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I believe that marijuana should be legal (discussion)
- Thread starter bryce13950
- Start date
tommy_ed
Android Expert
wow. this is from the guy who claims anyone who practices free speech by burning a flag should be "shot on sight"
you really think "potheads" were sitting on their couches smoking instead of going to vote to legalize it?! no. you obviously don't know many "potheads", because they are pretty motivated when it comes to marijuana. hence the name "pothead" hahaha
why couldn't they smoke it in public? (outdoors)... there's NO WAY you would get a contact high outdoors unless they were blowing smoke directly into your face. i would think they would be able to smoke it at home. if their kids were at home, they could walk outside. i wouldn't recommend taking care of children while under the influence (same thing with alcohol), but if it was a scenario where another person (maybe the mother) was watching them then sure, why not. people have a beer after work when their kids are home.
im not trying to use the argument that alcohol is more dangerous (although it most definitely is) im simply saying that if someone is allowed to get off work and drink a beer on their couch (not hurting anyone) then they should be able to do the same with a joint. It doesnt hurt anyone.
jamor
Android Expert
We are on the right track at least. I believe Marijuana laws will continue to be laxed and decriminalized.
The collective is finally starting to realize there isn't anything wrong with allowing people to smoke weed. A big feat considering America was founded by a bunch of prude puritans.
The collective is finally starting to realize there isn't anything wrong with allowing people to smoke weed. A big feat considering America was founded by a bunch of prude puritans.
tommy_ed
Android Expert
the moral of the story:
People are going to smoke marijuana whether you like it or not. it doesn't hurt anyone directly (no overdoses, etc.), but yes there may be a chance of someone getting behind the wheel.
why not legalize it to make money, while at the same time increasing penalties for abuse, such as driving impaired. this would actually control driving impaired MORE than it's being controlled now, and make it effectively harder for kids to obtain.
that being said, disagreeing with the legalization of marijuana is essentially a catch-22, as most opposer's main reasons are impaired driving, etc. but legalizing it would actually HELP these issues as well as make more money. If you don't want marijuana to be legal, it's because you've bought the governments empty propaganda. NOT because you want a "safer america". 9 times out of 10 i'd say this is true. and from the context of the statements above, i think we can agree.
People are going to smoke marijuana whether you like it or not. it doesn't hurt anyone directly (no overdoses, etc.), but yes there may be a chance of someone getting behind the wheel.
why not legalize it to make money, while at the same time increasing penalties for abuse, such as driving impaired. this would actually control driving impaired MORE than it's being controlled now, and make it effectively harder for kids to obtain.
that being said, disagreeing with the legalization of marijuana is essentially a catch-22, as most opposer's main reasons are impaired driving, etc. but legalizing it would actually HELP these issues as well as make more money. If you don't want marijuana to be legal, it's because you've bought the governments empty propaganda. NOT because you want a "safer america". 9 times out of 10 i'd say this is true. and from the context of the statements above, i think we can agree.
noah way
Android Enthusiast
Are those the same conservatives behind the war on drugs, DOMA, the PATRIOT Act and the mandated purchase of private health insurance?
The Democrats are the ones who mandated the purchase of private healthcare. Every single Republican in Congress, and 34 Blue Dog Democrats
(moderate/conservative Democrats) in the House voted against it.
I have to concede that so-called conservatives have renounced their small government values on DOMA and the Patriot Act, though.
At least we have one true conservative champion in the Senate.
YouTube - ‪Rand Paul's Epic Speech Against The Patriot Act‬‏
And how do the liberals respond?
YouTube - ‪Harry Reid Challenges Rand Paul, Defends Patriot Act 05/25/11‬‏
noah way
Android Enthusiast
Many in GOP who oppose health insurance requirement used to favor it
In fact the GOP wrote it in 1992 as an alternative to the Clinton Health Care Reform.
You're now 0/3.
I am also pretty sure, that it was the Republicans that demanded there be no public option. Thus making it "private" company to make billions.
noah way
Android Enthusiast
bryce13950
Lurker
Contact the White House | The White House
you can also go straight to the top and try to get it talked about on a national level
1992 =/= 2010
The GOP, and a handful of Blue Dog Democrats, opposed the ObamaCare bill ultimately passed.
noah way
Android Enthusiast
It's all a series of political ploys by both sides that are intended to kill the other party. None of them could give a rat's ass about the people of this country and many wouldn't hesitate to burn it down if that's what it takes to insure a steady supply of corporate funding and achieve their own political success.
/rant off
For once, we agree on something.
