Do YOU think they should legalize MJ??

[Fayte]

(MJ = Mary Jane = Marijuana, I did that because I seen all of the commotion when .Org had the leaf skin on 4/20 so I didn't want to get into trouble or whatever)

Anyway now that that's out of the way I can get onto the topic.

Recently I have been seeing a lot of commercials (I spent about half an hour looking for them but I couldn't find them, only a bunch of spoofs on youtube) about how a lot of dumb shit happens if you smoke weed that is completely (I'm going to steal chimmy's word here) ridonkulous. There are all these commercials about how people do these stupid things that never really happen (example - I just seen this commercial where these group of guys were in a car at some drive-thru and hit a little girl on her bike). What really upsets me about these commercials are the fact that none, let me repeat that, none of them are based on actual real life happenings.

Now I've done a little research just so I don't walk into this crying how I think it should be legalized because I don't think it could do any harm. Fact is there is still no official proof that Marijuana can cause anything life threatening to you. They do say, however, that smoking one blunt/joint is equivalent to smoking around 20 cigarettes, but I read that they still don't give you lung cancer. They said "researchers postulated that the THC present may have a "protective effect" by causing aging cells to die before they become cancerous".

Now lets go to the the biggest (at least I think it's the biggest) thing that marijuana is and will always be compared to. Cigarettes.

Cigarettes - "Cigarettes are proven to be highly addictive, as well as a cause of multiple types of cancer, heart disease, respiratory disease, circulatory disease, birth defects (which include mental and physical disability) and emphysema." (quoted from wikipedia) Cigarettes cause all of these types of health issues and are still legal and even worse you can get them for as low as around 4$ a pack (given you are 18 and older). Yeah that makes sense.

Now I have to be honest I'm probably, no, most likely being bias because I myself am a pot smoker and think that it's completely ridiculous that cigarettes cause a greater health problem and given that you are the right age (but in a lot of cases all a 12 year old kid needs is to know someone 18+ who will be willing to buy them a pack) you could go back a pack of 20 ciggs for as little as 4$. So I would really like to hear the views of both leaf smokers and non.

All in all I think it should be legalized (and personally I think cigarettes should be illegal) given the proper restriction of an age limit (even though like cigarettes that is easy to get around), what do you think?

Discuss....

Spoiler: What really happens when you smoke marijuana

http://youtube.com/watch?v=WB0zBXL2PkA

 

[Cruelty]

potheads are annoying as it is
do we really need more of them?

 

[bedi nik bzez emak]

;D

 

[Incognitus]

Yes.

People are going to smoke it regardless. Legalising it removes power from those who are selling it anyway, and with a tax on it... it can be used to contribute towards various other things.

The downside is, of course, unlike ciggies or alcho, MJ is relatively easy for anyone to grow  meaning there is less likely to be a profit in it for businesses.

 

[Tohsaka]

I think Legalization is ideal. I mean, if someone is going to be addicted and not complete the steps necessary to become a successful part of the business world (aka, start a business or become part of a good one) that's less competition for us non-addicts.

And, as we all know- As long as it doesn't involve us, idiots are amusing.

EDIT: In addition, I think legalization would lower the consumption- since "It's not cool anymore since anyone can do it". There's no thrill of doing illegal activity.

 

[mawk]

Rai, uh, I'm not sure if you were reading that, but marijuana use is less addictive than alcohol or cigarettes. There are skids that do nothing but smoke that there reefer all night and morn, but there are more casual users as well, who get high every now and then but don't allow its use to affect and replace every aspect of their lives. Cigarettes don't do much to ruin your life (and it's true that marijuana smoke shares many impurities with tobacco smoke, and although I'm not sure about the truth of the "one joint is worth twenty cigs" argument (partially because the cigarette companies add so much awful stuff to cigarettes,) I'm willing to concede it as a point pending further verification,) but I've heard of more lives torn apart by alcohol than I have marijuana.

Bottom line, you seem to be profiling marijuana as an addictive substance which will wreck a user's life, and I'd like to point out that this isn't entirely fair.

Really, I don't think your tone is quite appropriate for a serious debate either. :x

Anyway, I think that legalization might be a very good decision. As I've previously stated, marijuana is if anything less harmful to the user than cigarettes or alcohol, and so from a medical standpoint legal sale and use shouldn't be out of the question. Furthermore, legalization of marijuana would cut down a great deal on the illicit sale thereof -- that is, if the drug is available through legal means, illegal sale and production would diminish (though not entirely,) reducing among other things violence related to illegal sale or possession of marijuana. If it's available next to the Marlboros in your convenience store, people won't be shooting each other for nickels and dimes quite so often. I'm not saying it won't be eradicated entirely, but it might make enough of a difference to make it worth the effort.

To recap, my points to the affirmative are that the health risks presented by marijuana are no more incredible than those presented by tobacco or alcohol (and that not everyone who uses marijuana is a pothead who just coasts along in life,) and that legalization would take some of the wind out of the underground marijuana market's sails, and possibly reduce the violence that the market entails by a small amount.

 

[Samboy]

In addition, I think legalization would lower the consumption- since "It's not cool anymore since anyone can do it". There's no thrill of doing illegal activity.

Well what about alcohol? Apparently it's not fashionable anymore to get legless because it's legal.

 

[moog]

We don't even need a thread on this.
People will smoke it whether it's legal, or illegal, so it doesn't matter.

a prime example: me

 

[Grathea]

I say legalize it. You want to know why? Because if it's a government controlled product, the government can tax the hell out of it and use that to do all kinds of things, such as pay good teachers to teach in public schools and reverse this trend of backwardsness.

 

[Fayte]

We don't even need a thread on this.
People will smoke it whether it's legal, or illegal, so it doesn't matter.

