For or against: Weed Legalization

[Kalnisov]

As I'm sure you can guess, this is a thread about your opinions on legalizing marijuana.

Are you for it or against it, and why?

[UnhealthyTruthseeker]

Because there's no legitimate reason to keep it illegal unless we also make alcohol illegal. In other words, having alcohol legal and cannabis not is hypocritical and logically untenable.

[EvilDarkMagicians]

Because there's no legitimate reason to keep it illegal unless we also make alcohol illegal. In other words, having alcohol legal and cannabis not is hypocritical and logically untenable.

/end thread.

[Nadkor]

For, and even the UK Government's Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs agrees with me. Not that it's actually allowed to, no, but it does.

[Pevisopolis]

As an Anarchist, I dont see the words "decriminalization" or "legalization" having any real meaning. In my idea of an egalitarian society I try to preach, of course Marijuana will be "Legalized", mostly as there is no real enforcement of law (similar to the Randite "Social Contract"). As long as Modern Government exists, though, I think it should be.

[Flameswroth]

No way, man. Weed is like...for suckers. It will ruin your life and fund terrorists and junk. And people that smoke weed are hippies, and hippies suck too. You're supposed to have fun playing in slow-pitch softball leagues or playing Rock Band at your house with friends, not toking up the life fantastic!

That said, if weed legislation were passed I wouldn't be on the street picketing or anything. I can still choose not to use it, after all, and avoid those that do. But if you ask for my vote on the matter, I'd definitely vote against.

[Pevisopolis]

No way, man. Weed is like...for suckers. It will ruin your life and fund terrorists and junk. And people that smoke weed are hippies, and hippies suck too. You're supposed to have fun playing in slow-pitch softball leagues or playing Rock Band at your house with friends, not toking up the life fantastic!

Not sure if serious...

[Sumamba Buwhan]

I'm with LEAP (Law enforcement Against Prohibition) on this one

http://www.leap.cc/cms/index.php

Repeal prohibition!

[Natapoc]

"Weed" being illegal is an example of how the government thinks they own your body. They feel they can dictate what you are permitted to put in your own mouth.

However, there are some harmful effects (less then cigarettes) If you decide you want to use weed please use a vaporizer to reduce lung damage from particles and also don't use it before you operate any heavy machinery (especially a car, train, ect where the lives of others may depend on your reaction time)

[Timesjoke]

Because there's no legitimate reason to keep it illegal unless we also make alcohol illegal. In other words, having alcohol legal and cannabis not is hypocritical and logically untenable.

You have to draw a line somewhere. alcohol is so deeply rooted in the foundation of society it is impossible to remove. Sometimes as a society you have to accept the things you can't change and instead put your energy into trying to deal with things you can change. I agree alcohol is harmful, but can you agree that it cannot be removed?


We should not make one harmful drug legal just because another harmful drug is legal, that is sort of stupid to be honest. The question should not be if it is more or less harmful than what we already have but what positive thing can pot offer society if we were to make it legal? I support medical use of pot under a doctor's care, I have seen several studies that prove to me that pot can be a very useful tool for doctors.


Pot is a drug, and any drug must be proven to be safe for human use before it can be made available to the public. Even a cold medicine must show studies and research to prove that their drug is safe. Pot should at the minimum have these same studies and research done and prove with no doubt that there are no harmful effects before being allowed to be legal for human use.



Humans cannot handle the one recreational drug they have now, adding another recreational drug just seems silly.

[Sumamba Buwhan]

But if you ask for my vote on the matter, I'd definitely vote against.

Why?

[Lunatic Goofballs]

Because there's no legitimate reason to keep it illegal unless we also make alcohol illegal. In other words, having alcohol legal and cannabis not is hypocritical and logically untenable.

You have to draw a line somewhere. alcohol is so deeply rooted in the foundation of society it is impossible to remove. Sometimes as a society you have to accept the things you can't change and instead put your energy into trying to deal with things you can change. I agree alcohol is harmful, but can you agree that it cannot be removed?

Can Marijuana be removed? It's been around for centuries and it hasn't been removed yet. In fact, it bears a striking resemblance to Prohibition, doesn't it?

[Flameswroth]

But if you ask for my vote on the matter, I'd definitely vote against.

Why?

Why not? I have a personal aversion to pot and other substances used alter consciousness. I'm not going to vote to legalize it just because it's "the understanding thing to do", but nor will I campaign against it thinking my personal feeling ought to trump public opinion.

And yes, the first section of my original post was indeed made in jest. I was being silly

[Buffett and Colbert]

If tobacco and alcohol are legal, why isn't marijuana? Keeping it illegal is just proving to be detrimental to the jail system, and really serves no purpose.

So, LEGALISE IT MAN!

[Kobrania]

The government doesn't own my body our my mind, I would have thought the right would be for civil liberties.

[Parthenon]

I hate potheads, as such, weed should remain a scheduled narcotic.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

I'm all for legalizing it. It would probably work towards lowering crime rates in some places. Of course, drug related crime will always be a problem, but it's a start.

[Sumamba Buwhan]

Because there's no legitimate reason to keep it illegal unless we also make alcohol illegal. In other words, having alcohol legal and cannabis not is hypocritical and logically untenable.

