Tom's Guide | Tom's Hardware | Tom's Games
 |
 |
 |
Why Legalizing Marijuana Makes Sense??
As much as I would love for this to happen, I highly doubt it will.
Growing up in the North Island of New Zealand there was and always has been for as long as I can remember, the debate of decrimilisation of Marijuana.
I grew up with it and grew out of it.
There are so many debates that rage over it's usage.
Government tax conspiracy theories and mental health concerns alike.
All I can say is that whether it is legal or not it will for many continue to be a "drug of choice",
I remember being a young bloke, going for my weekend buzz, there were people of ALL ilk at the dealers place of business.
And NEVER was there the violent outbursts experienced with pot that there is with alcohol.
I'm not saying I condone it, but it certainly makes you wonder what should be legal and not.
0 
Until there are enough people that will band together and not just a hodge-podge group here and there, it will never become legal....Marijuana is the embarashment to most governments because they went too far in the criminalization of it. Similar to the temperance laws in the early part of the 20th century. If it were to become legal then there will be many retributions that must be made to those that were caught up within the criminal aspects.
Right now would really not do any good for it as the tobacco tax increases would sky rocket the cannabis tax and the price would still be too high to be regulated without some illegal enterprise trying to under market it.
Change Is Good
http://www.citizenlink.org/Stopligh...
0
And NEVER was there the violent outbursts experienced with pot that there is with alcohol.
My little brother is a cop. Ask any cop who they'd rather arrest, a drunk or a pothead. They'll all answer "the pothead"
Simply put, drunks are well known for being belligerent, combative, and violent. Potheads on the other hand are mellow, quiet, polite and easy to deal with.
Some years back I lived in an apartment building and got to know the manager quite well. When possible, he prevented drunks from renting from him but was always more than happy to rent to potheads. I asked him why that was. His reply was something to the affect of, "Well, drunks wreck stuff, annoy their neighbours with fights and stuff like that. With potheads the most you get called about is the smell, loud laughter and music. When you call a pothead and tell them to tone it down because their neighbours are complaining they apologize and do so. With a drunk if you say the same thing, they want to fight."
All things considered, I live in Canada and pot here is the next best thing to legal. While it hasn't been decriminalized yet, it quite likely will be in the future. It's now being grown by the government because it has become a prescription drug. The joke about that is, the gov't asked their grower to tone their pot down as it was too potent.......LOL. They're growing it in an abandoned potash mine in the province I was born and raised in.
Most Canadian cops couldn't be bothered to bust anybody for simple possesion as it's a useless bunch of time consuming work for them. And the simple truth is, unless you outright whip a bag of the stuff out and slap them in the face with it, they more likely to ignore you even if they think you are stoned.
If it were decriminalized and sold in licensed outlets just think of the tax revenue for the government. The big problem for the most part is the US governments "0 tolerance" policy. Which makes no sense since everyone except the most ignorant know that beyond any shadow of a doubt, alcohol is by far a worse drug.
0
Okay I am not saying it is common but, I have seen a few get violent on pot. I am of the opinion however that these are just violent people. As I sit here smoking a cigarette I acknowledge that pot is bad for you. I smoked my fair share in school and did many other drugs as well. I have lost a fiance to a pot head that fell asleep behind the wheel. Ticks me off I got more jail time for kicking his butt than he did for killing her. Do I condone it? HELL NO!!!
Do I think it should be legal? Well I have also sat at a bar and watched a man drink himself to death but booze is legal. I have seen many drunk drivers kill many people but booze is legal. I have emphysema but cigarettes are legal. Would legalizing it cause it's usage to go down? Sure you'll always have that small group of people, mostly kids, that have to do things they aren't supposed to, they'll have to find something else. Will it be a large decline in usage? No. Right now the big thing that ticks me about drug use in general is that I have an uncle out in California that works somehow in the medical profession, I am not sure exactly what he does, but he tells me he sees people every day that are on social security or SSI because they can not work do to their addiction to drugs. So basically while I am at the moment giving blood, driving a cab, cutting grass, working at the docks and what ever else I can do to make ends meet since I got laid off some of the taxes I pay go to a lazy peice of stuff so that he or she can get high! Who in the heck thought up this plan. If I become a fall down drunk, which is legal, can I sit at home and draw SSI?Oh good lord I can go on for hours on this one in both directions. Personally I think we should legalize it all. From what I gather the vast majority of medical problems directly caused by drugs are caused by poor quality control if you will. Anyway who cares about that. Alcohol and cigarettes cause just as many problems. Oh and no I do not drink. I used too but first I had to be drunker and drunker totolerate the drunks at the bars and after a while the drunker I got the less I could tolerate the drunks. I have good friends I haven't spoken to in years because I can't get near them without a drink being shoved in my face.
