The Legalization Thread
Because Jeremy's post touched on it and brought out some strong responses, I think it's time for a dedicated discussion about legalization.
These are my views about the legalization of marijuana:
PROS:
1. Reduces gang violence and organized crime by taking marijuana out of the black market
2. Gives the government control over what is being distributed, thereby reducing the chance of getting marijuana laced with other, more harmful substances
3. Provides additional tax revenues for the government
4. Frees up the severely overcrowded prisons
5. Medicinal marijuana has shown to be incredibly helpful for some cancer patients to reduce nausea associated with chemotherapy
6. Gives more personal freedom
CONS:
1. Too many goddamn hippies.
Do I personally smoke marijuana, no. But I do believe that legalization is what is best for our society.
28 comments:
PROS: ANYONE CAN GROW IT IN THEIR CLOSET
CONS: THE GOVERNMENT WILL HAVE A HARD TIME TAXING IT
Good post... But while your pros were quite comprehensive, I don't think you have enough cons.
2. More widespread usage of marijuana, meaning more people that are high (which is problematic while driving, operating heavy machinery, etc.) The government would still be spending money on marijuana regulation.
3. There are likely some negative health effects (which I realize is a largely null point considering the country's legalization of tobacco products).
4. If the "gateway drug" theory is true (although I'm NOT saying that it is) then people would be attracted to harder drugs.
5. Easier for children to access (which I realize is also a null point when tobacco is taken into consideration, but it freaks me out).
6. If people are allowed to smoke cannabis in public then second-hand smoke could be a problem.
I don't really want to start up a debate here, I'm just saying that it's not a one-sided issue. (Also, I consider the legalization of medicinal marijuana a separate issue from full-blown legalization.)
WHAT'S IT LIKE IN AMSTERDAM, ANYWAYS
fuck, all of you guys have really good arguments....this post and jeremy's (comments too)
i feel insignificant...
THEN MAN UP AND PROAST YOUR OPINION
ryan your points are full of vague guesses and "well this COULD happen" sort of logic
"There are likely some negative health effects"
The active chemical THC is perfectly fine and if you are worried about what the smoke will do to your lungs, save up and buy a Vaporizer.
Yeah it is kind of one sided.
one side is trying to show how horribly misunderstood the plant is through scientific and medicinal study, and the other side bases their accusations on theories and social standards.
It just doesn't SEEM one sided when you have the media and certain organizations dumping marijuana in the same category as seriously harmful drugs, making it seem like "Well boy howdy. If it was made illegal, then it MUST destroy my life! Those 'Above the influence' commercials said so!"
sorry about all this, this is in NO WAY an argument with you ryan, or anyone for that matter. its just a certain frustrating thing about the world that most people have to stay silent about. It is one of the most misunderstood topics of controversy, warped by propaganda and social myths. We all need to vent somewhere i suppose.
hahaha on wikipedia in the legalization article, the table of contents reads
"
# 2 Arguments in support
* 2.1 Constitutionality
o 2.1.1 U.S. founding fathers who cultivated cannabis
* 2.2 Economics
o 2.2.1 Related studies
+ 2.2.1.1 State specific studies
* 2.3 Reduce income earned by organized crime
* 2.4 Reduce possible subsequent abuse of other illicit drugs
# 3 Arguments in opposition
* 3.1 Subsequent abuse of other illicit drugs
o 3.1.1 Negating studies
* 3.2 Increased crime
o 3.2.1 Negating studies
* 3.3 Increased marijuana usage
o 3.3.1 Negating studies
"
I absolutely LOVE how each argument against it have their own negating studies.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decriminalization
_of_marijuana#Arguments_in_opposition
hahahaha read plz.
i actually chuckled out loud a little after reading the negating study for every single argument against.
Alright alright... my points were more my own empty theorizing than they were concrete evidence. (Yet as I browse through your page on decriminalization I see that even though I came up with everything on my own, I still managed to be bizarrely unoriginal.)
Maybe it has something to do with the STAR program's oddly hypnotic suggestions that a single puff of marijuana smoke will doom me to a lifetime of corruption, but I still find myself... well, despising drugs. But (although I have absolutely no intention to try marijuana) maybe I should stop lumping our good friend Mr. Cannabis in the same category as the evil Mr. Heroin and Mr. Cocaine.
One way or the other, I realize that my personal opinion means shit when the constitution is taken into consideration because, considering what is currently legal now, I can see little reason to continue the criminalization of marijuana. America's a free country, people here can do whatever the hell they want with their bodies, etc. etc. Legalization doesn't seem to hurt anybody, so there isn't much reason not to.
