Should marijuana be legalized? Page 7

Started by FreakyLocz14 September 4th, 2010 8:24 PM
  • 9712 views
  • 251 replies

Rich Boy Rob

"Fezzes are cool." The Doctor

Age 29
Male
Seen March 15th, 2016
Posted August 15th, 2015
1,051 posts
14.9 Years
Making them illegal will do no good either. The Volstead Act already showed us that making a popular substance illegal will only do harm. If nicotine and tobacco were made illegal, then a thriving black market will be made for it. Having no benefit to society? Well, it has an economic benefit iirc, but feel free to correct me.

The only way you could prevent people from using tobacco and nicotine without creating a black market is by educating them or using propaganda.
Ignoring the drop in revenue, you could slowly phase out nicotine by raising the legal age every year, thus meaning less and less people would start using it. Eventually, you should end up with a legal age of about 70 to keep the already addicted happy, but it would mean that far fewer youths would start. Even if you ignored that fact that it would be hard to get (as you'd have to ask a OAP to buy you cigarettes for you or steal them from your grandparents), it would surely start to be seen as something for the elderly and not "cool".
Just a random idea I came up with.
In my pants!

twocows

The not-so-black cat of ill omen

Age 32
Male
Michigan
Seen February 19th, 2023
Posted April 30th, 2021
4,307 posts
14.2 Years
But surely we should be working towards making tobacco/nicotine illegal, not making other substances legal. These things have no real benefit to society and are simply a detriment.
There are people who enjoy smoking and when done it private it doesn't hurt anyone else. There's no reason to deprive people of things they like doing just because those things may be harmful to themselves. Are we going to start banning candy next? Or perhaps television? If I wanted to live in a nanny state, I wouldn't be living where I am. There are plenty of foreign governments who think they know what's good for me better than I do, and I don't really want to live in any of them.
VNs are superior to anime, don't @ me

SIN1488

Dedicated FluoroCarbons :P

Age 31
Male
Orange County, CA
Seen January 9th, 2012
Posted November 6th, 2011
1,139 posts
14.9 Years
I said before that I'm not sure about legalization because of how it will effect kids. Now I'm pretty sure. Basically, if it became legal then most street dealers would go out of business. That means marijuana will become a product sold in shops much like alcohol or cigarettes. So since kids or young teenagers won't be able to get it from street dealers anymore, the only source is smoke shops, liquor stores, etc.

And those street dealers might try to stay in business by selling to minors, but since the police won't be after the smokers 21 and over anymore, they will go after the underage ones and the dealers selling to them. That's why I think they would die out pretty fast.

So since they wouldn't be able to easily get it from there, it will become less available, and underage people will only try to get it if they really really want it. So I think I shouldn't worry about that part, and start thinking of other reasons why it's worth it. Also, does anyone know exactly what Prop 19 says? Is there anything else riding on the coattails of it?
www.zoklet.net/bbs <> www.totse.info
Freemasonry: Square your actions by the square of virtue.
Twins Vika and Masha sent out...... What the?? PC Family ./<o>\Little Sis'/<o>\Little Brother/<o>\Lil Sis'/<o>\Uncle/<o>\Long Lost Cousin/<o>\Nephew from the future/<o>\Little Sister/<o>\Queen Aunt/<o>\Reminder: 4 words per post :P

Aether★

Age 32
Male
Monaco
Seen December 29th, 2021
Posted December 3rd, 2020
2,910 posts
12.9 Years
I don't really know what to say about it. There was many speculations between politics in Poland about it, but no conclusion. They legalized afterburners (? boosters ? I don't know), which have worse effects than Marijuana and they are practically chemical. Marijuana is natural, but... Hard to say about it. I smoked it once and I exaggerate a bit, so I had "little problems" later and I decided to not smoke it ever again.

