Should Marijuana Be Legalized?

Question

I want to know what the rest of the country thinks! Please leave comments, i want to know if I'm the only one who believes in the herb.

Answer 1

marijuana is the most commonly uses illegal substance in the United States. it is used by many people, most of which aren't your stereotypical "druggie", with no life agead of them. Many of them hapen to be very successful, good people. Think about it almost if not every person who reads this paper will know (even if they don't realize it) at least one if not several regular users of marijuana. Its often made out to be much more harmful htan it really is, unfortunatly not every one realizes this.

What many people don't realize is marijuana is much less harmful than alcohol or tobacco. Yet it's the one of the three that gets a bad rap and is illegal. Marijuana isn't even physicaly addicting. You certanly don't see meetings for marijuana like you do with alcohol and AA. Unfortunatly due to American culture the less harmful of the three is illegal.

The most common reason why marijuana can be harmful is that people can often come across laced marijuana without realizing it. Marijuana can easily be mixed with other more harmful drugs with out the buyer realizing it, until they have already used it. This is a dangerous thing that causes many people to do more harmful, hard core drugs without realizing it. If it were to be legalized the government could provide guide lines, like it does with alchol to insure that people knew what they were putting into their bodies.

Marijuana actually has many helpful benefits toward diseases / sicknesses. Marijuana can reduce nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite caused by AIDS. It can Reduce interlobular pressure, which alleviates the pain and slowing and sometimes even stopping the progress of glaucoma. Common side effects of chemotherapy are nausea, loss of appetite, and vomiting, all of which marijuana would help. It can limit muscle pain and relieve tremor nad unsteadiness of gait for multiple sclerosis patients. Marijuana can help prevent epileptic seizures in some patients. It can also alleviate chronic, often debilitating pain caused by myriad disorders and injuries. Each one of these applications have been deemed legitimate by at least one United States court, legislature, and/or government agency.

Due to these reasons and many others many people are going to jail/prison on a daily basis due to simply smoking a little pot These aren't dangerous criminals that would kill or rape someone. Many of them are teachers, lawyers and respected members of their communities. But yet we still pay thousands of dollars of tax payers money to lock up non dangerous "criminals" yearly even though most aren't going to stop after they get out of jail. Don't you think the money spent here is a waste? Couldn't it be going to more useful things such as hospitals, disease research, or better schools? These are the things that would benifit the people of this country. Certanily you would rather benefit the people more than throwing a non violent pot head in jail who was only trying to smoke a joint and relax after a long days work in jail. There is up to forty million regular (note thats just the regular not occasional users) drug users in the United states. If we were to throw all of them in jail it would cost $500,000 per million people, plus the cost and space of building many more prisons. Couldm't that money be spent on building hospitals? There's already about 1.5 million people tax payers are paying to keep in jail over drugs. From 1990 to 2003, nearly 5.9 million people had been arrested for smoking marijuana. Thats a greater number than the entire population of Alaska, Delaware, The District of Columbia, Montania, North and South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming combined. This country simply can't afford to put 40 million more in jail.

Marijuana should be legalized. It has many uses such as helping sick patients. People are going to smoke it no matter what the government sais, and with out govenment guidelines this can be dangerous. Not to mention the fact that we have no way we can afford to throw all those people in jail. Its much less harmful than alcohol and tobacco, which are legal, so doesn't it make sense that it would be also?

Answer 2

Why not?
The only reasons it has not been legalized, is that they can't tell if you are "under the influence". It's not like alcohol, where you can take a Breathalyzer and determine how much you have had.
But speaking of alcohol, it causes deaths. Marijuana does not.
No one has ever overdosed on mary. But alcohol kills those who drink too much, and those who drive drunk.
I don't think it is a gateway drug like most people think either. Just because you smoke weed, does not mean you are going to be a crack head. Those who smoke it, do so for a reason. They like the euphoria. Other drugs do not give the same feeling. It is up to the individual to decide if they want to try other more hardcore drugs.
I think it would be legalized if they could think of a way to keep people from growing it themselves. Think about the tax revenue on alcohol and tobacco alone. Pot, would just generate that much more in taxes. It's not that bad of a thing compared to other "legal" things in America. I mean all it would do is make people more forgetful, and the stock of Twinkies, and junk food would sky rocket. Don't believe in the herb, so that your whole life revolves around it, but keep enjoying.

Answer 3

yes it should be legal,i don't understand keeping something illegal that grows out of the ground in parts of the world,it is an herb like tea and i don't believe it is a gateway drug,the same could be said about prescription drugs also,i do believe in the herb and its about 4:20 right now

Answer 4

Just like any hotly debated item, there are many facets to this 'problem'. Some would think that no matter what, you will still buy and smoke it. Others would say that it is a illegal drug for a reason, so it should stay that way. What I would do is to research the all the facets to this problem, then if needed, talk to your congressperson then they could help make any decision that would like.
Thanks

Answer 5

Yes. Contrary to the naysayers, it is not a gateway drug. The people that do go on to 'harder' drugs use it as an excuse. But the government likes to keep it that way. It's all part of the 'other' war. They like to control the supply of illegal drugs. It's big business. Take care.

Answer 6

Marijuana should be legalized, regulated, and taxed to high heaven just like booze and cigarettes.

It's really too bad that it was liberal hippies who popularized marijuana. If it had been Republicans instead, you would be able to buy it at the candy store.

Answer 7

I think that it should b illegal for younger than 18, but legal for over 18, I mean if people(adults) wanna ruin there life on it or just take ONCE. They should b allowed to do so.

Answer 8

i want to say no, i want to tell you its bad. but the only reason i have for preaching how bad marijuana is, is because its been ground into society that it is a negative thing. I dont care too much for brain washing. but it apparently works because im too afraid to try it, but i dont berate the use of it.

Answer 9

No, there are too many abusers already. We have enough problems as parents to combat. However, if there was a foolproof way to make it available medicinally that would reduce its ability to make it's way into kids hands then I would consider that option.

Answer 10

YES. once you legalize something the want to do it while go away. If its legal its not "cool" anymore to do. I think its a quick way to get our kids facination off of it.