why is weed illegal, and alcohol isn't?

Question

luckily for me, i don't smoke cigs, weed, OR drink alcohol, but i was wondering this today after i heard two people next to me talking about it on the subway.
you can legally smoke cigs that cause CANCER at age 18.
you can legally drink alcohol at age 21.
you can never legally smoke weed.

the only reason weed is illegal is because of the fact it "messes with your brain/decisions" right? but from what i have heard weed just makes you calm down and laugh.

alcohol makes you to the point where you cant walk sometimes, DEFF. not drive, and sometimes get abusive. now a little alcohol is okay, but too much can lead to death wether you drive, or get toxic overdose.

has anyone died of weed? i don't think so.

what is everyone's opinion on this?

i don't do any, but these are good questions and points, eh?

Answer 1

honestly i think everyone in the world wonders about this question.. weed shouldnt be illegal in the sense that cigarettes should. i mean how many deaths happen because of cigarettes in comparison with weed.. alot more.. alochol on the other hand i belive should have a lower drinking age, because the law only make kids want to drink it more. maybe its the thrill of rebellion is the reason kids drink now a days and not becasue it makes you drunk.. i mean personally i think the whole legal/illegal thing is kinda crazy..

Answer 2

Here is the truth, the whole truth. Back when it was legal to grow and smoke weed, the Governors of California, New Mexico and Arizona were complaining cause most users were Mexican immigrants and they didn't like it. They pressured Washington to pass the cannabis laws to try and stop the weed smoking Mexicans from getting high and causing trouble. (Saw it on the History channel last month)

Answer 3

This is a very good question.

Unfortunately, our society refuses to answer it rationally. If our society were to answer the question rationally, it would have to admit that there is no good distinction between the two substances which justifies why the criminal laws treat the substances differently.

Any differences identified by anyone have so far failed the test of rationality. Medically, economically, socially -- the substances are so close as to render distinctions intellectually dishonest and hypocritical.

Think about the harm resulting from alcohol and how well our society tolerates the harm.

One can home-brew beer and wine legally for one's own use, but cannot grow one's own marijuana. One can purchase synthetic pain-killers, nausea suppressants and appetite enhancers made by pharmaceutical companies, but to use one that is natural and inexpensive is illegal.

People who make, sell and use alcohol are respected and rewarded socially and economically. People who grow, sell and use marijuana are imprisoned and fined and denied driver's licenses and jobs.

Prohibition of alcohol established organized crime and prohibition of marijuana helps perpetuate crime -- both organized and unorganized.

Answer 4

A loaded question, and one dear to my heart. The book Reefer Madness would answer this quite satisfactorily. I could continue to type about 15-20 pages on the subject, however I will say that the drug war(war on marijuana) is the most outrageously illogical thing I have ever heard of. The fact is, it is impossible to overdose on marijuana(unless you were to smoke 14lbs within on minute). And it is illigal because it is the biggest money maker for the state. The more people cops bust with weed, the more guns and tazers they can buy next year.

Answer 5

Unilaterally decriminalizing pot might worsen kinfolk with adjoining countries, and it might violate worldwide agreements. that's amazingly complicated to undo a regulation, yet by ability of the time you're an previous individual, pot will possibly be legalized. Pot can do super injury, inspite of what others might desire to declare. It has ruined a lot of people's lives. yet, i've got self belief that there are various extra the rationalization why the state would not choose it allowed immediately. One reason is the stream of unmonitored and untaxed money interior the gadget. till such time that the government can decide a thank you to get its cut back, it is going to stay unlawful!

Answer 6

Back during the 1930's the then governor of Colorado was designated to be the first drug czar. Because he was annoyed at the number of illegal Mexicans who showed up in his state, he made the marijuana they brought with them illegal as a tool to hamper illegal immigration. Couple that with the fact that the war on drugs has for decades has targeted marijuana because its users are easy to catch after eating hundreds of bags of cheetos and a truckload of Bud light

Answer 7

Haha, a very smart person. I like how you are not a weed smoker but are still open to the facts. Mostly in our society it takes the ppl that use it to open their eyes to the drug and mostly ppl that dont use it have a very high negative ignorant view of it. First off, some ppl are discouraged about it being this so called "gateway drug" and there are about 2 definitions of this term. 1st one being that the user will get tired of marijuana and desire a higher high. 2nd the user after using it will start to disregard the medias lectures about it, presume them as all lies, thus leading to harder "drugs". A person that is intelligent about what they are getting into(either from first hand or research) will know that there are over a hundred different types of marijuana just as there is alcohol. Each one varying in flavor, potency, color, and effect....just like alcohol. So my question is, what is ones desire to go on to chemical compund drugs when there is so much options of this plant varying in flavor and effect. Is someone really going to be so discontent or restless to go to every region of this country and to go overseas to find all the types. And on top of that marijuana can be made in to hybrids so there can still be more options even as we speak. With the driving thing i will have to say that marijuana can impair your driving, i know the first time i got high i could not drive worth ****...i didnt even try because i knew my state of impairment. Marijuana slows you down so when you drive you get more catious and slow down more but youre reaction time is impaired so u may stop slower or react to things...slower. I have never drove on the peak of a high but as the high mellowed out i have but i wouldnt recommened driving on the peak of impairment. Its been a month since i started smoking marijuana and as a student i have not recoginze a change in my academics. My views on school are still the same...i still procrasinate and still hate the work of school lol. I make the same grades and everything. These ppl that say these things how marijuana smokers are more destined to receive D's then someone who doesnt smoke that will receive A's...What the hell were these ppl high when they took these surveys to make these statistics? I hate how they give all the academic corruption to marijuana but never link corrupted academics with alcohol. Alcohol is used about as equally, or even more, as marijuana is used on a teenage level. Alcohol takes ure sobriety just like marijuana does affecting the brain but even worse, kills brain cells etc. but the media and society has the nerve to just blame academic corruption on marijuana? I think everything used in moderation (that is not a lethal choice) isnt bad. I have used marijuana in the past wisely. I think there is a time and place for everything and i havent smoked up b4 school or anything. When ive used it it has been on my leisure time. Alcohol was prohibited for a reason in earlier history, why dont we have the same protestors and scholar minds thinking the same thing when the prohibition era took place? Open youre eyes ppl, dont be a victim of media and stereotypical propaganda. Do your research and read inbetween the lines so you may come to YOUR OWN conclusions off of YOUR OWN gathered information and not be fed an ultimatium by the media. Self educate yourself and stand up for what you believe in.

Answer 8

It's so rediculous the way people look down on others who smoke weed just because it's illegal.

Answer 9

i totally agree with you. the effects of smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol are way more visible than smoking weed. so why is is illegal. i think effentually the will legalize it well at least i hope so.

Answer 10

the only reason i think weed is illegal right now, is cause they cant tax it, people would still grow it, and still sell it, they wouldnt make as much money off it. so they just say **** it, and ruin it for everybody just cause their greedy, i think weed ecstasy lsd and mushrooms should be legal. they all have good uses.