I say this as an aspiring officer that I believe marijuana should be completely legal for both recreational use and medical use (from what I read, it's already legal in most states for medical). In the city I'm at, marijuana possession is still a crime, but possession of 4 ounces or less has been made a non-arrestable offense and there's a bill headed to the state senate which would lower penalties further for possession of marijuana. The only condition where I think use of weed should remain illegal is giving it to kids under the age of 15 and use while driving as it puts themselves and the public in danger. Otherwise, if it were up to me we'd just tell people to tuck it away so they don't make themselves a target for less than likable people who might see it and decide to rob them and no citations or anything like that would be given. What is your stance on it?
The British political philosopher and statesman Edmund Burke said, "The effect of liberty to individuals is that they may do what they please. We ought see what it will please them to do before we risk congratulations."
The core argument is that legalization is an expansion of liberty, that we already have alcohol and tobacco as intoxicants, and that marijuana is essentially harmless compared to other drugs.
The first point is likely to prove ephemeral. Even legalized, marijuana will be a controlled substance sales of which will, at a minimum, be limited to those 18 (or perhaps 21) years of age or older. To enforce this will requite an enormous regulatory, monitoring and law enforcement apparatus. Throw in that it will undoubtedly be taxed by state and local - and Federal jurisdictions - eager to cash in on the windfall, and the expansion of government bureaucracy and the court system will likely dwarf anything that the current prohibition requires.
Say what you will, the IRS, the FDA, OSHA and other such agencies do not, at the moment play a role in the law with marijuana. It is largely a matter for the courts and law enforcement. Legalize it, and whole panoply of government entities will become involved.
As to comparing it to tobacco and alcohol, do we really want another tobacco or alcohol. How much do those intoxicants cost the country in blood and treasure each year. Insert the known and unknown side effects of marijuana into the mix, it would be an ocean of misery.
One example, since Colorado legalized marijuana, emergency room admissions of children who have stumbled on mom and dad's stash have skyrocketed. Also, intoxicated driving convictions have similarly soared and employers have reported an increase in workplace accidents.
As to marijuana being harmless. This is relative. It is known that frequent users of marijuana are prone to schizophrenia - though it is disputed if marijuana is cause or effect. Minors who use marijuana show decreased IQ levels and behavior problems. These are known problems.
Throw in what we do not know and may learn later. (How long did it take before the linkage between tobacco and lung cancer was established?) Further, once these problems are discovered you can be assured that the demand for government assistance programs to aid the victims will be intense. The middle class loves it indulgences, but hates paying for them.
Add it all up, legalization is a bad idea. So it will likely happen.
Irrelevant, since state and federal agencies have already chosen to disregard each other's stance on the issue and to ignore each other's warnings on how to treat the issue, for state governments legalizing the growing and distribution of this resource in taxable, state regulated mercantile environments, and federal law enforcement coming in and disregarding the state's jurisdictional parameters, to arrest people who are breaking no state laws but in their view are breaking federal laws. Having no particular opinion on marijuana itself and it's effects both positive negative, on people's health and emotional well-being, I'd have to say that the opinions of you and me have already been rendered mute until state and federal governments are held to account for their disregard for both federal and state regulations and their inability to do their job in accordance with those statutes, and regulations that limit interference of one agency into the other's jurisdiction, and impose severe consequences on violations of such transgressions into those jurisdictional areas by ignoring those laws. Revisiting the constitution and the Bill of Rights, and looking at it from a historical perspective is my recommendation for interpreting correctly the laws of our land and determine an appropriate means of approaching state and federal jurisdiction and rights to govern and protect their interest, in accordance with those laws and protections that are the law of our land, by respecting the state's rights with minimal government interference from federal government, while respecting the federal governments role in intervention when those few examples of appropriate intervention are required. A small federal government does not mean a weak federal government, and state's rights need to be respected as well, if the state and the federal government are in accordance with the Constitution. A small powerful federal government that is subject to the will of the people of all states is what was intended, and what must be recognized and utilized for this country's long-term survival and health. Modern law has been turned from service to the people, into distortion of the people's laws for special interest agendas, and that needs to stop immediately, if the survival of our free democracy is to be a possibility. I wouldn't be inclined to take the bar exam on the basis that it violates our constitution on so many levels, and even though I would never be allowed to practice law without passing the exam I have already received positive judgments in court representing myself in mental health court and civil litigation proceedings, and continue to openly defy attempts to serve a long standing bench warrant for my arrest, promising lethal consequences to police officers attempting to serve this illegal warrent under false pretenses, in relation to a FICTITIOUS CRIME invented by the arresting officer and those witnesses to the imaginary crime who were not even in the vicinity of the location they claim this altercation took place at during the times (their stories didn't match) it allegedly took place. I tell you now, if you like marijuana and you don't care about the health risk involved in regular use of this plant and you want to see the positive economic advantages of regulating and legalizing its production, distribution, and retail sale in your state, and don't see any negative consequences to yourself or your local government by doing this, then as long as you remain aware of the risk of federal agencies sticking their 🐽 where it don't belong, and state agencies not sticking up for your rights when they do, then do what you need to do and promote the product as you see fit.
