Should marijuana be legalized?

[FreakyLocz14]

This November in my state (California), the will be an initiative on the ballot called Proposition 19. If it passes, it will legalize the recreational use of marijuana for persons 21 years of age and older. It will also allow people of the legal age to carry up to one ounce of marijuana one their persons; provided that the marijuana is not laced with other illegal substances. This law will also allow people to grow and cultivate marijuana in an area not to excede 25 acres.

 

[Murmansk]

I'm of the opinion that all drugs should be legalized because most of the violence that surrounds drugs is merely an effect of them having been made illegal in the first place.
So more freedom for those in California is fine by me. The proposition might not do enough, but it's a good place to start.

 

[Constantinople]

Marijuana should be legal. It is neither as addictive nor as harmful as alcohol or tobacco, which are both legal.

 

[Nicktacular]

But it's a gateway drug, it can easily lead to more hard drugs.

 

[ThatKidMike]

I'm in full support. The way I see it, the economic advantage is too great. We shouldn't base decisions on money alone, but if substances that provide far greater hazards than weed ever could, such as alcohol and tobacco are legal, which have also seamlessly integrated into our society (to a point where alcohol is such a staple at every adult gathering) why shouldn't weed be legal as well? This stance does have a "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" aura to it, but it only makes sense.

 

[Nicktacular]

I think those things should be illegal also, but the argument of "just because something worse is ok slightly lesser things should be fine" isn't very progressive. instead of working to make all bad things legal we should be working toward making smoking and drinking illegal

 

[Constantinople]

But it's a gateway drug, it can easily lead to more hard drugs.

If marijuana were legalized, it would not be seen as a "gateway" drug to the extent it is now. Some people are not going to do something because it is illegal, regardless of other factors. Since marijuana is illegal now, people are already breaking the law when they smoke marijuana. Therefore, they don't see a problem with stepping up to another drug. However, if marijuana were legal, people would probably consider sticking with marijuana over taking more dangerous drugs.

 

[SIN1488]

I'm of the opinion that all drugs should be legalized because most of the violence that surrounds drugs is merely an effect of them having been made illegal in the first place.

So it should be easier for heroin users to throw their life away? If those types of drugs were legal, then there would be no way to get those people legally put in rehabs, as them doing those drugs would be legal. And it's fairly easy to get now even though it's illegal, imagine how easy it would be to get if it was legal?

But it's a gateway drug, it can easily lead to more hard drugs.

No, caffeine is a gateway drug to pot. And violent video games are just gateway to real violence....... Sorry, kind of going off topic, but you get my point. Hopefully.......

That said, I would be fully supportive of legalization, as long as it doesn't make kids want to try it more. I know it's easy to get in most places, and I know it won't ruin your life, but chances are it's probably not going to help you and it would be a waste of time and money, especially at a young age. They don't need that stuff to have fun, there are better ways to get rid of boredom. So yeah, if someone could convince me that legalization would not make more kids want to try it, then I would gladly vote for legalization.

 

[Nicktacular]

It is a gateway drug to harder drugs for a multitude of reasons, where as your fake examples were sort of random.

 

[ThatKidMike]

 

[Nicktacular]

That can be an end result, but it is grossly over exaggerated

 

[Magmarizer]

I think those things should be illegal also, but the argument of "just because something worse is ok slightly lesser things should be fine" isn't very progressive. instead of working to make all bad things legal we should be working toward making smoking and drinking illegal

They already tried to make alchohal illigeal, and look what happened.
Im happy that there doing this, and hope other states follow suit. It would dramaticly reduce border problems, and can be taxed.

 

[SIN1488]

That can be an end result, but it is grossly over exaggerated

I really doubt that weed alone would cause someone to go from successful to homeless. Did you learn that from a DARE commercial?

 

[twocows]

It is a gateway drug to harder drugs for a multitude of reasons, where as your fake examples were sort of random.

It wouldn't be a gateway drug if it was legal. It is a gateway drug because it is illegal. People disregard the law on one matter and think it's of little consequence to progress further down the chain. They've already broken the law, why not break it more? That's why it's a gateway drug.

