legalization

I've had 3 weeks to write my term paper for my American Government class that is due tomorrow, and I have just now finished it at 2 a.m. Horray for not procrastinating!!! We had to choose one of 2 questions to write about, 1. should we invade North Korea? or something like that, or 2. should medical marijuana users be federally prosucitated. Well since I don't even know if North Korea is north or south of South Korea, I wrote about marijuana. After seeing all the information there is about marijuana, I really can't understand why it is not legal in the US. Well, 9 states have decrimilized and/or made marijuana legal for medicinal use, but I have yet to find evidance that marijuana is unsafe and should not be legal.

I think pot should be legal but restricted. I don't want to see any 6 year olds toking on the playground.

On a similar subject, shrooms should be legal.

Although legalising or de-criminalising it seems like a good idea, it would probably have some unpleasant effects. The government would probably tax it, making it more expensive than it is, and would probably make it uniform - one strain, one strength etc.

It is harmful. Not in the same way as tobacco, but has been 'proven' to cause respiritory problems and has links to mental health issues.

I don't think they ever will legalise it - if they did, people would sue the government when they got ill.... the way the world is today. Best bet is to go regularly to Amsterdam, where you can smoke what you like, and buy reasonably freely. Or the UK, where although cultivation and supply are illegal, but smoking it (although still theoretically illegal) doesn't prompt any police action.

There are medical MJ trials going on in the UK too. They are working on isolating the THC from weed to give in pill form rather than having people smoke it...

I've read that a big factor in the illegalization of weed goes back to Dupont putting out and fronting propaganda in early 1900's against it because compared to it's nylon and cotton products, hemp products were more economical with higher profits. I've seen some of the old 'awareness ads', and they're pretty ridiculous! It was linked to uncontrollable sexual behavior of blacks (raping white women), and other nonsense and lies.

Originally Posted by: zreynoldspIt is harmful. Not in the same way as tobacco, but has been 'proven' to cause respiritory problems and has links to mental health issues.

I've never heard of pot causing mental illness, but then again I've never studied the medical effects of it at all. I think the main problem is that sucking burning crap through your lungs is never good for you.

I agree, pot is probably never going to be legal here.

Originally Posted by: AkiraApparantly it can have some mental effect on teenagers, being as their brain is not fully developed or something.

Current belief is that it can accelerate conditions like schizophrenia, I'm not sure if they think it can cause it, but it seems to help it along...

From my perspective, as a reasonably long term smoker, I do find I spend more time in extremes of emotion - either really happy or really down, rather than just rolling along in the middle like I probably should.

I'll never know if it's the weed or my personality! :D I am working on it though....

Originally Posted by: R. ShackleferdI've read that a big factor in the illegalization of weed goes back to Dupont putting out and fronting propaganda in early 1900's against it because compared to it's nylon and cotton products, hemp products were more economical with higher profits. I've seen some of the old 'awareness ads', and they're pretty ridiculous! It was linked to uncontrollable sexual behavior of blacks (raping white women), and other nonsense and lies.

That movie was called Reefer Madness.

Well, I'd rather be taxed for weed then paying drug lords personally. Plus, legalizing marijuana would drop that crime rate. I mean if everyone is sitting around bug eyed what reason do that have to go shoot a person. Also, it would pretty much put an end to drug dealing.

How's it going to end drug dealing? Someone will still have to sell it. If it gets legalised and taxed, the government will control who sells it (the dealers) - and there will probably still be a black market. If it's being taxed, they'd also still prosecute you for cultivation (and therefore tax evasion) - so no 'grow your own'...

You may be right on crime, but then it's likely teenagers would smoke so much they couldn't be in school or hold down a job, so would end up stealing to pay the bills... :confused:

It will never be legalised - it's not even legal in Amsterdam, the police just ignore it...

It wouldn't end the black market, but it sure would help to shrink it. Plus, most kids who want to smoke pot will.

There should be an age limit on it. No doubt. Its just like drinking. Once you get old enough, you should be able decide what you do with your own body.

Originally Posted by: R. ShackleferdI've read that a big factor in the illegalization of weed goes back to Dupont putting out and fronting propaganda in early 1900's against it because compared to it's nylon and cotton products, hemp products were more economical with higher profits. I've seen some of the old 'awareness ads', and they're pretty ridiculous! It was linked to uncontrollable sexual behavior of blacks (raping white women), and other nonsense and lies.

I wouldn't doubt it... I work for DuPont... and they do some crazy stuff when it comes to politics. Like funding politicians just so they get elected to keep some of their products legal... or keeping them from being controlled by the EPA...


As for marijuana... It's "mental" effects come from it's known history of being a depressent. However, people have varied effects after smoking marijuana... some experience it as a halucinagenic some experience a "high"... some get depressed and some just get the munchies with no altered state of mind. This varied range of effects is one factor of its illegalization... Weed is also known as THE gateway drug. More than half of all people who smoke weed are lead into other more dangerous drugs like cocain and heroin. It's not illegal because it can harm you... A lethal dose of marijuana is equal to almost 6,000 joints (not fatties, just regular J's). The thought process behind the illegalization of marijuana isn't that its terribly bad for you and that if you smoke it you will die... it's to deter the use of other drugs. They control the use of other drugs by offering up consequences for the use of less lethal drugs... in all actuallity... cigarettes will kill you before weed does... and driving under the influence of alcohol is more dangerous than driving while high (obviously not when you're ripped out of your mind and can't keep your eyes open). So I can see both sides of the argument... I believe that if weed is illegal then there should be some kind of program to keep cigarette companies from putting known carcinogens and other highly toxic chemicals inside cigarettes. If weed were legalized there will just be some other drug that will come along and takes it place. I would rather it just stay the way it is. It's not like its hard to get away with it... and if just one pothead out of ten stops smoking it becuase he/she gets caught... then the judicial system has done its job. The government knows it's not going to catch everyone... and they know that some people aren't going to stop. But the purpose of consequence is to allow an oppertunity to change. Like I said, weed will never be legalized...