It would be a lot easier is it was legalized accross the world. Honestly there is nothing wrong with Marijuana. It has healing properties, helps with anxiety, insomnia, aches and pains, cancer, skin blemishes, headaches, lubricants! Just to name a few My boyfriend is a master grower and because of him I have learnt so much more that I could ever imagine about the plant itself... not just the flower. Hemp can be made into clothing, shoes , paper, and now they just realized can be made into solid bricks to build with.(houses!) It calms the mind and soothes the body. Where other drugs such as LIQUOR, meth, cocaine, crack, heroin. All kills and destroys the body... not to mention right fucks up the brain!
Yet we have alcohol stores EVERYWHERE... needle exchanges and safe houses for heroin users!!! Like wtf...
Pot heads don't smoke a joint and then plot to steal or Rob to get their next fix!! . nah... only thing we plot is who is going to get up and answer the phone.😄 Gateway drug? Ppppffft. Maybe a gateway to the fridge.
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Anonymous
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If it was to be legalized in America, the government should tax it and use the money to improve our economy and communities which that will never happen. Should set the legal age to buy and use weed at 21 using the same laws with alcohol. But driving the under the influence of alcohol can cause problems too with underage drinking. Some kids I went to high school with got killed while being behind the wheel drunk. For medical, doctors should prescribe it to the patient just like with any other over the counter drug that is illegal to get without a drs prescription.
Marijuana is no more harmful than alcohol and probably less so since far more people die from alcohol use than do from marijuana use if any at all do. So I would legalize it. I would also regulate the hell out of it and tax it. Most people don't know that some states have taxed marijuana for years. They only collected the tax from people arrested for possession though. I collect stamps and have a number of marijuana tax stamps in my collection. I would regulate quality and strength and labeling so as to reduce accidental overdoses. Over doses probably isn't really a huge issue with pot though but it is good to know the strength of any amount. They do that with alcohol so the amount of active ingredient per gram should be on the label and testing should be regulated as well. I would preserve the right of employers to test for it though because some jobs you really can't do well high or in fact at all safely. They do that with alcohol though testing really isn't as complicated since all it takes is a breath test. I would tax it about the same way alcohol is taxed. So make it safe or safer to use and then tax it as with other "sin taxes."
I think it is absolutely ridiculous that Marijuana is illegal when alcohol is legal. Marijuana was made illegal due to a lot of pressure and lobbying from alcohol sellers. They vilified it and created fear about it. Even the name Marijuana was invented to make it sound Mexican as there was a lot of anti-Mexican sentiment at the time. They got it classified as a Class IV Narcotic (it's not) which puts it in the same class as heroin and is classified as having "no medicinal value". This classification makes it so that it is illegal to posses it even to study to see if it does have medicinal value (which it has now shown). America has one of the larges percentages of it's population behind bars of any free country. Pretty sad. Drug laws are a big part of that. Think of all the people that have gone to jail and even prison over marijuana. Just a natural plant. I don't have any skin in the game here, I quit marijuana like a billion years ago, but I would still fight for it's legalization. It's just the right thing to do.
So you want to give drugs to 15 year old kids. Cannabis affects the brains development and you want to give it to kids that have not fully developed yet. Please stay out of law enforcement.
I also find it funny that all the so called stoners in high school are the same people that have low paying jobs while the kids that stayed away from drugs are the ones that are successful today. Keep believing all the studies that say drugs (cannabis) are safe, anytime you introduce a chemical that messes with the bodies natural function it is not good. Why do you think most habitual drug users are depressed all the time or at least when they are not high. The answer is pretty simple, drugs spike the amount of dopamine in your system (the feel good nuerotransmitters in your body) and like all drugs your body adapts to the higher dose so when you do not artificially increase the dose then what your body normally produces is no longer enough. The more you artificially increase your dopamine level the less your body will make naturally thus causing depression when you are not high. The same can be said of adrenaline, the first time I jumped out of a airplane I was wired for hours because of how much adrenaline my body produced now to get that same adrenaline high I have to do more extreme things. Drugs are drugs no matter the drug. Stay away from them unless they are essential for a better life. Sorry but needing to be high is not essential, nor is being drunk.
