Should marijuana be legalized?

[girliehhhhhh]

personally i'm kind of torn; i think marijuana should be legalized for medical uses, because it's been proven that it helps people with cancer and people with problems. i think the jails would be less crowded if it was legal because most of the inmates are there for that, which is ridiculous. cops should be putting murderers and actual criminals in jail not wasting space and money on people who just want to smoke/sell weed. i think alcohol and cigarettes have way more damages then weed. but on the other hand if it was legalized i think jobs wouldn't be getting done, no one would want to do anything and people could get into car accidents, but if it anything should be illegal it should be cigarettes and alcohol both of those can kill you and have way more effects. i don't really have a side, i'm just saying.​

 

[SIN1488]

I'm all for legalizing it. Everyone knows it's much less dangerous for the consumer and those around them than alcohol, and that's still legal. :\

The picture in your signature says it all...... :P

 

[Chikara]

If it gets legalized, they'll tax the crap out of it.

Tax the crap out of it, and everyone will STILL buy a crapton of it at a time.

And the somehow, the economy will be awful terrible, and America (at least) will explode.

Or that's what my Economics Professor said, idk. I was doodling while we were discussing the legalization of pot, and the end of civilized society.

/waits to be told how wrong the entire idea is.

 

[SIN1488]

/waits to be told how wrong the entire idea is.

That entire idea is wrong. :|

Seriously though, we need a poll for this. Now that all the arguments seem to have been laid out, I'm curious to see what a poll here would say.

 

[Chikara]

Wow that took 12 minutes! One for the record books.

I think a poll should have been used from the start butthatsjustmeandnoonelistenstome

 

[Livinitup17]

well i saw saw and wanted to say was all drugs should be legal it ruins the fun when the things you want to get is available so easily which would reduce drug numbers but the ideaof growing marijuana doesnt seem to be a good idea but other than that its fine

 

[BrandonE]

This!

I know fine well that it's not as dangerous as cigarettes and alcohol, but personally I think that those should be banned too.

The whole world would be better without these substances!

If you think the world would be better without them, that's your opinion and it is a valid one. However, prohibition doesn't reduce usage. Keeping them illegal is not helping you in the slightest, while if you read my post, you'd see it hurts you plenty. I'd love for tobacco to disappear from this earth, but prohibition simply isn't the answer.

Well, in all technicality, if something smells bad, people have the right to NOT smell it in common public locations.

And the thing about alcohol, and also marijuana, granted far higher with alcohol, is that they have a tendency to remove inhibitions and aid poor decision-making. We all know drunk driving is epidemic. While I'm sure high driving isn't exactly good, it must not be a major issue because it's never mentioned. However, if you're high, and for example, have unprotected sex, then we have different, but still serious, issues added in.

Don't worry about usage being in public; if our politicians grow a spine and end this horrible atrocity, they will never do it without a clause of when someone can and can't use it.

Driving high would be decreased if it was legalized because people would be free to use it outside of their house without their neighbors calling the cops on them instead of having to drive to and back from some isolated place.

personally i'm kind of torn; i think marijuana should be legalized for medical uses, because it's been proven that it helps people with cancer and people with problems. i think the jails would be less crowded if it was legal because most of the inmates are there for that, which is ridiculous. cops should be putting murderers and actual criminals in jail not wasting space and money on people who just want to smoke/sell weed. i think alcohol and cigarettes have way more damages then weed. but on the other hand if it was legalized i think jobs wouldn't be getting done, no one would want to do anything and people could get into car accidents, but if it anything should be illegal it should be cigarettes and alcohol both of those can kill you and have way more effects. i don't really have a side, i'm just saying.​

Again, prohibition hasn't prevented use, so if jobs would not get done by the use of weed, we would be in an extremely unproductive country right now. Not to mention many successful people use it on a regular basis.

If it gets legalized, they'll tax the crap out of it.

Tax the crap out of it, and everyone will STILL buy a crapton of it at a time.

And the somehow, the economy will be awful terrible, and America (at least) will explode.

Or that's what my Economics Professor said, idk. I was doodling while we were discussing the legalization of pot, and the end of civilized society.

/waits to be told how wrong the entire idea is.

Yeah, because increased federal income destroys the federal government...wait what?

