Marijuana: Criticize it or Legalize it?

[WELCOMEtotheJUNGLE]

I just saw a 4/20 thread in the off topic section and got to me thinking about the age old debate of leagalizing marijuana. There are so many different ways you can with this but I am definately in favor of legalizing it. I hate seeing responsible people getting arrested for having a few joints on them or some scenario like that. The government could rake in so much money from taxing pot like they do with alcohol and tobacco. Also, for decades the government has lied about the effects of Marijuana and it's absolutely idiotic. The Gateway drug theory is so f*cking stupid, I could write a 5,000 word essay about how it's not a gateway drug. People go out and get alcohol poisioning, drive drunk, get angry and beat on kids/women under the influence of alcohol and every Sunday the glory league (NFL) has half their sponsors of guys sitting around pounding beers. People high on marijuana just want to sit around, watch Chappelle Show, and eat some potatoe chips. Weed can be harmful, but nowhere near as harmful as tobacco or alcohol. So...criticize it or legalize it?

 

[SirLaker]

Eh....I smoke weed but I don't think it should be legalized like beer etc. Only because I think it would get out of hand and lead to alot of problems...like beer and cigarettes now.

 

[the_pestilence]

it should be legalized, but I don't think it should be sold in stores and stuff.

 

[redneck]

I think it should be legalized, the government spends to much money on fighting that sh*t when it could be spending that money elsewhere. The criminal element behind it is also a problem, but legalizing it would seriously hurt these guys, because if there is anyone more cruel than the drug cartels in Big Business.

 

[SteveNash4MVP]

Weed shouldn't be legilized and neither should Alcohol. They make you do stupid dessions that could harm other people and yourself.So, its fine the way it is and Alcohol should not be legilized.

 

[WELCOMEtotheJUNGLE]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>I smoke weed but I don't think it should be legalized</div>So if you got arrested and had to face legal fines, public embarresment, and overall ridiculous hastle for smoking a plant that has been around since the beginning of time would you still want it to be illegal?

 

[ASUFan22]

Legalize it and illegalize tobacco and alcohol if it's so much worse. Just illegalize tobacco for the younger crowd and illegalize it totally when the addicts die off, same with beer. Just because harmful things like tobacco and alcohol are legal doesn't mean we should let more and more drugs become legal. Then you could say, hey, this thing isn't soooo much worse than Mary J, tobacco and alcohol. Lets make that legal too so the government can make more money. It won't hurt any more people than tobacco does.Edit: That'll happen because doing something illegally just makes things more exciting sometimes. So in addition to the many more people smoking this stuff there will be more people doing the other illegal drugs and eventually those may become legal. It's just too much smoke and drugs for me to handle. I get tired of cigarette smokers everywhere so if you add on weed to that it'll just be a disgusting environment. More 2nd hand smoke and sickness to go around.And for the people that get caught...they chose to do something illegal and you guys say it's not addicting so I have no reason to feel bad if they get caught and their lives are ruined. It was their choice.

 

[WELCOMEtotheJUNGLE]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>I get tired of cigarette smokers everywhere so if you add on weed to that it'll just be a disgusting environment.</div>Ill-informed right there. Tobacco burns quickly in cigarettes, the nicotene fix is very quick which makes people smoke a ton of cigarettes a day. Someone will smoke a joint and get high for a long time. People don't chain-smoke joints. It's not the same thing. You won't see people going out for a Joint break at work in the city. If weed ever does get legalized it will be treated like alcohol is now.

 

[ASUFan22]

And they'll do it in restaurants when you're trying to eat. The smoker/non-smoker sections don't help much. Airports too. It won't just be in your house while you're watching Harold and Kumar. If it's legalized people would do it anywhere in public and the number of people who use it will go up a great amount. Second hand smoke will increase, especially people smoking at home when they have families. I think there's already too much smoking and doing drugs without more drugs being legalized. I'd be very happy if they just got rid of it all.

 

[WELCOMEtotheJUNGLE]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>And they'll do it in restaurants when you're trying to eat. The smoker/non-smoker sections don't help much</div>If it got legalized smoking weed would not be legal in any public enviornment. Also smoker/non smoker sections have been outlawed for years in the north, you southerners need to wake up and outlaw that.

 

[Something-To-Say]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SteveNash4MVP @ Apr 18 2007, 07:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>They make you do stupid dessions</div>Like spell decisions wrong? Are you high right now?

 

[SirLaker]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (WELCOMEtotheJUNGLE @ Apr 18 2007, 07:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>So if you got arrested and had to face legal fines, public embarresment, and overall ridiculous hastle for smoking a plant that has been around since the beginning of time would you still want it to be illegal?</div>Alright obviously if that were the case...but I say don't legalize it only because so many more people would do it and it would just become another product like Tobacco and Alcohol that the government makes money off of. But hey, if it were legalized, I wouldn't be against it.

 

[ASUFan22]

And it wouldn't be "cool" anymore right?

 

[SirLaker]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ASUFan22 @ Apr 18 2007, 09:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>And it wouldn't be "cool" anymore right? </div>I can understand how you took it that way but that's not what I was getting at. If too many people use it, the cost would go up tremendously. Like I said, the government would get in on it and the demand and price would skyrocket...it would cost $200 for a dime....I can't even imagine.

 

[BigMo763]

Legalize that sh*t, for real... we've been through this a million times, so you all should know why I feel that way. You better hope mavsfan doesn't see this, otherwise get ready for a 20 page thread explaining why alcohol is better.

