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Marijuana!

Nihilego

[color=#95b4d4]ユービーゼロイチ パラサイト[/color]
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Yet again!

Should marijuana be legalised outside of medical purposes, i.e. be made available for sale and use of anyone of the proper age to buy it, whatever that age might be (bonus points: what should this age be?). What would be the advantages and disadvantages of legalisation?

Discuss!
 
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Well let me put it this way: Should the federal government have the power to punish individuals for victimless crimes they do to their own body? I don't condone substance abuse, but how is it a crime? In my opinion, it is a medical problem.
 
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I think it should, but it needs to be regulated and controlled in an appropriate manner. Similar to how liqueor and tobacco is. 18 minimum age, possibly 21. On top of that, hemp has a billion practical uses that would provide a boon to a ton of industries. Plastics, petroleums, textiles, clothing, etc. A lot of budget shortfalls could be rectified in such a way.
 
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I'm not an advocate of Alcohol/Tobacco etc... but I feel that it really isn't any different to them. You smoke some, feel good and then if you over do it you suffer the consequences. It's your own body, destroying it has no ill effect on the community so I don't really see it as criminal. It would need strong regulation though.
 
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I think it should, but it needs to be regulated and controlled in an appropriate manner. Similar to how liqueor and tobacco is. 18 minimum age, possibly 21. On top of that, hemp has a billion practical uses that would provide a boon to a ton of industries. Plastics, petroleums, textikles, clothing, etc. A lot of budget shortfalls could be rectified in such a way.

Though keep in mind hemp does not equate to marijuana either. You would die of smoke inhalation before you could get high off of industrial hemp.
 

Khawill

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Woohoo weed! Yea! Someone get the champagne! No but really, weed isn't good or bad, (it is good though).

What should happen is we tax the crap out of it like we do alcohol and tobacco. Then people who really really want it will pay the government big bucks for it and we could but that extra money into healthcare.
 
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Though keep in mind hemp does not equate to marijuana either. You would die of smoke inhalation before you could get high off of industrial hemp.

I wasn't suggesting that you smoke hemp, (idk how you could even do that) I was touting its industrial purposes and the great market potential it has.
 

Nihilego

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if you over do it you suffer the consequences. It's your own body, destroying it has no ill effect on the community so I don't really see it as criminal.

Isn't that something that we should be trying to prevent, though? The way I see it, if it's an obvious health risk, then people should be limited from using it. I'm not certain how I feel about the legalisation of weed but that's one of the main arguments I can see against it - it's no-one's responsibility what someone puts into their own body, but why make it easier for people to make mistakes?
 

von Weltschmerz

the first born unicorn
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@Lishy That is true... but the ban still places harsh implications upon the hemp industry.

The legalization of marijuana is most certainly the way to go. The benefits to legalizing it go far beyond making certain demographics of people happy. For one, the industry would be extremely profitable if taken to larger scales. That would easily equate to more jobs and a strengthened economy. The government could and would most likely put a tax on it that would also help bolster federal reserves. There is very little that we stand to lose by legalizing hemp at all... other than perhaps the favor of a disgruntled monopoly or two. But oh well, this

On top of it providing revenue in those ways, it would seriously free up some space in prisons. For real prisoners. That would dramatically reduce the costs necessary to operate and staff prisons. The money could then be used to either make massive reforms to the prison system in it's entirety, or, it could be shifted around and be used as funding in other vital areas. There is really no need to be clogging prisons up with people who decide to smoke weed... When done in respectable terms... it is a crime that harms no one. Like drinking, you wouldn't be able to flagrantly smoke wherever you wanted... you'd get citations if you were being belligerent about it... It wouldn't simply allow people to run rampant about smoking it and do whatever they want. That notion is sadly shared by both sides to this argument and is just plain silly..

Marijuana is factually less dangerous than both tobacco and alcohol. It does not have the power to create to dependencies like tobacco and alcohol do. If anyone seems "addicted" to weed, that is because they are weak of mind. They aren't actually addicted to the marijuana, but the positive feeling that it produces. And in that way, that addiction could be attached to anything that stimulated the mind to produce those endorphins. So the argument against the health of the individuals that people use for the more hardcore drugs is pretty invalid at this point. Obviously inhaling burning plant fibers is bad for you... but we do much worse things to our body legally. In all realistic cases, like I said above, it would be a private affair so you also could't argue for the health concern of others. None more than you could cigarettes, and those are legal.

