Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

Yes

67 (62.6%)

Yes, but only if the amount you could own at any one time was limited

14 (13.1%)

Yes, but for Medicinal uses only

10 (9.3%)

Yes, but only for chronic illnesses(Cancer, AIDS, Crohn's Disease, etc.)

3 (2.8%)

No

13 (12.1%)

Total Members Voted: 107

[x2yzh9]

Marijuana, at least in my opinion, should be completely legalized. Many, many studies have shown that it has no negative effects whatsoever. In fact, it does the opposite, a lot of the time inducing relaxation, aleviating pain, and in some people who stutter stop them from stuttering during that time.

The only reason marijuana was illegalized in the first place was simply the fact that the pharmaceuticals industry was rapidly developing, and it did not want competition-"If something does what several of our medicines do and it sells for much less then those medicines combined, then we lose money." was basically what you could say they were thinking. After years of lobbying and anti-cannabis propoganda eventually passed laws limiting, and, eventually, illegalizing the herb.

What are your thoughts on it? I think it's something great that could really help people, but I think it needs to be ingested responsibly. Ie. not all day erryday.

[G-Flex]

Marijuana, at least in my opinion, should be completely legalized. Many, many studies have shown that it has no negative effects whatsoever.

Erm. Okay, I get that the criminalization of marijuana is on fairly shaky grounds, but this is just bullshit. Marijuana can have effects related to anxiety, some disassocation, and memory problems. To say it has "no negative effects whatsoever" is flat-out wrong, and would imply that it's totally okay to operate a forklift or a backhoe while stoned out of your mind. This is to say nothing of the effects of actually smoking it, which has obvious problems (although there are other ways to use marijuana aside from lighting the plant on fire and inhaling the smoke).

Personally, I think the decriminalization of medical marijuana is a total no-brainer (we have much worse and more dangerous drugs available by far). As far as recreational use is concerned, I'd be fine with that as long as we restrict it sufficiently that it doesn't become a corporate commodity of some kind, such as limiting growth/size of operation.

[Cheeetar]

You've posted quite a lot about drugs despite being ~13 and also (I assume) having taken no drugs, x2y. Why is this?

[Fanofgaming]

Many people who argue for the legalization of marijuana fail to take into account the fact that it VERY easily can lead to other, more harmful drugs. Eventually, a kid would get bored of pot and decide to try something a -little bit- stronger, no harm done, right? Well, they'll get bored of that and move on, and eventually they'll be a meth addict, begging for money to buy another bit of meth.

It's a gateway drug, man.

[Retro]

Marijuana, at least in my opinion, should be completely legalized.

That's a very dangerous word to use in this kind of debate. So is stating that it has "no negative effects whatsoever."

[Realmfighter]

Many people who argue for the legalization of marijuana fail to take into account the fact that it VERY easily can lead to other, more harmful drugs. Eventually, a kid would get bored of pot and decide to try something a -little bit- stronger, no harm done, right? Well, they'll get bored of that and move on, and eventually they'll be a meth addict, begging for money to buy another bit of meth.

It's a gateway drug, man.

The kind of person who would take stronger drugs because pot wasn't cutting it are the kind of people who would take stronger drugs because life wasn't cutting it.

If anything, making Pot legitimate would cut down on the escalation because people who knew how to get Illegal pot could get there hands on other Illegal drugs easier then someone who didn't.

[LordNagash]

Marijuana, at least in my opinion, should be completely legalized. Many, many studies have shown that it has no negative effects whatsoever.

Completely wrong right off the bat. Even if you ignore anything that suggests it's a gateway drug, or the theory that it can trigger schizophrenia in people with a genetic predisposition, the mere fact you're burning something, inhaling it and holding it in your lungs for a long period of time is harmful.

You're also ignoring the societal issues which, while obviously not as bad as harder drugs like heroin or even arguably a legal drug like alcohol, are still something that has to be considered when you say something like 'has no negative effects'

Edit:

Personally, I think the decriminalization of medical marijuana is a total no-brainer (we have much worse and more dangerous drugs available by far).

I agree with this 100%. Marijuana has shown very positive effects when used medically, especially in people with serious or terminal illnesses or chronic pain.

[Enzo]

Wow maximum ninja action.

Marijuana, at least in my opinion, should be completely legalized. Many, many studies have shown that it has no negative effects whatsoever.

Erm. Okay, I get that the criminalization of marijuana is on fairly shaky grounds, but this is just bullshit. Marijuana can have effects related to anxiety, some disassocation, and memory problems. To say it has "no negative effects whatsoever" is flat-out wrong, and would imply that it's totally okay to operate a forklift or a backhoe while stoned out of your mind.

Beat me to it. A lot of the negative effects you hear about are total drug-war propaganda, but it can cause memory problems, slow down cognitive processes, trigger latent mental disorders (including schizophrenia), and probably some other stuff I can't think of off the top of my head. I would argue, however, that it's not inherently more dangerous than alcohol and cigarettes, speaking from extensive experience with all three, so I'm still in the legalization camp. I'm fairly libertarian about the whole "self inflicted crimes" thing though. Not to mention the haul any government would get taxing it.