SIN1488

Dedicated FluoroCarbons :P

Age 31
Male
Orange County, CA
Seen January 9th, 2012
Posted November 6th, 2011
1,139 posts
14.9 Years
They legalized afterburners (? boosters ? I don't know), which have worse effects than Marijuana and they are practically chemical.
Sorry to go a little off topic, but what the heck are those?
www.zoklet.net/bbs <> www.totse.info
Freemasonry: Square your actions by the square of virtue.
Twins Vika and Masha sent out...... What the?? PC Family ./<o>\Little Sis'/<o>\Little Brother/<o>\Lil Sis'/<o>\Uncle/<o>\Long Lost Cousin/<o>\Nephew from the future/<o>\Little Sister/<o>\Queen Aunt/<o>\Reminder: 4 words per post :P
Age 91
Seen March 23rd, 2023
Posted September 10th, 2010
3,459 posts
15.8 Years
Sorry to go a little off topic, but what the heck are those?
Afterburner is a term generally applied to any drug taken when using another drug, with the initial effect fading. It's usually done to increase the intensity of the high/trip you're already on. That's what it means in the UK (Or at least my area) anyway.

But yeah, I think it should be legalised despite not actually using it myself.
Hi again.
Female
The Whedonverse.
Seen July 3rd, 2012
Posted October 15th, 2010
140 posts
12.8 Years
There are people who enjoy smoking and when done it private it doesn't hurt anyone else.
I disagree completely.

This point might not apply to Americans, but in the UK we have the NHS, paid for by the taxpayer. It's an amazing system, and means that everyone gets fair and equal care, and everyone foots the bill. Obviously a logical alternative. Why should tax payers have to pay extra because people are drunk/high/smoking cigarettes and then either destroy their or have accidents that need NHS attention.

For those of us that don't drink or smoke, it's difficult to hear how much tax money goes on treating those with completely preventible conditions which have been brought on by substance abuse. So I really don't think that another substance that puts people "out of their minds" is really a great idea.
- If we could live without passion maybe we'd know some kind of peace... but we would be hollow... Empty rooms shuttered and dank. -
- Without passion, we would be be truly dead -


..
w&t
- Serenity - Dr Horrible

Sic Transit Gloria Mundi.

Aether★

Age 32
Male
Monaco
Seen December 29th, 2021
Posted December 3rd, 2020
2,910 posts
12.9 Years
Afterburner is a term generally applied to any drug taken when using another drug, with the initial effect fading. It's usually done to increase the intensity of the high/trip you're already on. That's what it means in the UK (Or at least my area) anyway.

But yeah, I think it should be legalised despite not actually using it myself.
Not exactly. You can take it not as booster. It is very intense by itself.

Those are usually tablets or powders.




The last one are just an antitussive tablets, but in higher portion they have actions similar to drugs.

Livewire

Male
Sunnyshore City
Seen December 3rd, 2022
Posted August 2nd, 2019
14,091 posts
13.8 Years
I disagree completely.

This point might not apply to Americans, but in the UK we have the NHS, paid for by the taxpayer. It's an amazing system, and means that everyone gets fair and equal care, and everyone foots the bill. Obviously a logical alternative. Why should tax payers have to pay extra because people are drunk/high/smoking cigarettes and then either destroy their or have accidents that need NHS attention.

For those of us that don't drink or smoke, it's difficult to hear how much tax money goes on treating those with completely preventable conditions which have been brought on by substance abuse. So I really don't think that another substance that puts people "out of their minds" is really a great idea.
I wish America had a more comprehensive health system like England's and the majority of Europe it seems. The amount of Money used to pay for treatment of carcinogenic diseases- Lung Cancer, emphysema, etc is obscene here in the US. Like billions annually.

But, from a monetary standpoint, i can see why it could be legalized. The potential for monetary gain in growing/selling etc of legal marijuana is Huge. It would become a massive industry.

I would also like to point out the double standard when it comes to drugs or marijuana- it can be legally prescribed for medical purposes. Also, i can go out now to my Drug store or pharmacy and buy several types of drugs with just as potent effects as Marijuana. Some of the active ingredients in common medicines- like pseudophendrine in Benedryl or the acetaminophen in Advil can screw you up just as much as getting High can.

twocows

The not-so-black cat of ill omen

Age 32
Male
Michigan
Seen February 19th, 2023
Posted April 30th, 2021
4,307 posts
14.2 Years
I disagree completely.

