I think it should definitely be a no brainer.. I think the more people that smoke pot the better myself. Our society needs a lot of mellowing.

Yes, and regulated.

1) Marijuana is not addictve, though tobacco and alcohol are.

2) Marijuana has 10,000 industrial uses and 5,000 medical uses.

3) There is no historical data that I have ever seen to suggest that marijuana use would increase with legalization. Those that are going to smoke are going to smoke regardless. Those who don't smoke aren't going to smoke, because some people are just not interested.

Ok, you just proved that you dont know anything. The poor are the ones targetted by cops and who dont care if the world knows they smoke pot. Just as many rich successful people smoke pot. Poor people are less motivated because they are poor and or dumb. Not because they smoke pot.

YES

If you replace the ban on alcohol, then you've not learned that prohibition doesn't work; it always backfires with disasterous results. Gang wars would be far bigger then they are now. Fuck that!

One should be allowed to put whatever they wish into their own body without fear of going to jail. One can not be less free in any sense of the word if that simple truth is bypassed or ignored.

Forget the right wind reasons, forget the junk science, and forget the whole concept of taxing it. Fact of the matter is the Government makes more money from it being illegal than it ever would being legal. We are talking about all the jobs it creates, the prisions it keeps open, the advertising propaganda, the fines, the siezures, and of course the value of having something to demonize when they wish. Of course this is just the tip of the finacial iceberg that prohibition brings. It is a figure that is not measured in the budget for the war on drugs.

Another important element to criminlization is that it allows for the easy removal of individuals rights, specially those of a either a racial or economic group.

As many have said. Drugs will always sell at any price, because they work.

:eyecrazy

Making individual's choices for them and making sure they are a productive member of society. This sounds suspiciously like an Orwellian idea.

Well, I don't really care about the specifics so I'm just giving a stab at it... I've never cared too much about it because I actually care about what goes in and out of my body ;)

One of my relatives was really really into weed so much to the point at which they couldn't quit when they wanted to, and they went to a rehab center for it. Now obviously the shoving smoke down your lungs isn't healthy, but secondly this person stated that there's a lot of more long-term negative affects on the brain with pot-use.

Now, it seems as though most people don't know this. And if the government were to simply make pot legal without at least making a mandatory "pot informative" class, people would start using it without really knowing the serious affects associated with it.

We only have one body, it should (but most of the time isn't unfortunately) be in our best interest to protect it.

Ah yes, sheesh, how horrible, encouraging people to be productive, the atrocities!!

Key word is our. No one should have any authority over what one does to their body. It is the individuals duty to make these choices, it is not mine nor someone else's to make them for you.

I think it would be more likely that you would see a revolt then production.

That's not encouraging productivity, that's taking over people's lives and trying to force them to be productive. I don't smoke pot, but if I did it wouldn't be anyone else's business unless I went to work high or tried to drive a car. Then and only then is it someone else's business.

true, the issues are complex at first.

i think the best solution would be to legalize it and require some type of information forcefed class.

there's 2 sides of me, I'm all for individual freedoms and choices and one should do what they want, but at the same time I think it should be required to really know what you're doing to your body before you do it.

PEOPLE WHO SAID NO = POT DEALERS

Hahahaha! If it's legal then everyone selling pot = bye bye business. The big companies would take over and market it. :glugglug

yes...LEGAL...You don't hear about potheads coming home and beating their wives....If we can drink alcohol (addictive for many) then why not MJ?

Are you kidding? :1orglaugh

We used to drink that shit in science class in junior high. I know a kid who even had to go to the hospital cause the dumbass chugged an entire bottle of nyquil during third period when I was in the tenth grade.

Let me add I have friends who are grown men and still drink the stuff on occasion for a buzz. Especially when they are sick.

I think the USA should ban alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine, refined sugar, and britney spears.

They are all bad for you and should be outlawed!

oh YEAH I know, a lot of kids in high school would buy shit like nyquil and other things of the nature all the time.

so you're wrong about that one CET.

I do not share that idea. If people wish to drink bleach go for it, anything to thin the herd.

As for knowing and all that. There have been study after study. None are endorsed unless the group can hand up some junk science.