My way of looking at things is regardless of whether I condone the use or use myself I can't find any drugs at all that cause any more problems than alcohol or cigarettes. Around the entire world how many jobs are held by people in the tabaco and alcohol industries? How much tax money is generated by them? How many families are eating good meals provided by alcohol? How many families are struggling because the main bread winner got high and got incarserated?
I don't condone the recreational use of any drugs. Can someone show me though how honestly drugs are worse than booze? I don't condone drinking alcohol either but, it is legal. Maybe instead of legalizing drugs we should delegalize alcohol and cigarettes? Oh man this is one of those subjects that just makes me want to scream.
Practice makes perfect but only if you practice perfectly!
0
Alcohol is legal. People drink & drive. If pot were legal, wouldn't there be more people smoking & driving?
0
Alcohol is legal. People drink & drive. If pot were legal, wouldn't there be more people smoking & driving?
Do you mean more than already do?
I hate to say it but, I doubt the numbers would climb since most potheads do drive while stoned right now. There's no quick roadside breathalalyzer that can be used on people to test for THC so there are no absolute numbers right now. But I can tell you from personal experience...many potheads drive while stoned. If I were to try to guess, I'd wager the number of people who drive stoned would equal the number of tokers that have cars and valid drivers licenses.
I've seen a couple different studies on the effects of alcohol and pot on peoples reaction times and their vision etc while driving and comparatively speaking, there is no comparison between the two. The fact that thousands upon thousands of people daily drive stoned and don't get into accidents kind of speaks for itself too. The simple fact is, pot barely makes a difference. Yes, one's mind tends to wander a bit but unlike booze, a stoned person can still focus and concentrate. And, if you use chronic pot smokers while doing the testing, you find that it barely makes any difference at all (they drive about the same sober as stoned and their skill levels are almost equivalent). They're so used to being high that it doesn't debilitate them.
The simple truth is, when most chronic heads get out and drive while stoned, they tend to drive more slowly and carefully and obey the traffic laws.
The same can never be said for alcohol and alcoholics.
0
Yes, I mean more than already do. There is no doubt that the numbers would rise. Comparison numbers of reaction times between alcohol & pot don't matter because we aren't talking about an either/or situation. We are talking about an addition of impaired drivers to the existing number, which is exactly what would happen.
I smoked pot between 1967 & 1985. It made me a nervous wreck. I practice martial arts & I know a lot about reaction times & alertness. There is nothing you can say to convince me that things wouldn't get worse on the roads if it were legalized.
0
Before I say anything else, let me preface it by saying, I'm about to disagree with you. But I want you to understand I'm not trying to disrespect you, or downplay your opinion. I'm not attacking you or your beliefs, just expressing my opinion.
Yes, I mean more than already do. There is no doubt that the numbers would rise.
I doubt that very much myself. Unless you think that making it legal would mean a sudden increase in total number of users country-wide. And to be honest, I doubt that numbers of users would increase much as most people who are interested in it have already tried it and have either continued using it regularly or have left it alone depending on how much they did, or didn't enjoy it.
There is nothing you can say to convince me that things wouldn't get worse on the roads if it were legalized.I didn't think there would be. But it is worth noting that there are hundreds of thousands, possibly millions, of potheads out there who drive while stoned (and likely have for many years) and do not get into accidents.
I'm talking from professional drivers driving semi's, taxi's and pick up and delivery trucks in town to the average Joe going from his bro's house to home after a "session".
I never tried to argue that pot doesn't affect reaction time and alertness. But it goes without saying that it doesn't do the job on those things that booze does.
The last thing I'd like to say is, if Canada and/or the US did make pot legal, I do believe they'd find a way to do roadside tests, like a breathalyzer, for pot. Barring that, they could always take a blood sample (if they had just cause to suspect you were under the influence) and suspend your driving pending the outcome of the test.
0
You can disagree all you want & I don't consider it disrespectful as long as you continue to be polite about it.
I still think that the number of pot smokers would increase & I would say that the increase would be in the 18 to 25 year old range because Mom can't tell them what to do anymore. They are the people who are just starting to drive. They don't have the experience that the professionals you mentioned have. Even with that experience, pot smokers put themselves on auto pilot when they drive (not good). I know that from my own experience.
As a side note that has nothing to do with the debate, you mentioned professional drivers & listed 'semis' as one of the vehicles. Most people refer to tractor trailers as semis. Not all tractor trailers are semis. A semi has one less axle on the tractor, making the total number of wheels 14 or less, depending on the size of the trailer. Look closely at many Post Office & UPS tractor trailers. You'll see the difference.
0
I think the number of users would go up but not enough to be really notable. I actually believe some would stop using as they were only using because they were told no in the first place. I don't see pot as being as addictive as cigarettes or alcohol. I have known many over the years that were chronic users that got themselves in a position where they could no longer afford to take the chance of being tested for fear of loosing a job that they wanted to keep more than they wanted to be high. I have never heard any of them complain that they were jonesing to get high. I have seen many however have big problems giving up cigarettes.
