why is pot illegal?

Answer 1

Because beyond the popular "stoner" hype, one big reason is that the actual plant hemp has many different uses : paper, clothing, rope, even growing in biomass to be used as a fuel source. In that sense, legalization of pot has many, many powerful opponents in the world of business : tobacco companies, clothing-supply companies, logging companies, drug manufacturers, chemical companies (because the amount of chemicals it takes to make paper is far less with hemp than wood), oil and gas companies, alcoholic beverage companies (hey don't nudge in on OUR turf buddy), etc. Another reason is that marijuana (as with most opiates and narcotics) is best grown in warmer climates, which means that legalizing in the U.S. would automatically make gazillionaires out of South and Central America, as well as a bunch of places in the far East. Pot is just as harmful to the body as alcohol so that's a crap argument.

Answer 2

Short answer because Congress and the Courts ignore the Constitution when public opinion suits it.

William Hearst played a big part with his ownership of a large part of the media. He used racism to convince "decent white " voters that blacks and Mexicans where getting hyped up on pot and commiting crimes a common allegation during the time was that they where rapping white women because of the drugs. Quite a few drugs where banned using this same formula. may seem ridiculous but it is the truth.

Originally they used a tax stamp scheme to outlaw drugs but in the 1970's it was ruled unconstitutional by that time citizens where used to the goverment trashing the Constitution and they just rewrote a law and used the commerce clause to ban it.

Paladin, the Alcohol ban was an amendment to the constitution the 18th Amendment and had to be repealed by the 21st amendendment so it was one thing that was done legally. Say what you will about prohibitionist but at least they had enough support to do it right and not lie or rely on false interpretations from the courts like we do for everything today like say drugs or Social Security which the Supreme court rule illegal before declaring the same exact law legal after Roosevelt threatened to pack the court. This also raises the question of how come from 1919 to 1933 they needed an amendment to ban drugs but not now Why don't they do an amendment to allow the banning of drugs? It should be easy to pass right?

Answer because we are lazy and ignorant of the law. And if they can seek popular laws through the back door it makes it easier for them to cheat on other laws that may be less popular.

Answer 3

Pot alters your state of mind worse than alcohol. It is also worse on your body than cigarettes. If everyone started smoking pot then everyone would end up getting a contact high some time. Pot just basically makes people stupid. And if there were a chance of it ever being legal, all those retarded juvenile and older than 18 immature people that smoke pot are good at reminding society why its illegal.

Answer 4

The answers all seem to say pot is nearly an equivalent to alcohol, although it has proven medicinal benefits (which alcohol doesn't). Actually, if our government would raise it and sell it as it does alcohol, it would be a great area of revenue, and put the drug dealers out of business. People want it, and they are going to get it legally or illegally - why not at least monitor it?

Answer 5

Any and all drug laws derive their authority from the Commerce clause of the Constitution. This is not what the founding fathers intended. The government cannot tell free men and women what they can and cannot do as long as they don't encroach upon their fellow men.

The Prohibition Act against alcohol was repealed because it was un-Constitutional. What makes any law against private usage of any substance any different? It doesn't. So-called "drug" laws are a legal fiction imposed on the free people of America.

Answer 6

because your illegal to smoke it . THE 50,s the shits was pot now it lace with acid , crack cocain and many other garbage . The gov. can make moneys they put the tobacco company out of commission.

Answer 7

because if pot were criminal it would want to ruin oil organizations. Hemp is an quite good source of different, sparkling gasoline, and the authorities doesn't want that. also, hemp it a good fiber for garments, paper, or perhaps nutrients. it would want to placed timber industries out of organisation. Hemp might want to be grown THC loose, yet not even it really is criminal.

Answer 8

My mom who died 15 years ago at the age of 60 said that if the government could figure out a way to tax it then in would be legal.

Answer 9

b.c legislation is scared to make it leagl. they could tax pot, they could sell pot, just like cigs. BUT no...they want to clog our justice systems with "pot dealers" and not rapists. I know a guy serving 10 years for 8 ounces, and i knew a rapist that served 5 months, with therapy! what justice.

Answer 10

Because its bad for you.

Alcohol and cigarettes would be illegal too but they were legal before people worried about health effects. Weed was never legal so the govmt will never legalize it and open themselves up to the whole fiasco which was prohibition.