Legalize Ganja in the US!

Discussion in 'Politics & Religion' started by gurusecrets, Feb 22, 2007.

  1. #1
    I dunno what's so wrong with american politicians, and apparently, the majority of Americans.

    We should seriously decriminalize / legalize marijuana in the states. There are so many benefits it's insane to keep the Prohibition of the 21st Century alive in this day and age.
     
    gurusecrets, Feb 22, 2007 IP
  2. bigdoug

    bigdoug Peon

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    #2
    What benefits come from getting high?
     
    bigdoug, Feb 22, 2007 IP
  3. thewizardofodds

    thewizardofodds Peon

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    #3
    LOADS of benefits if thats what you enjoy.
    We need it sorting in the uk too. At the moment there is a nation wide clampdown on home growers and they are all getting busted so the whole country is swamped with gritweed and whether you think weed should be legal or not this stuff is going to kill kids

    some info here w**.gritweed. info
     
    thewizardofodds, Feb 22, 2007 IP
  4. Bestmiler

    Bestmiler Peon

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    #4
    It should be used for medicinal purposes and thats it. I believe it is allowed for medicinal reasons in US?
     
    Bestmiler, Feb 22, 2007 IP
  5. GTech

    GTech Rob Jones for President!

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    #5
    Legalize it, treat it like alcohol, move on to more important issues.

    Put six rednecks in a room with a keg of Coors Light and within a few hours, someone's gonna be fighting.

    Put six rednecks in a room with a fat blunt and a few hours later, they'll come out as best friends, with a bad case of the munchies.
     
    GTech, Feb 22, 2007 IP
  6. Josh Inno

    Josh Inno Guest

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    #6
    It's been a while since I did the research, but if I recall, Marajuana causes far more brain damage than alcohol when used in low recreational doses.
     
    Josh Inno, Feb 22, 2007 IP
  7. lorien1973

    lorien1973 Notable Member

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    #7
    Is it that time of year again where the potheads come out of their attics to post? Must be.
     
    lorien1973, Feb 22, 2007 IP
  8. Rick_Michael

    Rick_Michael Peon

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    #8
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    Agreed.

    I think it's unimportant issue, and I don't think it's worth contending. Now the other drugs I might think otherwise.
     
    Rick_Michael, Feb 22, 2007 IP
  9. GTech

    GTech Rob Jones for President!

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    #9
    Very much agree on the other drugs. I don't smoke it myself nor have a desire to. I did back in the early 80s as a teen, but that was then.

    Hell, you can get it just about anywhere, any time. Legalizing it takes the criminal element out of it. Regulating it can increase government revenues on it. Right now, the only people making money are the drug dealers. Just seems a non-issue anymore. I continue to hear about stories where cops rarely even arrest anyone for personal amounts.
     
    GTech, Feb 22, 2007 IP
  10. evera

    evera Peon

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    #10
    Wow best post ever in this forum :)

    Yes I'm a pothead and a grower, and its about time to make it legal all over the world. I don't see any reason why it should be illegal. Only criminals are happy with this law. Many people die from alcohol and zigarettes but not a single person died from pot. All these politicians should face the reality and make it available for adult persons. They could even put a tax on it and make lots of money. And the law inforcement has imo more important stuff to do than hunt potheads.

    Now i smoke one on this thread.
     
    evera, Feb 22, 2007 IP
  11. Rick_Michael

    Rick_Michael Peon

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    #11
    I'd rather have cigarettes be illegal, than weed, actually.

    Cigs cost too much in health premiums. Make sugar illegal while you're at it. lol, I'm sure that wouldn't go well.

    Seriously, I'm not an advocate of smoking it. I just view it to be very harmless in comparison to more dangerous drugs. It's really not worth the enforcement and we might as well gain tax revenue on something.
     
    Rick_Michael, Feb 22, 2007 IP
  12. lorien1973

    lorien1973 Notable Member

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    #12
    We've been through this. People who use drugs are more likely to be: unemployed, homeless, father children out of wedlock, commit crimes, etc. In a society where we have to pay for these peoples' bad decisions its hard to legalize it. I'd be all for legalization, if, when a person loses their job and applies for welfare/subsidies, they are given a drug test. If they fail, then they get nothing.
     
    lorien1973, Feb 22, 2007 IP
  13. ferret77

    ferret77 Heretic

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    #13
    the same could be said for alcohol

    most crime drug users do are either involve possesion of their drugs or petty crimes associated with paying crazy black market prices for their drugs

    Remove the crazy black market prices remove the crimes
     
    ferret77, Feb 22, 2007 IP
  14. lorien1973

    lorien1973 Notable Member

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    #14
    Yep. But its hard to close the pandora's box once its already opened.

