Why It’s Time To Legalize Marijuana (MacLeans Article)

[Daradon]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

nevermind, I assume they mean child pot useage.


Isn't pot smoke worse for you lungs, like 3 times worse?

Don't listen to the blind advocates. I'm an advocate too, it's just a little more complicated than a simple no to answer your question and there a ton of factors.

Pot smoke is generally unfiltered, especially in delivery systems like papers and pipes. So the actual smoke may contain more of certain carcinogens than a filtered cigarette. The same way standing over a campfire, even if it's burning nothing but wood is bad for you. The same way smoking a hooka pipe is bad for you. Smoke is bad for your lungs and contains carcinogens. It makes sense that the more, or the heavier smoke you are breathing in, the worse it is for you.

Now of course, there are many other chemicals in your standard ciggy compared to a joint that are harmful for you. Many MANY deadly chemicals that up the carcinogen rate. Most if not all of these are not included in your average marijuana smoke. So that comes into factor too.

Also, there are other delivery systems for pot. Bongs, especially properly maintained ones, will cut down on a lot of the smoke. Vaporizers nearly negate it. So it also depends on HOW you are smoking it. Same way if you ate the pot in a cookie or something, you wouldn't be affecting your lungs, but you'd still get high.

Lastly, most people who smoke cigarettes smoke many many a day. 5-10-20 maybe more. Most pot smokers, unless they are major stoners, smoke less marijuana than that. So the volume also comes into play.

I'd be comfortable in saying, the average pot smoker probably gets less carcinogens than the average cigarette smoker, but it really depends on a lot of factors. It's a little bit of a fools errand to ask about the average joint vs the average ciggy, because joints are not regulated and cigarettes are very regulated.

Before I get jumped all over on by the pot smokers here let me just say, I am all for full legalization. There are crime/security reasons, personal liberty reasons, and even monetary reasons why I feel it should be legalized.

I just get a little tired of the miracle drug (or it's not a drug) slant of some (SOME NOT ALL) of the pro pot crowd. It is a drug, and it can have bad effects. It's not nearly as benign as Aspirin and even that can hurt you if you abuse it. There is a lot of bad or exaggerated information out there by parts of the pro crowd. Maybe that's only fair since there is usually a lot more on the other side, but it is not harmless, and there are health risks.

They are finding out more and more that it affects people with schizophrenia and other personality disorders pretty hard, even if they've never shown symptoms before. I guess you could say that about any drug that affects the mind though. Part of this is because of how the plant has been bred in recent years.

Anyway, I hope that gives people a little more to think about, and I hope I haven't stuck my head too far out there. But I probably have.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Daradon

Don't listen to the blind advocates. I'm an advocate too, it's just a little more complicated than a simple no to answer your question and there a ton of factors.

Pot smoke is generally unfiltered, especially in delivery systems like papers and pipes. So the actual smoke may contain more of certain carcinogens than a filtered cigarette. The same way standing over a campfire, even if it's burning nothing but wood is bad for you. The same way smoking a hooka pipe is bad for you. Smoke is bad for your lungs and contains carcinogens. It makes sense that the more, or the heavier smoke you are breathing in, the worse it is for you.

Now of course, there are many other chemicals in your standard ciggy compared to a joint that are harmful for you. Many MANY deadly chemicals that up the carcinogen rate. Most if not all of these are not included in your average marijuana smoke. So that comes into factor too.

Also, there are other delivery systems for pot. Bongs, especially properly maintained ones, will cut down on a lot of the smoke. Vaporizers nearly negate it. So it also depends on HOW you are smoking it. Same way if you ate the pot in a cookie or something, you wouldn't be affecting your lungs, but you'd still get high.

Lastly, most people who smoke cigarettes smoke many many a day. 5-10-20 maybe more. Most pot smokers, unless they are major stoners, smoke less marijuana than that. So the volume also comes into play.

I'd be comfortable in saying, the average pot smoker probably gets less carcinogens than the average cigarette smoker, but it really depends on a lot of factors. It's a little bit of a fools errand to ask about the average joint vs the average ciggy, because joints are not regulated and cigarettes are very regulated.

Before I get jumped all over on by the pot smokers here let me just say, I am all for full legalization. There are crime/security reasons, personal liberty reasons, and even monetary reasons why I feel it should be legalized.

I just get a little tired of the miracle drug (or it's not a drug) slant of some (SOME NOT ALL) of the pro pot crowd. It is a drug, and it can have bad effects. It's not nearly as benign as Aspirin and even that can hurt you if you abuse it. There is a lot of bad or exaggerated information out there by parts of the pro crowd. Maybe that's only fair since there is usually a lot more on the other side, but it is not harmless, and there are health risks.

They are finding out more and more that it affects people with schizophrenia and other personality disorders pretty hard, even if they've never shown symptoms before. I guess you could say that about any drug that affects the mind though. Part of this is because of how the plant has been bred in recent years.

Anyway, I hope that gives people a little more to think about, and I hope I haven't stuck my head too far out there. But I probably have.

I am undecided TBH.

I am aware of the different delivery mechanisms, that reduce smoke intake.

As I mentioned the two sides are very entrenched in their positions and I wonder if they can see the other side.

[nik-]

I'm pro legalization. I don't think pot is "good for you" but I don't disagree that it could definitely relieve some of the symptoms of serious diseases.

