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Should marijuana be legal

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Mott The HoopleMott The HoopleHall of Famer
quote:
Please take note I have never tried it, but I have no problems with those who do.


In my lifetime I have smoked probably less than a ton... Big Grin


I had much rather deal with someone with a pot buzz than a drunk.

Yes, marijuana should be legal.

BTW...I guess I should add...I don't do any mind altering substances anymore. Been clean about 10 yrs now. Once was WAY over the edge.
NashBamaNashBamaOld Faithful
There is absolutely no reason why marijuana should be illegal. It was made illegal because politicians were afraid Mexicans & Jamaicans were going to corrupt the white women with it. The only thing the ban on marijuana has accomplished is increasing the problem with harsh drugs, increase crime, and punish innocent people who just want to enjoy the benefits of a plant God made.

I gave it up about 7 years ago, but I'm still hoping one day it will be legalized again in my lifetime.
B brakefield20032003Everybody Knows My Name
No doubt that marijuana should be legal. As others have said, the only reason it is illegal is because of propaganda that made (very gullible) people think that their teens would jump out the window or put a baby in the oven if they dared try the evil marijuana.

I don't think anyone realistically believes that anymore. It is a drug that you can't overdose on, so there is no danger there. There is some question as to whether or not it is addictive (I tend to think mildly)so that is a concern. However, it is far less addictive than alcohol or nicotine (or any so called hard drug) and the withdrawal symptoms from marijuana are not very intense at all.

Bottom line, it should be legal
M maddmax333@yahoo.comFamiliar Face
it should be but to much money is being made by the drug lords and politicans who want things to stay just like they are. IF it ever did it should be used in the industry world,clothing ,paper etc,that wouldnt be worth smoking any way. grow the really good stuff for medical use and if i choose to have some growing in my back yard for personal use it aint nobodys business. but thats to easy....
themaxthemaxHall of Famer
I've stated my position on this in past posts but to hit the high points. (pun intended)
1- A new cash crop for farmers
2- A new source of tax dollars
3- Different grades for the end use, this could be based on climate growing season ect.
4- Better control on underage use
5- Money saved on the hopeless inforcement, could be put to better use.
I could go on and on but you get the picture.
miamizsunmiamizsunHall of Famer
quote:
Originally posted by Mott The Hoople:
quote:
But there should be some control/limits as to its possession and usage.


Such as?


for recreational use it would need to be treated like alcohol. can't have young children burning blunts. once you reach legal age, have at it. in the real world, we know that some kids will get access to it. punish them and instill respect for the law. of course we can talk more about adult consumption and personal cultivation....
ms_cronems_croneSmall Talker
Absolutely! It was never my drug of choice (I'm a recovering alcoholic) but have been involved with or married to regular users as well as drunks. Of the two, I prefered the potheads; at least they didn't get violent like the drunks did.

I've been reading various studies about pot for over 20 years and thus far no one has been able to convince me that there is any REAL reason for marijuana to remain illegal.

As for the usual 'gateway drug' arguement; if one didn't have to deal with criminals to buy it one would be less likely to be offered 'deals' on the harder stuff like cocaine, crack or meth.
KindredKindredOld Faithful
quote:
Originally posted by miamizsun:
quote:
Originally posted by Mott The Hoople:
quote:
But there should be some control/limits as to its possession and usage.


Such as?


for recreational use it would need to be treated like alcohol. can't have young children burning blunts. once you reach legal age, have at it. in the real world, we know that some kids will get access to it. punish them and instill respect for the law. of course we can talk more about adult consumption and personal cultivation....


miamizsun... young children are already burning blunts, whose idea do you think blunts were!!! It has to be made legal to keep the youth of today away from it as much as possible.... Should be treated as a DUI, if driving, PI if using in public places and aren't in control, using ID's to purchase and signatures, and only a certain amount per person in a certain length of time... And if an "underage" smoker is caught, send them to juvvie... guess that is one way, maybe not... but otherwise, it would be hard to really legislate it all...

I am agreeing mostly here with themax... legalizing marijuana would sure help with the Nation's deficit, lol... but like someone else said, even some of our politicians "like things the way they are"...

People doesn't have to be a user to be for legalizing it... I don't use alcohol not do I use marijuana, but I have friends who "tie one on" sometimes, and call me because they know I will get them home, safe and sound. I don't know many people who actualy use marijuana, probably because of my age, occupation and such, but I think it is their God=Given right to use it, it was grown for a purpose, as was everything.

Know why it won't ever be legal? Because the PEOPLE want it legal, and those who control laws dont give a hoot about what the people want..... odd huh?? Since the people are the ones ''supposed'' to be voting them in....
J jwmurphyFamiliar Face
I think it should be legal. The government probably sees a problem with controlling it for tax purposes and that is why it hasn't been legalized. How many plants would someone be allowed to grow for personal useage? How would the government get their tax money on it if you grew more than could be described as "for personal use". What's to keep someone from selling some to their friend(s)? The government hasn't figured out how they are going to collect the tax dollars on these personal sells. Moonshine was a little easier to control (revenuers) than legalized pot would be.

