Legalization of Marijuana

[Event]

Yay or Nay?

I have never done it, but I think it should be legalized. The government would make a killing on taxes and it's no more dangerous than cigarettes or alcohol. There's no artificial addictive substances, like Nicotene. It is essentially the same effect as Alcohol. After prohibition ended, crime fell a huge amount, and the same is likely to happen with the legalization of Marijuana. I'd still be all for an age limit of 21, as it is similar to alcohol.

For the argument of kids getting it, they don't have much of a problem getting it when it's illegal! The police could ticket underage use, such as underage drinking tickets. It's a prime source of revenue in College towns (speaking from experience).

Thoughts?

 

[a6m5]

I voted "nay". I think it was discussed in the "Drugs" thread in the opinions forum. It got almost as bad as the "Creation vs. Evolution" thread, so I decline to explain myself here. Please forgive me!

 

[Event]

I'd rather not go through that whole thread, why not have all th info here for easier argument?

 

[niky]

Yes, it likely should be, but heavily controlled, like tobacco or alcohol.

What I fear is the fact that it's not much of a step from mary janes to some deeper ****. Don't get defensive on me, I know a lot of light users draw the line here, but it's a popular springboard. Maybe legalization will curb that effect somewhat, but who knows.

I don't smoke, drink or do marijuana. I'm even watching my caffeine. I'm against any substance that alters my mental state in ways I can't control (hey, that includes sugar). But if other people want to use them, hey, what the heck.

 

[James2097]

I vote NO. Strongly. I've seen what marijuana does to people.

A kid at my old school. Straight A's in year 8. One of the smartest in the school, he was really pleasant and happy. Above 90 marks in everything. He started smoking a bit of weed, by year 10 he couldn't talk or put sentences together well at all, and had no clue what was going on and was always miserable. He didn't finish year 12 because he was too lazy and got crap marks. Besides understanding all the well known facts about what dope does to you, there is seriously NO argument for legalisation. Drugs are bad and **** people up. We all know that.

Anybody that thinks silly cigarettes are ok, they're totally irresponsible in regards to society and they're simply thick. As soon as you experience meeting and talking to someone "before" and "after" they've smoked pot for a couple of years, the evidence is overwhelming and its really sad. We don't need such a terrible thing in society any more than it is today (illegally).

 

[Event]

I vote NO. Strongly. I've seen what marijuana does to people.

A kid at my old school. Straight A's in year 8. One of the smartest in the school, he was really pleasant and happy. Above 90 marks in everything. He started smoking a bit of weed, by year 10 he couldn't talk or put sentences together well at all, and had no clue what was going on and was always miserable. He didn't finish year 12 because he was too lazy and got crap marks. Besides understanding all the well known facts about what dope does to you, there is seriously NO argument for legalisation. Drugs are bad and **** people up. We all know that.

Anybody that thinks silly cigarettes are ok, they're totally irresponsible in regards to society and they're simply thick. As soon as you experience meeting and talking to someone "before" and "after" they've smoked pot for a couple of years, the evidence is overwhelming and its really sad. We don't need such a terrible thing in society any more than it is today (illegally).

I knew someone who always did well in high school. He went to college, binge drank every weeked like hell, and 2 years later he got kicked out after he couldn't stay in the college of engineering. Now, he works at white castle making $7.00/hr. He's never done pot in his life. Alcohol is equally dangerous, if not more so. You never hear of people dying of OD'ing on the sticky icky, but you do hear thousands of reports of people dying of alcohol poisoning.

 

[emad]

I haven't toked since August (school and responsibilities come first), but I still say it should be legal. My reasons are spread throughout the drug thread, and I'd really rather not get into them now

 

[James2097]

Since when did I endorse binge drinking like a moron? Just because you think something is the lesser of two evils doesn't make it ok.

But its a long bow to say alcoholic drinks should be banned like dope.
A glass of red wine a day is actually good for you if you didn't know. If alcohol is consumed in moderation and responsibly, it doesn't cause any damage. Pot starts causing damage to your head after the first drag of a silly cigerette.

 

[niky]

I think the point was, alcohol is legal, and it's just as damaging.

