The morality of marijuana usage

apersonsaperson · Jun 6, 2009

As for anyone in America or any other countries where it's illegal who may be still be stuck in the thought process of "Well, all I know is it's illegal. So it must be illegal for a good reason." Here's why it is really illegal in America, and America's influnced many countries to make it illegal over the last century.

You'll also see that the history of marijuana's criminalization is filled with:

Racism
Fear
Protection of Corporate Profits
Yellow Journalism
Ignorant, Incompetent, and/or Corrupt Legislators
Personal Career Advancement and Greed

Why is Marijuana Illegal?

Jane_the_Bane · Jun 7, 2009

Well, several thoughts on the topic:

1. I consider it extremely hypocritical to ban most recreational drugs while a physically and psychologically addictive substance like alcohol is universally available and socially acceptable. Personally, I think that prohibiting stuff like marihuana or magic mushrooms is ultimately both wrong and counterproductive, as it means that it will be sold without any sort of regulation (such as keeping it out of the hands of minors), and that the profits made there will flow into the wrong pockets (read: organized crime).

2. Personally, I do have a problem with a consumerist approach to recreational drugs ("getting plastered"). It doesn't really matter whether it's alcohol or some other substance - if you imbibe it just to pretty much knock yourself out as quickly as possible, I consider your actions abusive, both with regards to yourself and in relation to the substance you use.
I mean, let's face it: many mind-altering substances have been around for millennia. Hallucinogens were used in religious ceremonies throughout the world, recreational use of alcohol and hemp dates back to the rise of the first civilizations, even opium was known for AGES - yet NEVER has addiction and substance abuse become such a huge problem as in our capitalist society, where everything becomes a mere product to be bought and consumed for hedonistic purposes.

3. I'd like to add one caveat to the issue of marihuana, though: I do think that it should be legalized, lest anyone gets me wrong, but it must be pointed out that it can be severely damaging to adolescents with a propensity for schizophrenia. Studies have shown that in these cases, changes in the brain are triggered, seeing to it that the disease hits early, strong, and with a vengeance.

Robbie_James_Francis · Jun 7, 2009

My only moral issue with smoking cannabis is where it comes from and what the suppliers might be using the money you provide them with for. In the UK it has been known for weed to be grown in houses bought by people-traffickers and farmed by child slaves. If you know your dealer is not connected to this appalling trade (I think most aren't), then I can't see a problem. Not, of course, that this is any worse than eating meat or buying food or clothing that isn't Fair Trade.

Ave Maria · Jun 8, 2009

Mercy Medical said:
I honestly don't see why any Christian would or could oppose marijuana use based on what the Bible says because the Bible doesn't really say anything about it...with the exception of the passage stated in the OP, which would seem God would want us to go out and use all that he gave us.

I agree. I am a Unitarian Universalist but I do have some Christian views and I don't think that God condemns the use of marijuana. In fact, I would say that God actually condones its usage and I would also say that some people in throughout the Bible may have been using marijuana or some hallucinogenic drug when they saw some of the stuff happening that they did. For example, I don't believe that Jesus really walked on water. I believe that the apostles may very well have been hallucinating or perhaps Jesus was walking on rocks just below the water. But then again, I have a hard time accepting things in the Bible which defy logic anyway.

MachineElf · Jun 27, 2009

While I'd not most probably not consume it myself..
I must say that I think it would only be fair to legalize it's use for those Adults who choose to do so

just my 2 cents

Fantine · Jun 27, 2009

ThinkExist02 said:
I agree. I am a Unitarian Universalist but I do have some Christian views and I don't think that God condemns the use of marijuana. In fact, I would say that God actually condones its usage and I would also say that some people in throughout the Bible may have been using marijuana or some hallucinogenic drug when they saw some of the stuff happening that they did. For example, I don't believe that Jesus really walked on water. I believe that the apostles may very well have been hallucinating or perhaps Jesus was walking on rocks just below the water. But then again, I have a hard time accepting things in the Bible which defy logic anyway.

JERUSALEM - When Moses brought the Ten Commandments down from Mount Sinai, he may have been high on a hallucinogenic plant, according to a new study by an Israeli psychology professor.Writing in the British philosophy journal Time and Mind, Benny Shanon of Jerusalems Hebrew University said two plants in the Sinai desert contain the same psychoactive molecules as those found in plants from which the powerful Amazonian hallucinogenic brew ayahuasca is prepared.

Was Moses high on Mount Sinai? - Science- msnbc.com

And more recently:

The sacrament of peyote must be present during the ceremony. It presence was in form of peyote buttons which were supplied by the Road Man or each worshipper brought his own. That peyote is smoked is a common misconception. Smoking peyote is impossible because it simply will not burn in a pipe or cigarette. The buttons, either fresh or dried, are eaten by younger worshippers and ground up, in a food grinder, into a powder and ate by older worshippers or drank in a tea.
There is a central alter. The worshippers sit around it. When the ceremony was first introduced on the plains a polite behavior was observed, anyone entering or leaving the tipi walked behind the worshippers, never between them and the altar. This behavior was not always followed as the peyote worship spread and new worshippers were unfamiliar with it. The movement around the tipi was strictly followed though, always from the door to the east, to south, to west, to north, no exception.

