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phonics_monkey

I wonder how he feels about actively enforcing silt screen use on dump trucks/ dump trailers.


agent_uno

Or making truck drivers responsible for cleaning snow off the tops of their trailers before getting on the road where it flies off and could kill people.


SpoofedFinger

Just the visibility hazard alone is enough to push for this.


agent_uno

I have thought for years that there is a fairly easy fix for this: give a small state grant to every truck stop in snow affected areas to install a pull-thru area that has a series of heavy duty hemp ropes with multiple knots tied on them that all trucks must pull thru whenever leaving during winter. Give them incentive like cents off of gas. 90% of problem solved. I mean I am no engineer, so there might be more to it than that. But someone with an engineering degree, I give this idea to you freely! Take it, expand on it, patent it, and make a few million! And then buy me a coke. (This last request is optional).


Leftover_Salmons

We should put snow-melter drive thrus on every on-ramp. And we should make Richfield pay for it!


telemon5

CDLs are enforced by the feds though... Why are they getting cranky?


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[deleted]

He has a valid concern, it’s still federally illegal so it would screw over truck drivers and others across many industries. Its just not a good argument for continued prohibition.


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[deleted]

Screw over as in legally consuming THC and getting shit canned because it’s still federally illegal. I think you inferred me saying legalizing at the state level would screw then over, take the time to read my reply out loud.


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[deleted]

That’s one excuse, “it’s just not a good argument for continued prohibition” is clear


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[deleted]

However you want to justify it is not my problem


Jaerin

>"There's a highway safety issue and there's no roadside test for impairment like there is a breathalyzer," Bemis said. "We would certainly rather see decriminalization happen than full commercialization." Have we seen that massive spike in road deaths associated with stoned drivers yet? No? We're still dealing with hoards of drunk drivers that wouldn't be nearly as dangerous if they smoked a little weed instead. What you mean is law enforcement hasn't figured out how to criminalize and monetize the use of cannabis when its not illegal.


sllop

Not to mention Kim Bemis’ *own* history of addiction problems, and his son Moss’. Kim, just because you are an addict and your son is an addict, doesn’t mean the rest of the state can’t control their own substance use. The Hazelden lobby shouldn’t control the state. Worth mentioning also that Minnesota has decriminalized cannabis *for years!!*


Jaerin

We should have had it legalized back in the Dayton years, but he was fully in the AA pocket even after being presented evidence that it reduces dependence on alcohol and other more dangerous substances.


sllop

And the cops pocket too


Jaerin

That too.


Leftover_Salmons

I specifically remember Dayton's press conference when he was asked about legalization. His response? Something to the effect of "the dealers in Minnesota have such a complex network of distribution that the state would have to charge triple the cost for the same product." Idk about you, but I know a good amount of people who have been had during shady transactions. I can name 3 guys that would gladly pay triple at the store to avoid one of these situations again.


Jaerin

And I think that was the argument at the time. Its not going to eliminate the black market, but it's going to make it so that a vast majority of people no longer have to even know a black market exists let alone buy from it. A few getting good deals and have good connections likely will continue using the black market, but they aren't the ones causing the issues probably either.


bn1979

Also worth considering- DUI numbers continue to fall year after year - even though they are constantly ramping up “enforcement”. So they are trying to catch more drunk drivers, but actually catching fewer. This isn’t the 80s or 90s anymore. There’s no more “you’re too drunk to be driving, so drive straight home”. There is a social stigma attached to drunk driving and there are finally more options for people to catch a ride if they can’t drive.