I tried it as a teenager and a few times in my early twenties but it just wasn't something I cared for personally. I've been around many who did use it. My personal belief is that it can be addictive to some like acohol is addictive to some. Neither one is nearly as addictive as tobacco is and it's legal.

Put it on the next Presidental Election ballot and let the people decide. My vote goes for legalizing it.
Moon Over HomewoodMoon Over HomewoodHall of Famer
If you get the chance, go to the Florence/Lauderdale Public Library and rent THE PARTY'S OVER. It was actually a documentary by Phillip Seymour Hoffman (the guy who played Truman Capote, what a stretch) about the 2000 presidential election and showed clips from the Green party, but there was one interesting observation about how the prisons are filled with convicts who only crime was simple possession of marijuana and how The partnership for a drug free America is a lobbying arm of the big pharmacutical companies and the liqour industry. There is also a great breakdown on how half of all we spend on law enforcement and half of all we spend on prisons today is on marijuana. I donated it, hope you enjoy or at least learn something new. THE DOG
D deleteHall of Famer
Yes it should be made legal. Those who smoke it are going to smoke it anyway - legal or not. Legalizing it would allow for regulation and taxation. Instead of drug lords in Mexico getting rich our farmers and road funds could get much needed support.

I don't see any difference in the typical American who drinks a six pack a weekend and a person who smokes marijuana. Some people prefer the effects of marijuana over alcohol. I've gone overboard on both in the past and pot has never resulted in my laying in my own vomit.
S ShiroshiFamiliar Face
The main reason for it being illegal is it would be incredibly hard to tax. It requires little "curing" like tobacco, so people can grow it in thier homes. Uncle Sam has to have his share of the money. Plus, look at the economy of prohabition. How many jobs are created by pot being illegal? From the Federal level down, DEA, Prison, local task forces...
ms_cronems_croneSmall Talker
Another observation - the battle to legalize pot reminds me very much of the wet/dry elections Lauderdale and Florence when I was a teenager (and before, I'm sure!). Bootleggers, state line beer joints and ALL the area preachers were on the same side in those battles, just like the drug dealers and drug companies are now.

Frankly, if you'd told me 35 years ago that Florence would 'go wet' I would've laughed in your face, so maybe there is hope on the horizon!
AA Alabama AtheistSmall Talker
I think a big part of marijuana not already being decriminalized, or better yet, legalized, has to do with the remnants of the Greatest Generation and some of the Baby Boomers who are still involved in our legislature and law making bodies. I did a research paper a little over a year ago in which I studied the history of marijuana being criminalized back in the late 30's. I also read the entire report of the commission that was set forth by Richard Nixon to study the effects of marijuana and determine whether or not it should be legal. Another big component of marijuana still being illegal is most likely the difficulty the government would have taxing it. This is, of course, my speculative opinion.
N N2living26Member
Marijuana should definitely be legalized. I'm only in my mid-20's now but when I was in my later teens, I smoked pot everyday. Not only did it not impair my ability to drive; it caused me to pay closer attention to what I was doing. Not that i'm a little older, i've had to quit totally because you can't find a job if you test positive for THC, which most people know is the active ingredient in marijuana. Another few reasons that it should be legalized is because it is not chemically addictive, whereas alcohol and cigarettes are. New research suggests that smoking marijuana slows the progression of Alzheimer's disease. If anyone has witnessed the effects of this terrible disease, anything that slows the progression of it is Heaven sent. In Holland where drugs have been decriminalized, the studies done following the decriminalization, show that all drug use, including pot, actually decreased. There has to be something to all this and the fact that people in charge of this country aren't taking some kind of action is really sad. If we live in a free country the we should have the "FREEDOM" to smoke pot if we want. Furthermore, there needs to be a drug test that can show the last time that you smoked pot. If I want to smoke pot when I get home from work then I should be able to without worrying about a drug test from work. What people do on there on time is there own business. Since there is no such test, that I know of, I have to abstain from smoking it all together. Please keeep in mind that I would never smoke pot and go to work because I see no difference in doing that and drinking before work. In conclusion, I want to say that, hopefully, one day soon marijuana will be legalized in other states and that will prompt our lawmakers to take a second look at the laws against marijuana. THANK YOU!
KindredKindredOld Faithful
quote:
Originally posted by Alabama Atheist:
I think a big part of marijuana not already being decriminalized, or better yet, legalized, has to do with the remnants of the Greatest Generation and some of the Baby Boomers who are still involved in our legislature and law making bodies. I did a research paper a little over a year ago in which I studied the history of marijuana being criminalized back in the late 30's. I also read the entire report of the commission that was set forth by Richard Nixon to study the effects of marijuana and determine whether or not it should be legal. Another big component of marijuana still being illegal is most likely the difficulty the government would have taxing it. This is, of course, my speculative opinion.


