Should marijuana be legalized?

the government is just mad because it doesn't take a botanical scientist, to grow weed in their own bathroom

other sources of entertainment/recreation would just die off...

sorta like how playing atari died off after nintendo came along

 

STONED IS THE WAY OF THE WALK!!!

 

The only reason weed is not legal is because wealthy WM have yet to figure a way they could sell it and be especially profitable...they also don't have a particular desire to smoke it relative to other populations. They also know that if it was legal...black and brown men would likely dominate the industry...the powers that be would want to corner the market so that they would control all distribution...but they'd have no means of doing so unlike with large beer breweries and tobacco farms. If my best sport is baseball and I know you can't compete with me...yet you are very capable of beating me at every other sport...I'm going to try and prevent a competition in those other sports and try to limit our clashes to the baseball diamond.

 

you said Legalized... ?

The question of whether Marijuana should be legalized has no answer, because Marijuana is atually Already "legalized" in most countries in the world, why ? because official authorities are most of the time aware about this business, who sells what to whom and where; and they usually cooperate with the same people they are supposed to arrest. that is called 'corruption'

The right thing would be to raise more awareness about the risks, I mean as early as possible, with children at school so that they realize the risks; the same thing has been done with Tobacco and it worked: repeating that tobacco kills, gives you cancer, massive campaigns...etc ...the same actions can reduce (but never stop !) the use of Marijuana ...

 

If people wish to use drugs, that's their business. The authorities could treat it like they do with alcohol. If you drive under the influence, you pay the penalties

 

I am in awe of the blatant racism against whites in this thread. Let's say that marijuana becomes legal. Yes, it would be WONDERFUL if we could stop relatively innocent weed smokers from being jailed for an offense that seems no worse than drinking alcohol. The legalization of marijuana probably would not affect middle and upper class America, but it could have a detrimental effect on poverty-stricken Americans (of which come in all races.)

Do you remember that speech Lawrence Fishburne gave in the film Boys in the Hood? The one where he says that the white man put a liquor store in every black neighborhood to keep the black man down? That is exactly what several of you would say once "the white man" legalizes marijuana. Incessant marijuana use could create generations of underachievers. The effect of marijuana on one's appetite would lead to greater consumption of fast foods which would then lead to higher rates of diabetes and heart disease.

I shudder to think of how legalized marijuana would affect my job as a teacher. I can immediately see a difference in my students who begin smoking weed. Attendance drops off, grades lower, and when I approach students about their lack of progress they usually don't give a damn.

I am not against the legalization of marijuana. but these are all problems that need to be kept in mind.

 

Those kids are smoking already. The prohibition against drugs isn't stopping anyone from getting them and using them. It's up to the individual

 

smoking weed in high school made my grades get better.



Though, my grades were pretty damn good so it was hard to make them better, really. Nerdy potheads = the bestest.


Frankly, I knew plenty of people in high school who smoked pot regularly, and I noticed no real change in their grades or attendance compared to before/after they actively smoked. Mostly they just laughed more, and I think there were a few more detentions for falling asleep in class, but weed doesn't make you -that- stupid in comparison, usually. Of course it affects people differently, but I really don't think legalizing weed (which likely isn't going to happen for recreational use anyhow) is going to create some sudden pothead generation that's going to dumb down our youth. If someone wants to smoke pot in this country they pretty much just do it. Lots of states already have lax laws against it, others, though not on the books, treat it lightly, etc. It's pretty easy to find in the first place, generally much, much cheaper than hard drugs, depending on where in the country you are....we've got High Times for chrissake. Haven't seen "PCP Monthly" on newstands yet.

Weed isn't some secret drug that's going to suddenly destroy people's lives once it becomes legal...it'll mostly just make it easier to obtain for people who need it, and cheaper and more effective for people who just plain want it.

Oh, and the simple solution to "weed induced obesity" is to choose healthy munchies. The people who gorge on fast food when high are the same people gorging themselves on fast food at lunch when they're sober. I like grapes and strawberries and apples after I smoke. Ohhhhh and carrots, Mmmmm. I can eat a whole bag of baby cut carrots when I'm stoned.

Munchies aren't always greasy, salty, or even sweet food. It depends on the person in question and their own penchant for eating these foods. As I prefer fruits and veggies for normal munching, naturally I gravitate towards them when I'm high. I want my share of single serving bags of chips, or the occasional cookie, but as I don't want them constantly when sober, I don't want them constantly when high either.

I'm just rambling, I've been awake for 30+ hours and my teacher is boring the shit out of me, since I've already taken this class and understand how to use Adobe Premiere rather well...so he's just repeating shit I already know. Ugh.

Anyone care to smoke me out? I could use a good herbal sedative to knock my ass out. *L*

 

Why didn't I think of that? The reason so many Americans are fat is because they've been gorging themselves on carrots and apples.

I'm sure there are plenty of potheads that earn good grades in school. These are also the same kids who are naturally talented and would otherwise earn decent grades. Some of my students who smoke have learning disabilities. I had a senior who read at a second grade level and came in stoned every day. You can't tell me that being high everyday helped or motivated him to learn.

 

No, the reason Americans are fat, as I said, is because they eat Mcdonald's every day. It's certainly not because we all smoke weed and -then- eat McDonald's, because there aren't nearly as many potheads in this country as there are obese people. Obesity is a problem that isn't helped by potheads, but the point is that the potheads who're choking down fatburgers all day are likely doing the same thing whether high or not, so being high isn't really a big factor in anything except a slight increase in quantity, not the sole reason for choosing fast food.