I believe that our two-party system just lets both sides take turns at demolishing our nation.
bryce13950
Lurker
In order for our nation to survive as strong as it has in the past I believe that the political parties need to disolve, but the only true way for that to ever happen will be if we change from a democratic-republic to a direct-democracy. Our nation has become increasingly single sided, and no one seems to even care about the issues anymore its become a simple popularity contest on a national level, very disappointing George Washington is probably crying in his grave.
Bob Maxey
Android Expert
Indeed I am, but you should not apologize for pointing it out. I do not consider a strong disagreement to be rude.
I am indeed biased on the subject, but so are many/most/all pro-MJ proponents. Ironic that a passionate user of MJ would cite my obvious bias without realizing that his or her pro-stance is equally biased. And NO, I am not saying you specifically are a user of the weed.
Like I have always said, we are stuck with tobacco and alcohol and in my view, the last thing we need to add to the mix is yet one more drug.
noah way
Android Enthusiast
It's already in the mix. The question is how to reduce/eliminate these problems:
The U.S. federal government spent over $15 billion dollars in 2010 on the War on Drugs, at a rate of about $500 per second. State and local governments spent at least another $25 billion dollars.
Arrests for drug law violations this year are expected to exceed the 1,663,582 arrests of 2009. Law enforcement made more arrests for drug abuse violations (an estimated 1.6 million arrests, or 13.0 percent of the total number of arrests) than for any other offense in 2009. Someone is arrested for violating a drug law every 19 seconds.
Police arrested an estimated 858,408 persons for cannabis violations in 2009. Of those charged with cannabis violations, approximately 89 percent were charged with possession only. An American is arrested for violating cannabis laws every 30 seconds.
Since December 31, 1995, the U.S. prison population has grown an average of 43,266 inmates per year. About 25 per cent are sentenced for drug law violations.
DrugSense
tommy_ed
Android Expert
If you look a couple posts down, you will see where Aggie12 said "arent we all?" (replying to my comment) and i replied:
in other words, you have your OWN personal agenda, so your comment affects yourself as well.
Yes we are both biased. The only difference is I actually have FACTS to back up my argument. The only argument you've had supporting your viewpoint so far has been that you "don't think we should add another substance to the list" - the only problem with that is that it's ALREADY on the list. It's easier to obtain than alcohol for underage people. Why not fix that problem, at the same time also creating heavier punishment for driving impaired. If it's legal, it's EASIER to control.
lordofthereef
Android Expert
I am a guy that has never used marijuana and frankly never plan to. That said, I don't have a problem with legalization. Whether it causes deaths or not is irrelevant to me. I suppose, if it is legalized, I would prefer it rolled into public intoxication and driving laws alongside alcohol simply because it can impair judgement. I don't care what a person does to him/herself behind closed doors, but if they are putting my (or anyone else's) life in danger as a result, that is completely unacceptable.
For those arguing that alcohol and tobacco are bad too, so what? Look at the obesity problem in America. Look at the high fat and high sugar foods people are tossing down their gullet. At the end of the day it is their own decision to consume in moderation or in excess. The same is true with marijuana, tobacco, alcohol, etc. You would be hard pressed to find a smoker or a drinker unaware of the risks they are taking by having just another drink or just another smoke. People are aware, plain and simple. If they want to kill themselves by consuming in excess, why do we need a government funded program to stop them?
For those arguing that alcohol and tobacco are bad too, so what? Look at the obesity problem in America. Look at the high fat and high sugar foods people are tossing down their gullet. At the end of the day it is their own decision to consume in moderation or in excess. The same is true with marijuana, tobacco, alcohol, etc. You would be hard pressed to find a smoker or a drinker unaware of the risks they are taking by having just another drink or just another smoke. People are aware, plain and simple. If they want to kill themselves by consuming in excess, why do we need a government funded program to stop them?
Bob Maxey
Android Expert
One big question I have is what happens if MJ were federally legalized and it becomes more widely used. Granted, it is easy to buy, and I'll give you that MJ enforcement does not work. But still, it is not legal and that makes MJ something people will not touch because of the laws.
Would legalization bring millions of users into the fold as it were? And if so, would this create more problems for society, like driving impaired? We have many users now, but I can only imaging if it were legal, how much the problem would increase. And simple arithmetic would prove that the problems would go up because we would have more users.
If people want it legalized, work the system and make it happen. Let the public decide and then we go from there.
We have two choices: either legalize it and hope for the best or get serious about enforcement and stop going about it half assed. As it is today, people use it, the coppers try to prevent it, and it is costing us taxpayers cash.