Reckon that is what is wrong with our Political Leaders? lol...makes sense!
KindredKindredOld Faithful
quote:
Originally posted by Shiroshi:
The main reason for it being illegal is it would be incredibly hard to tax. It requires little "curing" like tobacco, so people can grow it in thier homes. Uncle Sam has to have his share of the money. Plus, look at the economy of prohabition. How many jobs are created by pot being illegal? From the Federal level down, DEA, Prison, local task forces...


That, opposed to the ZERO tax they get right now should still persuade lawmakers to make it legal. Heck, I hate the stuff, but I would MUCH rather share the highway with someone smoking pot than somone drunk... that is a no-brainer!
alachargeralachargerHall of Famer
Nope, it should remain illegal. It is a gateway drug (I ain't never met or dealt with a meth head, a crack addict or any other druggie that did not start with pot). You'll never convince me, or anybody else who's delt with drug addicts that it's not a gateway drug. Potheads don't act like drunks because it's a different high than alcohol. But a pothead is just as, if not more, dangerous when driving than an alchy. Where an alcoholic drunk's reaction time is delayed and off, a pothead may well just forget what it takes to safely drive all together. Potheads are also some of the most paranoid druggies there are. And the dang stuff just stinks to high heaven when it's burnt.
NashBamaNashBamaOld Faithful
quote:
Nope, it should remain illegal. It is a gateway drug (I ain't never met or dealt with a meth head, a crack addict or any other druggie that did not start with pot). You'll never convince me, or anybody else who's delt with drug addicts that it's not a gateway drug. Potheads don't act like drunks because it's a different high than alcohol. But a pothead is just as, if not more, dangerous when driving than an alchy. Where an alcoholic drunk's reaction time is delayed and off, a pothead may well just forget what it takes to safely drive all together. Potheads are also some of the most paranoid druggies there are. And the dang stuff just stinks to high heaven when it's burnt.


You're right, pot is a gateway drug that can lead to harsher drugs. The reason it's a gateway drug is because it's illegal. Take away the drug dealer's best tool for selling hard drugs and it will no longer be a gateway drug.

As for driving, it does impair your ability to drive. You don't forget how to drive, but reaction time and depth perception is impaired. I don't think it should be legal to drive under the influence of pot, it should be regulated just as alcohol is now.
SM star music studioSmall Talker
Well I personally think it should be legal unless you are caught driving under the influence to the point of obvious impairment. Besides the govt. is in the drug business, look at the cia, every country they get involved with ends up with a drug problem. they fund wars with much harsher drugs then pot so whats the crime in smoking a little. Beside you can get a tax license to sell it in lauderdle county, but you just cant sell it.....Hmmmm... somthing don't seem right with that ya' know. Roll Eyes
alachargeralachargerHall of Famer
quote:
Originally posted by bluesmann:
Facts, not myths. Fact prescription drugs cause about 100,000 deaths per year in the U.S. Fact, every 15 minutes someone is killed from an alcohol accident on the road. Fact, tobacco products causes around 625,000 deaths per year in the U.S. and there is not health benefits from tobacco. Fact, the gateway drugs are more likly caused from prescription drugs, such as lortabs or percocet, etc. Fact, alcohol, tobacco and precriptions drugs are all legal, and kill far more people in the U.S. than marjuana.




FACT: Just because playing tag with a grizzly bear is likely to cause you extreme injury doesn't make it all right to slap at a hornet's nest.

Just because alcohol, tobacco and prescription drugs cause death and injury doesn't make marijuana a safe alternative.

And the dang stuff just stinks awful when it's burnt.
alachargeralachargerHall of Famer
quote:
Originally posted by NashBama:
quote:
Just because alcohol, tobacco and prescription drugs cause death and injury doesn't make marijuana a safe alternative.


No one said it's an alternative.


OK....Just because alcohol, tobacco and prescription drugs cause death and injury doesn't make marijuana safe.....period.
C countryEverybody Knows My Name
after all the lies an outright propaganda the u.s. government has put out on marijuana how can you believe anything our government says about anything.I have never seen a picture of a dead body with a joint next to it as the cause of death.legallizing marijuana would mean lossing controll of it for the ones that controll it now and all that money so dont look for change anytime soon.
NashBamaNashBamaOld Faithful
quote:
There have been several posts in this thread that infer, if not downright state, that marijuana is not harmful, or is substantially less harmful than alcohol or prescription drugs. See the posts by bluesmann, for example.

And nobody has challenged my statement that the dang stuff just stinks when it's burnt


People have died from overdosing on alcohol, prescription drugs, and both. No one in history has ever died from marijuana alone.

Pot doesn't stink that bad, cigars smell much worse.
alachargeralachargerHall of Famer
quote:
People have died from overdosing on alcohol, prescription drugs, and both. No one in history has ever died from marijuana alone.

Pot doesn't stink that bad, cigars smell much worse.


I will have to concede to you that I know of no one who has died as a direct result of marijuana inhalation. I also know that marijuana smoke contains 60 to 70 percent more carcinogens than tobacco, and that marijuana users are 20 percent more likely to have respiratory ailments than tobacco smokers, and considerably more than that of non-smokers.

