<p>What exactly do people have against marijuana? I would like to hear some argument as to why it should be illegal and alcohol is legal.
Just some friendly discussion</p>
<p>you can't get second hand drunk.</p>
<p>Because it leads to reefer madness.</p>
<p>Well they tried making alcohol illegal, and it didn't work.</p>
<p>haha
does anybody have a real reason why they think it (m.) should be illegal?</p>
<p>um, what I said would be a pretty real reason. if there were restrictions like hash bars and home use only then perhaps, but even then children, animals, and other people are exposed to the smoke. </p>
<p>it also impairs judgement for some to the point where driving and operating machinery is a no-no but there is no instant test to prove if someone is inebriated such as a BAC test for alcohol. Also, because the government would have to regulate it and users would continue to grow thier own and sell at lower prices because US Maryjane factories would churn out garbage cheeb</p>
<p>Well being drunk can impact many peoples lives outside of the individual who chooses to get drunk. Just as second-hand smoke impacts someone who didn't want to smoke, doesn't a person who is drunk get involved with people who didn't want to be involved? For instance, bar fights or drunk driving? What about second-hand smoke from cigarettes?
In addition studies have shown that there is no connection between cancer and marijuana ( <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/25/AR2006052501729_pf.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/25/AR2006052501729_pf.html</a>)
However several studies are ongoing, so this can't really be used as a reason against or for.
I will concede the point about the BAC test, but I am sure if there was a will for a test, a method could be done.
As for production, diseconomies of scale could mean corporations would be able to produce mj at a cheaper cost.</p>
<p>If marijuana was legal this might happen...</p>
<p>Most of the DEA agents would lose their jobs
Police forces would no longer need all of the members on the drug team so some would lose their jobs or placed in other units
Jails and Prisons wouldn't be so over flowed so prison guards etc would lose their jobs
Alcohol, companies that make medicine, and tobacco companies would lose profits
Growers of fabrics such as cotton would take a loss since the use of hemp would probably become popular.
Hemp can also be used for lotion,soap,etc so companies that don't use hemp would probably lose money.</p>
<p>I don't usually care about this debate since it doesn't really affect me (cops don't care in my area), but I have to respond to these ridiculous arguments.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Most of the DEA agents would lose their jobs
Police forces would no longer need all of the members on the drug team so some would lose their jobs or placed in other units
[/quote]
</p>
<p>More like police forces could focus their resources on crimes that have real victims... you know, like murders.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Jails and Prisons wouldn't be so over flowed so prison guards etc would lose their jobs
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</p>
<p>This argument is the most absurd of the lot. By this logic, we should make alcohol and tobacco illegal to so as to give jobs to prison guards..... No seriously, prison overcrowding is a bad thing, period. </p>
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Alcohol, companies that make medicine, and tobacco companies would lose profits
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</p>
<p>Wrong, they'd gain in profits because they could diversify their products. Tobacco companies have already created plans for how to sell it should marijuana become legal.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Growers of fabrics such as cotton would take a loss since the use of hemp would probably become popular.
Hemp can also be used for lotion,soap,etc so companies that don't use hemp would probably lose money.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Same as above.</p>
<p>Those are the worst arguments for criminalization ever.</p>
<p>I never said they should criminalize it what I stated is that things that might happen or what some believe will happen </p>
<p>If marijuana was legal then yes they would need to downsize the drug unit in the police department it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out. Like I said they would either lose their jobs or BE PUT TO ANOTHER UNIT which could include murder.</p>
<p>People get an insane amount in time in jail more so then someone who is found drinking and driving which I think is wrong. So legalizing marijuana would cause the prison and jail population to go down. If this happens then why the hell would the state pay for all those prison guards they would not need?</p>
<p>WRONG the tobacco company thing has already been proven as myth. Even if it was true if I could grow it my back yard then why would I pay?</p>
<p>Even if fabric,soap,lotion etc manufactures were to add hemp into their products they will still lose money in some way.</p>
<p>There is no real reason why marijuana is illegal. If you look at Amsterdam the majority of its citizens do not even smoke so its not like it would become a big problem like alcohol is.</p>
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Even if it was true if I could grow it my back yard then why would I pay?
