Legalizing Weed

Off Topic Politics & World Issues
501

[quote]Professor X wrote:

WTF? Do you understand the point here is FREEDOM to do what you want as long as it isn’t some evil harm to society?
[/quote]

I don’t think you understand the point here. If the above IS your point then why stop at marijuana? According to your view everything should be legal regardless of the physical damage and cost to society.

By the way your allusion that marijuana only causes damage if inhaled through smoke is wrong minded. I already answered this question about 14 pages ago, but once again…

[quote]Frequent marijuana smoking up 80 percent among teens
“Disturbing” study finds 19 percent of teens drive after using marijuana
Survey: “Digital peer pressure” fueling drug, alcohol use in high school students[/quote]

No wait…that can’t be true because there are laws that say you cannot drive while high…LOL

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-57501243-10391704/smoking-marijuana-regularly-as-a-teen-may-lower-iq-scores-as-an-adult/

[quote]In addition to IQ tests, participants were given five interviews between ages 18 and 38, including questions related to their marijuana use. At age 18, 52 participants said they had become dependent on marijuana, meaning that they continued to use it despite its causing significant health, social or legal problems. Ninety-two others reported dependence starting at a later age.

Researchers compared their IQ scores at age 13 to the score at age 38 and found a drop only in those who had started regularly smoking pot by 18. Those deemed marijuana-dependent in three or more surveys had a drop averaging 8 points. If a person had average intelligence and was smarter than 50 percent of the population, dropping 8 points would give them a score only higher than 29 percent of the population, the researchers said.

Among participants who’d been dependent at 18 and in at least one later survey, quitting didn’t remove the problem. IQ declines showed up even if they’d largely or entirely quit using pot at age 38, analysis showed.

The researchers got similar overall results for IQ decline when they compared participants who reported having used marijuana at least once a week on average for the past year. The researchers had no data on how much was used on each occasion or how potent it was.

[/quote]

Now who would have thought that consuming a drug on a regular basis over the years would lower your IQ?

Certainly not you POX!

This is your out, just claim that old guys did this…By the way if memory serves you are about 40 years old now POXY. Oh oh!

502

[quote]xXSeraphimXx wrote:

[quote]Professor X wrote:

[quote]xXSeraphimXx wrote:

[quote]Fletch1986 wrote:
Ginger is absolutely nothing compared to weed. Promethazine is nothing compared to weed. Weed is a very powerful in regards to reducing or getting rid of nasea. And ginger can have side effects. Namely gas, the runs, excessive sweating, and a flushed face.

It’s a very poor comparison. [/quote]

So, if tomorrow someone found out the boiled radishes is better than weed for nausea should weed then be off limits for nausea?[/quote]

WTF? Do you understand the point here is FREEDOM to do what you want as long as it isn’t some evil harm to society?

This is America. You should be able to use both if you wanted in that scenario…not have one banned because you personally don’t like it.
[/quote]

Did you READ the rest of the fucking post? My point is quit bullshitting about the benefits and just say you are an adult who should be allowed to smoke weed if you please.
[/quote]

And that is all I have ever asked of any of these folks. The intellectual dishonesty is rampant when it comes to this topic.

Basically the majority of people who want pot to be legal enjoy getting high and don’t want to have to look over their should.

Simple…yet they just can’t admit it.

503

[quote]Fletch1986 wrote:
Let’s not forget that it’s practically impossible to OD on marijuana and one very heavy drinking binge can cause permanent amnesia, a permanent profound reduction in intellect, and even death. [/quote]

We’re back to the “pot is not as bad as alcohol (which is highly questionable) so it should be legal” argument. Not that it is actually good for you, but while it’s bad it is not AS bad as alcohol. Well then by all means we should legalize everything that is NOT AS BAD as alcohol.

That is the absolutely worst argument that I have ever read!

504

^

Than why on earth is tobacco and alcohol legal? From my understanding, it’s because their not deemed as harmful as things like heroine and cocaine so it’s left up to the people to decide whether they want to consume those products. Is there something missing from this explanation?

