Personally speaking (although I'm hardly one of the "younger drug users" you refer to), I would continue to consume more or less the same quantity of drugs that I do now. I would possibly increase my intake very slightly, but not significantly. The significant differences would be that I would probably pay less, I would be consuming safer, regulated substances, and I wouldn't constantly be in fear of being sent to prison for a personal lifestyle choice.
Unless the penalties drastically increase, or I am convinced that what I am doing is morally wrong, I shall probably continue to take my drug of choice for the foreseeable future.
From what I've heard, the marijuana that grows in the wild tends to be of a far lower quality than that which is cultivated.
same for me, but I hate smoking. if things would be legal, I would much MUCH prefer different, non harmful way to consume it (food, of vaporizing some pure extract in e-cigarette style). usual vaporizers are only somewhere in the middle, plus more inconvenient.
I don't care so much about pricing, amsterdam levels would be OK for me. I consume so little that I would be OK even with higher pricing. But I could actually choose what type of effect, strength etc. I want, rather than random, mostly weak & expensive street stuff, bought from shady characters in dark alleys.
Unless society will be handling death/for life penalties for pure consumation here, I am not stopping consuming of a plant that used to grow all round us, was heavily subsidized when US colonies got independence etc. It just doesn't make sense, this is one of the cases of laws that are plain wrong (in case of this plant and all possible products from it). If there is such an immoral law, it actually feels good breaking it (but still preferring clean, legal, market-driven scenario).
Re: more drug choices -- that's exactly what's happening here in Colorado. There's a huge variety of choice. And at the dispensaries the staff generally very knowledgable, so it's almost like buying wine.
I've experienced it in Amsterdam (albeit in busy-over-the-counter style), glad to hear there is spot like that in US.
the thing is, effects (at least on me) can be so starkly different from type to type (i never experienced different stuff with same effects). very different to consistent dumb-down-but-generally-happy effect of alcohol (again, purely on me).
>I've experienced it in Amsterdam (albeit in busy-over-the-counter style), glad to hear there is spot like that in US.
It's considerably more advanced in (at least) Colorado. Due to the weird quasi-legal status in the NL, only flower, hash, and simple baked goods are available. The chemical extractions (e.g. glycerine, other solvent) that allow for a wider variety of products such as sodas are more strictly illegal in the NL. The black market supply in the NL hampers the diversity and quality of the actual products, too.
It's really quite a stark difference, and CO is leaps and bounds more advanced in this regard.
Unless the penalties drastically increase, or I am convinced that what I am doing is morally wrong, I shall probably continue to take my drug of choice for the foreseeable future.
From what I've heard, the marijuana that grows in the wild tends to be of a far lower quality than that which is cultivated.