5 replies to this topic

[Tripp]

I think marijuana should be legalised. For the purposes of the debate, let's assume laws under legalisation would make pot similar to alcohol (21 age limit, no driving under the influence, etc.)

1. Other substances
Alcohol impairs you more, yet is legal. Cigarettes offer all of the same health concerns, but offer no significant benefit (high) and most cigarette smokers smoke more than marijuana users on a daily basis. Also, marijuana has been medically proven to be non-habit-forming, unlike cigarettes and alcohol. I invite anyone who wishes to rebute my claims to cite one scientific study that shows marijuana to be addictive. People claim there are over 10,000, yet fail to reference a single one. I have used cannabis (ALOT) in the past and found it in no way addictive. Studies actually show marijuana to be not addictive.

And we shouldn't rely on what the government claims to know about marijuana. Just because a court flooded with years of legal precedent kept things the way they are is not an indictment of marijuana. Rather than relying on a government agency, we should look at concrete scientific evidence, which I have provided, to make a determination. I realise there are negative health effects to smoking marijuana, just like there are with tobacco and alcohol. Still, tobacco is infinitely more dangerous with thousands of chemical additives and a level of addiction that can hardly be matched in the casual drug culture. Also, people smoke less cannabis than cigarettes. While someone may get high on weekends, smokers choke down a pack a day or more, if they are a heavy smoker.

If you have ever partaken in cannabis, you will surely agree that alcohol impairs you exponentially more. Alcohol is also more addictive than marijuana and causes bad health effects as well. Also, the simple fact that marijuana impaires is not a health effect, several things, like anesthesia, impair you without causing harmful effects. Both of these substances are legal (Tobacco and Alcohol), but because of legal precedent marijuana remains illegal. While the use of these drugs may be harmful, the legality of tobacco and alcohol demonstrate the civil liberties we should have in this country. A person should feel free to impair themselves in any way as long as it doesn't harm others, which I will address below.

2. Tax revenue
The government could tax and regulate the marijuana industry, generating state revenue at a time when it is needed. Also, the birth of a high demand industry would foster jobs and economic growth. Before any opponent is tempted to say that "legalization would decrease employee productivity." I only have this... Alcohol is legal, but people can't come to work hammered every day. Which brings me to another point. I believe if Cannabis was to be made legal, there should be enforced driving laws, you should not be able to drive under the influence of anything, and I firmly believe this all the way through.
The only one argument that could be viable is; that more smokers means more sick people and higher health care costs, the cost is overwhelmingly offset by the money we would make and save by not having to enforce marijuana prohibition ($7.7 billion US figures) and the tax revenue generated ($6.2 billion US firgures), totaling at a whooping $13.9 BILLION a year. Yes, that's billion, with a B. So, society would benefit incredibly financially. Also, over 500 economists including Milton Freidman just sent a letter to the feds supporting legalisation.
3. Criminals
With the ever growing popularity of marijuana, middle-class people who are not drug or street savvy are having to deal with dangerous people and frequent the more suspect areas of town to procure their product. Legalisation would stop this. Also, legalisation takes away a large portion of criminal funds, without the cost of policing. By offering the legal sale of marijuana, the criminal organizations who deal it now are out that revenue. Right now, marijuana is surging in popularity, making more and more casual users deal with dangerous criminals. Legalisation would stop this. Also, the funding criminals and criminal organizations receive from dealing drugs like marijuana is astronomical; so when we legalise it, all of that criminal funding disappears.

4. Quality / Medical
The medical purposes of marijuana (while they may be suspect) would be improved with improved quality. If people are able to grow it freely, it can be privatised professionally and developed at lower cost and higher quality yield. I'm not advocating the medical use of marijuana as the sole reason to legalise it. But, there are people who use it, whether advisedly so or not. So, those people that choose to use it for medical use would have access to better weed at lower costs. If marijuana shortens the lifespan of someone with AIDS or cancer, maybe people with AIDS and cancer shouldn't smoke pot. I'm not forcing it down people's throats, just making it available to those who do choose to partake.

5. Civil Liberties
The political history of marijuana is suspect. Many believe it was outlawed under false pretenses (I'll go into detail if so requested). Also, in a free country, a citizen should be able to indulge/harm themselves in any way they see fit as long as they do not infringe upon or danger the rights of others. While other harder substances may offer this risk, the private consumption of marijuana doesn't.

I've heard many (incorrect) radical theories for and against cannabis, but the facts remain. There has NEVER been a recorded death of Cannabis overdose. There has never been recorded addictions to Cannabis. And to be honest, if you could by Cannabis mixed tobacco pouches/ premade cigarettes with tobacco in it, the government, would very easily be able to fill a massive hole in the deficit (The UK has debt. BIG debt that I firmly believe that if they taxed a product like this, would be less of a problem than it is now.) Also if they were produced legally, there would be strict control about how they are grown and what harmful additives (that can be added by dealers to make it heavier, thus sell more of it). Its not the government's job to protect us from ourselves, simply to protect me from other citizens and vice verse. What I choose to do with my own life and well-being is my business. The government realises this in some areas, like abortion, but fails to apply it here because of the foregone stigma that accompanies marijuana.

