I think the fact Alcohol and Tabacco being legal really shows that there is no logical reason for marijuana being illegal. Any downside to marijuana already exists in worse form in one of the above two controlled substances that are already regulated by the government successfully.
Cancer Risks? Alcohol and Tobacco are equal or worse
Driving implications? Alcohol is worse (or even equal for arguments sake)
Potential for addition? Both above are worse
Potential for binge induced deaths/medical issues? Alcohol is worse.
Bonus tax revenues aside, even just taking money out of organized crime and saving the enforcement costs make it a slam dunk decision. Only thing holding it back is the stigma attached to the drug, same thing happened with prohibition and the prudes back then.
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The medical benefits of marijuana are numerous. Obviously something the pharmaceutical companies don't want you to know about. Which might explain why the US has such a hard time doing anything about it federally given the amount of lobbying the pharmaceutical industry does, and how susceptible the US government is to it(Obama supporters like to ignore this point).
I think it comes down to a simple matter of pros and cons. What are the positives of having marijuana illegal vs. the negatives? It's been done over and over, so I won't try to list everything. I personally feel that having marijuana illegal has more negatives than positives.
People smoking weed in the safety and privacy of their home or a licensed establishment would have zero effect on me. I'd rather not pay for the war any more. I'd rather have people knowing they can get high somewhere safely than taking risks while doing it.
And I honestly don't think that if it was legal, that more people would partake. Most of us know people who like to smoke and could easily get it already if we wanted to.
My only beefs are imparied drivers. I would hope that by giving pot smokers establishments where they can smoke it, would help curb this. Fewer people would feel the need to hotbox or drive to remote areas so they don't get caught. And the other problem that someone else touched on is that a lot of criminals would suddenly be rewarded. While marijuana itself isn't bad, the criminalization of it has created a criminal network controlled by some very unlikable people. I would hate to see them legitimized.
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Last edited by FlamesAddiction; 11-07-2012 at 02:36 PM.
And to be honest your 'I have two friends who smoke pot and suck at life' and 'will someone please think of the children' aren't good enough reasons to keep it illegal. There is more harm for a society to keep it illegal, like alcohol was in 20's, so why not take the benefits that can come with it to help those who will need it regardless of it being legal or illegal.
It's not two friends. That was two examples. I would say it's a much larger number than two and in fact close to 50% of the people I grew up with. Nobody can convince me otherwise that pot doesn't narrow one's focus and result in unproductivity in a majority of users. It's not like the stereotype of pot heads zoning out on their couches in front of a TV with a bowl of chips in front of them isn't true because it is. There's really nothing really recreational about smoking pot as it doesn't promote much if any activity.
Last edited by Erick Estrada; 11-07-2012 at 02:36 PM.
It's not two friends. That was two examples. I would say it's a much larger number than two and in fact close to 50% of the people I grew up with. Nobody can convince me otherwise that pot doesn't narrow one's focus and result in unproductivity in a majority of users. It's not like the stereotype of pot heads zoning out on their couches in front of a TV with a bowl of chips in front of them isn't true because it is.
I actually kind of agree, it's the complete opposite effect for me but it does do that to a lot of people. But the difference is I think people should have the right to choose, if you can choose to get drunk and get in fights with strangers you should be free to get high and pass out in front of the tv. Why shouldn't it be the right of people to choose? To protect them? They're going to do it anyways.
Look I don't want to offend the resident pot heads as it's not like I would stand in a picket line and protest legalization. Heck I would probably take advantage of it if it was legalized. However I know that I can control myself as I already steered myself from heading down that road just like I easily quit smoking cigarettes. However a lot of people don't have my discipline which is why I am on the fence on this topic. I just have legitimate concerns regarding the implications of legalizing the stuff. I really haven't heard any of you come forth with any solid reasons outside of; alcohol or video games are legal, why not pot? Sorry but that's not good enough to sway me in favour.
I think your under estimating the financial dent legalization would make to organized crime.
