Legalization of Marijuana?

[smokey the elder]

About the smoking it in public: I think anti-smoking rules would be extended to marijuana.

As far as legalizing it in general: There are way too many people in prison for marijuana-related crimes. Marijuana is a gateway drug all right...a gateway to becoming a more hardened criminal while doing time for it.

I know first hand of someone who was on chemo who used it for medicinal purposes: I don't give a rat's behind if it's placebo effect or not. It clearly helped her get through with minimal nausea and loss of appetite.

I'm kind of dancing around the question; I think the pros for legalizing and regulating it slightly outweigh the cons.

[wombat2u2004]

That's a tough one.
I'll go light up my bong now and consult with the oracles.
I'll get back to you in the morning.

[moosmom]

I don't know what the big deal is. Booze is legal. They tax the crap out of it.
Why not legalize it and tax it. It would help the deficit. Do I imbibe? No. Not because I don't want to, but because I'm allergic to it.

Another point is that booze is legal, so if they're saying no to they're being hypocritical. JMO

[Catty1]

I don't recall who it is - but someone here in Canada expressed the opinion (some years ago) that all illegal substances be legalized and available by prescription or some such method.

Why?

It would put the drug dealers and related gangs out of business. Less violence.

Not a bad idea...

[Pembroke_Corgi]

"Medicinal" marijuana is legal here in Colorado. I put medicinal in quotes because I would estimate that 90% of the people who have a medical marijuana card don't actually need it for medical reasons. The regulations around medical marijuana have tightened up recently, but several years ago it was not uncommon to see sign spinners all over less-than-savory districts of Denver advertising their dispensary (though not all communities have allowed dispensaries; we don't have any in the city I live in, for example).

One of the issues surrounding the legalization of medical marijuana is that it can impair some (but not all, some argue) drivers. The tests to gauge the drug content in the body are not as easily administered as alcohol-level tests (it requires a blood or urine test). If impairment levels vary so much between individuals, and are so hard to measure, how can you regulate this and make sure people on the road are safe?

In addition, marijuana has just as many cancer health risks as cigarettes. Personally, I think the risks outweigh any potential benefit to legalizing it. I think the real problem is sending someone to jail over this- our society jails way too many people (the most in the world).

[dab_20]

Karen, I think that if they did legalize it, marijuana probably couldn't be smoke on the streets anywhere. Just like you can't go on the streets with alcohol in your hand (In most cities anyways).
But I DO agree with the driving issue, particularly with what Pembrokecorgi stated;

One of the issues surrounding the legalization of medical marijuana is that it can impair some (but not all, some argue) drivers. The tests to gauge the drug content in the body are not as easily administered as alcohol-level tests (it requires a blood or urine test). If impairment levels vary so much between individuals, and are so hard to measure, how can you regulate this and make sure people on the road are safe?

It would be hard to tell for sure whether someone was under the influence of marijuana or not. And if their were a bunch of pot heads on the road, the world would be a scary place.


My main argument for legalizing marijuana is if alcohol is, why not marijuana? Alcohol is proven to be significantly worse for your health than marijuana, and more addictive. (I know Marijuana is a Schedule I drug, techinically, but that's just plan SILLY if you ask me) Why not legalize it and tax it like
moosmom suggested. God knows we could use the economic advantage of it right now...

Gotta run to class, I'll be back on to post more later

[Karen]

Karen, I think that if they did legalize it, marijuana probably couldn't be smoke on the streets anywhere. Just like you can't go on the streets with alcohol in your hand (In most cities anyways).
But I DO agree with the driving issue, particularly with what Pembrokecorgi stated;

Yes, but unlike alcohol, smoke from marijuana will travel under door frames and out windows ... I'd likely just have to avoid certain neighborhoods. In college, people would roll up a damp towel and stuff it under the door in the dorms to try to keep their pot smoking a secret, but we could all smell it anyway, and it would make me ill if I smelled enough of it!

[happylabs]

"One of the issues surrounding the legalization of medical marijuana is that it can impair some (but not all, some argue) drivers. The tests to gauge the drug content in the body are not as easily administered as alcohol-level tests (it requires a blood or urine test). If impairment levels vary so much between individuals, and are so hard to measure, how can you regulate this and make sure people on the road are safe?

I agree and am against it for this reason. There are enough crazy drivers out there without some of them being high on marijuana in addition.

Why can't people just take legal pills from the doc and be happy like I am.

[beeniesmom]

I don't recall who it is - but someone here in Canada expressed the opinion (some years ago) that all illegal substances be legalized and available by prescription or some such method.

Why?

It would put the drug dealers and related gangs out of business. Less violence.

Not a bad idea...

I agree. As for driving under the influence of drugs, people already do that. Making it legal won't increase or reduce that.

[happylabs]

I agree. As for driving under the influence of drugs, people already do that. Making it legal won't increase or reduce that.

I don't agree with that. I think making it legal will make it too easy for people to partake and then drive.

[beeniesmom]

I don't know... if a person is responsible enough not to drive after a beer I think they'd be responsible enough not to drive after smoking a joint too.