Is something morally wrong with legalizing marijuana?

[mpok1519]

The govt doesn't make a whole lot from big pharma; it's the individual politicians who receive huge campaign contributions from bigpharma; now if there was a lobby as rich as bigpharma, but a lobby for legal pot, perhaps the cannabis lobbyists would be able to contribue to the politicians so as to sway their decisions just as bigpharma does.

The politicians know weed should be legal; but there's something keeping them from acting accordingly. Either it's their ignorant constiency they must pander to, or it's money. There's not a whole not of logical reasons why it's still illegal.

 

[chingchang]

I'm all for legalizing pot, but I don't buy that "big pharma" line. The government would make craploads of money off of pot, far more than any pharma drug would provide. Especially since (a) people who don't need big pharma drugs would buy pot, (b) big pharma still sells plenty of things that deal with things pot can't, and (c) big pharma would be able to package and sell marijuana just like anyone else; whoever had the best product would triumph.

Actually...that isn't true. The problem with marijuana...from their perspective...is that ANYONE can grow it without the government knowing...and that is exactly what most would do. They would require a tax stamp be purchased...but c'mon...who are we kidding? If I grow plants in my closet am I going to voluntarily pay for tax stamps when the government will never find out about it? Marijuana can take the place of MANY medications and would cost Big-Pharma billions upon billions in lost revenues. Big-Pharma rivals Big-Oil in terms of corruptions and total lack of care for people...and that can be shown. Did you know the US is one of only two developed countries that allow Big-Pharma to advertise directly to consumers? They OWN our politicians.

BTW...I can't grow Lunesta.......

Hugs,
CC

 

[chingchang]

The politicians know weed should be legal; but there's something keeping them from acting accordingly. Either it's their ignorant constiency they must pander to, or it's money. There's not a whole not of logical reasons why it's still illegal.

True...true. Of course there weren't a whole lot of logical reasons as to why it was made illegal to begin with (from a consumer perspective).

Hugs,
CC

 

[Skaloop]

Actually...that isn't true. The problem with marijuana...from their perspective...is that ANYONE can grow it without the government knowing...and that is exactly what most would do. They would require a tax stamp be purchased...but c'mon...who are we kidding? If I grow plants in my closet am I going to voluntarily pay for tax stamps when the government will never find out about it? Marijuana can take the place of MANY medications and would cost Big-Pharma billions upon billions in lost revenues. Big-Pharma rivals Big-Oil in terms of corruptions and total lack of care for people...and that can be shown. Did you know the US is one of only two developed countries that allow Big-Pharma to advertise directly to consumers? They OWN our politicians.

BTW...I can't grow Lunesta.......

Hugs,
CC

Anyone can grow tomatoes, too, but they do brisk sales at the grocery store. The thing is that people are generally lazy, and won't put in the effort to grow something that they can just buy.

 

[BlackCherry]

Phone calls and the internet are not necessary to partake in any drugs, be they legal or illegal. So that probably wouldn't work to prevent anything.

That is nonsense, and you know it. Drug dealers also talk by phone. There is increasing control of IP addresses, internet communication and phone conversations due to the patriot act and generally. This is the way society is heading, and no matter what some of you "don't like to believe," there are enough high-powered individuals sharing my views. The infrastructure allows it, and there will never, ever be an election, where the issue legalization yes/no to pot will have any importance.

Pot will remain illegal, and this thread is just plain stupid.

People cannot be allowed to fill their life with secular meaning. What if we allowed everyone to snort cocaine? Crazy.

Normal people would then face druggies lying all around. I am just being honest, when I say that I would loathe that, and I suspect the consequences is a great deal of the reason why most people share my stance on pot. We don't like pot-heads, and you should NOT be allowed the freedom to smoke, inject drugs and drink. As a matter of fact, I think it would be good if unhealthy foods were banned as well, but I am too egotistical and fond of ice cream to support that. But I bet God wouldn't be against ice cream. Ice cream overeating comes from a lacking will, and pot overconsumption comes from Satan.

