Legalize it

[Bill Mattocks]

So based on my experiences, I don't have a problem if people choose to smoke pot, responsibly, moderately, and preferably at home. It's not my business. I'm too busy taking care of my family, my job, and my martial arts addiction.

I'm hip (and I agree with your other statements too).

I do not run around telling people to stop smoking dope. I don't lie awake at night in bed worrying about it.

However, everyone is allowed to have an opinion, and mine remains that marijuana is dangerous, dealers are evil, and pot ought to remain illegal. I will vote for it to remain illegal if it ever comes to my state (we have 'medical marijuana' now, passed by plebiscite last fall). If it is raised as a Bill in the legislature, I'll trouble myself to call my representatives and ask them to vote against it. Democracy in action.

If it becomes legal anyway, then that will be the law. Again, I won't lose sleep over it. But I'll still be against it.

 

[Frostbite]

Wait until it destroys your family and tell me that. I've been to hell with a family member who became an addict. I can tell you haven't. Like atheists in fox-holes, once you've seen a family member turning tricks on a street corner for drugs, you will change your tune.

Addicted to pot? Psychologically maybe. But people with addictive personalities will find something to be addicted to one way or another. I'm of the opinion that drugs only enhance pre-existing behaviors in people. If you're angry and start to drink, you're probably going to be an angry drunk. If you're unmotivated and anti-social (like I suspect the person in your news article was), pot's just going to amplify that.

Fact is, plenty of people use pot and other drugs recreationally and are still able to lead productive lives. That just makes for boring stories during family reunions and really poor television ratings.

 

[Empty Hands]

I've been to hell with a family member who became an addict. I can tell you haven't.

Well, I have. My uncle destroyed his life, was responsible for the death of his son, and is dragging his mother down with him, all due to his addiction. Of course, his drug of choice is and was alcohol, not pot. I still enjoy the occasional beer, and don't want alcohol banned.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Addicted to pot? Psychologically maybe. But people with addictive personalities will find something to be addicted to one way or another. I'm of the opinion that drugs only enhance pre-existing behaviors in people. If you're angry and start to drink, you're probably going to be an angry drunk. If you're unmotivated and anti-social (like I suspect the person in your news article was), pot's just going to amplify that.

Fact is, plenty of people use pot and other drugs recreationally and are still able to lead productive lives. That just makes for boring stories during family reunions and really poor television ratings.

You will sing a different tune when it happens to your family. I hope to God it never does, it's not a curse I would put on anyone, friend or foe.

 

[Frostbite]

You will sing a different tune when it happens to your family. I hope to God it never does, it's not a curse I would put on anyone, friend or foe.

I come from a family of alcoholics and addicts. It hasn't changed my opinion. I'm able to see them for what they are, which is irresponsible and unable to control their impulses. Even the ones who cleaned up, still suffer from the same problems, they just manifest in different ways.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Well, I have. My uncle destroyed his life, was responsible for the death of his son, and is dragging his mother down with him, all due to his addiction. Of course, his drug of choice is and was alcohol, not pot. I still enjoy the occasional beer, and don't want alcohol banned.

With all due respect, and with respect for the pain you must have felt, you have not been where I have been. I've seen things that would make you people throw up for days. Jesus Christ would puke his guts up at what I've lived through. I will never change my mind about pot.

 

[geezer]

It is not about being hypocritical. It's about what the citizens want. Citizens want legal tobacco and alcohol. They do not want legal marijuana. That's that.

I guess I pretty much agree. It's about what the citizens want. Or should be. In my state we, the electorate voted in favor of "medical marijuana"... twice. The first time the conservative legislature (unconstitutionally) balked and did not comply with the proposition, saying that the proposition was poorly worded and that the voters "were conned". So we, the electorate approved a second, more clearly worded measure in another election. Then the legislature said that they couldn't implement the law for other reasons, including the fact that federal law trumps state law. Since then, the issue has come up again, but I've given up on following it, since apparently my vote, at least at the state level, doesn't count. Besides, I don't use the stuff, or advocate its use. I just don't like the idea of government running peoples private lives.

