Marijuana: Should it be legalized or not?

[Cruel_Sandwich]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 11:50am

Discuss. I will make my own thoughts known later.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 11:52am

No. The casual illicitness of it all is what makes it so appealing.


Needless to say, I don't smoke.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 11:53am

I remember a Doonesbury cartoon, involving Duke describing his use of a special extract of the pineal glands of infant iguanas. Zonker asks, "Whatever happened to grass?" and Duke replies, "Beats me, can't even get arrested for it anymore."

Updated On: 8/18/08 at 11:53 AM

[Jane2]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 11:55am

No.

I smoked plenty in my day.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 11:56am

No. There are enough problems with people driving while drunk. We don't need to deal with people driving while high.

[DAME]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 11:59am

Of course it should be. And I am so glad it is legal here.

[Pippin]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 12:02pm

If it is, and I think it should be, it should be treated the same way as alcohol is. Meaning that it should not be consumed before or during activities where one has to be alert. If one does it in the privacy in their own home at the end of the day, or when they have nothing to do that day, there is absolutely no harm in it. I think that, as with liquor, it should be legal in bars as long as one has a designated driver to help bring the person safely home.

that being said, it is far less dangerous than alcohol. it doesn't impair judgment as much, people don't get into fits of rage. Most people just want to left alone, or happy and have a fun time. I don't think there is anything wrong with it.

and that being said, just like alcohol, it will unfortunately be abused, and that will put more of a stigma on it, the same as alcohol has, and those abusers will ruin the the privilege for the rest of us that just want to smoke in peace.

[Pippin]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 12:05pm

"No. There are enough problems with people driving while drunk. We don't need to deal with people driving while high."

as I just said, I think alcohol impairs judgment far more than mary jane does, so I don't think that that is a valid reason for keeping it illegal.

But I do understand where Goth is coming from with that argument, I just don't agree.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 12:05pm

This is how I get when I smoke. Seriously.

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 12:06pm

It should be, and then taxed to high heaven (literally and figuratively).

And I agree with Pippin, the same rules that apply to alcohol should apply to pot.

And, for the record, prostitution should also be legalized, and then taxed and subject to regulation.

[Pippin]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 12:08pm

said jokingly, but with a tinge of seriousness:

if Mary Jane was taxed to high Heaven, we would eliminate the national debt within 6 months.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 12:09pm

"I think alcohol impairs judgment far more than mary jane does"

Is that just your personal experience or do you have scientific proof?

Alcohol affects people in different ways according to previous use, body weight, eating habits, etc. Don't you think marijuana is the same?

[jasonf]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 12:11pm

I don't smoke anything - I can't even IMAGINE smoking - I think the smell alone is horrible (marijuana or cigarettes) - but I agree with Pippin and YWIW...legalize, regulate and tax. Same with prostitution, same with gambling in the places where it's currently not legal. The government shouldn't be telling us what to do with our money or our bodies. Let them tax it, fine, but give adults the choice.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 12:12pm

Yes. It's ridiculous that it's illegal in that it's no worse than alcohol. So many people do it anyway. It's just foolish for it to be illegal.

And for the record, I don't use marijuana.

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 12:13pm

ywiw's right.

[Pippin]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 12:14pm

"I think alcohol impairs judgment far more than mary jane does"

Is that just your personal experience or do you have scientific proof?

that's me speaking for myself. I understand that different people have different reactions, but i would think that for the majority of people, that statement rings true.

I mean, people don't get the spins with Marijuana the same way they do with liqueur. They don't fall down stairs, or worship the porcelain gods if they've had too much. I just think that out of the two drugs, marijuana is the safer of the two because people are more relaxed, and if anything, they are 10 times more focused on things than they would be sober.

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 12:20pm

^
That is true for me.

[DAME]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 12:21pm

Here are my rules for smoking my toke; I usually only do it at home or somewhere my privacy and others is not disrupted. Never, ever, and I mean ever drive after smoking, or drinking or taking any kind of medication that impairs my judgement. .

I would rather have a toke than a cocktail any day. And anyone who sees that as bad is just ignorant and not educated.

[Pippin]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 12:23pm

^

wow, Dame, it's like you're like, totally in my mind right now.

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 12:24pm

There is always going to be abuse - look at how many people take pain killers "legally" when they are only looking to get high. I honestly think Oxycotin and Vicodin are more gateway drugs than MJ.

One compound is legal, while the other is not - simply because there is a better lobby for one than the other.

I personally am not too fond of MJ, but I know people who are functional, successful businessmen and women who like to come home, relax, and have a little bit of herb, rather than a drink.

I don't see why one is legal, and the other is not.

And, yes, if we were to legalize both pot and prostitution, and regulate and tax them, I think we would quickly address some of our problems in both the tax revenue and our overcrowded legal system. Let the cops focus on serious crime.


EDIT - fixed to make a bit more sense. Updated On: 8/18/08 at 12:24 PM

[DAME]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 12:25pm

"I personally am not too fond of MJ, but I know people who are functionally, successful businessmen and women who like to come home, relax, and have a little bit of herb, rather than a drink. "

That is me.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 12:25pm

You think no one drives while high now? I would think the legality of marijuana might act as a deterrent to driving while high.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 12:29pm

It just makes perfect sense as YWIW describes it. You regulate and tax it--both pot and prostitution. Neither are EVER going away. We might as well make it safe as possible and and generate a massive amount of revenue to fund all of the things we need to do for this country from education to environment.

We also lower crime rates/prison rates, making the country safer (by reducing violence and allowing our officers to focus on actual important issues) and saving money.

[Jonny boy]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 12:33pm

"I would rather have a toke than a cocktail any day. And anyone who sees that as bad is just ignorant and not educated."

I would have to agree with you. Alcohol is much more destructive than Marijuana. Thank God is legal in my state cause, Marijuana has many posiive effects including helping me not feel nauseous from my meds and helps with my appetite. When you smoke on a regular basis you dont get " F*cked up" from it. It just mellows me out.... and makes me hungry=-)

[Gothampc]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 12:34pm

"You think no one drives while high now? I would think the legality of marijuana might act as a deterrent to driving while high."

If people know there isn't a law against it, they will do it. With a law against it in place, people will be less likely to drive while high.