Should Marijuana Be Legalized

[MinuteMan47]

Dang, I'm growing pretty tolerant of this Jim Beam...I started out drinking a few shots a night...now I'm drinking a whole fifth........I really need to switch to crack.

 

[88GT]

Ok Liberty, you're getting a lil carried away, there are more than a few people I've arrested for drug charges that I wouldn't ever regret. The guy that treats his family like crap that you find a couple ounces on, the 40 year old creeper selling dope to school kids, The single mom that's smoking a blunt while her kids complain about being hungry, the guy that can't pay child support but always can afford his ganja.... I'm sure that in your 17 years you had to have run into something like that. I have a lil more than half your time "in" and I've run into this repeatedly. So if you have, I'm pretty sure that you don't honestly regret it.
...I don't think anybody could.

Did you intend for that to sound like you enjoy your position of state-vested authority to harass people who make decisions with which you disagree?

 

[whatscooking]

I had this discussion with a guy i worked with and he would get mad as hell as we were talking, as he was shoving dip into both sides of his lip, now you tell me who had the buzz on at work, what i don't like is for someone to tell me what i am not allowed to do, there is allot of people that think you should not be allowed to have a gun, ride a motocycle and so on, there are just a few things that make the world go around with money the big one, the wrong people are making money off of it right now.

 

[Denny347]

I HATE alcohol and do not drink. However it is legal and should stay that way. As much death and misery involving alcohol (I'm not removing personal responsibility in consuming it) it is still legal. I doubt very much that marijuana will even come close to the level of abuse that alcohol enjoys...so why not legalize it? Professionally, small (personal use amounts) will almost always get a pass from me. Dump it and move on. However, I cannot overlook larger amounts. It is still the law and while I do have some leeway in enforcing it, some things cannot be overlooked. Maybe one day I won't have to even think twice about it.

 

[dcary7]

Is alcohol a gateway drug?

What if people enjoy the "high" they get from marijuana, and they don't need anything else?

I don't get how so many people understand what everyone else is thinking, and what someone else needs.

no you dont get "high" from alcohol.. you get drunk.. very different

and as i said .... look at "people" not a "person"....ask just about anyone who has done harder drugs than marijuana... ask them what they started with. yes there are exceptions.. but the majority will say weed. you cant judge everything on a case by case scenario.. there are people that can pass a field sobriety test while blowing over .2 on a PBT... and also find someone who is falling down at .1

yes, there are ppl that smoke weed.. and are completely content with that. they're not hurting anyone.. that's fine.. there are ppl that drink alcohol.. and dont have to get belligerently drunk and start fights/drive drunk. again... case by case is not what I am looking at. I agree that the federal government shouldnt regulate it, but I also do not think that a state should legalize it.

dcary7

 

[Kutnupe14]

Something tells me that this thread and poll is not going the way OP was hoping. He's in a minority. Perhaps it's time to actually rethink his position rationally and with an eye towards liberty and freedom.

Actually, you're 100% right. Believe it or not for the first time, I actually agree with 88GT. I find it incredibly interesting that the poll indicated that the vast majority of members are for legalizing marijuana, only. Cocaine, heroin, meth, and other controlled substances are purposefully omitted. What happened to the idea of the "freedom to put anything someone wanted in their body without consequences?" It is clearly apparent that the majority of people within this poll view drugs with a moral hierarchy. They support marijuana legalization, but other drugs, they would like to keep illegal.

 

[rjstew317]

no you dont get "high" from alcohol.. you get drunk.. very different

and as i said .... look at "people" not a "person"....ask just about anyone who has done harder drugs than marijuana... ask them what they started with. yes there are exceptions.. but the majority will say weed. you cant judge everything on a case by case scenario.. there are people that can pass a field sobriety test while blowing over .2 on a PBT... and also find someone who is falling down at .1

yes, there are ppl that smoke weed.. and are completely content with that. they're not hurting anyone.. that's fine.. there are ppl that drink alcohol.. and dont have to get belligerently drunk and start fights/drive drunk. again... case by case is not what I am looking at. I agree that the federal government shouldnt regulate it, but I also do not think that a state should legalize it.

dcary7

my bet is they would say tobacco or alcohol, but given the social acceptance of these substances, they are not likely to have considered them "drugs"

 

[iChokePeople]

Actually, you're 100% right. Believe it or not for the first time, I actually agree with 88GT. I find it incredibly interesting that the poll indicated that the vast majority of members are for legalizing marijuana, only. Cocaine, heroin, meth, and other controlled substances are purposefully omitted. What happened to the idea of the "freedom to put anything someone wanted in their body without consequences?" It is clearly apparent that the majority of people within this poll view drugs with a moral hierarchy. They support marijuana legalization, but other drugs, they would like to keep illegal.