I HATE stoner culture and stoners, but it makes no sense to keep marijuana illegal if there are equally bad things like alcohol and tobacco currently legal. Either make it all illegal (although prohibition failed and doesn't work) or make it all legal. Force that "natural" selection into humanity, instead of protecting people from their bad vices and habits.
My only vice is that I eat too much unhealthy food (like once a week) but I know I need to do better, unlike stoners, alcoholics, black-lungers, and sex addicts, who celebrate their awful habits.
I worked in a prison I know plenty of brown and Black people sitting for marijuana charges and it pissed me off. Especially if they had probation and they got sent back for it. Like really….
It’s legal here in Canada, has been for a few years now. I agree with you for pretty much the same reasons. Here, you must be 19 to purchase marijuana, and obviously it is against the law to use it and then drive a vehicle. You can also grow your own - in my province, I believe you can have up to four plants, not exceeding 4 feet in height.
Get rid of the restrictions for medical, but please do not legalize it for recreational use... I live in NM and my family takes vacations in Colorado (where recreational use is allowed). It has been sad the change it has had in some of the cities, and even some of the more remote areas... Also it stinks!
Marijuana should be legal it's actually a lot safer and less physically debilitating than alcohol and alcohol is legal and look at how much damage alcohol has done lives have been taken because of alcohol lives have also been taken because of marijuana but that's because it is illegal and drug dealers and Smugglers and whatever else involved the medical benefits alone should be a reason those are you who have an opinion against this should really do some research
@MudRucker // I see the risk in irresponsible usage. Honestly: who ever can't handle ''drugs'': better gets removed by an overdose sooner than later. I don't feel responsible for idiots. We all are better off without them being around. 'All in good measure' will kill no one... and if going to McDonalds for meals (legally) is healthier, also could be discussed (where the idiots point kicks in once again). One ''problem'' I see with legalization (and de-legalization) of things is, that individual people are just not worth the freedom they are given; but to take this freedom from those who DO deserve it is unfair as well. To WEED the wrong ones out (harr harr) will not de-populate the planet.
I don't even use it but I believe you should have a basic human right to put whatever the fuck you want in your own body.
Don't give it to kids (or at least not in any significant dose) because they don't know any better, but other than that, it should be completely legal to sell and use.
Legalize it. Although I think you should change the age. Physically on average a human brain doesn't stop developing until age 23-25 (don't take that as fact I just read that somewhere and it stuck. I don't know where) and that should be the age where it's completely legal to posses and use. Anything under that should be minor offense. Like an 18 year old drinking.
It's still a gateway drug. Any chemical you put in your body to make you feel happy. If you continue to use that chemical? You will need that chemical just to be normal. Just like coffee or alcohol or pills. For first time users the high was great awesome extraordinary but the day after felt like shit. That feeling like poop day after goes away then your beginning of addiction begins.
I don't use drugs but I think it should be legal, too!! It doesn't hurt anybody and has TONS of benefits!! If they was to make anything illegal, it should be booze and cigarettes!!! THAT shit KILLS YOU, AND other people that don't even USE IT!!!
My body my choice. Freedom. Liberty. Personal autonomy. I know people dont believe in that shit. But I do. So therefore of course marijuana should be legal.
Really, you use a drug to help you deal with chronic pain but then say you do not use pain medication. Can you please tell me how the way you are using weed is not considered to be pain medication.
When you eat it and rub it on it helps the pain and I do not feel groggy like the pain meds do to me. It helps everyone differently. I don't think people should be judged for the way they relieve their pain.
You made it sound as if you do not take pain medication when actually you do. If you are using it to control pain then it is considered pain medication. I do not care if you take cannabis (drugs) to help with your pain, that is your cross to bear not mine. Just don't try and pass it off as if you are not taking pain medication.
CBD helped me quite a bit when I fractured my arm. I didn't even take all of the opiates I was prescribed. Which was like $2 compared to a $25 bottle of CBD.
I think it should be legal. Now personally I don't smoke anything but cigarettes have twenty million things added in it to kill you slowly And people don't want to legalize Marijuana. And to people who say Marijuana kills is a load of crap only time it ever kills is if a dealer puts something else in it.
i don't care whether it's gonna be legal or not. but at least make it consistent. if weed is illegal, then smoking and alcohol should be illegal. if smoking and alcohol is legal, weed should be legal too.
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