WestCoastRunner

Many people would prefer smoking a half joint over drinking numerous bottles of beer, glasses of wine, shots etc. over the course of an evening. Tell me which would have the less negative impacts on the mind and body.. And then tell me which person would be more likely to be able to go for a run or a long cycle ride the next day.

Next thing we'll hear from some posters is that this had nothing to do with race. Watch for it.

I read all those articles you mentioned above and I noted the key points as well. Doesn't excuse the Tories 'war on drugs' with mj.

What a very strange response to dog ownership. You have obviously never developed a relationship with a dog, and if you have, you have never enjoyed the benefits resulting from this relationship, nor have you observed the genuine enjoyment a dog experiences with its owner.

You may not even end up in jail, however, you could end up with a record and for a young person, that can have devastating consequences on their future. It's just not ethical to impose this kind of a record on someone for having possession of a few joints.

And I do believe it is an important issue to consider at the next election.

I saw all those stats too! Funny how we can conveniently find stats to support our arguments.

And of course, we should tell them 'make no mistake about it, as the result of your parents divorcing, it will affect you negatively for the rest of your lives.' So you may as well give up now.

Whether or not they get sent to prison, they are still left with a record and is quite simply not fair.

They are certainly exploiting Marc Emery and his wife's allegiance to the liberal party. I'm betting JT is wishing Marc wasn't released now! Bad timing for him as the Tories are going to take full advantage of this. And I don't believe Jody Emery will get very far in her ambitious plans either.

Then, we best gather up all these children in single parent families and forewarn them of what their future holds. Let's not deceive them and tell them they can have quite successful lives, because research shows their quality of life is severely hampered and they will end up becoming failures in life.

Let's have a look since the Tories came to power in 2006: Arrests for pot possession have jumped 41 per cent. In those six years, police reported more than 405,000 marijuana-related arrests, roughly equivalent to the populations of Regina and Saskatoon combined. Two of the largest one-year increases in police-reported crimes in 2011 were a 40 per cent jump in child pornography cases (3,100 incidents), and a seven per cent hike (to 61,406 arrests) for pot possession. Taken together, all marijuana offences—possession, growing and trafficking—accounted for a record 78,000 arrests in 2011, or 69 per cent of all drug offences. Simple pot possession represented 54 per cent of every drug crime that police managed to uncover. This is more phony war than calamity, waged by a government determined to save us from a cannabis crisis of its own making. To have the minister imply a moral equivalency between child sexual abuse and carrying a couple of joints in your jeans underscores the emotionalism clouding the issue: reason enough to look at why marijuana is illegal in the first place. You can read more here.

Today we had Federal Justice Minister Peter MacKay making statements in Marc Emery's hometown with the following absurd statements: His government won’t loosen marijuana laws. (Let's fill up those prisons!) We do not favour legalization, we do not favour decriminalization. (they refuse to look at what the majority of Canadians wants) It is our intention to continue to uphold the law that does not allow the proliferation of drug use and marijuana. (MJ is a terrible drug!) Liberal government would make it easier for children to get their hands on pot. While the Liberals would try to make it easier for our children to access marijuana, Canadians can count on our government to put forward policies that keep drugs off our streets and keep our families safe. (It's my assumption that a child would not be allowed to purchase mj, similar to alcohol and cigarettes) With statements like these how can we not vote liberal.

A single parent family usually has another parent. Just not living in the same household.

A loss of income in a family can result in children growing with a greater sense of integrity and responsibility. Honestly, you folks make it seem like a bad thing to not grow up with an x amount of dollars. How much money did you all grow up with and how well did you all turn out?