I agree on this, but as chimmy stated if it's legalized then there would be less shootouts over nickel and dimes. Also the police will be able to worry about bigger things other then trying to hound down every marijuana dealer on the street and trying to bring down the "biggest marijuana druglord"

 

[OdioOmnus]

Mind-altering substances in general, from booze to mary jane, affect different people in different ways. For example, at the high school I graduated from there was a large drug prescence. Some kids who took drugs were absolutely fine, and suffered no visible effects. Their academic, social, and athletic performance was pretty much exactly the same as before they started on drugs. On the other hand, there were kids whose performance in different fields suffered greatly depending on the type of drug they ingested.

Starting on these mind-altering substances can be a bit of a gamble but really a lot of people who do drugs and all that wind up doing just fine. As long as people maintain a degree of control marijuana wouldn't be much of a problem. I say it should be legalized, and families should teach each other willpower and control to keep any negative effects from growing into a major problem.

 

[Stardust]

I'm taking the exact opposite stance I took in the 4/20 event.  Marijuana should be legalized.  It doesn't appear to have as many hazardous effects as substances like alcohol and tobacco and legalizing it would ensure quality marijuana (marijuana without other substances in it).  Like Prohibition, I feel that the ban on marijuana will eventually be repealed.  Telling someone that they can't have something makes them want it more, which I believe is a part of the bad-ass attitude that's become prevalent, especially in teenagers.  I've also heard that marijuana can be used for medicinal purposes, such as curing headaches.  Obviously, abuse may be a problem, but getting wasted on marijuana is a lot better than getting wasted on alcohol.

 

[Fayte]

I'd also like to not that there are no reported deaths via marijuana overdose.

 

[Samboy]

Whats more, its impossible to overdose on marijuana. Being drunk is far worse than being stoned... you do really risky things when you're drunk but getting high is just like being deeply relaxed. Through my limited experience, anyways.

 

[mega_man_aXe]

I have smoked in the past and from my experience, I will never do it again.  But yeah, legalize it for all I care.  It can still cause harm to you just like alcohol and cigs can.  There should still be restrictions though, like not driving while high.  I'm not saying a wreck is inevitable, I'm just saying its a possibility.  I really don't care who smokes or doesn't, but when there is a chance that someone high will make a misjudgment at the wheel that they normally wouldn't, thats when it becomes a problem.  Have fun, get high, relax, whatever...just don't put other people in jeopardy.

 

[The Cry of Fallen Angels]

If it's legal more people will try it out. Sure, hear me talkin' 'bout that, but yeah, legalizing is just asking for addicts and eventual consequences.

 

[mawk]

Excuse me? Have you read any of the posts here?

We've established that marijuana is no worse for you (better, generally) than tobacco or alcohol. There is no chance of physical dependency (and I know that someone is going to smack me down for laying out an absolute like that, but I'm tired of entertaining countless "what if" scenarios,) and psychological dependency is rare enough that you can't call it "addictive" without speaking from your derrière to a large extent.

If it is legalized, there won't be a massive surge of new smokers. There will be a slight increase in the number of people who will use it, but it's used to a fairly impressive extent anyway despite its illegal nature. That is... people toke regardless. There's not going to be some huge cannabiclysm with thousands upon thousands of new smokers if, in fact, the government stops restricting it. A goodly number of people who want to smoke ta reefa do it anyway. Everyone I know who abstains does it because they don't want to mess with their own heads -- although they're the ones with the bottles of root beer schnapps in the compartment for the spare tire (true story!)

As for the toke-and-drive thing, I wholeheartedly agree that weed, if legalized, should be put under the same sorts of restrictions as alcohol (tweaked, of course,) as it does impair your judgement. Weed tends to motivate people to sit around rather than leap up and do aerobics, but it's true that we can't discount people who get the munchies and drive to White Castle (heh,) 'cause I promise you that it would happen. It's not totally trip-ballsy like the hard drugs that people always lump it in with (cannabis ≠ heroin,) but you certainly shouldn't drive while you're high -- or taking sleep medicine, for that matter. Always be safe, boys and girls!

Basically, the "measure of control" that Odie mentioned. Just like you shouldn't go on a complete washout bender and then hop into your dad's Buick to go get some pretzels, you shouldn't burn through a doobie and then burn rubber to White Castle (heh heh.) If someone gets into a car crash that makes them spill their tequila in their lap, you wouldn't blame the tequila; you'd blame the driver for his poor judgement. I see pot in much the same way.

 

[The Cry of Fallen Angels]

Go lecture me when y'understand teenager minds k? It'd become a hot topic and within a month half the people you meet have tried MJ. Of who some got addicted, sure not all of 'em, but likewise, aren't of all people who drink, addicts in the minority?

 

[mawk]

Um, dude? I'm seventeen? I think that sorta means that I am a teenage mind.

Read my earlier post regarding why your scenario wouldn't happen. Basically, my point is that it's already a hot topic, and the majority of people who don't smoke it aren't avoiding it because of the legal issues but because they just don't want to! At the end of Prohibition, there wasn't a sudden surge of drinkers -- because everyone had already been drinking anyway!

Of who some got addicted, sure not all of 'em, but likewise, aren't of all people who drink, addicts in the minority?

Alcoholics are in the minority, yes, because most drinkers just drink responsibly. Most tokers toke responsibly, and marijuana is less addictive than alcohol. Less addictive than caffeine, even!

There is no chance of physical dependency (and I know that someone is going to smack me down for laying out an absolute like that, but I'm tired of entertaining countless "what if" scenarios,) and psychological dependency is rare enough that you can't call it "addictive" without speaking from your derrière to a large extent.

Sometimes I wonder if you read posts.

 

[moog]

Go lecture me when y'understand teenager minds k

lol

you do fully know the age ratio on this forum right?