You have to draw a line somewhere. alcohol is so deeply rooted in the foundation of society it is impossible to remove. Sometimes as a society you have to accept the things you can't change and instead put your energy into trying to deal with things you can change. I agree alcohol is harmful, but can you agree that it cannot be removed?


We should not make one harmful drug legal just because another harmful drug is legal, that is sort of stupid to be honest. The question should not be if it is more or less harmful than what we already have but what positive thing can pot offer society if we were to make it legal? I support medical use of pot under a doctor's care, I have seen several studies that prove to me that pot can be a very useful tool for doctors.


Pot is a drug, and any drug must be proven to be safe for human use before it can be made available to the public. Even a cold medicine must show studies and research to prove that their drug is safe. Pot should at the minimum have these same studies and research done and prove with no doubt that there are no harmful effects before being allowed to be legal for human use.



Humans cannot handle the one recreational drug they have now, adding another recreational drug just seems silly.

Besides removing a major source of income for violent gangs as well as drug related gang violence due to territory issues and whatnot there's other positives.

Milton Friedman, 500+ Economists Call for Marijuana Regulation Debate; New Report Projects $10-14 Billion Annual Savings and Revenues

[*]The report estimates that legalizing marijuana would save $7.7 billion per year in government expenditure on enforcement of prohibition. $5.3 billion of this savings would accrue to state and local governments, while $2.4 billion would accrue to the federal government.

[*]The report also estimates that marijuana legalization would yield tax revenue of $2.4 billion annually if marijuana were taxed like all other goods and $6.2 billion annually if marijuana were taxed at rates comparable to those on alcohol and tobacco.

[UnhealthyTruthseeker]

The question should not be if it is more or less harmful than what we already have

It should be if we want a system of laws that isn't arbitrary and ad hoc and is instead derived from a coherent logic.

but what positive thing can pot offer society if we were to make it legal?

So if something isn't immediately beneficial, it should be banned? Do you realize how many needless laws that would create? How many things are out there that are harmless, but not actually beneficial to society and therefore, by your logic, should be banned.

any drug must be proven to be safe for human use before it can be made available to the public.

Why?

Humans cannot handle the one recreational drug they have now, adding another recreational drug just seems silly.

I don't think that humans are really that irresponsible, in general, with alcohol. The only country that's irresponsible with it is the country where everyone is hung up and conservative about it. (The United States)

[UnhealthyTruthseeker]

I hate potheads, as such, weed should remain a scheduled narcotic.

How mature. Also, weed isn't a narcotic. They call it a narcotic, but, medically speaking, it isn't.

[Sarkhaan]

Because there's no legitimate reason to keep it illegal unless we also make alcohol illegal. In other words, having alcohol legal and cannabis not is hypocritical and logically untenable.

You have to draw a line somewhere. alcohol is so deeply rooted in the foundation of society it is impossible to remove. Sometimes as a society you have to accept the things you can't change and instead put your energy into trying to deal with things you can change. I agree alcohol is harmful, but can you agree that it cannot be removed?


We should not make one harmful drug legal just because another harmful drug is legal, that is sort of stupid to be honest. The question should not be if it is more or less harmful than what we already have but what positive thing can pot offer society if we were to make it legal? I support medical use of pot under a doctor's care, I have seen several studies that prove to me that pot can be a very useful tool for doctors.


Pot is a drug, and any drug must be proven to be safe for human use before it can be made available to the public. Even a cold medicine must show studies and research to prove that their drug is safe. Pot should at the minimum have these same studies and research done and prove with no doubt that there are no harmful effects before being allowed to be legal for human use.



Humans cannot handle the one recreational drug they have now, adding another recreational drug just seems silly.

And we've successfully removed weed from society? No...we've just made it a pain to dig up. Hell, every drug that is illegal can still be found in any city (and I'd be willing to bet most towns). It is a waste of resources to maintain a ban on most drugs, and they tend to only damage the person who chooses to take them directly. I smoke weed, I am the one who gets cancer. That's my risk to choose. I drive after smoking weed, then punish me for driving under the influence. The weed isn't the problem...the driving is.

Legalize regulate, and tax all drugs, save a very select handful like meth and PCP.

[Sarkhaan]

I hate potheads, as such, weed should remain a scheduled narcotic.

The law should at least use the word "narcotic" properly.

And should we ban all behaviors that irritate you? You could...you know...just not associate with them...

[Parthenon]

I hate potheads, as such, weed should remain a scheduled narcotic.

How mature.

Right, because sitting in a dimly lit basement and blazing up while listening to Pink Floyd on repeat and arguing the merits of Cheetos is much more mature...

[Pevisopolis]

I hate potheads, as such, weed should remain a scheduled narcotic.

How mature.

My standard response to whenever Parthy mentions Maturity. Seems to fit this situation even better than ever, considering this is a thread on Marijuana.

[Kobrania]

I hate potheads, as such, weed should remain a scheduled narcotic.

How mature.

Right, because sitting in a dimly lit basement and blazing up while listening to Pink Floyd on repeat and arguing the merits of Cheetos is much more mature...

Some need it for pain dude.

And it helps me concentrate, and less angry.

I have the right not to be a homicidal maniac!