What If Marijuana Was Legal? What would happen? Should it be made legal?

[krazygoddess 0]

WOW I have to laugh at some of the comments that were left. I have been a smoker since i was about 13, I am now 37 and dont plan on quitting permantely ever. I have quit on and off over the years although I love to smoke it can get a little expensive and there are other things I would rather spend my money on. But I dont think I would like to see it legalized for the fact that the government would tax it like crazy and it would probably be more expensie than it is now. (legalized for medical reasons i could see, and agree with)I have never really been a drinker but once in a while I like to go out and have fun and have a good drunk but thats about it, I do gree alcohol is a huge killer and I have seen it ruin alot of lives. I dont drive or really do anything but sit home when I smoke I have never seen pot ruin someones life. Not talking about legal issues talking about the effects of it. I personally just love to put my kids to bed at night and have some adult time smoke a joint and either watch a movie or play on the pc. I dont now or ever plan on smoking in front of my children, my oldest two of course know but not my young ones, and even though they are older I still do not smoke in front of them. Its just my quiet time my personal time to sit and enjoy myself and some of my favorite activities such as my pc pr watching movie as I had said earlier. You never hear about people smoking and driving or robbing banks or fighting or being violent after smoking a bowl or a joint. When people are drunk they become a whole other person alot of times and do stuff they wouldnt normally otherwise do. No matter how much I have smoked I always remember the next day what I did the night before and I never have a hangover. Anyway I have a lot more feelings on this subject but not really alot of time today to sit and express myself, so these are jsut a few of my feelings.

[galexcd 0]

I have never really been a drinker but once in a while I like to go out and have fun and have a good drunk but thats about it, I do gree alcohol is a huge killer and I have seen it ruin alot of lives. I dont drive or really do anything but sit home when I smoke I have never seen pot ruin someones life.

Are you kidding? I'm not trying to be the mr. goodie non-rule breaker here, but isn't the number one issue with pot brain damage? I mean pot does more damage to your body than alcohol does. What are you talking about!? Perhaps you've never seen it ruin someone's life just because it *BLEEP*s up their brain so much that they don't even realize what their life is.

[Bluebear 0]

Well Marijuana is legal in Netherlands, but to grow it is illegal. I red a article about that people in Netherlands do not use more drugs than people do in other countries. Many people export it even though it is illegal to do so, and a lot of the drugs ends up all over the world. (Mostly in Europe, though)I think Marijuana should be legal for medical reasons. If people are sick or having a problem with something, and Marijuana would help, then why not?

Edited May 6, 2008 by Bluebear (see edit history)

[heavensounds 0]

On one hand, I think that legalization is the only way to go. What is the point of having marijuana illegal if much more powerful drugs can be bought over the counter? Alcohol, a whole slew of research chems, many perscription medications, and many naturally occuring drugs (IE; hawaiin baby woodrose seeds), can all be obtained legally and can cause a whole world of problems marijuana could never approach. Legalizing marijuana will also solve many problems. First off, the large-scale myth that weed is often laced with PCP (while I do know of this happening, you almost always pay more for laced weed) or opium would be dispelled. The grade of weed will always be known to the buyer. Pot smokers would also be willing to pay a whole bunch of taxes on marijuana products, much like tobacco is taxed currently. And decriminalization would cut back on things like kids driving while high, if it was legal to smoke one could do so in controlled areas with no desire to continue to relocate. But then the problem would be - why stop with Marijuana? If all drugs were legalized, many problems would certainly arise. Where is the border between allowed drugs and not allowed? Certain people will always become addicted, but as noted above, there are plenty of legal drugs to become addicted to. Of course, there would also be many drawbacks if that happened!

[dhruv 0]

I strongly support full legalization of marijuana. Marijuana is not a dangerous drug and while I do believe that it is a gateway drug, other things can be considered gateway as well. As someone said above i agree also.I do pot. I've done it through a pipe and roll ups which include tobacco.Somking through pipe is less dangerous then through a roll up. You just get the fumes of THC from the marijuana and this is a great feeling. If you do it through roll up, depending on how much tobacco you use it can be very harmful, so avoid using a lot of tobacco. Even though through roll ups its relaxing smoking peacefully and inhale and out haling like that. I think if marijuana was legalized the world will have more money to spend on the world to prevent crimes. More CCTV more police protrolling. But the government doesn't get this and there thinking of increasing it from C grade to a B grade drug in the UK, which is even worse.

