Forums → WEPR → Should we legalize marijuana?

I believe it should be. If it is ingested, and not smoked then it has 0 toxicity. That's equal to organic fruit.

Fixed.

@hellian

Sorry. Wrong. I know someone who got extremely high, drove, and ran over someone and killed them. They could not drive properly because of the marijuana. Thankfully, he's in jail for 20 years. But your picture is completely debunked.

Even then, I still believe pot and all other drugs should be legal. When drugs are decriminalized, so much less crime is committed. There is less drug use, prostitution and pimping.

yeah, i'm pretty sure smoking crack makes you high and makes you do stupid stuff, haven't you seen those commercials? or Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle?

I've wrote it before and I'll write it again. If it's available, legalized, or even decriminalized, there is a chance for serious competition.

Gangs and dealers don't like it when they lose a portion of their market segment. Sure, legalizing weed may curb crime and the likes, but illegal distribution will happen... because hey, nobody likes monopolies!

If you happen to tax the gangs or dealers (I'm not sure how that would work) then customers may stop buying, forcing gangs to push other drugs (i.e. crack cocaine, meth, etc) even 'harder'.

Just some things to think about...

@inthezone

Yes there is a chance of corruption, just like anything in government. But isn't it more corrupt being run by drug lords? There are very few issues where I support the government running business, but the drug trade is one of them. If it is done in a legal and efficient manner, it works. Drug lords disappear and gang violence is minimalized.

Sorry. Wrong. I know someone who got extremely high, drove, and ran over someone and killed them. They could not drive properly because of the marijuana. Thankfully, he's in jail for 20 years. But your picture is completely debunked.

no it shouldnt

@ thelistman:

You provide a good point. But I do believe that there needs to be some sort of balance and strict control if ANY government were to legalize marijuana. My only fear is when those disgruntled dealers and gangs finally decided to step in.

Then again, I realized how the Canadian government controls tobacco and alcohol... so you may be onto something listman!

It is a bit strange though... tobacco and alcohol (individually) cause more deaths than marijuana, yet they won't let marijuana into the picture. If anything, I'd like to see a ban on tobacco!

yes and tax it a lot but why would anyone do it because it is illegal if it became legal noone would do it so I say yes

I think it should be legalized, but they should tax the hell out of them. It would also only be allowable to be smoked in private if it was legalized, but that seems obvious.

I read about a poll that indicated that a majority of high school-age students who said that it was easier for them to score weed than it was cigarettes and alcohol, because latter two are taxed, regulated, and controlled.

Nearly every scientific study ever conducted concerning marijuana has refuted the anti-drug propaganda. It does not produce uncontrollable hysteria. It is not physiological addictive; there are no physical withdrawl symptoms. The basic argument that marijuana is "gateway drug" whose use leads to harder drugs is overhyped mythology.

Due to draconian anti-drug prohibition, it is impossible to know just how many highly functional casual marijuana users are actually out there, but I suspect that most people would be very surprised how many of their friends and family fall into that category.

The status quo won't change because of simple economics. Drug prohibition laws benefit both sides. As long as there is a demand, there will be a supply.

Anti-drug laws drive up the costs of cultivation, manufacture, transport, and sale, thus making it a lucrative endeavor.

By supporting anti-drug legislation, politicians can claim they are "tough on crime." To gain this reputation, they tend to vote to spend billions of dollars for a failed policy. Federal funding means local law enforcement gets more money. More jail cells and prisons are built. Anyone wonder what happens to the money siezed in drug busts?

If any currently illegal drugs were to be legalized, regulated, and taxed, this would remove the profit motive for the drug suppliers and dealers, it would end the need for gangs to carry weapons and engage in "turf wars," and the government would have to restructure several bureaucratic agencies whose existence depends on maintaining the status quo.

Another possible problem is people could lace the marijuana with other drugs. This is what kills people. Mixing the drugs makes the effects much worse. You can't lace a cigarette with any drugs. I don't think anyone has ever tried to put a drug in alcohol. This could possibly be why weed is illegal.

Actually weed is illegal due to a string of political power plays and propaganda that took place in the early 20th century. Probably the two most influential people in the prohibition of marijuana were newspaperman William Randolph Hearst, and Harry Anslinger.

These are the guys fighting congress to legalize the use and trade of marijuana.

Also, on other terms, how about hemp? It contains 0 THC. And I can be used to make clothes softer than cotton. very strong ropes. And FUEL. While coal burns at about 30% efficiency(only 30% of the energy output is usable), hemp is almost 100%.