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Sheepish
Registered: 04/02/02
Posts: 10,137
Loc: Exile
Last seen: 5 years, 10 months
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Coroner speaks out over legalising cannabis
#2863746 - 07/07/04 02:24 AM (19 years, 8 months ago) |
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http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3574198&msg=emaillink
Crash coroner speaks out against legalising cannabis
23.06.2004
Nelson coroner Ian Smith has waded into the debate about the dangers of legalising cannabis, following the death of a man in a car crash, saying he has a "clear and deep belief" it should not be legalised.
At an inquest on Monday, Mr Smith said the alcohol level of bushman Daniel John Russell, 28, was twice the legal limit and he had smoked cannabis in the four hours before his death.
Mr Russell died on March 28, a short time after he drove his vehicle into the Soldiers' Memorial gates on Main Rd, Tapawera, 51km southwest of Motueka, at 4.30am.
He was not wearing his seatbelt and had 192mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. The legal limit is 80mg.
Mr Russell was trapped in the vehicle and died at the scene.
Detective Sergeant Mark Kaveney said that on the day before Mr Russell was thought to have attended the Richmond Speedway with friends.
He then went to the Kohatu Hotel, where he was described as "talkative, chatty and in a happy mood" and "pissed but not paralytic".
No one saw him leave in his vehicle some time after 1.30am.
However, a friend, Zachary Tate, said Mr Russell arrived at his home at Elms Cottage shortly after he returned from the hotel. The men drank beer, then Mr Russell said he was leaving.
Attempts by Mr Tate and his flatmates to take Mr Russell's car keys and talk him into staying the night were unsuccessful.
Mr Smith said he would be asking why the hotel did not have a courtesy van.
"Clearly your son was very, very drunk," he said to Mr Russell's parents. "The number of times people die from alcohol combined with cannabis - I have seen it too many times.
"We have this great debate going on as to whether we should legalise cannabis and I have a very clear and deep belief we should not."
Mr Smith ruled that Mr Russell died when he suffered multiple injuries in a car accident.
- NZPA
I don't understand this logic - man has few drinks, mixes with marijuana, drives and crashes; marijuana shouldn't be legal. There's been a few stupid articles like this lately - another one is a kid who was about 14/15, drove a car unlicensed from a party where he had been smoking pot and drinking alcohol. The article then went on to blame pot for the cause of the crash, despite him being well over the legal limit for alcohol.
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MOTH
Wild Woman
Registered: 06/06/03
Posts: 23,431
Loc: In the jungle
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Re: Coroner speaks out over legalising cannabis [Re: Sheepish]
#2863830 - 07/07/04 03:42 AM (19 years, 8 months ago) |
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I agree. It's ridiculous.
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Society
Mmmm... pizza
Registered: 07/03/04
Posts: 14,303
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Re: Coroner speaks out over legalising cannabis [Re: MOTH]
#2864824 - 07/07/04 12:06 PM (19 years, 8 months ago) |
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Yeah, there is NO logic in that. What about the thousands of fatal car crashes from alcohol alone? That guys just another fucking hypocrite just itching for ways to try and make marijuana look bad.
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Twirling
Barred Spiral
Registered: 02/03/03
Posts: 2,468
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Re: Coroner speaks out over legalising cannabis [Re: Sheepish]
#2872623 - 07/09/04 11:31 AM (19 years, 8 months ago) |
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One thing I don't understand, is how one coroner's opinion is making news?
By his own logic, shouldn't alcohol be illegal if his BAC was well over twice the limit? Besides, the man was doing plenty of highly illegal things, like driving while intoxicated, not wearing a seat belt while driving (illegal where I am, at any rate), shouldn't it be said that this man died from using very poor judgement, not because these things are legal or not?
I know I'm preaching to the chior here, but these articles are really frustraiting.
-------------------- The very nature of experience is ineffable; it transcends cognitive thought and intellectualized analysis. To be without experience is to be without an emotional knowledge of what the experience translates into. The desire for the understanding of what life is made of is the motivation that drives us all. Without it, in fear of the experiences what life can hold is among the greatest contradictions; to live in fear of death while not being alive.
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Locus
Registered: 03/11/04
Posts: 6,112
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Re: Coroner speaks out over legalising cannabis [Re: Sheepish]
#2875009 - 07/10/04 12:38 AM (19 years, 8 months ago) |
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Yeah, it's the kids fault, and he is to blame. If they're going to blame any of the drugs they should be blaming the alcohol, not the weed. Just another lame reasoning to speak out against pot. It's fucking annoying that they can look at pot vs alcohol pertaining to driving and say that the pot is the real problem. And not related to driving, of coarse pot is the real danger, not alcohol.. riiighht.
-------------------- The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity. ~ Albert Einstein "Fear is the great barrier to human growth." ~ Dr. Robert Monroe ~~~*Dosis sola facit venenum*~~~ *Check my profile to listen to my music*
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Le_Canard
The Duk Abides
Registered: 05/16/03
Posts: 94,392
Loc: Earthfarm 1
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Re: Coroner speaks out over legalising cannabis [Re: Twirling]
#2876107 - 07/10/04 03:00 PM (19 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
Twirling said: One thing I don't understand, is how one coroner's opinion is making news?
By his own logic, shouldn't alcohol be illegal if his BAC was well over twice the limit? Besides, the man was doing plenty of highly illegal things, like driving while intoxicated, not wearing a seat belt while driving (illegal where I am, at any rate)
oh noooo...that would be too easy! Besides, alcohol is okay because its legal! /end sarcasm
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Tantalus
Beyonddescription.
Registered: 06/05/03
Posts: 747
Last seen: 18 years, 6 months
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Re: Coroner speaks out over legalising cannabis [Re: Society]
#2886495 - 07/13/04 02:37 PM (19 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
SocietyRejects said: Yeah, there is NO logic in that. What about the thousands of fatal car crashes from alcohol alone? That guys just another fucking hypocrite just itching for ways to try and make marijuana look bad.
I don't know about NZ, but here in America it's all about money. Alcohol provides big bucks for the machine... pot doesn't.
Kind of the like the mafia supports it's own businesses while destroying competitors.
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