This is Robert Response
From my perspective when Colorado opened the door to legalize marijuana it created a mess that the taxpayers have to deal with. I noticed an increase of the homeless population and the stench of it was almost everywhere I went. It has calmed down but the damage is already done (in my perspective).
Substance abuse is when you take illegal drugs, it’s also when you consume alcohol, prescription medication, or other legal substances in the wrong way or too much (webmd.com). When I was a young pup (18-22 years old) my alcohol and cigarette intake was high. I started drinking and smoking at 20. I was also in the Army when I started. When I turned the legal age of 21 (in 1999), it was game on, my drinking increased and my choices became riskier. There wasn’t a weekend that didn’t involve alcohol unless I was in the field. I was never caught drunk driving but there were others that did get caught. I can say that I was lucky that I never got involved with illegal drugs.
In Colorado the use of recreational is limited to the place of residence for consumption but, if you rent your landlord can ban the use of marijuana while residing in an apartment, condo, townhouse, etc. It is illegal to possess and consume on federal installations or buildings. It is illegal to use in public. You must be 21 years of age to purchase one ounce of and has to be at an approved retail store (colorado.gov). Under 42-4-1301, C.R.S, it is a crime to drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol, including legal drugs (marijuana). There are no separate laws for DUI or DWAI for alcohol or marijuana, the only difference is that the officer can require you to take a DUI blood, saliva or urine test instead of a breath test (shouselaw.com). I think that while people drive under the influence with either OTC, prescription, legal and illegal drugs, or alcohol, nothing will change. I say this because nothing has changed in the way people think. The only thing added to this is that marijuana is now legal and people drive while smoking, just like someone will drink while driving. Marijuana is being treated like alcohol when it comes to legal statutes like stated above.
In the scenario, the offenders were under the influence of alcohol and drugs. If the offenders were just under the influence of alcohol the outcome could change, but we do not know what drugs were in there system. Narcissism, anti-social, personality disorders, etc are some of the common traits among those who kill for the enjoyment, not because they were under the influence of a chemical. A good defense lawyer could get Mr. Chapman off with being mentally disturbed and Mr. Hopkins lawyer could use an intimidation of a weaker minded person which drove Mr. Hopkins to go along with Mr. Chapman. Scenarios can change if you take away a major factor. The verdict is different in the state of your residence.
References
Colorado DUI of Marijuana. Colorado Legal Defense Group. Retrieved October 23, 2020. from https://www.shouselaw.com/co/dui/laws/dui-of-marijuana/
Laws About Marijuana Use. Colorado Marijuana. Retrieved October 23, 2020. from https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/marijuana/laws-about-marijuana-use
What is Substance Abuse? Web MD. Retrieved October 23, 2020. from https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/substance-abuse#1
This is Chasity Response
Addiction is defined as ” a primary, chronic, neurological disease with genetic, psycho social, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. It is characterized by behaviors that include the following: impaired control drug use, craving, compulsive use, and continued use despite harm.” I obtained this definition for the Georgia law enforcement handbook code 439 16-13-21 .5. Marijuana used to be an illegal substance, but expert examiners have found marijuana to be useful for medical reasons. In this case, I understand that both of the offenders were under the influence of drugs as well as alcohol. Marijuana is indeed a drug, but I do not feel that the use of marijuana would have influenced an individual to take another individuals life. For a majority of the individuals that use marijuana it is said that they experience a pleasant euphoria and sense of relaxation. Other reported effects include: a heightened sense of perception, laughter, an altered perception of time, and an increased appetite. I do not believe that the use of marijuana played a role in their actions in any way. Our material stated that they have been to rehabilitation, but were never able to successfully commit to drug free life. I feel that since they have a long history of drug use that the drug may be a drug that could make someone aggressive. I could not find any article linking marijuana use to aggression. I believe that the alcohol could have played a role in their behavior. In reference to the growing campaign to legalize marijuana, I believe that that will leave more gray areas in the criminal justice field as far as the legal aspect. For example: The agency that I work for stopped a vehicle. While at the stop the officer noticed the smell of marijuana. After searching the vehicle, they found 3 pounds of marijuana. The marijuana turned out to be some form of hemp plant with a low concentration of THC. The offenders were released. In Georgia, it is legal for medical purposes, but there is only one dispensary located in Georgia. It must be prescribed by a medical doctor. To my understanding it is in the form of oil. This also supports my thought pattern, because I feel that there has been a lot of research conducted, and the experts have looked into most of the what ifs. If there was a chance that marijuana use would cause individuals to rob, steal, or kill there would not be a possibility of making it illegal. I feel that if the suspects were not using drugs that the influence of alcohol could have caused the aggression.
National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2020, April 08). What are marijuana’s long-term effects on the brain? Retrieved October 18, 2020, from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/what-are-marijuanas-long-term-effects-brain
Georgia Law Enforcement handbook Code 439 16-13-21. .5
These are the questions to answer about the peer paper. It should be a 100 words each peer. one for Chasity and one for Robert
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