Marijuana Prohibition - Where do you stand?

[kermitology]

I'm not sure I support legalization, but I definitely support decriminalization. There is no need for people to go to jail for possession or sale of marijuana.

I'm not a consumer outside of a handful of times in my life. But most recently I had some after a golf cart crash, and it was the only thing that reduced my pain and anxiety.

[Tron_fdc]

The only thing weed kills around me is my grocery bill. It certainly defies physics when my stomach turns into a bottomless gaping pit where a roll of toilet paper would taste delicious.

[Mightyfire89]

Originally Posted by kermitology

I'm not sure I support legalization, but I definitely support decriminalization. There is no need for people to go to jail for possession or sale of marijuana.

I'm not a consumer outside of a handful of times in my life. But most recently I had some after a golf cart crash, and it was the only thing that reduced my pain and anxiety.

Golf cart crash? Was beer by chance the gateway drug to that incident?

[kermitology]

Actually no.. I wasn't driving and the driver was sober too.

[btimbit]

Legalize it, but not in public. I can't stand the crap, but it's no worse than alcohol really.

As long as I don't have to smell it, I really don't care

[calumniate]

In this economy, legalize it. Medical mj is still fairly hard to license and acquire, and I've seen too many people go in rather painful ways due to cancer. I realize that medical is different from legalization. But if it helps those that need it get it, well I'm all for it. I'm not a huge fan of the stuff anymore myself.
Here's the pioneer of Canadian edible oils:
https://youtu.be/vNCpTfALniQ

[#-3]

I was in the camp that this was all about stupid hippies just trying to get into stuff they probably shouldn't be into.

I've slowly Portugal model it's proven to work.

Legalize, as long as the funds saved on law enforcement and incarceration are directly diverted to social programs that address the root causes of problems often linked to drug problems.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by 4X4

Because it's ridiculous that it's illegal. If everything unhealthy or possibly not good for you was illegal, then we wouldn't have table salt, girl guide cookies, or a day at the beach.

And since it's no better or worse than lots of other things that are regularly consumed, the amount of money spent on prosecuting it instead of the possible amount gained from taxing it is huge.

Almighty tax dollar?

Of course it's no better or worse, still we continue to learn nothing from the past. Governments work hard at trying to get people to live a healthy life style yet turn into hypocrites when they decide to legalise another product that harms us.

As for the almightly tax dollar, don't tell me it's not a huge reasoning behind legalisation. The below article demonstrates why it would be a benefit to the province of BC

A new study calculates British Columbians' pot purchases total about half a billion dollars each year, and the pro-legalization researchers conducting the study say that means the province could be bringing in massive tax revenues.

Researchers from the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University sought to quantify the retail value of marijuana sold on the black market.

They looked at the price of marijuana and research that suggests more than 366,000 people in B.C. use pot to estimate the pot industry is worth between $443 million and $564 million a year.

The researchers also point to data from Washington, which recently held a successful referendum to legalize pot, that suggests the same number of pot smokers in that state could bring in $2.5 billion in taxes over five years in a regulated system.

They say the revenues could be used to fund addictions programs and health care, similar to the new system set to be rolled out in Washington and Colorado, where the public recently voted to legalize the drug.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/britis...ized-1.1127751

[nik-]

oh ... sure, one day we're legalizing it, the next day nurses are blowing Pot smoke in the faces of newborn babies.

Lets think of the children.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by rubecube

No, it's because keeping it illegal is costing us billions and not doing anything to prevent it's use.

Those billions won't be saved but rather they will be spent stopping other forms of illegal drugs from getting to the market. The drug trade will still thrive if and when pot is legalised.

There's also the moral aspect of treating people as criminals because they choose to out certain substances in their bodies, which is appalling to me.

Decriminalise personal use would be the best option.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Dion

Those billions won't be saved but rather they will be spent stopping other forms of illegal drugs from getting to the market. The drug trade will still thrive if and when pot is legalised.



Decriminalise personal use would be the best option.

Or put into programs that treat drug addiction, which is actually a better proven model of prevention than criminalization. Either way, even if what you said is true, and the money goes into fighting more serious drugs, doesn't that make way more sense than what we're doing now?

[Inferno]

I've never smoked pot but I'm fine with legalizing it. I don't look at it any different than getting drunk.

[AFireInside]

Originally Posted by Dion

It doesn't have to kill you to be harmful.

• Increased heart rate. Marijuana raises heart rate for up to 3 hours after smoking. This effect may increase the chance of heart attack. Older people and those with heart problems may be at higher risk

[/LIST]http://www.drugabuse.gov/publication...acts/marijuana

Great example. Here are points from two articles, one referring to coffee, and one referring to pot.

"Marijuana could trigger a heart attack, according to a new report, risk increases by 4.8 times in the first hour after smoking."

" Research in the September issue of Epidemiology suggests coffee can trigger a heart attack within an hour in some people. The risk was highest among light coffee drinkers (one cup a day). For those people the risk of heart attack increased fourfold."

There are studies that show working more than 40 hours per week increase the chance of heart attack and stroke by 1/3rd. should the government step in to ensure that people don't work too hard?

[T@T]

Originally Posted by btimbit

Legalize it, but not in public. I can't stand the crap, but it's no worse than alcohol really.

As long as I don't have to smell it, I really don't care

The smell of it actually turns my stomach.

[WilsonFourTwo]

I am supportive of legalization, regulation, and taxation.

Even though I don't partake (I did in my youth....), a good number of my friends still do. There's never, ever been a bad situation within my group of friends as a result of pot.

Further, I've spent the past year in Vancouver. There are dozens of marijuana dispensaries and a readily available supply. I see/smell people smoking pot publicly EVERY day, and yet there has never been a problem. The older I get, the wiser I become, the more foolish marijuana prohibition seems.

Should we legalize marijuana?
Yes; we can tax it.
Yes; we can pull a major funding source away from organized crime.
Yes; we can stop spending money fighting a 'war' that isn't effective and very few people want.
Yes; we can stop giving people criminal records for sitting around and eating Doritos.

[WilsonFourTwo]

Just another thought/discussion point:

It's clear that the 30 year old 'War on pot' has been anything but successful, despite all of the laws, spending, jail sentences, etc.

So even if you aren't in favor of marijuana use, is it not time to at least try a new strategy?

[FlamesAddiction]

I think the question of whether people should or shouldn't use it is a red herring (as someone else mentioned).

The main questions in my view are whether the current laws are effective at curbing use and whether it is a an effective and economic use of resources. Plus whether the blackmarket and related crime is strengthened because of prohibition.

There are a lot of things out there that are potentially dangerous and some with even fewer benefits than marijuana if used responsibly, but we don't rely on the government to tell us if it is OK. Granted, we do rely on them to regulate things that could be harmful, but people should still be free to exercise personal accountability.

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by T@T

The smell of it actually turns my stomach.

I love that smell. Nothing turns my head faster then the sweet smell of Mary Jane. More-so then a hot chick walking by or the succulent smell of steak on a BBQ.

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by T@T

The smell of it actually turns my stomach.

Yeah, I could see it. It's frustrating how the safest and lightest drug is by far the most obvious and attention grabbing drug, just from that strong, pungent odour in the air. Meanwhile, a much more dangerous and addictive drug like coke is super quick and stealthy. I feel like that should be the other way around..


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[Drak]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

I love that smell. Nothing turns my head faster then the sweet smell of Mary Jane. More-so then a hot chick walking by or the succulent smell of steak on a BBQ.

Especially fresh from the jar or bag.

And when it's vaped, you get that organic supreme taste, link drinking a weed milkshake,