Marijuana... open discussion?

Question

i was wondering what would happen if marijuana was legalized or simply de-criminalized? social and economic impact... please no stupid answers, im not a pothead im just trying to wiegh all points of view on the subject..
I appreciate your answers!

Answer 1

I've thought about this for years and as a daily user I do NOT want legalization.

In order to legalize, there would have to be laws passed and you know what that means. There would be deals and regulations and restrictions and licensing. My pals think it would be oh so great but they don't realize that to legalize we would have to give ALL the control to the fed.
The laws wouldn't pass without a return so look for taxes. Big taxes. I expect prices would probably quadruple. Look at the percent of tax on tobacco and alcohol and you will see what I mean. Also in order to pass there would have to be government control. This means the government would license growers, wholesalers and retailers just as they do alcohol. You aren't going to be able to grow your own any more than you can make your own alcohol (except in small, personal use quantities). The penalties for illegal growing and distribution then have to be INCREASED. This protects the tobacco growers (who because of declining business would take over the industry. They already have everything in place, all they need is seeds and a trade name. (oh wait a minute they have ALREADY taken out the trade names Panama Red etc and are owned by tobacco companies! How convenient!) Now the regulation part comes in and the amount of thc per gram of product will have to be regulated. (if you disagree you don't know my government!). Expect the quality to drop significantly. There would be limits (and taxes) on whoever SELLS and how they sell and to whom. Of course a legal age limit to buy so you younger users will have to find somebody to buy for you and they will likely be commiting a felony. Look for liquor stores to fill this void and to be the only retailers.

So now what have you got? High priced low powered legal pot and EXTREMELY high priced pot on the black market that will sent you to prison for growing, possessing, selling or smoking.

I'll just stick with the status quo thanks, which seems to be a defacto decriminalization that pretty much leaves most of us alone and leaves the control of the indusrty in the hands of the people who are growers, smugglers, wholsalers retailers and end users. I trust any one of them to do business with more than the fed. Thanks for reading my opinion :)

Answer 2

It looks like, by your screen name, you are from Saltspring Island. Around there, the social impact would be minimal, except that the police would have alot less to do. Most other places there might be a larger social impact. But it would all be temporary. People who were too afraid to try it before would all rush out and try it until they were disappointed that it was not all it was built up to be. Economically, if it were taxed somehow, the governments could make a killing, again temporarily. Especially in BC. I say, why not make it legal so that the cops have the time they need to go after the real criminals. Just my opinion.

Answer 3

The pharmacutical companies would crash- they make a lot of their money from painkillers, and Marihuana, if legal could easily meet all the demand for painkillers, not to mention that it can also be used for recreational use.

Also, this would create more SMALL businesses as marihuana is something one can grow at home, and you wont need laboratories and supply chains for research and distribution.

That's the economic ramifications, good or bad, you decide. Though, I'm not an expert, could go either way.

Social aspects- Well, I'd like to say that there would be no significant abuse of marihuana, but I'd probably be wrong. However, it would only be a positive thing if smoking marihuana would replace binge drinking altogether, as it is significantly healther.

Also, as Marihuana prevents Alzheimer, I certainly will smoke once a week as I get old.

Answer 4

I don't think all that much would change actually.

People would just have easier acess and smoke more.
It would take a good few years for the novelty to wear off, some people like to say if it's legalised people will calm down about it and do it responsibly but that's just not true.

There would probably be a LOT of people with problems and it would be de-legalized? by the time people got used to being allowed to smoke it legally and responsibly.
There is good evidence about marijuana's relationship to mental disorders and with the amount of people with mental disorders or underlying issues that would be asking for trouble imo.

Answer 5

I think if it was legal, I don't think it would be that big of a deal, as long as you do it in the privacy in your own home. If it was legal, then the stores would be able to sell it legal and the goverment would be able to make alot of tax money on it. As far as I know, weed as a 0% death rate. Cigarettes would kill you alot quicker before the weed ever would. Weed also does not make you violent, unlike liqoure. If someone want to get high, I say let them. It doesn't effect anybody, but the person who is getting high. It doesn't effect me, you, anybody else for that matter. Marijuana is not as addictive as tobacco, so you can quite alot easier. Some people say that people that do weed are more likely to get into harder drugs; however, their is no hard evidence to support this. The only thing you should not do is have a bull and then drive. This also goes for drinking and driving. My friend used to come to my house high, and my parents never knew, so its easy to play it cool.

Answer 6

the problem is we have learned already that these type of things cause problems. If there was a way to outlaw liquor and cigs and the likes they would but when we tried that last time it raised crime, and public outcry. So we are kind of stuck with those without major reform. This is why that argument of "well theres already beer and cigs why not the other"

Then the next argument where do we draw the line. lets allow marijuana, but then what will be the next thing people want to legalize. Sooner or later you have to draw the line.

and jenny you are wrong about car accidents. there is houndreds of studys that are showing an increase in mariuana related accidents.

Answer 7

I don't think any less people or any more people would take it up, the people that already do could just buy it freely, which would in turn really decrease the number of inmates and help to rid of the problem of over-crowded jails...it could become big business and actually help the economy, because much like cigarettes, it's addictive. As with alcohol tho, it should still be illegal to drive while stoned if marjuana were legallized.

Answer 8

I think that it should be legalized I mean after all alcohol is and you here of way more people getting in to car wrecks and doing really stupid stuff on alcohol you never here of someone dieing because of pot and the government could make a lot of money taxing legal Mary Jane but if it was legal we would probably have a bunch of lazy fat people sitting around

Answer 9

It always goes a step further. Now alcohol, next pot, after that LSD, after that cocaine and crack and ice, after that heroine, after that..... etc, etc, etc. And people who say that it would not move on to something else are lying or are ignorant of human nature and human tendencies.
If you legalize pot, just legalize all of the rest of the drugs as well, stop playing games with the hemp issue and the "medical pot" issue, or pretending this or that. The end game is for people to get high whenever, wherever and however they want right? Just say so.
My own opinion? Stay away from the slippery slope. Just say no!!

Answer 10

It would probably create various industries if it were legalized. I imagine that it would be similar to the Wine Industry. Consumers would probably create niche business to promote the connoisseur idea of consumption.