Marijuana

[Ronove]

Let's start a lovely subject!

Now, I live in the U.S., so I am asking these questions from a purely U.S. ideology. I know marijuana isn't illegal everywhere.

Question:
Should marijuana not be as penalized as it is? Should it be legal completely (like cigarettes or alcohol) or should it only be medically legalized? OR, should it be banned completely?

[Atnas]

It should be completely legal! Making something illegal always causes more trouble than if people have the item in easy reach. I mean, look at the 1920's and the probation act.

Sure, people will abuse it, but they'd have done the same if it was illegal and it would probably be safer in the hands of a retailer than a dealer. Retailers could put out less potent stuff and subject the product to regulations.

According to my daddy(first hand experience XD), The drugs of the seventies were way less potent than the crazy shit that's being passed around now. It's had a full almost forty years to be bred for a really strong weed.

[Guardian]

From what I've heard, it's not as dangerous as cigarettes and it's definitely not as dangerous as alcohol, so I think it should be legal. Plus, being able to control the substance would be beneficial so there isn't anything strange in it.

[ccoa]

Make it legal, without a doubt. Think how much money the government spends every day chasing down marijuana-related crimes. Not just users and dealers, but thefts and even murders by the people who bring the drug into the country. Making it legal reduces the crime rate and saves a great deal of money.

Plus, if it's legal it can be heavily taxed. Now we're not only saving money, we're making money. Think how much the government makes on tariffs and taxes on tobacco. Best of all, that money is going into the government and legal business, not drug dealers and smugglers.

Marijuana is less harmful than alcohol and less addictive than nicotine. There's no real logical reason for it to be illegal and those to be legal.

[Barbatos]

It should definately be legal.

[Lene]

What ccoa said. XD

[Ronove]

So, give what ccoa has said:

Marijuana is less harmful than alcohol and less addictive than nicotine. There's no real logical reason for it to be illegal and those to be legal.

Why is it illegal? I've always wondered this. Is it still illegal because the oldies still consider it OMG!BAD and when they eventually die, it will be legalized? Or do they have nothing to do with why it's still illegal in the U.S. or anywhere else it may be illegal?

[Barbatos]

So, give what ccoa has said:



Why is it illegal? I've always wondered this. Is it still illegal because the oldies still consider it OMG!BAD and when they eventually die, it will be legalized? Or do they have nothing to do with why it's still illegal in the U.S. or anywhere else it may be illegal?

http://blogs.salon.com/0002762/stories/2003/12/22/whyIsMarijuanaIllegal.html

short version: corporate interests are why it's illegal, and it's totally stupid.

[Kojo]

Problems: It's not as harmless as people think it is. It DOES kill brain cells, it IS addictive, and people DO get murdered over it. Alchohol is beneficial (In moderate amounts) and has been a part of every world culture since pre-recorded history. Cigarettes (A FOUL HABIT) should be made illegal because public areas I walk in are constantly being polluted by these disgusting creatures some people call smokers. Some people have lung conditions and cannot breathe properly around any sort of heavy smoke like that.

Mainly that is why I'm discriminatory against it. I have smoke-sensitive lungs, and I've had a friend go pretty much brain dead from long term use of it. I have no problem with alchohol, if used in moderation. People who drink to get drunk are idiots and should be put in stocks. I don't care if your wife died and your dog left you, sing a bad country song and get over it. Don't use drugs to escape reality. It is a cowardly thing to do.

Quite obviously, I've never been drunk, or high. Those things disgust me.

I know prohibition won't work, however, but if it could be confined to private residences and specific and confined locations, I wouldn't care. I only care when people do it around me. I don't like the fact that our government spends billions of dollar chasing down people some stupid dealers, and I know it is used medically (Dude, I've got cataracts, officer.), but if it is made legal, for God's sake do it in your own privacy, don't do it on the college campus, and blow smoke in my face. Don't do it outside the doors to a restraunt. Be nice. Please?

Basically, if people were considerate of other people's conditions and preferences, I wouldn't mind. [\rantus majoris]

[Barbatos]

Damnit Kojo, stop showing your age!

Problems: It's not as harmless as people think it is. It DOES kill brain cells,

So does a lot of legal foods and drinks. Don't feed your kids vitamin A!

it IS addictive,

It is psychologically addictive, not chemically addictive. In other words, it's as addictive as masturbation or corn flakes, not like nicotine/cigarettes. Most people who have smoked weed never got addicted to it.

and people DO get murdered over it.

People get murdered over everything.

Alchohol is beneficial (In moderate amounts) and has been a part of every world culture since pre-recorded history.

I agree. Alcohol should be legal. And people under the age of 21 should be allowed to drink it without repurcussion.