Legalizing it and delivering a proper education about it with FACTS and not the asinine scare tactics is the best way to ensure that people do not abuse it. Smoking it does not make you do stupid or do bad things... No. If you make stupid choices, you will do whether you smoke weed or not. So to prevent people from doing such stupid things when they smoke.. it is best to teach them about it fully and earnestly, so that they may rationally come to a conclusion about it themselves. They will not so easily respect a conclusion about it that is being forced on them by their parents/other adults. If people were knowledgeable about it and felt safe coming to authority figures about it... they would abuse it less. If they did abuse it and they got out of hand.. they would approach such authority figures and get help.. instead of how it is now where they hide away in fear of being shunned.

And my last point to this argument...

Marijuana is freakin' amazing. It is a beautiful plant that smells amazing! It is natural, and on this Earth of natural means, it is folly to condemn such things. It reaffirms relationships, dissolves differences, and inspires innovation. Anyone who would want to prevent access to something so wonderful is truly not of sane mind.
 
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Aeon.

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Yup. I don't use it, but I've wondered for most of my life why it's even considered an issue (unless it's something to do with the economics of it.)
 
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I think it should, but it needs to be regulated and controlled in an appropriate manner. Similar to how liqueor and tobacco is. 18 minimum age, possibly 21. On top of that, hemp has a billion practical uses that would provide a boon to a ton of industries. Plastics, petroleums, textiles, clothing, etc. A lot of budget shortfalls could be rectified in such a way.
That's exactly my thought on the matter. Unfortunately, a lot of lobbyist against marijuana are lobbying in favor of the companies who benefit from the illegality of marijuana, and because of that, I don't see marijuana becoming legal.

But before we focus on legalizing it for recreational purposes, I think we should focus more of our efforts on legalizing it for medical purposes everywhere. That seems like a more pressing issue, because the effects it has in the medical field are great, and yet people still don't approve of it becoming legal. I think it's mostly the stigma it's garnished as being a "gateway drug," which I think is ridiculous.

The issues against it are brought about by our corrupt society. Most people against it are against it for the wrong reasons while others are because of ignorance. The people with the immediate power are against it because of money. The fact that people are okay with tobacco and alcohol and against marijuana, which tobacco and alcohol are proven to be much more dangerous for the body is absurd.
 

Yoshikko

the princess has awoken while the prince sleeps on
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Yes it should be legal, age should be 18 to 21 (depending on the amount or the components or whatever). There's seriously no reason why it has to be illegal.
 
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People like to flag up the 'Marijuana is less dangerous than Alcohol and Smoking' argument, but actually there are a lot of flaws in that.

For example, tobacco on it's own is relatively harmless - the side effects of smoking are mostly caused by tar and nicotine. Alcohol is relatively harmless even at a pint a day level. Alcohol is only a danger when people exceed limits, or drive whilst under the influence.

Weed does however cause paranoia issues, which can easily spiral due to it being a dependence drug to make people feel better.

I reckon that Medical Marijuana, in the form of pills, at a low dosage, should be legal. However there should be plenty of restrictions on it to stop recreational use and false prescriptions.
 

von Weltschmerz

the first born unicorn
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People like to flag up the 'Marijuana is less dangerous than Alcohol and Smoking' argument, but actually there are a lot of flaws in that.

For example, tobacco on it's own is relatively harmless - the side effects of smoking are mostly caused by tar and nicotine. Alcohol is relatively harmless even at a pint a day level. Alcohol is only a danger when people exceed limits, or drive whilst under the influence.

Weed does however cause paranoia issues, which can easily spiral due to it being a dependence drug to make people feel better.

I reckon that Medical Marijuana, in the form of pills, at a low dosage, should be legal. However there should be plenty of restrictions on it to stop recreational use and false prescriptions.

A lot of flaws?? How? It is nothing but true hard facts that the argument is constructed upon. Nicotine is IN tobacco. Tar is a byproduct of the combustion. You are right that alcohol is only bad when consumed in excess... but that is not the point of the argument. The rate at which people form literal, physical dependencies on alcohol is much higher that of marijuana(zero, by the way.) Tobacco and Alcohol actually impose significant health concerns upon the consumer. Also with tobacco claiming around 5 million annually, alcohol roughly half of that, and marijuana with not a single one in all of history.... The health issue kind of becomes a big thing. Especially with tobacco causing cancer and cannabis showing curative properties towards it.