Practice makes perfect but only if you practice perfectly!
0
What determines "really notable"?
At least thousands. I am sure more will pick it up that are not now doing it. I just don't believe that out of all of us that are not doing it the ones that do will be that big a percentage. Maybe say ten to fifteen percent.
Practice makes perfect but only if you practice perfectly!
0
That's my point. I don't see thousands more picking it up just because it becomes legal. Thefore the number of new users would not be notable. Just my opinion though.
Practice makes perfect but only if you practice perfectly!
0
Well, my formative years were in the 60's. Back then drug and alcohol were more prevalent and acceptable.
I can't think of anyone I knew that smoked pot that didn't move on to at least experiment with more potent drugs. Kids today seem to be doing the same sort of experimentation. That IMO is the danger of legalization.
Alcohol is actually beneficial in moderate amounts. The problem is many in today's society have little personal discipline. This is why folks eat and drink too much, spend more money than they should, etc.
Until we figure out how to put the brakes on this type of behavior we shouldn't legalize it.
I am in favor of much harsher penalties for drunk driving. Our relaxed attitudes about personal responsibility would no doubt creep into any problems associated with Marijuana abuse.
One last thing to note. My personal observations are that the users that go off the deep end in the use of any drugs or alcohol are a drain on society that we can't afford. These folks may be the minority of all users but still extract a heavy cost to all of us.
0
I agree all the way around. I moved from pot to much more potent highs as well. One day I guess I got to the party late all my so called friends were already wasted. Gave me time to realize what a dull person I must have been when I was high. To think of all the time I wasted thinking what a great time I was having and all I was doing was laughing at nothing or stairing at the wall like an idiot. Life may not have been all roses but it was honest and a lot more exiting after I quit. As for drunk driving laws I never will get it. If I choose to run over someone while driving down the road I am a murderer but, if I get drunk and fall asleep at the wheel and do it I have a problem and should only get a slap on the wrist? First offense here if no one is hurt you get your license suspended for six months and a fine. You can apply for and get a license that will allow you to drive to and from work during this time so really you just get a fine. Under Florida law if you have had several DUIs the judge can suspend your license indefinetly which is defined as five years. The only requirement to get your license fully reinstated after that time is not have gotten another DUI during that time. I used to work with a man that killed someone during his seventh DUI. He only served one month and was ordered to pay $12,000.00 in fines. The family of the man he killed sued. The judge threw the case out stating that he could not afford the fines so they would never see any money from him. Chapps my butt. To me DUI = attempted murder until someone is actually killed then it becomes premeditated. This person with malice of forethought did knowingly get behind the wheel while impared knowing that this action could cause death. I think they should all be charged in this manor. Impared is impared regardless of what was used to get that way.
I do however think all drugs should be legal. Or alcohol should be illigal one or the other. There is nothing you can smoke, ingest, shootup or snort that causes any more trouble than alcohol. Be it medically, physically or psychologically. That's just my opinion though for what that's worth.
Practice makes perfect but only if you practice perfectly!
0
Well, I have to beg to differ here guys.....
I can't think of anyone I knew that smoked pot that didn't move on to at least experiment with more potent drugs. Kids today seem to be doing the same sort of experimentation. That IMO is the danger of legalization.
Pot is not a "gateway drug".
If you want to talk about gateway drugs, start with booze because most people who try pot, do so after trying booze. I know I did.....and I'd bet the same is true for 90+% of all pot smokers, past and present.
But the simple truth is, I don't buy into this "gateway" idea. My formative years were in the 70's and things weren't a whole lot different in the 70's than they were in the 60's. I first got drunk when I was 8. That was kind of by accident since I didn't have a clue what "drunk" meant and my cousin and I stole a couple beers at my grandparents 45th anniversary party (at which most of their children, my aunts and uncles were drunk). Anyhow, the first conscious decision of mine to drink was when I was 11. I never tried pot until I was 12 and didn't begin to smoke it regularly until I was 14.
Having said that....I tried pretty much everything there was.....mda, cocaine, heroin (only once), mescalin, peyote, magic mushrooms etc etc etc and so on and so on and so on. As a recovering alcoholic with 21 years of sobriety under his belt I can tell you what led me down the garden path.
It wasn't pot. It wasn't booze. It was low self esteem and self destructive streak about a mile wide.
Yes, some people try other drugs out of curiosity. But, if you check all the hardcore users (read: addicts) you'lll find the one thing they almost all have in common is low self esteem. I chased that "good feeling" one gets from a few drinks, a couple tokes, a few lines etc etc for many years.....and that was what led me to other, harder, drugs than pot....it was my trying to feel better..........not pot, not booze.
