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Thread: Legalize Marijuana?

  1. #1
    Forum Addict CannaWhoopazz's Avatar
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    Legalize Marijuana?

    I want to come out right away and say that I have never smoked pot/marijuana before! I have had roommates who do (including one of my current roommates) and several very good friends who smoke it regularly though.


    This is also all dealing with the USA. I didn't look into any other countries or globally!


    There are a lot of studies out there that claim alcohol is more impairing and tobacco is more harmful. Also, claims that the legalization and taxation of the cannabis plant would take a large strain off of many state and even the federal government's financial situations abound.


    I'll give some basic "facts" derived from studies and annual revenue reports with important links!


    Research shows that only 9% of marijuana users actually become addicted {Link}. There is also no direct evidence between marijuana use and any form of mental or physical illness.

    In contrast, about 32% of tobacco users become addicted, which is more addictive than heroin! Alcohol is even more addictive than marijuana, at 15% of users becoming addicted {Link}.




    Jon Gettman, Ph.D. estimates the size of the National(USA) market of Marijuana to be over $100 billion. {Link}. In that same report, it lists top cash crops in the United States, with Marijuana/Hemp at #1 with $12 billion above second place Corn.

    All those seeds are being bought untaxed, large quantities are being planted on public lands like State/National Parks, and then being sold untaxed and unregulated.

    If Marijuana was taxed as heavily as alcohol or tobacco, it would generate $6.2 billion in tax revenue for the government! {Link} The government could probably get away with taxing it even more using grounds of "at least it's legal now" or something like that.

    Finally, if Marijuana were legalized there would be no need to waste parts of the government budget (local, state, and federal) on stopping the growth, sale and use of it. Currently, $7.7 billion is spent on JUST trying to stop marijuana use {Link}, not including the space and money saved currently being used up by marijuana-related arrests.



    Legalizing marijuana would save the government billions of dollars every year, and create a whole new job market in the private sector by introducing a "new" cash crop (I say "new" because hemp used to be the largest cash crop in the country before it was outlawed).


    It's hard to argue that Marijuana is illegal because it's addicting, because so is caffeine! It's hard to argue that it's illegal because of the negative effects, because it's less dangerous to your body than Tobacco products and doesn't cause the sometimes severely violent/depressed mood-swings alcohol does!

    It's a native plant to many regions (I've found wild hemp growing in the woods behind my house), and it's extremely versatile! Back when growing Hemp was legal, it was used for rope, paper, fuel, and a dozen other things, and can even be used to create biodegradable plastics and health foods {Wiki}


    Other links to look at are:
    This one has some other good links in it.
    And of course the wiki-page for Cannabis! I don't care if it's 'credible' or not, I like Wikipedia
    Quote Originally Posted by vines View Post
    100 is the same 1. And 1/92 just means .92.

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    You're entitled to your own opinions, but not entitled to your own facts.

    I find the war on drugs to be complete bull****, but I'm not going to make ridiculous claims that pot is safer than aspirin. I find it more annoying and disgusting than a social vice which requires billions of dollars in enforcing - billions which only serve to strengthen the drug cartels because no one really wants to fight them.

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    Forum Addict CannaWhoopazz's Avatar
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    I'm not claiming it to be completely safe! I'm just saying it's less addictive and, according to some studies, less harmful than tobacco/alcohol.


    and I pointed out they were "facts" so not everyone agrees on them, but I found plenty of evidence in studies I've read over the years to believe them as true
    Quote Originally Posted by vines View Post
    100 is the same 1. And 1/92 just means .92.

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    The problem is that you can find other studies that say the exact opposite. It is something that there is a ton of debate over in the medical community with very little by way of irrefutable fact. Also I have a problem with your argument that it should be legal because it's not as bad as something else. That's not a great argument. Furthermore, if people are willing to grow it on public land when it is of questionable legality or difficult circumstances, what is to guarantee that they would suddenly become compliant law-abiding citizens once the government demanded payment in the form of taxes?

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    Being in law enforcement i have no more use for a drunk behind the wheel as i do for a pot head trying to drive.Both impair the ability to do what a person not under either influence can do.
    Ive never seen someone smoking a real cigarette see things that are not there and swerve and hit someone head on.That isnt just weed but any drug.Once you legalize 1 you open the door to others.Leave Pandoras box closed.

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    next they'll outlaw hamburgers because they're bad for you, so lawman says to not open pandoras box, got news for you its opened already, just keep it illegal that way it's way to make money on the streets , as long as money is there to be made , people are gonna grow and sell it, unregulated i might add, and has anyone ever heard of a violent pothead, self righteous BSers , problem in this country is the lawyers are the ones making the laws, case and point.

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    I'd be all for legalizing pot if it weren't for the obnoxious behavior of every pot enthusiast I've ever known.

    And yes, I have heard of and known many violent potheads, though I imagine they'd be just as violent without the influence of marijuana.

    Most likely, if cannabis were completely legalized and made available in the open - it practically is available in the open already, but w/e - the illegal trade wouldn't stop, because the burden of regulating the cannabis trade is of no interest to anyone, and why would a drug cartel or small-time grower suddenly submit to the laws they've flagrantly violated for years? This is happening with most of the legal marijuana dispensaries in the USA, who only pay lip service to regulatory affairs. (That the regulators themselves are basically a glorified protection racket is something I'd believe, but not going to claim without digging up evidence first, but that would be the logical conclusion.) It's not something that can be regulated and suddenly all the vices associated with the drug would vanish.