I'm not saying being high helped him, but you also can't say being high hurt him already. He already read at a second grade level, there's not much you can do with that to begin with. My brother had a learning disability and read at an average of 3-4 grade levels below what was expected, and he's never smoked weed...and he was just as lazy and unmotivated as the stoners.

My point is...you're acting like weed is the sole reason kids are stupid. It's not. I'm not saying it helps, but it doesn't hurt nearly as much as you're making it out to. I know because I actually smoke marijuana. I spend time with people who smoke marijuana, and have been doing so for years. If you want to see a drug that will cause a student to get stupid real fast watch the kids who are snorting pain pills or huffing shit. Or the cokeheads, and lord help us if we examine the crackheads.

For some people, though, marijuana actually -does- help. Just as Ritalin aids in concentration in ADHD patients, and acts as speed for those without the disorder, marijuana can actually help concentration (and, conversely, hurt it) as well. When I smoke before doing homework I usually get more work done, more efficiently, and in the end my work seems to just be a better quality than otherwise, because I find concentration difficult sometimes when not high. A few tokes and I can relax and stop thinking about the million things constantly floating through my head and actually get something done, as opposed to constantly changing task because I just can't give something my full attention.

On the other side of the spectrum, I've witnessed people who get a temporary version of ADD themselves when it comes to concentration after they smoke, and I'd really not say they were on top form if doing homework.

But all of this is beside the point, really, because the real point lies in the fact that legalization isn't just going to encourage everyone to smoke weed. Most people who want to smoke weed in this country, regardless of how it effects them, already do it, despite it's shaky, yet illegal, status. The fact remains that I highly doubt you'd suddenly witness a mass increase in stoners per capita overnight if marijuana became legal, for several reasons. One being that the legalization of recreational use of the drug is likely much further down the road than medicinal purposes. Another being the simple fact that legality bears little on a person's choice to use recreational drugs in the first place, most of the time. It doesn't matter how illegal Crystal Meth is, don't we still see meth heads all the time? Cokeheads? Crackheads? Legal, illegal, it doesn't matter to someone who wants to do something. The risks involved are usually either part of the thrill of doing illegal drugs, or of little matter to the drug seeking individual, so changing legal status isn't going to turn an entire generation into a bunch of druggies.

Just look at the 60s for crying out loud, and tell me that keeping things illegal stems the use of illegal drugs.

But it's not about drugs, it's about pot, which shouldn't be classified as harshly as it is, and is only thus because of lies, racism, capitalism, and brainwashing propaganda. Why weed is ranked with heroin in terms of harm to humans is something that would confuse the hell out of me if it weren't for the fact that I've actually researched the topic and seen the type of ignorant fearmongering that led to the outlawing of marijuana in the early 20th century.

 

The point of my OP is that the legalization of marijuana will only continue to hurt our country's poorest people, much like alcohol and other illegal drugs do. Of course MJ hasn't caused obesity or diabetes in America; don't be so daft. Legalized MJ probably will not ruin your life to any more of an extent than alcohol (maybe even to a lesser extent.)

I never said my students are stupid, because they are not. I said the ones that smoke weed have all been unmotivated to learn, where in my professional opinion, they would have been motivated to do so had they not been. Some of them turn to drugs like weed because of harsh, uncontrollable aspects of their lives. Using drugs and alcohol to solve one's problems does not work in the long term. It instead promotes complacency and the non-desire to achieve a better life for oneself.

Maybe I am too much of bleeding heart, but these are the people I think of when we talk about legalizing MJ. It is not enough to say that "some people will always be lazy" or "other illegal drugs are worse." I feel it is ignorant and socially irresponsible not to consider the ramifications of legalization outside of your own personal experience.

I smoked from time to time until I began my career. I smoked and drank excessively instead of dealing with my problems. I then grew up and realized that not only could I lose my job, but I would become less productive and motivated to accomplish anything. That is my experience with the drug. If MJ has improved your life and only makes it better every time you use it, my hat is off to you.

 

Agreed.

However, I wouldn't start splitting hairs between weed, cocaine, crack etc. Obviously marijuana doesn't have the same effect on your body as some of the more reviled drugs but those other drugs are largely imported from elsewhere and sold on the streets by people that are just as "common" as those that sell weed. Making weed legal would mostly please those that already smoke it...and likely would not affect those that don't...but the overflow in our jails would still be there.

How is a crack dealer any worse than someone that sells marijuana or someone that sold alcohol during prohibition?

People that are inclined to take drugs will do it regardless. Someone that wants to snort cocaine will do it whether it's legal or not.

But it's mostly perspective anyways...I mean..someone that doesn't smoke could care less whether it was legal unless they are concerned about societal ramifications. A person that enjoys booze would likely have a fit if we returned to early 20th century prohibition...but a non-drinker..would likely not have strong feelings....How bout dem Dodgers?

 

How did this thread turn into an episode of "Dr. Phil"?:smt042

 

I'm against PROHIBITION...that's what drug laws are.

You create a dangerous black market when you make BEING GROWN illegal.

Look at all the crime..death..and destruction alcohol prohibition visited upon this Country...LOTS of the wrong people got rich..and...LIKE TODAY..far too many good people get caught in the crossfire.

There are so many non-violent drug offenders in prison today..there's no room to house the rapist and murderers..they get early release and another crack at driving up the crime rate..all this chaos brings profits to the PRIVATE prison industry and smiles to the faces of SHAREHOLDERS.

Prohibition is too profitable on several levels to ever be abolished.

The elite class have nothing to gain by NOT locking-up as many mofos as possible.