This point might not apply to Americans, but in the UK we have the NHS, paid for by the taxpayer. It's an amazing system, and means that everyone gets fair and equal care, and everyone foots the bill. Obviously a logical alternative. Why should tax payers have to pay extra because people are drunk/high/smoking cigarettes and then either destroy their or have accidents that need NHS attention.

For those of us that don't drink or smoke, it's difficult to hear how much tax money goes on treating those with completely preventible conditions which have been brought on by substance abuse. So I really don't think that another substance that puts people "out of their minds" is really a great idea.
That's a different system than what we use so it doesn't apply to my arguments, but I'd ask why there isn't some measure in place to disqualify such people from the taxpayer-funded version of health care. That seems like a pretty obvious requirement of such a system. If you do stuff that is harmful to yourself, you should obviously have to pay for the consequences. Over here, if you're a smoker, your health insurance costs go up. Makes sense to me.
VNs are superior to anime, don't @ me

FreakyLocz14

Conservative Patriot

Male
Seen August 29th, 2018
Posted August 28th, 2018
3,497 posts
14 Years
That's a different system than what we use so it doesn't apply to my arguments, but I'd ask why there isn't some measure in place to disqualify such people from the taxpayer-funded version of health care. That seems like a pretty obvious requirement of such a system. If you do stuff that is harmful to yourself, you should obviously have to pay for the consequences. Over here, if you're a smoker, your health insurance costs go up. Makes sense to me.
Because Europe is raging mad. The people in the UK pay astronomical amounts of taxes.

Dawn

Queen of Magical Girls

She/Her
East Coast, USA
Seen 20 Hours Ago
Posted December 13th, 2022
4,594 posts
14.7 Years
Pretty sure anything is bad for you in excess. Caffeine is bad for you if you take in too much of it, as well as fat.

Anyways, it's not all bad. Cigarettes will never have enough good for me to actually use them, but they are used to release stress, and honestly, they do help some people who have stressful lives. Don't state it in a manner where you're saying "it's completely bad", even if it is almost that.
Who said anything about excess? One teensy cigarette. ONE smoke of weed. Bad for you. It's basically poison. I would be relatively impressed if someone could show me something that has been studied and proven to be smoke-able without any harm.

It's flat out bad for you, and unless by some horrible twist of fate it's the ONLY way you can relieve stress it doesn't really justify anything saying it's not completely bad. That's like saying that taking an extremely dangerous shortcut isn't completely bad because nothing bad happened, even though the long way was a lot safer.

Oh by the way, I'm late.
Don't let your guard down
just 'cause we're cute!

We'll eat you right up!
Post Templates
[1] Hisui Legends

Livewire

Male
Sunnyshore City
Seen December 3rd, 2022
Posted August 2nd, 2019
14,091 posts
13.8 Years

I would be relatively impressed if someone could show me something that has been studied and proven to be smoke-able without any harm.
Peyote. The active ingredient in peyote, Peyocactin, has been shown to actually combat around 20 different strains of bacterial resistant Staphylococcus aureus.


Now when you say smoke something, remember that the harm comes from the actual smoke, not the substance being smoked if that makes sense.

SIN1488

Dedicated FluoroCarbons :P

Age 31
Male
Orange County, CA
Seen January 9th, 2012
Posted November 6th, 2011
1,139 posts
14.9 Years
Peyote. The active ingredient in peyote, Peyocactin, has been shown to actually combat around 20 different strains of bacterial resistant Staphylococcus aureus.


Now when you say smoke something, remember that the harm comes from the actual smoke, not the substance being smoked if that makes sense.
Peyocactin? I thought it's Mescaline in peyote?

Either way I've never heard of smoking it..... But what about smoking things that don't have plant matter in it? I can't imagine DMT being bad for you, considering it's a bunch of crystals AND it's the same chemical that causes people to have dreams naturally. And people with asthma inhale a certain chemical that is a crystal, Albuterol Sulfate, so it's obvious that doesn't cause harm.

Who said anything about excess? One teensy cigarette. ONE smoke of weed. Bad for you. It's basically poison. I would be relatively impressed if someone could show me something that has been studied and proven to be smoke-able without any harm.