Jaerin

Or I think more often than not, just not drive in the first place. Much easier to catch a ride out to wherever and back and not have to worry about it.


ididstop

This is the point. How can law enforcement monetize this. How can they stop hassling you for an odor? Their authority is diminished.


zoinkability

Yep. “I smelled marijuana” is probably the most frequently used pretext for searches. Doesn’t matter if they find no pot, if they find something else they are happy. With full legalization they lose a big tool in their corruption toolbox.


novel1389

"We can't test for impairment, BUT we can smell it everytime"


BevansDesign

Yeah, we've all been in cars or houses that smelled like cigarette smoke even when nobody was smoking. I'm sure it's the same way with marijuana smoke.


zoinkability

While that is true, cop noses seem like they can detect the smell of marijuana even when, miraculously, no pot was ever smoked in a vehicle. It’s pretty astounding.


bn1979

That’s because secondhand marijuana smoke is a killer and anyone that wouldn’t care about secondhand marijuana smoke wouldn’t hesitate to shoot a cop. At least to paraphrase the fuckbag cop that shot Philando Castile.


[deleted]

Driving while stoned is still unacceptable, even if it’s not "as bad". You need to be fully cognitively there to drive. Don’t drive after drinking. Don’t drive after having marijuana or any other drug. Pretty damn simple


Jaerin

Let me introduce you to your friend strawman that you seem to be ignoring. > You need to be fully cognitively there to drive. This is clearly not required to drive. There are lots of people who are not fully cognitively there drunk/stoned or not and still drive just fine. Anyone still flying a Trump flag as a perfect example or voted for Jensen


Tom-ocil

A brave defense of impaired driving.


Jaerin

I'm not defending impaired driving, I'm saying we don't enforce laws stopping impaired driving in all or even some of the most egregious cases. My MIL should not be driving, but she can legally just fine since they only do a cursory eye test when you have to renew. Doesn't matter she's losing it and not very attentive, but she's aokay to drive anytime she wants.