 

[chingchang]

Anyone can grow tomatoes, too, but they do brisk sales at the grocery store. The thing is that people are generally lazy, and won't put in the effort to grow something that they can just buy.

Perhaps.

CC

 

[BotanicalBob]

That is nonsense, and you know it. Drug dealers also talk by phone. There is increasing control of IP addresses, internet communication and phone conversations due to the patriot act and generally. This is the way society is heading, and no matter what some of you "don't like to believe," there are enough high-powered individuals sharing my views. The infrastructure allows it, and there will never, ever be an election, where the issue legalization yes/no to pot will have any importance.

Pot will remain illegal, and this thread is just plain stupid.

People cannot be allowed to fill their life with secular meaning. What if we allowed everyone to snort cocaine? Crazy.

Normal people would then face druggies lying all around. I am just being honest, when I say that I would loathe that, and I suspect the consequences is a great deal of the reason why most people share my stance on pot. We don't like pot-heads, and you should NOT be allowed the freedom to smoke, inject drugs and drink. As a matter of fact, I think it would be good if unhealthy foods were banned as well, but I am too egotistical and fond of ice cream to support that. But I bet God wouldn't be against ice cream. Ice cream overeating comes from a lacking will, and pot overconsumption comes from Satan.

Only one question remains...the heck are you smoking?

 

[Fenny the Fox]

That is nonsense, and you know it. Drug dealers also talk by phone. There is increasing control of IP addresses, internet communication and phone conversations due to the patriot act and generally. This is the way society is heading, and no matter what some of you "don't like to believe," there are enough high-powered individuals sharing my views. The infrastructure allows it, and there will never, ever be an election, where the issue legalization yes/no to pot will have any importance.

Pot will remain illegal, and this thread is just plain stupid.

People cannot be allowed to fill their life with secular meaning. What if we allowed everyone to snort cocaine? Crazy.

Normal people would then face druggies lying all around. I am just being honest, when I say that I would loathe that, and I suspect the consequences is a great deal of the reason why most people share my stance on pot. We don't like pot-heads, and you should NOT be allowed the freedom to smoke, inject drugs and drink. As a matter of fact, I think it would be good if unhealthy foods were banned as well, but I am too egotistical and fond of ice cream to support that. But I bet God wouldn't be against ice cream. Ice cream overeating comes from a lacking will, and pot overconsumption comes from Satan.

As I said, which went on deaf ears it seems, the control of IP addresses and phone tracing is increasingly more easy to avoid. A pre-paid phone does not require any ID to purchase and use, therefore no personal info can be garnered by tracing it. IP addresses only need go through a couple separate proxies and you are essentially lost in the crowd and they can't really trace you.

As for phone calls about drug deals. You don't know many small time (which makes the majority of drugs dealt) dealers, huh? They have no reason to talk on the phone or internet about drugs. Almost all small time dealers do so in one of two main ways:

a) by prior relationship - they don't sell to you unless they know you (or you are very close to another customer),
or
b) by random sales - the "street dealer" type sell to anyone they think might buy it.

You can guess which of these types gets caught most often. And, the first of them is usually only caught when they make a customer mad and they are reported. Or they are ratted out as part of a plea deal to minimize punishment for large possession charges.

Neither of these typically require a phone call or email or whatnot.



Next, to be honest, I can't understand why marijuana was ever made illegal. Outside of pharmaceutical lobbies (which are some of the most affluent lobbies in government these days) being against it.

The use of marijuana has no proven lasting negative effects or physical addiction risks. In fact, it has been proven to both act as a preventative of cancer as well as a cancer suppressant. It also has great properties for pain management in small doses. And, unlike most pharmaceuticals for these purposes, carries almost no risk of overdose or physical addiction.

 

[Chajara]

As a matter of fact, I think it would be good if unhealthy foods were banned as well, but I am too egotistical and fond of ice cream to support that.