Weed doesn't cause paranoia, either. If you're a paranoid person before, you'll be one after. The increase in paranoia is merely due to the fact that you are, indeed committing a crime. If there was no legal issue... people would have nothing to even be paranoid about. Not to mention the prominent number of people who already are not paranoid because they really don't care to much... Also... what do you mean by "dependence" drug? I have not met, or have found one single instance of recorded history where someone has become "dependent" upon Marijuana. There are a lot of people who ruin their lives over weed, yeah. But that is bad decision making on their behalf, nothing to do with the actual cannabis. Thus, your argument falls flat.

I'd also like to point out... that the U.S. is one of the few countries to actually ban industrial hemp. The regulations surrounding this are only evident that the ban is to keep corporate cronies happy. While it is illegal to produce such goods... you can import processed forms(paper, material, oil) and sell them in America/put them in your products. This shows that they do not believe the plant to be bad(or they would block imports on it to) but rather that they other, shadier motives.
 
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Yup. I don't use it, but I've wondered for most of my life why it's even considered an issue (unless it's something to do with the economics of it.)
Back in the day cotton growers were afraid that hemp (which can be used to make clothing, etc., just like cotton) would be too much competition so they helped brand it as a dangerous drug. Lots of people for lots of reasons have worked to keep things that way.
 

Pvt Tamama

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At a time like this when the economy is down the toilet is would be a great idea to make a law of some sorts to legalization of it.
colorado has a law in place now any many states are following suit so it will be interesting to see where this issue is in 4 years
 
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People like to flag up the 'Marijuana is less dangerous than Alcohol and Smoking' argument, but actually there are a lot of flaws in that.

For example, tobacco on it's own is relatively harmless - the side effects of smoking are mostly caused by tar and nicotine. Alcohol is relatively harmless even at a pint a day level. Alcohol is only a danger when people exceed limits, or drive whilst under the influence.

Weed does however cause paranoia issues, which can easily spiral due to it being a dependence drug to make people feel better.

I reckon that Medical Marijuana, in the form of pills, at a low dosage, should be legal. However there should be plenty of restrictions on it to stop recreational use and false prescriptions.
Weed causes paranoia among some users of it because it's illegal, and your conscience knows it. The only paranoia that stems from simply using weed is the paranoia of being caught by the cops. Unless you're paranoid in general, you typically don't experience any paranoia past that.
 
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It's funny how people are so adamant that there are no flaws to cannabis/marijuana, but I can search for it on http://www.sciencedirect.com, a journal archive of scientific papers, and immediately get the total opposite idea. Here's a random sample - old and new. Worth mentioning I didn't find a single article that reported no differences between control and cannabis groups.

Solowiji et al., 1991: (When given a task involving listening for sounds) "...Cannabis users' task performance was significantly worse than controls"

Wayne, 2001: "The most probable harms caused by cannabis use include: an increased risk of motor vehicle accidents; respiratory disease; dependence; adverse effects on adolescent development; and the exacerbation of psychosis."

Chuan-Yu, 2005: "...that cannabis dependence is more likely to occur when use begins during adolescence, and that the cannabis dependence syndrome includes a number of heritable untoward psychiatric side effects including withdrawal." <- Some people are more likely to become dependent on cannabis than others.

Cousjin et al., 2012: Smoking weed affects brain structure, both long term and short-term.

Buckner et al., 2012: Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is a symptom of cannabis withdrawal.
 

von Weltschmerz

the first born unicorn
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There is a bit of an issue here that we need to actually get over before this discussion can prove to be of any value. Are talking about the legalization of marijuana, or industrial hemp? As it is... industrial hemp is primarily banned in the U.S. only. If, in the U.S., for example, they decided to drop the ban on industrial hemp, that would not necessarily promote it for recreational use. And vice versa... if the U.S. allows the consumption of marijuana for recreational purposes, that does not exactly entail that they will allow the hemp industry. That being said... to fully understand this issue in it's entirety, a little knowledge on the subject would be nice.

Without further ado, I present to you my knowledge as verified by THC Ministry(www.thc-ministry.net):

"Back in the day", the U.S. first 162 years, hemp was commercially grown. Prominent American figures such as Washington and Jefferson grew hemp. The Declaration of Independence was actually written on a hemp-based paper. At this point, hemp was not so viable as a major industry. Yet around the 1930s, with the advent of new technology, hemp became thoroughly more profitable. The fiber industries(primarily the acclaimed "Cotton Kingdom" in whatever diminished state it was at this time) fought hard against this new plant that threatened to shove them to the side line.