Many people who argue for the legalization of marijuana fail to take into account the fact that it VERY easily can lead to other, more harmful drugs. Eventually, a kid would get bored of pot and decide to try something a -little bit- stronger, no harm done, right? Well, they'll get bored of that and move on, and eventually they'll be a meth addict, begging for money to buy another bit of meth.

It's a gateway drug, man.

Again, I'm playing the alcohol card. By this logic having a beer after work will lead to amphetamine dependence. Also, as is the case with tobacco and alcohol, it probably wouldn't be legalized for minors.

[G-Flex]

Many people who argue for the legalization of marijuana fail to take into account the fact that it VERY easily can lead to other, more harmful drugs. Eventually, a kid would get bored of pot and decide to try something a -little bit- stronger, no harm done, right? Well, they'll get bored of that and move on, and eventually they'll be a meth addict, begging for money to buy another bit of meth.

It's a gateway drug, man.

Are you serious? I honestly don't see how this is the case at all. You might as well say that people would get bored of rollerskating and take up rollerball.

In other words: Slippery slope arguments are bad. After all, I like to eat cake. Won't I eventually get bored of cake and move on to eating butter straight out of the container!?

[ChairmanPoo]

Marijuana, at least in my opinion, should be completely legalized

IMO it's consumption should be decriminalized. I dont think that it should be "completely" legalized in the sense that I don't want this to become the 21st century's tobacco

Many, many studies have shown that it has no negative effects whatsoever.

Studies have shown it does have negative effects. Some of them quite serious.

In fact, it does the opposite, a lot of the time inducing relaxation, aleviating pain, and in some people who stutter stop them from stuttering during that time.

It can be benefittial in some situations. I'd not say it's "zomg good" by default, though, by far.

The only reason marijuana was illegalized in the first place was simply the fact that the pharmaceuticals industry was rapidly developing, and it did not want competition-"If something does what several of our medicines do and it sells for much less then those medicines combined, then we lose money." was basically what you could say they were thinking. After years of lobbying and anti-cannabis propoganda eventually passed laws limiting, and, eventually, illegalizing the herb.

This is simply anti-pharmaceutical paranoia. Back when cannabis was illegaliced drug companies weren't that big to begin with.

[Sir Finkus]

Many people who argue for the legalization of marijuana fail to take into account the fact that it VERY easily can lead to other, more harmful drugs. Eventually, a kid would get bored of pot and decide to try something a -little bit- stronger, no harm done, right? Well, they'll get bored of that and move on, and eventually they'll be a meth addict, begging for money to buy another bit of meth.

It's a gateway drug, man.

Prove it.

I don't even drink and I find the whole "war on drugs" foolish.  Why are we wasting so much money putting people who just want to feel a little stupid for a few hours in prison?

[Retro]

In other words: Slippery slope arguments are bad. After all, I like to eat cake. Won't I eventually get bored of cake and move on to eating butter straight out of the container!?

Fortunately many, many studies have shown butter to have no negative side effects, so it's all cool.

[G-Flex]

It seems to me that marijuana was really criminalized in, say, the 30's in the US, which is when the FDA was first founded and directly after the period of "patent medicine", so I wouldn't say that pharmaceutical interests weren't plenty strong then; they were, which is why the FDA was founded around that time in the first place. At any rate, there is certainly the argument that the continued criminalization of marijuana is due in part to industry lobbying, which I would certainly believe. Conspiracy theories aside, the pharmaceutical industry is large, influential, and loves to get the public to rely on its products. It has every reason to stamp out competition that people can grow in their own homes, and would rather people be able to, say, get free samples of powerful antidepressants from doctors who aren't even mental health professionals.

[Neonivek]

My major issue with legalization of Marijuana on medical grounds is the shakey area in which it is done.

Like the people who use viagra for fun... It is questionable if the people who chose to do it actually do so because of a believe of its medical use.

It isn't so much that I don't believe it has medical uses, in fact apperantly is has many uses from legitimate food or material, but that the lobbying for its legalization is twofaced. Especially in mind that they have found other ways to administer it that are even MORE effective then smoking it (and which kind is the most popular?)

MIND YOU that the potrayal of legalization in the news has steered towards that image rather strongly so I am open to the fact that there are sane honest people working towards it.

As for Complete legalization... No. on a society level a complete legalisation now would be horrible.

As for it ALL being the drug companies. I think that it was more that the Drug companies supporting it banning it because it benefited them... rather then them making it up to destroy a competator. Otherwise I find it hard to believe a lot of other countries would follow suit.

in some people who stutter stop them from stuttering during that time

That doesn't sound like a benefit. In fact it is pretty sad when people have to take anti-anxiety medication as it is. To have to have one constantly administered is something else.

As for why they don't ban Alcohol and Tabacco... Because like HECK they could get enough people to agree to it. The prohibition is a testiment that it is tough to ban a popular drug.

[LordNagash]

in some people who stutter stop them from stuttering during that time

That doesn't sound like a benefit. In fact it is pretty sad when people have to take anti-anxiety medication as it is. To have to have one constantly administered is something else.

Easy for you to say, when you don't have a stutter.