505

[quote]Fletch1986 wrote:
^

Than why on earth is tobacco and alcohol legal? From my understanding, it’s because their not deemed as harmful as things like heroine and cocaine so it’s left up to the people to decide whether they want to consume those products. Is there something missing from this explanation?
[/quote]

Asking why alcohol and tobacco are legal does not answer the question as to why pot should be legal.

I understand that both of the legal drugs that you mentioned have dangers associated with use. So we should legalize one more drug that also has dangers associated with its use?

I’m just looking for a logical argument as to why pot should be legal. Thus far I have not read one.

506

[quote]ZEB wrote:

[quote]Fletch1986 wrote:
^

Than why on earth is tobacco and alcohol legal? From my understanding, it’s because their not deemed as harmful as things like heroine and cocaine so it’s left up to the people to decide whether they want to consume those products. Is there something missing from this explanation?
[/quote]

Asking why alcohol and tobacco are legal does not answer the question as to why pot should be legal.

I understand that both of the legal drugs that you mentioned have dangers associated with use. So we should legalize one more drug that also has dangers associated with its use?

I’m just looking for a logical argument as to why pot should be legal. Thus far I have not read one.

[/quote]

I think we should draw a line at the level of danger to society a substance or behavior have on society and justify its legality/illegality based on that. Since we see this line drawn on drugs through decisions in the past, I see pot as not having crossed this threshold and thus should be legal or at the very least decriminalized.

I think there’s a lot more harm in illegalizing pot mostly because of primarily the injustice in making users of the substance criminals and barring them from opportunities they otherwise should be able to obtain. The punishment doesn’t fit the ‘crime’.

507

[quote]Fletch1986 wrote:

[quote]ZEB wrote:

[quote]Fletch1986 wrote:
^

Than why on earth is tobacco and alcohol legal? From my understanding, it’s because their not deemed as harmful as things like heroine and cocaine so it’s left up to the people to decide whether they want to consume those products. Is there something missing from this explanation?
[/quote]

Asking why alcohol and tobacco are legal does not answer the question as to why pot should be legal.

I understand that both of the legal drugs that you mentioned have dangers associated with use. So we should legalize one more drug that also has dangers associated with its use?

I’m just looking for a logical argument as to why pot should be legal. Thus far I have not read one.

[/quote]

I think we should draw a line at the level of danger to society a substance or behavior have on society and justify its legality/illegality based on that. Since we see this line drawn on drugs through decisions in the past, I see pot as not having crossed this threshold and thus should be legal or at the very least decriminalized.[/quote]

There’s a big difference between legalizing pot and decriminalizing pot.

That too is debatable. Some say that you are making criminals out of pot users. Others say if you use pot (as it is illegal) you deserve the title. One way we can lower the crime rate (all crime not just drug crime) is to have less laws on the books. But I bet you wouldn’t enjoy living in such a society, I know I wouldn’t. Another way to lower the crime rate is to enforce the existing laws.

508

I’m torn between being pro-legalization and pro-decriminalization.

509

[quote]Fletch1986 wrote:
I’m torn between being pro-legalization and pro-decriminalization. [/quote]

Need to keep it regulated if legalized. We don’t let people sell pure ethanol as an alcoholic beverage.

510

[quote]Makavali wrote:

[quote]Fletch1986 wrote:
I’m torn between being pro-legalization and pro-decriminalization. [/quote]

Need to keep it regulated if legalized. We don’t let people sell pure ethanol as an alcoholic beverage.[/quote]

Well… everclear is pretty danged close to that.

511

[quote]ZEB wrote:
I’m just looking for a logical argument as to why pot should be legal. Thus far I have not read one.
[/quote]

Do you seriously think that making everything illegal and then systematically legalizing things based on arguments as to why they need to not be illegal is better than having everything be free and legal and systematically identifying things which need to be illegal?

Pot should be legal because it shouldn’t be illegal. That is literally the argument. If there isn’t a good enough reason for something to be illegal, then it should be legal, not the other way around.

I don’t even give a shit about pot itself, but what I think is a travesty is mild mannered people going to jail for marijuana related crimes and then coming out 100x worse than they went in.

512

Who cares if your neighbor gets high? Who cares if it’s terrible for them or great for them? If you don’t want to smoke pot or be around those who do then that’s your decision. In my mind it’s about freedom of choice. We let people drink alcohol which alters their mind. We let people smoke cigarettes and cigars which we know is unhealthy. We let people eat junk food which we know can help lead to obesity.

