Should Marijuana Be Legalized?

[bub2631]

I am a former part-time smoker and I believe that it should be legal for anyone to have and smoke over the age of 21.  So many reasons why it should, can't list them all.  But here is one.  The supply and demand would do away with illegal and dangerous trade of weed.  Check out norml.org for more reasons.  Republicans should be for it because it is a basic right of americans but they would lose the church vote.  SEPARATE politics and religion....

[liljp617]

Yes.  My reasoning has nothing to do with "ending our economic troubles" or ending the drug trade.  It is based solely on the fact that it was not made illegal in the first place for a single good reason and it has yet to be shown to have long term damage.

[bub2631]

We can all thank Nixon for hating the hippies for the Federal Scheduling that really set legalizing weed back.  Even before Nixon it was all politics that made it illegal, corporate big wigs not wanting to lose money from illegal mexican immigrants.  UGH.  And most people believe it was made illegal to help THE PEOPLE.  You are right, science is definitely on the side of weed....

[Sohcahtoa]

You can't give any reason to keep weed illegal that you couldn't also give to make alcohol illegal.

I used to have a friend who's dad was a police officer, and he said that weed should be made legal, and alcohol should be banned.  When he had to do the rare drug bust on some people smoking weed, they would be just chilling peacefully in their apartment watching cartoons.  Meanwhile, on a daily basis, he'd have domestic disturbance calls from drunk men beating their wives.

Legalize it, tax it, and restrict it just like you do alcohol.  Give it the same restrictions.  For example, make it illegal to drive while high, employers would fire people for showing up to work high, etc.  Weed isn't a hardcore drug like cocaine and meth.  Its not addicting.

[cowgirlx]

I have read this quesion so many times on this forum, that I really don't care anymore.

[drew4464]

Actually, marijuana was made illegal at the insistence of newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst in the early 1930's, as he saw hemp as a potential threat to paper from trees and would have changed the newspaper business. Marijuana was legal (actually, not illegal) during the days of prohibition.

[rketcham]

my .02

The taxes on it would outrage people, but potheads are to high to protest lol. I dont smoke regularly occasionally, or at all for that matter, but honestly i do think it should be legal its really just as bad as alcohol and no where near as bad as cigarettes, and there both legal. Also for state funding to be spent to house "criminals" that were in possession of a plant is a waste, dont get me wrong if you are selling coke pills or herion you deserve to be locked ,and just like alcohol some cannot handle pot it really gets the best of them and it eveually leads to other drugs, ive seen it first hand.

[liljp617]

Actually, marijuana was made illegal at the insistence of newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst in the early 1930's, as he saw hemp as a potential threat to paper from trees and would have changed the newspaper business. Marijuana was legal (actually, not illegal) during the days of prohibition.

What you outlined is just one of the many reasons it was made illegal.  Other factors involved racism against blacks and Mexicans, yellow journalism, corrupt legislators, propaganda, lobbying by cotton farmers, etc.

[irishlady1970]

Finally here in the State of Maine marijuana has been legalized for medicinal purposes. I think if it helps a cancer patient eat, feel less pain, or helps them cope with what they are enduring, I say why not?

[irishlady1970]

I am a former part-time smoker and I believe that it should be legal for anyone to have and smoke over the age of 21.  So many reasons why it should, can't list them all.  But here is one.  The supply and demand would do away with illegal and dangerous trade of weed.  Check out norml.org for more reasons.  Republicans should be for it because it is a basic right of americans but they would lose the church vote.  SEPARATE politics and religion....

I agree with you Bub, politics and religion play a huge role in this. I think that if it was legalized and it is in Maine now, the government will tax it and apply those taxes to much needed programs and health care.

[rockdrummer43]

Hell to the yes  And I also think the government should sell it and put dealers out of business, the government would make a heck of a lot of money off of it as well.

[totosli_08]

Nope...it has no long term damage or anything.... if your gonna banned something banned something that actuelly takes a negative effect on people like ciggarets and all that.. PS" I DONT SMOKE ..JUST SAYING LOL I BEEN CLEAN FOR 6,480 days lol

[xtrawork2010]

one word......YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Holdo]

I think it should just so potheads will have something else to talk about.
"Hey man, wanna smoke some weed?"
im like, "No, because I'm not in the 7th grade, and I have things to do...why don't you grow up and do coke like an adult."
 

[jec8992]

yes lol!