The AP reports:
LOCH SHELDRAKE, N.Y. -- Authorities have charged a 30-year-old New York woman with endangering the welfare of a child after police say her toddler wandered into an upstate road clutching a bag of marijuana.
Police in the hamlet of Loch Sheldrake say Lakeisha Owens was sleeping in her apartment around 5 p.m. Saturday when her 3-year-old daughter was nearly struck by a vehicle.
Officials say the driver pulled over, removed the child from the road and called police. Authorities say the girl was holding a bag containing 15 grams of marijuana.
Police said Tuesday that Owens was released after her arrest on the misdemeanor charge. Authorities didn't know if she had a lawyer, and there was no phone listing for her in Loch Sheldrake, located 85 miles northwest of New York City.
Anyone here think that Ms. Owens was just "sleeping?" Think maybe she got stoned, and while zonked out, her 3-year old took mommy's baggie and wanted to find out what happens when you play in the street?
You can say that simple possession and use of marijuana are harmless, and you'll make a point -- if you're willing to ignore this and numerous similar stories. At some point, though, somebody's 3 year-old isn't going to be as lucky as this one. It's then that I want to hear more from the "victimless crime" crowd.
This is just one example of the type of "below the radar" harm caused by marijuana use that is not easily quantifiable.
If anyone wants to know the harm that legal drugs cause to society, take a good look at the Netherlands, which is plagued with violent crime and serious drug abuse.
What is CJLF's position on alcohol?
Here's hoping CJLF will feel as strongly about the three-year-old when, as an adult, she acts on all of the training she received growing up. Can there be any doubt she will not have been raised right?
CJLF has no position on alcohol.
CJLF also has no position on legalization of marijuana. As noted in the About page, opinions expressed by outside bloggers (including Bill) are their own and do not necessarily reflect CJLF policy.
Bill is certainly correct in this post, though, that marijuana is not harmless. Whether prohibition is the best way of dealing with that is a different question and one on which we have not taken a position.
I was sitting here, clinging to my bible and guns, listening to Rush Limbaughs call to behead all non white people, filling out insurance coverage for my precious tea bags if god forbid the worst happens, and behold, you make me spit my coffee out all over my computer, that i bought from taking advantage of some poor person while I got rich on Oil contacts in Iraq.
I was sitting here, clinging to my bible and guns, listening to Rush Limbaughs call to behead all non white people, filling out insurance coverage for my precious tea bags if god forbid the worst happens, and behold, you make me spit my coffee out all over my computer, that i bought from taking advantage of some poor person while I got rich on Oil contacts in Iraq.
I was sitting here, clinging to my bible and guns, drinking beer and listening to Rush Limbaughs call to behead all non white people, filling out insurance coverage for my precious tea bags if god forbid the worst happens, and behold, you make me spit my beer out all over my computer, that i bought from taking advantage of some poor person while I got rich on Oil contacts in Iraq.
I approved your comments, all three basically identical versions, so that viewers could see what happens when you comment while stoned. What else do you do stoned? Take "care" of your kids, maybe, like the mother in the story I posted?
For the future, however, let me offer some advice: Try to be coherent; offer something other than rote, Mother Jones-style shibboleths; address what was actually written; keep better control of your coffee and beer; and make your comment a little more timely than a year and a half after the post.
Thanks so much!