BTW... shrooms are legal in up to an ounce of total volume (atleast in Indiana)... any more and you're hit with an "intent to deal" charge along with the standard possesion of a controlled substance charge.

1. I think the only reason it's illegal is b/c the government is actually making more money by it being illegal.....arrest someone, they have to post bail...

2. Pot does lead to depression and almost a bipolar kind of thing. Heavy smokers are either in a great mood or a really bad mood, hardly ever in the middle.

3. They say pot leads to harder drugs, one reason it's illegal....Why not make alcohol illegal? It leads to smoking pot...

4. Think about this.......someone driving drunk is all over the road, running stop signs, etc......someone high on pot is driving 10 miles under the speed limit, and will sit at a stop sign 5 times longer than usual looking both ways 10 times before going through it.

5. It should be legalized with an age limit like alcohol, 21.....Same restrictions should apply also, no driving under the influence, etc.....

Well I'm not going to start believing in abortion, because its never going to be made illegal. And I'm not going to start beliving marijuana shouldn't be legalized, because it never will.

It never will be legalized, is not an arguement, because essentially it has nothing to do with the content of why or why not marijuana shouldn't be legalized.

Well it was decriminalizes in the UK !!!

You can't really compare our (American) society with many other on this planet... truth betold... The crime rate (Murder, Rape, Theft, etc...) per-capita in America when compared to Amersterdam is considerably larger... I believe that our government should address those issues before catering to the hippies who already smoke weed on a daily basis... It's not really a big deal... just don't get caught with it. In perspective there are bigger problems in the world than whether or not you can walk down the street and smoke a joint in front of a police officer...

Originally Posted by: iihollyPlus, legalizing marijuana would drop that crime rate. I mean if everyone is sitting around bug eyed what reason do that have to go shoot a person. Also, it would pretty much put an end to drug dealing.

I don't usually weigh in on issues like this, but I've heard people throw that argument around, and it is one of the weakest arguments possible. No offense to Holly, this is just directed towards potheads in general.

OK, sure, legalizing marijuana will reduce the crime rate. While we're at it, why not legalize murder? Armed robbery? Drunk driving? Yeah, our crime rate's dropping like a lead weight! Anything else we can decriminalize? :confused:

Truth is, the only people advocating the decriminalization of marijuana are users themselves, and I have yet to hear one articulate argument supporting it. I'm not saying that there's a correlation between these two facts; just it makes me wonder.

We learnt some about this subject at biology class some years ago and as far as I remember, regular dozes of Marijuana is believed to decrease your learning ability by far. Secondly this drug is highly addictive and the need for a rush can sometimes lead to the use of far worse drugs (heroine, speed and whatever).

There are some other factors like the possibility of a psykosis (not sure how to spell that) but I cannot remember all the details.

Cheers

Originally Posted by: iamthe_eggmanOK, sure, legalizing marijuana will reduce the crime rate. While we're at it, why not legalize murder? Armed robbery? Drunk driving? Yeah, our crime rate's dropping like a lead weight! Anything else we can decriminalize? :confused:

Smoking pot doesn't hurt anyone except arguably the person doing it. Murder, armed robbery, and drunk driving harms other people.

Truth is, the only people advocating the decriminalization of marijuana are users themselves,

That's pretty far from the truth. I think pot should be legal and I've never used it.

and I have yet to hear one articulate argument supporting it.

I have yet to hear one good argument why it should be any less legal than tobacco or alcohol.

Hmph... didn't want to get dragged in, but I feel that I should explain myself...

Originally Posted by: HammurabiSmoking pot doesn't hurt anyone except arguably the person doing it. Murder, armed robbery, and drunk driving harms other people.[/quote]

Those examples are only used to show that we're dealing with a complex situation here, and we're aiming at something more than a simple "drop in the crime rate". If that's the only benefit-- well, at least the actuaries will be happy.

Originally Posted by: HammurabiThat's pretty far from the truth. I think pot should be legal and I've never used it.

Well, I guess I should have said that "the only people (I've heard) advocating the decriminalization of marijuana are users themselves". A little more accurate that way, especially with your opinion now added to the mix.


[QUOTE=Hammurabi]I have yet to hear one good argument why it should be any less legal than tobacco or alcohol.

Sorry, not my dept.

well, i think the real reason pot was first banned was becasue of the large number of mexican immigrants who grew/smoked/sold it, and the US was basically pecking at reasons to get them the **** back across the border. but all political reasons aside, pot is a loser fertalizer. yea, i get bitched at alot for preaching that, because thats not always the case. i know some of my friends parents who are very responsible, good citizens, if you will, who smoke pot and make lots of cupcakes. but ive seen all the messed up people who dont have a clue of what moderation is, or what a life is, or what goals are. for instance...i smoke weed every once in a while, and i would have no problem not smoking again. its fun, but not that big of a deal. my little brother is a goddamned loser becasue of shti like that, and hes 14. he has like 20 lighters, his room smells like ****, theres cracked out kids that come to my house and threaten to kill me with knives, and they probably would steal my guitars if i didnt lock my room. i wouldnt vote for legalization because the majority of people that would smoke it dont know how to control substances like that. plus, who the **** cares. its easy as hell to get weed, and you never get caught unless youre buying from wiggers.