Downfalls of legalizing marijuana???

Question

I don't use marijuana and I don't particularly care who does, however, as with alocohol prohibition, wouldn't legalizing marijuana create a bunch of jobs and commerce and tax money and get rid of the scumbags that sell pot to our children and make gangsters cool???

Answer 1

That is absolutely true. Marajuana is relatively harmless. When you compare it to alcohol that is. You have to ask yourself the question, do I want to destroy my liver or lungs? The affects on the brain, while disputed, are most likely no worse than alcohol. I myself smoked heavily for many years and do not feel it has had any long term affects. Like anything, if you use it to excess for too long, something negative has to happen. I feel the reason marijuana is not legal is that alcohol and tobacco have such a stranglehold on the "vice" market and don't want more competition. The amount of people who use pot illegally is very high and if it were legal it would probably grow. The amount of money the government could make and the jobs it could create are huge. Its also true that it would reduce the black market. Quality would improve and price would decrease with legalization. Why would you want to go to a black market dealer when you could go to a store and get a better cheaper product. I guess its comparable to Walmart and a mom and pop shop. Obviously this does not fit totally, but you can see how Walmarts are "pushing out" the smaller businesses. Same concept I guess. Also, if its regulated, you could have penalites for selling to minors, etc. just like alcohol. I'm sure people will disagree with me, but I think those people are most likely the ignorant, who don't look at the benefit, but rather see the stigma of marijuana as a "drug" and how drugs are bad. Well I say to them, your McDonald's cheesburger is not all that good for you either.

Answer 2

I don't smoke pot, but I'm for legalizing it. I don't think it's as destructive as alcohol. I'm a nurse who worked the ER and I have never seen a battered woman who came in after being beaten because her man had been smoking pot. I don't recall seeing car accidents due to pot usage.

Smoking pot can't be healthy, because smoking anything isn't good for your lungs. However, pot makes people calm and slow. They don't get violent or start much trouble. I can't say the same for alcohol. An awful lot of the ER business was caused by unwise consumption of alcohol or the belligerence of some people when they're drunk.

If marijuana is legalized, it should be restricted to people over 21 and sold in liquor stores. The same penalties that apply to drunk driving should apply to people who are high. It would provide new tax revenue. If some of the people who drink and become belligerent would switch to pot, it'd probably save a lot of misery.

Answer 3

You are spot on! The first step, however, is decriminalization. Free up the court system and the prisons from all the small time possession charges. From there, the case can be made that the government would make vast sums of money through the production of SAFE marijuana, the distribution and the taxes that would result.

Answer 4

it's commendable to have someone make such a simply obvious point that seems to escape so many, that the best way to regulate a product is by putting the sale and distribution into the hands of legitimate business people. It takes away from drug dealers and gives to the government in the form of taxation.
FYI: Marijuana is often called a gateway drug but that's only because of who's selling it. At your local mom & pop store, when they run out of beer they don't try to get you to buy whiskey instead.

Answer 5

Yes. That's what I always say. Even if you don't use it and don't agree with it being used, why keep others from using it? Just like the lotto, only seems to help the people. There would be 30% fewer arrests so I cops could focus on the real crimes and our prisons won't be filled with people selling weed.

To Kyean, it doesn't matter if it is legal. There really is no way to hide the smell.

Answer 6

As a former user, I believe the bottom line is marijuana makes you lazy. There is lot of other descriptive words I could use, but in a nut shell, lazy cuts to the chase. I think we as Americans, have already proven we're not as active as we should be. Could you imagine what we would be, as a legal pot smoking nation. The fast food folks would love us, our employers would hate us. Everything would be put of until later. Not every marijuana user is this way but I bet the majority is.

Answer 7

2 words. Second hand smoke. Imagine the healthcare that we'd also be forced to provide in marijuana was legalized. Thats probably the biggest reason that legalization wont come to fruition any more. Not because its a drug, but because its smoking.

Answer 8

It seems like just about everybody favors legalization. But I know that lots of people are emotionally against it. Why don't they answer? They seem to recognize the severe damaging effects of the laws, but they dismiss them because marijuana is a "gateway drug", blah, blah.

Answer 9

There would be a problem with on the job testing for those under the influence and those driving under the influence because unlike alcohol you test positive for longer than you are actually high.

Answer 10

Actually there are two reasons why pot is illegal in America. When you're stoned you don't feel like working and you don't feel like buying stuff, two of the most heinous offenses in America.