[arnz 0]

I'll have to sit on the fence here, but I wouldnt mind it if Marijuana was made legal for medical reasons only, provided there was a age limit to it in the same way as cigarettes and alcohol. Giving a kid marijuana for medical reasons could have issues considering the body is not fully developed at the time and/or easily be subject to misuse, in the same way drugs are misused by people in some countries right now.

[tricky77puzzle 0]

You know, one point some people haven't pointed out is that, if marijuana use was legalized, there'd actually be less usage of the drug. I'm not saying that these druggies will move on to harder drugs, but some people actually do mari- just because it's illegal. Just like if "piracy" was loosened, there'd be less "real" piracy around because people would support the artists directly if they like them.

 

Of course, there's always the problem of smoking it, so I'm going to point this out: smoking marijuana should be illegal. As long as it's not smoked, I'm perfectly okay with it. Just like if people chew tobacco, they can do it all they want, even in public places, and I won't care; they just have to be over 19 to be able to buy it.

 

But then again, this is no reason not to legalize marijuana. Just because smoking it is bad, doesn't mean ingesting it in other forms is as bad.

 

If someone is going to get hard on marijuana, they're an idiot, but that's their choice. Just because 14,000 people die in car accidents each year doesn't mean driving should be illegal. It's only drunk driving that should be illegal. Same goes with tobacco and marijuana. Like I said, as long as it's not smoked, let it be legal!

Edited May 24, 2008 by tricky77puzzle (see edit history)

[mikeyboy63 0]

If marijuana was legal I'd buy some and get messed up!Honestly, I think it would take the fun out of it for many young people. On the upside, young people who smoke weed wouldn't be buying it from drug dealers anymore. Marijuana doesn't lead to other drugs. Buying it and, therefore, hanging around with drug dealers leads to harder drugs. Ruin it for drug dealers and it'll hurt the drug market. They use weed to get kids to try the harder and, more importantly, highly addictive stuff. Once they're hooked on meth or crack, they'll be stealing money from their parents or whatever else is necessary to get together some money for their dope. Getting kids away from dealers would ultimately help. Legalizing it would also diminish the attraction of it.

[tricky77puzzle 0]

If marijuana was legal I'd buy some and get messed up!Honestly, I think it would take the fun out of it for many young people.
On the upside, young people who smoke weed wouldn't be buying it from drug dealers anymore. Marijuana doesn't lead to other drugs. Buying it and, therefore, hanging around with drug dealers leads to harder drugs. Ruin it for drug dealers and it'll hurt the drug market. They use weed to get kids to try the harder and, more importantly, highly addictive stuff. Once they're hooked on meth or crack, they'll be stealing money from their parents or whatever else is necessary to get together some money for their dope.
Getting kids away from dealers would ultimately help. Legalizing it would also diminish the attraction of it.

Well, finally someone who agrees with me.

I'll say it again. Legalize marijuana except for smoking it (or only illegalize it until you're 21).
If it takes the fun out of it, then that's good; people won't be compelled to do illegal activities anymore.

[undftdx 0]

I don't even think Marijuana should be considered a drug. Please do not hop on the government bandwagon and assume it is as bad as the authorities say. They try to say its addicting and a dangerous "gateway drug." I have friends who have tried it and they felt no pressure to try other illicit substances. Personally, I think its ridiculous for a college bound teen to get arrested for smoking a joint with less than a gram of weed. Then in result, the teen loses all scholarship money, families can be torn apart, and problems are created. This is all from a minuscule amount of some herb from the ground. Its already the #1 cash crop of the United States. The gov't should just regulate it and get the tax money instead of wasting billions on arresting terminally ill patients growing weed in their shed. Btw, How many deaths come from marijuana each year?

