How do you feel about legalizing....?

Question

How does everyone feel about the fact that here in America alcohol is legal? Yet, it kills people EVERYDAY! Whether it be a drunk driver hitting a family, someone overdosing from a mix of alcohol and another drug, or just dying from liver disease? Alcohol also impairs your judgement and functions and alot of people get very violent when drinking. Yet, Marijuana is Illegal?? You don't hear about people smoking a lil pot and killing people, or overdosing from pot and sleeping pills, and marijuana is not proven to harm your body in anyway other than the paper that is used to smoke it in. And your definetly don't hear about a pothead beating their kids or wife. So why is the role not reversed? Marijuana legal and alcohol not?

Answer 1

I'm guessing that because there are big businesses involved in the alcohol industry, there's a lot of political pressure being exerted. Who's going to go argue for pot? The cartels? Whenever you're talking jobs, influence, PACs and the like, it's almost impossible to take a stand against anything that has already been legalized.

Answer 2

There are many Yahoo Answers on this subject, discussing the very same arguments you have raised. Some are valid; others are not.
I'm giving you a few highlights so that you can refine your argument... not to argue with you.

(1) Remember that a fairly small portion of the US population regularly uses marijuana. So your anectodal evidence about car crashes, liver disease, violence, etc., are improper, because, if marijuana were really available to all citizens, you'd certainly would have more people driving high, probably committing acts of violence high, etc., overdosing with sleeping pills or other substances., etc.
(2) We do not really know the harmful effects of pot smoking. We also don't really know about causation between pot and things like cancer because marijuana use would be underreported to medical professionals. We know that there are at least as many chemicals in pot as in cigarettes, and often in much higher concentrations. Thus, incidents of cancer, respiratory problems, perhaps cardiovascular problems, would likely be severely increased if pot were legalized (just like you see with tobacco use).

(3) As noted above, the "you don't hear about" evidence isn't good evidence, because (a) the significantly smaller number of people using the substance, and (b) the fact that driving high / domestic violence high, etc., doesn't get a lot of media play. Find stronger, statistical evidence to support your claims.

Good luck.

Answer 3

Well my friend all I can tell you is that if we worry about people drinking and driving now imagine when people smoke pot and drive what a catastrophe.

Another thing you got wrong is that prolonged use of marijuana does the same as smoking cigarettes you'll eventually get emphysema, and probably cancer.

Needless to say that parents who smoke pot may not feel like beating up their kids, but they don't care what their kids do and are in no moral position to tell then what to do. They also don't feel like parenting and usually have the grandparents take care of their kids, how responsible.

Basically people who smoke pot are losers period, they dream and say they plan to accomplish a lot but are really wishful thinking.

Oh by the way I'm not judging anybody but I'm speaking from experience I used to smoke pot and honestly it was a waste of 3 years of my life.

Answer 4

I feel the same way but what about cigarettes? They are a completely legal thing that has been made illegal to use in so many places.The only way poeple get sick from second-hand smoke is is they're going to be locked in a room constantly having to breath it in.Restaurants and bars have such large air conditiners and smoke removers that you would never get sick from eating or drinking there...when you're only in them for a short period of time.As far as the smell goes(as I know some people will talk about)why should I have to put up with people's perfumes or colognes when I go out? Or noisy bratty kids? I'm sick and tired of people dictating to me what I can do and when and where I can do it.I don't bother them and their life so leave mine alone!

Answer 5

Pot is harmful, it contributes to many mental disorders, including schizophrenia, which can be dangerous to friends and family, and often leads to paranoia which can cause the smoker to beat his wife and kids.
Having said that, I believe it should all be legal, people are not children, and should be able to choose what they do or do not do in the privacy of their own homes, but they should know the risks first.

Answer 6

There might not be violent crime from smoking it, but it can bring out psychotic tendencies in regular users. And it's trafficking internationally....like that doesn't cause violent crimes? You think the dealer isn't packing when he sells it to you? You think his distributor isn't going tothrow down if he doesn't pay up? And the money? Large scale operations are often run by crime syndicates, with ties in terrorism. It's easy to say that smokin a little bud doesnt hurt anyone, but look at the bigger picture.

Answer 7

i like you point, now imagine that it was leagal and the government sold said packs of 20...how much do you think they would sell for and how soon would this country be out of debt and think of the tax relief we would get.

Answer 8

Thats the way it is, if you dont like it, write your congress person.