Chris Christie: ‘The George Washington of Legalized Gaming’

Which is more dangerous to young people? Marijuana use or Organized Gambling? Chris Christie says it's pot. I have a tough time with that. For me, organized gambling feels a lot like organized crime. I feel the same way about lotteries. But that's just me. Agree?

Gambling is easily more damaging.

Marijuana itself is the safest recreational drug. Can't fatally overdose. Sure, you'll feel miserable and anxious if you have way too much. But the drug itself isn't going to kill you. Yes, you're inhaling burnt plant matter if you smoke, but you don't have to smoke it. And if you do, you're ingesting way less than cigarette smokers do tobacco, which may be part of why there simply isn't the cancer link you find with tobacco even though a lot of the chemicals produced by burning the plant matter are the same. Similarly, cigarettes are hot smoke and sufficiently hot air fries your lungs, but if you wish to smoke marijuana there are ways to cool the smoke, ie, a bong. There is no physical addiction, only psychological potential. But the latter is true of all sorts of things people like; sex, chocolate, video games, anything getting that dopamine system going.

Meanwhile gambling is an overall very regressive thing. It's more psychologically addictive. It is extremely easy for someone prone to utterly wreck their lives and the lives of those around them; so many tales of a gambling addict spouse who emptied out savings, put second mortgages on homes, maxed out a bunch of secret credit cards, etc. Oh right, and the house always wins, which is generally untrue of pot.





They should both be legal though. These things aren't the kind of things I want government doing much hand-holding on.

Over the years, I've seen people destroy their lives with cocaine, heroin, crack, alcohol, and gambling.

I've never seen anyone destroy their life by smoking pot.

Apparently Christie's gone tone deaf to the medicinal benefits and legalization of a natural substance he has no clue about.

Donatello said:

Which is more dangerous to young people? Marijuana use or Organized Gambling? Chris Christie says it's pot. I have a tough time with that. For me, organized gambling feels a lot like organized crime. I feel the same way about lotteries. But that's just me. Agree?

Chris Christie: 'The George Washington of Legalized Gaming'

www.politico.com

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They both have attributes that could lead to abuse.

In both cases, they can also be innocuous.

Christie is just pissed that NJ legalized pot after he left office...and that was VERY popular in NJ.

BirdinHand said:

Christie is just pissed that NJ legalized pot after he left office...and that was VERY popular in NJ.

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Is Christie getting money from prisons, alcohol and tobacco PACs?

Lisa said:

Is Christie getting money from prisons, alcohol and tobacco PACs?

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I have no idea. I don't pay much attention to him.

Lisa said:

Is Christie getting money from prisons, alcohol and tobacco PACs?

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HAHA! I was think about the same thing....does Christie have a financial interest in a casino? The more I think about it, the more absurd it is. I'm pretty sure no one ever lost their house by buying too much pot. Gambling? Hmmmm one could conceivably loose their house in a matter of hours...