"POT"

[tantricia44]

Yes, but it should be regulated & used only for those who have no other medical out let to stop the pain or is on end staged time in which nothing left can be done for the patient.

[hawkeye3210]

That is true, more people probably would abuse it.  However, it is not a reason to keep it illegal.  Otherwise we would be making nearly everything illegal.  That is my point.  People abuse fast food.  People abuse beer.  If abuse is a factor in whether something is legal or not, then those two items alone should be illegal as well.


The revenues that have been generated in some cities by dispensaries has earned the cities *profit*.  Profit is anything above overhead costs, including taxes taken for rehab programs.

Agree that people abusing it isn't a good reason to keep it illegal, but stating that other legal things are more harmful isn't a good reason to make it legal either.

Actually, profit for the city governments would be the tax revenue less any expenditures for the economic costs associated with the use of marijuana. Even if a local government is generating profit off of it, it really isn't much.

That simply isn't true.  Some cities in California have generated a great deal of revenue.


Not to mention that we would still spend far more annually on weight loss treatments, diabetes, alcoholism, and other diseases caused by substances that are legal.  Your argument is moot.

Actually it is true. Generating more revenue doesn't mean much when you start generating more costs at a rate the same or greater than then the revenues generated. Besides that, California has approved it for medicinal purposes, not the same as approving it for recreational purposes as far as costs are concerned.

Yes, we spend more money on other legal things and we are losing money on those as well. Following that same model for trying to raise tax revenues simply isn't very smart. The argument for legalizing it to raise tax revenues simply isn't a good argument.

[tin8604]

I think it should be legalized.  I agree that it is not a gateway drug.  For the people that say it is bad for you well so are cigarettes and alcohol but I don't see either of those being illegal.

[melissajh44]

I've never tried it but I fully believe that if someone wants to smoke it's their business. I can list a ton of horrible health issues that cigarettes & alcohol cause but these things are legal.

[Delphyne]

That is true, more people probably would abuse it.  However, it is not a reason to keep it illegal.  Otherwise we would be making nearly everything illegal.  That is my point.  People abuse fast food.  People abuse beer.  If abuse is a factor in whether something is legal or not, then those two items alone should be illegal as well.


The revenues that have been generated in some cities by dispensaries has earned the cities *profit*.  Profit is anything above overhead costs, including taxes taken for rehab programs.

Agree that people abusing it isn't a good reason to keep it illegal, but stating that other legal things are more harmful isn't a good reason to make it legal either.

Actually, profit for the city governments would be the tax revenue less any expenditures for the economic costs associated with the use of marijuana. Even if a local government is generating profit off of it, it really isn't much.

That simply isn't true.  Some cities in California have generated a great deal of revenue.


Not to mention that we would still spend far more annually on weight loss treatments, diabetes, alcoholism, and other diseases caused by substances that are legal.  Your argument is moot.

Actually it is true. Generating more revenue doesn't mean much when you start generating more costs at a rate the same or greater than then the revenues generated. Besides that, California has approved it for medicinal purposes, not the same as approving it for recreational purposes as far as costs are concerned.

Yes, we spend more money on other legal things and we are losing money on those as well. Following that same model for trying to raise tax revenues simply isn't very smart. The argument for legalizing it to raise tax revenues simply isn't a good argument.

We will have to disagree on this, then.  I spent a great deal of time researching this for medical research papers.  The information I found is not what the government regularly tells us.


There is no real valid reason to keep it illegal.  None.  Your biggest argument is that it will result in money being spent on rehab - that is a weak argument.  The money it would *save* millions of people on health care, pharmaceuticals, and other health care costs is phenomenal.  The amount of money that would be raised from the uses of the cannabis plant are incredible - this includes hemp, oils, paper, and medical marijuana - far outstrip any "cons".

The government's propaganda campaign against marijuana is harsh. 

Marijuana is safer than most pharmaceuticals, and treats many conditions.  Keeping it illegal causes more crime than there would be if it was legal.  We know this from countries who have changed their regulations to allow for legal marijuana.  There is also far less abuse of marijuana in countries with legal pot.

I still do not see a single valid reason for it being illegal.  None of your arguments are strong enough to support such regulations.

[plennis]

Yes.  It should be legalized for many reasons: 

1.)  The taxes would generate income for our country.  Some dispensaries have helped their communities because they are heavily taxed.

2.)  The medicinal uses are wide and plentiful.  Plus, it is easy to grow.  Chro[/color]I agree with this post.  Another big cost saving issue is the overcrowding in the jails, throw the pot recreatnically ill patients would derive a great deal of benefit and save money.

