Why is marijuana illegal?

Question

Why do we criminalize people who prefer a little toke after work as apposed to a couple of beers?

Answer 1

Yes it does seem hypocritical, but alcohol is more rooted into our society than most drugs legal or not. And that is why our prohibition failed in 1933, its much easier to obtain or produce your own alcohol than most drugs and my alcohol and other drugs instructor said around 75% of our nation consumes alcohol.

Now if other drugs such as marijuana and cocaine etc were legal again, I'm sure consumption would rise too. Why I say legal again is because prior to several food and drugs acts around 1906, they actually were. We as a society enacted this pure foods and drugs acts partially because of how many quackery cures were available with unknown or now known poisonous ingredients. The other part is racially motivated, because some people felt that other racial groups such as blacks and Asians groups were out of control when under the influence of such substances.

It is obvious that drugs don't discriminate who they effect, but that is the other lesser known reason for why they became illegal. So why can't they legalize them now? Ideally the govenment probably believed it was the more practical to permit alcohol and tobacco that ban all drugs together as history shows. It is true that you'd have to smoke an insane amount to overdose and an addition is unheard of, but marijuana is also contains more tar = greater risk of cancer and is considered a gateway drug. Which suggests that a user is likely to start on this drug before moving up to cocaine and heroine. So essentially they probably also felt that by killing the gateway drug would also reduce drug consumption overall as well.

Even though the govenment could easily profit from a stamp act that they instituted prior to making marajuana illegal, it's probable that our govenment believed that on our behalf it was more practical to ban it than having to deal with increased regulations and inherited risk of drug abuse. But again, I think the govenment made a compromise because of how alcohol and tobacco have deeper roots into our society than marijuana

Answer 2

the united states did actually tax marijuana. you could get a Marijuana tax stamp(Marijuana Tax Act of 1937) which was opposed by the American Medical Association. but due to the addictive qualities and the users of marijuana being mostly minorities it was made illegal. there was a brief time that it was made legal in the late 60's or 70's, but use in minors skyrocketed and it was made illegal again.

If it was make legal, the cigarette company's and the government would make hundreds of millions of dollars off of the taxes it would collect. The regulations that it would follow would be the same as tobacco companies, who would own the marijuana sales. private persons would not be able to follow all the requirments for growing and sale of marijuana.

one of the main reasons that alcohol is legal(if your old enough) is that alcohol has been with us for so long that it has become common place. our founding fathers were alcohol brewers and america has always been a country that likes its brews and spirits. except for prohibition alcohol is legal.

Marijuana Myths

1. its not addictive.

If marijuana was not addictive, there would not be marijuana rehab programs, people would just quit.

2. Marujuana is good for various medical illnesses.

Marinol which is a synthetic version of THC is available in pill form. it is stronger and the dosage constant. but you cant smoke a pill.

Smoking Marijuana causes cancer so why would doctors perscribe marijuana to people that have cancer. Also a person who is terminal would rather have morphine which actually kills the pain not something that dulls it. (my opinion is that if your terminal, smoke that **** up your going to die anyway)

there is so much information regarding marijuana that a person need to research it on his/her own. but remember this, when your are reading or talking to a person for or against it, please take into account what that person wants to do with it. do they want it legal so they can bowl up when they want to or because they beleave that it is "evil"

Answer 3

nicely alcohol became once unlawful. It became observed as Prohibition. throughout that factor, human beings smuggled liquor and made a great number of money. The were observed as bootleggers. secret golf equipment sprang up round cities the position human beings would pass to drink. human beings souped up their vehicles in order that that they could outrun the police at the same time as they were bootlegging. prepared crime even were given keen about this employer. the authorities observed what became occurring and wanting to make alcohol criminal and tax it. so a recommendations as marijuana, it really is slightly extra sturdy to song. Alcohol were made by organizations for hundreds of years. They use bottling and promoting to promote their products. With marijuana, it really is slightly diverse. There are some circumstances the position marijuana is criminal for medical purposes. notwithstanding if weed became criminal, it will be confusing for the goevrnment to modify and tax it. There are not any genuine organizations growing to be marijuana so it will be confusing. it would also be that they imagine it may convey about extra sturdy drugs. Marijuana sales also fund different unlawful events and so it has remained unlawful.

Answer 4

yea the tax bit gets my vote
originally it was banned due to pressure from the at the time very rich and influential tobacco lords
knowing it was much better than their own product and easily home grown its popularity had to be curbed
ever seen "reefer madness"
tho i really cant see the government being able to legalese, license and tax weed due to the whole anti smoking stance at prez
i really think the best we can really hope for is not too get banged up for toking a bit of the green

on a totally different tangent have you ever seen a crowd of stoned lads fighting on a friday night
now could you say the same about drunks

Answer 5

the question isn't "why is marijuana illegal?" it's "why is alcohol legal?"

the answer is because booze is an important part of economy to Milwaukee. if they made it illegal a bunch of years ago, Milwaukee would've flipped out and gotten their state to leave the union. marijuana on the other hand is NOT an important piece of economy to any state, so it does nothing to help the American government.

Answer 6

Because the government can't fully tax the crap out of marijuana! As soon as they come up with a way to tax it believe me, it will be legalized.

Answer 7

Cause it's against the law!

Answer 8

you can controll how many beers you have.

Answer 9

because they are not following the law....get over it.....