Why should/shouldn't marijuana be legal?

Discussion in 'Serious Chat' started by Filip, May 30, 2014.

  1. #21
    lime treacle

    lime treacle You are not alone Über Member

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    Awesome! :rastamike:

    An Albus Dumbledore quote reads: Age is foolish and forgetful when it underestimates youth. Being a child myself, I'm inclined to agree.
     
    Last edited: Jun 3, 2014
  2. #22
    RyRy

    RyRy LPA VIP LPA VIP

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    The reduction of crime is kind of redundant, to be honest. Yeah, less people are getting busted for possession and what-not, so of course "crime" rates will go down.
     
  3. #23
    Erica

    Erica Meh LPA Über VIP

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    True, but to account for a 10% drop? I don't know the numbers but I would have trouble believing 10% of Colorado's past crimes were MJ related. Could be wrong though.
     
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2014
  4. #24
    RyRy

    RyRy LPA VIP LPA VIP

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    Yeah, that's a good point. 10% is too large of a number.
     
  5. #25
    rcm034

    rcm034 Well-Known Member

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    You also have to keep in mind that crime rates have been steadily declining everywhere in the United States for the past 30-40 years. That statistic probably isn't taking into account decreases from other factors.
     
  6. #26
    cloudscream

    cloudscream Static

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    Just to be clear: the issue of drug legalization is separate but related to the effects of marijuana. "Bad" substances can be legalized.

    Possession and usage of cannabis (recreational and medical) should be legalized, like alcohol and tobacco. Banning marijuana alienates a significant amount of the population where they treat marijuana usage as a hobby. Although it poses serious health risks, it is not as dangerous as the other psychoactive drugs, whether legal or illegal. Nicotine in tobacco is also more addictive than cannabis. The ban on marijuana probably stemmed from the world's history for banning opium and heroin. In this age, we must take into account that marijuana is not in the same class as opium.

    Legalize marijuana, but educate the people on it's effects, because there is a culture and lifestyle (music, religion) that comes with weed usage, and we don't want the public to indulge in marijuana without them knowing the risks. Granted that it has medical uses, but even barbiturates and morphine are beneficial in some ways.


    http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsl...ter/2010/April/medical-marijuana-and-the-mind
    In short, legalize marijuana. Weed users are not criminals and are of the same category (sorry for the term, but you know what I mean) as those who drink alcohol and smoke tobacco. And more importantly, educate the public using verified medical evidence about the health risks of marijuana and dispel propaganda (for or against cannabis legalization) that are not based on science.
     
    Last edited: Jun 5, 2014
  7. #27
    Astat

    Astat LPA Super Member LPA Super Member

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    It kept my uncle functioning like a relatively normal human being for all but the last couple months of his 3-year battle with lymph node cancer, when the pain would have likely kept him bed-ridden most of the time otherwise. Probably kept him alive longer too, since he still felt decent most of the time he didn't get all dejected and lose the will to go on like so many cancer patients do.

    My dad has also smoked marijuana just about every day since some point in the early 1970's. He's still one of the most intelligent people I know. He hasn't fried his brain cells, he hasn't done anything terrible to anybody, he hasn't gotten into any other drugs, he doesn't act like some stereotypical Wayne's World/Harold and Kumar/Cheech and Chong-type character, and up until he had to have spinal reconstruction surgery that left him on disability, he was able to hold down a job that paid enough money to comfortably support a wife and 3 kids, even during periods when my mom wasn't working. Literally the only negative thing I've ever experienced in relation to my dad being a lifelong marijuana smoker is that his room smells. Whoop de fucking do.

    And above all else...it's a plant. Katt Williams has a more logical view on marijuana than the public school system in this country, FFS: "Don't give me that shit about, 'it's a drug,' cause it's no mothafuckin' drug, I done did the research. It's just a plant, it grows like that! And if you just happen to set it on fire...there are some effects! But that's not the same as drugs! Drugs, you gotta do shit to it chemically. You gotta add water, baking soda, stir it up...I don't know the recipe...(;)) I'm just sayin'!"

    For the record, I've never smoked marijuana in my life, nor do I have any interest in doing so.
     
  8. #28
    MKH

    MKH Bat of Gotham LPA Super VIP

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    Conversation DONE. And, seconded :lol:
     
  9. #29
    Erica

    Erica Meh LPA Über VIP

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    Has the point been made that it's also just fantastic.
     