Sure we should regulate it but no more so than any other consumer product.

I agree with csulli completely on that matter.

513

[quote]csulli wrote:

[quote]ZEB wrote:
I’m just looking for a logical argument as to why pot should be legal. Thus far I have not read one.
[/quote]

Do you seriously think that making everything illegal and then systematically legalizing things based on arguments as to why they need to not be illegal is better than having everything be free and legal and systematically identifying things which need to be illegal?

Pot should be legal because it shouldn’t be illegal. That is literally the argument. If there isn’t a good enough reason for something to be illegal, then it should be legal, not the other way around.

I don’t even give a shit about pot itself, but what I think is a travesty is mild mannered people going to jail for marijuana related crimes and then coming out 100x worse than they went in.[/quote]

Even if you think it should be legal it is not. Is it really so awesome that you would be willing to be caught and thrown in jail? See, to me these people are not to bright to begin with.

514

[quote]xXSeraphimXx wrote:
Even if you think it should be legal it is not. Is it really so awesome that you would be willing to be caught and thrown in jail? See, to me these people are not to bright to begin with.
[/quote]

It has nothing to do with their intelligence. It’s simply risk vs reward and they feel that the reward outweighs the risk.

But that has nothing at all to do with whether or not we should legalize weed.

515

[quote]atypical1 wrote:

[quote]xXSeraphimXx wrote:
Even if you think it should be legal it is not. Is it really so awesome that you would be willing to be caught and thrown in jail? See, to me these people are not to bright to begin with.
[/quote]

It has nothing to do with their intelligence. It’s simply risk vs reward and they feel that the reward outweighs the risk.

But that has nothing at all to do with whether or not we should legalize weed.
[/quote]

Basically this. One thing I despise is the attempt to force a set of specific values on everyone else. It isn’t one American’s job in this country to police everyone else on what is best for them if it isn’t causing immediate harm.

516

Get rid of the welfare state and we’ll talk.

517

[quote]Sloth wrote:
Get rid of the welfare state and we’ll talk.[/quote]

What does this have to do with legalizing weed? I know plenty of people who smoke and make great money. I fail to see your point but I might be looking at this from a vantage point different than yours.

james

518

[quote]csulli wrote:
ZEB wrote:
I’m just looking for a logical argument as to why pot should be legal. Thus far I have not read one.

Do you seriously think that making everything illegal and then systematically legalizing things based on arguments as to why they need to not be illegal is better than having everything be free and legal and systematically identifying things which need to be illegal?[/quote]

Who said that? Not me. Now why don’t you explain to me in detail why marijuana SPECIFICALLY should be legal. But you won’t because you really don’t know why you just sort a kinda feel like it should because you use it and well it makes you feel good. Nice argument you have there.

The dumbest thing I’ve ever read anywhere on this topic–Congrats kid!

So, you have no argument then.

But where then do you separate your choice of recreational drug from someone else’s? Is there ever a “good enough” reason to make your favorite recreational drug illegal? Nooooo of course not.

How do you feel about “mild mannered” jewel thieves, or bicycle thieves going to jail and coming out “100x” worse than they went in? Do they bother you as well?

519

[quote]atypical1 wrote:
Who cares if your neighbor gets high? Who cares if it’s terrible for them or great for them? [/quote]

Who cares if your neigbor screws his dog? Right? It doesn’t effect you so what’s the difference?

It’s more about the type of society that you want to live in. And when a product is legalized, legitimized and advertised more people use it. And as we saw with alcohol and the 100,000 related deaths per year, there are consequences to promoting this type of activity.

But if you like getting high I understand why you would want it legal. It is fun right? And you don’t like looking over your shoulder do you?

I understand.

520

[quote]ZEB wrote:

Who cares if your neigbor screws his dog? Right?[/quote]

WTF? Ah yes, the old “if I think this is bad, everything else I think is bad is just like it”.

I personally don’t give a shit if my neighbor screws his dog in his own home. I wouldn’t care or want to know about it. I also wouldn’t want the government putting cameras in my house so you can make sure no one is dog fucking.