Should marijuana be decriminalized?

Should marijuana be decriminalized?

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#53
#53
Glutton said:
Well said.

I cant believe we are debating this. This thread is not a cross section of america. How many of you are parents? Every parent tells their kid not to do drugs, even when some of the parents did it as a child. Marijuana is something people do when they are young, until they grow out of it and realize how stupid it really was. Making Marijuana legal has no benefit. Don't tell me money is a benefit.. when the gov't gets to spend more, and grows larger it is no where near beneficial.
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No benefit to you...maybe. And yes, money is a benefit. There is a estimated 50 million pot smokers that would have a estimated 45-110 billion dollar spending. Tax that....that is some serious $$$
 
#54
#54
dantheman617 said:
No benefit to you...maybe. And yes, money is a benefit. There is a estimated 50 million pot smokers that would have a estimated 45-110 billion dollar spending. Tax that....that is some serious $$$
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More money is the last thing government needs right now. Instead of finding new ways to make money they need to find new ways to curb spending. The government taking less money from us means we have more disposable income, that brings a better economy, better jobs and better money.
 
#55
#55
KB5252 said:
More money is the last thing government needs right now. Instead of finding new ways to make money they need to find new ways to curb spending. The government taking less money from us means we have more disposable income, that brings a better economy, better jobs and better money.
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well either way the pot industry will continue to grow...if the gvt doesn't want a part of that, well that is their loss. People will continue to buy it regardless
 
#56
#56
KB5252 said:
Are you seriously saying bananas pose the same health risks as marijuana?
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I'll say aspirin poses a more serious health risk than MJ. An estimated 7000 people per year overdose on aspirin.

In fact just about anything...driving, flying, hitting golf balls...is more dangerous than smoking MJ in the privacy of one's own home. And the long term effects...I would say there are any number of things....smoking, alcohol, eating fried foods...poses a more serious health risk than pot does.
 
#57
#57
Hotdogs are more dangerous than MJ and they have no benefit other than being wonderfully delicious - especially if you are high.
 
#58
#58
KB5252 said:
Are you seriously saying bananas pose the same health risks as marijuana?
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I was speaking of logical reasons to ban something. As far as health risks, it's none of the governments damn business what I put in my body.
 
#59
#59
rjd970 said:
I'll say aspirin poses a more serious health risk than MJ. An estimated 7000 people per year overdose on aspirin.

In fact just about anything...driving, flying, hitting golf balls...is more dangerous than smoking MJ in the privacy of one's own home. And the long term effects...I would say there are any number of things....smoking, alcohol, eating fried foods...poses a more serious health risk than pot does.
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How many of those 7,000 intended to kill themselves with aspirin?

Yes all of those things listed are more dangerous, throw marijuana in the mix and all those activities carry even more risk.

I know from personal experience marijuana is harmful to the lungs, in the short term even more harmful than tobacco though the long term effect of tobacco on the lungs is well documented the long term effects of marijuana has been much less studied and the jury is still out in some respects.
 
#60
#60
666 said:
I was speaking of logical reasons to ban something. As far as health risks, it's none of the governments damn business what I put in my body.
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Ok, I misunderstood your point. I agree that government is too involved in our daily lives.
 
#61
#61
rjd970 said:
I'll say aspirin poses a more serious health risk than MJ. An estimated 7000 people per year overdose on aspirin.

In fact just about anything...driving, flying, hitting golf balls...is more dangerous than smoking MJ in the privacy of one's own home. And the long term effects...I would say there are any number of things....smoking, alcohol, eating fried foods...poses a more serious health risk than pot does.
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+1 I would also go on to say that all NSAIDS pose more of a health problem than MJ does. But it is funny how NSAIDS are legal, maybe because drug companies can charge the hell out of them. I have to use NSAIDS for chronic knee problems and I would say if I was able to hit the devil's lettuce every now and then legally, I would never have to touch NSAIDS.
 
#62
#62
KB5252 said:
How many of those 7,000 intended to kill themselves with aspirin?

Yes all of those things listed are more dangerous, throw marijuana in the mix and all those activities carry even more risk.

I know from personal experience marijuana is harmful to the lungs, in the short term even more harmful than tobacco though the long term effect of tobacco on the lungs is well documented the long term effects of marijuana has been much less studied and the jury is still out in some respects.
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Even if everyone of them overdosed on it, which is highly unlikely, MJ has no known lethal dosage, and yet, still has legitimate medical uses. That makes it unique among all currently controlled substances.

Admittedly, I don't have any personal experience with MJ so I can't speak with any authority on it. However, have you read all the crap that is in a cigarette? It's hard for me to believe that smoking a natural plant is more dangerous than smoking something with traces of cyanide in it.

That being said, the danger of all those things can be increased by other factors too that aren't currently illegal.

Anyway, I don't know how one can argue that MJ should be illegal without arguing that tobacco and alcohol should be illegal too.
 
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#63
#63
Everyone is talking about the tax revenue from selling it, but I think there is also a chance for a huge tax savings. I don't have any solid figures but I am going to guess a significant amount of resources in law enforcement and corrections are dedicated to Marijuana busts, arrests, and incarcerations and the savings of that alone would go a long way as well.
 