Also, society needs to realise a level of significance here. When I say 'harm someone else', there needs to be substantial reason to strip someone of their rights. Slightly increased health care costs doesn't seem substantial, especially considering the money we would actually make. Also, there are countless other more harmful vices, especially when it comes to health care, such as heart disease, the number one killer in America. Should we ban trans fat and run Mickey D's out of town because of an increase in health care costs? Seems like they are doing far more damage than smokers. And what about Alcohol?

Citations:
(http://www.cannabismd.net/addiction/) - Cannbis and Addictions
(http://economics.abo...egalize_pot.htm) - About.com
I'm looking forward to hearing from someone on this topic. Thanks in advance.


Edit: Added a poll (Private one). Was meant to add it at the time of making this thread. But was lets just say too "stoned". xD

[Zero]

Well, I suppose I'll respond if no one else will.

Personally, I'm for legalization of cannabis for many of the reasons already listed, though I do not use it myself. My primary reason is that we shouldn't force people not to use something if they so please as long as it isn't in a way that is detrimental to others or their property (i.e. smoking it around people who don't, causing them to inhale second-hand smoke).

Furthermore, I have discovered on my own that it isn't marijuana that is addictive, but substances it is often contaminated with if purchased from someone else. This means that while buying it from someone else carries a risk, growing it yourself is far safer. Now that's not to say that its perfectly safe due to the health problems, but that's only when its used more often than one should. In moderation its less detrimental than alcohol.

Of course there would be regulations, however, such as banning advertising it to children, a tax on its purchase and perhaps a legal limit on how much of it you can purchase at once. Regulations can also be made on how it would be sold to ensure that other substances aren't placed in it to make it addictive (which is done in tabacco products but is not regulated, making them far worse).

There's a concern about the effects on some people when used in public (some people become more agressive when its used, but usually seem fairly calm), some of which make sense, but limitations can be imposed on its use in public, just like with alcohol.

So without a doubt, I'm all for legalization.

Pro-MJ: 2

Anti-MJ: 0

[Shilue]

I believe some drugs are so powerful, dangerous and addictive that they should be outlawed however marijuana is far from being one of those. I personally do not use it and never have but find the constant 'studies' you hear about once and never again just adds up to slander. I once heard of some such study trying to claim that marijuana affects a chemical in your brain that has to do with addiction meaning that if you are naturally not easily addicted to something marijuana would cause you to become easily addicted. If any of it could be backed with hard evidence these studies would be used as justification for keeping marijuana illegal. Medical use is already legal in my state and a law legalizing recreational use nearly passed not long ago. Quite something considering possessing any amount of marijuana used to be a felony. I have honestly not met anyone from my generation that believes it should still be outlawed and it only remains so because of old stigma and prejudice against it. As stated before I have never heard a confirmed report of someone dieing from an OD of marijuana, I have heard rumors of someone dieing in Canada just gossip from friends, and acording to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) hundreds die each year from acute alcohol intoxication. I think its only a matter of time before it becomes legal. As more people grow up in a world where the stigma of marijuana is losing power it seems inevitable.

[Zero]

Shilue, on 29 May 2011 - 04:00 hrs, said:

I believe some drugs are so powerful, dangerous and addictive that they should be outlawed however marijuana is far from being one of those. I personally do not use it and never have but find the constant 'studies' you hear about once and never again just adds up to slander. I once heard of some such study trying to claim that marijuana affects a chemical in your brain that has to do with addiction meaning that if you are naturally not easily addicted to something marijuana would cause you to become easily addicted. If any of it could be backed with hard evidence these studies would be used as justification for keeping marijuana illegal. Medical use is already legal in my state and a law legalizing recreational use nearly passed not long ago. Quite something considering possessing any amount of marijuana used to be a felony. I have honestly not met anyone from my generation that believes it should still be outlawed and it only remains so because of old stigma and prejudice against it. As stated before I have never heard a confirmed report of someone dieing from an OD of marijuana, I have heard rumors of someone dieing in Canada just gossip from friends, and acording to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) hundreds die each year from acute alcohol intoxication. I think its only a matter of time before it becomes legal. As more people grow up in a world where the stigma of marijuana is losing power it seems inevitable.

Thanks for reminding me of that proposition. I completely forgot about that; embarrassing considering both you and I live in the same state, Shilue, so I should have thought of that! XP

Pro-MJ: 3

Anti-MJ: 0


Should this thread have had a poll added to it, I wonder (even though I doubt anyone who's against it will have a valid arguement in the face of all tht's been said)?

Edited by Zero, 29 May 2011 - 06:40 hrs.

[Shilue]

No problem Zero. Something else I wanted to add that bothers me a lot is how Marijuana is referred to as a gateway drug. Sure it could be a stepping stone for some people onto more dangerous things but how much power would it lose as a 'gateway' drug if it were legalized. Like Ero-Wolfie said causal users are put into contact with a criminal element to get their product and like any good salesman they are likely to try and sell them more and more product (Harder drugs) but if it were legal this gateway into making such criminal contacts would vanish and one may even be able to argue the use of harder drugs could potentially go down with legalization.

[Zero]

That is also true. Furthermore (this has to do with personal responsibility) in moderation it does very little harm to the user. Furthermore it ensures that nothing addicting is simply added to it prior to transaction (it's actually fairly common for a tiny hint of cocaine to be mixed in with illegally-bought cannabis, so if it wete legalized, this would all but disappear).

Edited by Zero, 29 May 2011 - 17:11 hrs.