legalize it????

[Stork]

dude of coarse we all want it to be legal but then it will be taxed as fuck and prices be skyhigh.

and do you want the government to have all this money? i dont it only encourges them.

NOoo.

If it was legalized, prices would drop way down because tons of people would grow it so it would be very easy to get, and it would cut out the dealer/middle man.

 

[Pimp Lazy]

I think prices would go down as well… it only makes sense. Marijuana is expensive because they can charge that much and people will pay it. If it were legal it would be a lot more available and people wouldn't need to pay $60 for an 1/8 of a plant. Now thats weird. Imagine paying $60 for an 1/8 of mint or something like that. Its very scary to me that civil liberties are being stripped away from people in the United States, however, most people are not abiding by the laws that take away these liberties. Still stupid, but at least 'The People' have the common sense to resist unjust laws. Peace.

 

[Dr. McBudstoke]

the US should emulate holland and make it not legal, but tolerated

 

[Dr. McBudstoke]

also, keep in mind that it is a plant. why not legalize it and have it be a regular fucking plant...if you want it, grow it yourself or get it from a freind who grows it. i think that people forget that its not a drug, but a plant with intoxicating properties. u wouldnt tax mint and roses etc.
its just a damn plant, treat it like one

 

[Splatt]

Yeah, I would go for decriminilisation for now...
I think legalizing it in the way of tobacco.. growing your own might even be heftier fines than now, because it isnt "government controlled" growing environment.. I know cultivating tobacco here, and especially to sell, is worse fines than growing pot.

 

[galahan]

YES!

http://www.votehemp.com/

 

[AuraithX]

To Shimmer.Fade:

In your essay you state:

Therefore, smoking marijuana is very bad for a person’s lungs and can cause premature cancer.

However

even heavy marijuana smokers do not increase their risk for lung cancer.[31]

[31] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marijuana#_note-UCLA_study

edit: arg, the studies seems to have been taken off the CNN site since I last looked, I'll look for it again though!

edit2: found it! http://www.canorml.org/healthfacts/tashkinlungcancer.html


=====
And yes, I would want marijuana to be legalized. it's pretty much legal here in Scotland. you wont get charged unless you get caught 3x with weed. even then the police are more likely to smoke it themselves than report it.

It would also give me the chance to laugh at all the people that think weed is some horrible drug

 

[lucid.tripper]

I'd much rather it be decriminalized, and not regulated by the government, but hey, I live in bizzaro world 8)

 

[Xorkoth]

My opinion is: absolutely!

Consider the current problems that marijuana causes in our society. The first of these problems is that marijuana causes organized crime in its trade because it must be done on the black market. Some of it is distributed by gangs and drug cartels. However, were it legal, this would, by definition, be eliminated, because it would be able to be produced legitimately. This would also drive down the cost, because the vast majority of the current cost is due to markup as the product passes through sometimes dozens of hands, with each person who is selling it to others going through substantial personal risk. Take a look at Holland, for example. It's not cheap as dirt there, but it's much, much cheaper than it is here.

Secondly, purchasing marijuana currently can sometimes indirectly support terrorism and/or violence. But this, again, is due to its black market status. Were it all grown legally by legitimate companies and/or individuals, there would be no need to get it from crime lords or terrorists, and that indirect support would be eliminated.

Thirdly, marijuana (well, the whole drug war actually) currently costs American taxpayers a shit ton of money. It wastes tremendous tax dollars which could be spent bettering education, feeding the homeless, and other such noble causes. It costs thousands of dollars a year per prisoner who is kept in jail, and a very large percent (I believe as much as 70%) of Americans currently in jail are there because of nonviolent drug crimes. Think of the tremendous social cost that places on the taxpayers. Furthermore, the amount of money that goes into programs for "fighting" drugs is staggering. That money, too, would be much, much better spent on something worthwhile, rather than policing the nation and "protecting us from ourselves".