Yes, any foreign substance you put in your body IS bad for you. So all the germs on the food you eat is bad. But yeah, I get your point about the benefits outweighing the harm. So how about vaporizers? Yes, if someone vaporizes weed, they are not inhaling any organic matter, they are just inhaling the Cannabinoids (THC, etc.). If there are any damages from that, they are probably so minuscule that breathing air in the city is worse for you. Also, you seem to forget about consuming brownies and other edibles that have weed in them. Those aren't bad for your lungs, obviously, and I find it hard to believe that it would be bad for your digestive system, with all the organic plant matter we eat daily. And about THC and other Cannabinoids' effects on the rest of the body? Well, it was once thought that they are very identical to the same Cannabinoids our own bodies produce, however research has shown that they are not really that identical. But, they are identical in the way they behave, which is why Cannabinoids (Such as THC) will bind to Endocannabinoid receptors in the brain.

Oh by the way, I'm late.
That's really not good, you should take a pregnancy test right away. :shocked:
www.zoklet.net/bbs <> www.totse.info
Freemasonry: Square your actions by the square of virtue.
Twins Vika and Masha sent out...... What the?? PC Family ./<o>\Little Sis'/<o>\Little Brother/<o>\Lil Sis'/<o>\Uncle/<o>\Long Lost Cousin/<o>\Nephew from the future/<o>\Little Sister/<o>\Queen Aunt/<o>\Reminder: 4 words per post :P

Livewire

Male
Sunnyshore City
Seen December 3rd, 2022
Posted August 2nd, 2019
14,091 posts
13.8 Years
Peyocactin? I thought it's Mescaline in peyote?

Either way I've never heard of smoking it..... But what about smoking things that don't have plant matter in it? I can't imagine DMT being bad for you, considering it's a bunch of crystals AND it's the same chemical that causes people to have dreams naturally. And people with asthma inhale a certain chemical that is a crystal, Albuterol Sulfate, so it's obvious that doesn't cause harm.
You can smoke and ingest peyote, but the effects will be the same. As for mescaline, that's the actual psychotropic ingredient, peyocactin is an actual antibiotic agent found in peyote.

SIN1488

Dedicated FluoroCarbons :P

Age 31
Male
Orange County, CA
Seen January 9th, 2012
Posted November 6th, 2011
1,139 posts
14.9 Years
You can smoke and ingest peyote, but the effects will be the same. As for mescaline, that's the actual psychotropic ingredient, peyocactin is an actual antibiotic agent found in peyote.

Ah, no wonder I have never heard of it.
www.zoklet.net/bbs <> www.totse.info
Freemasonry: Square your actions by the square of virtue.
Twins Vika and Masha sent out...... What the?? PC Family ./<o>\Little Sis'/<o>\Little Brother/<o>\Lil Sis'/<o>\Uncle/<o>\Long Lost Cousin/<o>\Nephew from the future/<o>\Little Sister/<o>\Queen Aunt/<o>\Reminder: 4 words per post :P
Age 31
Male
New York
Seen November 1st, 2010
Posted October 22nd, 2010
32 posts
13.2 Years
OK, time to break it down:

I. Harms (or lack of harms) of Cannabis
  1. Cannabis does not kill brain cells. This was a myth created by the Heath-Tulane study. In it, the scientists would put a gas mask around a monkey's face, pump pot smoke without oxygen, and suffocate them. What happens when you suffocate? Your brain cells start to die.
  2. Cannabis does not cause lung cancer. Although intaking heated plant matter paralyzes the cilia, unlike tobacco, cannabis has anti-tumor properties which are believed to counteract the negative effects.
  3. Cannabis has not directly killed a single human being in history. It is physically impossible to overdose on.
  4. Cannabis is not physically addictive.
  5. Many people have managed to live successful lives who have used it, some still using it today (Ted Turner).
  6. The gateway theory is nonsense. Is milk a gateway to alcohol?

II. Hypocrisy
  1. Tobacco and alcohol can cause cancer, both legal.
  2. Prescription drugs kill tens of thousands a year, completely legal.
  3. Although it's not a smart idea to drive high, it's not impossible, unlike driving drunk. Sure, it might make you unable quickly react, but you're probably not going to drive off the road.
  4. Alcohol can destroy lives. Legal.
  5. More people commit crimes on alcohol than cannabis.

