Marijuana Legalization

[phobophile]

What are people thinking? im thinking if it was legalized, there would be way too many pizza delivery cars filling up our roads! hey, but seriously, it should be. when people drink, they like to take place in plenty of debauchery. when people smoke weed, they like to take place in plenty of...eating. to quote bill hicks, " i dont see what the big deal is about driving while stoned, if ya hit something, your only going five f'ing miles per hour anyways."

[Ichigo]

But it's still an impairment, you drive better when you're not stoned.

I think it should be leagalized. Firstly, because the fact that it isn't makes loads of people want to try it anyways simply because it's illegal. Second, because teens do it anyways, and those who don't wouldn't buy any because of what they believe in. The "hesitant" ones might try it though.

We all know what smoking results in. So it's a decision we have to make for ourselves.

[Alex]

The only logicial reason the government should legalize is if they find a method to tax it ridiculously, I.E. selling it from their hands. I'm sure they have certain facilities that could mass produce it, and I really don't know why it hasn't happened with a liberal legislature at this point, but I'm assuming I'm missing something because I'm sure if they could, they would try and make money from it at this seemingly opertune time.

I don't think, no offense Ichi, that the government is going to legalize just because of an arbitry statement like "loads of people want to try it anyways". I can't say I know if there are any statistics disproving or agreeing with that (in hindsight I'm sure there are), but thats making an assumption the government is in panic state about the number of people using marijuana, I don't think so.

About medical marijuana, I think that it would just open the floodgates to much for them to legalize it in other aspects, so I feel it won't be aloud until a full scale legalization occurs. I'm still not sure if its a good thing or bad thing within my own mind, but I don't think it gets legalized too quickly either.

It also comes down to your definition of addictive. One argument is that alcohol has physically addictive properties and there are known addicts, we even have a name for them, alcoholics, so if they exist without anyone's intervention why can't marijuana be the same way? I guess thats one way of looking at it, but I believe prohibition showed that trying to bar something that is widely use isn't very effective, and the fact is marijuana carries with it a title that alcohol does not, gateway drug.

While this is up for interpretation in terms of credibility if marijuana truly is a 'gateway drug' then they theoretically don't want people getting their hands on it. Cool, understandable, that is if it truly is a gateway drug or not. I really don't know so I won't argue yay or nay, but from personal experience I tend to lean towards the side that it is where alcohol isn't as much. That is a big factor because then people, half a century or even a century down the road will want more advanced drugs to be barred.

My overall opinion, if you couldn't figure out already, is one of nay to legalization. I think it opens to many doors, and it is a shame that, in my mind, the expansion of medical marijuana programs can't and won't occur without a wide scale legalization, but I think it saves the government some trouble. There are other things to deal with quite frankly. Just imagine how much of a joke America will look like when/if drug use becomes the main point in an election, one candidate says nay to drug use one says yay, and despite all qualifications guess who wins? Can we really get to that point? I think thats what legalizing marijuana has a potential of turning into.

[Imelda]

Look at The Netherlands ... they're awesome, and they have all kinds of legal stuff over there, and because it's legally restricted, they have fewer problems.

I don't see why it should be illegal when alcohol and tobacco aren't--they all cause very similar sort of effects and dangers. Cannabis is about as addictive as alcohol, theoretically less harmful than tobacco cigarettes, AND it has medicinal uses.

I just hate the way the UK government has taken this random middle road where it's still illegal, but people don't get in trouble for it ... what's the point? O_o

[Shaun]