Also, marijuana users succumb to the same idiotic unintended events that other drug users do, and I include alcohol as a drug. Car crashes, falls, accidents with power tools and heavy equipment.

I do agree that cigars do smell bad, but just not quite as bad as pot. 'Course, if you are springing for a nice quality cigar, they do smell considerably better than the ones that have been on the quicky mart shelf for two years Big Grin
NashBamaNashBamaOld Faithful
quote:
I will have to concede to you that I know of no one who has died as a direct result of marijuana inhalation. I also know that marijuana smoke contains 60 to 70 percent more carcinogens than tobacco, and that marijuana users are 20 percent more likely to have respiratory ailments than tobacco smokers, and considerably more than that of non-smokers.


Are those strong enough reasons to put people in jail, ruin their lives, the lives of their families, increase crime, and hard drug use? I don't think so. Marijuana being illegal has caused more problems than it's solved, it really hasn't solved anything.
alachargeralachargerHall of Famer
quote:
Originally posted by NashBama:

Are those strong enough reasons to put people in jail, ruin their lives, the lives of their families, increase crime, and hard drug use? I don't think so. Marijuana being illegal has caused more problems than it's solved, it really hasn't solved anything.




Marijuana being illegal doesn't increase crime, or ruin lives, or cause the uses of hard drugs...people illegally possessing marijuana does. If people obeyed the law, then there would be no crime, or ruined lives. If you don't like the law, get it changed...don't just sneak around violating it, and then cry foul when you get caught. I have explained my reasons for feeling that marijuana should be illegal. However, if you and the numerous posters who feel that it should be legal lobby and get laws passed declaring it legal, I would accept that law, and though I would not use it myself, would have no problem with it's use (other than the dang stuff stinks when burnt).

A forum like this is not the place to get the law changed...the state legislature and federal congress are. Moaning and groaning to a like minded group won't get it done...you need to convince the lawmakers themselves. And don't say it can't be done....it's already been done on the state level in a couple or three states.
KindredKindredOld Faithful
quote:
Originally posted by NashBama:
People tend to rebel against unjust laws. When alcohol was made illegal, the crime rate and alcoholism jumped dramatically. The same happened with marijuana, but lawmakers still haven't come to their senses with it as they have with alcohol.

If you want to cut down on illegal drug use, close the gateway.


Close it, yes... Make it legal and monitor it, yes... either way... DO SOMETHING. Right now NOTHING is being done except a few people that get busted ever so often with just a little on them. I see "possession of marijuana" under CRIMES a lot.

I think they should at least ATTEMPT to do something, one way or the other...

One way, the drug lords get all the money and NO ONE knows who uses.

The other way, Taxes are fixed, people have to produce D/L to get some, and that should be closely monitored,

But whatever... something needs to be done, ignoring it just increases the problem.
KindredKindredOld Faithful
quote:
Originally posted by bluesmann:
Pot is illegal, but what about the new trend that is going on in most colleges and it is legal in the majority of the states, one that is almost as strong as LSD, with some of the same effects as LSD, ever heard of Salvia divinorum. And it's use is spreading.


Never heard of that but it sure sounds wicked. And kids like it better than they like marijuana? I guess that marijuana is THE gateway drug... sounds like it.

As far as your last comment about leading deaths in the US... it doesn't surprise me at all.
T tide_knightMember
It should be legalized...When I was in nursing school there were many things we learned about the effects of alcohol, Tobacco, drugs,...We all know that alcohol tobacco and prescription meds cause all kinds of birth defects when a woman is pregnant...such as low birth weight, under developed lungs and babies born with addictions but, did you know that pot is the only "drug" that studies have shown no effects what so ever on the unborn? Yes I know its mind altering but there is no way to over dose on it and Yes there is evidence they have found that it decreases sperm production in men.. could this be a form of birth control for men? maybe or maybe not its an idea...but thats got to tell you something all these things that our government has made legal can cause soooo many problems but pot does not...of course being in my early 20s ive smoked it and loved it but im in the health care system therefore my job does not allow me to do so anymore but I see a lot of people that would benefit from pot it helps with nausea (which would help morning sickness or cancer pts)...there is a legal form of pot in capsule form called marinol but its only prescribed in CA and possibly Nevada anyway with as many friends that I have walked away from because of meth, crack, or alcohol ive never had to make that disattachment from my pot head friends and one more thing ive NEVER felt the urge to try those other drugs
themaxthemaxHall of Famer
Yes, this seize everything in sight just is not right. There was a instance in Franklin Co. That happened a couple of years ago, that was heartbreaking. A 80 something widow had deeded her estate to a child. It happens every day, when one reaches a certian age. They put things in order in case, she were to have to be placed in a nursing home. Her estate was sizable including several hundred acres of land. Well you can guess her son decided he could make more growing herb than chickens. Because everything was in his name she lost it all,Home included.
southernwaterssouthernwatersSmall Talker
quote:
Originally posted by holly62884:
I think marijuana should be legal. And alcohol should be illegal. Smiler


