Bill Black, stuck in the 50s, Nanny State advocate extraordinaire. Convinced by studies with clear biases… You have clear biases, and clearly fantasies surrounding control.
Did you have a tough childhood growing up? Don’t take it out on the rest of us.
Excellent comment on the tobacco problem. Smoking is smoking, by however means and whatever means! It is a proven risk factor and in no way should it be encouraged or facilitated. Unfortunately, despite all measures to date, the number of smokers has remained stable. As has been mentioned, prohibition pushed the distribution underground. Waiting to see the outcomes in the US is a good idea. RG.
Bill Black — a creature of his times and background like all of us.
So astute at financial, but not always social policy — unfortunately he is way off base here on both burning subjects. Well we all have our blind spots. I won’t try to write about actuarial tables, taxes or the Maritime insurance industry if Bill will at least read ahead and approve this post:
This Herald and blogged op/ed was pure bluestockinged, social gospel, Neo-puritan nonsense to rob the working man of one of his few remaining legal vices when huge taxes on smokes more than cover the increased health care costs. Leave them alone for chrissakes. Be wary of the rich man concerned with the poor’s vices.
I have an idea: work in Capital Health creating anti-smoking websites as part of your statist, social-engineering duty. Commute home in your Volvo/Smart Car/Bicycle perhaps stopping at hot yoga class or the organic bakery. Then have a glass of wine with your partner/spouse or joint on the back deck after dinner knowing you’ve done your best to rid N.S. of Walter Raleigh’s “dirty weed” the working class and working poor and some of the rest of us (not me) love so much. You are Big Brother’s kind of cadre. Your help in ending tolerance and pluralism in the name of “health care” can’t be measured.
The rest of what may be the only really bad Bill Black column I ever read is nothing but willfull naivete: pot strains can now have as much as thirty times the tetrahydracannabinols (active psychotic ingredient) than the incomparably milder joints of the 60s, 70s and 80s!
Research scientists in the U.K. are documenting actual cases of adult-onset schizophrenia caused by heavy intake of “skunk”, “ska” that have caused permanent disabilities, murder and suicide. These strains are here in Soviet Canuckistan too and what the street calls the most potent (and thus most desired and grown) strains of pot. They are similar to the “B.C. bud” that is so potent U.S. gangs paid so much for our cross-bred herbal genius – highly damaging and habit forming plus a gateway to stronger drugs. (I volunteered at a recovery house for three years — it really is a gateway drug, if not for all).
Lastly, If your worry is decriminalizing vs. legalization you are focusing too much on the user versus society as a whole. We don’t need another legal intoxicant to compete with alcohol. It does enough damage and “baby, it’s not your grandfathers’ reefer.”
A very good and concise article on the prevalence of tobacco and the impending legalization of marijuana inso far as you treated the LEGAL production and use of each.
However you have failed to take into account the legal production by the Indians and the distribution by the criminal elements. This must be accounted for in overall consumption lest we deceive ourselves in the reduction of use.
It must also be dealt with in any efforts to reduce consumption or suppression of distribution by whatever means possible or one source will continue to replace the other and will result in the loss of the one redeeming factor the government relies on—taxes.
This will also apply to the production, distribution and use of marijuana.
Have you not heard of the ‘Wildwood flower” and its status in certain ceremonial functions.
Has any government the willingness to deal with this aspect of “political correctness”
Excellent article. A good, fair framework to further reduce tobacco consumption. Tobacco causes about 18 cancers and more people due from the cardiac effects than from lung cancer. It is the primary determinant of health. Thanks for bringing this to the public’s attention.
Bill Black, stuck in the 50s, Nanny State advocate extraordinaire. Convinced by studies with clear biases… You have clear biases, and clearly fantasies surrounding control.
Did you have a tough childhood growing up? Don’t take it out on the rest of us.
Michael Murphy | November 1, 2014 |
Excellent comment on the tobacco problem. Smoking is smoking, by however means and whatever means! It is a proven risk factor and in no way should it be encouraged or facilitated. Unfortunately, despite all measures to date, the number of smokers has remained stable. As has been mentioned, prohibition pushed the distribution underground. Waiting to see the outcomes in the US is a good idea. RG.
Ron Gregor | February 1, 2014 |
Bill Black — a creature of his times and background like all of us.
So astute at financial, but not always social policy — unfortunately he is way off base here on both burning subjects. Well we all have our blind spots. I won’t try to write about actuarial tables, taxes or the Maritime insurance industry if Bill will at least read ahead and approve this post:
This Herald and blogged op/ed was pure bluestockinged, social gospel, Neo-puritan nonsense to rob the working man of one of his few remaining legal vices when huge taxes on smokes more than cover the increased health care costs. Leave them alone for chrissakes. Be wary of the rich man concerned with the poor’s vices.
I have an idea: work in Capital Health creating anti-smoking websites as part of your statist, social-engineering duty. Commute home in your Volvo/Smart Car/Bicycle perhaps stopping at hot yoga class or the organic bakery. Then have a glass of wine with your partner/spouse or joint on the back deck after dinner knowing you’ve done your best to rid N.S. of Walter Raleigh’s “dirty weed” the working class and working poor and some of the rest of us (not me) love so much. You are Big Brother’s kind of cadre. Your help in ending tolerance and pluralism in the name of “health care” can’t be measured.
The rest of what may be the only really bad Bill Black column I ever read is nothing but willfull naivete: pot strains can now have as much as thirty times the tetrahydracannabinols (active psychotic ingredient) than the incomparably milder joints of the 60s, 70s and 80s!
Research scientists in the U.K. are documenting actual cases of adult-onset schizophrenia caused by heavy intake of “skunk”, “ska” that have caused permanent disabilities, murder and suicide. These strains are here in Soviet Canuckistan too and what the street calls the most potent (and thus most desired and grown) strains of pot. They are similar to the “B.C. bud” that is so potent U.S. gangs paid so much for our cross-bred herbal genius – highly damaging and habit forming plus a gateway to stronger drugs. (I volunteered at a recovery house for three years — it really is a gateway drug, if not for all).
Lastly, If your worry is decriminalizing vs. legalization you are focusing too much on the user versus society as a whole. We don’t need another legal intoxicant to compete with alcohol. It does enough damage and “baby, it’s not your grandfathers’ reefer.”
Its a whole new drug altogether.
Kevin McDonald | February 1, 2014 |
A very good and concise article on the prevalence of tobacco and the impending legalization of marijuana inso far as you treated the LEGAL production and use of each.
However you have failed to take into account the legal production by the Indians and the distribution by the criminal elements. This must be accounted for in overall consumption lest we deceive ourselves in the reduction of use.
It must also be dealt with in any efforts to reduce consumption or suppression of distribution by whatever means possible or one source will continue to replace the other and will result in the loss of the one redeeming factor the government relies on—taxes.
This will also apply to the production, distribution and use of marijuana.
Have you not heard of the ‘Wildwood flower” and its status in certain ceremonial functions.
Has any government the willingness to deal with this aspect of “political correctness”
Bill F | January 31, 2014 |
Excellent article. A good, fair framework to further reduce tobacco consumption. Tobacco causes about 18 cancers and more people due from the cardiac effects than from lung cancer. It is the primary determinant of health. Thanks for bringing this to the public’s attention.
Drew Bethune | January 31, 2014 |
As someone who gave up tobacco many years ago,I cannot see any GOOD reason why either of these WEEDS should be marketed…
bob mackenzie | January 31, 2014 |