I don't like the idea of any kind of intoxication or mind-altering substance, but legalization of marijuana makes much more sense than the legalization of alcohol or tobacco (which have much worse physical side effects).

I know a lot of people who function a lot better, even with a marijuana habit, than some people on alcohol... but then again, I know some real pot-heads who do nothing else. The relative pros and cons are hard to weight, because with marijuana being illegal, most heavy users are those who actively seek out illicit or banned substances.

Dependency is not merely a chemical factor, but a character or psychological flaw. With many heavy users being the type who are heavily susceptible to chemical dependency, it's hard to point out which factor is the major contributor to their ****ed up lives.

Like I said, though, if it is legalized, we would still have to regulate it like alcohol. Jail time and fines for sale to underage users and for use while driving, and reprimands and suspensions for use at work. (If people are allowed to use it on their off time, they may not be so prickly about testing at work).

 

[Event]

Since when did I endorse binge drinking like a moron? Just because you think something is the lesser of two evils doesn't make it ok.

But its a long bow to say alcoholic drinks should be banned like dope.
A glass of red wine a day is actually good for you if you didn't know. If alcohol is consumed in moderation and responsibly, it doesn't cause any damage. Pot starts causing damage to your head after the first drag of a silly cigerette.

It's all about self control. Your friend didn't know how to control himself, neither did mine. The point is, they're both dangerous, but more people die from alcohol than marijuana.

Look at Amsterdam, it's still doing fine!

As for the red wine thing, majiuana has medical benefits to people with glaucoma. Same deal, it can have health benefits, as can alcohol. Overusing either one is dangerous, same with cigarettes! Alcohol is legal, cigarettes are legal, why isn't pot?

 

[niky]

Oh, yeah... I do have a glass of red wine every now and then, for my health, but I don't drink beer.

There's that thing... relativity. There are mild users and there are addicts. As marijuana is not chemically addictive, it's just like videogames, porn and the internet... mentally addictive. Mild use is okay, but heavy use is bad for you. It all depends on strength of character.

 

[emad]

Pot starts causing damage to your head after the first drag of a silly cigerette.

Prove it.

• the brain produces marijuana-like chemicals
• There has been evidence of structural changes to brain tissue in some studies, but actual cell death was not observed.
• Marijuana causes new cell growth in the brain

If you want to put up an argument against the legalization of marijuana, please be my guest. But provide evidence for your claims or don't make them at all

 

[Event]

I think the point was, alcohol is legal, and it's just as damaging.

I don't like the idea of any kind of intoxication or mind-altering substance, but legalization of marijuana makes much more sense than the legalization of alcohol or tobacco (which have much worse physical side effects).

I know a lot of people who function a lot better, even with a marijuana habit, than some people on alcohol... but then again, I know some real pot-heads who do nothing else. The relative pros and cons are hard to weight, because with marijuana being illegal, most heavy users are those who actively seek out illicit or banned substances.

Dependency is not merely a chemical factor, but a character or psychological flaw. With many heavy users being the type who are heavily susceptible to chemical dependency, it's hard to point out which factor is the major contributor to their ****ed up lives.

Like I said, though, if it is legalized, we would still have to regulate it like alcohol. Jail time and fines for sale to underage users and for use while driving, and reprimands and suspensions for use at work. (If people are allowed to use it on their off time, they may not be so prickly about testing at work).

Precisely. Pot Heads are like Alcoholics. Both are bad, and they're both around.

 

[Sage]

Here we go with the slippery slope, again.

Marijuana can kill you if not taken in moderation.
Alcohol can kill you if not taken in moderation.
Steak can kill you if not eaten in moderation.
Water can kill you if not taken in moderation.

There are people who have written awesome books while high on LSD (Ken Kesey); there are people who have gone completely bonkers after taking LSD.
There are people who have made their fight through cancer more tolerable through marijuana; there are people who have killed themselves through marijuana.

For goodness’ sake, if we regulate one thing, we have to regulate them all (the slippery slope), since everything has potential for danger – let’s rely a little more on personal responsibility, and if someone wants to eff themselves up, they’ll find some way of effing themselves up.