Cigarettes (A FOUL HABIT) should be made illegal because public areas I walk in are constantly being polluted by these disgusting creatures some people call smokers. Some people have lung conditions and cannot breathe properly around any sort of heavy smoke like that.

Haha, well I think cigarettes should be legal, because it's a great form of population control (and I say this as a casual smoker). More people die cause of it? Good! Beneficial for the environment. What's there to complain about?

Also, you can tax it heavily, to not only discourage use but to get more money for the government! It helps to pay down that crazy deficit of ours.

Mainly that is why I'm discriminatory against it. I have smoke-sensitive lungs, and I've had a friend go pretty much brain dead from long term use of it. I have no problem with alchohol, if used in moderation. People who drink to get drunk are idiots and should be put in stocks. I don't care if your wife died and your dog left you, sing a bad country song and get over it. Don't use drugs to escape reality. It is a cowardly thing to do.

That's not why people smoke marijuana. People smoke marijuana for the same reason they drink alcohol or eat cheesey puffs. It's an enjoyable and relaxing thing and it doesn't harm you any more than many other legal things.

People don't smoke weed because they're depressed. That's silly. If they're depressed, they already have issues, so don't blame weed or alcohol or anything for what they do to attempt to escape reality.

Quite obviously, I've never been drunk, or high. Those things disgust me.

You should get drunk, right now. And get high tomorrow. Also, do some research next time before you bash marijuana.

Basically, if people were considerate of other people's conditions and preferences, I wouldn't mind.

Man who wants to live in a society where you have to restrain yourself and cater to everyone else? I want freedom! FREEDOM! Begone, commie!

[Kojo]

I ain't a commie, I just think that being nice won't hurt people. The reason I say people do get murdered over it wasn't just a dumb statement like you played it as. I meant "Hey guys, guess what? Yeah, weed smokers aren't all Rastafarians, Beatniks, and Hippies. They can cut up rough as well."

Here is a different way of putting what I was kinda trying to say before:

Drinking old fruit juice: Natural!

Putting a stinky burning stick in your mouth: Not Natural!

Just so you guys understand a little bit about lung conditions, if you don't get them from smoking or other diseases, you're born with them. That means you had no choice. Smokers have a choice to smoke around you, especially after you tell them you have weaker lungs. I'm not advocating banning of the public use cigarettes and if mary-jane was legal the same of it, I was advocating common courtesy. If people can't respect that, shoot keep it illegal so they HAVE to smoke away from me.

I'm all for freedom, and whatnot, but if Marijuana was legal, put an age on it, tax it, mediate it, and put regulations on it. Restrict private companies from putting additives in it that could harm or addict people. That is sick advertising. In my book it is about as socially acceptable as smoke cigarettes, and I could bash it all day, whether or not I am educated.

*slaps Died with first Amendment*

Thats the I get to be a jerk-off and ignorant smear on society's toilet paper paper. I do what I want. This is America.

Does that clear anything up or make it more confusing what I'm trying to say?

[Ronove]

Alcohol is murdered over as well, and is the cause of some acts of murders being carried out.

I'm all for freedom, and whatnot, but if Marijuana was legal, put an age on it, tax it, mediate it, and put regulations on it. Restrict private companies from putting additives in it that could harm or addict people. That is sick advertising.

Can you clarify "sick advertising" ? I don't understand.

[Barbatos]

I'm all for freedom, and whatnot, but if Marijuana was legal, put an age on it, tax it, mediate it, and put regulations on it. Restrict private companies from putting additives in it that could harm or addict people. That is sick advertising. In my book it is about as socially acceptable as smoke cigarettes, and I could bash it all day, whether or not I am educated.

*slaps Died with first Amendment*

Thats the I get to be a jerk-off and ignorant smear on society's toilet paper paper. I do what I want. This is America.

Does that clear anything up or make it more confusing what I'm trying to say?

Haha you should know me better than that. I was just belittling you (and my opinion on cigarettes is probably highly uneducated).

Obviously if marijuana was legal, it should be 18+, heavily taxed, all that jazz.

[Shade]

I ain't a commie, I just think that being nice won't hurt people. The reason I say people do get murdered over it wasn't just a dumb statement like you played it as. I meant "Hey guys, guess what? Yeah, weed smokers aren't all Rastafarians, Beatniks, and Hippies. They can cut up rough as well."


Just so you guys understand a little bit about lung conditions, if you don't get them from smoking or other diseases, you're born with them. That means you had no choice. Smokers have a choice to smoke around you, especially after you tell them you have weaker lungs. I'm not advocating banning of the public use cigarettes and if mary-jane was legal the same of it, I was advocating common courtesy. If people can't respect that, shoot keep it illegal so they HAVE to smoke away from me.


anyone "can cut up rough as well" for anything, not just weed dealers

also if you have weak lungs, why do you hang out with people who smoke? at least the way your saying it thats what it sounds like

[Riona]

My thoughts on Alcohol, Cigarettes, and any other drug.

