Darth Smaug Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 Legalize it! Come on people, there's nothing wrong with a little weed. People who smoke it are relax, laugh alot and don't do anything wrong. Everybody thinks it's just a big drug, well it's just a plant. I compare weed to alcohol and nicotine. If it made people aggresive and rebel then it should be forbidden, but all it does is make you feel good and happy. So what really is the problem? If they wanna smoke it, let them. It's their life after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamqd Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 I personally don't smoke weed anymore or drink for that matter, but the only thing weed ever did to me was make me lazy, booze on the other hand has been a catalyst to some of the worst decisions I've ever made, so maybe legalizing dope it isn't such a bad thing, maybe less people would use alcohol as an escape if weed was available? I'd rather walk down the street and see a bar full of laid back Friends listening to reggae, than some out of control thugs vomiting and smashing glasses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Smaug Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 Exactly, while weed makes you chill and relax, alcohol makes you aggresive. It's like adamqd says, rather see some relaxed people than alcohol aggresive hooligans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pho3nix Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 I'm all for legalizing marijuana. I don't see any widespread negative effects of legalizing it, it would also help 'conquer' the black market if pharmacies for example would sell marijuana. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredi Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 I am white. However, I don't have to be colored to realize that other whites have done severe damage to our society through their racism in the past (and to a lesser degree, in the present). I am with you man....(Latin)just in case Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost Down Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 Hmm, Weed is legal over here in Holland where I live. And we got no problems with it over here.. Except for the usual (illegally) weed plantation..Hehe - Ghost Down Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarfieldJL Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 Of course I'm not saying YOU are racist. However, the original people who demanded pot be criminalized WERE. You just need to watch the History Channel or read a book on the history of drugs, or even read a Wikipedia article to realize that these white racists were key to the criminalization of pot. It would probably never be illegal if it weren't for the efforts of racists. Sorry but I do watch the history channel on a regular basis, and I do read books thank you kindly. Racism has nothing to do with banning Marijuana, I seriously doubt it had to do with a bunch of violent crimes being committed by people under the influence of Marijuana based on the article you provided. That article says nothing about the Mexicans other than they introduced Recreational usage into the US. The fact it was banned after the violent crimes, was a reaction to those crimes, just like how stricter gun laws are enacted after a high profile shooting. It had absolutely nothing to do with racism. The police have an interest in seeing weed remain illegal. Probably about half of the police force would be out of a job if pot was legalized. And I'm sure that there are people who are addicted to pot. But there are people who have addictive personalities, and they can become addicted to just about anything from baseball to the internet. Pot does not have addictive qualities. Don't make me laugh, exercise is not considered an addiction. Playing or watching baseball isn't considered an addiction. TK-8252, I know darn well Marijuana is addictive, I've also noticed based on the situation in California that legalizing is foolish. People get it for everything from terminal illnesses to the common cold. It's highly addictive, the reason why it is illegal and not alcohol is due to the cultural significance to alcohol and the fact that red wine in moderation actually is good for the liver. You can't tell me Marijuana has any good effects unless you consider getting high to be a good effect. But if they do go on to hard drugs, it's not because of the weed itself. It's because of other circumstances. The whole "gateway drug" thing is government propaganda and holds no real water. Can you provide any actual proof that it is propaganda, cause I've seen brain scans of people whom were using Marijuana in the past and the scans were significantly different from the brain scan of someone that didn't use it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredi Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 Have you used MARIHUANA**? No? Then why you say is addictive if you haven’t used and don’t know how it is? …. I assure you that at least 3 of 10 guys’ from the congress are marihuana users and almost 7 out of 10 in America have smoked pod. Yeah there are some people addicted to it, but there are people addicted to shopping, biting they’re finger nails and even to work …… Marihuana is something that will never be stopped and if they keep illegalizing more problems the government will have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarfieldJL Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 Considering I'm on a bunch of prescription medications some of which are controlled substances that in all likelyhood I could get killed taking illegal drugs due to an interaction, no I haven't used Marijuana, nor do I want to. I think smoking is disgusting, and I've seen people whom were on marijuana and they were like in a total state of apathy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ET