#64
#64
rjd970 said:
Even if everyone of them overdosed on it, which is highly unlikely, MJ has no known lethal dosage, and yet, still has legitimate medical uses. That makes it unique among all currently controlled substances.

Admittedly, I don't have any personal experience with MJ so I can't speak with any authority on it. However, have you read all the crap that is in a cigarette? It's hard for me to believe that smoking a natural plant is more dangerous than smoking something with traces of cyanide in it.

That being said, the danger of all those things can be increased by other factors too that aren't currently illegal.

Anyway, I don't know how one can argue that MJ should be illegal without arguing that tobacco and alcohol should be illegal too.
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I am not arguing against legalization of marijuana, as I have said I am on the fence about the issue. I do believe there are many factors to consider here that are being overlooked by the legalize now crowd.

I think government has too much influence on our daily lives at it is and IMO this would be the best case for legalization. I think the argument, "tobacco is legal so why shouldn't marijuana", is about as bad a reason as I could imagine. It is the same argument kids used when they got in trouble at school (well Jimmy did it so why can't I".

I guess I am just taking the opposing position and laying out the arguments from that side. I don't think this would effect me either way whether it is legalized or not.
 
#65
#65
KB5252 said:
I am not arguing against legalization of marijuana, as I have said I am on the fence about the issue. I do believe there are many factors to consider here that are being overlooked by the legalize now crowd.

I think government has too much influence on our daily lives at it is and IMO this would be the best case for legalization. I think the argument, "tobacco is legal so why shouldn't marijuana", is about as bad a reason as I could imagine. It is the same argument kids used when they got in trouble at school (well Jimmy did it so why can't I".

I guess I am just taking the opposing position and laying out the arguments from that side. I don't think this would effect me either way whether it is legalized or not.
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The philosophical trouble with that comparison is Jimmy did in fact do something everybody recognizes as wrong. Your comparison is valid when there is a huge "illegalization of tobacco" crowd. It's not going to happen.

So yes, I think the fact that tobacco is legal is one of the better reasons.
 
#66
#66
It is sad, that 90% of the people on this board are in favor of legalizing marijuana, yet no one in Congress will probably act on it in the next few years. I'm guessing there's a high majority in the general population in favor too.
 
#67
#67
Where does the board stand on prostitution? Legalize, regulate, and tax the dogcrap out of it?
 
#69
#69
rjd970 said:
Where does the board stand on prostitution? Legalize, regulate, and tax the dogcrap out of it?
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no problem with that either. Plus it may help with disease so it should definitely be a part of UHC
 
#70
#70
rjd970 said:
Where does the board stand on prostitution? Legalize, regulate, and tax the dogcrap out of it?
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i'm not sure taxing the crap out of it is great considering how little these women make anyway. i support legalizing it.
 
#71
#71
droski said:
i'm not sure taxing the crap out of it is great considering how little these women make anyway. i support legalizing it.
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It could be a progressive tax like everything else, punish those who are really good at it and give everyone else a free ride...even subsidize them!

:whistling:
 
#72
#72
volinbham said:
Decriminalization vs legalization has it's pluses and minuses. Simply decriminalizing it makes it hard to keep out of the hands of kids - something legalization would do a better job of.

On the otherhand, decriminalization is an easier sell.
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i knew the guys selling pot when i was in 8th grade and some of my then 9th grade were smoking. i didn't partake, but that doesn't mean i couldn't if i would have wanted to. my showed me pot when i was 10-11.

Glutton said:
The main problem with weed is laziness.. look at the countries that have legalized.
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laziness is a personal problem, not a substance abuse problem.

droski said:
i'm sure without the legal implications and just the availability factor that MJ use would go up considerably if legalized. yes if i really tried i coudl find someone to sell me weed, but that is a huge difference between just being albe to walk into my local 711 and buy it.
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trust me, you don't really have to try, and especially being in California. all it takes is a trip to the right doctor and you can get a prescription to purchase it legally and many different forms from brownies to baggies.

oklavol said:
It is sad, that 90% of the people on this board are in favor of legalizing marijuana, yet no one in Congress will probably act on it in the next few years. I'm guessing there's a high majority in the general population in favor too.
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it needs to happen on the state level first.

rjd970 said:
Where does the board stand on prostitution? Legalize, regulate, and tax the dogcrap out of it?
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i'm not sure about the rest of the country, but this works pretty well in Amsterdam.
 
#73
#73
The libertarian in me says yes. So...yes. In fact I'm not sure I don't support legalizing drugs period, though I understand after weed it gets a little murkier.

Still, the War on Drugs has been a huge mess; not to mention the rights that have been violated over the years because of it.
 
#75
#75
oklavol said:
It is sad, that 90% of the people on this board are in favor of legalizing marijuana, yet no one in Congress will probably act on it in the next few years. I'm guessing there's a high majority in the general population in favor too.
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No the dimcrap controlled congress is more interested in cramming obamacare and crap and tax down our throats against the will of the vast majority of Americans.

Smoking marijuana brings with it inherent severe, irrevocable permanent brain damage.














































bill-hillary-clinton.jpg


See what I mean?? :p
 
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