HAAAAAAAHAHAHA. So the vices that you partake in and enjoy regularly should be left alone but the ones everyone else does should be banned?

So out of curiosity what else should be banned besides drinking and drugs? Premarital sex? Children out of wedlock? The theory of evolution? Dungeons and Dragons games? Harry Potter? Birth control methods? The HPV vaccine? Any of those that you partake in and enjoy and therefore we can't ban them even if they might be bad for society?

 

[mpok1519]

That is nonsense, and you know it. Drug dealers also talk by phone. There is increasing control of IP addresses, internet communication and phone conversations due to the patriot act and generally.

The govt cannot use the patriot act to spy on people unless the are believed to be threats to national security; someone selling dime bags ou his back door doesn't qualify. And if one could prove that their phones were tapped without propper justification, those agents responsible could be out of a job.

This is the way society is heading, and no matter what some of you "don't like to believe," there are enough high-powered individuals sharing my views.

unfortunately you're right; there are alot of ignorant and draconian people in power who would lve nothing more than the entire eradication of people they dont like.

The infrastructure allows it, and there will never, ever be an election, where the issue legalization yes/no to pot will have any importance.

It already is an issue, although you don't see people on cspan bicker everyday over it.

Pot will remain illegal, and this thread is just plain stupid.

Although many states approve the sale of it to those with a doctor's note. It seems to be sailing in the dirction of legalization. And why is this thread stupid? Bc you don't like the ways hippies dress and smell?

People cannot be allowed to fill their life with secular meaning.

woah...people shouldn't be allowed to lead secular lives? What are you smoking? Do you realize you're sounding like some third world dictator

What if we allowed everyone to snort cocaine? Crazy.

Well we kind of do; if you're rich, go to Yale, and your daddy is president no one seemed to care. Heck you can even be elected president.

Comparing the effects of cocaine and marijuana as a case for criminalization is stupid; the two are not similiar drugs at all.

Normal people would then face druggies lying all around.

Normal people smoke pot everyday and have normal lives! I would arue that you're an abnormal person even though you're the type of person that no one would want to offer drugs to.

I am just being honest, when I say that I would loathe that, and I suspect the consequences is a great deal of the reason why most people share my stance on pot.

most people don't share your draconian ideals.

We don't like pot-heads,

Yeah you do; you watch their movies and tv shows and listen to their music all the time.

[/quote] and you should NOT be allowed the freedom to smoke, inject drugs and drink.[/quote]

ok Hitler. Do I have to sign up for brainwashing camp too? Why is my corporeal autonomous freewill in the hands of tyrrants and dictators like you?

As a matter of fact, I think it would be good if unhealthy foods were banned as well, but I am too egotistical and fond of ice cream to support that. But I bet God wouldn't be against ice cream. Ice cream overeating comes from a lacking will, and pot overconsumption comes from Satan.

So people should be free to shove As much fattening and heart disease and diabetes inducing foods into their fat faces and their kids' faces bc it's Satan who made pot and not God?

All seed bearing plants are good...but I suppose you interpret plain English differently...

 

[Maren]

The govt cannot use the patriot act to spy on people unless the are believed to be threats to national security; someone selling dime bags ou his back door doesn't qualify. And if one could prove that their phones were tapped without propper justification, those agents responsible could be out of a job.

Sure. I might believe you if a woman with cancer hadn't been convicted by the federal government (which appeared to lack Constitutional jurisdiction) for growing a few marijuana plants for her own personal medical use, complying with California state law, and the Supreme Court upheld the conviction because it was justified because of her effect on interstate commerce. (Gonzales v. Raich)

It is far easier to see a valid argument being crafted for how drugs might harm national security than how a woman who grows marijuana for her personal use effects interstate commerce.

Maren(who still can't understand how growing something that is illegal in other states, for personal use only, effects interstate commerce)

 

[mpok1519]

Drugs affect national security a much as alcohol and presciptions do.