III. Problems with Prohibition
  1. Like the prohibition of alcohol, prohibition of cannabis doesn't reduce usage. Before prohibition, there was an estimated 50,000 cannabis smokers in the US. Today, there are over 5 million. That is a 100000% increase.
  2. It costs $17.7 billion to enforce. This money could be redirected to better use.
  3. We have a bigger percentage of imprisoned people than any other country of the world, and we jail more people for possession of "narcotics" (Cannabis is not a narcotic) than any other crime, feeding billions to the private prison prohibition industrial complex. Land of the free, right?
  4. There are plenty of conflicts of interest in prohibition. For example, the companies who do drug tests are making a killing.Not to mention that "drug tests" will not pick up cocaine or heroine after a long weekend of no use.
  5. Prohibition delivers all of the profit to organized crime. Because of the inflated cost of cannabis due to prohibition (Cannabis would be WORTHLESS if legal), mob members think it's worth killing people over controlling the market. This is happening in your neighborhood.
  6. OK, I get it, you're a concerned parent and don't want your son / daughter using cannabis. OK, tell them not to. Let's say they're one of the millions of kids who don't listen to their parents on this subject. They get caught with cannabis. Do you want them to go to jail? No, you want to ground them. You don't have that choice.
  7. Above all, we don't need burecrats telling us what we can or cannot do in the privacy of our own home so long as it does not hurt anyone else. This is a conservative issue.

IV. Positive uses of Cannabis
  1. Cannabis relieves pain, increases hunger, and calms people down. Perfect drug for coping with chemo. I dare you to tell a cancer patient to put out his / her joint.
  2. Cannabis can be cultivated into Hemp. Hemp can be used for paper and clothing superior than that of we have today without expending depleting resources. It is also a renewable source of fuel that's growth can cancel out the greenhouse effect. The solution to global warming.
  3. You can't tax something illegal. If you hate it, support legalizing and taxing the hell out of it.
  4. Hell, we all need a break from our stressful lives, no? Why do you care if someone uses cannabis when you're drinking a beer?

V. Why the government wants to keep Cannabis illegal
  1. See III-3.
  2. If you flip flop on cannabis, you're saying "Oh, sorry, you millions of non-violent people shouldn't have gone to jail. My bad." They aren't going to get re-elected again.
  3. Many protestors use cannabis. You can't arrest someone for protesting. You can arrest them for using cannabis. No more protests!
  4. It's a diversion techinique. People are so focused on this problem that they ignore everything else. Exactly what they want.

If you are well informed on the subject, you cannot support prohibition, user or not. For more information, watch "The Union: The Business Behind Getting High".

Dawn

Queen of Magical Girls

She/Her
East Coast, USA
Seen 20 Hours Ago
Posted December 13th, 2022
4,594 posts
14.7 Years
But what about smoking things that don't have plant matter in it? I can't imagine DMT being bad for you, considering it's a bunch of crystals AND it's the same chemical that causes people to have dreams naturally. And people with asthma inhale a certain chemical that is a crystal, Albuterol Sulfate, so it's obvious that doesn't cause harm.
Whelp, smoking it is probably bad for you in relativity, believe it or not. Basically what I'm saying is, there are flat out better ways to use something that can be much less damaging to your health.


That's really not good, you should take a pregnancy test right away. :shocked:
ohgodwut

OK, time to break it down:
If you are well informed on the subject, you cannot support prohibition, user or not. For more information, watch "The Union: The Business Behind Getting High".
TL;DR - Alcohol and smoking are worse so they're legal so marijuana should be legal and it's not that big a deal so why fight it.

Point A has been made many times and countered an equal amount of times. The only reason alcohol and smoking are not illegal is because they were FORCED legal. If you really want to play that card, be ready to force Marijuana legalized, not to argue it should be because that's the only way the scenarios can be the same.

Point B is fair, but Marijuana is a much bigger deal than you're giving it credit for. Before marijuana can be legalized the arguing about it's effects needs to stop, and the medical facts, given by a professional (See: Not you, or me for that matter) need to become clear and accepted as factual. Until that happens, it's just making Marijuana more dangerous than it might actually be if there was clarity.

