To legalize or not to legalize...

[Meg]

I've never smoked pot because I think it's stupid and I don't get it. However, I do think that while legalizing it could cause problems, it seems like the "good" would outweigh the bad. I put good in quotes because the good would be that people wouldn't be getting arrested for selling/using pot it would also mean more people would do it more often and more openly. Which sucks. But I'd rather walk around with air freshener than have countless people arrested each year for something with debatable risks. (Especially when alcohol is legal.) I would put an age restriction on it though. Or maybe make it like with cigarettes where you can use them at whatever age, but you have to be 18 to buy them.

 

[JMG29]

http://www.libertariannews.org/2011...titutes-86-of-the-american-prison-population/
America, the "land of the free", has the largest prison population on Earth, and half of that is due to non-violent drug offenses. It doesn't matter if you think people shouldn't smoke pot or not; no matter how you look at it, this is ridiculous and totally not worth it.

Also, it's racist.
http://articles.businessinsider.com/2012-01-16/home/30631016_1_drug-arrests-drug-money-drug-trade

 

[Romero]

Actually, I'm from the United States...And for us, it was illegal...from 1919 to 1933...And if during the time there was much alcohol smuggling...And Marijuana, and drugs of every kind, are just as old, if not older, than alcohol...There was the Lotus flowers in Africa, stumbled upon by the ancient Greeks, Opium was used by the Ancient Hebrews in Biblical times...Among several others...Drug use is just as old a tradition as drinking...

I forgot to address that in my former post, and I thought you maybe would use those arguments.

But the Prohibition only lasted from 19 to 33 and it is useless as argument because the US prohibited alcoholic beverage long after it had become a tradition and part of the culture. The prohibition did not work because it was too late. Perhaps 10,000 years too late, or a few centuries if we limit it to spirits.

Drugs that grow in the wild are of course older than ethanol (the type of alcohol that we drink), distilled beverage is a man-made product. The usage of intoxicating herbs is of course very very old, but it is not as wide-spread and adopted in modern culture as ethanol. Banning alcohol in the 20th or 21st century is not likely to work very well, it's too late. But it's not too late to ban marijuana.

I still uphold that ethanol would most likely be prohibited already (permanently and not only in the US) if it was not as widely used and part of our culture and heritage. Marijuana does not have that position in spite of being an older drug, so comparing it to ethanol in that regard is not fair.

As said earlier, I'm not sure if marijuana should be legalized or not. But before we do that, we must be sure of what we do because it may be difficult to reverse a legalization in the future when we know all the answers. I have also noted that most voices in the debate of legalization are young people who wants it legalized. People who wants marijuana to be prohibited and elder people don't voice their opinion as much.

 

[KennedyKiller]

I forgot to address that in my former post, and I thought you maybe would use those arguments.

But the Prohibition only lasted from 19 to 33 and it is useless as argument because the US prohibited alcoholic beverage long after it had become a tradition and part of the culture. The prohibition did not work because it was too late. Perhaps 10,000 years too late, or a few centuries if we limit it to spirits.

Drugs that grow in the wild are of course older than ethanol (the type of alcohol that we drink), distilled beverage is a man-made product. The usage of intoxicating herbs is of course very very old, but it is not as wide-spread and adopted in modern culture as ethanol. Banning alcohol in the 20th or 21st century is not likely to work very well, it's too late. But it's not too late to ban marijuana.

I still uphold that ethanol would most likely be prohibited already (permanently and not only in the US) if it was not as widely used and part of our culture and heritage. Marijuana does not have that position in spite of being an older drug, so comparing it to ethanol in that regard is not fair.

As said earlier, I'm not sure if marijuana should be legalized or not. But before we do that, we must be sure of what we do because it may be difficult to reverse a legalization in the future when we know all the answers. I have also noted that most voices in the debate of legalization are young people who wants it legalized. People who wants marijuana to be prohibited and elder people don't voice their opinion as much.

But if marijuana were to be legalized, it would have to be FDA approved...Which means all contents would be regulated and controlled...Just like alcohol...And, when it's a drug that you cannot over dose off of, unlike alcohol, I really can't see the harm in it if used responsibly..There are going to be those who DON'T use it responsibly...But that comes with anything...Alcohol, power, the internet...All of these CAN and ARE used irresponsibly, but by a minority...This minority will always exist, and there is no use in keeping marijuana illegal due to this minority...Especially since that minority will ALWAYS be there...Even if not for marijuana, for something else...It has become so common in our society today to use it that it isn't a big secret or surprise anymore...People have already pointed out the medicinal purposes, and the fact that it's LESS harmful than both alcohol and normal run of the mill cigarettes...And taxing the hell out of it will help the economy in a great way...I'm not saying it's without risks, but the good it will do FAR exceeds said risks...

I'm totally unbiased because my father was always voraciously high and beating me...That's an example of the irresponsibility...But I know most people aren't like that...So I'm still all for it...