Another problem is that currently drug users including marijuana users are sometimes pushed to the fringe of society, which unnecessarily creates hardship for people whose only "wrong" is that they feel like getting high. Linking into this is the fact that you can go to jail for it, especially if you grow your own which is currently the most ethical, cost-effective, and sensible way to smoke. Going to jail and having a felony offense on your record can do a lot towards ruining your life. Try to tell me that it's right that you can have your life ruined by smoking marijuana for no other reason than the fact that the government doesn't want you to do it. And why is it okay to drink alcohol and still be socially acceptable. Alcohol is a far, far more destructive drug than marijuana will ever be. It causes hundreds of thousands of deaths per year in America alone, and is horribly physically addictive when used regularly for long periods. The physical addiction is so bad that you can die without treatment when withdrawing. Also, marijuana's illegal status and high cost can cause users to turn to crime to fuel their habits, the least of which is dealing it. This is actually much more of a problem with other drugs like heroin and cocaine, but is also an issue sometimes with marijuana. If these drugs were legalized and legislated, then no one would be forced to steal, hurt, kill, and so forth to get their drugs.

Another thing wrong with the current marijuana laws is that they're politically motivated and not designed to be the best for the people. The reasons it became illegal in the first place were racial and class issues - it was primarily used by blacks and mexicans in the early 1900s, and the illegality was used as a way to provide a method of controlling those populations as well as to keep white youth away from socializing with the minorities. As time went on, those at the head of the drug war found out how profitable it was for them (despite its shameful cost to the average taxpayer), and thus, it was in their best interest to keep it illegal. Why this is allowed to be the case is beyond me, but it's shameful and disgusting.

Were marijuana to be legalized, not only would we save tremendous taxpayer dollars in losing the drug war and pointless prison costs as I described above, but the government would be able to tax it as it does with alcohol and tobacco, which would bring in a whole additional source of money which could help relieve taxpayer burden and provide money to worthy causes.

Finally, the fact of the matter is that the drug war is not working. At all. People are still doing drugs, and the tremendous social cost has done nothing at all is stemming that flow. So what's the point?

All of this actually applies to all drugs that I can think of, not just marijuana, and to other countries as well, not just America. It simply isn't anyone's right to tell us what we can and cannot put into our bodies, as long as we're not hurting anyone else. Unfortunately, due to the conservativism present in our society and the fact that the drug war is profitable to those in charge of it, I doubt any drugs will be legalized anytime soon.

 

[Velimor]

After full legalization you would see a "cigarette" pack of joints, machine rolled and packaged, for maybe $20-$25. Figure 5 for marijuana, 5 for packaging and assorted business costs (advertising, transportation, pretty box with warning label..), and 15 in taxes. Would you turn that down?

Yeah, I would turn that down - 150% sales tax! 8(

I don't really anything to say that Xorkoth didn't already; he pretty much nailed it on the head. Legalization would save tens, if not hundreds, of billions of dollars for our country. And maybe some of that money could even go towards helping people . Competition, of course, would (or should, at least) bring the price down for herb...as long as you're not paying Thirdeye's 150% sales tax .

 

[Xorkoth]

Although, that 150% tax isn't far off from the alcohol and tobacco tax...

 

[kyanite]

I really hope legalisation or decriminalisation happens within say ten years. It's seems to have gained some momentum over the last two years, and hopefully won't die down. Imagine driving over to the home depot/costco/red roses to pick up a young plant or two

hmmm.....

 

[StagnantReaction]

It's only a matter of time before states regain their powers to restrict drugs.

 

[pin]

Q:
Why is marijuana considered bad for you?

A:
Because of the serious physical and psychological effects associated with its use, Despite the fact that it is widely available, and even “accepted” in some families and communities, marijuana remains a legally restricted harmful drug. It’s main ingredient is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), a mind-altering chemical. Marijuana produced today has a level of THC that is up to 25 times higher than the type sold in the 1960s. And depending on how it is “cut”, it can contain hundreds of other harmful chemicals, many of which are carcinogenic (cancer-causing).

Biologically, marijuana affects the brain, heart, lungs, sexual organs, and depresses the immune system. The effects on the brain include distortion of the senses, confused judgment, and decreased motor skills. Operating machinery and motor vehicles becomes dangerous. Effects on the heart include rapid heart rate and high blood pressure. Respiratory problems include pharyngitis, laryngitis, and bronchitis. Marijuana has been associated with lung, head, and neck cancers. It reduces the T-cells in the immune system that are needed to fight off infections. In pre-teens, marijuana use can retard physical growth and slow down development. High dose marijuana use can cause decreased fertility, breast enlargement in males, and breast milk production.