Peyote religion

DaisyDay · Jun 27, 2009

Marijuana is immoral as far as it makes you dangerous - driving or performing surgery under the influence, for example, or slothful. Apart from that, no.

Everlasting33 · Jun 27, 2009

I am a huge supporter of limiting the potential of addiction and dependence on drugs (illegal or not) and the risk of self-afflicted ailments.

While I understand why drugs may appeal to some, I am strongly against alcohol, cigarettes, and all illegal drugs. If others want to do those things, that is up to them. But I believe that it is healthier to abstain from consistent use of these drugs.

But my signature verse says it best: Everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial!

mpok1519 · Jun 27, 2009

The Drug Czar's job description says to resist legalization, decriminalization, or advancement of medicinal use of cannabis, even when theres evidence/proof that thse are the more important avenues to take.

Our own LAW and LAWMAKERS are immoral on this issue.

Fact: The drug war in mexico can easily be hampered by simply letting America grow, regulate and use its own cannabis.

Fact: most of the guns in mexico's drug war come from the US, in exchange for drugs.

fact: law enforcement says "We're going after the drug dealers" but when 92 percent of drug aressts are posession charges, it suggests that law enforcement doesnt care who they arresst, just as long as it helps their "evaulation"(quota).

fact: marijuana was made illegal by decietful and overtly dishonest tactics of propoganda and false information. Ainslinger (the first drug czar, it wasnt called that back then, however) lied to congress and made them believe whatever he said about marijuana.

fact: when Nixon wanted a coprehensive study on marijuana, he ignored the conclusive assertion that legalization/decriminalization are better than prohibition in light of the evidece of its harmlessness and how the harms of its illegality outweigh its benefits. Nixon ignored the facts he asked for.

fact: the USA has a high investment in illegal drugs on high levels of society; some believe if marijuana were to become legal, regulated and taxed, other businesses will falter. If anything, people have an economic investment in the high amount of money that comes from an illegal but lucretive trade.

Fact: our laws and law enforcement and economic policies are more immoral than smoking pot. Smoking pot gets you high, and you sit there, and eat doritos. Theres not too much immoral about relaxing and watching cartoons once or twice a week.

Fact: since our lawmakers all used to be hippies (or their constituency is highly comprised of flower children-era foks), the reality of marijuana legislation reform is right around the corner.

mpok1519 · Jun 27, 2009

aisy_Day said:
Marijuana is immoral as far as it makes you dangerous - driving or performing surgery under the influence, for example, or slothful. Apart from that, no.

Evidence from across the board suggest marijuana intoxication affects your driving skil very little; alcohol affects your reaction timing and depth perception more dramatically than marijuana does.

Also, if one does your taxes, and you learned that they actually do your taxes better than anyone else you know when they are stoned, would you mind, that they were stoned, doing your taxes? Say they saved you tons of money when stoed, but, when sober, they do an above average but not nearly as extraordinary of a job as when they are stoned.

If someone succeeds more when they are on drugs, should we hinder tha success with judgement?

Fin12 · Jun 27, 2009

Gateway drug is Horsemanure.

Smoked pot a couple of times when I was 17, It's been about a year and 11 months, and I have never felt the need or want to do pot.

It's not addictive, it's not dangerous, the only danger is getting tied up with criminals, which is the result of it's criminilisation in the first place.

Even if it did lead to heroin. If we legalised that it could be argued, that that would make heroin safe.

And why would pot lead to a "party" culture, someone is going to have to explain that one to me.

Robbie_James_Francis · Jun 27, 2009

Fin12 said:
Gateway drug is Horsemanure.

Did you know 100% of heroin addicts drank water first?

We had a policeman come to our school to give an assembly about drugs and it was absurd...he pointed out the old '70% of heroin users smoked weed first', and I wish I'd had the guts to stand up and point out the logical fallacy of that as an 'argument'.

And why would pot lead to a "party" culture, someone is going to have to explain that one to me.

I want to know what's so wrong with a 'party culture'. But seriously, what is this pathological fear of people being happy and enjoying themselves?

mpok1519 · Jun 27, 2009

Robbie_James_Francis said:
I want to know what's so wrong with a 'party culture'. But seriously, what is this pathological fear of people being happy and enjoying themselves?

cognitive disonance; people have been lied to for decades about marijuana, and the much supressed facts and truth of marijuana are now coming to light, and its simply difficult for people to understand and grasp new or alien concepts that contradict the constructs of their own minds.

I did stand up to the drug dog assembly guy by throwing out some facts about marijuana; I got in trouble. But the entire auditorium clapped after I called the USA's drug policies fascist and outdated. I may have had to sit in detention, but everyone agreed with me.

Verv · Jun 28, 2009

All intoxicants make the person under the influence liable to do something that they would regret, or they are fundamentally hedonistic by the nature that they seek to provide a dull, dimwitted pleasure by altering the conscience.

