Legalization of marijuana

[UTK]

Bill Maher is making headlines since he lit up and started smoking a joint on his show a few days ago



Which leads me to ask: should marijuana be legalized in your respective nation?

My answer is unequivocally yes, both medical and recreational. I also think all other drugs should be decriminalized. It's not the government's place to police what you put in your own body. You're an adult, you should have the right to take a drug if you wish. You already have the right to put cigarette smoke in your lungs or put alcohol in your stomach. It's no different. Funny enough, conservatives would go crazy if you tried convincing them of this, meanwhile they feel the exact same way about guns. Weird.

[The Legend]

I would agree that marijuana should be decriminalized, but I would stop there. Other drugs that alter people's behavior or perception of reality make them too dangerous for the rest of the people they come in contact with. Things like meth and drugs that are hallucegens are far too dangerous for people to be on for the rest of those of us they come in contact with.

[UTK]

I would agree that marijuana should be decriminalized, but I would stop there. Other drugs that alter people's behavior or perception of reality make them too dangerous for the rest of the people they come in contact with. Things like meth and drugs that are hallucegens are far too dangerous for people to be on for the rest of those of us they come in contact with.

I'd argue that very drunk people are just as dangerous. Any physical altercation I've had in my life was started by a drunk person. It can just make people violent. Should we do something about that?

But in that case, would you keep "the system" the way that it is, or change it up? I think far too many people are incarcerated for small amounts of drugs. The war on drugs has led to drugs as more of an excuse to lock people up than anything. Blacks are arrested for drug times four times the rate of whites, despite drug use between blacks and whites being more or less equal. It's less about "Keep this country clean, get those drugs off the streets!" and more "Keep this country clean, get those thug-lookin kids off my streets!" Drugs are just the excuse. Nobody should be facing prison time for having a small amount of any drug on them.

Also I wouldn't put hallucinogens in with drugs like meth. I've dropped acid on two occasions and, don't worry, nobody was in danger. I was too busy trying to understand the inter-connectivity of the human race while staring at the stars.

[Everlong]

I would say yes. I wouldn't exactly list it as a high priority issue, but at this point I don't really see the need for it to be illegal or criminal.

[The Legend]

I would agree that marijuana should be decriminalized, but I would stop there. Other drugs that alter people's behavior or perception of reality make them too dangerous for the rest of the people they come in contact with. Things like meth and drugs that are hallucegens are far too dangerous for people to be on for the rest of those of us they come in contact with.

I'd argue that very drunk people are just as dangerous. Any physical altercation I've had in my life was started by a drunk person. It can just make people violent. Should we do something about that?

But in that case, would you keep "the system" the way that it is, or change it up? I think far too many people are incarcerated for small amounts of drugs. The war on drugs has led to drugs as more of an excuse to lock people up than anything. Blacks are arrested for drug times four times the rate of whites, despite drug use between blacks and whites being more or less equal. It's less about "Keep this country clean, get those drugs off the streets!" and more "Keep this country clean, get those thug-lookin kids off my streets!" Drugs are just the excuse. Nobody should be facing prison time for having a small amount of any drug on them.

Also I wouldn't put hallucinogens in with drugs like meth. I've dropped acid on two occasions and, don't worry, nobody was in danger. I was too busy trying to understand the inter-connectivity of the human race while staring at the stars.

Very drunk people can be just as dangerous, and truthfully, being that drunk is against the law. It's called drunk and disorderly conduct. So, there are measure to discourage people from becoming that drunk, just like it should be discouraged for people to use the types of drugs I mentioned.

As for the war on drug points you brought up, I would agree that there are flaws to the system, but I would argue that we should fix those flaws, not throw the entire thing out with the trash.

Also, I wasn't putting hallucinogens and meth in the same category, just to say they are both very dangerous for the people that use them and those around them. As for your experience with drugs, I would just say that not everyone's body responds to drugs the same way. I can cite plenty of stories where people using acid has led to violent and sometimes deadly instances.

[Hanley!]

I think the biggest problems with the war on drugs are things like the 3 strike rule that mean people can get locked up for long periods of time for low level offenses. Or the racism that exists among the police force which leads to far more black people being convicted for drug use despite their statistically not using more drugs than white guys. I also think the focus should be on locking up those who sell and distribute drugs, rather than those who use them.