My stance is that legalization needs to be done because the "War on Drugs" isn't working, it hasn't worked and it will never work. We need to stop manufacturing criminals and put that money to other uses.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Thanks for the article, I'm doing a thesis right now on drug liberalization and this has some interesting stuff in it. Obviously its beyond time to start making/saving money on drugs because throwing staggering amounts of it away to achieve literally nothing is a spectacular waste.

[REDVAN]

I am not pro pot, but I think the government should legalize it and ignore it. Less government is better.

[GP_Matt]

I may have missed something, but have the Liberals declared that they will legalize it if elected?

My biggest concern is how to test for intoxication. Is there a level where it is unsafe to drive or work in a safety sensitive environment? Part of the legalization process should include studies and limits on intoxication both for the police and employers.

[Table 5]

I don't even care about the legality/health/economic factors....they should make it legal just so we don't have to hear about this every few months from some annoyingly obsessed pothead that goes off on a rant at the drop of a hat. Pot activists are on the same annoyance level as PETA....although probably even worse, since I can at least see why someone would care so much about animals.

[polak]

I agree that it's just stupid to turn people into "criminals" for doing something they like to do to themselves.

[Devils'Advocate]

I saw on the front page of the newspaper today that they are cracking down on medical marijuana. No longer can people grow their own. A friend of mine said the government grown stuff is way too weak to be effective for anything. I didn't have a chance to read anything beyond the headline... Anyone know WHY we are going backwards instead of forwards?

[polak]

Originally Posted by GP_Matt

I may have missed something, but have the Liberals declared that they will legalize it if elected?

My biggest concern is how to test for intoxication. Is there a level where it is unsafe to drive or work in a safety sensitive environment? Part of the legalization process should include studies and limits on intoxication both for the police and employers.

Oh MADD will take care of that. Don't worry.

Their goal is 0 all across the board and they will get it.

[Thor]

I am pro reason and logic, the drug war is stupid and not legalizing is even more ridiculous.

I would go even further than pot, but I won't get into that here.

[Devils'Advocate]

Originally Posted by GP_Matt

I may have missed something, but have the Liberals declared that they will legalize it if elected?.

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/01...n_2567316.html

[troutman]

http://www.drugabuse.gov/publication...acts/marijuana

Research clearly demonstrates that marijuana has the potential to cause problems in daily life or make a person's existing problems worse. In fact, heavy marijuana users generally report lower life satisfaction, poorer mental and physical health, relationship problems, and less academic and career success compared to their peers who came from similar backgrounds. For example, marijuana use is associated with a higher likelihood of dropping out from school. Several studies also associate workers' marijuana smoking with increased absences, tardiness, accidents, workers' compensation claims, and job turnover.

Research has shown that, in chronic users, marijuana's adverse impact on learning and memory persists after the acute effects of the drug wear off; when marijuana use begins in adolescence, the effects may persist for many years. Research from different areas is converging on the fact that regular marijuana use by young people can have long-lasting negative impact on the structure and function of their brains.

http://www.cpha.ca/en/portals/substa...lth/faq02.aspx

[Thor]

lol

[polak]

Originally Posted by Thor

I would go even further than pot, but I won't get into that here.

Drugs that should be legalized imo:

Weed, Ecstasy, LSD.

Two reasons for the last two...

A) Both are not addictive
B) Relatively safe when produced in a controlled environment when compared to things like smoking and drinking (safe =/= healthy)

The only thing with LSD is that you'd need to some how regulate where people can do it. I don't think it's okay to have people tripping major balls in the middle of a public park or something.

There are a lot of sources out there for both of the points I made, I just don't really feel like looking for them right now. The BBC has had some great segments on this too.

[GP_Matt]

Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/01...n_2567316.html

That is a link to the provincial Liberal party in B.C.. They have no association with the federal Liberal party.

From what I can tell Trudeau and the Liberal Party of Canada support decriminalization but not legalization while the Liberal Party of BC supports legalization.

[Thor]

Originally Posted by polak

Drugs that should be legalized imo:

Weed, Ecstasy, LSD.

Two reasons for the last two...

A) Both are not addictive
B) Relatively safe when produced in a controlled environment when compared too things like smoking and drinking (safe =/= healthy)

The only thing with LSD is that you'd need to some how regulate where people can do it. I don't think it's okay to have people tripping major balls in the middle of a public park or something.

There are a lot of sources out there for both of the points I made, I just don't really feel like looking for them right now. The BBC has had some great segments on this too.

I'd add to those, cocaine, mushrooms, heroin, and pretty much anything illegal currently. With the profits of those sales, I would use them to educate and rehabilitate those afflicted with addiction.

You would destroy the drug cartels, increase taxes massively, identify and help troubled citizens, clean out our prisons and allow law enforcement to spend their resources on real crime.

[polak]

The only thing with Coke and Heroin is that they can be devastatingly addictive but I agree that their legalization would also have many benefits.

[Thor]

Yep, but the logic for legalizing marijuana is the same in my mind for all the others, the problem is people are afraid to touch that subject because of the many decades of anti drug campaigns and so much stupidity on our drug war.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Just for fun, the GNP of the illegal drug market worldwide is north of $300 billion, or just behind Sweden at 21st biggest in the world. Anyone who thinks the war on drugs is remotely winable should remember that stat and ask themselves if criminals will willingly give up a $300 billion empire. There's a reason 60,000+people have been murdered in Mexico alone since 2010.