Why wont the government legalize pot rather than alcohol considering pot has'nt ever killed anyone.?

Answer 1

That is not the best argument to legalize marijuana. I would say that it is a wonderful natural resource that also has medicinal values that may be even more beneficial than morphine, which is highly addictive. The non-reproducing plants, (hemp) can be used for paper, clothes, oil, etc. The government does not want it legalized, because that would make it to easy to concentrate on harsher drugs, that people are more violent and steal for like Meth and heroin for example. Pot is not a drug that should be used by everyone because it does suck the ambition right out of you, but if you have a medical condition, it is much better than some of the alternative drugs that they offer, and much less expensive as you can grow it yourself. (which may be another reason why they won't legalize it.)

Answer 2

Ignorance, and the tobaco industry. As for taxing it, that's really not an issue, if they choose to make it legal and regulate it they could easily tax it and make money.

But right now they simply do not see the demand, the moral majority or those who know very little about it other than what they see on a ridiculous government funded "anti-pot" commercial, still think it will make you jump off buildings and kill people, etc.

But the tobacco industry has a huuuuuuge interest in NOT seeing pot legalized. Go visit a tobacco growing bible belt town and not a single person there smokes weed, they will all tell you how bad it is for you, yet 100% of that towns populace smokes cigarrettes.

Answer 3

i'd truly have pot legalized. yet too many everyone seems to be addicted to alcohol(maximum everyone seems to be yet won't admit it) for it to ever be unlawful. i think of they could do the sin tax like cigs on alcohol. Make a 6pack $10-20. which could save some much less drunks off the line. And help states budget

Answer 4

Remember this is the same government that allows the most dangerous narcotic in the world to be legal - nicotine. And I never did believe the government should be in the business of telling me what I can and what I can't put in MY body. As for the comment about marijuana being a "gateway drug" that is so sixth grade. Breathing and cookies are also gateway habits then to. Anyone that tells argues the gateway drug line has listened to Nancy Reagan and her friends way too many times. IF you want to pout about "gateway drugs" the first one you should point fingers at are plain old everyday tobacco cigarettes - period.

Answer 5

nobody ever died from pot... FACT !
Alcohol and cigarettes kill millions each year.... but those are legal because they generate alot of revenue in the form of tax dollars.

Also, it is not a "gateway" drug.... that's just stupid. It's no more a gateway drug than caffeine, cigarettes, alcohol, or chocolate.

The first poster is right.... they can't tax it. Additionally the tobacco companies have lobbied against legalization for years, because they view marijuana as a direct competitor to tobacco. Not just anyone can grow tobacco....but anyone with more than one braincell can grow a pot plant easily....so they wouldn't be able to sell it to you...if it were legal you couldn't sell it because it would be worthless ! If it were more difficult to grow pot then it probably would be legal, because then it would be profitable. You could go to a 7-11 and get a "pack of non-filtered northern lights in a box pls".

To add to the gateway drug comment...

Ask anyone who has ever smoked pot.... I bet they smoked a cigarette first !

Answer 6

I agree with you regarding the legalization of pot. However, maybe using pot has not been the physical cause of an individuals death, but people drivng under the influence of pot, just like alcohol, have caused a lot of death.

Answer 7

Thomas Geller, M.D. et. al, "Cerebellar Infarction in Adolescent Males Associated with Acute Marijuana Use," Pediatrics, April 2004, (Vol. 113, No. 4, pp. e365-e370): "Each of the 3 cannabis-associated cases of cerebellar infarction was confirmed by biopsy (1 case) or necropsy (2 cases)... Brainstem compromise caused by cerebellar and cerebral edema led to death in the 2 fatal cases."
4/04 Pediatrics

Liliana Bachs, M.D. et. al, "Acute Cardiovascular Fatalities Following Cannabis Use," Forensic Science International (2001, Vol 124(2):200-3): "Cannabis is generally considered to be a drug with very low toxicity. In this paper, we report six cases where recent cannabis intake was associated with sudden and unexpected death. An acute cardiovascular event was the probable cause of death. In all cases, cannabis intake was documented by blood analysis. ... Further investigation of clinical, toxicologial and epidemiological aspects are needed to enlighten causality between cannabis intake and acute cardiovascular events."
2001 Forensic Science International

Total Deaths Reported
1/1/97 - 6/30/05 = 279

Of an estimated 106 million emergency department (ED) visits in the U.S. during 2004, the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) estimates that 1,997,993 were drug-related. DAWN data indicate that marijuana was involved in 215,665 ED visits.

DAWN also collects information on deaths involving drug abuse that were identified and submitted by 128 death investigation jurisdictions in 42 metropolitan areas across the United States. Cannabis ranked among the 10 most common drugs in 16 cities, including Detroit (74 deaths), Dallas (65), and Kansas City (63). Marijuana is very often reported in combination with other substances; in metropolitan areas that reported any marijuana in drug abuse deaths, an average of 79 percent of those deaths involved marijuana.

Kinda blows your theory down the gutter...wouldn't you say?!

Answer 8

I feel that the main reason it has never been legalized is because there is not a way for them to tax it. Also, even if it were legal there would still be people growing it themselves and selling it on the streets. Making it legal would really not eliminate the illegal growing or selling of it.

Answer 9

I agree it would be too hard to tax, however don't really agree with the gateway drug argument. More like a conservative vs liberals issue perhaps.

Answer 10

I guess you are being convinced by the Left and Liberal Media - Pot, a drug, has been and is, like other drugs including alcohol, the cause for many accidents where innocents have died / Do not care if a "hop head " ( pot smoker ) dies, but innocents ?????