So although I generally don't think this sort of argument goes anywhere (and it doesn't matter anyway because none of us are voting age) I will acknowledge that you guys have just won someone over to the side of decriminalization, legalization, marijuanization- whatever you want to call it.
So... kudos for that.
You mentioned the Star program (I grew up on DARE though) and I think that is one of the problems. When we are kids we learn how one joint will ruin our lives, but then when they actually try it, they find out that it is not that bad. This then leads that person to believe that all of STAR was lies and that heroin will be just as harmless. Cue spiraling down of life.
Through the demonization of marijuana, we are lying to the kids and making them distrustful of any advice that we give them, like staying away from TRULY harmful substances.
http://blizzmax.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/03_podborka_22.jpg
Now that that's up, my take on the matter is that it's not as bad as some of the other stuff out there and there's no denying that.
I believe that the only laws that should be applied to it are those that are applied to tobacco, but in addition, something similar to alcohol, like a like "highness" limit. Unfortunately, as far as I'm aware no such thing exists, so as with many things, it all comes down to personal responsibility. It's up to the user to know the consequences of their actions, just like pretty much everything that one might ever do. Bear in mind that this comes from someone who wouldn't even touch a reefer with a 10 foot pole (that pole of course being, (sigh) you know what I'm gonna say...)
(I guess it's normal not to want to touch drugs with that)
HOWEVER, when I say that it should have the same laws as tobacco, I also believe that a Calabasas-type law in which smoking in public places is illegal. The simple reason is that that stuff isn't good for you and it's not like alcohol in which you just consume it. You're creating smoke that is unhealthy for those who inhale it (of course not as bad as actually smoking the stuff). Plus, it's just obnoxious.
Maybe if not illegal in public, just indoors where there's no open air. Or maybe just in designated smoking areas (inside and our). That'd probably be best.
This debate could go on forever. There's my take, and since my opinions often conflict with those of others (or others refuse to accept that my conservative beliefs of over a year ago haven't changed), I think I'll go ahead and put up another one of these.
http://blizzmax.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/03_podborka_22.jpg
I agree with you chris, it should have similar laws to that of tobacco and alcohol. Prohibited smoking in some areas, no driving while under the influence, and nothing that endangers the safety of others.
Very very valid points
but we are forgetting
a limit is set on alcohol because you are able to measure that and at a certain point it is very likely you will get alcohol poisoning, while there is no such case of anyone ever overdosing on marijuana.
but indeed valid points.
In Amsterdam it is legal but you cannot smoke in public
FIRST OF ALL I... uhhh... like the new decor? The nutsack is a nice touch. (I'd like to give YOUR nutsack a nice touch, etc. etc.)
SECOND Are there varying degrees of highness that can be achieved with cannabis? I know it's not possible to OD on marijuana, but how much does it take to affect one's coordination (and therefore ability to drive)?
Yes, there are varying degrees of "highness" depending on the amount of THC in said ganja.
More potent/better weed=a bigger high
But then again, this post is coming from a person who has never smoked in his life.
FACT FOR THE DAY: The cannabis with the highest THC content is grown by the federal government.
THERE ARE BALLS ON MY COMPUTER SCREEN!!!!
The background loaded first and I lol'd
But then the header loaded and I cringed.
I have to say, the green is much easier on the eyes than the red from before.
But yeah, I meant to say that in my comment, but it got left out. There should be a "highness limit", but not such thing exists to measure that (like a Breathalyzer) as far as I'm aware. It's not so much that you'll OD on it so much as an overly-high mental state is unsafe, just like being really drunk. You might do stupid things like say, get into a fight with a Tokyo hotel elevator and then when the hotel asks if there's any way to compensate, ask for beers.
But you can OD on alcohol, it's called alcohol poisoning.
I meant on marijuana. I'm aware of alcohol poisoning...
BALL + SACKS = ???
HOLY FUCK I'M IN A RAINFOREST
Hey guys what about cigarettes? While there is a lot of opposing scientific studies done on the health effects of Marijuana, It is proven and accepted fact that cigarettes can kill you/ lead to negative health effects. So I'm gonna ask a simple question to you all.
Why do YOU think that cigarettes are legal in our country while Marijuana is not?
Ps im goin to Space camp thursday. Fuck yea.
There IS a lot of studies? Really Sam?
I don't like cigarettes any more than marijuana and said that the same restrictions should be put on marijuana if it were to be legalized.
The answer to your question is that (and it's so simple that I don't even know why you bother) there's a huge business involved in tobacco.
Oh and nice change of decor. Back on the gaming theme and no more hairy ball sack. Plus, green>>>>>>>>>>>>red on the eyes and in general really.
When we legalize marijuana, we might as well also legalize opium. They both grow on plants, right?
Its Definitely decorous bookmarking looking for future reference.
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