  10. #30
    cloudscream

    cloudscream Static

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    :facepalm:
     
  11. #31
    cradle

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    [video=youtube;d6dnATFf-qE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6dnATFf-qE[/video]


    Shhhhhhh :rastamike:
     
  12. #32
    Ryan_Newsome

    Ryan_Newsome Champions!!!

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    I've never touched marijuana or even cigarettes but I have drunk alcohol in the past. But in my opinion they should all be illegal. I hate going to the shops or going anywhere in public and copping the second hand smoke the smell makes me get headaches and I just don't like it. But anyway if marijuana were legal I would cop the second hand smoke of that too, and I also have a child who I wouldn't want exposed to these things. And marijuana makes people do stupid shit when they get addicted, I know most of them are responsible using but some people can get out of control. In my opinion it is safer and cleaner to just to keep the stuff illegal.

    Don't go hating, just my opinion :)
     
  13. #33
    Michele

    Michele Praise Brad Delson, our Lord and Savior. LPA Addict

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    I think its all about the charakter of a "consument". The same with alcohol. One will be angry drunken and another one get emotional or happy or something.

    I dont have a problem if marijuanna get legal.
     
  14. #34
    Moridin

    Moridin Death Contagious Deity

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    The underlined is categorically absurd. Making drugs illegal makes them much more dangerous, not less, because you are pushing it underground into unregulated markets controlled by criminals. It makes it easier for kids to access them, what dealer is going to check ID? There is no quality control on the substances themselves, anything could be in it.

    Two very important things to keep in mind:
    1) People have experimented with drugs since the dawn of time, they aren't going anywhere anytime soon, nor should they because...
    2) There is absolutely nothing immoral about consuming drugs.


    If you support prohibition of drugs then, wittingly or unwittingly, you are supporting extremely violent criminal cartels getting vast amounts of money and power through their monopoly on the black-market:
    (Warning - extremely graphic content in the way of mutilated corpses)
    http://norml-uk.org/2014/06/war-drugs-decriminalization-isnt-enough/

    Article:

    Beyond that (because this is a multifaceted issue), if you support the prohibition of drugs (specifically Cannabis in this case) then you are in favour of countless people needlessly suffering and/or dying because they can't get an extremely effective form of medication.

    Case in point, Charlotte Figi. A little girl who has a form of epilepsy so extreme she was having 300 seizures a week, and had flat lined (died) and been resuscitated multiple times by age 5. As you can probably imagine, she was pretty much catatonic from the toll that took on he. It kills many children who have it.

    Conventional medicine doesn't work with it. Cannabis does. She's now down to about 4 seizures a month and quite happy.

    [video=youtube;hrVXRZY1_x0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrVXRZY1_x0[/video]

    Follow up doco, "Weed 2":
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrVXRZY1_x0

    Of course there's a slew of other illnesses and ailments that Cannabis can treat, this^ is just a few examples.


    But hey, you run the risk of maybe possibly getting a "headache" from second hand smoke, so who cares about those people, right?
     
  15. #35
    Ryan_Newsome

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    Alcohol is legal and it causes a huge amount of problems in society, so I don't see how making marijuana legal is going to make a difference.

    The following are some of the effects marijuana causes and if it gets legalised much more people will be exposing themselves to this as generations go on. I think it would destroy society eventually.
    Short term

    Difficulty concentrating
    Impaired motor skills
    Slow reflexes
    Reduced coordination
    Bloodshot or glassy eyes
    Dryness of the mouth
    Paranoia
    Anxiety
    Decreased motivation
    Hallucinations

    Long term

    Dependence
    Increased risk of respiratory illnesses (chronic bronchitis and lung, mouth, throat and tongue cancers)
    Lowered sex drive
    Impact on sperm count for males
    Irregular menstrual cycles for females
    Low birth weight babies
    Memory loss
    Learning difficulties
    Lower educational attainment
    Mood swings
    Psychosis and psychotic symptoms
    Suicidal thoughts

    Also why should I be exposed to these by just living in my house when my neighbours could be smoking it in their backyard? Whether it is legal or not there are problems on both sides of the argument and yes it can be used to improve some lives but it also can ruin them. I've had a family friend who suffered severe depression from using marijuana. If everyone is exposed to it who knows how many people will end up like that. In my opinion it is too risky. And of course I'm going to care more about my wellbeing over people that don't effect me.

    Also drug trafficking wars are something we need to overcome as a society.
     
    Last edited: Jun 23, 2014

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