Question of the Week #20; Legalizing Marijuana

[La Femme Fatale]

I know that we've discussed the decriminalization of marijuana a few times on this board over the years, but we have a relatively new crowd now and I was wondering your thoughts in light of this article suggesting that the legalization of weed in Colorado is doing a significant amount of damage to the profitability of Mexican drug cartels.

Your thoughts?

 

[Flipqy42]

I say yes. I don't smoke it, but it doesn't really make sense for it to be illegal. Its certainly not as deadly as, say, regular smoking, or alcohol. And there are people who would pay any tax to get marijuana at their local convenience store, so there's some extra revenue for the country.

 

[tremor]

It should be legalised. My mom has smoked it for years and so have I, to be honest. It hasn't led me to try hard drugs of any kind and I haven't done anything that I regret because of being high. It helps my mom's pain and nausea and I've witnessed it ease my own nausea from when I've had stomach viruses. I could sit here and type out a book for you guys for why it should be legalised but the majority of it wouldn't be anything you haven't already heard.

 

[mjk321]

anything that makes you stupid is not good for you imho.

 

[KevinStriker]

Yes. It has a number of health benefits for people suffering of cancer, it's statistically less harmful than alcohol and cigarettes are, and if marijuana was legalized, a significant portion of the black market would be gone and the government of the United States wouldn't waste nearly as much money fighting their drug war. Hell, if it were regulated and taxed, the government could be making money, and regulated marijuana means some asshole wouldn't be able to lace your weed with PCP or something to get you hooked on a more expensive drug.

If marijuana were legal and regulated, then their dealers would be just as redundant as mobsters peddling alcohol after prohibition ended.

As an aside note, I don't smoke weed. But I did have a hashbrownie once.

 

[Venomous Oddball]

Yes. It benefits health. My uncle has been smoking it for a long time because he has AIDS. At this point he basically needs it.
I think cigarettes should be the illegal thing and be replaced by marijuana.

 

[ChrisRedfield1994]

I would argue yes but not for the reasons so far given. ArchView, a research group based in California have suggested that by 2020, the marjiuana market in the United States could exceed $21.8billion. In four years. That's simply phenomenal!

Criminalising substances has never fared too well. Prohibition failed miserably (in fact drink driving related offences rose during its enactment) and increased the alcohol industry's prominence and size. There might be clear health benefits, there might be clear detriments, but the sooner we get the industry out of the hands of dealers whose finances fund weapon selling and into organisations that can refine the substances in controlled environments and without it funding turf wars for gangs.

While that could arguably lead to the rise of corporate drug companies, it's no different to the big pharmaceutical corporations like GlaxoSmithKlein, Pfizer and Bayer. It would boost America's already deplorable economy and lead to substantial regulation that would benefit everyone.

It's simple common sense: make something illegal, people will resort to illegal means to obtain it. If it's over the counter in a regulated shop, manufactured by a corporation, it's going to be costly but purely legal.

 

[KevinStriker]

It's simple common sense: make something illegal, people will resort to illegal means to obtain it.

Precisely, prohibition didn't get rid of the drunks, it just made them criminals.

 

[KennedyKiller]

anything that makes you stupid is not good for you imho.

The question isn't "Is it good for You?" The question is whether or not it should be legalized.

Anyone that says no has done no research on the subject. I'm not a smoker. In fact, I find it annoying. But it's obvious that the pros outweigh the cons. There's no reason it shouldn't be.

 

[Angel]

My personal issues with pot aside, I do believe that the plant has proper medicinal use - however I do not believe it has been explored appropriately yet. Getting high should not be the point of it; easing symptoms should. Just like opium can be misused, it can also benefit patients greatly when administered in the proper fashion. Legalizing it should be only done if the sole use can be by the medical community for the benefit of those with genuine medical issues - but I do not believe that smoking should the the appropriate way of taking it.

Of course, legalizing anything means there will always be a roaring illegal trade and that would be hard to police, as it is now, but that's a whole other matter. However there are some people out there who really should NOT be taking it regardless as the effect on the brain long-term for certain individuals is a major negative. I know there are many out there who will cry foul at that, but I have seen the damage first hand and just because it hasn't happened to you or anyone you know, it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Just like not every smoker will get cancer or every drinker will get cirrhosis, not every pothead (for want of a better term) will get mental health issues.