 

[Romero]

KK, in case your latest post was a reply to what I said... it's beside my points.

and the fact that it's LESS harmful than both alcohol and normal run of the mill cigarettes

I too believe it may be less harmful than alcohol but it doesn't change anything. How is marijuana less harmful than cigarettes? Both do cause cancer, but maybe marijuana is less likely to cause cancer? At least cigarettes does not change your personality for the worse, something abuse of marijuana can do.

And I'm sorry to hear about your dad's abuse.

 

[Hoady]

Omg can't stop laughing hahahaha.

There are definitely risks involved mentally but i believe a good education is far superior to being suppressed. At first there may be the 'omg it legal now i smoke heaps' but that would die down in time, it would become a norm. To be blunt, the effects of Marijuana actually deeply traumatized me but i never had the relevant knowledge at that age to do anything about it. But that is my personal experience and i don't hold resentment over it.

I honestly think that most people in good mental health would find they don't need to smoke it.I think that banning marijuana is not the problem, its why people want to smoke it in the first place.Its the false believe that the plant is the problem which bothers me. Because nothing in itself is actually addictive, its the susceptibility one has to becoming addicted to a certain drug or behaviour. In my opinion that is what we should be reviewing.

 

[KennedyKiller]

KK, in case your latest post was a reply to what I said... it's beside my points.


I too believe it may be less harmful than alcohol but it doesn't change anything. How is marijuana less harmful than cigarettes? Both do cause cancer, but maybe marijuana is less likely to cause cancer? At least cigarettes does not change your personality for the worse, something abuse of marijuana can do.

And I'm sorry to hear about your dad's abuse.

Lol...Well to each his own I suppose my friend...

 

[Romero]

Maybe we should let South Park decide this? The last episode I watched was Medicinal Fried Chicken. *grin*

 

[Jgraeme1979]

I smoke it and also agree with those calling for the legalisation of cannabis. My only concern would be if Marijuana became legal, it would add all sorts of stuff to it like they do cigarettes, which (if you take out all the rubbish added to them) are not as dangerous (which is why many prefer to buy tobacco and roll their own cigarettes I guess).

 

[Storyofmylife]

I smoke it and also agree with those calling for the legalisation of cannabis. My only concern would be if Marijuana became legal, it would add all sorts of stuff to it like they do cigarettes, which (if you take out all the rubbish added to them) are not as dangerous (which is why many prefer to buy tobacco and roll their own cigarettes I guess).

I didn't think about that, good point. I wouldn't want the government messing around with something that's good as is. Then again, in California where medical marijuana is legal they haven't done anything other than grow different strands making them "better". Ah, to live in California! I have panic disorder so it really does help me relax, and if I lived there I'd be able to smoke it legally!


My friend also made a good point as to why the government hasn't made it legal yet. It's all about taxes and being able to control it, since it's so easy to grow in your backyard (i.e if you drop a bit of weed on the ground it will begin to grow, happened to me once when I put a bad blunt in a plant, it started to root and overgrow the original plant, killing it.)

The reason why alcohol is legal over weed is the very fact you can't just grow bud light in your back yard. You can grow hops, but there's a whole process to it. I'm sure you all get what I mean.

 

[VP-70]

After much thought and deep profound reflection,

and after over 10 years of studying Psychology,Religion,History and the odd mystery or two, i've decided it is time to close my books, put them on my shelves and let them collect dust.

I will however keep my faves, like Dracula and the like. Maybe keep some of my fave history bio's.

I've decided life is nothing but one big circus act... with people opting for fantasy over reality, drama over serenity, illusion over truth, and wealth over health.

What i'm saying is.

Do whatever the **** you like. I no longer care. The world is full of bat-**** insane types, and i guess i'm happy to turn a blind eye to the sheer horror that gets committed every day so long as nobody breaks into my house.

Should such an event happen, i should hope the governing bodies will stand by me, in removing a criminal from the system, and thus, saving my fellow human beings some all important tax money. Should some prat break into my house and threaten my families safety to fuel their self infliction, i should hope i'm allowed to kick his head off his shoulders without hassle.

So if the world would allow me to protect that which is dear to me, then ya'll as the yanks would say, can do what you like....say what you like, think what you like, be what you like providing you don't endanger my loved ones.

Why complete non issues like people smoking plants, or people preferring the love from someone of the same sex take up so much space and time in our lives, is beyond me, and frankly, its getting boring. The way in which the world drooled over a black president actually had me in fits of laughter back then, because i couldn't believe the world was so wrapped up in such trivial bollox.

so to paint a picture... I'm closing my door, flicking my blinds and pulling the phone from out my wall and sticking a big '' **** OFF '' sign outside my front door.

if you want help, get help.
If you dream the dream, then start living the dream,
If you want change, then be the change...

other than that....its all swings and rounda-bouts in the weird and wonderful life of planet earth...