"POT"

[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.

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.

I believe you haven't researched as you much you think you have. The Netherlands, which is really the only available case study, actually has been a mixed bag of results, and to claim otherwise is simply not true. If you actually read the proposals for a marijuana tax by some of the groups in favor of legalization, they are based largely on projection, not empirical evidence from another country. It's not there.

[briannajeanxo]

yes, theres less deaths with pot smokers then there are with drinkers.

[darkxtsuna]

Yeah rather then people buying it off the streets then get shot over it  .

[alaskakaren]

I love pot...I live in Oregon so it's pretty legal.  Yes...legalize it.

[mrisha]

Whether it is legalized or not, people are still going to use it.  I do not smoke pot but some people need it for medicinal purposes.

[melissaotto1982]

Might as well and the government could tax it and maybe get use a little bit out of this debt.

[Falconer02]

Anyone who thinks banning a simple plant that has numerous purposes, causes (little to) no harm, is easy to grow, and has been legal and available to humanity for as long as we've existed is beyond a fool. You have an entire history of us using it, then all of a sudden a few decades ago some racist ignorant political bigots decide it's dangerous through scare tactics. I'm majorly offended that our country has let this go on for this long and it's a rarity that I smoke it.

To me, it's one of those foundational signs of a political official being either well-educated or stupidly ignorant. If they support it, they're educated on the manner (and have probably tried it themselves to know the harmless effects). If they don't, they are either stupid or have the pharmeutical industry lining their pockets with $.

[remediagirl]

Sure. Why not legalize it. In our state medical marijuana is legal and the state banks big on it. Why not treat it like all the prescription drugs that the FDA is making billions of dollars on. Plus it doesn't have all of the side effects that these chemical pills do that everyone is taking and getting high on.

[moonangel]

whether we like it or not pot is the way for most college high school young adults etc. I think  it should be legal because our young adults are winding up with arrest records before they have even gotten started with their lives.  I think this is one of those gray areas where like cigarettes, pot can be smoked to excess or can be smoked once in a while as I think everyone knows by now that I absolutely believe in our right to decide for ourselves this will show who can use pot (so to say)responsibly like drinking alcohol.

[southernhorizons]

One thing people never seem to address when they advocate legalizing pot is the addition to the already too big problem of DWI. Why do you want to add more stoned drivers to the mix? Even if driving under the influence of pot isn't illegal, it's still dangerous to everyone else on the road.

[alamedann]

I feel that medicinal use of pot should be legalized by each state.  There are many research studies out that demonstrate the effectiveness of medicinal marijuana for certain medical conditions.  I believe it works for certain conditions in ways other types of medicine can't. 

I'm not sure how I feel about recreational pot use.  I don't think it's a "gateway drug" that can easily lead to other types of drug use.  Most pot users aren't violent.  At the very least it should be considered a misdemeanor crime except if you're dealing.

[Delphyne]

Anyone who thinks banning a simple plant that has numerous purposes, causes (little to) no harm, is easy to grow, and has been legal and available to humanity for as long as we've existed is beyond a fool. You have an entire history of us using it, then all of a sudden a few decades ago some racist ignorant political bigots decide it's dangerous through scare tactics. I'm majorly offended that our country has let this go on for this long and it's a rarity that I smoke it.

To me, it's one of those foundational signs of a political official being either well-educated or stupidly ignorant. If they support it, they're educated on the manner (and have probably tried it themselves to know the harmless effects). If they don't, they are either stupid or have the pharmeutical industry lining their pockets with $.

I am so glad that someone mentioned the racism behind the current status of marijuana.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  It is deeply offensive to me, as a human being, that we made this plant illegal due to race relations.  And then published propaganda to bolster the law.  That is an aspect to marijuana history that not many people know about.  Opium was another drug that was made illegal, in part due to race relations.  Granted, people can still obtain opium-based medications without fear of being sent to jail.  As a matter of fact, there is a severe addiction problem within the United States regarding opium-based medications.  But no one is screaming for those drugs to be made illegal.  No one.  No one talks about the deaths caused by opium-based medications.  But we sure do blather on about how dangerous marijuana is. 

Thank you for this post. 

[ghunter]

NO! NO!  I do not think it should be legal.  When I was in college I smoked pot and sometimes it can make you eat to much  and act crazy, and please don't drive because it makes you see two cars.  Some people can smoke one joint and be ok than others it make them trip.

[kountrypeach80]

yes it should because its natural. from the earth. leagalize it!!!!!!!!!!!

[shelly927]

yes it should be legalize only if all the people they locked up for selling it be let out of jail, its not right for them to keep people locked up for something they are going to do, what kind of devil is controling this evil.