It's weird - 10 years ago I would not have even begun to accommodate the idea that legalizing pot would be potentially beneficial. I have particularly strong views regarding drugs, mostly because I have a slightly dodgy past and have seen the devastating effects on people, their families and communities as a result of even the most "harmless" substances. However, just as poppies and coca plants have a purpose other than narcotic misuse, I believe that the marijuana plant also has its uses - we just haven't utilised it correctly yet.

 

[JaguarsSoul]

Me from the Netherlands: duh of course it should be legalized it's fun now and then and the attention given to it can better be spend on actually dangerous drugs.

 

[cheezMcNASTY]

tl;dr In my mind, this shouldn't even be a debate. Legalize it already.

It should have a higher legal age than alcohol, but it should be legal. I think a minimum age of 24 would be good.

A recent study showed the long term personality effects of pot (paranoia, general craziness) only set in after heavy use beginning in adolescence. Legalizing it or not, it won't change young people from using it. Legalizing will, however, discourage people from giving it to minors.

Pot does not make you "dumb." Smoking it when your brain is developing into adulthood makes people dumb, just as any other drug or drink has adverse long term effects at the stage of life. Does it mix well with learning? No. Can someone smoke it regularly and perform a task they already know (i.e. a job)? Yes.

Smoking anything is bad for you, but smoking it isn't the only way it can be taken. It can be vaped (research on vaping not in yet), eaten, absorbed through the skin, taken in pill form, or put into any dairy product like cream and consumed with a beverage. Only one, debate-ably two of those have negative physical health risks.

If all of those steps were taken into consideration, it could be legalized with practically NO negative effects on public health. That's not even taking into account the economic benefits, which are gargantuan.

 

[La Femme Fatale]

I'm in agreement with the majority of this thread - I don't think there's any good reason to keep it banned apart from 'well, it's always been banned'. There's no research that indicates it is actually bad for you - and it's up to you to use it responsibly. It's not illegal for you to eat a Big Mac everyday, nor is it illegal to consume tobacco products, so why should it be illegal to smoke marijuana? Enormous double standard.

While the issue is not as significant in Canada because marijuana possession is treated as a rather minor offence and police really aren't interested in going after it anymore, in many places prisons are chalk full of non-violent offenders who were caught with minuscule amounts of marijuana and cost the taxpayers millions a year in prison housing. Furthermore, when they're released, it's difficult for them to get a job because they now have a criminal record and that can lead into them back into the prison system. It's such an enormously broken, inefficient system.

As Cheez mentioned, the economic benefits of legalizing marijuana are too large to keep ignoring the issue with your head in the sand. You'd employ thousands of people and this is money going straight into the economy, rather than through the black market. It really is no question.

 

[Capcomplicated]

the reason for it being illegal in the first place is the initial tests regarding marijuana and THC was very beneficial to those with cancer, joint pain, and a host of other chronic problems. As much as we don't want to think that our economic system thrives on supply and demand rather than what is actually beneficial for us. The Cancer industry makes billions of dollars a year in treatments, therapy, and follow up....just like the pharma industry makes just as much in over the counter generics and prescription supplements, cures, and aids. Rather than going natural and giving our bodies something it needs from an evolutionary standpoint, we've succusfully mutated the way our bodies receive nutrients and radicals (food, supplements, sun screen, toothpaste, etc.).

To date the medical field makes more money off cancer than marijuana, or rather that's the idea since only recently marijuanas sales has had a net increase due to legalization. Now, this trend is leaning toward the sale of marijuana since it too, as seen, can make a substantial profit. Meanwhile the rise of things that causes cancer steadily increase they are now making profits from multiple sources, without a noticeable decrease in healthy cancer free statistics.

I love weed...a lot. But i rarely smoke for one its an expense that as an adult I can't manage into our monthly budget for other needs and wants. For two its illegal where I'm living so the pros and cons in dealing and the exchange is just not worth it for me. If it were legal, yea i'd probably be more receptive to add it in my daily or weekly routine because it makes me super creative and its overall just a good time among friends.

I hope the increase of sales proves that it can make a surplus in economy and hopefully add the benefit of a healthier lifestyle as a nice collateral