I know a heroin addict who's been at it almost 30 years. He's never tried pot.
I know a cocaine addict who tried pot once in like, 1976 and never tried it again. Yet, in 1998 or thereabouts, he got all messed up on coke. Did the pot lead him to it? No. His marriage and life fell apart and coke made him feel better.
Conversely, I know quite a few potheads, people who've smoked it regularly for years who have never touched any other drug.
For this "gateway drug" stuff to be valid, everyone who ever tried it and/or smoked it reguarly would go on to become a crystal meth (something I never did try), cocaine, heroin junky because pot would lead them to it and each in turn would lead to the other.
Nope, I don't buy it....
0
Curt R
I am not implying that everyone that uses pot will go on to other drugs, but many do.
Making absolute statements about anything is incorrect. There are always exceptions. I think much of what you say about ones self esteem is true. However, peer pressure also comes into play. You are right about alcohol being worse than many other drugs. That is simply because it is legal so more folks are going to use it. Some will abuse it. Makes sense to me. If you work percentages then the higher the starting percentage the higher percentage of eventual abusers. That is reason enough to not legalize pot.
0
Heck yeah, MANY do. I would love to see some stats on it. Common sense (if "sense" can really be termed "common" when so many seem to lack any....) tells me that something along the order of 80+% of all teenagers try pot or some other drug. I suspect the numbers would be higher for booze since it's a legal drug.
Some decide almost immediately it's not for them and never touch it, or any other drugs, again. I've known many people like that over the years. But as can be expected, a lot of them do enjoy it and continue using it.
I still think the number of people wouldn't climb noticably. I feel quite sure in my own heart that those who are going to try it will...........regardless of whether or not it's legal. But, that's my opinion and since your's is on the opposite side of mine, I can see we could go around in circles forever without either one of us ever convincing the other........lol
I respect your opinion, but am not moved by your arguement to change my mind. So I suspect we'll have to agree to disagree on the subject of increasing numbers should it be made legal.
0
There is a happy medium. As I mentioned my thoughts against legalization were due to the increase of impaired drivers, which I still think would occur, especially in the new driver age range of 18 to 25.
Instead of legalizing it, a possession offense could be lessened to a violation, similar to a parking ticket. That would prevent the increase of impaired drivers & at the same time remove the strain from the criminal court system. It's a win win situation for all.
How do you know when a politician is lying? His mouth is moving.
0
Oh no I know we are not jumping in on the problems of a new driver??? Let them have the pot, heck let them snort lines off the reaview while doing 75 down the interstate. I think you would stop a lot more problems with " new drivers " if you take their bloomin' cell phones away. Not more than an hour ago I saw a kid rearend a guy at a traffic light because he was texting his buddy! No one was hurt this time but still! Yeah I am a bit overboard about the whole snorting lines thing but to be honest if we are not going to tighten up on drunk drivers then why do we care what they got high on. If you get hit by someone that is impaired are you going to be less injured or less angry if he is drunk rather than high?
Also the whole gateway thing..... I don't really subscribe to that either. Yeah I did move from pot to coke but it wasn't because I was looking for a better high it was because someone gave me some at a party and I liked it. The same for heroine and a few others. Most were to expensive for a 15 to 17 year old kid to keep up with so I pretty much smoked more pot. I never quit it and went to something more potent. I may have if I had born with a silver spoon in my mouth however.
The same kids that would be a problem on the street after getting high are a problem now anyway as they are either high or drunk behind the wheel anyhow legal makes no difference.
Practice makes perfect but only if you practice perfectly!
0
That guy smoked a joint & was texting his buddy to tell him how good it was. (Just kidding.)
Sometime in the 70s, I was smoking a joint while driving a 64 Chevy Impala. The light turned yellow. Since there was a cop on the corner, which makes a pot smoker paranoid, I decided to stop. A woman in a Ford Capri, not expecting me to stop, hit me in the rear. The cop came over as I put the joint in my pocket & we all looked at the damage. There wasn't a scratch on my Chevy but the Capri was completely smashed & steam was everywhere. I said to the cop, I'll let her go if you'll let her go. He said, I don't have anything to do with it unless you want me to. So, I left.
How do you know when a politician is lying? His mouth is moving.
0
November 2008 it was decriminalized in Massachusetts and since then a guy driving a subway train rear ended another subway car but he was text messaging at the time. It had nothing to do with pot.
Bryan
0
What are you guys talking about? :)
Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is wi
0
Although, I have never smoked & don't think I'll ever have the desire to. I believe there's an empirical reason why the US marijuana policy is becoming more of a joke nowadays: It's the "Gen X" era, Stupid!
40% Say Marijuana Should Be Legalized
2007 National Survey on Drug Use & Health: Detailed Tables
0  |
 |
 |
This post is quite old and has been locked from receiving new replies. Please create a new posting instead.
| Ads by Google |