Your post made my day...I raised my two kids on the same advice. I would much rather see anyone high than drunk. I was raised during the time that the "officers of the law" were going around the local schools and churches with samples of pot, giving lectures on the many dangers. They did not bring an alcohol sample, although we all are aware alcohol is much more impairing than pot. Any person of legal age can consume as much alcohol as they can hold, then operate a vehicle. They have to worry about getting stopped, but how often does that happen? i have had friends, family and acquaintances killed by drunks, but I have never been told "he was run over by a pot smoker." Legalize and regulate, I say......
J Jan55Old Faithful
quote:
Originally posted by bluesmann:
It is one of the nation's leading crops, it has also been proven as to have a lot of medical benefits. Marijuana does not cause near the problems as alcohol does. So should it be legal or not? Please take note I have never tried it, but I have no problems with those who do.


Marijuana will never be legal, it makes too much money, if they made it legal it would still make big money, but not as much.Plus it would never happen in the south,we have too many smokin the stuff in the closet that would never vote to make it legal. it took forever for the south to get alcohol legal because so many were making a good living selling it. and guess what? our churches help the bootleggers by voting against making alcohol legal.
ms_cronems_croneSmall Talker
Yet another why it should be legal.

Agents raid medical marijuana advocacy office
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/300191_potbust18.html

My daughter, who knows the folks at CannaCare and supports them totally, sent me this link.

The powers-that-be wasted taxpayers dollars to take pot away from legitimate patients AND get their grubby little hands on patient info. She also tells me that some of the items 'confiscated' (she didn't specify which items) are mysteriously missing.
S spunonionEverybody Knows My Name
quote:
Originally posted by alacharger:
NB,

There have been several posts in this thread that infer, if not downright state, that marijuana is not harmful, or is substantially less harmful than alcohol or prescription drugs. See the posts by bluesmann, for example.

And nobody has challenged my statement that the dang stuff just stinks when it's burnt Big Grin

you need to read more, it has been proven that you cannot overdose from marijauna. unlike alcohol and many prescription meds.as for the smell i find the sweet smell of marijauna is way less offensive than cigar smoke.
alachargeralachargerHall of Famer
quote:
Originally posted by spunonion:
quote:
Originally posted by alacharger:
NB,

There have been several posts in this thread that infer, if not downright state, that marijuana is not harmful, or is substantially less harmful than alcohol or prescription drugs. See the posts by bluesmann, for example.

And nobody has challenged my statement that the dang stuff just stinks when it's burnt Big Grin

you need to read more, it has been proven that you cannot overdose from marijauna. unlike alcohol and many prescription meds.as for the smell i find the sweet smell of marijauna is way less offensive than cigar smoke.


Saying the smell of marijuana is less offensive than that of a cigar is like saying you'd rather be kicked in the crotch than punched in the eye. They're both bad, but I personally find burning marijuana smells much worses, especially homegrown.
themaxthemaxHall of Famer
quote:
Originally posted by brakefield20032003:
I like the smell of marijuana. I haven't meant to imply that it isn't harmful, but whoever said so above is right...you can't OD on it. No way. It is still harmful, but so are alcohol, tobacco, pain pills, etc.


The post about different the different smell of pot is true. I have a friend ,don't see him anymore,tell me he was doing some work in the crawl space of a house. Now this guy is 50 something and used to have a trucking business that took him to Cal. on a weekly run.
He told me that while in that crawl space he caught the smell of Humbolt Co. skunk weed.[CAL}

After he finished under the house, he went upstairs and knocked. Not geeting a answer right away he (he had heard people moving around) he called out " it's cool I've had skunk weed before" after that someone answered the door and he checked his work then shared a J with those folks.
So yes, I guess if someone is a long time user and knows the difference between the varities, it really must smell different.
Just like the good cigar and a 20$ cigar.
KindredKindredOld Faithful
quote:
Originally posted by mackisfor420:
I agree it should be legal... And I don't smoke it. It's very harmless compared to what is legal.


I tried it once, when I was just 22 years old... found out then that I absolutely HATED it.... but the people who do it, are going to do it whether it is legal and taxed or not.
S sirsmokalottaMember
Iranians and Iraqis have hashish to smoke, they dont need any dirt Big Grin


quote:
Originally posted by themax:
Posted 07 January 2007 09:27 AM Hide Post
Hey I just had a great idea. Why don't we drop all the bails of pot we can find in Iran and the hot spots in Iraq. Get them so stoned they'll forget where they left their RPGs.
Guess we need to drop potato chips to.
slgreen1999slgreen1999Familiar Face
quote:
Originally posted by themax:
I've stated my position on this in past posts but to hit the high points. (pun intended)
1- A new cash crop for farmers
2- A new source of tax dollars
3- Different grades for the end use, this could be based on climate growing season ect.
4- Better control on underage use
5- Money saved on the hopeless inforcement, could be put to better use.
I could go on and on but you get the picture.