Usually marijuana in inhaled (smoking a “joint”) for it’s psychological effects. Within the first few minutes, it produces a sense of heightened well being and relaxation. Now that sounds good. But with continued use, the mental effects include short-term memory loss, shortened attention span, impaired learning, social withdrawal, and decreased motivation. Anxiety attacks, panic reactions, delirium, and hallucinations can occur. So pediatricians are very concerned about the harmful effects of marijuana and we do not support its use or legalization.

http://www.teengrowth.com/index.cfm...&category=danger&catdesc=Danger&subdesc=Drugs

 

[AuraithX]

Q:
Why is marijuana considered bad for you?

A:
Because of the serious physical and psychological effects associated with its use, Despite the fact that it is widely available, and even “accepted” in some families and communities, marijuana remains a legally restricted harmful drug. It’s main ingredient is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), a mind-altering chemical. Marijuana produced today has a level of THC that is up to 25 times higher than the type sold in the 1960s. And depending on how it is “cut”, it can contain hundreds of other harmful chemicals, many of which are carcinogenic (cancer-causing).

Biologically, marijuana affects the brain, heart, lungs, sexual organs, and depresses the immune system. The effects on the brain include distortion of the senses, confused judgment, and decreased motor skills. Operating machinery and motor vehicles becomes dangerous. Effects on the heart include rapid heart rate and high blood pressure. Respiratory problems include pharyngitis, laryngitis, and bronchitis. Marijuana has been associated with lung, head, and neck cancers. It reduces the T-cells in the immune system that are needed to fight off infections. In pre-teens, marijuana use can retard physical growth and slow down development. High dose marijuana use can cause decreased fertility, breast enlargement in males, and breast milk production.

Usually marijuana in inhaled (smoking a “joint”) for it’s psychological effects. Within the first few minutes, it produces a sense of heightened well being and relaxation. Now that sounds good. But with continued use, the mental effects include short-term memory loss, shortened attention span, impaired learning, social withdrawal, and decreased motivation. Anxiety attacks, panic reactions, delirium, and hallucinations can occur. So pediatricians are very concerned about the harmful effects of marijuana and we do not support its use or legalization.

http://www.teengrowth.com/index.cfm...&category=danger&catdesc=Danger&subdesc=Drugs

Please dont ever quote a 'teen' website again,
thanks.

Lung:
even heavy marijuana smokers do not increase their risk for lung cancer.
Throat & Neck;
No studies proving such
Immune system:
THC has an effect on the modulation of the immune system which may have an effect on malignant cells, but there is insufficient scientific study to determine whether this might promote or limit cancer
Reproductive System:
Cannabinoid receptors are also present in the human reproductive system, but there is insufficient scientific study to conclusively determine the effects of cannabis on reproduction. Mild allergies to cannabis may be possible in some members of the population.
Birth Defects
it is unlikely to cause birth defects or developmental delays in the children of users

Please go and read something before you post again.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marijuana

 

[pin]

Q:
I am a 15-year-old boy. I get an erection when I see my mother. Is that normal?

A:
It’s not an exaggeration to say that almost anything can lead to an erection in a teenage boy. For example, erections can happen while you’re asleep at night, sitting in math class, watching television or having sexual thoughts. And it’s also normal for all teenagers, both boys and girls, to have frequent sexual thoughts. Unless there is something unusual going on at home that you haven’t mentioned, your erections are normal

http://www.teengrowth.com/index.cfm...1814&category=sex&catdesc=Sex&subdesc=Arousal

 

[Blue_Phlame]

Please dont ever quote a 'teen' website again,
thanks.
Lung:
even heavy marijuana smokers do not increase their risk for lung cancer.
Throat & Neck;
No studies proving such
Immune system:
THC has an effect on the modulation of the immune system which may have an effect on malignant cells, but there is insufficient scientific study to determine whether this might promote or limit cancer
Reproductive System:
Cannabinoid receptors are also present in the human reproductive system, but there is insufficient scientific study to conclusively determine the effects of cannabis on reproduction. Mild allergies to cannabis may be possible in some members of the population.
Birth Defects
it is unlikely to cause birth defects or developmental delays in the children of users

Please go and read something before you post again.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marijuana

+1

and i'd like it decriminalized to the point of it almost seeming like it is legalized and compleatly risk free