Further, those of us that oppose public smoking may refuse to support legalizing marijuana until we're sure we won't just be giving ourselves not one but two sources of smoke to be forced to breath, regardless of how good the argument is.
Don't let your guard down
just 'cause we're cute!

We'll eat you right up!
Post Templates
[1] Hisui Legends
Age 31
Male
New York
Seen November 1st, 2010
Posted October 22nd, 2010
32 posts
13.2 Years

Point A has been made many times and countered an equal amount of times. The only reason alcohol and smoking are not illegal is because they were FORCED legal. If you really want to play that card, be ready to force Marijuana legalized, not to argue it should be because that's the only way the scenarios can be the same.

Tobbaco's legal because politicians would never dare alienate every smoker out there. Alcohol is legal because prohibition was an incredible failure. Cannabis should be legal because prohibition IS an incredible failure.

Point B is fair, but Marijuana is a much bigger deal than you're giving it credit for.
Firstly, that wasn't my point. My point was that prohibition is hurting you and you should fight AGAINST it. The status quo will be sustained if we don't do something about it.

OK, you think Cannabis is a big deal. Now tell me how it is. You can't just say such a thing without backing it up with evidence.

Before marijuana can be legalized the arguing about it's effects needs to stop, and the medical facts, given by a professional (See: Not you, or me for that matter) need to become clear and accepted as factual. Until that happens, it's just making Marijuana more dangerous than it might actually be if there was clarity.
There's a couple problems with that:
  1. The professionals have a conflict of interest, seeing as they are in bed with the pharmaceutical companies.
  2. Even with that kind of pressure, the professional's agree with me. Everything that has come out against cannabis is propaganda, and professionals have refuted each one of them.
  3. Me telling you facts about cannabis doesn't make it more dangerous. I don't understand how I could possibly affect the effects of a substance by exercising rational thought.

Further, those of us that oppose public smoking may refuse to support legalizing marijuana until we're sure we won't just be giving ourselves not one but two sources of smoke to be forced to breath, regardless of how good the argument is.
I oppose public smoking. Rest assured, if cannabis is legalized and regulated by the federal government, the law they enact will have a provision against public smoking, and no cannabis user will argue with it. That said, if you happen to be at a private party where it's filling the room, feel safe knowing that the second hand smoke will do no adverse damages to you in the long or short term, not to mention it's not absolutely repulsive like tobacco.



Who said anything about excess? One teensy cigarette. ONE smoke of weed. Bad for you. It's basically poison. I would be relatively impressed if someone could show me something that has been studied and proven to be smoke-able without any harm.

It's flat out bad for you, and unless by some horrible twist of fate it's the ONLY way you can relieve stress it doesn't really justify anything saying it's not completely bad. That's like saying that taking an extremely dangerous shortcut isn't completely bad because nothing bad happened, even though the long way was a lot safer.
But they aren't the same. You're comparing arsenic to milk. If someone wants to relieve their pain and stress, you can't tell them how to do it, no matter how much you hate it.

NarutoActor

The rocks cry out to me

Age 29
Female
Brooklyn/Marlboro
Seen April 2nd, 2016
Posted March 22nd, 2016
1,974 posts
14.4 Years
No, it smells bad, and druggies annoy me. While where at it, ban cigarettes; yucckie
~There are those people who understand hex, F the rest

Ghost

In the Mainframe!

Male
Las Vegas
Seen 1 Week Ago
Posted February 13th, 2023
742 posts
15.4 Years
I say no, though I have my reasons. If a person was able to have 6 plants in possession for a certain reason, they could sell the plants to get a profit and continue to ask for plants. They would get it for free if it was prescribed of course. If you think about it is a necessity to some people as if someone wasn't able to eat, they would smoke some weed and that causes them to have the munches, so they'll eat. No offence to those who thinks this should be legal or illegal but this is a very dumb question, I'm guessing the thread creator mainly wanted to know your thoughts and what you see so right or wrong about the possession of weed. It's a common question.

Yuoaman

I don't know who I am either.