Also in general please stop assuming everyone who uses drugs is not productive. Again this is just pulling data from one's ass. Please also do not try that spin on how much more productive these people could be if they did not do drugs. It is none of our business.

i am lucky.

here we have JUDGES SUPPORTING DECRIM!!!!

http://www.judgejimgray.com/
http://www.judgejimgray.com/
http://www.judgejimgray.com/
http://www.judgejimgray.com/

buy his book.

No doubt that people need to be informed. We need to inform them of the facts, not with the propogandistic BS we see with programs like DARE. Kids know DARE is BS, there have been many studies done on the complete failure of the DARE program. What we need are real facts presented in an unbiased manner (if that's possible). Kids can smell BS a mile away, so let's just be honest with them. :2 cents:

LEGALIZE

Your friend couldnt stop because he was psychologically addicted. The government give an information class about pot? LOL they've been lying about it for years, you expect them to admit that?

There arent long term effects on the brain of marijuana. They are short term effects. You are just BS'ing here.

hell yea !!!

Should we still have alcohol prohibition? Of course not, it's hypocritical to call ourselves "free countries" when we get put in jail for having a natural, non poisonous plant.

The government in the US will never legalize marijuana for a few simple reasons.

First of all, the propaganda campaign they've been running since the 30's has actually convinced a few people that pot is some horrible drug, mostly the ignorant religious types.

Second, if they legalized it, they wouldn't be able to throw minorities in jail for no reason. Ever heard of a rich white guy getting time for two joins? Neither have I, but it happens to poor blacks all the time. There are people in the US in jail FOR LIFE for getting busted with personal marijuana 3 times. Guess what: they're all poor minorities.

Third, the pharmaceutical industry gives too much money to the two parties. Do you think they want people to realize they don't need to get a chemical dependancy every time they get a little upset, or are in a little pain?

There are a couple more I'm sure but those are right up there.

THE HYPOCRISY OF OUR DEMOCRACY.

yes.

Yes. I don't smoke it but yes make it legal.

yes but it'll never happen. you cant regulate or tax something thats as simple to grow as pot.

too funny in another thread you bash Libertarians for trying to decriminlize, and herwe you agree wtih it.

as i said, say one thing, do another, vote another and then blame the democrats

:1orglaugh

Legalization is closer than you think. Look at all the states who have allowed medical uses in the last 10 years. They arent going to stop and it will only move forward from there.

No I'm lucky.

Here we have a Prime Minister who supports it.

Party at my place. :rasta

Tobacco is easy to grow.
Alcohol is easy to make.
Your point is?

:1orglaugh :1orglaugh

Exposing right wing hypocrisy is fun.

Umm umm nevermind. Nobody needs to know of how the Federal Government has still prosecuted medical individuals in such states.

Even in a fake democracy, the people occasionally get what they want when they scream loud and long enough. That maintains the idea that we actually live in a democracy.

So? That doesnt change the fact that the laws are slowly changing and more and more people are becoming open to that.

http://www.mapinc.org/norml/v04/n1164/a02.htm?134

END THE OVERKILL FOR MARIJUANA

making alcohol is legal? i think not

Have you not seen those home beer kit things? They sell them at the store so it must be legal to an extent. :)

http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=3383


Marijuana Decriminalization and its Impact on Use

The "war on drugs" is the most insane rhetoric I've ever heard of. I know the republicans have to do bullshit to get stupid peoples attention of the illegal shit they're doing, but please. A war against our own friends and family members?

How come we've never heard of a war on crooked politicians?
War on pollution?
War on war profiteers overcharging taxpayers?
How about a war on illegal wars?

you people are stupid. im not republican. get over it and stop trying to label me as one

There aren't? I did a search and most of the results stated "Minimal" effects, whether it be minimal or more, none the less, it still has an effect. and obviously the more serious effect being lung cancer and other respiratory complicatoins.

lol making it without the proper business licenses may be illegal in some places. making liquor might be illegal in some places, but look at all the small private breweries around the country, its not illegal.

If that is the case then I suppose I got 3 illegal business's down the road that sell beer and wine making supplies.

LOL let me guess, it was a government "study"?

Its not a war on drugs. Its a war on who gets to make the most money and monopolize the people selling THEIR drugs.

Be it budweiser, pills, or cigarettes. Marijuana is their enemy.

A interesting statistic I read places were pot is legal . The percentages of pot users going to harder drugs is very low.

Breathing in the exhaust fumes while boarding or waiting for public transportation also has lung cancer and other respiratory concerns. Everything does not need a damn warning label.