3.)  Marijuana is not a "gateway drug".  That is a myth.  Yes, many people sampled pot before they became addicted to other substances.  But those same people also sampled water, coffee, sugar. 

4.)  It is less harmful than alcohol, and alcohol is legal. 
 
users out and there would be lots of extra room.  Save costs in the prison system, the court system.  And everything I have read says it is no worse than cigarette smoking, and we allow that.   
5.)  There is not one single documented case of someone dying by marijuana poisoning. 

6.)  The argument that people will abuse it is also not a valid argument.  Alcohol is abused.  Coffee is abused.  Sugar is abused.  Someone said it would be "used in a bad way".  Fast food is used in a bad way -- obesity rates, heart attack, stroke, etc.  But, fast food is still legal.

Research has shown that marijuana protects brain cells.  Other research has shown that marijuana is effective at killing cancerous cells.  It is great for nausea, pain, anxiety, headaches, and menstrual cramps.


The biggest reason why it is still illegal is because the Pharmaceutical companies would lose billions of dollars if it became legal across the nation.   



Marijuana is not illegal in every state.  I live in a Marijuana legal state.

AGREED.  Make recreational use legal.  Make it easier to obtain for medicinal purposes.  Tax the heck out of it.  It would also clear out a lot of people in the prison systems.  We would not have to jam up the court systems with pot cases.  That would save states a ton of money.

[Delphyne]

Yes.  It should be legalized for many reasons: 

1.)  The taxes would generate income for our country.  Some dispensaries have helped their communities because they are heavily taxed.

2.)  The medicinal uses are wide and plentiful.  Plus, it is easy to grow.  Chro[/color]I agree with this post.  Another big cost saving issue is the overcrowding in the jails, throw the pot recreatnically ill patients would derive a great deal of benefit and save money.

3.)  Marijuana is not a "gateway drug".  That is a myth.  Yes, many people sampled pot before they became addicted to other substances.  But those same people also sampled water, coffee, sugar. 

4.)  It is less harmful than alcohol, and alcohol is legal. 
 
users out and there would be lots of extra room.  Save costs in the prison system, the court system.  And everything I have read says it is no worse than cigarette smoking, and we allow that.   
5.)  There is not one single documented case of someone dying by marijuana poisoning. 

6.)  The argument that people will abuse it is also not a valid argument.  Alcohol is abused.  Coffee is abused.  Sugar is abused.  Someone said it would be "used in a bad way".  Fast food is used in a bad way -- obesity rates, heart attack, stroke, etc.  But, fast food is still legal.

Research has shown that marijuana protects brain cells.  Other research has shown that marijuana is effective at killing cancerous cells.  It is great for nausea, pain, anxiety, headaches, and menstrual cramps.


The biggest reason why it is still illegal is because the Pharmaceutical companies would lose billions of dollars if it became legal across the nation.   



Marijuana is not illegal in every state.  I live in a Marijuana legal state.

AGREED.  Make recreational use legal.  Make it easier to obtain for medicinal purposes.  Tax the heck out of it.  It would also clear out a lot of people in the prison systems.  We would not have to jam up the court systems with pot cases.  That would save states a ton of money.

In college, we discussed this at length in several different classes.  One of the reasons why the prisons are so full is because the states make a heck of a lot of money from prisoners.  A LOT of money.  In California, the average revenue from a prisoner is around 50,000$.  The state profits from having the prisons full.  One of the ways in which prisons are kept full is by targeting minorities and targeting marijuana offenders.  This is absurd.  In California, we have the Three Strikes Law.  There are people who are serving life terms for marijuana infractions.  A "lifer" makes the state somewhere around 100,000$.

Our country has so many issues it is not even funny.  Making Marijuana legal for medical use or recreational use would probably alleviate most of these issues, not add to them.  Personally, I would rather have a calm, nice, happy person near me than a violent person near me.

I have never seen a person become violent and murderous from marijuana.  Alcohol, speed, cocaine, caffeine, and even sugar cause violence and have contributed to murder and homicide. 

[vickysue]

I myself am allergic to it, but if other people want to smoke it they are going to wheather it is leagel or not. My mother(God bless her) had cancer and it got so bad that i  was letting her have a stick to help her with her pain. I did not buy it but was helped in getting some for her. It really helped her. But having to light it for her and hold it too her lips was bad on me. But i would have done anything for her. Too this day i can go into a place where they are smoking it and gag, cough and eyes tear up. Nope not for me.