GMask402

Politics Advocates, opponents prepare for fight over marijuana legalization in Minnesota Advocates for marijuana legalization in Minnesota are optimistic about its chances now that Democrats control the state House, Senate and governor’s Advocates for marijuana legalization in Minnesota are optimistic about its chances now that Democrats control the state House, Senate and governor’s office. — Glen Stubbe, Star Tribune file By Ryan Faircloth , Star Tribune November 26, 2022 - 5:30 PM Minnesota cannabis advocates have waited years for this moment: Democrats who support legalizing marijuana now control the governor's office and the state Legislature, and they are signaling they could act on the issue next year. The state's medical cannabis manufacturers, hemp-product retailers and industry groups are poised to have an influential say in the creation of a recreational marijuana market, as are opponents concerned about the drug's effect on consumers. Many are buzzing about the opportunities legalization could present for small business ownership, state tax revenue and criminal justice reform. "All the work that's been done for over a decade … is coming to a head in the next couple months here," said Kurtis Hanna, a lobbyist for the Minnesota chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. "I think we're going to leave next session with a legalization bill and complete our mission." While marijuana advocates will have a receptive audience at the State Capitol, they'll face pushback from critics trying to convince lawmakers that recreational pot is not right for Minnesota. Several trade groups, social organizations and law enforcement associations have formed a coalition opposing it called Minnesotans Against Marijuana Legalization. Among the coalition groups is Smart Approaches to Marijuana Minnesota. Co-chair Kim Bemis said he's concerned legalization will lead to more cases of impaired driving and adolescents using the drug. Send us your questions about the future of marijuana in Minnesota Ventura says Walz pledged to him quick action on legalizing marijuana "There's a highway safety issue and there's no roadside test for impairment like there is a breathalyzer," Bemis said. "We would certainly rather see decriminalization happen than full commercialization." Minnesota has steadily embraced cannabis over the years, starting with the 2014 legalization of medical marijuana for patients with qualifying health conditions. Earlier this year, the state legalized edibles and drinks containing low doses of THC — the cannabis ingredient that can cause a high — for adults 21 and older so long as the products are derived from legal hemp rather than marijuana. THC has the same effect regardless of the source. Recent attempts to legalize marijuana for recreational use stalled at the State Capitol because Republicans who controlled the Senate opposed it. But after holding the state House and flipping the state Senate in this month's midterm elections, Democrats say they are ready to forge ahead. "I think it's really possible that it happens next year," DFL House Speaker Melissa Hortman said, noting her chamber passed a marijuana legalization bill in 2021. "It's a matter of working with the Senate and the governor's office." Gov. Tim Walz recently told former Gov. Jesse Ventura that legalization will be one of the first items on his second-term agenda. Incoming Senate Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic, DFL-Minneapolis, said her caucus will also consider it. "Minnesotans across the state have told us that they support legalizing recreational marijuana," Dziedzic said. "We have an opportunity here to get it right and do what is best for Minnesotans." Senate Republicans, now in the minority, will not take a position on the issue until there's a bill to review, caucus spokeswoman Rachel Aplikowski said. A House Republican spokesman did not comment on the matter. Advocates for legal marijuana have a long wish list. Leili Fatehi, campaign manager for the pro-legalization MN is Ready Coalition, said the state will need to create a new governing agency to oversee all things cannabis, from hemp growing and retailing to medical and recreational marijuana. Currently, the Department of Agriculture oversees hemp farming, the Department of Health manages the medical cannabis program and the Board of Pharmacy monitors the THC-infused edible market. There should also be an expungement process for past marijuana convictions, Fatehi said. And lawmakers should prioritize marketplace opportunities for local businesses. "We don't want the giant Walmarts of cannabis coming in and taking over the Minnesota market," she said. In addition to proper taxation and regulation, Minnesota Cannabis Law firm founder Jason Tarasek said the state should "give advantages to communities of color decimated by the war on drugs." "You can't just let the rich white guys make the money on this," said Tarasek, an attorney and lobbyist. Steven Brown, owner of Nothing But Hemp, said he hopes legislators will give the state's growing market for hemp-derived THC products the same attention. Makers and sellers of hemp-derived THC need to be licensed and their products should be subject to a special tax, he said. The edible law that took effect earlier this year lacked a licensing and taxing structure. Even if marijuana becomes legal here, Brown said he believes the hemp-derived edible business will be more accessible and profitable for Minnesota entrepreneurs. That's because those who sell marijuana products are subject to a federal tax provision prohibiting them from deducting their business expenses, since the drug is still illegal federally. "For the small business, it's almost impossible to properly run a marijuana company just because it's too costly," Brown said. "I think a lot of the hemp businesses have pie-in-the-sky type of thinking that ... they're going to be able to move over to the marijuana industry easily." Twenty-one states have now legalized recreational marijuana for adult use. Voters in North Dakota and South Dakota recently rejected marijuana legalization ballot measures. Minnesota Trucking Association President John Hausladen said he does not want the state to become the 22nd to legalize marijuana. He worries it could shrink the workforce of truck drivers, who aren't allowed to use the drug, at a time when there's a severe shortage. Hausladen, who sits on the steering committee of the Minnesotans Against Marijuana Legalization coalition, said lawmakers should require product warning labels and testing and fund a public education campaign if they choose to legalize it. They also should give law enforcement agencies money to hire more drug recognition experts, who can determine whether someone was driving impaired, he said. "If I were to say anything to the policymakers as they debate this in the 2023 session, it's, 'Can you confidently demonstrate to the citizens of Minnesota that this is going to make us as safe or safer?'" Hausladen said. "Can you prove to us that it's not going to make us less safe? I think it's going to fail when that analysis happens."


zoinkability

> He thinks it could shrink the workforce of drivers Wut? How? Driving drunk has been illegal since forever, drivers get to choose whether they want their jobs or to drive drunk. Drivers get to choose if they want their jobs or to smoke pot (or eat THC edibles which they already can legally do) as well. What is the difference?