Furthermore, it is even more unproductive than posting on an internet message board.

mpok1519 · Jun 28, 2009

english_rose said:
its hugely immoral to take drugs. its hard to get my head round the fact people want it legalised! isnt the danger if we legalise it people will think it is okay to break the law?

drugs. alcohol. tylenol. medicine.

thelaw can be immoral.
poebot?

mpok1519 · Jun 28, 2009

english_rose said:
people will do these illegal things and think they can get away with it if we legalise it but what happens when the police arrest someone for taking them. its not very clever to mess around with the law here because what will happen is you will get someone taking these drugs right in front of a police officer and the police officer will have to arrest them, you cant just let people get away with that.

taking tylenol in front of the cops? thats not only legal, its normal.

mpok1519 · Jun 28, 2009

jmverville said:
All intoxicants make the person under the influence liable to do something that they would regret, or they are fundamentally hedonistic by the nature that they seek to provide a dull, dimwitted pleasure by altering the conscience.

Furthermore, it is even more unproductive than posting on an internet message board.

dont hate on drugs; see all that music you enjoy made by people who do drugs? Take all your music and burn it. all those artists that've enhanced your life? REAL high on drugs. lol

Do intoxicants make you liable to do something you'll remember as good? Or does it only make you liable for the memory of regret?

Some people take drugs bc they have chemical imbalances; marijuana has been shown to help chemical imbalances in many case studies.

DaisyDay · Jun 29, 2009

mpok1519 said:
Evidence from across the board suggest marijuana intoxication affects your driving skil very little; alcohol affects your reaction timing and depth perception more dramatically than marijuana does.

That's not the way I remember it (time, space and movement perceptions were off, judgment was way off) - where is this evidence please?

Then there is also the degree of intoxication. I wouldn't want to drive stoned on either drug.

Also, if one does your taxes, and you learned that they actually do your taxes better than anyone else you know when they are stoned, would you mind, that they were stoned, doing your taxes? Say they saved you tons of money when stoed, but, when sober, they do an above average but not nearly as extraordinary of a job as when they are stoned.

Saving money is only one aspect of doing taxes. If I found that my accountant was doing my returns whiled stoned, I'd have them rechecked, especially if he was getting very creative.

If my housepainter, dress maker or chef were stoned, fine - creativity is welcome there.

If someone succeeds more when they are on drugs, should we hinder tha success with judgement?

Big if, also marijuana is a different discussion than the broader "drugs".

Meth can boost performance tremendously, but it can also lead to psychosis and, because it is addictive and illegal, theft. I would probably not knowingly hire a meth user. On the other hand, I would hire someone who used ibuprofen regularly.

Inviolable · Jun 29, 2009

apersonsaperson said:
So my question is how could a country decide to federally forbid a plant, one of God's miraculous creations?

I say, anyone who can't accept marijuana use is a hypocrite and possibly prejudice of the plant itself.
I myself dig the plant and enjoy it's buddage from time to time and occasionally find myself wondering why people want to tell me what kind of plant I am allowed to be in love with.

People have tried to turn me onto the fern. In fact I smoked a fern once and it was horrible. The acceptability of fern use is totally beyond my grasp.
Anyone who thinks a fern is a good replacement for marijuana doesn't know what they're talking about.
They're about as ignorant as you can get.
If they think a fern is something I can easily walk into they're crazy.
Perhaps after years of adjustments and preparation I may gradually begin to adhere to fern use but I just can't see myself turning from the marijuana that easy. And to be honest I think fern use would be emotionally devastating.

NO SIR! I am sticking with marijuana!

Thank you!

I only hope some day someone will understand and let me marry it.

mpok1519 · Jun 29, 2009

aisy_Day said:
That's not the way I remember it (time, space and movement perceptions were off, judgment was way off) - where is this evidence please?

I could show you studies that suggest each side of the coin; but the real evidence is how many driving accidents are reportedly drug related vs the amount of accidents reportedly alcohol related. there are way more alcohol related accidents of driving here in the usa than all drugs accident related, but thats also bc alcohol is simply more popular and more widely used.

Saving money is only one aspect of doing taxes. If I found that my accountant was doing my returns whiled stoned, I'd have them rechecked, especially if he was getting very creative.

And if he was consistently stoned while saving you money, you'd approve. =P

If my housepainter, dress maker or chef were stoned, fine - creativity is welcome there.

which is why marijuana testing is somewhat discriminative; weed stays in your system for thirty days. cocaine for five; its like society secretly advocates the use of harder more illicit drugs bc theyre easier to conceal ona drug test, but as soon as someone smokes weed AFTER work on the weekend, they get fired after a drug screen. Its socially injust.

Meth can boost performance tremendously, but it can also lead to psychosis and, because it is addictive and illegal, theft. I would probably not knowingly hire a meth user. On the other hand, I would hire someone who used ibuprofen regularly.

I just dont trust ppl on meth anyways

The morality of marijuana usage

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