The strange thing is how since drugs are illegal the high profit markup gives dangerous criminals(and other security threats) a huge boost in funds. Legalize and taxes marijuana would take out a huge slice of the pie from security threatening organizations. As long as certain drugs are criminalized it creates a lucretively sustaining enterprise for dangerous criminal organizations.

 

[FaithLikeARock]

Theocracy is not a game. It is God's will.

How dare you. You would step all over not only the free will God granted us to find our own way to Him but you would step all over the kingdom He's created by trying to make a fake, manmade one here on earth.

There is no reason marijuana shouldn't be illegal. The intoxicating effects are not initially harmful, it can be less intoxicating than alcohol and therefore safer to work while high on, and it has a medically proven pain reducing effect. There are really more pro's than con's. It's no worse than Tylonel and twice as effective.

 

[Russki9000]

There's no reason for it to be illegal, so yeah I think it should be legalized

 

[chingchang]

It's no worse than Tylonel and twice as effective.

Actually...Tylenol is directly responsible for deaths...whereas marijuana is not. Google it.

CC

 

[Macx]

Drugs affect national security a much as alcohol and presciptions do.

The strange thing is how since drugs are illegal the high profit markup gives dangerous criminals(and other security threats) a huge boost in funds. Legalize and taxes marijuana would take out a huge slice of the pie from security threatening organizations. As long as certain drugs are criminalized it creates a lucretively sustaining enterprise for dangerous criminal organizations.

Yup. We have:

And you see that remarkable up turn is the "War on Drugs". . . Legalize drugs and the people in the human warehouse business have their jobs threatened, the SWAT teams don't get to serve enough "high risk" warrants to justify their budgets, the court systems wouldn't be so backed up that demand would always exceed supply (job security) . . . . on and on. There is a HUGE chunk of public funds being used to enforce laws few of us (and perhaps only BlackCherry and her like minded "high powered" individuals) want.


I will say, I used to smoke dope, back in highschool it was cheaper and more available than alcohol. I prefered alcohol and around the time I got to be legal age for drinking . . . stopped smoking dope. I understand its effects, costs and benefits . . . I'll be honset, I do think that people who drive while stoned should be prosecuted under existing driving while intoxicated laws. People who do stupid disruptive stuff while high in public should get tickets for public intoxication and perhaps taken to a detox . . . the same way we do with people who get drunk and act up in public. Where it touches public life, existing laws to keep the peace ar perfectly adequate. There is no public order reason to criminalize drugs . . . as soon as it has an adverse effect on society, there is another law that can be brought to bear. If people use their drugs in the privacy of their own homes, they should be secure in doing so according to the 4th amendment. We should decriminalize, we could tax though I am against that (against any new tax and for reducing the ones we have) and leave people to be masters of their own domains just as God intended. What do I mean by "just as God inteneded?" Well, I am glad you asked. In the Garden God told humankind to rule over this earth and as there are more than one of us, each is to rule over that part for which we are responsible as echoed in the parable in Matthew 25:14-30 .. . each is given a measure to be a steward over and for this time we are responsible for how we use it. It is for God to call us into account & not for man to judge another man in this life for the quality of our stewardship. Were it so, the servant with five talents would have passed judgement on the servant with one, before the master's return. That wasn't the way of it.

Genesis 1

26And God saith, `Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness, and let them rule over fish of the sea, and over fowl of the heavens, and over cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that is creeping on the earth.'

27And God prepareth the man in His image; in the image of God He prepared him, a male and a female He prepared them.
28And God blesseth them, and God saith to them, `Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule over fish of the sea, and over fowl of the heavens, and over every living thing that is creeping upon the earth.'
29And God saith, `Lo, I have given to you every herb sowing seed, which [is] upon the face of all the earth, and every tree in which [is] the fruit of a tree sowing seed, to you it is for food; 30and to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the heavens, and to every creeping thing on the earth, in which [is] breath of life, every green herb [is] for food:' and it is so.

