people prefer that direction. I guess they think maybe if possession is decriminalized, then some day they might decriminalize growing and selling without instituting regulations, but I doubt that would happen.

[devil21]

That is essentially what it means to legalize something. So yeah, the govt needs to legalize pot. Essentially the stance it takes on every item that is legal like video games, table chairs, skinny jeans etc etc

Nope, legal and lawful are two different beasts entirely. If there are no laws/regulations then something is lawful. If it is regulated then it is legal.

Tomatoes consumption is lawful since no law/regulation addresses the terms of their use. Colorado marijuana consumption is legal because the terms of use are expressly delineated in statute.

[H. E. Panqui]

...why is anyone surprised?...the VAST VAST majority of republicans [d's too] are prohibitionist idiots...we are inundated with prohibitionists and always will be until we rid ourselves of these gd fool republicrats and their thoroughly stinking ideas..ugh...

...btw, stop using the slave-mentality term 'legalize'!!..ugh!!

...what decent, intelligent people want is the 'repeal' of any gd fool republicrat 'law' that doesn't respect/acknowledge/etc. our obvious unalienable individual rights/responsibilities as to ingestion, self-medication, plant-growing, contract, etc..

...'oh mr [gd fool republicrat] legislator, please 'legalize' my favorite 'drugs'' is what a slave/fool requests!!...