The only reason those brothers acquired any wealth and power is because they would rip off grow ops. They did not produce Marijuana themselves they made their money ripping people off. They would hunt and stalk people who grew and rip them off. 2 innocent lives lost at the hands of men who made their money by ripping off grow ops. Those 3 brothers are responsible for the deaths of fair amount of people. If there is no grow ops to rip off, who knows what route they would have traveled. There are many more stories like that. I know that in BC that is not uncommon for a grow rip to occur in a house that is not a grow house or was one at some point but is no longer a grow house. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to have men invade your home armed looking for something you do not have. I don't understand why we wouldn't want to eliminate the financial gains organized crime get from marijuana.
Your only argument for not completely avoided scenarios listed above is because you can't trust people to be responsible on their own? That doesn't make much sense to me.
The medical benefits of marijuana are numerous. Obviously something the pharmaceutical companies don't want you to know about. Which might explain why the US has such a hard time doing anything about it federally given the amount of lobbying the pharmaceutical industry does, and how susceptible the US government is to it(Obama supporters like to ignore this point).
The US government is just as susceptible to alternative medical companies lobbying (which is also quite large). Homeopathy as an example doesn't even require FDA approval. That's some serious lobbying to get that gem in the legislation.
It's not two friends. That was two examples. I would say it's a much larger number than two and in fact close to 50% of the people I grew up with. Nobody can convince me otherwise that pot doesn't narrow one's focus and result in unproductivity in a majority of users. It's not like the stereotype of pot heads zoning out on their couches in front of a TV with a bowl of chips in front of them isn't true because it is. There's really nothing really recreational about smoking pot as it doesn't promote much if any activity.
Certainly not accurate as a broad statement. In my younger years I enjoyed skiing, mountain biking, kayaking, and numerous other physical activities while smoking. Beware though, it certainly isn't performance enhancing!
How would everyone feel if all grass sales had to take place in a government store like a liquor store.
The minimum age for legal purchasing and consumption was 18.
That only licensed companies could grow it in quantity
That like wine kits you could grow limited quantities at home but you couldn't sell it legally unless you went through government distributions
You would tax corporate revenues to grow it and there was a 25 to 40% tax rate on the sale of it? With half of the taxes going toward drug rehab centers.
It would be a criminal offense to sell it to somebody under the legal age
Driving under the influence would be a criminal offense like drinking and driving. No idea how to test for that but there would have to be a way.
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How would everyone feel if all grass sales had to take place in a government store like a liquor store.
The minimum age for legal purchasing and consumption was 18.
That only licensed companies could grow it in quantity
That like wine kits you could grow limited quantities at home but you couldn't sell it legally unless you went through government distributions
You would tax corporate revenues to grow it and there was a 25 to 40% tax rate on the sale of it? With half of the taxes going toward drug rehab centers.
It would be a criminal offense to sell it to somebody under the legal age
Driving under the influence would be a criminal offense like drinking and driving. No idea how to test for that but there would have to be a way.
I think that's a pretty good idea, mirror the laws that govern alcohol. Don't allow it out in public or you get a fine, just like liquor. Sell it in liquor stores or cold beer and wine. The tax generated could help pay for health care. It would save the courts lots of time and free up police and crown prosecutors to go after real crime. I don't use marihuana by the way, just think its silly to keep it prohibited when we could use the cash flow as a country.
I don't use it, I've only done it maybe a half dozen times in my life and didn't much like the feeling it gave me.
I'm ok with doing the above for grass, I have a lot of problems with the call for the legalization of the really harmful destructive drugs (Meth, coke, crake heroin etc).
I personally think that the people that sell those drugs feed on human misery and should be sent to a program of extreme hard labor for 10 years.
I would want control of the dope industry.
I don't think that legalizing grass is going to make the criminal underworld dissapear or lose strength, its an industry of greed, they'll find a way to make money on it or something else.
You want to end gangs, start lining them up in the back alley and shooting them.
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Back in the 70's, when my wife was attending university, she overheard two young girls talking about coming home from a party the night before where they had been smoking pot. They were stopped by a cop who said, "Do you know how fast you were going?". They answered, "fifty", and the cop said, "No, you were going three miles per hour".
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Who isn't for lowering taxes? I'm concerned about the ultimate cost to people's lives. I think that people that smoke pot are far to quick to brush off the side effects and consequences.
No, we're well aware of them. We just think they're our mistakes to make, and as long as we aren't hurting other people, it's our right as free thinking, tax paying GROWN UP citizens to gets blazed and watch Phineas and Ferb.
