Read the article...then discuss

[RayNesrym]

I figure no ones posted anything here in a while so I might as welll. I found this article, thought it was intersting, so here.
Discuss...
http://news.aol.com/article/allow-so...rs-urge/110137
So what do you think?

[KrispyKreme]

I read that too today... thought it wasn't such a bad idea.

I don't see why marijuana is such a big deal... honestly. I never really hear about any pot-related injuries, deaths, or diseases... so I never really understood why it is illegal. I realize it alters the smoker's state of mind... yet so does alcohol. I would argue that alcohol is probably more dangerous that marijuana.

I believe that cops can use their time much more efficiently by not actively pursuing marijuana busts. Or perhaps they're just bored and are looking for something to pass the time and they go after potheads... I don't know.

I don't really care either way... but I would love for someone to explain to me a viable reason marijuana is illegal... that's just something I don't really understand.

[RayNesrym]

I would think marijuana is illegal because it alters your state of mind. I know cigarettes are actually worse for you then marijuana, but they don't alter your state of mind or impair your judgement.
I know we don't here about many marijuana related accidents, but maybe that's because it's illegal. Alcohol also alters your state of mind of course it has become a commercial product. There was at one point in time a national ban on alcohol, but there was to much outrage because there were already companies that only sold alcohol, and bars and such, and the law was just to hard to enforce. Of course alcohol had been around for who knows how lond, even benjamin franklin said "Alcohol is proof god loves us and wants us to be happy" or something like that.
I personallly don't want us to have to legalize marijuana, however I can undertand that it might allow the police force to focus on more important problems. There fore even though I wouldn't want to legalize marijuana I would vote for such a law if it would help reduce crime.
I would still not be happy about it though, especially when the first marijuana companies start showing up.

[KrispyKreme]

cigarettes and cigars do alter your state of mind... not too much and not for a long period of time... but they do, as long as you inhale. The lack of oxygen to your brain affects your perception for a few minutes at least. That's part of the reason they make you feel good. I have never smoked cigarettes, but I imagine another part of what makes the "addicted" smokers feel good is the nicotine.

I can't really say much from experience on the subject, though.

I do know that making something illegal does not stop it from happening. Marijuana is smoked by many many many many people despite it being illegal. Just like in prohibition, people still find a way to get it around.

[mooseontheloose]

It's legal (but probably not recommended) to smoke a cigarette and drink alcohol at the same time, affecting the mind and lungs, but it's not legal to smoke marijuana? Exactly what difference am I missing here? Oh wait, I did forget one thing, marijuana is not addictive, is not associated with lung cancer, and is not possible to overdose on. So that means it should be...illegal?

I'm not usually a fan of government, but this is probably one of the more inane laws we have. Honestly, what would happen if we legalized marijuana, and had it heavily taxed by the government like cigarettes are now? We'd have less crowded prisons, less money spent on enforcement, less gang violence, and, more likely than not, a decrease in total use similar to alcohol after the prohibition. Why does government have to be so stupid? Really.

[RayNesrym]

Still I don't think that we should argue it should be legal because worse drugs are legal. By that logic we make more drugs legal, making them easier to access and causing more drug related problems. I wold almost think that we should argue since marijuana is illegal drugs that are worse such as alcohol and cigarettes should also be illegal. However this isn't going to happen because the cigarette and alcohol tycoons (along with many peopel who enjoy the drugs) simpy won't stand for it, and if we did then there would be even greater stress on law enforcement, and thats what they want to get rid of.

Honestly, what would happen if we legalized marijuana, and had it heavily taxed by the government like cigarettes are now?

I think if we heavily taxed marijuana then not much would happen at all. If we heavily tax marijuana then people would by it somewhere that doesn't care about the tax, soemwhere they are currently getting it, somewwhere illegal. I mean really think about it, why would they buy it legal now if it costs way more and has a limit on how much they can buy? and cops will still be busting pot dealers since the pot dealers won't care about the tax, their industry and business won't change, thier merchandise will just be legal(if you inclue the tax). If you've been running a solid illegal operation yuo probably don't give a darn about taxes.