    Or paying for their drugs cuz they've lost their job because they use them. I guess its the same thing, really.
     
    lorien1973, Feb 22, 2007 IP
  15. ferret77

    ferret77 Heretic

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    #15
    even if they lost their job,

    the average junkie uses like $20 -$200 worth drugs a day

    if drugs were legal they could probably get the same thing for like $5

    not that pressing to commit major crime if all you need is $5, hell they can return bottles like the alcoholics

    Actually thats hard drugs, in terms of weed there really needs to be no criminal penalities

    lorien are you one of those rare people who have never smoked weed?
     
    ferret77, Feb 22, 2007 IP
  16. lorien1973

    lorien1973 Notable Member

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    #16
    Can't say never. Once. My ex-gf smoked it all the time so I tried it. I couldn't get over the smell - reminded me of a cooked, dead raccoon for some reason. Don't ask me HOW I know what that smells like. Ugh.

    I didn't get the thrill of it, after she smoked, she turned into a lump who didn't want to do anything. I don't get why people want to be that person.

    I'm not sure where you get this number, but I'd doubt how accurate it is, or what the price would be if it were legal. I don't think either is knowable.

    Like I said, I'm not totally against legalization, I just don't want to have to pay (taxwise) for their mistakes. But generally, that's my opinion on many social issues. If my tax dollars aren't towards supporting your mistake, feel free to be as stupid as you want.
     
    lorien1973, Feb 22, 2007 IP
  17. EGS

    EGS Notable Member

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    #17
    EGS, Feb 22, 2007 IP
  18. evera

    evera Peon

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    #18
    I think all what you mentioned happens just because its illegal. If you could buy all drugs at Wallmart for a reasonable price, and use all the money spend on the drugwar into drug education and harmreduction, less people would suffer from the effects you mentioned. In my country for example really hard Heroin addicts get their shots for free from the state. And crime rate went down since and these people have the chance to sort out their lives and start working again. And its also much cheaper than the old tactic of repression. And lets face reality the law simply doesn't work out, people do it anyways. A drug-free society is something what is never going to happen.

    And drugs are present in all levels of society, eventhough the public likes to talk only about the junkies on the streets.
    Kids get their Ritalin, teens their alcohol, mushrooms and pot, mothers and fathers their alcohol, anti-depressives and sleeping pills like Valium, Temesta, Modafinil, Prozac or even Viagra, and for business people there is stuff like amphetamin or cocain. I could continue that list...
    But with the current situation only the poor, low educated people suffer and cause all that crime they are forced into. Because the can't effort to go to betty ford like Ozzy or Britney.

    But why are we talking about that? This is about weed not Crack, Heroin or Meth, you can't compare that. Why should a creation by god be illegal?

    btw: US occupied Afghanistan is responsible for 90% of the worlds rising Opium production :D
     
    evera, Feb 22, 2007 IP
  19. ferret77

    ferret77 Heretic

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    #19
    I would say mostly from observing drug addicts that I have been friends with or lived near, the price of legal drugs is totally knowable it would be in comparable price with any medication.

    According to this random pharm website

    http://www.ordermedsfast.net/landing.html

    Thats like 3.50 a dose, hydrocodene is same family as herion
     
    ferret77, Feb 22, 2007 IP
  20. gurusecrets

    gurusecrets Peon

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    #20
    I totally respect your opinion, and think you're right about people turning into lumps. I've definitely seen that happen to major stoners, not 1-2 times a month recreational users.

    This rolling stone piece is pretty good:
    http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/13390669

    Talks about how medical marijuana legalization (at the state level only) in California could reap some big rewards for companies that get into the game early.

    This is the only hope (greed, or capitalism, at the corporate level, that is) for eliminating the Prohibition of the 21st century. God knows marijuana users themselves will never actually show up at the polls to vote for any amendments. :)

    IMHO, decriminalizing marijuana would have the following benefits:
    • The US would not longer have the highest incarceration rate in the world [1], ahead of such countries as China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, etc.
    • We could spend $10-14 Billion [2] instead of enforcing prohibition on things like educating inner city youth, head start programs, etc. Even Ronald Reagan's homeboy Milton Friedman thinks we should decriminalize pot [3]
    • Allow taxation and regulation on the formerly black-market $35 billion cash crop. [4] Yes, that's bigger than corn, soy beans, etc.

    Just my $.02 =)

    1: http://www.straightdope.com/columns/040206.html
    2: http://www.prohibitioncosts.org/
    3: http://www.forbes.com/services/2005/06/02/cz_qh_0602pot.html
    4: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-pot18dec18,0,5264617.story?coll=la-home-headlines

    (sorry i cannot livelink just yet...)
     
    gurusecrets, Feb 23, 2007 IP