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Post by someguy5031 on Dec 18, 2008 3:17:25 GMT -5
Now I'm a second year college student and this has been a big topic around the youth (for several reasons). Now in your opinion Why or Why not should marijuana be legalized. I'm trying to get some smart answers in here not just "because i want to get high".
From the history I've seen marijuana was originally banned in Texas as a way to control the flow of Mexican immigration, it was the mentality that if we got rid of the drug we would get rid of the people (This was also used as a way to oppress other minorities as well: Rich whites would go drinking while other groups would find comfort in the cheaper drug).
The Influence of Senator Henry Anslinger and his influence over the media caused a worldwide scare on the effects of marijuana. The cost of the war against marijuana alone is an outstanding amount ranging up to 214.7 billion dollars in the last 10 years.
All research done by marijuana has found that it has little harmful effects (Significantly less than Alcohol). The prohibition movement has had little to no effect: In Oregon for instance, they did a study 4 years before the drug was decriminalized and 4 years after to see the number of people who used the drug. The results were that the number of marijuana users in Oregon hasn't changed regardless of the new law.
In short I believe that it shouldn't have been criminalized in the first place. There's not enough evidence to show thats its harmful (A Gateway drug maybe, but alcohol is also a gateway to several dangerous habits). We should regulate it of course, but prohibition isn't doing its job.
A good movie that talks about this is a movie called Grass by Ron Mann. Its biased of course, but it provides a LARGE amount of information on the criminalization of Marijuana.
But, enough about my opinion what do you guys think?
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Post by inquisition on Dec 18, 2008 20:16:11 GMT -5
It should be legal. All drugs should be legal, if someone kills themself taking legal crystal meth, that's their problem.
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dthhand5
Junior Member
Sequence Cat
Posts: 141
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Post by dthhand5 on Dec 18, 2008 20:39:11 GMT -5
All drugs should not be legal first of all and marijuana is an interesting topic... It is the 'safest' of all illegal drugs and is, from what studies have said at least, less dangerous than smoking or drinking even. I think weed or pot got the name Marijuana from the government as a new name. The government wanted to make it illegal so they created the new name and stated it's effects. I like how some places have legalized marijuana because they have shown that nothing bad has happened like no deaths or any real violence.
If marijuana does get legalized in the entire US it will have to be done slowly. So far only a few states have it legalized and if it does go faster then things could get out of hand. It needs to be made clear that marijuana is a drug that can be used responsibly, without harm being done to others. So I do think it should be legalized but I do not think doing any sort of drugs even smoking or excessive drinking are a good idea. I have never had a cigarette in my life and only two drinks. I have been accused of being high by people but it was more out of curiosity than accusation. Those times I was running on a few ours of sleep. If marijuana is legalized in New York I do not plan to do use it.
On a similar note: Whoo 420!. Half my high school 'celebrated' 420 but only 5 people actually did pot. It was fun to talk about it during the day and have most of the teachers have no idea what we are talking about.
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Post by someguy5031 on Dec 19, 2008 0:23:24 GMT -5
Well there is a difference between the Legalization (marketed) and the Decriminalization (no jail time or police records) of the drug. This is an article posted up by Executive Director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws: St. Pierre, i think its a good blog post that states most of the problems.National blog.thehill.com/2008/08/06/criminalization-of-marijuana-must-end/I think one of the problems with getting the law passed is that there are too many groups that benefit from the law currently in place. One obvious example would be law enforcement but it extends to other groups as well (Hemp material is superior to what we have today, also surpasses the effects of some over the counter drugs). So the first thing we gotta get to working with is decriminalization of it. If it helps Obama made a comment that he thinks it should be decriminalized because its spending billions of dollars on a project that doesn't work (but he wont work for legalizing it). It should be legal. All drugs should be legal, if someone kills themself taking legal crystal meth, that's their problem. Well I personally believe "everything in moderation", but truth be told those drugs tend to be dangerous to the general public as well (as well as you yourself...). But hey, lets work on marijuana which is proven to be safer for the public over current legal recreational drugs then we can try working our way to the harder stuff kay? |
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Post by PanchoJoshi on Dec 19, 2008 4:32:50 GMT -5
Personally I hate the stuff. I cant stand it, it's just the way I was raised and its what i believe in. But thats only my opinion.
I used to be hardcore "I hate everyone who does it cause there bad" but now I have a much more open mind. My best friend occasionally gets sh*t faced every now and then and im ok with that. While I hate that about him its only a small thing.
Now with some people I know its a different story. I know this guy names Shane, the boy has diabetes. And he gets totally f*cked up every day with alcohol and hard drugs. He literally has no respect for himself. And its people like that, that really bring my piss to a boil.
He claims that its his "Last hurra" but he's been doing this shit even before he was diagnosed. But im starting to ramble.