Also the meds the doctors give you are so bad for you and a lot of people die from them but it is legal go figure.

[Delphyne]

I myself am allergic to it, but if other people want to smoke it they are going to wheather it is leagel or not. My mother(God bless her) had cancer and it got so bad that i  was letting her have a stick to help her with her pain. I did not buy it but was helped in getting some for her. It really helped her. But having to light it for her and hold it too her lips was bad on me. But i would have done anything for her. Too this day i can go into a place where they are smoking it and gag, cough and eyes tear up. Nope not for me.

Also the meds the doctors give you are so bad for you and a lot of people die from them but it is legal go figure.

What is your allergic reaction?  I am curious.  Coughing or having tearing eyes  from the smoke is not an allergic reaction -- that is a normal reaction to smoke.    Not liking to light up for someone is a psychological issue.

I have allergic reactions to several pharmaceutical drugs.  What is your reaction to marijuana?

[hawkeye3210]

We will have to disagree on this, then.  I spent a great deal of time researching this for medical research papers.  The information I found is not what the government regularly tells us.


There is no real valid reason to keep it illegal.  None.  Your biggest argument is that it will result in money being spent on rehab - that is a weak argument.  The money it would *save* millions of people on health care, pharmaceuticals, and other health care costs is phenomenal.  The amount of money that would be raised from the uses of the cannabis plant are incredible - this includes hemp, oils, paper, and medical marijuana - far outstrip any "cons".

The government's propaganda campaign against marijuana is harsh. 

Marijuana is safer than most pharmaceuticals, and treats many conditions.  Keeping it illegal causes more crime than there would be if it was legal.  We know this from countries who have changed their regulations to allow for legal marijuana.  There is also far less abuse of marijuana in countries with legal pot.

I still do not see a single valid reason for it being illegal.  None of your arguments are strong enough to support such regulations.

Marijuana has already been ruled to be illegal, the case that needs to be made is why it should be legal, not the other way around. Your reasons for legalizing it for medical purposes are all valid, but those aren’t valid reasons for legalizing it for recreational use. That’s the case you haven’t been able to make. The issue I have with the tax argument is that it is littered with propaganda. Even if you want to believe it would raise a lot of money, there’s a big issue with government acting in the interest of profits instead of the interests of the public.

[Delphyne]

We will have to disagree on this, then.  I spent a great deal of time researching this for medical research papers.  The information I found is not what the government regularly tells us.


There is no real valid reason to keep it illegal.  None.  Your biggest argument is that it will result in money being spent on rehab - that is a weak argument.  The money it would *save* millions of people on health care, pharmaceuticals, and other health care costs is phenomenal.  The amount of money that would be raised from the uses of the cannabis plant are incredible - this includes hemp, oils, paper, and medical marijuana - far outstrip any "cons".

The government's propaganda campaign against marijuana is harsh. 

Marijuana is safer than most pharmaceuticals, and treats many conditions.  Keeping it illegal causes more crime than there would be if it was legal.  We know this from countries who have changed their regulations to allow for legal marijuana.  There is also far less abuse of marijuana in countries with legal pot.

I still do not see a single valid reason for it being illegal.  None of your arguments are strong enough to support such regulations.

Marijuana has already been ruled to be illegal, the case that needs to be made is why it should be legal, not the other way around. Your reasons for legalizing it for medical purposes are all valid, but those aren’t valid reasons for legalizing it for recreational use. That’s the case you haven’t been able to make. The issue I have with the tax argument is that it is littered with propaganda. Even if you want to believe it would raise a lot of money, there’s a big issue with government acting in the interest of profits instead of the interests of the public.

I think I have made the case for recreational use.  You do not agree with it, most likely based on your morals and ethics, and that is fine.  You will not change my mind and I doubt I will change yours.

"Even if you want to believe it would raise a lot of money.."  Belief has nothing to do with it.  It would raise money, and that is a stone cold fact.  You are the one choosing to disregard facts, and I am not sure why.

[raybird2013]

The only reason it is illegal is because it would harm the business profits of pharmaceutical, textile, and oil companies. Weed has many many benefits that fullfil needs in all these industries, so these corporations 'demonize' it's use to make it look bad and lobby politicians to push policies that outlaw it's use. It's all about money, as usual. Wake up.

[hawkeye3210]

We will have to disagree on this, then.  I spent a great deal of time researching this for medical research papers.  The information I found is not what the government regularly tells us.