 

[0m3GA ARS3NAL]

If that bill passes, I'm moving to California when I move out.
I personally believe that marijuana should be legalized, and used, even commercially.
From personal experience, I've made friends, had (surprisingly enough) deep philosophical conversation, and overall have had a (despite what it does to many others) have ad an overall boost in confidence, grades, and attendance at my school, while under the influence of said plant.

Though that isn't to say that it could still cause serious problems in everyday society.
With the legalization of marijuana, there comes TAXES, and people don't like those, and since marijuana would be more comonplace, that means it will be easier to steal, leading to violence, and a lot more work for the Californian Police's...

Now I personally would prefer simple 'decriminalization' of marijuana. Selling it is, in my opinion, more dangerous than using, or growing it. And if people can't sell it, (which people wouldn't be able to do if it was simply decriminalized) There wouldn't be any tax on it, which is a win for users.

So yeah, legalization is a + from my point of view.

If it gets legalized, they'll tax the crap out of it.

Tax the crap out of it, and everyone will STILL buy a crapton of it at a time.

And the somehow, the economy will be awful terrible, and America (at least) will explode.

Or that's what my Economics Professor said, idk. I was doodling while we were discussing the legalization of pot, and the end of civilized society.

/waits to be told how wrong the entire idea is.

In reality, the taxes placed on marijuana would BOOST the nations economy to an all time high. (Mind the pun)

More money going to the government means that the government will be able to start working out of that $13 Billion debt we have to various countries around the world.

Win win for EVERYONE, even the ones paying the tax. (Cause as debt goes down, and economy goes up, prices on things, and taxes in general, go down.)

 

[Editman]

Not really sure, but i know the first time..."I came into contact with it" I understood stuff in Math Class!

 

[FreakyLocz14]

Why should we tax marijuana if it is legalized, though? We should be reducing taxes, not adding more.

By taxing it as a vice, you would essentially saying that marijuana is harmful.

P.S.
This thread I made is still active? FTW!!!

 

[Virtual Chatot]

We need to dissolve victimless crimes from the system (even if you yourself are the 'victim').

We talked about this in Sociology, and why it most likely won't be implemented by the Federal Government (at least until most state governments pass legislation approving it). The main reason is really an economic one. Legalize marijuana and you'll have to fire all the cops that dealt with people arrested for possession, you'll have to release everyone who's been incarcerated for possession, and you'll have to shut down all the private prisons that contain a majority of the possession inmates.

As crazy is it sounds, the government wants more people to commit crimes because then they can tax us more to pay more people. Put a stick in the waterwheel's cog and the money stops flowing.

 

[FreakyLocz14]

We need to dissolve victimless crimes from the system (even if you yourself are the 'victim').

We talked about this in Sociology, and why it most likely won't be implemented by the Federal Government (at least until most state governments pass legislation approving it). The main reason is really an economic one. Legalize marijuana and you'll have to fire all the cops that dealt with people arrested for possession, you'll have to release everyone who's been incarcerated for possession, and you'll have to shut down all the private prisons that contain a majority of the possession inmates.

As crazy is it sounds, the government wants more people to commit crimes because then they can tax us more to pay more people. Put a stick in the waterwheel's cog and the money stops flowing.

The term "victimless" is subjective. What do you define as a victimless crime?

And if marijuana is legalized, that doesn't necessarily mean that all people incarcerated for possesion of marijuana will be released. Ballot initiatives usually are not retroactive; however, a court of law can reverse the convictions of said inmates in a class action lawsuit.

 

[Livewire]

The term "victimless" is subjective. What do you define as a victimless crime?

And if marijuana is legalized, that doesn't necessarily mean that all people incarcerated for possesion of marijuana will be released. Ballot initiatives usually are not retroactive; however, a court of law can reverse the convictions of said inmates in a class action lawsuit.

It's like reverse Ex Post Facto. Sort of. Although if marijuana was legalized I think previous convicts could win a class action lawsuit to be set free.

 

[FreakyLocz14]

It's like reverse Ex Post Facto. Sort of. Although if marijuana was legalized I think previous convicts could win a class action lawsuit to be set free.

I agree, they probably would. But I still don't see like how people want to tax the hell out of marijuana.

 

[Livewire]

I agree, they probably would. But I still don't see like how people want to tax the hell out of marijuana.