[seba1killer 0]

Hahaha, it is really good for freedom of speech that mj is llegal.It would also help the governement to lead with it. If the drug is llegal you can take control of it. So they could know when the drug is affecting the people and can put them in "reabilitation".In my side I would be very happy with this drug "legalised", and i think that you are in the same side .Regards

[gaspe86 0]

You know, one point some people haven't pointed out is that, if marijuana use was legalized, there'd actually be less usage of the drug. I'm not saying that these druggies will move on to harder drugs, but some people actually do mari- just because it's illegal. Just like if "piracy" was loosened, there'd be less "real" piracy around because people would support the artists directly if they like them.

 

Of course, there's always the problem of smoking it, so I'm going to point this out: smoking marijuana should be illegal. As long as it's not smoked, I'm perfectly okay with it. Just like if people chew tobacco, they can do it all they want, even in public places, and I won't care; they just have to be over 19 to be able to buy it.

 

But then again, this is no reason not to legalize marijuana. Just because smoking it is bad, doesn't mean ingesting it in other forms is as bad.

 

If someone is going to get hard on marijuana, they're an idiot, but that's their choice. Just because 14,000 people die in car accidents each year doesn't mean driving should be illegal. It's only drunk driving that should be illegal. Same goes with tobacco and marijuana. Like I said, as long as it's not smoked, let it be legal!

Exactly, just as in the Netherlands, when something commonly used when illegal and becomes legal its popularity drastically drops. Come on who would indulge into the excitement of buying marijuana in their local supermarket. Most do it for the rush of adrenaline or sensation that they are breaking the law and getting away with. Anyways don't care if its legal or illegal, I don't use it or plan on using it anyways.

[truefusion 3]

On the upside, young people who smoke weed wouldn't be buying it from drug dealers anymore.

I'll let krazygoddess respond to this.

But I dont think I would like to see it legalized for the fact that the government would tax it like crazy and it would probably be more expensie than it is now.

Indeed, mikeyboy63, the drug dealers don't tax people. The case that people will stop going to drug dealers on the streets fails. Due to the legalization of marijuana, drug dealers will stop hiding and place camp out in the public where every man, woman and child can see. The image given out by these drug dealers will send a message to little children as they grow if the message isn't prevented by the parents from reaching their children (consider how responsible a lot of parents are now-a-days!). Even if these drug dealers were forced to tax their "products," they'll only be competition to any established marijuana facilities and these drug dealers will just lower their prices a bit—it'll be a whole new market.

Of course, there's always the problem of smoking it, so I'm going to point this out: smoking marijuana should be illegal. As long as it's not smoked, I'm perfectly okay with it. Just like if people chew tobacco, they can do it all they want, even in public places, and I won't care; they just have to be over 19 to be able to buy it. [...] Like I said, as long as it's not smoked, let it be legal!

Interesting excerpt:

Most over-doses occur actually when the drug is eaten because it is easier to consume a large dose all at once.

The thing about people and doctors is that people don't know what's considered a safe amount. And the thing about educating the public is about reducing an event from re-occuring, not to promote it.

[iGuest 3]

I have to disagree

What If Marijuana Was Legal?

 

Replying to MrSandMan

 

"And statistic say grass is a stepping stone to harder drugs, like cocaine, heroin, crack, and etc... Drugs that destroy the mind, body, spirit, and worse of all... Families."

 

I have to disagree. The only reason they say its a "stepping stone" is because a) its a fear tactic from the government etc. To keep it illegal. That "fact" has almost no truth behind it and is just a way for the government to brain wash us into thinking its bad. And even if it WAS a stepping stone drug its because pot and other drugs such as cocaine are all given out by dealers. Dealers are going to want to get you hooked on some other drug as it gets them more money. The illegalization of pot does more harm then good.

 

-reply by Anon

[iGuest 3]

reply to marijuana useWhat If Marijuana Was Legal?

I have the same beliefs that you have I fully support marijuana use and believe that alcohol should be illegal and weed should not. Tobacco is even worse addictive than weed too. To some this up tobacco is legal then why should weed be illegal?

-reply by david