There is no real valid reason to keep it illegal.  None.  Your biggest argument is that it will result in money being spent on rehab - that is a weak argument.  The money it would *save* millions of people on health care, pharmaceuticals, and other health care costs is phenomenal.  The amount of money that would be raised from the uses of the cannabis plant are incredible - this includes hemp, oils, paper, and medical marijuana - far outstrip any "cons".

The government's propaganda campaign against marijuana is harsh.  

Marijuana is safer than most pharmaceuticals, and treats many conditions.  Keeping it illegal causes more crime than there would be if it was legal.  We know this from countries who have changed their regulations to allow for legal marijuana.  There is also far less abuse of marijuana in countries with legal pot.

I still do not see a single valid reason for it being illegal.  None of your arguments are strong enough to support such regulations.

Marijuana has already been ruled to be illegal, the case that needs to be made is why it should be legal, not the other way around. Your reasons for legalizing it for medical purposes are all valid, but those aren’t valid reasons for legalizing it for recreational use. That’s the case you haven’t been able to make. The issue I have with the tax argument is that it is littered with propaganda. Even if you want to believe it would raise a lot of money, there’s a big issue with government acting in the interest of profits instead of the interests of the public.

I think I have made the case for recreational use.  You do not agree with it, most likely based on your morals and ethics, and that is fine.  You will not change my mind and I doubt I will change yours.

"Even if you want to believe it would raise a lot of money.."  Belief has nothing to do with it.  It would raise money, and that is a stone cold fact.  You are the one choosing to disregard facts, and I am not sure why.

Actually, I have no issue with it being made legal. What I do have is a financial background and can see through the propaganda concerning the tax revenues. That's what I take issue to. It simply isn't a "stone cold fact" that it would raise more revenue than the additional costs. I have seen forecasts that go both ways, but they are just forecasts, not facts. Ultimately, any profits generated will be minimal at best, which is why these arguments typically focus on revenues, not profits.

[FunBuddy]

I live in Colorado and the stupid People here voted for legalizing Pot, I think when they (the once that smoke it) get sick they should also pay for their "legal" Medical Treatment. If you like more Details Google: "the damaging effects of smoking Pot"!    Why do you think they say that people get stoned? Any more stony unhealthy Questions???  raybird2013 is your little bit leftover Brain still working??? What does an Oil Company has to do with Pot. If anybody needs to wake up it,s you my Friend!!

[Delphyne]

We will have to disagree on this, then.  I spent a great deal of time researching this for medical research papers.  The information I found is not what the government regularly tells us.


There is no real valid reason to keep it illegal.  None.  Your biggest argument is that it will result in money being spent on rehab - that is a weak argument.  The money it would *save* millions of people on health care, pharmaceuticals, and other health care costs is phenomenal.  The amount of money that would be raised from the uses of the cannabis plant are incredible - this includes hemp, oils, paper, and medical marijuana - far outstrip any "cons".

The government's propaganda campaign against marijuana is harsh.  

Marijuana is safer than most pharmaceuticals, and treats many conditions.  Keeping it illegal causes more crime than there would be if it was legal.  We know this from countries who have changed their regulations to allow for legal marijuana.  There is also far less abuse of marijuana in countries with legal pot.

I still do not see a single valid reason for it being illegal.  None of your arguments are strong enough to support such regulations.

Marijuana has already been ruled to be illegal, the case that needs to be made is why it should be legal, not the other way around. Your reasons for legalizing it for medical purposes are all valid, but those aren’t valid reasons for legalizing it for recreational use. That’s the case you haven’t been able to make. The issue I have with the tax argument is that it is littered with propaganda. Even if you want to believe it would raise a lot of money, there’s a big issue with government acting in the interest of profits instead of the interests of the public.

I think I have made the case for recreational use.  You do not agree with it, most likely based on your morals and ethics, and that is fine.  You will not change my mind and I doubt I will change yours.

"Even if you want to believe it would raise a lot of money.."  Belief has nothing to do with it.  It would raise money, and that is a stone cold fact.  You are the one choosing to disregard facts, and I am not sure why.

Actually, I have no issue with it being made legal. What I do have is a financial background and can see through the propaganda concerning the tax revenues. That's what I take issue to. It simply isn't a "stone cold fact" that it would raise more revenue than the additional costs. I have seen forecasts that go both ways, but they are just forecasts, not facts. Ultimately, any profits generated will be minimal at best, which is why these arguments typically focus on revenues, not profits.

I suppose you have not researched the countries that are profiting from legalized marijuana, then.  I have. 

Less crime, more revenue, and profit for the countries.  Empirical facts trump opinion, sorry.