When there's something like this that people generally don't see as harmful and yet it's illegal, it creates disrespect for the law, which can lead to much more drastic consequences. It's the same way with piracy. The best thing to do is for the government to recognize the activity isn't harmful and that keeping it illegal causes more problems. Unfortunately, sometimes there are other interests at work who find it more convenient for such things to be illegal, so little happens.

 

[ThatKidMike]

Guys, stop attacking his gateway drug argument with the legality of weed. Cigarettes and Alcohol are also classified as gateway drugs, and they're legal and very obtainable. With the arguement that its already breaking the law, you've even proved that alcohol and cigarettes can be classified in such a manner, since smoking and drinking in high school is also breaking the law.

 

[Nicktacular]

Prohibition messed up big in the way they did things, i think that smoking should be illegal and drinking age pushed up or an alcohol content per bottle should be placed.

By end result i meant that it can happen if someone get's gatewayed.

 

[Murmansk]

It's not a gateway drug.

So it should be easier for heroin users to throw their life away? If those types of drugs were legal, then there would be no way to get those people legally put in rehabs, as them doing those drugs would be legal. And it's fairly easy to get now even though it's illegal, imagine how easy it would be to get if it was legal?

Yes, it should be easier for them to acquire a substance they are addicted to without getting involved with potentially dangerous groups of people. People who hand out needles to junkies in order to combat the spread of AIDS should not be locked in a cage. The price of Heroin and ease with which you can acquire it should be so low that violence surrounding the addiction gets minimized to the point where it is seemingly nonexistent. I believe that they shouldn't have to die because they're using heroin which has no guarantee on the purity of the drug. Why drive the market underground and create an even more dangerous situation because you've just made it a black market product. Because, hint hint, you didn't get rid of the market demand for it; you simply drove it underground. And you can bet somebody will fill that market demand no matter what steps you take to try and prevent it.

And why are you arguing the legality of forcing people into rehab? Just because you can't coerce someone into going into rehab against their will doesn't mean that you can't help get people who actually want to get out of their addiction into rehab. It's not up to some state goon to help someone get over their drug addiction; because they have no real incentive to help the person, there will always be some profit incentive over a charitable one. I believe that it's up to the family and friends of the drug user to get the junkie into rehab, and not against the will of the addicted user, and if they happen to die from their addiction? That's certainly a tragedy, but it's even more tragic to spread aids and throw people in cages creating criminals out of people who are merely addicted to a substance.

 

[Mirby]

Personally, I feel that is should be. If they were to tax it, it would definitely help with the state's budget problem, and pot's a lot better than cigarettes and alcohol. In moderation, of course.

Also, studies have shown that marijuana is not a gateway drug. If you go on to other drugs from pot, then that's your own damn stupidity and your own conscious decision to do so. Pot doesn't MAKE you do that, you do.

The only thing pot might make you is hungry. ;)

 

[ThatKidMike]

Whatever guys, smoking that herb is so bad. Being caught should be auto execution wtf.

 

[SIN1488]

It's not a gateway drug.


Yes, it should be easier for them to acquire a substance they are addicted to without getting involved with potentially dangerous groups of people. People who hand out needles to junkies in order to combat the spread of AIDS should not be locked in a cage. The price of Heroin and ease with which you can acquire it should be so low that violence surrounding the addiction gets minimized to the point where it is seemingly nonexistent. I believe that they shouldn't have to die because they're using heroin which has no guarantee on the purity of the drug. Why drive the market underground and create an even more dangerous situation because you've just made it a black market product. Because, hint hint, you didn't get rid of the market demand for it; you simply drove it underground. And you can bet somebody will fill that market demand no matter what steps you take to try and prevent it.

I think it should stay illegal because once you take away the whole scary "AIDS needles and thugs selling low purity cut with who knows what" idea, people would be more willing to try it. And I'm sure there are many people who have addictive personalities who wouldn't have tried it if it stayed illegal.

But you know, maybe this should be another topic entirely, as this one is about whether weed should be legalized or not.

The only thing pot might make you is hungry. ;)

It also might make you Chinese, just keep that in mind. :P