My list is quoted as advantages in many parenting magazines. All you have done is point out advantages to 2 parent families. I have done the same for 1 parent families. I did not say a husband was an idiot oaf, those are your words not mine. And to take my signature as being derogatory to all men shows you are not very creative. I have been called many things on this forum, elitist, radical feminist, environmental something or other, and now you insulting me because of my post. I have been married for many many years, and I have been single. Both times raising my children. They have not turned into criminals stealing hubcaps in the middle of the night when I was a single parent. I have not had to bail them out of jail, unlike many married couples that I personally know. While I was a single parent, they had grandparents actively involved in their lives. Do they not count for adult figures as role models. That would add up to 6, myself, and 2 sets of grandparents and their father when he had them. The attitude here against single parent homes is atrocious and quite judgemental. I would love to know the demographics of the men on this forum. I bet you are financially independent, wives who do not work and probably didn't work while your children were being raised. I should point out that children with lesser incomes work harder for that first car, work to save towards their university tuition and show a high degree of respect for their single moms or dads. That alone results in a child who grows into a well-adjusted adult who did not steal hubcaps in the middle of the night because they had one parent at home and another parent who lived outside the home. Come on folks. Don't be so judgemental.

Advantages of a single parent family (both to the parent and to the children) Parenting style -:Parents do not always parent in harmony; They may have vastly different expectations of their children and ideas about discipline. On may approve of spanking, while the other finds it abusive and prefers of time-outs. A single parent home has the ability to parent the way they feel is most effective and manageable. They can set the pace for getting ready for school in the morning, doing homework and completing chores in the evening and what time your child goes to bed at night. No negotiations required with the other parent. More bonding. Spouses can be awfully needy. Spending quality time with your kids is not always easy when there is another adult in the house. As a single parent, you and your kids can play games, talk, or just relax, without anyone else butting in or demanding attention. Build self-esteem. All of these extra responsibilities will show you that you can think for yourself, and you are capable of making wise decisions for your children.This will boost your confidence, and build up your self-esteem. Financially supporting yourself and your kids, and managing money responsibly will also boost your confidence, another of the big advantages of single parenting. Less stress. When you aren't spending all of your time and energy fighting with a spouse, you feel happier, your children feel happier, and there is much less stress in your home. You finally have the time and energy to spend on what really matters: the kids. Children learn by example. When they see you happy and stress-free, they will be able to develop healthier relationships when they grow up. Although you have to do all of these things as a single parent, somehow it makes you feel less resentful when there is no-one taking you for granted. There is also less work to do – one less person to cook for and clean up after, and less laundry to wash. Another of the advantages of single parenting that many people overlook. You get to know yourself. Being alone is a great way to really explore who you are. You are more than an extension of your spouse. For many years, everyone saw you as a couple. You probably started to wonder where one left off, and the other began. Being single teaches you how to be happy just being you. 8) Children feel like part of the team. You don't want to turn your children into little adults, but they will naturally feel more like part of the team, instead of "just the kids". Since you will be spending much more time with them alone, they will probably have more of a voice in family decisions. They will learn that what they have to say matters, and that you are willing to listen to their opinions. 9) Children learn valuable lessons. When your children see you managing the household, holding down a job, and taking care of the finances, they learn these things, too. These lessons will help them to develop into more mature, responsible adults, capable of taking care of themselves. Adults that know how to take of themselves make much better mates. The chances of them having healthy adult relationships increases, as well, one of the best advantages of single parenting. Freedom. The biggest advantage of single parenting is almost total freedom. Of course, you still have to make sure the children are well cared for, but other than that, you can do whatever you like. You can sleep in on your day off. You can go to bed whenever you like. You never have to worry about anyone keeping you up with the TV blaring, or unbearable snoring. You can wash the supper dishes, or leave them until tomorrow – who cares? You get to hold the remote control, and watch anything you like. After years of always considering the needs of a life partner, being on your own is like a breath of fresh air.

What a load of crap.

This is such a biased response and I'm guessing it is because of your religion. Many, many two parent families both work full-time so that will impact supervision of a child the same as a single parent family. Can you provide any statistics on negative results of single parent families. I can assure you that I can find just as many positive results of single parent families. More undivided attention spent with children, for one and that is a huge benefit.

I need to leave this engaging conversation. I will await the outcome of the mods!

Troll king loves backlash! It feeds him.

Very well.

Um, if you took offence.....

I guess I am very lucky!

It's not helpful reacting to bullies.