Marijuana. Should it be legalized or prosecuted?

1. 74

   mypleasurefantasyposted 11 years ago

   Marijuana. Should it be legalized or prosecuted?
   
   So after doing a lot of reading I ran across a rather tumultuous relationship. The relationship between Cannibus and the American People. A good percentage of people are ready for change and acceptance. Example Washington and Colorado passed laws legalizing Cannibus for recreational use. However, will this happen nationwide? I think it should, but how do you feel about it? Why is Cannibus such a "bad" thing. To me it's no worse than cigarettes and those are legal.

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2. 58

   Beege215eposted 11 years ago

   I may have been under the influence of cannabis once or twice in my lifetime. I recall making poor choices.  Like; the first time you try cannabis do not drive. I thought I could, but I was not clear headed enough to make an intelligent decision. I sat at a stop sign for over thirty minutes.  I didn't have an accident because I was just sitting there.  I was alone in my vehicle so I wasn't a threat to small children or my grandmother.  But then, I have also tried to drive a car while under the influence of alcohol.  I went through the stop sign, I hit a poor unsuspecting tree.  But again there were no small children or elders involved.  Alcohol is legal because we pay a lot of taxes on it. The government profits. We also pay a lot of traffic tickets because of it, Government profits.  They can tax the heck out of cannabis and probably will.  But if I sit at the stop sign again, can they write me a ticket to get their profit?  I am just not too sure about that.   It is all the bottom line.  Who will profit?   And stop sending penny-ante pot smokers to jail.  Oh, wait, they did, now they just hit them with fines so the government profits again.

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3. 83

   nanderson500posted 11 years ago

   In my state, we voted to legalize it recently. I think this is the right choice. I agree that it's no worse than cigarettes, probably less harmful actually.

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4. 66

   ThompsonPenposted 11 years ago

   I think so and this is why:
   http://thompsonpen.hubpages.com/hub/Leg … -My-Review
   It's my hub which finalized the series I had been working on which explains Washington State's I-502 which passed in November.
   Washington State is going to make a ton of money off this. Whether you're for or against it, you can't deny it's good for our state to be making money and getting out of debt. Some of the money raised due to it is going to go to anti-drug programs, the Washington State University and the University of Washington for research on marijuana.
   Its medicinal properties are amazing. It can do so much for people, and the fact that one has to acquire an expensive card which has expensive annual fees is silly. It's like saying that I have to have a license to go to my GP so that I can pay for the appointment on top of it as well as paying for my medication.
   Marijuana hasn't ever killed any one. Reefer Madness is a myth.
   On a federal level, 6200 people are arrested and put in prison due to marijuana charges. If each one of those people applied to have a license in Washington State, just the first year alone, the state would make $1.55 million in a year, which is half the amount the state already spends on inmate care (about $345 million annually).
   And as far as driving while under the influence, a study was done which showed alcohol to be far more dangerous to be driving under the influence of than driving stoned. In fact, it even went so far as to suggest that drivers are better all around while high.
   "No one’s entirely sure how to explain these results. The dominant hypothesis is that people are more likely to be aware of—and, more importantly, compensate for—their intoxication when high than when drunk."
   http://www.slate.com/articles/health_an … ohol_.html
   So if driving is the argument, then why is alcohol still legal?
   Marijuana is far less damaging to the body than tobacco. Tobaccos has killed millions. It causes cancer, creates tar build-up in the lungs, damages seemingly unrelated organs such as the bladder, and can harm those in the near vicinity. Marijuana is used to TREAT cancer as well as a hundred other ailments. Smoking anything will do damage to the body. Fact. But somethings do more damage than others.
   Marijuana also used to be given as gifts between politicians. Just sayin'

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5. 84

   krillcoposted 11 years ago

   While I fully agree that cannabis should be decriminalized, I do not agree that it is 'harmless'. It contains several more benozpyrenes than tobacco, and benzopyrenes are carcinogens. say all you want that vaporizers eliminate them, but I do not believe it. Of course 'Reefer Madness' was all lies, but what is not a lie is that smoking weed increases lung disease, and how THC works to get you high: it stimulates you hypothalimus in your brain, which happens to be the area that recognizes sexual pleasure. Old farts who are chronic users often would rather roll a joint than have sex. But that's OK, if that's what you want to do, I don't object, it's your right. I support your rights and marijuana use.

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6. 68

   safiq ali patelposted 11 years ago

   Supply of Cannabis around the world these day is in the hands of drug dealers. From some dealer who ferry cannabis into the countries in Tonnes to the small scale dealers who ferry it in small quantities to peoples homes.
   No government in the world currently has a sensible policy towards cannabis which means the sale of Cannabis is in the hands of dealers. If cannabis is to ever be taken out of the hands of gangs and drugs rings then that sensible policy must first decriminalize the use of Cannabis and then manage the delivery of cannabis so that it is not in the hands of mafia like gangs, drugs rings and cartels.
   At the moment the use of the drug is very dangerous. Because couriers of the drug care little about quality of the crop and what ordinary people buy can be spiked with poisons or a little amount of the drug can be overpriced.
   Regardless every days thousands of tonnes of the drug hit our streets and so far the drugs lords have succeeded in holding back any changes in the law that would affect the criminal classification of the drug or change the way cannabis reaches the daily consumer. In the current status quo dealers have made millions and will continue to do so. And each government has thus far failed to consider the complexity of drugs in our communities and how not the drugs but the criminal practices and cultures around drugs destroy lives.
   Cannabis in our communities is a issue worthy of looking at again. But thus far despite many attempts the drug dealer and drug courier scenario has not changed and in  most nations use of Cannabis remains illegal.

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7. 36

   ChristinSposted 11 years ago

   Legalized.  It is of great medical benefit to those suffering from cancer and other illnesses.  Is it is abused? Yes, but so are other prescription drugs.  I say legalize it and we can get rid of a lot of the problems we've had with the "war on drugs" which has cost way too much in money and lives to be worth it.

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8. 76

   tipstoretireearlyposted 11 years ago

   Legalized.  It's less harmful than alcohol or cigarettes, and legalizing it would take away the criminal element and even raise some government revenue from taxes.  For medical purposes, legalizing it seems like a no-brainer as it would help many people.

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