Spoken like a true Economist!!
S SeaweedPost Master
Of course it should be legalized, or at least de-chriminalized. I used to smoke it a lot back when, but it was not a felony - a $50 fine, and you go on your way.
As to Alacharger's charge that it stinks, I guess that beauty is in the nose of the smeller. The smell brings back fond memories to me, and I like it.
If you want to make things illegal that stink, cigarettes, cigars, and the Muscle Shoals do-do plant .
MonicaParisMonicaParisEverybody Knows My Name
Remember prohibition? We still live in a form of prohibition in many areas here in the USA. But... we can drink and not go to jail as long as we stay home and behave.

My view on this... they legalized alcohol, a highly addictive drug that completely impairs your ability to think logically. (I know this first hand, I was married to an alcoholic for 15 years)... eventually pot will make it past all the crap laws that make it a crime to have/use/grow. What a waste of taxpayers money jailing people for associations with pot! I agree with treating it like alcohol/cigs... age restriction, dui, etc.

I won't say it doesn't have any negative effects, but I will say that it is NOT NEARLY as bad/dangerous as alcohol, cigarettes, prescription drugs, or talking on your cell phone while driving with one hand.

In comparison, someone drinks a 12 pack, or a pint of whiskey, most likely the will get easily irritated or become argumentive. They can not process information in an emergency. Alcohol is also highly addictive.

Someone takes a prescription med, it either makes them loopy or knocks them out stone cold, causing risk of not being able to wake up or react in an emergency. Prescription meds are also highly addictive.

Someone smokes a doob/joint/blunt... or eats a pot brownie... they want to chill, get creative, have a stimulating conversation or go to sleep. In an emergency situation... it would ruin the 'buzz'. I'd choose this anyday for an alternative to stress relief as we know it... and stress is at an all time high. Pun intended.

I'd smoke one right now if the THC wouldn't keep me from passing a drug test.

I hope it is legalized in my lifetime. Big Grin
monstermonsterHall of Famer
quote:
Originally posted by SomeDevil:
I say make it legal,tax the heck out of it and reduce my current wage taxes!
that is one of the big problems for the government. how do you tax a free growing weed? the other problem is having a roadside impairment test, like the alcohol breath test. once these 2 issues are addressed, de-criminalization is almost a certainty.
KindredKindredOld Faithful
quote:
Originally posted by inquisitive:
Should remain illegal. Have a family member whose mind is burned out because of it. I've SEEN the things he's done, the way he's acted, etc.



Minds get burnt out over alcohol, or other drugs that are LEGAL, it depends on the PERSON as to HOW they will handle anything thrown at them. If anyone cannot take it being legal, then they need to stay AWAY from it instead of allowing it to burn their brain, which I am suspecting the OTHER drugs added is what did the burning though.

If your family member had of had intervention when people realized there was a problem, maybe their brains wouldn't be fried, OH but no, that cannot happen, because it is a personal choice, and no one can make anyone smoke, and no one can make anyone NOT smoke. Hence, the legality of it would certainly make sure the other additives aren't there.
KindredKindredOld Faithful
quote:
Originally posted by doobiebrother88:
it should be decriminalised. our courts and prisons are filled with people who could have just paid a fine and went on their way.if you are arrested for minor possession in the shoals they send you to dui school. does that make sense to anyone else?


doobiebrother, didn't take long for you to choose a nickname, lol!!!

I personally think that it should be legal, because millions upon millions of people use it, and a few cancer patients even use it. And since it is a proven fact that people are going to keep on using, then the government needs to step in and legalize it and sell it by the joint. Is there a difference between a joint and a bottle of whiskey???? I mean except for the obvious that ONE is legal and ONE is illegal.
D doobiebrother88Hall of Famer
quote:
Originally posted by Kindred_Spirit:
quote:
Originally posted by doobiebrother88:
it should be decriminalised. our courts and prisons are filled with people who could have just paid a fine and went on their way.if you are arrested for minor possession in the shoals they send you to dui school. does that make sense to anyone else?


i agree it should be legal but i think there is a better chance of it being decriminalised.
doobiebrother, didn't take long for you to choose a nickname, lol!!!

I personally think that it should be legal, because millions upon millions of people use it, and a few cancer patients even use it. And since it is a proven fact that people are going to keep on using, then the government needs to step in and legalize it and sell it by the joint. Is there a difference between a joint and a bottle of whiskey???? I mean except for the obvious that ONE is legal and ONE is illegal.
slgreen1999slgreen1999Familiar Face
quote:
Originally posted by MonicaParis:
Remember prohibition? We still live in a form of prohibition in many areas here in the USA. But... we can drink and not go to jail as long as we stay home and behave.

My view on this... they legalized alcohol, a highly addictive drug that completely impairs your ability to think logically. (I know this first hand, I was married to an alcoholic for 15 years)... eventually pot will make it past all the crap laws that make it a crime to have/use/grow. What a waste of taxpayers money jailing people for associations with pot! I agree with treating it like alcohol/cigs... age restriction, dui, etc.

