Marijuana is just a plant right?

Question

So why is a natural plant so criminalized. I would like to hear anyone’s opinion on this, just keep in mind it’s a natural growing herb.

Cookie: Marijuana has never been scientifically proven to be addictive. Agent 0. I can kill more brain cells and blur my vision more drinking beer! Think about it.

Aids, Sharks, Poisonous plants, liveabovetheinfluence.com… WOW, You guys are really reaching now! Thanks for proving to me how Brainwashed we are collectively.

Answer 1

Marijuana is illegal because the US Government sees it as a non-taxable good. They know that if they legalize it, then it can be taxed, but nobody would buy it legally because of the tax raising the price. People have their own resources, so, why buy it legally for more money when it's able to be bought illegally for less?

It would appear that marijuana is illegal because of the long-standing belief of conservative parties in government that it's a dangerous drug. There's little proof to show it's a gateway drug, which means that those who use it go on to use more serious drugs.
As for it being illegal because imposing a tax on it would make selling it legally unsuccessful, there's a misunderstanding of economics in that explanation. Alcohol was banned during prohibition and bootlegging became one of the most financially successful industries in the country. When it was again legalized and the government regulated and taxed alcohol, it not only became a billion dollar enterprise but also a strong government lobby group; the "dealers" or underground sellers disappeared.

If the attitude toward marijuana by the government changed (and it probably should, as the drug is far less damaging than alcohol).

Answer 2

Agent O -
Hey for a minute there, I thought you were talking about alcohol. Oh, wait we DID legalize that

And, "Cool it"..a few spots below...Would you like a large glass of water to wash down that crap you are being fed? Check your facts..at an unbiased source. Look up the effects of legalization of alcohol on socio-economic factors, and the same for marijuana. Research who benefits from each situation. Research which is more harmful, physically and mentally. As far as marijuana being a "gateway drug", you are flat wrong and are perpetuating a myth. People that do hard drugs would do them anyway, marijuana, though illegal, is just the most prevalent. The majority of people who smoke marijuana you never hear or know about, because that is the only "drug" they do, and lead very productive lives. And don't even get me started on alcohol being "more accepted" by soicety. There are so many things wrong with that statement, I can't even begin to list them. Native Americans were using marijusna before our "society" even existed. But I understand...you are young and enthusiastic about the fact that you think you are supporting a good cause. With age comes wisdom.

Answer 3

Joel is right...its a flower from the plant...

Its criminalized because its illegal growth, distribution and sale cannot be regulated or taxed by any governments revenue service....anyone an grow it in the back yard or basement...

Alcohol on the other hand can be taxed at all levels, therefore its legal...its tough to set up a large scale alcohol distillery and escape regulation...

In my opinion, alcohol is far more socially and personally destructive, and has little if any medicinal value whatsoever.

Criminalization is all about the $$$$ not being collected, not the psychotropic affects it has on people....

Answer 4

Marijuana is a plant (Cannabis sativa and/or Cannabis indica most are a cross). The part people smoke to get high is the unpollinated female flower, only found on the female marijuana plant and is high in THC.

The plant was first outlawed in the early 20th century based on a variety of reasons, though often times people blame chemical companies who wanted to use synthetic alternatives to hemp (Cannabis ruderalis), which is usually non-smokable and used solely to produce all sorts of textiles, paper, and oil. There are cultural and political reasons as well.

Look up history of hemp or marijuana for the details.

I think most people agree that the outlawing of hemp (for food, fiber, and fuel) is ludicrous.

I also think most people would agree that criminilization (ie. potential imprisonment for mere posession) is a waste of prison resources, tax money, and an intrusion on personal choice.