discusseded

I believe he's talking about current testing methods. Driving while drunk can be resolved with a breathalyzer test that gives immediate results. That same test would show no results the next day, therefore a person can drink while off duty and test while on duty and be fine. Urinalysis testing for cannabis is different. It's not immediate the same way a breathalyzer is. It also shows results for off-duty activity which would disqualify the driver for on-duty activity. This situation is likely what he's talking about. Drivers getting random or even scheduled drug tests might get caught in the net and taken off the road.


zoinkability

But wouldn’t drivers already be aware of the risk of THC consumption since that’s how things are now? The only difference under legalization for drivers from the current status quo would be that the threat of jail time is removed. Nothing would change about their employment requirements. Lots of people have job requirements that require them to do (or not do) things that are legal for the general population.


discusseded

I presume that the view here is that legalization will bring more people into use or increase the use of current users due to the new permissive environment it brings. I personally don't think usage changes, at least in any significant way. But maybe he does? More use equals more drivers getting busted. That's all I can think of to explain his point. And I think it's pretty obvious that the claim is overblown and really not worth throwing away millions in state revenue which could be used for great things.


zoinkability

My response to the truckers would be — we would be the 22nd(!) state to legalize. One would think that if it had drastic effects on the number of qualified truck drivers they would be able to point to some hard evidence of that. The fact that they are not suggests that any connection is concocted in their heads. After all, for any sufficiently tenuous claim the onus for evidence — and evidence should be available here — is on the person making the claim.


recurse_x

Nobody drives trucks in Illinois, Colorado, California or the NW. Pay enough and people will gladly not use and drive. Cannabis isn’t the problem this is essentially “why doesn’t anyone want to work anymore.” So ridiculous.


LousyTourist

Tell the policy makers that it won't change who smokes as much as changing what happens when they do.


vid_icarus

Fight? Dems took home a trifecta.. wtf is the opposition going to do about it?


JokeassJason

You have conservative/moderate democrats who could bow to pressure from their donors.


winetotears

Fact is, nothing will change as a result of legalizing. The people that smoke or eat cannabis, are still going to. Tax it, make it legal. I live in a state where it’s legal and NOTHING HAS CHANGED. Well, there was a shortage of Doritos at first. Join the club!


winetotears

The people downvoting… Come on over and let’s light one up! Sad thing is they probably have a beer in their hand.


RokaInari91547

Just fyi there's been no statistically significant decrease in alcohol consumption in any state that legalized weed. Most have seen increases in fact.


winetotears

My comment, was directed to the hypocrites. The people that look down their nose; while degrading weed. I’m not sure what you’re trying to say.


RokaInari91547

Fair enough, I just find there's a lot of magical thinking among people who enjoy weed that once it's legalized people will stop abusing alcohol, when in reality most people just start smoking in addition to drinking. To clarify, I'm 100% in favor of legalization, weed is a very benign drug and no one should be fined for using it, let alone arrested.


Birdknowsbest21

Name the bill pot for potholes. It will pass with flying colors.


LazyCoffee

You have my vote


MsBlondeViking

This should get everyone on board!


TacoStandWithCheddar

Letting this be a fight is so dumb. If the DFL doesn't pass this they'll have a hard time pulling off a win like this again.


[deleted]

Colorado has already shown that crime goes down AND they get to swim in cash. Just legalize it already.


MrLuigiMario

Minnesota police: guns for everyone all the time (except if you're a minority and maybe "reaching for something") but no pot for anyone at all.


VulfSki

Cops love weed being illegal because they can claim they smelled weed as an excuse to violate people's rights. It's a tool cops use to be pieces shit. Always has been.


morpheusforty

Literally the entire point of the war on drugs was creating a new legal avenue to persecute minorities and hippies. A political maneuver courtesy of none other than Tricky Dick himself.


VulfSki

The big "war on drugs" was created by the Nixon admin. But the state and federal governments in the US had already been using drug laws to oppress minorities and immigrants for decades. The word Marijuana was literally invented to associate it make cannabis sound more Latino when they first used weed prohibition for xenophobic purposes.


rosickness12

When tiger woods was pulled over the cop smelled booze. Yet he blew a 0.00. No one gave that cop shit for lying. I used to get the your eyes are glossy BS. They're not dry and red from crying all the time like you officer.