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</p>
<p>How many people do you know grow tobacco in their backyards?</p>
<p>None? I never said anything about growing tobacco I was talking about marijuana. If tobacco companies were selling pot who would buy it if it could be grown easily.</p>
<p>The OP asked why it was illegal and I stated my opinions on why I thought it was illegal. Enough said.</p>
<p>Just think of the kinds of people who are generally avid users of marijuana: hippies, burnt out youths, minorities, etc. You think the government wants to do a favour for these people? The average congressman usually doesn't smoke up, though they do drink, smoke, hire prostitutes, and more.</p>
<p>marijuana isnt legal because the government is full of HATERZ</p>
<p>
[QUOTE]
If marijuana was legal then yes they would need to downsize the drug unit in the police department it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out. Like I said they would either lose their jobs or BE PUT TO ANOTHER UNIT which could include murder.
[/QUOTE]
</p>
<p>DUDE, do you not realize that BILLIONS of tax dollars are spent in arresting marijuana users, when there are rapists, murderers, thieves, conmans, and a host of other REAL criminals that go by unnoticed daily. Not to mention you know there are thousands of drugs on the street and there are raging coke, cracke, meth, and dope rings that need to be focused on, all these departments in fact need MORE officers as it is. What type of logic are you having?</p>
<p>
[QUOTE]
People get an insane amount in time in jail more so then someone who is found drinking and driving which I think is wrong. So legalizing marijuana would cause the prison and jail population to go down. If this happens then why the hell would the state pay for all those prison guards they would not need?
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</p>
<p>Uhhhh because overpopulation is costing us even more billions a year trying to support criminals, thousands of which are doing something relatively harmless.</p>
<p>
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WRONG the tobacco company thing has already been proven as myth. Even if it was true if I could grow it my back yard then why would I pay?
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</p>
<p>What are you talking about? If you look around there is a slow but subtle stronger campaign against cigarettes, and tobacco companies would LOVE the chance to grow pot? Do you know the profit they would make? All these companies ALREADY own the fields, workers, and supplies necessary to MASS CULTIVATE these plants for not only smoking (because who the hell else would sell it? You think new companies would come in? hell no, Newport, marlboro, camel, etc will be the founding fathers when it does happen), but for the hemp products, and a myriad of other products such as rope, paper products, clothes, etc. All the companies that already have footholds in cotton and paper products will just grow this, all it would be is an addition. It would be relatively easy to ingratiate that into a company like Newport. You're mad if you think they don't want it legalized. </p>
<p>And he mentioned tobacco because it IS legal and you don't see everyone growing it. It would be the EXACT same thing, you don't think you can grow tobacco or something? it just takes time, effort, the knowledge, and the supplies, which is the exact same thing as herb.</p>
<p>And actually, hard drug usage, especially heroin, went down in the Netherlands when marijuana was legalized in Amsterdam.</p>
<p>
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Just think of the kinds of people who are generally avid users of marijuana: hippies, burnt out youths, minorities, etc.
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</p>
<p>Another ignorant statement. Countless people smoke it, it's just the youth who got scrutinized the worst. In the past 10 years, nearly 7 million americans have been arrested for herb. Do you realize just this year over 700,000 people were charged with either possession or distribution/cultivation? Every 42 seconds a smoker is arrested. EVERY 42 SECONDS. FOR PICKING OUT A PLANT OFF THE GROUND AND COOKING/SMOKING IT?</p>
<p>It's sad that's not the arrest rate for drunk driving. Or how about assault? You know maybe cops should be looking out for **** like that.
