By that definition, would an apartment-dweller be forbidden from going home if he had reason to believe that someone in his apartment building was smoking pot?

And again I ask you why is what another person does with their body any of your, the government, the police, anyone’s business? If people do things that are going to harm other people, then make those things illegal, you know like how it is illegal to drive while intoxicated. Nothing these people did constitutes ‘stupid’ if we exclude the neighbor and the police. As far as a private residence not being a place to do whatever I please, why is it not? As long as what I am doing is between consenting adults and does not put you or someone else life in danger how is what I or anyone else does on their property any of your business? If you don’t like loud music move to an apartment complex or neighborhood that bans such actions.

Again, what gives you or anyone else the right to determine what someone can or cannot do with their own body (excluding the obvious exception of danger/damage to another) or on their property?

David, you and I have ground we can communicate on. Alcohol does kill way more than mari ever did or will. You might be surprised, but I think any “drug” should be legalized as long as alcohol is sold in stores…but along with that, folks who want to use these drugs have to take responsibility for their stupid actions. This article, nor this discussion, has afforded the opportunity to rail on alcohol until you mentioned it.

And yes, you’re right its not my business to know what’s going on in private residences…until that “funny-yet-to-be-determined” smell reaches my kids bedroom. If I don’t know what that “smell” is and I’m unsure if it puts my family’s life in “jeopardy” I will become that nosy neighbor.

A private residence is not a place to do “everything” as you please. Somebody above proved that point by citing “abuse.” Flushing pills into the toilet, playing loud music at 10pm when my baby trying to sleep, flushing aligators, and cheating on your taxes all occur in private residences. It doesn’t make any of the them right. And they all certainly affect the rest of us, because the government then makes it their business and they “create” new laws that affect the descent law-abiding folks. Every action has consequences.

As others have stated these people were behind closed doors, in a private residence, partaking of a substance which, aside from physical harm resulting from its illegality, no negative health effects. Sure, you can make dumb choices when your high. You also probably should not operate machinery, especially something like a car. Yet if this is your concern then why are you on here railing on about pot when alcohol is for sale all over this country? Now there is one hell of a drug. I mean, unlike pot which has never killed anyone, hundreds of thousands of people in the U.S. alone will die from alcohol related diseases this year. And talk about a drug that makes people do -stupid- things. But your not really concerned about health effects or poor choices are you?

Let me ask you a question Brack. Why is it your or the governments business what someone does with their own body? Seriously, if their not causing you physical harm, and not putting your life in jeopardy, why is it any of your, the cops, or a nosy neighbors concern?

So if a parent goes to their kid’s pad to implore them to stop smoking crack…

‘Impairs your abilities, especially the ones to make good choices’. I’ll somewhat agree with that. Maybe the people featured in the article should have gone to a private residence to partake, away from car keys, roads, and the public the large. OH WAIT THEY DID!

The fact is a significant portion of the populace (myself NOT included, I’m not a user) make marijuana a part of the their lives and the worst thing that will ever happen to them and the people around them is if they get caught. If they don’t get caught, no trauma. I know a good number of people who smoke for recreational purposes, and they all have fine jobs, some have mortgages they are easily on top of, etc.

I’ve seen a lot of propaganda about the evils of pot, and the only place I’ve seen it is in that propaganda. I’ve *never* seen it in real life. Unless, of course, you include the war waged on citizens in ‘evils of pot’, and it is definitely an evil to be invaded by jackbooted thugs while you are in the middle, in flagrante delicto, of… hurting no one, harming nothing.

And I don’t care about you guys liking me. I care about you being responsible.

Nobody likes a (thinks they) know it all self-righteous prick.
Cheers!

This boils down to personal responsibility…if you consume an illegal substance and it affects those that are around you, you must be willing to take responsibility for that action.

One final thought before I get a contact buzz from this site…does smoking marijuana fall into the category of using “common sense?”

so does the perfume that old women seem to enjoy wearing by the gallon…

people don’t realize the potential headaches they’re opening themselves to when they call 911 for bullshit. 911 is a sledgehammer- most people just need a tack hammer. there are countless stories on here of dogs being shot, property damaged, and people arrested because cops showed up and created a crime- not because of any crime being committed prior to their arrival. I’ve seen cops report people for having 3 little dogs because the city ordinance allows for only 2. the guy was having a heart attack and the cop was there to assist ems.

people call 911 because ‘they’re concerned’ about a possible fire behind someone’s house- not concerned enough to stop and warn the people or find out they’re grilling in the back yard. this opens all kinds of potential headaches for these people…

if the old people concerned about the kids smoking dope would’ve called the landlord, chances are he would’ve warned them and told them to knock it off. if they were poor renters (not paying, other complaints, etc), they probably would take action to have them removed.

911 is a great tool when it’s used appropriately- but it can do far more damage when people don’t use common sense.

almost all of my tenants have some bullshit drug conviction in their past. they take care of my property because they know their options are very limited. on the flip side, if one is arrested, I’m probably losing a tenant because there’s no way they can afford rent and legal fees… hell, I’ve lost tenants because traffic fines are so expensive.

The problem with people…they think they’ll never get caught because they think they’re not affecting anyone else. The fact remains, though, that marijuana stinks and does carry past your personal space. The other thing it does…it impairs your abilities, especially the ability to make good choices.

Five more lives that now have a permanant black spot on them. Five more people in the system who may be unable to get a solid job thanks to this. See how harmful marijuana is? Huh? All you dumbass stoners… you see the harm that marijuana can do?

Or should I say crack reporter Joe Hornaday?

Sec. 13. (a) A person who knowingly or intentionally visits a building, structure, vehicle, or other place that is used by any person to unlawfully use a controlled substance commits visiting a common nuisance, a Class B misdemeanor.

WTF is “visiting a common nuisance”?

when i read the “one step closer” line i thought of a Simpsons quote

John Waters: “Homer, I won your respect, and all I had to do was save your life. Now, if every gay man could just do the same, you’d be set.”

Homer: “and how”