Warrior Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 The fact it was banned after the violent crimes,The fact that it was violent crimes is suspect simply due to the nature of marijuana users. I've honestly never met someone under the effects of marijuana who had any kind of aggression or violent tendencies. Not to say it cannot happen, it just seems suspicious. Don't make me laugh, exercise is not considered an addiction. Playing or watching baseball isn't considered an addiction. TK-8252, I know darn well Marijuana is addictive,Actually exercise can become an addiction. There are people who lift weights too much and it becomes very unhealthy for their body. People can get addicted to gambling, running, video games, etc. This doesn't mean those things themselves are to blame, it just means that the person using it doesn't have the necessary willpower to give it up. Cigarette addiction is an actual physical addiction, once a smoker stops getting their nicotine their body responds poorly to the loss of the chemical. This is not the case with marijuana, any 'addiction' is almost a purely willpower issue. You can't tell me Marijuana has any good effects unless you consider getting high to be a good effect.And the good effects of cigarettes and alcohol are...? cause I've seen brain scans of people whom were using Marijuana in the past and the scans were significantly different from the brain scan of someone that didn't use it.And I've seen lung biopsies of people who smoke cigarettes and they are significantly different from lung biopsies of those who don't. What is your point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChAiNz.2da Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 Can you provide any actual proof that it is propaganda, cause I've seen brain scans of people whom were using Marijuana in the past and the scans were significantly different from the brain scan of someone that didn't use it. http://www.rand.org/news/press.02/gateway.html http://www.drugwardistortions.org/distortion7.htm http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/study-say-marijuana-no-gateway-drug-12116.html http://www.nap.edu/html/marimed/es.html there's tons more... In fact, if you're into the whole gateway conspiracy.. might try pointing fingers at alcohol and smoking. They're the gateway drugs to marijuana... The fact of the matter is that marijuana is the most easily acceptable and highly used illicit drug.. that's why it's been (incorrectly) branded as the magical gate leading to total damnation Don't make me laugh, exercise is not considered an addiction. http://www.internet-articles.com/nutrition-exercise/exercise-addiction.php http://www.addictions.co.uk/addiction.asp?id=exercise http://www.active.com/story.cfm?story_id=10296 Just because YOU don't consider that it can be an addiction doesn't mean it can't happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarfieldJL Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 How about from sites that aren't out to legalize drugs like Marijuana, Cocaine, etc. Marijuana does affect the nervous system, alcohol has a cultural significance all the way back to the ancient Greeks and earlier. Furthermore, it has been proven that red wine which has alcohol in it actually is good for your liver. So alcohol in moderation can be good for you. In my personal opinion smoking should be banned too, nicotine is an extremely addictive drug, second only to caffeine and unlike caffeine nicotine has extremely severe withdrawl effects and causes damage to the body. Caffeine in moderate amounts have little to no lasting effects on the body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChAiNz.2da Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 How about from sites that aren't out to legalize drugs like Marijuana, Cocaine, etc. Cherry picking articles to support your theory? Or are you not reading them period? Drugwardistortions, maybe.. but sources like RAND, scienceblog, nap.edu or oh say The Institute of Medicine, are highly unlikely to be fronting the cause to bring 'evil' marijuana and the other hardcore drugs sure to follow, in to the homes of every citizen http://www.druglibrary.org/think/~jnr/conv.htm Furthermore, it has been proven that red wine which has alcohol in it actually is good for your liver. So alcohol in moderation can be good for you.Red Wine yeah, it's the antioxidants doing they're job (might want to take note on the last paragraph as well), but that's not to say "alcohol" in general is healthy for you. Sorry, but I don't see alot of college kids bar-hopping to sip on a nice Merlot. No, they're usually 2-fisting pints of the local flavor, which isn't the "healthy" alcohol.. And in moderation yeah... but that's the key to any drug isn't it? If I go drink a gallon of red wine, it ain't healthy. If I smoke a carton of cigarettes a day, it definitely isn't healthy. If I smoke an ounce of weed in a day, then I'll be in a coma.... Marijuana does have benefits "in moderation"... just as anything should only be done in moderation. Too much of anything is bound to cause problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetalMark Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 Here in The Netherlands it is already legal too a certain amount. Only the changes that they will actually check how much you have on you is VERY small. