Why is marijuana illegal?

[tzimize]

Just because something isn't as BAD for you as other things (Marijuana vs Alcohol) doesn't mean that everything 'better' than that one bad thing (Alcohol) should be made legal.

Besides, there isn't any GOOD reason for it to be legalized. Crime goes down? Well fuck, just make murder legal and crime practically vanishes.

Gains revenue? Not enough to make a difference, and you'll just end up in the hospital at some point with a horrible, extremely expensive condition to treat.

Has medical purposes? Medical marijuana is already legal. ARGUMENT INVALID.

Think you might have missed a point. If you legalize crime doesnt go down because its not illegal anymore, crime goes down because a lot less people would go to dealers instead of the store. If you dont have to buy it illegally why would you? Supply and demand. Demand would drop like a rock and the supply would not be needed anymore. So the crime around it goes away. At least a lot of it.

The main reason MJ is a gateway drug is because people get caught in a bad environment, a criminal one. Not because every pot-head ever suddenly get a craving for heroin. Legalize = less drug addicts and less crime.

 

[Jnat]

Because if it was leagal it would still hurt people, even if it wouldn't hurt them as much as alcohol does.

 

[John the Gamer]

Well it isn't here (I don't think so) -> Netherlands <- But I don't know. Maybe because it makes people do stupid things and alcohol was already common. Everyone used to drink beer in the middle ages because water was contaminated. That carried on into todays society. Drugs... Not so much.

 

[RYjet911]

The fact that it directly kills brain cells is the main reason. And legalizing it would increase the risk of people driving while hallucinating. While the effects may not be perceived as being "as bad" as cigarettes or alcohol, it still is bad for you, and we're probably better off without it.

lol, more recent studies than those done in the dark ages show in small amounts the stuff IMPROVES brain functionality.

Killing brain cells was a very awful experiment performed on monkeys where they forced hundreds of joints worth of weed into them via a breathing mask, the smog so thick the poor things didn't get any oxygen. Oh, what am I thinking? Of course it must have been the weed, not the lack of oxygen, that caused the brain damage... So much easier to blame a drug.

 

[reg42]

also it doesn't make you hallucinate

It can, if you get really good stuff.

Also: Marijuana being illegal is stupid etc, etc, etc. These threads are pointless; it just turns into two groups shouting at eachother.

 

[Drizzitdude]

You ever seen people drive while high? Good enough reason i suppose.

 

[Dorian6]

its illegal yet cigarettes and alcohol kill alot more than marijuana does.

Waaaaaah MOOOM! Why can't I play Fallout? Timmy's mom lets him play Grand Theft Auto, and that's way worse!

 

[Kopikatsu]

Just because something isn't as BAD for you as other things (Marijuana vs Alcohol) doesn't mean that everything 'better' than that one bad thing (Alcohol) should be made legal.

Besides, there isn't any GOOD reason for it to be legalized. Crime goes down? Well fuck, just make murder legal and crime practically vanishes.

Gains revenue? Not enough to make a difference, and you'll just end up in the hospital at some point with a horrible, extremely expensive condition to treat.

Has medical purposes? Medical marijuana is already legal. ARGUMENT INVALID.

Think you might have missed a point. If you legalize crime doesnt go down because its not illegal anymore, crime goes down because a lot less people would go to dealers instead of the store. If you dont have to buy it illegally why would you? Supply and demand. Demand would drop like a rock and the supply would not be needed anymore. So the crime around it goes away. At least a lot of it.

The main reason MJ is a gateway drug is because people get caught in a bad environment, a criminal one. Not because every pot-head ever suddenly get a craving for heroin. Legalize = less drug addicts and less crime.

None of that made sense.

Let's say there are 45,000 crimes a year in a certain area, and drug use accounts for 12,000 of those crimes. If you make drug use legal, then they only have 33,000 crimes a year. Crime went down because it's no longer a crime.

And people keep saying that 'The government could tax it'. That just means that everyone would either still go to dealers (Because it's cheaper), or grow their own (Because it's legal and cheaper still.)

Marijuana is a gateway drug because people enjoy the high they get, but they want an even higher 'high' and faster. So they turn to harder drugs to get it. Pro-Marijuana really has no stance besides 'I WANNA SMOKE POT BECAUSE IT'S COOL'.

 

[RYjet911]

le snip 2

So instead of asking me to rephrase something you may of misunderstood, you are going to be a juvenile prick about it?

Let me make this as clear-as-fucking-possible since you seemingly cannot understand anything that isn't put in the simplest of terms:

SMOKE = BAD (No matter where it comes from)
CIGARETTES = BAD, KILLS PEOPLE
MARIJUANA = BAD, ALSO KILLS PEOPLE IF YOU SMOKE IT.

How can you not understand that? I am quite aware of the effects of cannabinoids on the human body, but I'm sorry I don't have a link to either a irrelevant study that is completely circumstantial(not saying yours were) or to something that is government-funded propaganda.

Smoke is not marijuana. Smoke can kill, and marijuana smoke may be worse than tobacco smoke(which it isn't). If you use marijuana without smoking it, it. Will not. Kill you.

