why are people against legalizing weed?

Question

meanwhile zanax, valium and all the other drugs pharmaceutical companies are forcing down our throats have ruined lived and killed people. i say do away with the drugs that can kill people and simply replace them with a drug that won't seriously impair someone.

as far as taxing weed, you can sell licenses. say $50-$100/ year to "possess" under and ounce and $1000/year to sell or manufacture it. seems like it would be more profitable to sell license to everyone rather than fine less than the 2% of users when they catch them.

Answer 1

Marijuana was legal in the US until 1937. Pot has been demonized by the government ever since. Stating with the movie Reefer Madness. The issue has become so fraught with misinformation and demagoguery that rational discussion is impossible. Facts don't matter, reason is immaterial. Pot is illegal, and will stay illegal. Silly? Yup. But that is immaterial. By the way I haven't touched pot since the 70's.

Answer 2

If they legalized marijuana, people would grow it in their backyards or basements, and the government would make no money from it. It would also keep a bundle of cash from each local government, because the police might not be able to hassle and ticket teenagers as often.

It all boils down to money. The amount of money confiscated and lost in "drug raids" is not really known. In Detroit, a few years ago, the headlines were that a million bucks had disappeared. Whose pockets were lined there?

Marijuana has been proven to be relatively harmless. In fact, it seems to be medically helpful. It is not addictive. Why it is included with cocaine, heroin and other harmful drugs is a mystery, a clear way of making money from the public.

Cigarette tobacco can be controlled, with prices soaring constantly upward. They are a Cash Cow for the government. Liquor can be controlled and, besides, they tried banning it and it ended with the Mob having more power than ever. Liquor taxes make a mint for governments. But marijuana would be difficult, if not impossible, to control.

I have never used marijuana, and probably never will, unless I have a terminal disease and the choice of painkiller is between Oxycontin, a powerful addictive substance, and marijuana. Then I will make the sensible choice.

Answer 3

First, large numbers of people were raised to believe that marijuana is a "gateway drug" which leads to heroin, cocaine, etc. Second, a lot of people look down on drugs because it makes them feel superior. Neither of these groups are interested in being confused by the facts or in confronting their hypocrisy.

The true comparison though is with caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol. All of these are mind altering drugs which are perfectly OK with society while marijuana is not.

Xanax and Valium have killed very few people. They are also far from the only prescription drugs that have killed people. If you want to eliminate all drugs because of their potential to kill, then you'll have to go back to the early 20th century and accept thousands of people dying from infections, high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes.

The monetary benefits of legalizing marijuana are just one more piece of logic they don't want to hear.

Answer 4

If they make it legal the cops would have to go after the real bad guys instead of kids smoking a joint, what a concept.
They would have to let half the people in prison out, which would solve the problem of overcrowded prison, what a concept.
It would take presser off the border, what a concept.
Let us grow our own, no more shiploads coming in, what a concept.
Sell it in stores and tax it, use the money to fight the real drug war. War against drugs that kill, what a concept.
The Gov. sure as hell didn't mind in 1967 when I was in that Jungle killing people in the name of freedom. I had all the drugs and booze I wanted and I was out on the hill.
But that's another story.

Answer 5

I agree with your overall idea but realize that you are fighting culture not government. Drugs were made illegal to combat social dysfunctions. I think the government is slowly decriminalizing weed. Most counties do not give jail time for possession of weed. I would love to see weed taxed so people that smoke weed are not exposed to drug dealers who push cocaine, PCP, crack, acid, heroin, etc. But what are you going to do about the weed causing lung disease? It opens up another can of worms. How can you tax something people grow in their house? It is more complicating than it appears. But I am up for change, I just want to balance society and the individual. good luck.

Answer 6

You said "zanax, valium and all the other drugs pharmaceutical companies are forcing down our throats have ruined lives and killed people" You don't think recreational weed has ruined lives and killed people?! Are you kidding me?

Answer 7

To high a price when it because legal the dealers wont make any money any-more so the govt doesn't want the hassle with it move amstdam get it at drug store in little cig...Tabaco has a lot lobbist too!!!

Answer 8

Pharmaceutical companies are forcing drugs down our throats..???? That's such a ridiculous thing to say that I'm speechless with wonder.

Why are you even bothering to ask your "question." By its tone and the convoluted 'facts' you've manufactured it's obvious you couldn't care less about what any one else thinks about legalizing marijuana. I'm also sure you don't want to hear anything about the dangers of marijuana as proven by years of medical and psychological research.

Answer 9

Marihuana is not called the "gateway" drug for addicts for nothing.Everyone who has a drug history has statrted with weed. Need any more reasons?

Answer 10

Which "people" are you referring to. I'd suspect that each individual has his/her own reasons.