I won't say it doesn't have any negative effects, but I will say that it is NOT NEARLY as bad/dangerous as alcohol, cigarettes, prescription drugs, or talking on your cell phone while driving with one hand.

In comparison, someone drinks a 12 pack, or a pint of whiskey, most likely the will get easily irritated or become argumentive. They can not process information in an emergency. Alcohol is also highly addictive.

Someone takes a prescription med, it either makes them loopy or knocks them out stone cold, causing risk of not being able to wake up or react in an emergency. Prescription meds are also highly addictive.

Someone smokes a doob/joint/blunt... or eats a pot brownie... they want to chill, get creative, have a stimulating conversation or go to sleep. In an emergency situation... it would ruin the 'buzz'. I'd choose this anyday for an alternative to stress relief as we know it... and stress is at an all time high. Pun intended.

I'd smoke one right now if the THC wouldn't keep me from passing a drug test.

I hope it is legalized in my lifetime. Big Grin


I felt like I was reading about my own thoughts. Well said.
Although, I don't want weed legalized. I strongly feel it is a gateway drug. Wink
B BlueEyedLadyFamiliar Face
I cannot understand why our narrow-minded government will not utilize the benefits of hemp. (I also feel that we are spending an obscene unnecessary amount of tax dollars on minor marijuana offenders. I think that alcohol is a scarier more widely abused substance than marijuana. I also don’t believe it is any more of a “gateway drug” than alcohol. And, as far as health issues, it is less addictive and less harmful to the body than either alcohol or tobacco.) Even if the marijuana issue is never changed, this country should be utilizing hemp. Hemp could be such an important cash crop for this country. Below are some interesting facts to consider.

*Because of its importance for sails (the word "canvass" is rooted in "cannabis") and rope for ships, hemp was a required crop in the American colonies.
*George Washington and Thomas Jefferson both grew hemp. Ben Franklin owned a mill that made hemp paper. Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence on hemp paper.
*Much of the bird seed sold in the US has hemp seed (it's sterilized before importation), the hulls of which contain about 25% protein.
*Hemp oil once greased machines. Most paints, resins, shellacs, and varnishes used to be made out of linseed (from flax) and hemp oils.
*Rudolph Diesel designed his engine to run on hemp oil.
*Kimberly Clark (on the Fortune 500) has a mill in France which produces hemp paper preferred for bibles because it lasts a very long time and doesn't yellow.
*Construction products such as medium density fiber board, oriented strand board, and even beams, studs and posts could be made out of hemp. Because of hemp's long fibers, the products will be stronger and/or lighter than those made from wood.
*The products that can be made from hemp number over 25,000.
*Industrial hemp and marijuana are both classified by taxonomists as Cannabis sativa, a species with hundreds of varieties. C. sativa is a member of the mulberry family. Industrial hemp is bred to maximize fiber, seed and/or oil, while marijuana varieties seek to maximize THC (delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol, the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana).
*While industrial hemp and marijuana may look somewhat alike to an untrained eye, an easily trained eye can easily distinguish the difference.
*Industrial hemp has a THC content of between 0.05 and 1%. Marijuana has a THC content of 3% to 20%. To receive a standard psychoactive dose would require a person to power-smoke 10-12 hemp cigarettes over an extremely short period of time. The large volume and high temperature of vapor, gas and smoke would be almost impossible for a person to withstand.
*If hemp does pollinate any nearby marijuana, genetically, the result will always be lower-THC marijuana, not higher-THC hemp. If hemp is grown outdoors, marijuana will not be grown close by to avoid producing lower-grade marijuana.
*Hemp fibers are longer, stronger, more absorbent and more mildew-resistant than cotton.
*Fabrics made of at least one-half hemp block the sun's UV rays more effectively than other fabrics.
*Hemp can be made in to a variety of fabrics, including linen quality.
*The US Drug Enforcement Agency classifies all C. sativa varieties as "marijuana." While it is theoretically possible to get permission from the government to grow hemp, DEA would require that the field be secured by fence, razor wire, dogs, guards, and lights, making it cost-prohibitive.
*Hemp was grown commercially (with increasing governmental interference) in the United States until the 1950s. It was doomed by the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937, which placed an extremely high tax on marijuana and made it effectively impossible to grow industrial hemp. While Congress expressly expected the continued production of industrial hemp, the Federal Bureau of Narcotics lumped industrial hemp with marijuana, as its successor the US Drug Enforcement Administration, does to this day.
*Over 30 industrialized democracies do distinguish hemp from marijuana. International treaties regarding marijuana make an exception for industrial hemp.
*Canada now again allows the growing of hemp.
* Hemp growers can not hide marijuana plants in their fields. Marijuana is grown widely spaced to maximize leaves. Hemp is grown in tightly-spaced rows to maximize stalk and is usually harvested before it goes to seed.
*Hemp can be made into fine quality paper. The long fibers in hemp allow such paper to be recycled several times more than wood-based paper.
*Because of its low lignin content, hemp can be pulped using less chemicals than with wood. Its natural brightness can obviate the need to use chlorine bleach, which means no extremely toxic dioxin being dumped into streams. A kinder and gentler chemistry using hydrogen peroxide rather than chlorine dixoide is possible with hemp fibers.
*Hemp grows well in a variety of climates and soil types. It is naturally resistant to most pests, precluding the need for pesticides. It grows tightly spaced, out-competing any weeds, so herbicides are not necessary. It also leaves a weed-free field for a following crop.
*Hemp can displace cotton which is usually grown with massive amounts of chemicals harmful to people and the environment. 50% of all the world's pesticides are sprayed on cotton.
*Hemp can displace wood fiber and save forests for watershed, wildlife habitat, recreation and oxygen production, carbon sequestration (reduces global warming), and other values.
*Hemp can yield 3-8 dry tons of fiber per acre. This is four times what an average forest can yield.
*If one tried to ingest enough industrial hemp to get 'a buzz', it would be the equivalent of taking 2-3 doses of a high-fiber laxative.
*At a volume level of 81%, hemp oil is the richest known source of polyunsaturated essential fatty acids (the "good" fats). It's quite high in some essential amino acids, including gamma linoleic acid (GLA), a very rare nutrient also found in mother's milk.
*While the original "gruel" was made of hemp seed meal, hemp oil and seed can be made into tasty and nutritional products.
dogsoldier0513dogsoldier0513Old Faithful
quote:
*While the original "gruel" was made of hemp seed meal, hemp oil and seed can be made into tasty and nutritional products.


