Weed?

[Sneeze]

It should be legal in my opinion, as said the effects aren't anywhere near as harmful as alcohol, tobacco of even caffeine. Alcohol, while being perfectly legal, can make you aggressive and abusive to the point where you are not only a dangerous to yourself but those around you, weed not so much. Tobacco is far more addictive than weed as does worse things to your body.

The "gateway" drug argument is kind of flawed, what makes weed a gateway drug but alcohol and tobacco aren't? Drugs are drugs and will all lose their effect over time.

Also, stuff is at the most dangerous when it's illegal, when something becomes outlawed only outlaws have access to it, if weed was legal and you could buy it over the counter in a pharmacy, off license (or bakery :P) then it would be far less dangerous and wouldn't run the risk of being chemically treated because it would have grown in a controlled environment and you wouldn't risk having your knee caps broken when you can't pay up.

And my last point, drugs aren't a "lazy" thing, people don't need drugs to enjoy themselves unless they're really bad. Drugs are sort of a catalyst to what ever activity you are doing at the time.

Of course, the simple solution to this massive contraction would be to make alcohol and tobacco illegal but the government won't do that for one reason, money. I don't know about the US but over here tax on alcohol over here is pretty awful. In my opinion legalise weed and abolish VAT.

 

[Honest]

I actually have no problem with weed, mostly due to the fact it isn't as bad as tobacco and alcohol over a long period of time. I just hate the smell of it though. >_>

 

[Xebelleon]

Should be illegal.

Especially the good stuff that has mescaline or PCP or meth crystals on the leaf shreds.

The amount of dimebags I have seen/bought that had seeds should be another reason to make it illegal.

My previous cat ate a weed seed during a thunderstorm. Few minutes into the storm, my cat was spazzing, jumped through the screen (apartment window), and got multiple punctures from the nearby apple tree causing death.

 

[Astrotastic:D]

i think it should be legal :D
i've never done it
but i actually kind of like the smell
everyone above me has said all that i already know about weed
so i'm just agreeing with them :D

 

[Trap-Eds]

Didn't they make weed legal in New Jersey a few months back? *searches Google*

https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/12/nyregion/12marijuana.html
It's for severly ill people. The article mentions that medical marijuana is loosely regulated in some places, namely California. But if you regulate properly and prevent people from getting it so easily, then what's the problem? Why can't the government legalise it? Especially since from what I've heard and read it's not as bad as tobacco and everything else.

 

[chadgraphix]

I hope it becomes legal, because I want to try it. :P

And I mean for normal people, not just severely ill patients.

 

[PokemonLeagueChamp]

I know for a fact that I am utterly wasting my time in this debate. Experience on discussing this topic(with real potheads mind you)tells me so. So let's take a systematic approach.

Point 1: Weed is believed to be less dangerous than tobacco. Well, that detail must've escaped my research on this topic, so I need to look into it. At any rate, assuming that is the case, does that make marijuana safe? The answer is a resounding NO. And for those of you that think you can't OD unless after a whole lot of weed, well that's simply wrong. It doesn't take much to knock your mind out of whack, to where your decision-making capacity is really no better than when you are drunk, it's unlikely that it takes much more to cause...unwanted effects.

Point 2: The whole "physical vs mental" addiction points previously made....is also wrong. Both aspects are there, but have been misunderstood. The mental affects are astounding. I don't give a damn how tough you think you are, how strong-willed you believe yourself to be, if you gain an addiction, sooner or later you WILL smoke more. It takes intense therapy to even have a chance. Caffeine doesn't even compare. When I drink a Pepsi, it perks me up, but I know it's mostly the sugar because non-caffenated 7-Up has the same effect on me. So if anything I'm a sugar addict, but then so is most every other American(barring diabetics). As for physical addiction, ignoring the immediate side effects of smoking pot or chompin a brownie, there is physical addiction, because, as with every other physically addictive substances, there are withdrawal effects all over the body.

Point 3: I just lol everytime someone says pot is good and it makes "everyone" happy. Mostly because it's a load of BS. Sure, the high makes you feel okay, but after the effects wear off(and you've most likely been unconscious for at least an hour and a half)you will assuredly feel like a pile of ****. And besides, if you NEED that marijuana to make you feel happy or keep you happy, then I'm sorry but you have a pretty crappy life. Not to mention that it's a sign of weakness that you really need to keep some fake happiness through pot, or following the(unfortunately INCREASING)crowd that smokes. Smoking some stupid plant shouldn't be the highlight of your day/week/month. If it is, you have some serious issues. My data to back it up? Well, amidst all the **** I overhear in school I heard a little tidbit from a well-known stoner, which was(in these EXACT words), "weed is the only good thing in my life". Well, I'm just done right there. People who believe that, there's nearly nothing can be done to help them.