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    thing is cartels or your common grower would have any reason to be pushing the drug if it was legal, no money in it for them, and i don't care what anyone says , alcohol is a more addictive and dangerous drug than pot has or will ever be , FACT
    yet alcohol is legal, another thing, i don't agree with anyone getting behind the wheel of a vehicule intoxicated in any sort of fashion, (make more room for the murderers and child molesters in the prisons plz) , manipulated from the day you're born and you don't even know it, started many generations before even your parents or their parents were born, freedom is being told what to do and how to live, really kinda sad when you think about it :(

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    Quote Originally Posted by TheImmortal View Post
    The problem is that you can find other studies that say the exact opposite.


    Could you get links to these reports that state otherwise? I know this is a heated debate, which is why I opened it! I want to see these studies that show marijuana is worse!


    And, pot is EXTREMELY easy to come by already, as was alcohol during the prohibition. Once they legalized prohibition, the number of illegal stills and bootleggers dropped dramatically because they were run out of business by legal, easier to get alcohol. Why would you buy from a drug-dealer in a back alley when you can buy it from a licensed store guaranteeing quality and purity without worrying about getting arrested?

    And obviously there would be laws inhibiting driving under the influence, no matter how little is in your system. And there's a large difference between marijuana and "hard-core" drugs like cocaine, crack, heroin, etc. I seriously doubt there would be a clamoring to legalize crystal meth just because marijuana got legalized.
    Quote Originally Posted by vines View Post
    100 is the same 1. And 1/92 just means .92.

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    I like to post KuhaN's Avatar
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    Legalize it. I think marijuana should be allowed for athletes to use as well. Its not a drug.
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    Quote Originally Posted by nooblet View Post
    I'd be all for legalizing pot if it weren't for the obnoxious behavior of every pot enthusiast I've ever known.

    And yes, I have heard of and known many violent potheads, though I imagine they'd be just as violent without the influence of marijuana.

    Most likely, if cannabis were completely legalized and made available in the open - it practically is available in the open already, but w/e - the illegal trade wouldn't stop, because the burden of regulating the cannabis trade is of no interest to anyone, and why would a drug cartel or small-time grower suddenly submit to the laws they've flagrantly violated for years? This is happening with most of the legal marijuana dispensaries in the USA, who only pay lip service to regulatory affairs. (That the regulators themselves are basically a glorified protection racket is something I'd believe, but not going to claim without digging up evidence first, but that would be the logical conclusion.) It's not something that can be regulated and suddenly all the vices associated with the drug would vanish.
    If it was legalized, cannabis wouldn't be any different from alcohol or cigarets (which are sold on the black market, but it is a limited market as the vast majority of customers buy legit and taxes on it are a gold mine for the state).

    This is way better than our current situation where 100% of cannabis is sold on the black market and at an inflated price.

    It is a gold mine for ORGANIZED crime atm. Why organized? Because it is illegal and there is zero regulation on it atm so of course organized crime will step in:

    1) The logistics of evading the police alone makes it more viable for the mob or big gangs with police connections and good planning to implement a successful production and distribution system.

    2) If you grow pot (at the present, illegally of course) independently and the mob (or a gang) steps on your turf, what are you gonna do? Go complain to the police? So, of course the current situation leaves independent pot producers ripe for a mob (or gang) takeover.

    So, take money away from organized crime and give it to the state instead (for some of the ultra-right wing yahoos, the difference is probably not that great, but for the rest, it is).

    Whether you like it or not, people will find ways to smoke cannabis so if you can't stop it, at least let's not make it a bigger problem than it already is.
    Last edited by Magn; 10-05-2012 at 08:01.

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    Recently the Dutch enforced a restriction on marijuana availability and BOOM... crime goes up.
    #adrenaline

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    Just bc we can't stop it all the time doesn't mean fighting it isn't the right thing to do.

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    Quote Originally Posted by TheImmortal View Post
    Just bc we can't stop it all the time doesn't mean fighting it isn't the right thing to do.
    Doing the right thing requires brains.

    If by doing something, you're causing more harm than good, but insist on doing it anyways because of some abstract code of conduct that doesn't take other people's well being into consideration, you're being stubborn and selfish.

    Only overly proud idiots follow a set of principle that are harmful to people.

    I mean, a lot of dictators that killed millions in history were highly principled and willing to do whatever it takes to enforce those principles no matter the consequences.

    That's not right, that's evil.

    The only way to do the right thing is to put your principles back into question otherwise you're being a stubborn idiot and a threat to our social fabric.

    In the end, love is the principle that trumps all others and it is the principle to which all your other principles are accountable to.
    Last edited by Magn; 10-05-2012 at 17:04.

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    Forum Addict CannaWhoopazz's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Magn View Post
    Only overly proud idiots follow a set of principle that are harmful to people.

    I mean, a lot of dictators that killed millions in history were highly principled and willing to do whatever it takes to enforce those principles no matter the consequences.

    That's not right, that's evil.
    Getting close to Godwin's Law... Let's get this back on track so we don't have to shut down the discussion!
    Quote Originally Posted by vines View Post
    100 is the same 1. And 1/92 just means .92.

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