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allronix Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 As I tell folks, we legalized the wrong stuff. When I worked at restaurant, the guy with too much booze and not enough sense would come in, get belligerent, forget his order, try to grope me, and pass out in the parking lot. The guy who rolled a couple joints usually waited peacefully for his ten cheeseburgers, tipped decently, and caused no trouble. Then, we start getting into the genuine medical use. Because of its tendency to give one the munchies, it certainly can help cancer patients, AIDS sufferers, and anorexics. On the first two, it cancels out the nausea and lack of appetite that the other treatments bring. Glaucoma treatment by THC is well-documented. MS patients also show up at Hempfest, as the muscle relaxant and painkilling properties help with THAT condition. Hemp itself is a different matter. It's banned under the pot laws - never frelling mind it would take smoking a telephone pole's worth to get a buzz. It could be a source of cheap and abundant fiber for making ropes, paper, even biodiesel! But the DuPont company (with the abundant interest in nylon), and the paper companies (who would lose money if paper was cheaper) have a vested interest in keeping up the "hemp=pot" party line. I don't toke up. I got myself hot-boxed in college (high off the second hand smoke) because of a small room and a big party. Honestly, can't say I object. The buzz was quite nice. Better than being drunk, certainly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jae Onasi Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 Marijuana can help lower pressure in the eyes of those with glaucoma, but the newer generation anti-glaucoma meds and recent advances in laser surgery work far better, and pretty much render that particular use moot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corinthian Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 I agree that medical usage should be okay, there are some positive effects to it. The problem is that totally legalizing it to the point where you can roll down to the 7-11 and get a pack of MJ Cigs will cause more problems than it solves. For example, right now, the people dealing in dope only have to contend with other dealers. When the government legalizes and starts taxing it, they're going to have to cut their prices considerably to still be able to sell it, unless the government taxes the crap out of it like Tobacco cigarettes. A cigarette or alcohol habit is very expensive, and the stigma associated with MJ will mean that it will likely be taxed even more than tobacco. So people addicted to marijuana are going to have a choice - they can get it from illegal sources for far cheaper, or they can get it from legal sources and blow their money on it. Most people will opt for the former. This funnels money to drug lords, which goes into other forms of organized crime. Yes, I am aware this already happens. However, when marijuana is legal, you've got people getting hooked on the legal stuff that go to the illegal stuff because they can't get their fix on the amount they're able to get of legal stuff anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK-8252 Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 But Corinthian, the problem you're describing already exists with it illegal. Except that ALL pot users are forced to go the illegal way as of now. At least with legalization, a good deal of pot users... if not all of them... would go through legal routes to obtain the product. Pot doesn't need to be taxed any more than other products... the free market is the way to go my friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nancy Allen`` Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 I think if it helps then yes it should. I heard that the only reason it isn't is because the government cannot profit from it. Any truth in that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimartin Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 I think if it helps then yes it should. I heard that the only reason it isn't is because the government cannot profit from it. Any truth in that? Actually they could make money from sales tax and you know this would have a high Sin Tax levied against it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nancy Allen`` Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 Sin Tax? Explain, sounds like the church getting a cut because it's something that's considered wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimartin Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 Sin Tax? Explain, sounds like the church getting a cut because it's something that's considered wrong. Sin tax is a euphemism for a tax specifically levied on certain generally socially-proscribed goods - usually alcohol and tobacco. Sin taxes are often enacted for special projects - American cities and counties have used them to pay for stadiums - when increasing income or property taxes would be politically inviable. The proper name for such taxes is sumptuary tax Of course they might lose money by not being about to seize property of the casual users. Now they can legally seize property without due process in drug cases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corinthian Posted July 3, 2007 Share Posted July 3, 2007 Sin tax was what I was referring to. Mark my words, if it is legalized, it will be taxed to the Ninth Layer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samnmax221 Posted July 3, 2007 Share Posted July 3, 2007 Sin tax was what I was referring to. Mark my words, if it is legalized, it will be taxed to the Ninth Layer. That would be stupid and pointless, most people would continue to obtain it from smugglers. Sin taxes are asinine, and thats coming from someone who has never had to pay one. The only one who should be making decisions involving someone's body should be that person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jae Onasi Posted July 3, 2007 Share Posted July 3, 2007 As someone who is paying taxes into the Medicare and Medicaid systems, I have a vested interest in reducing the amount of money I have to pay for someone else's self-inflicted lung cancer or COPD. Those who are going to abuse themselves should help pay more for their abuse-related medical problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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