Maybe respond with a logical argument instead of immediately telling me to screw off because I actually said something worthwhile.

From what I've read, weed has a lot of toxins and such... But none are in nearly high enough quantity to cause much harm at all. Unless someone's smoking pounds of the stuff each day... And damn I doubt they'd remember their own name if they were doing that!

 

[Harlief]

At least alcohol can be enjoyed in a variety of wondrous flavours and textures, it's not just for getting smashed.

For weed smokers such as myself, part of the fun is in finding a new strain and smoking it, seeing how it tastes and what sort of high it gives. There are just as many different flavours, and probably more, than there are shish tobacco.

Yes, I imagine there is a flavour element to weed smoking, my point is that getting high appears to be an integral part of weed smoking. Am I right in saying that?

 

[Webb5432]

A less dangerous drug like weed would sell much, much more than tobacco and alcohol would.

Are you suggesting that the only reason people use tobacco or alcohol is because there aren't any safer alternatives available? I highly doubt that...

Not at all. The reason people still use those drugs are:

1) Addiction (pretty straightforward)
2) Availability and legality (easy to find and perfectly legal)
3) Media (Not going to rant on that. Use your imagination)
4) Peer pressure from anyone or anything having experience in all the above

That basically covers it.

What I meant to say is that from a business standpoint, weed would be a serious competitor, and no one whose runs a brewery or tobacco company would like more competitors. How could they afford their BMW's and Aston Martin's otherwise?

 

[Gimelbub]

The fact that it directly kills brain cells is the main reason. And legalizing it would increase the risk of people driving while hallucinating. While the effects may not be perceived as being "as bad" as cigarettes or alcohol, it still is bad for you, and we're probably better off without it.

It doesn't cause hallucinations.

 

[Unnamedenemy]

As I recall (from the History channel's series on the history of drugs) Marijuana was primarily made illegal in the US because it was being brought up through mexico, and since the US is prone to going apeshit whenever mexicans are involved, it was banned in an attempt to drive out illegal aliens. You can see how well that worked out.

 

[RaNDM G]

It's political mostly. During the Mexican revolution, fighting spilled out over the U.S. border. Criminals and refugees who crossed the border brought cannabis with them. State governments tried illegalizing the drug as an excuse to deport immigrants back to Mexico, but after awhile the market for cannabis grew.

Pot was later the drug of choice for hippies in the sixties and seventies. Politicians hated hippies, so pot restrictions were enforced to piss them off. South Park summed up this side of the argument pretty nicely.

Personally, I think cannabis should be legal for private use and nothing more. I'm fine with it as long as it isn't used out in public.

 

[triggrhappy94]

Well way back when, canibus, the more official term for the pot plant, was set to eclipse the lumber industry as a primary building material and paper making. So the lumber trust convinced politicions to make it illegal while creating a ton of propaganda. There was also a court case, where a boy murbered his parents with an axe and people said the smoking weed made him do it. As soon as it was illegalized, a huge stigma started to grow. Now everyone thinks it melts your brain and is a sin and all that.

people are probably paranoid it melts your brains or something.

It burns approximately seven times hotter than cigarettes.

Whether not it melts your brain doesn't stop it from melting your lungs. Breathing in super-heated ash isn't exactly good for your body.

You only get ash if you dont know what youre doing. Beside, a bong or bubbler completely gets rid of that problem.

 

[Bassik]

Carl Sagan loved the weed, all arguements are invalid.

Seriously, I am a user, but since I live in the Netherlands that's actually pretty normal, especially in the "geek" scene here. Never had a problem in my life, to be honest. I know it's anecdotal, but considdering the "evidence" presented by both sides seems shady at best and are outright lies at worst, it's all we got.
Now, my mates and I, we like to think of ourselves as pretty smart fella's, so obviously nobody's gonna drive his car after smoking a couple of greens, nor smoke the night before work.

Considdering that the most harmfull product in a joint is the tobacco, the weird war on weed from our new right-wing goverment seems kind of insane, and thankfully the mayors and provinces do everything in their power to combat the madness and keep the Netherland's green!

Also, ever saw Flash Gordon stoned? It. Will. Destroy. You.

 

[triggrhappy94]

When are people going to start differentiating between legalizing marijuana and decriminalizing it?

It's a shame that the people who most often fail to make this distinction are the proponents of decriminalization. How much success will you have when you misrepresent your own side of the argument?

Care to eliberate a bit? Im kind of seeing what you're saying, though. People need to argue to have it made so stoners arent criminalized, thrown in jail, etc. That's what you're getting at right?
Well I think it should be made legal all together, not just acceptable. Regulate it the same as alcohol and tabaco, and we'll all be cool.
Also here in California anything under an ounce (which is a lot) is the same punishment as a like a traffic ticket.

 

[JoesshittyOs]

snip.