Point 4: What to do about possesion and sale of marijuana? Well, those found possesing over the legal limit(which really should be any amount of weed at all, except for say, a few particles), confiscate it and get rid of it, preferably via some sort of furnace with ventilation and filtration of air. Dealers should have a first-time reliquishment of all marijuana, and remain free barring any unrelated charges. Second offense, confiscation of marijuana and jail time. And while on the subject of law, the legalization of weed has gained some ground only because lawmakers want to be able to tax it. Well, here's a novel idea for politicians: TIGHTEN THE BELT AND STOP WASTING SO MUCH OF OUR DAMN MONEY THAT YOU NEED NEW WAYS TO TAKE MORE.

That's about it. Don't even mention the word tobacco in your replied; I want THAT to be illegal as well. It's no better than marijuana, and the long-term effects of smoking and chewing tobacco are the same as those caused by chewing and smoking weed. If you toke up regularly, nothing personal, but sooner or later you will find this out the hard way.

 

[Esper]

Point 4: What to do about possesion and sale of marijuana? Well, those found possesing over the legal limit(which really should be any amount of weed at all, except for say, a few particles), confiscate it and get rid of it, preferably via some sort of furnace with ventilation and filtration of air. Dealers should have a first-time reliquishment of all marijuana, and remain free barring any unrelated charges. Second offense, confiscation of marijuana and jail time. And while on the subject of law, the legalization of weed has gained some ground only because lawmakers want to be able to tax it. Well, here's a novel idea for politicians: TIGHTEN THE BELT AND STOP WASTING SO MUCH OF OUR DAMN MONEY THAT YOU NEED NEW WAYS TO TAKE MORE.

If you don't want money being wasted then why are you advocating using money to arrest, prosecute and imprison people when you've already stated that you feel confiscation is enough of a punishment?

 

[Sneeze]

@pokemonleaguechamp - In regards to point 3, surely that's down the fault of the individual and not the drug? If weed is the best thing in their life thats up to them, there's plenty of "normal" people that smoke. I have nothing against weed when used socially, much like alcohol. Just because something can be a problem is some situations doesn't mean it is always a problem. There's no real way round this but it's not really a valid argument in my opinion because the same could be applied to chocolate, big brother or even sleeping...

Just a thought, all this weed that is confiscated by the police, what do they actually do with it?

Burn it, really slowly, a little bit at a time is my reckoning.

 

[Fxcking Tatertots]

Weed's just another way of saying "I can't cope with my problems, so I'll have to use this in order to calm the fudge down or else I'll go insane".

Just like alcohol and cigarettes.

If it's legalized, I don't think it'll make a difference. It's just that it's annoying when people use such things as a way to calm themselves down.

TL;DR: I'm neutral, but using drugs [or a plant, as some of you may get offended] is NO WAY to de-stress you.

 

[Lt_Nite]

Weed's just another way of saying "I can't cope with my problems, so I'll have to use this in order to calm the fudge down or else I'll go insane".

Just like alcohol and cigarettes.

If it's legalized, I don't think it'll make a difference. It's just that it's annoying when people use such things as a way to calm themselves down.

TL;DR: I'm neutral, but using drugs [or a plant, as some of you may get offended] is NO WAY to de-stress you.

Does that mean you don't believe drugs to cure things such as pain/depression? Or are you talking drugs such as coke, heroin, etc. Just curious.

 

[Fxcking Tatertots]

Does that mean you don't believe drugs to cure things such as pain/depression? Or are you talking drugs such as coke, heroin, etc. Just curious.

Coke, heroin, crystal meth, etc. and legal "drugs" when abused [as in, taking like 10 pills at once when you only "need" 3 because you're stressed out].

 

[chicanery]

i think it'd make no difference whether it were legalized or not.. people obtain it easily enough & use it often enough as it is. :x it may be less damaging to your health than cigarettes, pharms or alcohol, but it still alters your state of mind & essentially dumbs you down for a while...* however pleasant it may feel. :|a as for whether it is 'right' or 'wrong' to use it, it depends on how responsible the user is. people get drunk, do stupid things and mess up their lives - though to a lesser degree, the same potential is there with weed, especially while it stays illegal... if it were legalized, the government/companies would most likely take tight control of it, roll it full of chemicals and fillers and take over the market, right? all something like that would do is cause more controversy.

well, in short i don't think it's too big a deal, there are too many facets to each side for me to be convinced either way right now /)__(\

*d-depending on the strength of the stuff & your tolerance o'course

flaksjfl/drops 2 cents & rolls out of the thread

 

[Fxcking Tatertots]

i think it'd make no difference whether it were legalized or not.. people obtain it easily enough & use it often enough as it is. :x it may be less damaging to your health than cigarettes, pharms or alcohol, but it still alters your state of mind & essentially dumbs you down for a while...* however pleasant it may feel. :|a as for whether it is 'right' or 'wrong' to use it, it depends on how responsible the user is. people get drunk, do stupid things and mess up their lives - though to a lesser degree, the same potential is there with weed, especially while it stays illegal... if it were legalized, the government/companies would most likely take tight control of it, roll it full of chemicals and fillers and take over the market, right? all something like that would do is cause more controversy.

well, in short i don't think it's too big a deal, there are too many facets to each side for me to be convinced either way right now /)__(\

*d-depending on the strength of the stuff & your tolerance o'course

flaksjfl/drops 2 cents & rolls out of the thread

Sorry to be off-topic, but I can't see what you're typing well. Lucida Console + tiny size = astigmatism level 9001..

