Why don't we just legalize marijuana?

Question

I think if they packaged it like cigarettes but raised the age limit to 21 it would be ok. I don't smoke it, don't have a problem with those that do, and believe in its medicinal qualities. The drug war is a complete failure and the best way to stop the dealers is to legalize pot because can you imagine the fallout if they have to pay taxes on it? That would stop them dead in their tracks!!

Please see my similar question about prostitution and give me your thoughts!

Answer 1

These days it's hard to find a deal that will get you pot. There is so much more out there that is much much worse than marijuana. Only problem is everyone is afraid that people will see legalizing pot as a stepping stone. If today marijuana is legal when yesterday it was perceived as a terrible terrible thing, who knows what tomorrow will be okay that was once bad. It's more of a mental thing than anything else. The government knows they could make a killing on making it legal but can't to save face.

Answer 2

Yes,you are right they should legalize it because the people who r saying "Just Say No 2 Drugs" are the ones smoking it and doing harder drugs than that....these people..the judges, doctors, lawyers, politicians, government and the rich and famous party with drugs like it is apart of the culture in hollywood.
But 4 little old poor people who smoke a little weed it is a hugh event and reason 2 put them under the jail with a stiff fine ..when Paris Hilton can drive drunk and High off drugs and get catered 2 and pampered in a suppose 2 be jail term
She got caught over 3 times !!

The government will not legalize because they can't control all the money making that's the bottom line...yet alcohol KILLS all the time and it is legalized and excused because they control the sells, them and them alone..no one gets 2 stick his hand in the cookie jar.
Who do u think is paying for all the drugs 2 come in this country surly the poor man can't afford 2 bring it here so u guessed it right .. the government!

Answer 3

The fact of the matter is, we could ELIMINATE our national debt by legalizing it! However, the government (on all levels) would make LESS money by doing so, even if they only made it legal for medicinal purposes. From the municipal level on up, they make an astonishing amount from the fines for possession that they would LOSE money. It's sad really, I can't think of a time when someone robbed a bank, murdered someone or got behind the wheel & killed someone or themselves while stoned! But, by gosh, alcohol is highly accepted & not nearly as controversial an issue. I don't have a problem with someone having a drink, if they so choose but, I'd rather have the option to smoke a joint!

Answer 4

If it were legalized and packaged say, as alcohol or cigarettes then they would still have to have ppl to grow it. Then they would have to figure out a sure way to prove you are "high" on it when they suspect you are smoking it. Taxes. It is already taxed if you are caught selling. I am totally pro-marijuana. I will not say it is not harmful since it does impair you (why would you use it if it didn't) but when was the last time you saw or read of someone killed by a motorist using marijuana compared to alcohol.

Answer 5

I hate the stuff. You think it makes you all nice and calm but what you don't realize is the anxiety level you go through if you cannot get it would be like a 20 on the Richter scale. I know people that kicked the habit and they are 100% more pleasant to be around and they are more fun to talk to and act like someone is home at the top. lol You can take your stupid drugs and shove 'em. Also when these people were using, their constant every waking moment if they weren't smoking it, they were thinking or talking about it. Our air has been much fresher around here now for several years and I would never, ever want them to go back to where they were. Doing better in every phase of life. Mmm

Answer 6

It has NO medicinal qualities. They only give it to burn patients through a pill form, WHEN THERE IS NO KATIMINE AVAILAIBLE.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The drug war is actually going away, and we are winning. Kids are actually being educated on it, like I have been and KNOW SO MUCH on it, i have never smoked it. Never will.

We are not stopping people from having "Fun", its HARMFUL. They did a study and did you know that its puts holes in your brain, like alchohol. LOOK IT UP. GOOGLE IT.


Q: What does marijuana do to the brain?
A: Some studies show that when people have smoked large amounts of marijuana for years, the drug takes its toll on mental functions (4). Heavy or daily use of marijuana affects the parts of the brain that control memory, attention, and learning. A working short-term memory is needed to learn and perform tasks that call for more than one or two steps.

