Ganga on the water

Black_Diamond

Had a Coast Guard vessel bust a boater here in Michigan for pot on board. Towed in...marine sheriff...land cops. While pot is now legal in MI, the CG runs by federal law...and pot is not legal. Somehow things ‘got worked out’ between all the law agencies and the guy got let go.  Something to remember if you partake in a state where it is legal. 

cmelt2003

I can’t believe the SD and CG presence in Lake Mac and the channel.

Black_Diamond

Always lurking around. lol. They need to bust more no wake violators by the marina though. 

Willhound

Although now legal in Canada it cannot be accessible to the driver in any vehicle including a boat. In a car it must be locked in the trunk or some such so as to not be easily reached. Not sure how that could be accomplished on a boat and so far haven't seen any news stories on if it's been tested.
Either way, consumption by the driver at any time or any passenger's while under way is illegal. Like alcohol it can only be consumed if anchored and engine off.

LaRea

Hmm.  So a local official (e.g., county marine patrol) would enforce state laws, while USCG personnel would enforce federal law.  Confusing.  @Black_Diamond I guess the guy was lucky that the CG let him off.  

McGarnicle

Fortunately, where I boat Coast Guard isn't around. Unfortunately, it's not legal here yet. 

Stodge

LaRea said:

Hmm.  So a local official (e.g., county marine patrol) would enforce state laws, while USCG personnel would enforce federal law.  Confusing.  @Black_Diamond I guess the guy was lucky that the CG let him off.  

Not really.  The Coast Guard are all trained the same, on the federal laws and rules.  

Now if you want confusing, I wonder how many from states where weed is legal and border Canada, went to Canada to take advantage of the exchange rate and were told by the U.S. customs agents that their purchase was not allowed to cross the border.  

[Deleted User]

Things legal on land are not necessarily legal on the water. Federal maritime law applies. One example is drug law, another the fourth amendment restriction on search. The Coast Guard can board and search your boat without your permission and without a warrant.
Andy

LaRea

Right ... all USCG officials enforce federal law, which is the same in any state.  They had no obligation to drop the charges because federal law supersedes state law.  

Dude_Himself

I use it for medical purposes after trashing the peripheral nerve to my left leg (constant horrific pain and some muscle cramping). I wouldn't take it boating because it's hard to dose accurately. I know I can drink two beers in an hour, or 4 in 4 hours, and remain sober. They have a fixed dose per 12oz can. It's tough to accomplish that with cannabis. I do dry vape CBD on the boat - it helps a little with the pain - and USCG and local police have no accurate testing for the THC content - it will pop positive for trace amounts of THC every time.

It's been interesting seeing law enforcement tiptoe through that minefield... locally they've confiscated someones' CBD and held it for a few months, only to destroy it when it tested legal. Now that person is threatening a lawsuit for intentional destruction of property - and I understand in NC there's been civil forfeiture cases over Farm Bill legal CBD.

My unpopular opinion: legalize it federally. I never touched any drugs (aside from alcohol) for 36 years and believed all the hype. Once I tried it my eyes were open to the medical benefit, the recreational benefit, and the complete waste of tax dollars trying to wage a war against a plant. There's drugs that I don't believe folks should have ready access to (yet they still do today), but cannabis is not one of them. Kratom is another that's helped me immensely, yet once Big Pharma got patents on the active alkaloids suddenly the FDA pushed to Schedule it too. Big anything is Bad anything - Land of the Free is a lie and these ridiculous nanny-state laws are an insult to the Brave that fought for our freedoms.

rasbury

Legalize and then you have to get employers to accept it then the insurance companies. Would rather do that than booze..