OK, but I think you have to extend that logical issue to alcohol, at least.

 

[MinuteMan47]

no you dont get "high" from alcohol.. you get drunk.. very different

and as i said .... look at "people" not a "person"....ask just about anyone who has done harder drugs than marijuana... ask them what they started with. yes there are exceptions.. but the majority will say weed. you cant judge everything on a case by case scenario.. there are people that can pass a field sobriety test while blowing over .2 on a PBT... and also find someone who is falling down at .1

yes, there are ppl that smoke weed.. and are completely content with that. they're not hurting anyone.. that's fine.. there are ppl that drink alcohol.. and dont have to get belligerently drunk and start fights/drive drunk. again... case by case is not what I am looking at. I agree that the federal government shouldnt regulate it, but I also do not think that a state should legalize it.

dcary7

Ok, replace the word "high" with "buzz".....or "mood altering".

In your first post you said marijuana was no worse than alcohol...now you are saying that it is worse because you will try to "chase the high"...Which is it?

Have you ever smoked marijuana?

 

[Kutnupe14]

You mean he should just shut up and accept assimilation?

I am for legalizing MJ on principles.

a) It's not a federal issue and the federal government should not criminalize activities they have not been granted the authority to do by the Constitution.

b) It is a state issue. States are fully empowered as sovereigns to regulate and criminalize any behavior not prevented under the Federal Constitution.

c) There are no studies showing pot is any more dangerous than alcohol.

d) It is hypocritical to allow the consumption of alcohol with all the attendent societal ills and individual health risks and to maintain criminalization of pot, whose biggest impact will likely be run on munchies at the 7-11.

The "government shouldn't be involved in drugs" argument is weakminded. The Federal government shouldn't. However state governments absolutely can, and should if it is the collective will of their people. After all states are Sovereign, and there is nothing in the Constitution preventing the States from regulating drug posession or use within their state borders.

Having said that, I don't think you should ignore c & d above. Almost all arguments around drug use (both sides) are emotional and illogical.

I think that while the OP's opinion may be in the minority on this forum, it is still the majority opinion in society.

Yours, is an outstanding post, and your A an B examples are the only legitimate excuse I'd be willing to accept for legalization. It's hard to disagree with a states rights perspective if the people living there choose the course of legalization.

I can't rep you because INGO's socialist rep system wants me to "spread the wealth around."

 

[INMIline]

Michigan made is easy. $200 gets you a medical card. Just keep trying MD's until you find one that buys into your anxiety/headache story and you're in the clear. Pot is sold all ove CL.
I see no harm in it being legal, I personally don't do anything to leave my state of mind but to each is own. There are quite a few pot heads in our country that do not touch anything else.

 

[dcary7]

Actually, you're 100% right. Believe it or not for the first time, I actually agree with 88GT. I find it incredibly interesting that the poll indicated that the vast majority of members are for legalizing marijuana, only. Cocaine, heroin, meth, and other controlled substances are purposefully omitted. What happened to the idea of the "freedom to put anything someone wanted in their body without consequences?" It is clearly apparent that the majority of people within this poll view drugs with a moral hierarchy. They support marijuana legalization, but other drugs, they would like to keep illegal.

lol exactly... so if you guys legalize weed.. and wanna put it in your body.. that is your right.. and I want to live right next to you and have a meth lab... im going to go to work for myself and open my own "business"... no one has a problem with me being your neighbor then right? im just working off the same principles of thought and morality as you are. I just have a different moral hierarchy than you.. so that makes them ok? right? Ill argue that I am doing you a favor, because I'll sell it cheap so it is more affordable to the junkies ... that way they don't have to rob you to afford their fix.