Age 30
Male
Ontario, Canada
Seen January 28th, 2023
Posted December 12th, 2018
4,582 posts
17.8 Years
OK, time to break it down:

I. Harms (or lack of harms) of Cannabis
  1. Cannabis does not kill brain cells. This was a myth created by the Heath-Tulane study. In it, the scientists would put a gas mask around a monkey's face, pump pot smoke without oxygen, and suffocate them. What happens when you suffocate? Your brain cells start to die.
  2. Cannabis does not cause lung cancer. Although intaking heated plant matter paralyzes the cilia, unlike tobacco, cannabis has anti-tumor properties which are believed to counteract the negative effects.
  3. Cannabis has not directly killed a single human being in history. It is physically impossible to overdose on.
  4. Cannabis is not physically addictive.
  5. Many people have managed to live successful lives who have used it, some still using it today (Ted Turner).
  6. The gateway theory is nonsense. Is milk a gateway to alcohol?

II. Hypocrisy
  1. Tobacco and alcohol can cause cancer, both legal.
  2. Prescription drugs kill tens of thousands a year, completely legal.
  3. Although it's not a smart idea to drive high, it's not impossible, unlike driving drunk. Sure, it might make you unable quickly react, but you're probably not going to drive off the road.
  4. Alcohol can destroy lives. Legal.
  5. More people commit crimes on alcohol than cannabis.

III. Problems with Prohibition
  1. Like the prohibition of alcohol, prohibition of cannabis doesn't reduce usage. Before prohibition, there was an estimated 50,000 cannabis smokers in the US. Today, there are over 5 million. That is a 100000% increase.
  2. It costs $17.7 billion to enforce. This money could be redirected to better use.
  3. We have a bigger percentage of imprisoned people than any other country of the world, and we jail more people for possession of "narcotics" (Cannabis is not a narcotic) than any other crime, feeding billions to the private prison prohibition industrial complex. Land of the free, right?
  4. There are plenty of conflicts of interest in prohibition. For example, the companies who do drug tests are making a killing.Not to mention that "drug tests" will not pick up cocaine or heroine after a long weekend of no use.
  5. Prohibition delivers all of the profit to organized crime. Because of the inflated cost of cannabis due to prohibition (Cannabis would be WORTHLESS if legal), mob members think it's worth killing people over controlling the market. This is happening in your neighborhood.
  6. OK, I get it, you're a concerned parent and don't want your son / daughter using cannabis. OK, tell them not to. Let's say they're one of the millions of kids who don't listen to their parents on this subject. They get caught with cannabis. Do you want them to go to jail? No, you want to ground them. You don't have that choice.
  7. Above all, we don't need burecrats telling us what we can or cannot do in the privacy of our own home so long as it does not hurt anyone else. This is a conservative issue.

IV. Positive uses of Cannabis
  1. Cannabis relieves pain, increases hunger, and calms people down. Perfect drug for coping with chemo. I dare you to tell a cancer patient to put out his / her joint.
  2. Cannabis can be cultivated into Hemp. Hemp can be used for paper and clothing superior than that of we have today without expending depleting resources. It is also a renewable source of fuel that's growth can cancel out the greenhouse effect. The solution to global warming.
  3. You can't tax something illegal. If you hate it, support legalizing and taxing the hell out of it.
  4. Hell, we all need a break from our stressful lives, no? Why do you care if someone uses cannabis when you're drinking a beer?

V. Why the government wants to keep Cannabis illegal
  1. See III-3.
  2. If you flip flop on cannabis, you're saying "Oh, sorry, you millions of non-violent people shouldn't have gone to jail. My bad." They aren't going to get re-elected again.
  3. Many protestors use cannabis. You can't arrest someone for protesting. You can arrest them for using cannabis. No more protests!
  4. It's a diversion techinique. People are so focused on this problem that they ignore everything else. Exactly what they want.

If you are well informed on the subject, you cannot support prohibition, user or not. For more information, watch "The Union: The Business Behind Getting High".
Bravo sir, you have demonstrated far more patience and intellect in scrounging up this post than I'd be able to given twice the amount of time. What I find funny is that all of the information you gave can easily be found online and in books, but so few people know it.
"pps new screenie" - No, really shut up yuoaman.

Haaave you read my LP?
Pokémon Quartz - The only one of mine really worth reading.

What about my [Un]Abridged series?
Aquaman the Unabridged Parody Series - Language warning.