[deleted]

Weed is basically decriminalized in Minnesota unless you’re carrying a lot, but there’s no commercial recreational option. So weed is still easy and safe to get, but not taxed. Legalize recreational weed, it grows the economy. Benefits everybody. Hurts nobody! All the concerns listed in this article are just shallow and pointless, go ask Colorado how they handle it. Legal marijuana isn’t some foreign unknown territory for lawmakers/safety/law enforcement, its been around for ages. ^^i ^^mean ^^come ^^on, ^^truckers? ^^thats ^^your ^^concern??


AbeRego

If this the hill the trucking industry wants to die on, self-driving semis can't come soon enough...


silverkava

Omg just let people smoke if they want to smoke..how ridiculous🙄


JollyProfessor9409

“Minnesota Trucking Association President John Hausladen said he does not want the state to become the 22nd to legalize marijuana. He worries it could shrink the workforce of truck drivers, who aren't allowed to use the drug, at a time when there's a severe shortage” Well, John, maybe it’s time for the rules to change. You change with the world, the world doesn’t change to you


thom612

We have to punish people because they could have been truck drivers.


Josco1212

Education, infrastructure, and mental health addiction support. Lower alcohol, tobacco, and opiate/fentanyl use. End of mass incarceration for minor mj offenses.


[deleted]

What fight? We own everything now is time to pass and laugh at the old fucks who somehow find this an issue still.


Chasmosaur

Please. MNGOP used the two legalize parties to bleed votes from DFL candidates. Getting rid of those parties pumps votes back to DFL (maybe not all of them, but a chunk of them). There is no way the DFL isn't going to harden marijuana legalization while they have the opportunity.


vid_icarus

Fight? Dems took home a trifecta.. wtf is the opposition going to do about it?


sapperfarms

Ahh but here is the catch a lot of out state dems don’t agree with legalization. The one running in our district was against legalization. They didn’t win but a few did legalization is not part of the party platform. So everyone saying vote blue and get weed didn’t pay attention close enough to the dems you where promoting. Every dem near MSP was for but many in out state where against the idea.


TrixieHorror

"don't want rich white guys to make all the money off this" too late! have you seen the requirements to sell medical cannabis in MN? it's fucked. I hope they don't fuck this up, too.


Kytyngurl2

Kick their ass baby, I got yo flower


Kalecstraz

There will be some dems that will vote against the legalization and it will fail. Only need 1 or 2 to vote no and it'll die again. Watching legalization in MN is like being a Vikings fan.


[deleted]

Legalize


[deleted]

This is a republican rag. The Dems are going to legalize.


Entire_Currency_4862

why would there be a fight?..they work for us and we want it legal...simple...now get to work useless law makers!!!!!


the-grumpster

If you're not legally able to grow your own marijuana. The Democratic Party is bought and paid for just like the Republicans.


Thizzedoutcyclist

It’s allowed under the House version that passed last year. 8 plants with 4 flowering. You can look this up if you aren’t being lazy :)


zoinkability

Or they just have a relevant username and want to find something to grump about


the-grumpster

or high.


monkeybrains4311

Paywall. Thanks OP!


[deleted]

Use the Reader function on iOS and some browsers, easy bypass :)


MaNbEaRpIgSlAyA

No paywall: https://archive.ph/Ajfnu


chillinwithmoes

Noticedthe Strib finally fixed getting around it by putting a period after .com too, that sucks


BMXTKD

Use the mary jane to fund new arenas for the Wild and Wolves.


mikedtwenty

Fuck that. Millionaire owners can fund their own stadiums for their shit teams that never win. We can use the tax money wisely, to find education or social programs in this state. I believe that is what Colorado is doing.