Alright, so here are the facts:
--Pot is potentially addictive, but it depends on the person, as in all cases of addiction. If you have a biology that is prone to addiction, you could become addicted to pot. This is a fact and there are treatments for people addicted to pot.
--Pot can be good for you. This greatly depends on a number of factors including: how much you use it, what kind you use (seeing how everyone is mixing up weird versions of pot), your genetic history, etc. Pot itself is not what makes it useful for cancer patients, it's the THC, and there's no reason to make pot legal because they can just extract the THC and put them in pills. That's the argument anyway, and it does make sense.
--Pot can be bad for you. If you overuse pot, can it damage your body? Yes. Pot can cause brain tears, can damage your memory (long term and short), and do a number of other things. If you smoke pot once, most likely you'll have no problems. If you smoke it once in a while, same thing. If you smoke it like hell on high water, then you can expect complications when you get older. Just as with alcohol and prescription medicine: moderation is key. If you overuse ANYTHING it's bad for you. This also depends on your body too, because some people are more likely to be hurt by pot than others (and I have no idea how this is determined, but it's true).
--Pot can be a gateway drug. The key word is "can." Not everyone will go on to other drugs once they've started pot. Some people will try other things, others will not.
--Pot DOES impair your judgment. The people that tell you otherwise are either high or haven't been high around people who aren't high. Trust me, it impairs your judgment. I know, I've seen people high (I've never been high), and they were impaired. The only good thing about this is that people who smoke pot generally don't go anywhere, so the danger of them getting in a car and running over someone is minimal.
--Pot DOES have side effects. The people that tell you otherwise are likely high at the moment. If you've ever seen someone high, then you know that it has side effects. Things like getting the munchies, red eyes, slowed thought, being really happy, memory impairment, and a number of other things that may sound good or bad and depend on the person (because not everyone gets the munchies, contrary to popular opinion). If pot didn't do anything, nobody would smoke it.
--Pot is not the work of the devil, a evil plot by communists to destroy America, or any other stupid conspiracy that the government or anti-pot people come up with. Seriously.

So, with all that, here's my opinion on legalizing pot:
I do think it should be legalized, but I also believe it needs to be restricted, like alcohol. Employers should have the right to request that people not come to work high, or to smoke on the job, because pot does impair people and some jobs would require a sound mind to do. The government should tax the stuff and produce it in mass quantities so it can be purchased across the country. I'm cool with that. As long as there are restrictions (no driving when high, etc.).
I don't smoke pot and never will. So anyone who might think I'm okay with legalizing it because I smoke it is wrong. I've never smoked it and never will.

And that's all from me.

[Shadow]

Life's a bitch until we die
so fuck it all and let's get high.

Ha, I don't actually believe that. Anyway, marijuana should be legalised, but as everyone says, with restrictions. We don't want babies giggling incessantly in the streets.

[Diocletian]

What, the sound of children's laughter doesn't melt your heart?

[Shadow]

Nope. I have two little brothers who are four, and usually their laughter annoys me.

[Shaun]

I agree with Shadow. Children laughing is generally not a good thing.

[Hypocrit]

What, the sound of children's laughter doesn't melt your heart?


Ahem, now that I'm done with the inflammatory remarks(see that? see what i did there?), let's get down to greenstacks and nuggets.

Marijuana is fucking awesome. I like it. I like to smoke it. I like to bake with it. I like to smell it and roll in it and roll it and lick my fingers afterward and then jam to it and then fall asleep with it in my arms.

...But legalizing it is a foolish plan. Why? Because then they can do, legally, what they do wish cigarrettes. Currently, if I buy a curiously fat sack, smoke it, and then freak the fuck out, I can go to my dealer and say "you motherfucker, you lace my shit I chop off your testicles with a rusty menorah(see that? see how I cleverly allude to my own racial injustices at the top of the page? I do, that's why I did it)". Can't do that with a cigarrette company. You like cancer?

Not only that, but the price will go up because of legislation and tax. I prefer to smoke tax free and avoid supporting the country and mental symbolic architecture that made you all as dumb as you are.

P.S.(Yes, I am indeed stoned, and yes, I did indeed spark a phat fucking J while writing this shit. And no, I do NOT do autographs.)

[appleofmyeye]

P.S.(Yes, I am indeed stoned, and yes, I did indeed spark a phat fucking J while writing this shit. And no, I do NOT do autographs.)

You offended me and I am not Jewish. This does explain a lot though. Never mind, I'm not starting an argument.