Even though due to my beliefs I still think that Marijuana has every right to be legal as alcohol. Its up to people them selves to make the right choice.
If people are able to drink alcohol they should be able to have there way with Marijuana.
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Post by Wednesday_R on Dec 19, 2008 9:59:50 GMT -5
I've never seen a man smoke a joint, and then turn around and start beating his wife and kids.  |
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Post by Darknezz on Dec 19, 2008 12:43:33 GMT -5
Personally, I can't stand the smell of it or the way people act when they're on it.
That said, I don't see a reason for it to be illegal. It does less harm to the body than tobacco, it's non-addictive (as much as a substance can be; I'm addicted to chocolate, but that's legal), and there are basically no ramifications, so long as it's done in a safe way, like drinking is.
Plus, if it were legalized and sold in shops, the government could make a ton in taxes alone.
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Post by storphrax on Dec 20, 2008 2:15:35 GMT -5
I personally don't smoke it, but There is no reason for it to remain illegal.
It's significantly less addicting than cigarettes, and is one of the least (if not the least) harmful recreational drugs.
Decriminalization of it would also free up much needed space in our jails, also meaning we don't have to pay $50,000 a year per person to keep them in there, not including legal fees and such.
Lastly, there would then be no more risk of having any marijuana you buy having other added substances to it, making it safer.
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Post by rabbeseking on Dec 20, 2008 2:39:14 GMT -5
It's not good for you, but it shouldn't be classed with Cocaine, Meth, and all of those other much, much worse drugs.
The fact of Pot being a gateway drug is because they are buying the pot from people who also sell coke, and other narcotics. If it was marketed and sold massively, It would cut out the middleman, and the so called gateway.
Really, if it was llegal, I'd have no problem with it. But it will never happen. No. Why? because we've drilled the "badness" of it into the minds of youth, and have in a way made most of our society believe smoking it will make you go to hell, and explode, and kill people accidentally and all that other ridiculous propaganda.
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Post by storphrax on Dec 20, 2008 3:09:49 GMT -5
Actuall Rabbese, I beg to differ. I am a part of this "youth" and very few people at my school believe all of the propaganda we're fed in class. Sure, we know it's not exactly good for you, but if there were to be a vote on it, I'm fairly sure most people would be for the legalization of it.
Maybe this is unique to my school, but it's just something to think about.
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Post by Wednesday_R on Dec 20, 2008 11:07:25 GMT -5
I think what he's saying is that though the youth may not see anything wrong with it, it IS established as a no-no.
Most people (politicians) would be too afraid of that to put any kind of support behind it.
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Post by rabbeseking on Dec 20, 2008 15:39:15 GMT -5
I think what he's saying is that though the youth may not see anything wrong with it, it IS established as a no-no. Most people (politicians) would be too afraid of that to put any kind of support behind it. Yeah pretty much. |
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Post by skyliner12 on Dec 20, 2008 16:42:35 GMT -5
I think if you look behind the issue you can find why it's still illegal in the United States, and why politicians are never going to back anything making it legal.
If you look at it, it's the politician's way of keeping people, particularly minorites, from poorer areas rising up.
As silly and against the norm as it does sound, legalizing marijuana (or even decriminalizing it) would likely help America more than it would harm it. There is an utterly ridiculous amount of people in American jails that are locked up for drug related charges. Not violence, just drugs, selling, using, etc. And the rehabilitation rate for prisoners, once entered and stayed in a prison? It's less then 20%. That means 4 out of 5 prisoners who go to jail will be coming back to it. American prisons are completely full at the moment anyhow, so it's nearly impossible for many of them to start any kind of work or education program to show convicts that there is a way of life besides dealing drugs or living off the streets.
However, due to the complexity of the chemical THC, I think it should only be allowed to be bought/carried in certain dosages. The countries that have already decriminalized or legalized marijuana have a similar policy, being able to carry a certain amount of ounces or mg at a time.
In the end, I think it's just another American stigma. We've lived so long thinking something is horrible and scary just because we don't understand it. Scientists now have done proper research showing there isn't a reason to be afraid of it, not as much a reason as there is to be afraid of over-the-counter cigarettes and alcohol.
I say ship it and tax it, just like any other product.
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Post by solidsnake2384 on Jan 28, 2009 22:28:31 GMT -5
I think marijuana should be legal because it's like a cigarrette but just stronger. Some scientists even said its could for preventing Alzeimers. Holland has legalized marijuana and I dont think it has caused any problems for them.
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Post by Travis on Feb 1, 2009 19:59:04 GMT -5
just one quick note. I am fairly certain california is discussing the legalization of marijuana. and also, something recently passed in texas. it is legal to be carrying 4 ounces of marijuana.
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