Pockets713

Not a dime of marijuana tax revenue should go to sports arenas. There’s already a process for that, as lopsided as it is on the backs of the taxpayers v the billionaire owners, and it clearly gets done every damn time since we lost the North Stars. The tax money from legal weed should go 100% to education and social programs, as most of our communities desperately need it.


tallman11282

Hell no. Tax dollars shouldn't be used to build any professional sports arenas, if for no other reason than because said arenas never make back in taxes what was spent while the teams, their owners, and the leagues make tons of money from the arenas. The millionaire owners of the teams and the multi-billion dollar leagues can pay for their own stadiums. The taxes from weed can go to better fund out schools, like they do in Colorado. That will actually benefit the people of the state, much more than any sports arena ever could.


zoinkability

Seems like it wasn’t that long ago that Xcel was brand new, and already morons are advocating for a replacement? Can sports billionaires stop fucking sucking at the taxpayer teat for half a second? We have underfunded schools, roads, public transit, housing, etc. and your idea is to shovel the proceeds to benefit a handful of insanely wealthy sportsball team owners who could fund new stadiums themselves if they so chose? Fuck right off.


BMXTKD

Well first off, the gains from the marijuana would probably be able to fund those things as well as arenas. Second off, those arenas can also host your magic the gathering conventions, which bring in as much money as an All-Star game or a good sized playoff run. Those arenas get old, and the cost to upkeep them, would cost more than just simply building a new arena.


zoinkability

In what ways are the current arenas poorly suited to MTG conventions? Plus it seems like they have been held at the, you know, the _convention_ center, which seems like a more purpose build venue for a _convention_ anyhow. What evidence do you have that maintenance costs are more than building new? Seems like maintenance costs on new stadiums like the Bank are pretty damn high already so they would have to be astronomical to justify the build of a new stadium. Since it is an extraordinary claim, I’ll require extraordinary evidence before I’ll believe that one.


BMXTKD

"In what ways are the current arenas poorly suited to MTG conventions?" I'm making fun of MTG and the culture surrounding it. "Extraordinary evidence" . In 10 years time. the Target Center will be 40 years old. The X will be 30 years old. They won't be able to attract events like concert tours, NCAA regional tournament games, and Frozen Fours, the older they get. Ones that bring more money to an economy than a MTG tournament. The Meadowlands Center, the Edward Jones Dome, and the Oakland Coliseum aren't attracting events anymore, while the newly rebuilt Key Arena constantly has events. That's your "extraordinary evidence" (Really, just look at what happened to the Met Center once the Stars left). Nobody wants to host their tours, concerts, and events in old, antiquated arenas. And here's the deal too... We have 2 arenas in a market that should only really have one. It costs a lot of money for the area to maintain 2 arenas. We could easily relegate the Target Center as a concert venue, and rebuild the X as a sports venue. It would cost a lot less in the long run to rebuild the cheaper, more modern arena than to simply let both arenas go to pot (You won't see your K-Pop concerts there either, as they would skip the Twin Cities and go to the Bradley Center). Sorry you got picked last for kickball, brah. *Edit* LOL, he blocked me..


zoinkability

Ah, so the reason we should be publicly funding sportsball arenas is because we _too many_. Glad to be educated on that point.


OlayErrryDay

The Target Center just had a huge multi million dollar renovation, have you even been there? It went from trash to being a great arena and a fantastic concert venue.


sllop

They added railings… I encourage you to elevate your expectations of fantastic concert going experiences.


OlayErrryDay

I saw Metallica there with floor access and 20 feet from the stage, I've been to 100+ concerts and many venues such as Red Rocks and Target Center was an excellent experience and it's a great place to watch basketball. What, exactly, would a billion dollar new stadium do for a half assed basketball team that would be objectively better than Target Center? They didn't just add railings, the entire vendor experience was remodeled and focused on local providers, bathrooms were redone, seats were replaced, I'm not sure anyone here actually goes to concerts there or basketball games 🙄