Opting for scare tactics and hysteria, the government and media quickly set to work on demonizing the plant. The liquor industry, in 1936 made one of the most prominent stabs against hemp with, "Reefer Madness," a film about a man who smokes marijuana and murders his family with an ax. The people of the time, however, were accustomed to hemp. It was not banned and was relatively common place. They would not so easily buy into suggestions of "Hemp Madness."

After the prohibition of alcohol was ended, the Federal Departmet of Narcotics funding was diminshed. Perhaps in a coup to restore this funding as demanded by the "war on marijuana", head of the FDN(present day DEA) Harry Anslinger, furiously combated this plant. Knowing the public would not forsake hemp, he played heavily on racial and social prejudices Borrowing from the Mexican language, "Marijuana" and "Reefer" were used in place of the far less suggestive "hemp."

Asserting "facts" such as,
Anslinger said:
"Marijuana is the most violence causing drug in the history of mankind." "Most marijuana smokers are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz and swing, result from marijuana usage." "This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes."
he coerced the population into believing him an expert on the effects of marijuana and devised a campaign founded thoroughly upon lies. Much to his satisfaction, the U.S. placed it's ban upon the Hemp industry with the "Marijuana Tax Act of 1937." Take note that it is MARIJUANA tax act, and not the HEMP tax act. This shows just how deep the indoctrination had planted itself in the nation.

The fear of the rise of the Hemp industry, however, was not an unfounded one. With Hemp being far more viable than the current products, it would have made an effective dent... in their pockets. Neglecting the national and global benefits to developing a strong hemp industry, they instead sought to destroy it of their own selfish whims.

Marijuana is very effectual in that:
-In only 1 acre, it can produce as much fiber as cotton could in 3. The material produce is stronger, softer, and does not mildew.
-It requires no herb/pesticides, can grow in many climates, and does not require so much water as cotton. Cotton, on the other hand, uses over 50% of the world's herb/pesticides and grows only in moderate conditions.
-In again, only 1 acre, Hemp can produce as much paper as 2-4 acres of tree. Hemp can be harvested around 2-3 months after planting, that's around 3-4 annual yields. More if they decide to grow indoors and use hydroponics. Trees can take years to grow before they are ready to be harvested and require a lot more space than does Hemp.
-Hemp oils can be used for all sorts of products. Paints, varnishes, and inks are only some of these products. Used in food as well, it boasts a higher protein value than even soy. With a biomass surpassing eve corn, it is an option in biofuels.
-Wild hemp runs rampant in the U.S, unable to be eradicated.

All of those, except the last one equate only to more revenue and less environmental destruction. The benefits are hard to ignore. If the ban should not be lifted for such benefits, it should at least, be reversed in the event that the reasons for its ban prove false. In modern times, the fear of Marijuana has developed, and has fallen prey to many logical fallacies. Namely they are: 1.) Marijuana is addictive; 2.) Marijuana impairs learning ability; 3.) Marijuana is a gate way drug; 4.) Marijuana has increased cancer rates; and 4.) Marijuana is far more potent than it used to be.


I'll go about these in order.

1: Marijuana is Addictive-Oversimplificatio
False. Marijuana has no substances in it that can cause addiction or dependency issues. Any "addiction" is purely mental. While it is "habit forming," that can be attached to any object that gives them the desired results. Far more people have formed habits related to caffeine consumption than than marijuana.

2: Marijuana Impairs Learning Ability- Ecological fallacy
True, some what. The studies conducted were based on daily users of marijuana. And despite how much people brag, that is less than 1% of all users. The "impairments" were small and it is disputed as to the permanence of such impairments. "Casual" users had no such impairments. Long term memory was not affected, only short term, and that was while under the influence. The spaciness and slow reactions of the users are attributed to that as well, and dissipate as the effects of the drug wear off.

3: Marijuana is Gateway Drug- Post Hoc
False. Marijuana is usually just more common than "hard core" drugs.. As they move onto harder drugs after smoking marijuana, people have labeled it a gateway drug. That connection isn't a strong one, though. To prove something false, you need one counter example. And as per the U.S. OWN statistics, over 75 percent of all Americans who smoke marijuana have never moved onto hardcore drugs. NOW THAT, is a lot of counter examples. The people who did move onto hard core drugs were due to different reasons, namely shortcomings in their own character or environmental pressures.

