Marijuana: Legal or Illegal?

[MPower]

This a political issue which has stumbled into the political forum lately. I believe that in the 2004 US Elections, 11 states were voting to legalize marijuana. Of those 11 states, I believe all of the 11 passed the legislation. There are many pros and cons... lets discuss them here.

My take:

Well, this happens to be an issue which I have a very strong opinion about, take it or leave it (again, I intend on offending anyone). I feel that marijuana should be legalized throughout the United States. Of course, I have many reasons to support that opinion, so I will start with the most obvious: the medical reasons.

Throughout the world, including Canada I believe, marijuana is legal in some countries and the primary reason is for the medical value that it provides. It is proven that generally with eldery patients, marijuana can be perscribed to help the patient get through sergery or for use as medication. It only seems logically to allow this drug to be sold legally in the United States seeing as it does have a significant advantage in the medical industry. However, this must be regulated with an extremely watchful eye. It would be best if the drug is only perscribed if and only if two seperate doctors agree that marijuana should be perscribed for this patient. With that, we can ensure that teen agers and those which the drug would be uneffective medically avoid taking advantage of this new legalization of a popular drug.

However significant its medical users are, however, the biggest reason for the legalization of marijuana is more practical. In my mind, legalizing marijuana has two major advantages. The first of which is the fact that if it is legalized, the US government (or any other world government) would have the responsiblity to regulate and tax the drug and take advantage of what has become one of the strongest businesses in the world. Having sold millions and millions of dollars worth of marijuana, taxation of that profit will help fragile economies, like the United States', regain their financial independence. The second major advantage is that it, in an indirect way, lowers the amount of drug lords using marijuana as a major source of income. Let me explain. When the drug is legalized, it lowers the cost of the illegal product (or black market product) due to the fact that the US government will make the drug available at a much, much lower price. That lowers the advantage for the drug lords to develop such a drug seeing as their profits are lost. Lets face it, the main reason there is a drug war in Colombia is because the people their realized the drugs full economic potential. By legalizing it, you kill that economic potential and force drug lords to rethink their plan and back off from this industry (if it were up to me, I would think about legalizing almost every drug for that reason).

Now there are many that would say that legalizing it brings harm to the country but that isnt necessarily so. It is now proven, and accepted by the scientific community, that the drug of marijuana is not a gateway drug: meaning that the drug will not lead to addictive habbits which would cause the user to feel the need to "upgrade" to more powerful drugs such as LSD and PCP. It is also now accepted that the drug is not as harmful to the body as orginally thought. I believe I read somewhere that smoking a cigarette is more harmful than marijuana (and hey, thats legal).

My main point however, is that the marijuana industry is gigantic. And lets face it, the only reason that cigarettes are legal is because of the profits that they bring to the US and global economy. Doesnt it only make sense to tap into this financial well (of course, not without regulation which is another major advantage)?

[SiR_dude]

Wow. I'm not in school, and I refuse to read that whole essay, professor. But I'm sure you argue the points well.

I'm gonna stick my vote in and leave you guys to the arguing.

*Edit: heh, you didn't even vote in your own poll Maybe add an option for "Legal only for proven medicinal reasons" ?

[MPower]

Ill modify the poll.

EDIT: wont let me modify the poll, only the post.

[Mischief007]

Good post MPower. At one point here in London, Ontario, Canada the drug was legalized but they backed out of that. Haven't heard anything since. The drug is still legal for medicinal use, I believe, but don't quote me on that.

I would definitely agree to legalize it. From what I hear more and more people use it.

[zenon]

From my point of view there is no reason why alcohol should be legal and marijuana illegal. Canada is fairly progressive in terms of marijuana-related laws, but I really think it should be completely legalized.

(Marijuana is legal for medicianl use in Canada - the only problem is the government run grow-ups are growing extremely crappy weed)

[mmap]

Legalize it, not only in the states but here as well...

Not only because of the medical applications, but simply because it is no worse than alcohol! it doesn't even have the horrible morning afters.

Just a simple statistic for you to enjoy, Nicotine is more addictive than heroine. (When taken with a needle straight into the vein.)

Just as a curiosity I can tell you that if you look closely at the original study which claimed Marijuana as a "gateway" drug (i.e. users are very likely to move into heavier drugs) you can see that a lot of the sample was heroine users... Now I wonder if you ask heroine users have they ever used marijuana, what do you think the answers going to be?

[bone]

i say legalize it! duh

as pointed out, the only reason it's illegal is because of the industrie. and not only the pharmacy industrie. but marijuana can be used for LOADS of stuff, you can make clothes out of it, you can use it for animalfood, you can make paper out of it, you can extract oil for you car to run on, ....

anyone seen Grass? it's a very good movie/documentary about the history of marijuana in the US, marijuana has been about an inch from legalization in the 19th ceintury, Rooseveld even used to smoke marijuana

but it will never be legalized in the US while Bush is still in the white house. he's totally against it. he even raised the funds for the straight-clinics users are send to
(they make you stop using drugs, with a lot of clockwork orange influence, lot's of people have come out mentally wrecked)

and i might be a little biased, but it's the best thing around, give me my daily joint and no one will have trouble with me.

but it's not all that harmless, if you smoke it for a while, you're tired all the time, if you don't smoke any you get headaches, in the beginning you eat a lot, but after a while you don't wanne eat anything no more, your stomach is constantly upset, and you start wondering why you smoke it... happy i'm not smoking 4-5 a day no more

[Dr. Woo]

I think all drugs should be legalized. It would cut back on crime, free up prisons for actual dangerous criminals, and allow for safer drugs to be sold in stores that are regulated and can be trusted rather than a PCP-laced joint that your buddy says is just homegrown goodness.