Alcohol can cause major problems, as stated before is okay in moderation, but for people like me who are extremely allergic to the substance in any form, can not be around it, not in any degree. Alcohol of any form has a chemical reaction to my skin, and my blood. If I touch it, I break out in a rash, if I breathe it I'm hyperventilating (can't breathe), if I were to ever have it in my blood stream, the likelihood of my dieing from it is very high!, Nightquil is a good example of this, I only took half of what was recommended, and I don't even remember the entire day, next thing I learned was that someone told me I was speaking in gibberish and so far out of it. I could only imagine what would happened if I took the required amount. Perfumes, hair sprays, shampoos, and ALL ANTIBIOTIC SOAPS have it, that's what makes them antibiotic, is the alcohol that's in them, If it's in any way related to the ingredient Alcohol, I have severe reactions to it. So I ask politely those who drink, please don't breathe on me, and keep it to a minimum if they are around me, I don't want to have to deal with some drunk breathing all over me, then raping me while I need to be at a hospital. Other than that, do as you please on your own time in your own space, or with others that will enjoy the "fruits" with you. That's fine, it's your life, but please respect mine while I'm trying to protect it.

Cigarettes is another issue. Both my parents smoke, which really sucks, I work somewhere that I have to handle the packs and sell them, I even have to organize them, so I'm stuck smelling them all day, or worse, smelling like them all day. I've had exes that would smoke, my rule of thumb, they have to brush their teeth throughly after each cigarette. It kills not only your life, but my "mood" too. I know places have smoking and non-smoking sections, but that's like going in a pool of peeing and non-peeing section... as if that would every really work. I have a heighten sense of smell, for gods sakes, I smelled one of my exes returning to town a mile away from the army and it was meant to be a surprise! That didn't work for him, covering the smell of cigarettes won't work for anyone else. It's extremely disgusting, causes cancer, even contains dog feces... enjoy on your own time and place, not around mine please.

For Drugs, it really depends on what they cause, if they are something that can be dangerous to society, we are better off without, what is up with all the prescription drugs now, where side-effects are worst off then what you are treating for!? Like "Bladder control pills, side effects may include: heart attacks, liver failure, brain damage..." and so one, what the hell!? who wants to deal with all that, get a diaper and deal with it till something better comes out! For those that are doing specific drugs just to get high, congrats you're really not doing anything useful with your life but murdering people to get money to pay for more drugs to get high with... that's a "genius" Idea.... I know friends who do specific things, that are not good for them, but then again they aren't in the situation of hurting others, my only favor I ask of them, "don't do it around me" if I don't know too much about it, then I won't have much to say about it, as in to the police. I'm not willing to put peoples lives to jail for something that isn't harming others, and they aren't the type to influence people to join in on their bad habits, so why should I ruin their lifestyle? But when I know people who are out to make people's lives miserable, or under the influence where they get bad ideas, I will report it to save others lives.

I think if they make marijuana legal, they should have testings on those who do the drug to make sure it is actually something that benefits out way the consequences, otherwise, everyone will be allowed to get away with something because they said "well I was under the influence of this, i should sue so and so for prescribing it." In other words like a testing stage of it to see if these people aren't going to end up doing something stupid using it, it should be made a prescription not something that is sold over the counter of a gas station like cigarettes. They are very different, and most people don't see the difference as much as they should. And if people do the drug anyway, please do it in a secluded area that won't allow others to be harmed by it.

The other issue of today is Peer Pressure, which makes most of these decisions to legalize or illegalize specific things, most people are saying to legalize things cause they don't' want to get in trouble for even trying something with their friends, cause they don't want to be a "damper" on the situation. Other's what it legalize cause they are already addicts to the substance, and don't want to deal with more of the hassle, those we want things illegalized, are those who may have been effected by someone doing the actions, maybe a drunk driver killed your son, or daughter, or family, maybe smoking killed your aunt, or someone under the influence of an illegal drug had murdered you friend. You'd be amaze how a person's mind thinks in society, and for those that are so addicted to a substance, might not have the ability to realize it in the first place, which is ashame.

[Kojo]

@ Rye: Things that make people chemically dependent on, especially things that are either added or neglected via non-removal, thus ensuring a product's market, are "sick advertisements."