Smoking marijuana causes some changes in the brain that are like those caused by cocaine, heroin, and alcohol. Scientists are still learning about the many ways that marijuana can affect the brain.


Is marijuana sometimes used as a medicine?
A: There has been much talk about the possible medical use of marijuana. Under U.S. law since 1970, marijuana has been a Schedule I controlled substance. This means that the drug, at least in its smoked form, has no commonly accepted medical use.

THC, the active chemical in marijuana, is manufactured into a pill available by prescription that can be used to treat the nausea and vomiting that occur with certain cancer treatments and to help AIDS patients eat more to keep up their weight. According to scientists, more research needs to be done on THC's side effects and other potential medical uses.


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Q: What are the long-term effects of marijuana use?
A: Findings so far show that regular use of marijuana or THC may play a role in some kinds of cancer and in problems with the respiratory and immune systems.


Cancer
It’s hard to know for sure whether regular marijuana use causes cancer. But it is known that marijuana contains some of the same, and sometimes even more, of the cancer-causing chemicals found in tobacco smoke. Studies show that someone who smokes five joints per day may be taking in as many cancer-causing chemicals as someone who smokes a full pack of cigarettes every day (15) .


Lungs and airways
People who smoke marijuana often develop the same kinds of breathing problems that cigarette smokers have: coughing and wheezing. They tend to have more chest colds than nonusers. They are also at greater risk of getting lung infections like pneumonia.


Immune system
Animal studies have found that THC can damage the cells and tissues in the body that help protect against disease. When the immune cells are weakened you are more likely to get sick.


Does marijuana affect school, sports, or other activities?
A: It can. Marijuana affects memory, judgment and perception (11). The drug can make you mess up in school, in sports or clubs, or with your friends. If you’re high on marijuana, you are more likely to make mistakes that could embarrass or even hurt you. If you use marijuana a lot, you could start to lose interest in how you look and how you’re getting along at school or work.

Athletes could find their performance is off; timing, movements, and coordination are all affected by THC. Also, since marijuana can affect judgment and decisionmaking, its use can lead to risky sexual behavior, resulting in exposure to sexually transmitted diseases like HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Q: What happens if you smoke marijuana?
A: The way the drug affects each person depends on many factors, including:

user's previous experience with the drug;
how strong the marijuana is (how much THC it has);
what the user expects to happen;
where the drug is used;
how it is taken; and
whether the user is drinking alcohol or using other drugs.
Some people feel nothing at all when they smoke marijuana. Others may feel relaxed or high. Sometimes marijuana makes users feel thirsty and very hungry—an effect called "the munchies."

Some users can undergo bad effects from marijuana. They may suffer sudden feelings of anxiety and have paranoid thoughts. This is more likely to happen when a more potent variety of marijuana is used.

Answer 7

i think all drugs should be decrimalized. the governments failed drug policies have generated terrorist funding from the prohibition of alcohol in the 20's to cocaine cartels of the 80's to opium today in afghanistan today. it's so pitiful, our prisons are full of drug offenders, drug dealers have more money than the municipalities they operate in and i'm pretty sure decriminalization of drugs and taxation of the products would generate enough funding to treat everyone with a drug problem bad enough to require treatment. the type of people that use drugs will use them reguardless of the legal status of the drug. prohibition is not a solution to drug use.

Answer 8

They won't legalize it because unlike cigarettes-there are no additives and they can't patent it. Plus, it's easier to grow than tobacco. Plus the tobacco lobbyists keep the politician's pockets full so they won't legalize it. I agree, they should legalize it-it's not nearly as harmful as cigarettes.

Answer 9

Yes, it's a lot like natural cures that are used all over the world but are illegal in the US, because they can't be patented and government agencies can't make a bajillion dollars on it. it's all about the money.

Answer 10

How would you like to be in surgery and the surgeon is stoned. I don't smoke it either but I used to when I was younger. This has its pros and cons.