No matter who wins the Presidential Election, most likely he or she will not move to end the "war on drugs". So if we are going to be consistent in fighting this menace, let's include alcohol. After all, whether or not gullible Americans realize it, alcohol IS a drug and has the same destructive effects on its users as the worst kinds of narcotics, such as crack including addiction and violent behavior. It's much more dangerous than other drugs such as marijuana, but no one seems to mind, especially hypocritical lawmakers. And while we're at it, let's also ban tobacco. Now considering all the damage and disease this item causes, that should be even more of a no-brainer than prohibiting alcohol. Alternately, we could demand an end to the W.O.D. altogether and stop wasting billions of dollars that it's costing the U.S. and the attendant corruption that it brings, but considering how easily Americans can be fooled (e.g. electing a druggie president) that will likely never happen.
I refuse to do drugs, smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol. Yet, I would like to legalize drugs. I think it should be a personal choice, not the governments choice. If you take drugs and go hurt someone, then you should get in trouble. But for people that want to get high in there livingroom and watch cartoons, I don't care.
I haven't told you yet today, you're great. Unfortunately, I smoke which is a vice I plan on beating. The odd drink here or there, but never keep alcohol in the house, and I'm not much into the bar scene. Drugs, never saw a point in them. When I can log onto DP and read GTech for free, who needs escapist hallucinogens? But yeah, legalize them for adults. It's ridiculous for people to moralize to others, we all have to make our mistakes, and triumph over them.
Thanks Guerilla. <getting on my soapbox>You could quit smoking if you realize you are paying all this money to an industry that is poisoning us for profit. Lung cancer is the most prevalent type of cancer in the US. 80% of people with lung cancer get it directly from smoking. Tobacco industry is the best company to boycott. <getting off my soapbox> But I understand, they are highly addictive. It is difficult to quit, but probably one of the best things you can ever do for yourself. p.s. I am an ex-smoker, therefore kind of preachy about the dangers of smoking. How I quit was to gradually reduce my cigarrettes while I allowed myself to make up for it with commit lozenges. Then I finally quit cigarrettes, but was addicted to commit lozenges. Then I gradually reduced the lozenges until I quit those as well. It worked for me, and I was very addicted.
Smoking is good for the economy, it causes people to buy American made goods and brings in tax dollars. Just because you don't like to smoke or drink and have friends that feel the same way, doesn't make it just for the people who enjoy it. Why not just "demand" people to stop drinking their joe and switch over to 2 litres of water, 8 hours of sleep, and regular exercise?
Smoking provides much needed jobs for oncologists and chemotherapy drug companies. It also provides an extra boost to the mortuary industry. In addition it is a multi-million industry for the poison producing tobacco companies. You're right it doesn't, in my post I stated we should have freedom of choice. Joe is my weakness. Don't ask me to give up joe!
The problem with people is they don't know anything about history. I think if they really looked at things historically they would realize how ludicrous our current drug laws are. How many people today would agree to alcohol being illegal? A very low percentage I'm sure. Yet in the 1920s of course alcohol was illegal. How did that work out? It caused crime because it was an unreasonable law. That's the same thing that's happening today. It's not reasonable for the government to outlaw recreational drugs. It's just not. And people are never going to be OK with it. And what does that do? It creates crime that wouldn't otherwise exist. It wastes money. It's just damn obvious. I really get irritated by people who don't understand how wrong the war on drugs is. It's just extremely frustrating the amount of brainwashing that people have entrenched in their minds. "drugs are bad, mmm 'k." There's just no thinking there. None. No logical arguments that are made against the legalization of drugs.
The US supplies cigarettes to the whole world doesn't it. I read that American cigarettes are used as currency in many war torn places Also the taxes on smokes are a huge source of revenue for the governement
This will never happen. I think we learned from our mistakes through prohibition. The reason we can outlaw many other forms of drugs is because they have been outlawed for quite sometime. The majority of US citizens view drug use such as Marijuana wrong. It does have immediate physical side effects that lead to others being killed and there is simply no benefit to allowing our young adults to freely use these drugs and put more people on the road in danger than there already are.
Alcohol is a much worse drug than Marijuana. Also, Marijuana has not been banned for all that long. Through much of American history, it has been legal. I don't smoke it, but I would certainly like to see Hemp legalized. It would totally resuscitate our agricultural industry.
where is mia to come and tell us everyone who smokes pot is loser, including bill gates and who knows how many presidents I freaking hate pot, personally although I think it smells ok when its burned
An economist would equate your statement to the "broken window fallacy." Basically, the fallacy states that a young boy who breaks a shop window helps the local economy. After all, the window maker will receive money to make a new window, and he'll spend that money on bread to feed his family, and the baker will spend that money on new shoes, and the cobbler will spend that money on... etc. It is a fallacy because it ignores the fact that the shopkeeper could have spent that money to replace the window on something else. If his window was covered by insurance, then the insurance company might have to raise premiums in the future to cover the expense, which means every pays a little for the new window. If people didn't spend money on cigarettes, they would probably spend it on something else or invest it for themselves (or buy lotto tickets, which is great for the government). Although the government might receive less tax revenue (the tax on cigarettes is very high), it could still come out ahead because non-smokers put less strain on the health care system (a good portion of which is supported by the government) and they take fewer sick days from work, leading to more productivity, which is good for the economy as a whole as well as government tax revenue. I'm not saying that cigarettes should be banned, I'm just saying that tax revenue should not be the crutch that keeps it legal. The fact is, the case for legalized and regulated marijuana is better than the case for tobacco cigarettes. By enforcing the use of vaporizers, the health issue with pot is nearly wiped away, and it actually becomes what could be considered a health product. Aside from pain relief, use of marijuana through a vaporizer has been shown to reduce instances of lung cancer compared to the non-smoking population. If you want to talk tax revenue, the case for marijuana gets even better. Since consumers are already used to relatively high prices on pot compared to tobacco products, they would be willing to pay about the same price for the government regulated product. Production costs are very low for pot, so it would not be unreasonable for the tax rate to be in the neighborhood of 400-500%. Tens of billions of dollars are currently spent on the black market for weed, and legalization could essentially transfer 80% of that revenue to the U.S. government. Dope dealers who violently defend their turf would lose nearly everything.
Agreed alcohol and prescription drugs are far more dangerous than Marijuana. Alcohol can turn some people in to out of control assholes who just want to fight. Prescription drugs can mess you up way worse than alcohol with like 4 pills. You can become physically and psychologically addicted to both drugs. Worst possible case with MJ is you smoke and sit on the couch and eat. Seriously I fail to see the harm.
or drive and bump into others.... Pot smokers don't admit some things: pot is addictive causes lung cancer damages the brain leads to other drugs slows response time (for things like driving) 2nd hand smoke is damaging to children in more ways than cigs could ever be BUT, if you legalized hemp and put pot into the liquor store there would be less crime surrounding pot.
umm kind of BS list there I don't think pot damages the brain, at least anymore then alcohol and cigs the whole leads to other drugs is BS too, its doesn't lead to other drugs anymore then alcohol or rock music leads to other drugs
I'm sorry but it's obvious some acutally still believe in the governments stances and have never looked into actual research on the subject at hand
Grim, I think you know me better than that. I am talking first hand interaction with those who have been there, since I can't speak for myself. Alcohol was my drug for a couple of years, but that is all I tried. I have watched friends get into it and know a number who are trying to stay out now that they are done with it.
I know it from very, very first hand experience and can tell you pot is not the 'gateway' drug the government tries to claim it is.