Why are they legal? And no, I don't believe Marijuana should be legalized either, however, it should not be eradicated. How many lives would have been saved if these two substances were banned?
2006-12-22 08:32:40 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
Banning alcohol was tried before, and was a complete disaster. Not only were plenty of people still drinking, it helped organized crime gain a real foothold in the US.
"To alcohol, the cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems." - Homer Simpson.
2006-12-22 08:36:39 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I am all for banning them (cigarettes at top piority) however, the process of doing so will take laws to be signed and time since vast numbers of people are addicted. People argue that smoking is within our constitutional rights. What gets me is, I dont smoke but I get affected by second hand smoke all the time, whether I am in a restraunt or in a crowd of people waiting for the bus to come. Not to mention the careless littering of stubs. also, alcohol causes violent behaviour and lack of judgment. Plus, laws would have to be agreed upon, by congress and by citizens themselves how infact, smoke. So, if you smoked, would you want a law stopping you from doing so? Of course not! and these people don't want one either, which is the problem.
However, if we do ban them, several problems will have to be faced. One thing that was a problem during the prohibition is that it actually gave the mophia (sp?) more power. Not only did they have control of drug trade, but they were given the corner on alcohol trade as well. Then there is the fact we would have a lot of protestants and rebelions in our hands.
I do not think we are ready to ban such substances yet. Instead we should try and place restrictions on how much alcohol someone can drink (soberness test if neccesary, cant pass it, can;t be served alcohol), who they can drink in front of (I hate it when adults smoke in front of kids, or worse, their own babies!) also, punishments should be harder on those who serve alcohol or cigarettes to minors. In certain countries they have imposed a "no smoking indoors of public buildings" rule. Something that is obeyed suprisingly well and that other countries should follow the example of. Maybe once these laws have been imposed and followed we can then work on going further untill smoking and alcohol are illegal.
Tobaco companies should also have limits on how addicting there substances can be, they are developing cigarettes can cause you to be addicted with in your first few smokes
Oh, marijuana should not be legal either. It would be a scary thing if it was.
2006-12-22 16:45:07 · answer #2 · answered by Terra_chan 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are legal because there is no public will to get rid of them.
If we were living in a nation where child sex was legal, and most people supported it, with the attitude "it's my business, not yours" and "keep your laws off of my and my underage lover's body", then child sex would remain legal.
There has to be an overwhelming majority in order to pass such legislation.
If you are pro-alcohol or pro-tobacco, it is because you are either uneducated, addicted to the substance, or unwilling to take action to save lives from such things. That's your problem. Every informed and non-apathetic person is against public smoking and drinking.
The problem is, pro-alcohol and pro-tobacco people are in the majority.
2006-12-22 16:38:37 · answer #3 · answered by askthepizzaguy 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Well let's see the Kennedy family was VERY HEAVILY into Alcohol, I heard the Joseph Kennedy, had the Scotch market bottled up.
pardon the pun.
As for tobacco, major, Major cash crop. Grown right here in the US of A.
Money talks, especially in Congress.
2006-12-22 16:51:35 · answer #4 · answered by M_Palidin_2001 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not many with the rise of organized crime. Look, if people want something bad enough they will find a way to get it. Maybe parents should be more responsible. If you have a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other, how can you lift up your child.
2006-12-22 16:37:41 · answer #5 · answered by only p 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because the government is making too much money off of them, and because the lobbyists they hire are good. And I do believe that pot should be legal, but the government can't tax what people can grow in their closets.
2006-12-22 16:38:12 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Tobacco and alcohol were big businesses even before the Revolution.
They are Huge businesses tody, and are heavily taxed.
2006-12-22 16:59:19 · answer #7 · answered by bettysdad 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
cigarettes don't impair driving. Alcohol for the most part is under control. If you go back in history you may see read about the dismal failure of Prohibition. It would be worse today.
2006-12-22 16:37:38 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Because the government can make money off of them. Marijuana isn't legal because so many people already have it they wouldnt make any money off of it. So instead they send you to jail for having it then fine you to make their money.
2006-12-22 16:35:55 · answer #9 · answered by Absolution 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Taxes and taxes. Remember prohibition?
2006-12-22 16:35:52 · answer #10 · answered by IM hip 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