Answer 5

It's criminalized because the plant itself is a very efficient crop which would knock other industries out of business (ie cotton, tree farms for paper), so as a result they all banded together to spread all this bs pr about how the plant was really toxic and dangerous and killed ppl etc etc etc, and ever since then it's been mostly illegal to cultivate hemp.
The one major mistake the people who banned it made was the extremely low toxicity of the plant (ie. no matter how much THC you consume you don't die). As a result, relative to the things which are allowed on the shelves (and often toxic), it's about as harmless as you can get, and has made it quite clear to a lot of people that who ever dictates these policies is "full of sh*t."

Answer 6

I think they should legalize marijuana or weed. Big percentage of the people in jail are for marijuana use. It would lower the crime rates and the government would save more money. They are building more jails than school. Also more people die of cigarettes and alcohol than marijuana. Cigarettes are just as addicting as weed as well.

And even though its just a plant its not good for our body. It basically takes over our brain for a small amount of time. The side effects are bad and it can be addicting.

Answer 7

Chupacabra!
Opium poppies grow naturally and give us heroin. Coca plants grow naturally and give us cocaine. LSD is most purely made when derived from ergot fungus, but still as damaging.

Deadly nightshade and foxglove are two plants that are especially deadly.

Just because it is natural and a plant doesn't mean it isn't bad for you.

Many, many studies have been done to show that marijuana does affect the mind much like alcohol in impairing responses as well as killing brain cells. Pot even has many of the cancer causing agents found in tobacco as well as substances that affect the lungs and heart.

There actually are studies that have shown THC (the most active ingredient in pot) affect the same addiction centers in the brain as heroin, coke, and nicotine (cigarettes). THC stays in the system longer so the withdrawal effects aren't as severe but they do exist and prolonged use makes the addiction stronger.

No, you won't read this in High Times. If you want to do proper research please don't rely on biased sources. Mine comes from Scientific American, you know, a science mag as opposed to a propaganda mag like High Times or, even, The Nation.

THC may do well for alleviating pain in terminal patients and helping people with glaucoma but, much like oxycodone, that doesn't make it a fun toy for everyone.

Keep an open mind first. Seek out the research that speaks out against pot and truly try to understand it without letting your own opinion get in the way. Until then you are a propagandist and not an activist.

Answer 8

Human Immunodeficiency Virus is a natural tiny organism... why did you come to that (false) conclusion that if something is natural, it can't be harmful? Sharks are "natural", it doesn't mean I would want to swim in the same pool with any.
Cannabis sativa - look up in wiki or else... used for making ropes from its fiber etc.
Plant breeding -heard of it? I assume when you say marijuana you think of the plant wich contains significant amount of THC... it IS manipulated to contain more.
And, it's not good for you. I could say trust me, but why, since we don't know each other.

Answer 9

It's production, distribution, and sale is criminalized due to the fact that it is harmful and dangerous drug that provides no real benefit of it's casual use.

The fact that it is a naturally occurring plant does not diminish the fact that the most likely use is that of a recreational drug.

Not all natural substances are un-harmful. And this substance is defiantly harmful dispute what many advocates claim. Medical use of this substance is only beneficial to those with terminal illness, because the harmful effects would be less severe than the symptoms of the illness.

Answer 10

Marijauna comes from the canibus plant. The plant itself is quite harmless, and to some people rather asthetically plaesing to look at. However, it is what people do with the plant that makes it so repraochable. People use it in such a manner that makes them liable to undergo an action harmful to other people. If smoking pot only killed the stoner, like cigarettes, there would be much less restrictive laws against marijuana. The drug is also used as a 'gateway' for much more addictive drugs, like heroine and cocaine. 1 in ten people involved in a car fatalities tested positive for THC. That figure alone speaks volumes. Another abused substance can be argued here as well, although alcohol has gone through a different history, and its relevance to the question at hand is very slim. It must be mentioned for the fact that 1 in 4 fatal car crashes have alcohol related roots. Alcohol is legal for the purpose of being regulated. Without its being legal, the abuse rates of licquor increase extremely. It is also a tolerated substance in society for centuries, while marijauna is not.