[mooseontheloose]

I mean really think about it, why would they buy it legal now if it costs way more and has a limit on how much they can buy?

For the same reason that almost everyone buys cigarettes legally, despite the outrageous taxes: when illegal distributors compete with legal distributors, the legal ones almost always win out. The fact is that there are ways of obtaining cigarettes illegally, but most people don't feel as though it's worth the risk. Another hole in the, "illegal marijuana won't be taxed so everyone will still buy it" theory: do you really think that most drug dealers are distributing at the lowest possible price? If you're distributing a drug illegally, then you can charge whatever the **** you want. This usually means that it's extremely overpriced, which isn't saying much, since, on it's own, it's a very cheap drug to produce. This will level out any effects from heavily taxing it.

Oh and I almost forgot to touch on this lovely flawed argument

we make more drugs legal, making them easier to access and causing more drug related problems.

Legalizing more drugs would cause more drug related problems? Let's take a look at the current "drug related problems."

First, we have already spent $23 billion so far this year alone on the War on Drugs. This puts us on pace for somewhere around $40 billion this year. I don't know if you heard but we have a little thing called national debt. And by the way, that 40 billion won't exactly be helping it.

Next we come to the prison system being completely bottled up by arrests from drug offenses. Over 770,000 were arrested for marijuana related offenses alone in 2004. Guess what country has "all state and federal prisons overcrowded" Did you guess the US? If so, give yourself a piece of candy! Oh, and a way to maybe help the overcrowding problem a littttle bit? Maybe, I don't know, take out the 770,000 arrests per year for a drug that is not addictive and impossible to overdose on?!

Think I'm done yet? If you answered "no" give yourself another piece of candy! Another problem that stems from illegalizing marijuana is that it cedes all control of the drug to people that aren't exactly the most likely to be playing in a bell choir in their spare time. This leads to gangs having more power, and interaction with gangs becoming more common. Also, it especially allows gangs with bases in Mexico to become extremely powerful as drug smugglers, often specializing in marijuana. The unfortunate fact is that Mexico gang violence is getting worse as a result of this "business," and these conditions are seen as likely to spread to America. Seriously, do you think putting the drug in the hands of gangs instead of the government is really a good idea? If you said yes, don't you dare give yourself a piece of candy, because you obviously don't have the mental capacity to earn it.

One final analogy to think about. The prohibition. For those of you not big on clicking blue text, during the prohibition, smuggling became rampant, criminals and bootleggers had larger control over the country, and the product became more dangerous because of lack of regulation. Sound familiar? Oh and after the prohibition was repealed, these problems largely became moot points and the wounds caused by the prohibition slowly began to heal.

The war on drugs has no concrete victory; drugs aren't going write a treaty or raise a white flag. The laws of supply and demand often times know no legal boundaries, and, by refusing to acknowledge this fact, the United States has continued to drain its money into a war it cannot win.
It's time we end our generations misguided attempt at prohibition. It's time we acknowledge the needless strain on our resources; it's time we recognize what's overcrowding our prisons and strengthening gangs. It's time we finally begin to actually change the policy that has so clearly failed and legalize marijuana.

[RayNesrym]

Wow...That was relentless. You destryed me!!!! Sources and everything! It may take a while for me to come up with my next arguement.(If I can)

[NFox]

Make everything legal and let Darwin be our judge.

-Nick


PS: Moose, there is some evidence that marijuana is a carcinogen. Unfortunately because of the prohibition, the studies are few and far between. Even if it's not a carcinogen, the crystalline structure of THC does a nice job of permanently damaging the soft tissues of your lungs. I still say make it legal though.

[KrispyKreme]

Make everything legal and let Darwin be our judge.

-Nick


PS: Moose, there is some evidence that marijuana is a carcinogen. Unfortunately because of the prohibition, the studies are few and far between. Even if it's not a carcinogen, the crystalline structure of THC does a nice job of permanently damaging the soft tissues of your lungs. I still say make it legal though.

Natural Selection! Yes, sir.

I have no problems with legalized Marijuana.