I think people who would smoke it, don't want to see it taxed heavily, because they don't want to pay an arm or a leg for it. In my opinion, I see the taxation argument coming from those who wouldn't otherwise use it. They'd just like the tax revenue it would bring in.

 

[FreakyLocz14]

I think people who would smoke it, don't want to see it taxed heavily, because they don't want to pay an arm or a leg for it. In my opinion, I see the taxation argument coming from those who wouldn't otherwise use it. They'd just like the tax revenue it would bring in.

I guess it can give people and initiative to support it's legalization initially, but I'd like to see taxes on it go down as marijuana being legal becomes as normal as cigarettes and alcohol being legal.

 

[0m3GA ARS3NAL]

You realize that if marijuana were to be legalized, it would be EVERYWHERE, and dirt cheap at that.
Taxing it will not make it more expensive than it is now.

(Cheap Mary Jane and the US gets more money to get out of debt, win-win to me, tax the hell out of it, it'll still be dirt cheap, even for the primo stuff.

 

[FreakyLocz14]

You realize that if marijuana were to be legalized, it would be EVERYWHERE, and dirt cheap at that.
Taxing it will not make it more expensive than it is now.

(Cheap Mary Jane and the US gets more money to get out of debt, win-win to me, tax the hell out of it, it'll still be dirt cheap, even for the primo stuff.

Not if the government regulates it and keeps street sales of marijuana criminal (similar to how you need a liquor license to sell alcohol).

 

[BrandonE]

Though that isn't to say that it could still cause serious problems in everyday society.
With the legalization of marijuana, there comes TAXES, and people don't like those, and since marijuana would be more comonplace, that means it will be easier to steal, leading to violence, and a lot more work for the Californian Police's...

Now I personally would prefer simple 'decriminalization' of marijuana. Selling it is, in my opinion, more dangerous than using, or growing it. And if people can't sell it, (which people wouldn't be able to do if it was simply decriminalized) There wouldn't be any tax on it, which is a win for users.

So yeah, legalization is a + from my point of view.

I can't tell what side you are on from this. How would legalization increase crimes? On decriminalization, where is the cannabis these people are using coming from? I don't see the logic in any of this.

Why should we tax marijuana if it is legalized, though? We should be reducing taxes, not adding more.

What good doesn't have some kind of tax on it? Do you mean we shouldn't have an excise tax on it in addition to sales tax? OK, that's a legitimate argument, but why wouldn't you want additional tax revenue? We can't move towards lowering taxes until we reduce spending, and it's obvious that no one in government has a serious plan to do so. So, I say you should put a gigantic tax on it so that our country can stabilize again.

Do the math: A gram of cannabis costs more per gram than corn does per ton. Why is this? That's because you can grow corn out in the open without getting arrested, your house raided, your pets killed, etc. Now, if it's legalized, this changes, and cannabis becomes nearly worthless.

So let's say you're a heavy user of the stuff and you currently use $100 worth a week. Without any additional taxes, you can now get by on $1 a week. If the government taxes it be 2000%, you now are paying 1 / 5th of the cost of what you'd normally pay while the government balances its budget. Sounds like a good plan for everyone to me.

 

[Livewire]

I can't tell what side you are on from this. How would legalization increase crimes? On decriminalization, where is the cannabis these people are using coming from? I don't see the logic in any of this.


What good doesn't have some kind of tax on it? Do you mean we shouldn't have an excise tax on it in addition to sales tax? OK, that's a legitimate argument, but why wouldn't you want additional tax revenue? We can't move towards lowering taxes until we reduce spending, and it's obvious that no one in government has a serious plan to do so. So, I say you should put a gigantic tax on it so that our country can stabilize again.

Do the math: A gram of cannabis costs more per gram than corn does per ton. Why is this? That's because you can grow corn out in the open without getting arrested, your house raided, your pets killed, etc. Now, if it's legalized, this changes, and cannabis becomes nearly worthless.

So let's say you're a heavy user of the stuff and you currently use $100 worth a week. Without any additional taxes, you can now get by on $1 a week. If the government taxes it be 2000%, you now are paying 1 / 5th of the cost of what you'd normally pay while the government balances its budget. Sounds like a good plan for everyone to me.

^ Pay attention kiddies, this is how you win an argument.


On a related note, I think the people using the crime argument are simply posting what the establishment has drilled into their heads regarding Drugs/Alcohol etc. That isn't always the case.