 

[Tenten]

No, I don't think marijuana should be legalized, but I do think they need to change the way they prosecute people for marijuana. When a person is sentenced to jail for a longer period of time than a person who sexually assaulted another person... there is something gravely wrong with that. Legal? No. Reduce the sentences and jail time for marijuana? Yes. I also think marijuana should be allowed for medicinal purposes, like for cancer patients or glaucoma patients or multiple sclerosis. The benefits to MS are less confirmed, but it does stimulate hunger, reduce pain, and reduce intra-ocular pressure in glaucoma. The drug has so many medical potentials it is unbelievable! In studies, it has been shown to have anti-tumor properties. And surprisingly, it has less detrimental side effects than other medical drugs that ARE legal. There are some drugs presently in use that were created in an attempt to mimic marijuana's chemical structure in order to seize the medical benefits.

The only problem is that it is difficult to prescribe marijuana for medical use because there is no way to control the dose received from marijuana. There are all different kinds of marijuana, in different strengths, so it is difficult, if not impossible, to control the dose of the drug for medicinal use.

 

[BotanicalBob]

The only problem is that it is difficult to prescribe marijuana for medical use because there is no way to control the dose received from marijuana. There are all different kinds of marijuana, in different strengths, so it is difficult, if not impossible, to control the dose of the drug for medicinal use.

The only person who should be controlling the dose is the user with recomendation from the doctor or caregiver. No one elses has any say in the matter whatsoever.

No, I don't think marijuana should be legalized, but I do think they need to change the way they prosecute people for marijuana. When a person is sentenced to jail for a longer period of time than a person who sexually assaulted another person... there is something gravely wrong with that. Legal? No. Reduce the sentences and jail time for marijuana? Yes. I also think marijuana should be allowed for medicinal purposes, like for cancer patients or glaucoma patients or multiple sclerosis. The benefits to MS are less confirmed, but it does stimulate hunger, reduce pain, and reduce intra-ocular pressure in glaucoma. The drug has so many medical potentials it is unbelievable! In studies, it has been shown to have anti-tumor properties. And surprisingly, it has less detrimental side effects than other medical drugs that ARE legal. There are some drugs presently in use that were created in an attempt to mimic marijuana's chemical structure in order to seize the medical benefits.

Why not just legalize, or at least decriminalize, make it nothing more than a speeding ticket. Pay a fine, go about your business.

 

[Macx]

Pay a fine doesn't go far enough . .. doesn't answer the street crime that plagues my neighborhood. Doesn't keep the little gang bangers from fighting over turf, like having it sold at OTC at the Walgreens would or letting my cancer riddled neighbor grow it in her windowbox. Tobbacco is sold in various strengths and flavors, weed could go the same way . . . even sell it in the same sized pouch as pipe tobbacco for easy use & a reasonable quantity.

Enforce public order crimes & let pot go comercial. While we are at it, we need to legalize the still. It is silly that in this day and age you can buy a beer making kit, buy a wine making kit and make all you desire inthe comfort of your home, but build a pot still in your back yard and the Feds will be kicking your door. Just plain crazy.

 

[Tenten]

The only person who should be controlling the dose is the user with recomendation from the doctor or caregiver. No one elses has any say in the matter whatsoever.



Why not just legalize, or at least decriminalize, make it nothing more than a speeding ticket. Pay a fine, go about your business.

... that is actually my point. The doctor has no way to control the dose of the marijuana given. Since the medicine comes in plant form, there is a wide range of strength from plant to plant. The doctor has no way of knowing what the dose is in the joint or what strength it is. There is no meter to control what amount of medicine you are inhaling, unlike with albuterol or some other medicine that has a meter for the inhaler. That is really the only problem I can see with using marijuana for medicinal purposes, and I am sure if the scientists thought about it and really wanted to use marijuana medicinally, then they could solve this problem somehow.