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Last edited by GreenLantern2814; 11-07-2012 at 05:53 PM.
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How would everyone feel if all grass sales had to take place in a government store like a liquor store.
The minimum age for legal purchasing and consumption was 18.
That only licensed companies could grow it in quantity
That like wine kits you could grow limited quantities at home but you couldn't sell it legally unless you went through government distributions
You would tax corporate revenues to grow it and there was a 25 to 40% tax rate on the sale of it? With half of the taxes going toward drug rehab centers.
It would be a criminal offense to sell it to somebody under the legal age
Driving under the influence would be a criminal offense like drinking and driving. No idea how to test for that but there would have to be a way.
I'm certain that that is far too reasonable to ever actually happen. But a boy can dream.
__________________ ”All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you.”
It's not two friends. That was two examples. I would say it's a much larger number than two and in fact close to 50% of the people I grew up with. Nobody can convince me otherwise that pot doesn't narrow one's focus and result in unproductivity in a majority of users. It's not like the stereotype of pot heads zoning out on their couches in front of a TV with a bowl of chips in front of them isn't true because it is. There's really nothing really recreational about smoking pot as it doesn't promote much if any activity.
So you believe all stereo types are correct 100% of the time?
I understand what you are saying and I'm not debating that marijuana can affect people in different ways but how do you know that your friends wouldn't be unproductive in life without marijuana? How do you know they don't replace marijuana something else, or even an addictive drug?
Honestly if what you say is true than there would never be a successful person who smokes pot. And I think we can all agree that is not true as some very rich, powerful, and smart people do smoke marijuana and are very successful in life.
There are too many things on this planet to distract us from being productive and marijuana is a lesser of many of those evils that are legal, let alone illegal. You could claim TV, internet or video games make people less productive in society and there isn't a huge push to make them illegal. Because like marijuana someone playing video games in their house is none of my business as they are not hurting me in anyway.
Also I know plenty of people that smoke marijuana before they go to the gym as they feel it gives me energy. And I also know plenty of people that sit on the couch and eat chips. It's about individual choice, and to blame it on anything is just a cop out, people need to take control of their own lives and having just as easy access to it but gaining tax revenue will not bring down this country and will not put your kids in harms way. If anything it will make it harder for them to access and they will have a better understanding of the effects instead of it being a mysterious entity.
You're friends are lazy and unsuccessful because that's who they are, not because they smoke marijuana.
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It's about individual choice, and to blame it on anything is just a cop out, people need to take control of their own lives and having just as easy access to it but gaining tax revenue will not bring down this country and will not put your kids in harms way. If anything it will make it harder for them to access and they will have a better understanding of the effects instead of it being a mysterious entity.
Scenario 1 pot is illegal:
Guy gets home after work and smokes a bowl plays some black ops, chows down on some KD and goes to bed. Gets up for work no hangover completely sober and has a productive day.
Scenario 2 pot is legal:
Guy buys a pack of Export A purple kush and decides to puff a few on his break. Break ends and hes a little blazed out, that's ok it's legal right, its not like he had a few beers or something. Steps onto the bus and welcomes the 23 kids he drives home with a smile............
Ya, I'll take scenario 1 for my kids.
I know that's an extreme case and that the guy could just as easily down a 26 of vodka on his break but the THC roadside test is not exactly perfected and 100% of the people I have ever known who smoke pot have had zero issues getting behind the wheel slightly after.
Scenario 1 pot is illegal:
Guy gets home after work and smokes a bowl plays some black ops, chows down on some KD and goes to bed. Gets up for work no hangover completely sober and has a productive day.
Scenario 2 pot is legal:
Guy buys a pack of Export A purple kush and decides to puff a few on his break. Break ends and hes a little blazed out, that's ok it's legal right, its not like he had a few beers or something. Steps onto the bus and welcomes the 23 kids he drives home with a smile............
Ya, I'll take scenario 1 for my kids.
I know that's an extreme case and that the guy could just as easily down a 26 of vodka on his break but the THC roadside test is not exactly perfected and 100% of the people I have ever known who smoke pot have had zero issues getting behind the wheel slightly after.
I think it's ridiculous to suggest that your scenarios are mutually exclusive to whether pot is legal, and to suggest that legalizing it would make even the slightest bit of difference in that regard
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