Dang! And I thought all those jars of marijuana seeds, along with the grow lights and books on 'How to Run a Clandestine Drug Lab' that guy I arrested had, were for ILLEGAL purposes. Now, thanks to you, I realize the guy was growing FOOD for his family. THAT explains why there was no NORMAL food inside the house.... Roll Eyes
B BlueEyedLadyFamiliar Face
quote:
Originally posted by dogsoldier0513:
quote:
*While the original "gruel" was made of hemp seed meal, hemp oil and seed can be made into tasty and nutritional products.


Dang! And I thought all those jars of marijuana seeds, along with the grow lights and books on 'How to Run a Clandestine Drug Lab' that guy I arrested had, were for ILLEGAL purposes. Now, thanks to you, I realize the guy was growing FOOD for his family. THAT explains why there was no NORMAL food inside the house.... Roll Eyes


Obviously there is a huge difference between the illegal marijuana uses and hemp uses. That is like comparing poppy seed on lemon muffins to poppy seeds out of an opium field.
T traderPost Master
AFTER 24 YEARS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT and working narcotics for 4 years, I give this answer without hesitation..
"MARY JANE" as some refer to it...should be legalized...it is a waste of our law enforcement man power...waste of the Judges time....and fills our prison systems unnecessarily, costing you and I millions of dollars...
It is not the states that keep it illegal...it is the Federal Government...States like California and Oregan have attempted to make it legal but the FED BOYS step in and make the arrest...
As a Law Enforcement Officer, I have never fought someone high on MJ, but I have plenty of times on alcohol...
The Truth is if you took all of the hard narcotics, cocaine, meth, pills,including MJ and put all of their deaths together...it would not even come close to the deaths caused by TOBACCO...Yet! The Federal and State Governments have spent billions of dollars on enforcement of those drugs...but legalized TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL...
I have no problem with TOBACCO OR ALCHOHOL being legal...If I have learned two things from my law enforcement, I have come to recognize...Society will NEVER BE ABLE to regulate what someone does to get HIGH ON OR WHAT THEY DO FOR SEX...if we could, more prisons would be empty and no longer needed...
The facts speak for themselves..."OUR PRESENT SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ATTEMPTING TO PROTECT SOCIETY DOES NOT WORK" Full prisons verify that...our laws were set up to deter...that is not happening...
There is a simple way to stop 98% of all illegal drug sales within 1 year...Illegal drug sales are fueled by the gigantic amounts of money that can be made from it....
One little method will take the GOLD out of the drug business...but you will never see it happen...the politicians would never agree to that method...They would only have to do one thing...and it would be like sticking a knife into a balloon...the profits would deplete faster than the air going out of that balloon...
B BlueEyedLadyFamiliar Face
TC - That couldn't have been stated better. I have always contended that alcohol and tobacco are more dangerous than marijuana. Unfortunately, our government is driven by politicians who are corrupted by the pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies, tobacco companies and other "Big Money" conglomerates that won't let changes like these happen. Money has been stuffed so far into the pockets of our politicians that it is blinding them to realizing that it is time to make some changes. Although, knowing that changing the marijuana laws will never happen, it just infuriates me that changes aren't being made regarding industrial hemp. This has nothing to do with illegal drugs. Why won't they let a crop be grown that is so economically profitable to our economy?

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