That’s my take on it, and will always be my take on legalization of drugs and what not in general. Now I have to go turn off my mom’s cell phone, because it’s making that gawd-awful beeping noise phones make when their batteries run low.

 

[Event]

Here we go with the slippery slope, again.

Marijuana can kill you if not taken in moderation. Alcohol can kill you if not taken in moderation. Steak can kill you if not eaten in moderation. Water can kill you if not taken in moderation.

There are people who have written awesome books while high on LSD (Ken Kesey); there are people who have gone completely bonkers after taking LSD. There are people who have made their fight through cancer more tolerable through marijuana; there are people who have killed themselves through marijuana.

For goodness’ sake, if we regulate one thing, we have to regulate them all (the slippery slope), since everything has potential for danger – let’s rely a little more on personal responsibility, and if someone wants to eff themselves up, they’ll find some way of effing themselves up.

That’s my take on it, and will always be my take on legalization of drugs and what not in general. Now I have to go turn off my mom’s cell phone, because it’s making that gawd-awful beeping noise phones make when their batteries run low.

I don't see how acid and marijuana are in the same ball park. Acid is much worse than marijuana, Ken Kesey is a huge exception to the rule. Acid is like telling your brain cells "I hate you and want you all dead."

 

[THE ED3]

i voted yes. i think its very VERY wrong for the government to tell us what to do in our own homes. i dont use it myself but for those that want to they shouldnt have to worry about the law. IMO booze is much worse. people tend to drive faster and swerve more when their drunk. from what i've seen tested when someone is high on weed they tend to drive slower and looks out more. It DOES lower your ability to drive and think though so i'd only support its legality if it was still illegal to drive or opertate machinery while under the influence.

now, its also true the the government would make a ton on taxs. BUT people would inevitivbly say they have no right to tax what they themselves grow. they would argue that they shouldnt tax their weed because they dont tax their potatos. a fair argument if you ask me.

Now, someone said that it doesnt have extra addicting things in it like nicotine. well, thats because phillp morris doesnt make it. who do you think would be making all the legal weed for sale if it was legal? you better bet on them. they'd put all sorts of **** in it just like they do with those cancer sticks.

 

[Sage]

I don't see how acid and marijuana are in the same ball park. Acid is much worse than marijuana, Ken Kesey is a huge exception to the rule. Acid is like telling your brain cells "I hate you and want you all dead."

But does it matter whether they’re in the same ball park or not? Everything on the face of this Earth has the potential to hurt someone, so I see no reason why the government should regulate that. I could make the argument that butter knives are vastly more dangerous to humans than marijuana, yet nobody’s lobbying to make knives illegal here. I could choke myself by rolling up my mousepad and stuffing it down my throat, but nobody’s lobbying to make mousepads illegal.

What I’m trying to drive at is that if you try to regulate one thing, you’re going to end up having to regulate all things, because everything has the potential to be dangerous or lethal in whatever odd way. Saying certain things are more or less dangerous than others is pointless – there is only one person ever to have “officially” died of a marijuana OD, so if I convince three really stupid people to stuff rolled-up mousepads down their throats so that they choke to death, I have just made mousepads 300% more dangerous than marijuana.

Point being, having the government regulate the use of “dangerous things” is about as productive as trying to kill every mosquito in the world to prevent the spread of malaria.

 

[Event]

But does it matter whether they’re in the same ball park or not? Everything on the face of this Earth has the potential to hurt someone, so I see no reason why the government should regulate that. I could make the argument that butter knives are vastly more dangerous to humans than marijuana, yet nobody’s lobbying to make knives illegal here. I could choke myself by rolling up my mousepad and stuffing it down my throat, but nobody’s lobbying to make mousepads illegal.

What I’m trying to drive at is that if you try to regulate one thing, you’re going to end up having to regulate all things, because everything has the potential to be dangerous or lethal in whatever odd way. Saying certain things are more or less dangerous than others is pointless – there is only one person ever to have “officially” died of a marijuana OD, so if I convince three really stupid people to stuff rolled-up mousepads down their throats so that they choke to death, I have just made mousepads 300% more dangerous than marijuana.