@Shade: I don't. I get sick of walking through doorways and gagging on someone's cigarettes, tired of telling people not to smoke indoors (Especially in places marked, or places where children will be), tired of people holding smoke in, then walking indoors, then talking to me, breathing that exhaust into my face. I'm tired of people trying to light up in restaurants, tired of walking through the park and getting gagged by some bum with a nasty old butt in his mouth. I don't hang out with smokers. I just hate how so many people do it, without even thinking once about other people. THAT was quite the rant.

[Autumn]

Weed is legal in the Netherlands actually. And I support that. It's far from as addictive as alcohol and less damaging also (Tabasco is the main cause). I have yet to hear stories about weed-addicts that act the way or fuck up their life as alcohol addicts do.

Honestly, when things get out of hand in these cases, 99% of the time it's something used just to calm down and not to drown your misery in. People aren't as dependant on it as other things, such as alcohol, pain relievers, even plain cigarettes. Your body adjusts to resist the drug's effect really, really fast, unless you only smoke them pure (which is actually the least damaging way if done in moderation). So chances that you're going to be robbing stores and stealing from your family to smoke weed are really low. If it evolves into using hard drugs, then you should start worrying. Which is my only complaint.

[Volrath]

What a popular topic...I wonder why that could be...

I think it should be handled the way alcohol is. Restricted to those below a certain age and you get in big trouble if you get caught driving while high. It's actually much less dangerous than alcohol, so it's pretty ridiculous that you can go to jail for quite some time simply for having some. I'd recommend folks watch the docmentary "Grass." It's a pretty insightful history of marijuana in the USA, and it's funny too.

[Lyricmaniac]

Make it legal, without a doubt. Think how much money the government spends every day chasing down marijuana-related crimes. Not just users and dealers, but thefts and even murders by the people who bring the drug into the country. Making it legal reduces the crime rate and saves a great deal of money.

Plus, if it's legal it can be heavily taxed. Now we're not only saving money, we're making money. Think how much the government makes on tariffs and taxes on tobacco. Best of all, that money is going into the government and legal business, not drug dealers and smugglers.

Marijuana is less harmful than alcohol and less addictive than nicotine. There's no real logical reason for it to be illegal and those to be legal.

I agree with all of this. I think it should be made legal mostly for monetary reasons. Cut back on cops needed in busting potheads and tax the fuck out of it like we do cigarettes. I would put forth no pot and driving, no pot and operating heavy machinery, no pot and working with children, as well as age limit rules, but that's pretty well it.

[Barbatos]

Personally, i'm confident that marijuana will be completely legal (and heavily regulated) within the next 20 years here. Much of the taboo against it currently is due to Bush Sr.'s War on Drugs crap, but as the older conservatives die out and are replaced by younger people who aren't polluted by idiotic ideas about marijuana, we will see more and more movements to get it legalized. I hope Barney Frank's current measure to decriminalize possession passes, as that's the first step (even if it doesn't completely solve the problem).

[Alisa_Tana]

For my part, I can't stand the smell of Marijuana.

My dad was recently diagnosed with cancer, and he looked into medical marijuana. But the way everything is organized, they can't specifically tell him which doctors will write a prescription for it, and his current doctor won't. As far as growing it himself, the same bureaucracy makes legalized seed overly expensive and near impossible to find. For him, its easier to go through non-legal channels to get it.

If it were legalized, there wouldn't be all this rig-a-roll just for him to get something which at least helps to make him feel a bit more comfortable.

[Ronove]

The same thing happened to my grandfather. He was in great pain near the end of his life because of cancer--the doctor said that marijuana would help. But, they couldn't get it legally. My mom offered (since she knew where exactly to get it--not exactly legal since MI bans any kind of marijuana), but he wouldn't do it because he was illegal. I mean, it's sad that he had to endure so much pain because it was illegal. It makes me very sad.

[Lowell]

The reason it isn't legal is because it isn't chemically addictive like cigarettes. The government pretty much went with what they thought at the time would rake in more cash.

It does need to be legalized though, hell I would be a primary distributer if it was XD.

[Shade]

@Shade: I don't. I get sick of walking through doorways and gagging on someone's cigarettes, tired of telling people not to smoke indoors (Especially in places marked, or places where children will be), tired of people holding smoke in, then walking indoors, then talking to me, breathing that exhaust into my face. I'm tired of people trying to light up in restaurants, tired of walking through the park and getting gagged by some bum with a nasty old butt in his mouth. I don't hang out with smokers. I just hate how so many people do it, without even thinking once about other people. THAT was quite the rant.

if everyone did what you wanted them to do, that would be great wouldnt it?
this can be said about pretty much any habit tbh

The reason it isn't legal is because it isn't chemically addictive like cigarettes. The government pretty much went with what they thought at the time would rake in more cash.

It does need to be legalized though, hell I would be a primary distributer if it was

if it was legalized, there would be no reason for dealers unless you were selling it cheaper than stores