/sarcasm off

^^ see what I did there . Why should you get to have the drug legalized that you want.. if others who are happy on meth/coke/etc cant have what they want legalized/decriminalized.... just a thought.

-dcary7

 

[dcary7]

Ok, replace the word "high" with "buzz".....or "mood altering".

In your first post you said marijuana was no worse than alcohol...now you are saying that it is worse because you will try to "chase the high"...Which is it?

Have you ever smoked marijuana?

wait a second... i said it is no worse as in detrimental to your health as an individual... however, the fact that i believe it is a gateway drug leads you to other more harmful substances is "most cases".. not all.. the effects of it on your body is what I am saying is "no worse".. the path it leads you down... can very well be. As i said... this isnt the case for everyone, but for anyone who uses harder stuff... ask them what they started with...

-dcary7

 

[INMIline]

Yes, the cartels

the wrong people are making money off of it right now.

 

[rjstew317]

lol exactly... so if you guys legalize weed.. and wanna put it in your body.. that is your right.. and I want to live right next to you and have a meth lab... im going to go to work for myself and open my own "business"... no one has a problem with me being your neighbor then right? im just working off the same principles of thought and morality as you are. I just have a different moral hierarchy than you.. so that makes them ok? right? Ill argue that I am doing you a favor, because I'll sell it cheap so it is more affordable to the junkies ... that way they don't have to rob you to afford their fix.

/sarcasm off

^^ see what I did there . Why should you get to have the drug legalized that you want.. if others who are happy on meth/coke/etc cant have what they want legalized/decriminalized.... just a thought.

-dcary7

I addressed my view on this in an earlier post

 

[ATOMonkey]

Regarding the safety issue with driving & cannabis, I propose a solution:

How about an electronic reaction time/hand eye coordination/cognitive thinking test?
Similar to a hand held video game, if this light flashes, press this button, if that light flashes, turn this knob. If you're too stoned/drunk/stupid to pass the field test, you're going in for driving when you're too stoned/drunk/stupid to drive.

After all, it isn't reaction time, coordination and cognitive thinking what we're concerned with as we hurdle around 465 at breakneck speeds?

Regarding the issue of legalization as a whole:

I don't think people should smoke weed.

I know it is not right to force people to do what I want them to do (except in a very narrow band of circumstances, ie I can make them stop attacking me).

I am less threatened by potheads coming onto my property and tearing up my stuff, kicking down my door and killing my dogs than I am by the Statists and their militarized agents.

I also don't think people should smoke cigarettes, chew skoal, drink alcohol, watch hours and hours of television, buy "Official Colts Gear" with 30% APR credit cards, and confuse Palin and Trump with small government advocacy, but I can't just go around kicking in people's doors and making them do what I want them to do. Its just not right.

This is actually a great idea, regarding the field sobriety test device.

It's not even that expensive!

 

[88GT]

Actually, you're 100% right. Believe it or not for the first time, I actually agree with 88GT. I find it incredibly interesting that the poll indicated that the vast majority of members are for legalizing marijuana, only. Cocaine, heroin, meth, and other controlled substances are purposefully omitted. What happened to the idea of the "freedom to put anything someone wanted in their body without consequences?" It is clearly apparent that the majority of people within this poll view drugs with a moral hierarchy. They support marijuana legalization, but other drugs, they would like to keep illegal.

Isn't this one of the signs of the end of the world?

 

[MinuteMan47]

wait a second... i said it is no worse as in detrimental to your health as an individual... however, the fact that i believe it is a gateway drug leads you to other more harmful substances is "most cases".. not all.. the effects of it on your body is what I am saying is "no worse".. the path it leads you down... can very well be. As i said... this isnt the case for everyone, but for anyone who uses harder stuff... ask them what they started with...

-dcary7

You ignored the last question.

Have you ever smoked marijuana?






....and I agree with rjstew, if you ask them what they started with, a good percentage might say "tobacco" or "alcohol" as well.

 

[88GT]

You ignored the last question.

Have you ever smoked marijuana?

How is that relevant? Just trying to follow the logic.

 

[rjstew317]

You ignored the last question.

Have you ever smoked marijuana?

ring ring................The DEA will be KICKING in your door shortly, please hold.