 

[PokemonLeagueChamp]

If you don't want money being wasted then why are you advocating using money to arrest, prosecute and imprison people when you've already stated that you feel confiscation is enough of a punishment?

Because if you get dealers off the streets, there won't be anyone to buy from.

 

[Flipnotic]

i believe its stupid for even legalizing it. what for??? it doesn't do damage to people besides eliminates brain cells by small numbers by years.
i believe if weed is illegal, so should cigarettes. cigarettes contain rat poison and do far more damage and has never be found to help ANYONE besides stress but it also hurts people in the long run.
if people are allowed to be prescribed medical marijuana, why can't it be legal to everyone else?
it doesn't really damage anyone, it actually helps people out in different ways.


Marijuana provides relief of:

1. 
   [*]Alzheimer's Disease
   [*]Anorexia
   [*]AIDS
   [*]Arthritis
   [*]Cachexia
   [*]Cancer
   [*]Crohn's Disease
   [*]Epilepsy
   [*]Glaucoma
   [*]HIV
   [*]Migraine
   [*]Multiple Sclerosis
   [*]Nausea
   [*]Pain
   [*]Spasticity
   [*]Wasting Syndrome

there are still so many drug wars and people getting killed over a pound of weed to this day, why can't we just possibly try to stop all of that by legalizing it?



it is already legalized in 14 states.
they do have laws on how much you can have on you in public, but the point is, IT IS LEGALIZED THERE.


Fourteen states have enacted laws that legalized medical marijuana: State Year Passed How Passed
(Yes Vote) ID Card Fee Possession Limit Accepts other states' registry ID cards? 1. Alaska
1998
Ballot Measure 8 (58%) $25/$20
1 oz usable; 6 plants (3 mature, 3 immature)
Unknown * 2. California
1996
Proposition 215 (56%) $66/$33
8 oz usable; 18 plants (6 mature, 12 immature)**
No 3. Colorado
2000
Ballot Amendment 20 (54%) $90
2 oz usable; 6 plants (3 mature, 3 immature)
No 4. Hawaii
2000
Senate Bill 862 (32-18 House; 13-12 Senate) $25
3 oz usable; 7 plants (3 mature, 4 immature)
No 5. Maine
1999
Ballot Question 2 (61%) ***
2.5 oz usable; 6 plants
Yes 6. Michigan 2008 Proposal 1 (63%) $100/$25 2.5 oz usable; 12 plants Yes 7. Montana
2004
Initiative 148 (62%) $25/$10
1 oz usable; 6 plants
Yes 8. Nevada
2000
Ballot Question 9 (65%) $150 +
1 oz usable; 7 plants (3 mature, 4 immature)
No 10. New Jersey
2010
Senate Bill 119 (48-14 House; 25-13 Senate) ****
2 oz usable
Unknown 9. New Mexico 2007 Senate Bill 523 (36-31 House; 32-3 Senate) $0 6 oz usable; 16 plants (4 mature, 12 immature)
No 11. Oregon
1998
Ballot Measure 67 (55%) $100/$20
24 oz usable; 24 plants (6 mature, 18 immature)
No 12. Rhode Island
2006
Senate Bill 0710 (52-10 House; 33-1 Senate) $75/$10
2.5 oz usable; 12 plants
Yes 13. Vermont
2004
Senate Bill 76 (22-7) HB 645 (82-59) $50
2 oz usable; 9 plants (2 mature, 7 immature)
No 14. Washington
1998
Initiative 692 (59%) *****
24 oz usable; 15 plants
No

 

[Fxcking Tatertots]

Flipnotic, I can't see number one. :p

 

[shookie]

Any debate that has to use "Well it kills brain cells!" as an argument is pretty weak. Dehydration, drinking too much water, a concussion, rapidly shaking your head back and forth, eating junk food, being stressed, having a stroke, taking chemo and about a thousand other things are enough to kill your brain cells.

Also, marijuana is an inhibitor, it doesn't actually kill brain cells. Your short-term memory might not be so great if you're a heavy abuser, but alcohol does more damage to the brain than marijuana.

 

[Flipnotic]

i know i tried fixing it lol but it kept showing up weird like that :(

 

[piece of something]

weed, ay? i've never touched the stuff and can't see any reason why i'd want to, but for those who do, why not let them go ahead? as long as ppl understand the good and bad of weed i think the choice should be in their hands to decide if they want to do it, not government's...plus weed naturally grows from the Earth, who owns the right to the planet and why do they get to decide? D<