So, Bill, what will you do, when and if the majority of voters decide to de-criminalize weed federally? If you really believe its about what the citizens want, I guess you'll just deal with it, right?

 

[Frostbite]

With all due respect, and with respect for the pain you must have felt, you have not been where I have been. I've seen things that would make you people throw up for days. Jesus Christ would puke his guts up at what I've lived through. I will never change my mind about pot.

Actually, I find this statement to show a complete lack of respect. You presume that your life has been harder or your experiences worse than other peoples' without knowing anything about their own personal stories.

It sucks you've had some personal hardships and I respect your opinion about the legalization of drugs. In my own case, I just recognized that the drugs weren't the culprit. These people would've had problems no matter what they did. I'm not saying drugs didn't make the problems worse but the problems were already there before the drugs came along.

 

[terryl965]

I do not smoke pot simply because I do not smoke. I drink because it is legal for the most part. My problem is this pot is the biggest drug in America and it can never be rid of, California give people tickets for it and send them on there way. One county in Cali. is the biggest growers of it and yet they still grow it, they also allow three plants per houshold. I just watched this on MSNBC the other night, they have shops that actually sell it and bag it for you, lets tax the crap out of it and be done with it.

P.S. just for pete sake here I do not believe in doing anything illegal but this is one law that needs to be changed so we can move on.

 

[Omar B]

Wait until it destroys your family and tell me that. I've been to hell with a family member who became an addict. I can tell you haven't. Like atheists in fox-holes, once you've seen a family member turning tricks on a street corner for drugs, you will change your tune.

Wait, what do atheists have to do with pot smoking? Are you saying that a family member turning into a hooker would turn me religious or something?

Either way, an addictive personality is just that. They would get their fix from some other substance or activity if it was not pot and still destroy anything in their way to get their fix. You can't blame the gun for killing people and you can't blame the pot for someone being a hooker.

 

[Tez3]

Here we've been watching closely what they've done in Portugal, I think it's too early to actually see how successful in the long run the decriminalisation of drugs is going to be but so far it seems to be good. I was watching a new report on BBC about it a couple of weeks ago.
This was in 2000
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/823257.stm

2009
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=portugal-drug-decriminalization

 

[celtic_crippler]

Nope. The fact that marijuana is harmful is just my rebuttal to those who insist that it isn't. They're wrong, that's all.

Fair enough.

Actually, the fact that I - and a whole bunch of fellow citizens - don't like marijuana and want it to remain illegal is a perfectly good reason for it to be illegal.

Question: When the government, citing similar reasons for why marijuana is illegal, outlaws certain foods and dictates what you can and can not eat will you feel the same way?

I'm not being sarcastic. If we end up with government run health care I guarantee it will happen.

We do have the right to dictate to others what you can or cannot do, as long as it does not conflict with your basic constitutional rights. Life. Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness can take a flying leap at a rolling doughnut - they're not part of the Bill of Rights, and as such, the government can indeed infringe on your right to smoke a doobie. And it does. And the majority of citizens in the USA think that's a very good thing.

That's not the "American Way."

There are TWO important documents in regards to the founding of this country and the principles held by our founding fathers.

You recognize the Constitution but seemingly disrespect the Declaration of Independence. Most scholars consider the Declaration of Independence the "promise" and the Constitution as the "fullfillment" of that promise.

"The Declaration of Independence is the declaratory charter of our rights, and the rights of man." -Thomas Jefferson

Yeah...so you think this basic principle can take a flying leap then?

We hold these Truths to be self-evident,
that all Men are created equal, that they are
endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable
Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and​

the pursuit of Happiness.

Too bad, so sad. Majority rules when it comes to plebiscites. We've been through all this before.

Majority rules with minority rights. We do still somewhat resemble the US of old...

Nope. I don't have a problem with the legality of alcohol or tobacco. This is not a discussion about alcohol or tobacco.

Isn't it?

It is extremely hypocritical to endorse the one but not the other. Especially based on the reasons you've cited as "accurate."