Marijauna has never been directly linked to lung cancer. No one has been able to adequately prove it yet. http://www.dailystrength.org/health_blogs/dr-orrange/article/is-smoking-pot-really-bad-for-you

Regardless, the obviously smoke is bad for people. By that logic, should we make fireplaces, campfires, and incense illegal? Because THC does not do anything other than get those ten percent of people addicted, and in terms of withdrawals from things you can be addicted to, it's not anywhere as severe as other drugs, like nicotine and alcohol. Hell, having withdrawals from internet porn is worse.

You ever seen people drive while high? Good enough reason i suppose.

In my experience, a stoned person drives way more carefully than an everyday driver. The amount of paranoia and total concentration you put into driving negates that. I know that's an extremely poor counterargument, but hey, it's true.

Regardless, obviously laws would be put in place prohibiting you from driving while high.

Because it makes people stupid. Sure they feel like they're hella smart when high, but it's only because ordinary phenomena seem like epiphanies to pot-heads.

Actually, it enhances that creative and artistic parts of your brain. I'm no scientist, but wouldn't that be considered making you smarter? I can't draw worth shit, but while under the influence in a safe environment at my own home, I made some pretty amazing pieces of art.

At least alcohol can be enjoyed in a variety of wondrous flavours and textures, it's not just for getting smashed. The same goes for tobacco: when you're of age, go out and try some shisha. It's a form of Arab smoking using a wicked looking pipe and flavoured tobaccos containing very small concentrations of nicotine and tar and none of the other toxins present in cigarettes.

My point being: weed is only for getting you high, alcohol and tobacco products are sold and enjoyed in ways which have greater merit than just getting off of one's tits.

So the reason now goes back to people are drinking because they like the taste? I'm sorry, I really don't think that holds up.

Like, at all. Hell, I learned to like the taste of weed like I learned to like the taste of beer. Make it legal for me. I want to examine the fine tastes of weed.

 

[Weaver]

Wait, so just because alcohol and smoking kill more people a year we have to legalize weed? So does this mean we automatically have to legalize everything that kills less people a year than alcohol and tobacco?

Maybe good old cracked can just argue for me:
http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-pro-marijuana-arguments-that-arent-helping/

 

[evilartist]

The fact that it directly kills brain cells is the main reason. And legalizing it would increase the risk of people driving while hallucinating. While the effects may not be perceived as being "as bad" as cigarettes or alcohol, it still is bad for you, and we're probably better off without it.

Then why not ban alcohol and cigarettes, too? They're far more dangerous to the people that live around the smoker/drinker (i.e. drunk driving, physical abuse, secondhand smoke, etc.); the worse marijuana ever does to adults is make them lazy and unmotivated. The worst it could do to a child (secondhand) is perhaps impede brain development...but then I would question that parent's abilities to even be responsible for another human life. Marijuana is a drug that really only affects the consumer; laws against habits that don't hurt anyone outside of the "habit-doer" are stupid and unnecessary.

And then there's the lobbyists who keep spreading the bad rep about weed; I can't stand corporate lobbyism in general. I think it undermines a politician's integrity and common sense; it forces them down roads of moral extremism. This practice is easy to abuse by the greedy, and I feel it's poisoning Humanity's advancement in numerous scientific fields. Lobbyism should be banned, and any violators should be charged with treason (it isn't that extreme a punishment, when you consider the ethics).

Politicians should be forced to stick to a tight campaign budget, and not waste it on stupid-ass smear campaigns and propaganda on what should be moot topics.

I'm not saying that cigarettes and are good, but the American economy would completely be shot to hell if they banned cigarettes and alcohol. (Which is sad. I think we'd be better off without it) And yes while marijuana only affects the user most of the time, someone hallucinating from the effects of marijuana is driving, then that is a potentially dangerous situation. I'm all for freedom of choice, but I guess what I'm not understanding is why people want it so bad. I understand that hemp is useful and economical, but I just don't understand why people want to smoke it. It seems like I'd be sacrificing a lot of my self control while under it's effects for a hallucination I probably won't even remember. I'd like to understand both sides of this argument, so could you please explain to me why people want it so bad.

It seems a few people are taking my first sentence about alcohol and cigarettes seriously. I'm not suggesting that we do ban those, too; I was just pointing out the double standard.

By the way, hallucinations from weed are rare, and really only happen if you overdose; moderation is the key. If you don't have a high enough tolerance for even small doses, then those people should be smart enough to stay the hell away from it. Naysayers keep clinging to rare side effects like these and blow them out of proportion.

Economically, it makes sense to legalize marijuana. Products can be held to high government standards (regarding health risks). Plus, it's a great new source of revenue to help fill that huge-ass gap in our deficit, and I doubt it would stop smokers and drinkers from, well, smoking and drinking. Even if it does, breweries and the tobacco company either need to adapt or go bankrupt. It's their fucking problem, and frankly it's hypocritical to preach less government regulation on big businesses, but it's okay for big businesses to run Big Brother to their agenda (you didn't say that, nklshaz; it's just a common problem). What about Blockbuster and Borders? They lost to online streaming and PDF books, and the aforementioned lobbyist groups are afraid of that happening to them. Well, I say: Tough shit!!