[Jostyrostelli]

The problem with legalizing it, is that addicts will use it more, cause it's now available and legal. I don't know if they will cause less trouble on the streets when they have legal drugs...I think government should have strict rules about the quantity that is going to be sold and to who.

[Dr. Woo]

Originally Posted by Jostyrostelli

The problem with legalizing it, is that addicts will use it more, cause it's now available and legal. I don't know if they will cause less trouble on the streets when they have legal drugs...I think government should have strict rules about the quantity that is going to be sold and to who.

Of course they will cause less trouble on the streets. The market for selling drugs illegally will effectively be annihilated, therefore severely reducing crime. Are you aware of the percentage of people in prison around the world on drug related charges? If all drugs were legal, they wouldn't be criminals or they wouldn't be committing crimes.

I trust people to make wise decisions about their own lives. I don't think a government of sleazy politicians who are only looking to line their pockets and become more powerful should be trusted to run others' lives.

As for addicts...what about cigarettes? Nicotine is far more addictive than any known substance on Earth.

[DrinkMaster]

Originally Posted by SiR_dude

Wow. I'm not in school, and I refuse to read that whole essay, professor. But I'm sure you argue the points well.

i concur

[Ultra_Kool_Dude]

I read in a study once that the amount of weed that it would take to kill a rat (or was it a mouse?) was 1000 the normal human does. Basically it's less lethal than coffee.

Has anyone ever seen a poll conducted on this in their country? The conspiracy theorist in me thinks that the cigarette companies don't want it legalized.

[Dr. Woo]

Originally Posted by Ultra_Kool_Dude

I read in a study once that the amount of weed that it would take to kill a rat (or was it a mouse?) was 1000 the normal human does. Basically it's less lethal than coffee.

Has anyone ever seen a poll conducted on this in their country? The conspiracy theorist in me thinks that the cigarette companies don't want it legalized.

From what I understand, the main reason for it being made illegal in the first place was because of the tobacco companies.

[Buba]

Hmm, I voted for "legalize it" but not, because I'm a smoker... I don't even smoke cigarettes (maybe 1 or 2 when I'm drunk...)
I just think you should have the right to do what you want as long as it doesn't have a bad influence on others.

Plus, I think if you got a dealer and just want some weed, go there and he offers you something else which I don't approve of at all, chances are one day you try it...

If you could buy herbs in coffeeshops like in the Netherlands, I guess people wouldn't smoke more weed... Come on, does somebody really think, somebody says, I would try it if it would be legal... If you are interested you gonna try it anyway...
Everybody knows somebody who smokes weed, so I guess it wouldn't introduce more people to the drug if it would be available freely...

Buba

P.S: I like Jostis idea of restricted amounts given out by the government

[Renesis]

I voted Legalize, even though I've never smoked marijuana...

[MPower]

Originally Posted by Jostyrostelli

The problem with legalizing it, is that addicts will use it more, cause it's now available and legal. I don't know if they will cause less trouble on the streets when they have legal drugs...I think government should have strict rules about the quantity that is going to be sold and to who.

Well, you see... thats why it needs to be legalized. Because, if you legalize it, you open up the possiblity for the government regulate and tax the drug. Through regulation you allow the government to take as many of addicts off the street.

[bone]

I read in a study once that the amount of weed that it would take to kill a rat (or was it a mouse?) was 1000 the normal human does. Basically it's less lethal than coffee.

you should eat about 600kg before you get an overdose

From what I understand, the main reason for it being made illegal in the first place was because of the tobacco companies.

it definitaly is the pharmacy industrie, marijuana can help to ANYTHING, painkiller, help to digest some medicins better, mental problems, it's even proscibed to people who suffer from "dust-lung" (translation :s). together with this it's very cheap to grow (if legal), and no one has some sort of hangover from it

marijuana has even been planted around Tsjernobil, to help clean out the soil, it realy is a magical plant, for instance, it's the only 1-year, 2-gender plant in the world

and don't they grow warijuana in canada wright now? i think i've read somewhere that the government was growing it for medical use in abandoned mines

[Jostyrostelli]

Originally Posted by MPower

Well, you see... thats why it needs to be legalized. Because, if you legalize it, you open up the possiblity for the government regulate and tax the drug. Through regulation you allow the government to take as many of addicts off the street.

But when the government is going to tax the legal drugs, the drugs will be too expensive for the people who use drugs (mostly homeless people or people with no money). So they will get to the dealer on the street and get it for half the price. It's just like cd's or games, they are legal but you can get it for free, illegally.

[MPower]

Originally Posted by Jostyrostelli

But when the government is going to tax the legal drugs, the drugs will be too expensive for the people who use drugs (mostly homeless people or people with no money). So they will get to the dealer on the street and get it for half the price. It's just like cd's or games, they are legal but you can get it for free, illegally.

That not necessarily so. The only reason that the drug is being sold at such a high price right now is because the drug dealers have a monopoly in the business (in the USA atleast). Because of that, they can sell the drug for massive, massive profits. Through the government, the prices would be much lower with taxes added on. It would still add up to a much lower price than what is on the streets right now. And because of the lower government price, the dealers will be forced to lower their prices which will almost close down their business.

[bone]

^i don't think so

marijuana is one of the cheapest herbs to grow, and the reason it's so expensive wright now, is because it's illegal, it has to be grown in a hidden place. (even in holland it's illegal to grow high quantities) if they legalise and tax it, it would become a fully commercial product, with price battles between stores, and it will become much cheaper

EDIT: was replying to josty, MPower came in between

@MPowers sayings:
is it so that there's a "mafia" who handles the marijuana business? over here there are a lot of different growers, who grow it in isolated barns. about every month they find another one where there are each time more than 5000 plants