If marijuana is so bad that it's illegal, why is alcohol legal?

Question

Alcohol causes TONS of problems. Marijuana makes you...hungry.

Answer 1

It's all far more political a decision than for any other reason. They haven't figured out how to tax pot yet. (Too easily home-grown and hard to monitor. Would keep the feds running their butts off and cost the gov. more than it would save them.)
Besides, at this point the government has spouted so much propaganda about pot for so long that some elderly would die of fear, sure that the young potheads would go on a national rape, robbery, and looting spree.
The conservative vote would poop their pants.
It' s political and financial.

Then, imagine outlawing the booze of the conservatives, and Ted Kennedy, too! The uproar! Besides, prohibition's been tried, won't ever work. And then the money and politics---same as discussed re: pot, only tenfold.

Answer 2

Your question makes it seem like a simple question of illegal or legal.

The question might be this: why is the contraband law against marijuana successful, while the contraband law against alcohol was a disaster? Of course alcohol is STILL illegal in all sorts of situations, and marijuana has become legal is some situations.

Alcohol, being a social lubricant, became associated with group culture and entertainment clubs. Speakeasies were frequented by almost every urban adult, and formed a huge underground economy. It was the power of defiant social gatherings, and the threat of illegal economic organization around those gatherings, that ultimately overturned the contraband laws against alcohol.

Today, marijuana laws are undergoing a similar transformation. Police do not routinely arrest people at large festivals or concerts, because large social gatherings have more power than the police mandate to enforce contraband laws. (Notably, police DO enforce drunkness laws at concerts because alcohol can fuel violent behavior and can acutely endanger lives from overdose. These laws are more imporant to public safety than the contraband law against marijuana)

In California and other states, marijuana clubs are available on a more or less free basis, and rarely do police enforce possession laws - except when associated with other laws like vending or motor vehicle safety.

So it's time for a more subtle look at the question as our society moves into the future. What ARE the drawbacks to marijuana, and what will our lives be like when it can be bought at the liquor store like alcohol?

Can you really say you control your marijuana consumption yourself? Or does the government's ban, and the high resulting cost in price and inconvenience, manage your consumption for you?

Are you really ready for freedom, or will you just always have the munchies?

Answer 3

Marijuana does do more than make you hungry, as detailed in a recent Independent.co.uk article (unfortunately, archived material is not free to read). That said, however, the legal/illegal issue is arbitrary. What people should be able to consume recreationally and what they shouldn't is a philosophical question that gets caught up in the political game (Remember that alcohol was illegal for a bit in the 1920s). My guess would be that marijuana will be legalized in the US in our lifetime, and it should be. The costs of the "drug war" and American over-incarceration are far greater than the costs would be to educate people on how to make use of drugs appropriately and safely, if they so desire.
And some people will desire drugs now and always. You can't just make drugs go away. Plus, legalization has been shown to have a negligent effect on the number of people who use drugs, while at the same time safening the environment for users and abusers.

Answer 4

In my opinion, it is because of the almighty dollar. At one time alcohol was just as illegal. Yet people brewed their own and it cost the U S lots of time and money trying to stop it's use. After years of frustration and realizing that people were not going to stop drinking, the government decided to legalize it Thus they were able to control its flow and gain control of the revenue that flowed from its use. In other words "getting their piece of the pie".
The fact that a very large amount of marijuana comes from other countries make it much more difficult for our U S to manifest that same type of control. If and when that can be done, marijuana will find its way to legality. Lets face it people are not going to stop smoking pot so some happy median will have to come about. Don't look for this to happen tomorrow though.

Answer 5

GREAT question......one that I've been arguing for years!! Alcohol is legal because it gets taxed and it mostly governed the Alcohol Beverage Commission, KEY word COMMISSION!!! Marijuana can be grown by anyone leaving the ABC out of any money. I think it's ridiculous, when you look at every corner and there's a drugstore, where in the 70's & 80's, there were liquor stores.....drugstores carry WAY more potent drugs than marijuana! Also, cigarette companies would TOTALLY be in trouble, with all of their taxes on smokes, if marijuana became legalized....they would start to manufacture it as well, just so they can get their hands in the nations " piggy bank "!!!
What it all boils down to, is they cannot tax marijuana, because it's illegal and studies show it hurts you worse than cigarettes. Like alcohol doesn't hurt anything, but your liver....lol!! It's ALL politics!!!!!!! Marijuana is BETTER for you than liquor!!!!!

Answer 6

I was wondering that same thing.
I think the big guys won't let Alcohol be illegal because most judges and officers and the goverment drink it and would be breaking thre law not to mention all the taxes they put on it.

I don't smoke Marijuana any more since 1991 but if I was to be able to make one illegal it would be Alcohol, because it is worse.
I have tried both and Marijuana is a good sleeping pill or a nerve relaxer. Better than what Dr, prescribe.
Alcohol will never be illegal because they would have to close all the bars and accohol stores and would be able to tax us. We would not have marijuana bars. LOL
We could grow our own Go figure that.
Sorry aboutt he typos I got the flu here.

Answer 7

Because some people cant drink alcohol responsibly, that's why there are so many problems. And Marijuana does WAY more than make you hungry.

Answer 8

Because alcohol is a little more difficult to ... 'make' than marijuana is, and the government can't tax it's use other than to outlaw it and charge fines for those being caught. Simple as that. P.S., they have done recent studies, and found out that marijuana does not cause cancer, like cigarettes, but actually may REVERSE some cancers!

Answer 9

Marijuana can certainly cause health problems down the road, along with alcohol and tobacco and every other darn thing in this world. If the government can't regulate marijuana distribution, sales, and revenue, it's a waste of time for them.

Drugs are bad...mmkay?

Answer 10

The level of alcohol in a bottle of rum or a can of beer can be controlled. The level of THC and other "dangerous" ingredients in marijuana cannot. This is why pot is illegal and booze is not.

PS - Marijuana doesn't just make you hungry, it makes you stupid too. And yes, I know that alcohol makes you stupid, but I'm not comparing the two.