<a href="http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6313%5B/url%5D">http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6313</a>
There are millions of marijuana smokers all over america, even people you know, trust me.</p>
<p>"Well being drunk can impact many peoples lives outside of the individual who chooses to get drunk. Just as second-hand smoke impacts someone who didn't want to smoke, doesn't a person who is drunk get involved with people who didn't want to be involved? For instance, bar fights or drunk driving? What about second-hand smoke from cigarettes?"</p>
<p>the cases of bar fights and drunk driving are consiquences of poor judgement. I can get into a fight even if someone isn't drunk. I can get hit by a car even if neither driver is drunk. I can't get high if I'm not smoking and no one around me is either. that was a poor response.</p>
<p>ps. I'm not against the greenery but it has alot of reasons NOT to be legal.</p>
<p>"Just think of the kinds of people who are generally avid users of marijuana: hippies, burnt out youths, minorities, etc. You think the government wants to do a favour for these people? The average congressman usually doesn't smoke up, though they do drink, smoke, hire prostitutes, and more."</p>
<p>don't tell that to Reed/Brown/Bard/NYU/"insert school here" student. they might think you are a generalizing idiot or something.</p>
<p>EDIT: sorry, I don't know how to put other peoples quotes in those gray brackets.</p>
<p>M isn't lethal and it doesn't cause violent behavior. I have no idea why it is illegal even though alcohol, which causes way more deaths than M, is legal. There isn't a known case of someone dying from ODing on M except in a case concerning an elephant. BTW I am not supporting the use of M.</p>
<p>Hyakku you basically restated most of what I sad. I said the tobacco thing was a myth because of what I saw on a show about myths. Maybe they were wrong.</p>
<p>The only reason I think of why pot is a illegal is because of money. All those other reasons you see in commercials and what not have been debunked because of it being legal in Amsterdam. </p>
<p>When something is legal or has a low age requirement people are less likely to be bothered with it. Europe has a low drinking age and in some parts never checked ID but yet the only people I saw drinking were older people. Yes I know I said this before but in Amsterdam with it decriminalized its not everybody and their mother toking up only a small percentage.</p>
<p>I read somewhere that Amsterdam cannot legalize only decriminalize because of international laws or something. So that may have something to do with it being illegal stateside.</p>
<p>The debate in the U.S. isn't really over legalization but more over decriminalization. The two have very different implications; most people favor decriminalization.</p>
<p>Alcohol is socially acceptable, pot is not, plain and simple. We have imbibed alcohol for so long on basically a worldwide basis through history that it is accepted inevitably. I think also adding to this it is a more socially acceptable high -- people are more gregarious and chattier. It is delivered in a variety of nice tasting drinks and that counts for a lot. It lowers social inhibitions which is a nice thing for a lot of people for a lot of different reasons. A huge economy has built up around alcohol (much more entrenched than that that has grown up around weed). I think it is more addictive than pot (which while not physiologically addictive -- so far as I know -- can be psychologically so.)</p>
<p>It may boil down to the following: if I had to go and hang out with my family with a medium buzz on, I'd much prefer it be from alcohol than from pot. With alcohol I feel more alert and funnier, and with pot not. Hence, it doesn't have as widespread appeal or acceptance. (On the other hand, I had an uncle who was perpetually high even when with family.)</p>
<p>I do agree pot can be a gateway drug -- I experimented with other substances around the same time I tried pot -- but this could just be related to the fact that it's illegal like all the other stuff. I guess I was also using alcohol during this period of experimentation too, so perhaps that argument is not a great differentiator.</p>
<p>One of my greatest regrets up to now is I've never been with a woman while really high on pot. And if anyone of either gender would care to tell me whether I've missed a lot in this regard, and how it is, I'd be forever grateful. I'd hate to go to my deathbed without knowing how this was. As cliche as it may sound, I'd also be curious about your experiences on planes or in public too. Or even if you just have a good story about it, wherever it happened and in whatever state. (As I re-read what I've written, it occurs to me that perhaps sex should be made illegal, since it clearly affects the brain so strongly.)</p>