4: Marijuana is FAR more Potent - Ignoratio elenchi
True. Marijuana IS more potent. But there are no studies citing it as dangerous. You would pass out/throw it up before you could overdose. More potent marijuana actually poses LESS of a health threat than weaker version. The more potent it is, the less you have to smoke. The less you have to smoke... the less burning plant fibers you inhale. Simple logic there.

The U.S. Government, also, is very fickle in the way that it deals with hemp. As I've mentioned in another post, they ban only the production of it on U.S. soil, allowing the importation of such goods or using processed forms in other products. They also, in WWII, urged farmers to grow hemp, repealing the ban and producing a video called "Hemp for Victory." The rate at which marijuana was consumed did not significantly rise during this time period. The video, which they denied making, was used to instruct farmers onto maintain effective yields of hemp for the war effort. They gave out "stamps"(similar to Medical Marijuana cards) that allowed the farmers to grow. Proof that they do not despirse the industry, but wanted only to please the heads of industry.

______________

@SwiftSign: I never said there were no flaws. Just that the health risks are minute/mine to make. Especially when it is compared to other, legal substances such as tobacco and alcohol.

Solowiji et al., 1991: (When given a task involving listening for sounds) "...Cannabis users' task performance was significantly worse than controls"
What I gathered from this, the decline was during use or slightly after. That the effects dissipate as the drug wears down. Not to mention... she/he mentions a lot of "probabilities" and "unconfirmed" ideas.

Wayne, 2001: "The most probable harms caused by cannabis use include: an increased risk of motor vehicle accidents; respiratory disease; dependence; adverse effects on adolescent development; and the exacerbation of psychosis."
To quote something that made me laugh, "Drunk drivers kill people, high drivers miss their exits." That being said.. alcohol leas to motor vehicle accidents. That is why it is illegal to drive drunk. They used to call it a DWI(driving while intoxicated) but changed it to a DUI(driving under the influence) to make the term incorporate a lot more than alcohol. While that is a factually true statement, it does not address the actual issue. You wouldn't be able to drive high. That would be DUI. Neither does the "adolescent" thing, either. A lot of things provide detriment to a developing brain... again... namely alcohol. That is why the legal age is at adulthood. The same would go for marijuana. It isn't as if kids would be allowed to toke up... They would have to be a legal adult. As for the psychosis... I want to see the actual proof for that. Thanks.

Chuan-Yu, 2005: "...that cannabis dependence is more likely to occur when use begins during adolescence, and that the cannabis dependence syndrome includes a number of heritable untoward psychiatric side effects including withdrawal." <- Some people are more likely to become dependent on cannabis than others.

Okay? So people form stronger habits when they are young. That is a given.. it is when they are developing. But as I've said before... cannabis does not create a dependence. It has no psycho-active substances that cause addiction or stimulate withdraws. Any such actions can be attributed to the individual themselves. I am a prime counter-example of this. I've taken hiatuses from smoking weed so that I might accomplish important tasks. I do not have any withdraws and could go about my day just fine, with or without weed.

Cousjin et al., 2012: Smoking weed affects brain structure, both long term and short-term.
I don't know of any short term effects, give me proof. I will not deny long-term effects. But those are in heavy, chronic users. A.K.A. someone who smokes daily for a good decade or so.

Buckner et al., 2012: Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is a symptom of cannabis withdrawal.
Withdrawal of cannabis does not exist... this entire claim is thus invalidated. I'll further mention, that since I have started smoking cannabis, I have become much more of an extrovert. Where I used to have issues saying "hi" to a friend passing in the halls... I've garnered enough courage to now knock on their door, even! And while that courage may have been out of natural development, smoking weed sure has done nothing to aggravate it. Actually... when I am thoroughly stressed out, smoking weed de-stresses me.

To do as you did:

Lebowitz said:
Unfortunately, trying to understand the science of marijuana is not as calming as smoking it. Marijuana reduces stress by acting on the endocannabinoid system, the part of the brain that regulates pain, memory, and appetite. The brain busts out the Bob Marley when the THC interacts with a neurotransmitter called anandamide, producing a relaxed feeling. Small amounts of marijuana can also beat stress by lowering blood pressure and causing sleepiness.

That being said.. I will not respond to any "argument" that is simply you listing out a bunch of other people, and not even providing links to such information If you can actually construct one, then by all means, do.
 
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