 

[WELCOMEtotheJUNGLE]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>price would skyrocket...it would cost $200 for a dime....I can't even imagine.</div>The price would go wayyyyy down man. The only reason it's expensive is because it's a black market, there are no rules or regulations. Weed would be less expensive if it got regulated and legalized.

 

[ReppinTheD]

I want weed to be legalized with some regulations - so basically enough for personal use.

 

[BrewCityBuck]

f*cking pot smoking hippies. :no1:

 

[ElMaster]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (WELCOMEtotheJUNGLE @ Apr 18 2007, 11:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>So if you got arrested and had to face legal fines, public embarresment, and overall ridiculous hastle for smoking a plant that has been around since the beginning of time would you still want it to be illegal?</div>The thing is, you know it's illegal so you're smoking it knowing of the consequences. When you smoke it, you're basically saying "I dont care if I get caught"

 

[Chris]

I can definitely see why legalizing it has a downside, with the price going up, etc. I definitely think it should be decriminalized. Someone shouldn't have a criminal record for smoking a little weed.<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (tHe_pEsTiLeNcE @ Apr 18 2007, 11:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>it should be legalized, but I don't think it should be sold in stores and stuff.</div>Well...if it's legalized, that means nothing can stop someone from opening a store and doing so.

 

[Michael Bryant]

Come on, legalize it, make some money and have a good time.

 

[gentile]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ASUFan22 @ Apr 18 2007, 10:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Legalize it and illegalize tobacco and alcohol if it's so much worse. Just illegalize tobacco for the younger crowd and illegalize it totally when the addicts die off, same with beer. Just because harmful things like tobacco and alcohol are legal doesn't mean we should let more and more drugs become legal. Then you could say, hey, this thing isn't soooo much worse than Mary J, tobacco and alcohol. Lets make that legal too so the government can make more money. It won't hurt any more people than tobacco does.Edit: That'll happen because doing something illegally just makes things more exciting sometimes. So in addition to the many more people smoking this stuff there will be more people doing the other illegal drugs and eventually those may become legal. It's just too much smoke and drugs for me to handle. I get tired of cigarette smokers everywhere so if you add on weed to that it'll just be a disgusting environment. More 2nd hand smoke and sickness to go around.And for the people that get caught...they chose to do something illegal and you guys say it's not addicting so I have no reason to feel bad if they get caught and their lives are ruined. It was their choice.</div>Rule on to making a law is don't make a law you cannot possibly enforce. This is especially true in today's political environment when the only rationale for keeping drugs illegal is, "It doesn't send the right message." Probably we haven't been sending the right message anyway.You contradict yourself when you say that more people will use drugs if it's legalized, they say that people get excited by using dope because it's illegal. Everybody that wants it gets it whenever they want it already. And marijuana won't get more expensive. For one thing, the price goes down the more people use a product because of competition. For two, you can grow it in your own home.

 

[ASUFan22]

I mean that people will always like marijuana and they will continue to use it. A lot of people don't use it because it's illegal, but they would start if it's not. And when it is legal it won't seem as special so some people will get their breaking the law excitement from the other drugs more.

 

[gentile]

^You know how it was made illegal in the first place, right? In the early 1900's, there was a backlash against Mexican immigrants in Texas. The usual politician hate speech, mexicans are crazy sex fiends because marijuana makes them that way attitude (which is preposterous), gave the legislature the excuse to make it illegal and put jail Mexicans.When the tree is planted in such poisonous soil, no good fruit can come of it.

 

[WELCOMEtotheJUNGLE]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>The thing is, you know it's illegal so you're smoking it knowing of the consequences. When you smoke it, you're basically saying "I dont care if I get caught"</div>People know it's illegal and they smoke it because they like it. Not because they don't care if they get caught. Just because your consious of the consequences doesn't mean you don't care if you get caught. If I like smoking pot, I'm going to smoke pot. Just like if you're in a hurry on the highway, you're going to speed because you have to get to where you need to go.

 

[ASUFan22]

Well you're taking that chance and if you get caught then that's your own fault. Why don't they just take off speed limits too because you like to speed and will do it anyway? If you do something illegal just for a little fun then I don't feel bad at all if you get caught. You ruined your own life, not the laws. There are plenty of other things you could do for fun but instead you choose something illegal.

 

[LAZY]

I say yes(Strict regulations). But I kinda think pot is trashy now. I've grown past the stage where I would want to start smoking pot.Maybe just have coffeeshops. Which is kinda like a bar for marijuana

 

[Something-To-Say]

No point in legalizing it. The problem isn't bad economy, it's debt and legalizing it won't help that much. It'd be like cigarettes, and it's bad enough having fuckers smoke those everywhere without adding marijuana smoke.

 

[gentile]

Wouldn't it be more productive to ask why the law is in place in the first place and then work the discussion from there?I mean, if you take a look at that, then the pillars of it's illegality are sinking in mud, and all the money the government spends on imprisonment and ad campaigns are the only things holding it up.

 

[WELCOMEtotheJUNGLE]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Wouldn't it be more productive to ask why the law is in place in the first place and then work the discussion from there?</div>Our government was being ignorant fools in the early 1900's, that's why Marijuana is illegal. The Marijuana Stamp Act for example. Marijuana was outlawed, but if you had Marijuana tax stamps you could legally possess it. But to obtain the stamps you had to show the government how much marijuana you had in your possession, which was technically breaking the law. There were cases of innocent hemp farmers being arrested by a confusing and misleading law. Take a look at former propoganda campaigns by the American government, "Reefer Madness", they were trying to back their stance on marijuana with no real evidence and myths. I really don't think it would be productive to ask why the law is in place because if you research the topic you come to the conclusion that it is in place because of an absolutely idiotic belief system that the government is trying to uphold.