Anonymous
Favorite Answer
Well, we have medical marijuana where I live in Oregon. I've been to the coffee houses in Amsterdam a few times, too.
We always say, "Who would you rather deal with a drunk or someone stoned?" The point is that people don't tend to get high and beat their wives, start bar fights, or get very aggressive at all. They just tend to eat too much and say really stupid stuff.
Even if marijuana isn't legal, in a college town in Oregon, it might as well be. Many of us wonder why spend the money putting the people in jail for something most of us do.
Is it a gateway drug? Well, if you're the type of person who when presented with one piece of chocolate runs out the door, buys a cake, and eats the whole thing, then maybe for you yes. And, anyone who breaks a speeding law isn't going to become a wreckless driver.
That said, I hate smoking pot. I don't do it, because its boring and almost everything is more fun. So, yeah, legalize it. Use the hemp products like our founding father, George Washington. But, don't be a pot head. Addictions are sad.
?
I think so. While it is not exactly productive to use it, it is not as harmful as some things that are legal (e.g. alcohol, addictive painkillers, etc.) I do think that if it is legalized, however, there should be restrictions placed on usage; for instance, no driving or operating machinery under the influence. Many people claim that pot smoke is more harmful than cigarette smoke (I don't know if it actually is), but even if that were the case, there aren't addictives in it that will cause you to smoke packs upon packs of them as people do with cigarettes. As for a comparison with alcohol, no one has EVER died of a pot overdose (many people have died from excessive drinking), and people who do marijuana become relaxed and/or happy and do not go out and start fights like drunks. Not to mention, if it were legalized and regulated by the government, that would be more funding for our communities and school systems.
Wiininiskwe *Ajidamoon*
Well, there are two ways you can look at it.
On one hand, if it does become legal, then the government will be able to tax it, and make money off of it. The prison population will be cut down, as many are there for ridiculous drug offences.
On the other hand, it will need to be government regulated, prices, where to sell it, how it can be marketed. No doubt corporations manufacturing it will stick a bunch of added crappola to make it more addictive, more potent, etc. More laws will need to be implemented to keep people from driving while stoned. ( There should be more laws now concerning driving under the influence) People will still steal, and hurt others, to get the money to purchase it.
Perhaps the US should do as we have in Canada. Decriminalize amounts under 28.35 grams/1 ounce. Amounts that can only be deemed personal use, not for the purposes of trafficking. Then, your jails would no be so full.
omnimog
I would have agreed back in the day - but now I gotta say "no".
I would like to see it de-criminalized - and palces for people with addictions get cheap or free drugs -
They tried this Switzerland and it worked really well - what street dealer can compete with "free" - although you have to go 'sign-up' and stay there while you took your drugs - but it would take the 'kick' out the drugs by shining a theraputic light on em.
If pot simply gets legalized and is sold for taz profits - your gonna see a lot trouble from it.
You will see horrible bad car accidents (death) , kids going to other worse drugs - heroin, crack, booze, coke, etc...
you will lives being hurt by a druggy culture which feel empowered to be blatant about it.
You will see innocent kids like 3rd graders finding themselves struggling with 'stoner' parents -
So I gotta say - "decriminalize" yes - but NOT open it up for the legal status of ciggarettes -
keep it really on the low-down - it would just be better.
Calamity Jane
Yes. The biggest reason is because our law enforcement is wasting there time arresting pot heads when they could be out there arresting Real drug dealers, robbers, murders and rapists. Not to mention how much more room there would be in jails and prisons for the ones that need to be there. The only reason it is illegal is because the government can't find a way to tax the sale of it. There afraid they are losing all the money. But, there losing way more paying cops to arrest them, court costs and jail time.