Point being, having the government regulate the use of “dangerous things” is about as productive as trying to kill every mosquito in the world to prevent the spread of malaria.

I do see your point, but are you for legalization of it? Sounds like it with that explanation.

 

[Sage]

Yup.

 

[niky]

I get where Sage is going. Opium used to be legal. A lot of great literature was written under that influence. So why is it illegal now, considering it was once as widespread (or even more so) as tobacco? Do we draw the line at addiction, or physical harm? If we banned everything addictive, that would include TV, Videogames, Books, Chocolate, gads, everything. If we banned what was harmful, that would include much more.

But much as I would like a totally free world, I do believe that society does need to protect itself against addictive sustances. Where the line is drawn would depend on how much something affects the productivity and well-being of the society as a whole. A more mature culture than ours might deal effectively with total deregulation, but right now, even with alcohol as the only legal mind-altering substance, there are problems. Still, if you don't give people room to mature, they won't, so legalization it is.

The cynic in me wants to see everything legalized. That way, those with the weakest resistance to addiction will quietly OD themselves out of the human race... evolution in action. It wouldn't be pretty, though.

 

[Event]

I get where Sage is going. Opium used to be legal. A lot of great literature was written under that influence. So why is it illegal now, considering it was once as widespread (or even more so) as tobacco? Do we draw the line at addiction, or physical harm? If we banned everything addictive, that would include TV, Videogames, Books, Chocolate, gads, everything. If we banned what was harmful, that would include much more.

But much as I would like a totally free world, I do believe that society does need to protect itself against addictive sustances. Where the line is drawn would depend on how much something affects the productivity and well-being of the society as a whole. A more mature culture than ours might deal effectively with total deregulation, but right now, even with alcohol as the only legal mind-altering substance, there are problems. Still, if you don't give people room to mature, they won't, so legalization it is.

The cynic in me wants to see everything legalized. That way, those with the weakest resistance to addiction will quietly OD themselves out of the human race... evolution in action. It wouldn't be pretty, though.

2 problems with Heroin: It's INCREDIBLE addictive and it's INCREDIBLY strong and it's not hard to OD. I think harder drugs like these should still be illegal, but the lesser ones, like pot, should be legalized.

 

[THE ED3]

i agree with that. with the stronger drugs its clear to see the danger they posed and should still be illegal.

 

[Blackbird.]

I know this will spark alot of different opinions but all I see it as a way for drug dealers to get Marijuana ALOT easier.

 

[MrktMkr1986]

We should legalize marijuana. Set up the first publicly-traded marijuana corporation. 1,500 December 50 calls...

It should be taxed, though... heavily. We need the revenue.

 

[Event]

I know this will spark alot of different opinions but all I see it as a way for drug dealers to get Marijuana ALOT easier.

If marijuana were legal, there'd be no need for drug dealers to sell it, you could get it from the gas station! It could put a lot of dealers out of business and lower crime, as the repeal of prohibition in the 30s did.

We should legalize marijuana. Set up the first publicly-traded marijuana corporation. 1,500 December 50 calls...

It should be taxed, though... heavily. We need the revenue.

We tax a ton on cigarettes, we can tax a ton on marijunana

 

[Blackbird.]

Yeah like they'd be using it for medicinal use.

 

[Event]

Yeah like they'd be using it for medicinal use.

Do I sense a bit of sarcasm there? or maybe ignorance? We're talking about recreational use, here, not medicinal.

 

[Blackbird.]

Still don't say it should be legalized. If it's illegal now, it should be illegal forever. Just my opinion. Don't mean to stomp all over everyone.

 

[Blackbird.]

Do I sense a bit of sarcasm there? or maybe ignorance? We're talking about recreational use, here, not medicinal.

Do I sense a bit of anger?

So sensitive.

 

[MrktMkr1986]

Still don't say it should be legalized. If it's illegal now, it should be illegal forever. Just my opinion. Don't mean to stomp all over everyone.

That was my take on it before. Now, however, thanks to _____'s tax cuts and shopping sprees, we need the revenue.

*edit*

I'd rather see marijuana legalized than social security/medicare privatized.