It seems to me you've been a tad influenced by the propoganda machine. Many of the things you cite as the dangers of using marijuana are actually myths that have been scientifically disproved.

Feel free to read the facts. Resources are cited:
http://www.drugpolicy.org/marijuana/factsmyths/#gatewayhttp://www.drugpolicy.org/marijuana/factsmyths/#gateway

 

[Omar B]

This or that being a gateway drug means nothing. An addictive personality loves to get high and will always want to be more high, it's a flaw in the person, not in the law or with the drug. In college my friends and I did everything you could think of recreationally, non of us got addicted, nor did anything affect grades or stop anyone from graduating on time. I see no problem with it at all, smoke some, do a line, whatever, if it's on the weekend and you wanna party and blow off some steam. It being illegal just causes honest people to have to mixd with a criminal element and feeds criminals with cash that should be going into taxes just like smokes and alchohol.

 

[blindsage]

I don't smoke anything, never have, never will. I don't drink alchohol, never have, never will. I don't approve of, or condone smoking pot, tobacco, or anything else. I don't approve or condone the consumption of alchohol. But I also don't approve of hypocrisy. Whether the use of alchohol or tobacco is legal IS directly relevant to whether or not pot should be legal. Overall alcohol and tobacco are MUCH more destructive drug than pot is. Despite anyone's individual personal experience, the evidence is overwhelming. IF alchohol and tobacco are legal then there is little rational or moral reasoning that can defend the illegality of marijuana.

Just saying 'the majority don't like it so that's it' is not relevant to the discussion of whether or not it should be legal. The point of discussion and debate is an exchange of ideas, the only way for people to sway others perspectives is through evidence and debate. And the perpsective on pot and it's legality has been steadily changing over the last 40 years towards making it legal. So when, and it is only a matter of time, the majority of opinion sways in favor of legality, where does that leave the 'I don't like and neither does the majority and that's all that matters' argument?

 

[crushing]

Yep.



Nope. I don't have a problem with the legality of alcohol or tobacco. This is not a discussion about alcohol or tobacco.

The comparison was made in the article you used to support your case for continued prohibition.

 

[seasoned]

This info is purely from friends and acquaintances, mind you.
(1) Once high, you know all, but ambition level is gone.
(2) Once high, you will eat anything, in any combination.
(3) Once high, you can't function well with non high people.
(4) Once high, you can become very paranoid over trivial things.
(5) Once high, the whole world is going 35 miles per hour, while you think you are keeping up, but really doing only about 5 miles per hour. But your ok with that.
(6) Once high, you act weird, but think you are doing ok, but in reality you don't gave a crap anyway.
(7) With all this said, I feel that over time it will ruin your health, and change your mental outlook on life.

Last but not least, if you ever have children, the last thing you would ever do, is tell them about smoking pot, for fear they would become the lazy bums we all know it will entice you to be.

 

[Carol]

Personally I think cigarettes and alcohol both have risks. They are not harmless.

Cannabis isn't harmless either. Since legalization will logically result in an increase of consumption, why encourage more trouble?

 

[Empty Hands]

Since legalization will logically result in an increase of consumption, why encourage more trouble?

Because we already have plenty of trouble. The black market in marijuana due to prohibition costs us every year in arrests, prison terms, crime, degradation of civil liberties, etc. The War on (Some) Drugs is the worst thing that has happened to our liberties in a long, long time.

 

[Omar B]

Not to mention useless, we pay for imprisoning the old dealers while it creates a market for new ones.

 

[Ronin74]

I'm not saying I'm for or against the legalization of marijuana. However, if it were to happen on a grander scale (I'm from San Francisco... lol), I'd hope that there would be restrictions for safety's sake, such as the ones that apply to alcohol, like being drunk in public or driving while intoxicated. I once drove a car where my older cousins were all high, and as annoying as I found it (I really can't stand the smell- I think it smells like $#!+), I don't think I would've wanted to take the risk of letting them behind the wheel.

As far as it's legalization helping to curb drug-related crime, and lessen the amount of $ used to tend to anyone locked-up for dealing, I wouldn't call it a bad idea, but again, with restrictions.