Will legalizing marijuana make people lazy and stupid?

[ihatemylife123]

im sure you talk to a pothead before once in your life and they dont seem too bright.

[nightdrot]

That may be confusing cause and effect. 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.

Oh, and this article just adds an exclamation to the point: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/potent-pot-vulnerable-teens-trigger-concerns-in-first-states-to-legalize-marijuana/2019/06/15/52df638a-8c9a-11e9-8f69-a2795fca3343_story.html

Add it all up, legalization is a bad idea. So it will likely happen.

[ihatemylife123]

yes i think i got schizophrenia from marijuana use.

[nightdrot]

If I knew how to post a laughing emoji, I'd do it. Very amusing.

[nightdrot]

Quick follow-up. I had originally read your reply as an attempt at humor. If you were conveying an actual real story, my sincerest apologies. I misunderstood and in the event I wish you the very best.

[MrTaboo]

Yes. THC from Marijuana os absorbed into fat cells. Your brain is essentially modified fat cell, which absorbs THC. The problem with this is that you ha e to burn of the fat cell to get rid of the THC. You can't burn of brain cells. So there is always a residual THC effe t left in the brain. The more you use it, the more of a residual effect it has on your brain. You can see this in people who smoke a lot.

[OneNineZero]

I will give you a real life example
In the country of India you must have hear that name for sure
In one is the states alcohol is legalised so men beat their wives, steal, rob, murder, to get money so that they can drink alcohol at night time
This happens everyday
Can you calculate the number of crimes and victims for one day?

That's the result of legalising any mind altering substance

[noamazia]

not really, i guess it will somewhat replace alcohol.
so if you didn't drink during the day or drank a lot, then you probably won't do those with weed either... and so, the side effects will be negligible if theyll even occur at all.

[Wade12345]

It's been shown to lower average I. Q. by at least 7 to 15 points in just one year. One joint per week for a year does that. So you'd go from being "normal" to "disadvantaged" pretty quickly.

[Shamalien]

Source please

[Wade12345]

@Shamalien

archives.drugabuse.gov/.../can-smoking-marijuana-actually-lower-your-iq

Closely resembles the study I remember, but not 100% overlap. This one found an 8 point average difference even after the smokers quit smoking the stuff.

If you lose 8 points off your I. Q. you now suck at video games and chess and are noticeably disadvantaged at real-world problem solving skills.

[Shamalien]

Yeah so first of all that’s only 1000 people. Secondly, IQ decreases with age already by at least 8 points over such a long span of time. Moreover, the study only highlights a correlation, and does not prove causation, not even close. This is pseudoscience. I’ve been smoking weed since 14. At 18 I was a dishwasher. At 19, a cook. At 21, a server. Now I’m in my mid twenties and I’m a programmer. I certainly don’t feel like I’m getting dumber

[Anonymous]

Only the people who smoke pot, who would smoke pot regardless of its legality.

If you weren't smoking pot when it was illegal, it's highly unlikely you'll start just because its legal. Alcohol is legal and everyone isn't an alcoholic.

[ihatemylife123]

no its easier for people to get their hands on it so more people would smoke it

[Opinion Owner]

What cave have you been living in? Even when weed was illegal, it was so easy to get.

Besides, if someone has an addictive personality, they're going to get drugs regardless of their legality.

the argument you're making is the same ridiculous argument made nearly 100 years ago in the alcohol/prohibition debate. So where are the countless alcoholics predicted by proponents of prohibition? they don't exist because the argument is bullshit and ignores how drug addiction works.

[jshm2]

Nope. Cause more car crashes and psychotic episodes.

[TheAlphaLegend]

Decriminalised is as far as it should go not legalised.

[Anonymous]

It's been legal since 2016 here and was still very accessible years before that. I didn't see much of a difference. The potheads I knew in college grew out of it and went into their careers so if anything I see less of them

[DownIndaDumpz2]

if being lazy and stupid is a crime then we should kill all vegans and inbreds and downsnydromes

[007kingifrit]

yea i mean all drugs were legal before about 1890 or so... and we outlawed them for a good reason

[fireforeffect]

It has also been shown to cause permanent brain damage.

[Gwenhwyfar]

Only the ones who already are

[NorthwestRider]

Was Steve Jobs lazy and stupid?