I don't have any problem with drugs being illegal though. As John said, many of them have dangerous side-effects, and can effect people other than those using them.

As for marijuana though, I'm all for legalising that. I've rarely used it myself, but there are no serious downsides to allowing people to use it. And so many people do it already that it would mostly serve to take the criminals and gangs out of the equation. Sounds like a win to me.

[UTK]

I would agree that marijuana should be decriminalized, but I would stop there. Other drugs that alter people's behavior or perception of reality make them too dangerous for the rest of the people they come in contact with. Things like meth and drugs that are hallucegens are far too dangerous for people to be on for the rest of those of us they come in contact with.

I'd argue that very drunk people are just as dangerous. Any physical altercation I've had in my life was started by a drunk person. It can just make people violent. Should we do something about that?

But in that case, would you keep "the system" the way that it is, or change it up? I think far too many people are incarcerated for small amounts of drugs. The war on drugs has led to drugs as more of an excuse to lock people up than anything. Blacks are arrested for drug times four times the rate of whites, despite drug use between blacks and whites being more or less equal. It's less about "Keep this country clean, get those drugs off the streets!" and more "Keep this country clean, get those thug-lookin kids off my streets!" Drugs are just the excuse. Nobody should be facing prison time for having a small amount of any drug on them.

Also I wouldn't put hallucinogens in with drugs like meth. I've dropped acid on two occasions and, don't worry, nobody was in danger. I was too busy trying to understand the inter-connectivity of the human race while staring at the stars.

Very drunk people can be just as dangerous, and truthfully, being that drunk is against the law. It's called drunk and disorderly conduct. So, there are measure to discourage people from becoming that drunk, just like it should be discouraged for people to use the types of drugs I mentioned.

As for the war on drug points you brought up, I would agree that there are flaws to the system, but I would argue that we should fix those flaws, not throw the entire thing out with the trash.

Also, I wasn't putting hallucinogens and meth in the same category, just to say they are both very dangerous for the people that use them and those around them. As for your experience with drugs, I would just say that not everyone's body responds to drugs the same way. I can cite plenty of stories where people using acid has led to violent and sometimes deadly instances.

That law doesn't stop anybody though. Nobody decides not to get too drunk because of it. Besides, that only applies to public places. Doesn't stop somebody from getting violent in their own home or apartment complex due to their intoxication.

I wouldn't agree with the idea that hard drugs should be illegal because it can harm the user. The point I'm making is that it's not the government's place to say what I can and cannot put in my own body. But I know your point is dealing more with the danger to others. But a person taking LSD in a responsible manner (i.e. not a fuck ton) poses no danger to themselves or anybody else. If LSD is abused that may change, but again, the same could be said about alcohol.

[The Legend]

^^^ That law doesn't stop anybody from getting that drunk, just like having a law against taking LSD doesn't stop someone from taking LSD. It just makes it easier to punish a person that takes it irresponsibly and does harm to others in both cases.

[VaderBomb]

The establishment should not have the power to dictate anyone's choice to ingest any substance, good or bad.

[The Legend]

The establishment should not have the power to dictate anyone's choice to ingest any substance, good or bad.

No person should have the right to put anything in their body that will result in a personality change that endangers me.

[VaderBomb]

The establishment should not have the power to dictate anyone's choice to ingest any substance, good or bad.

No person should have the right to put anything in their body that will result in a personality change that endangers me.

Someone's been watching too much Reefer Madness and reading too many William Randolph Hearst articles.

[The Legend]

The establishment should not have the power to dictate anyone's choice to ingest any substance, good or bad.

No person should have the right to put anything in their body that will result in a personality change that endangers me.

Someone's been watching too much Reefer Madness and reading too many William Randolph Hearst articles.

If you read the entire topic we've discussed. I've clearly said pot doesn't fall into this category. Other drugs fall into this category though.

[Str8Shooter]

I wonder if I'm the only one on here who's never smoked weed in their life?

[The Legend]

I wonder if I'm the only one on here who's never smoked weed in their life?

I never have either. I just don't think it should be illegal.

[VaderBomb]

The establishment should not have the power to dictate anyone's choice to ingest any substance, good or bad.

No person should have the right to put anything in their body that will result in a personality change that endangers me.

Someone's been watching too much Reefer Madness and reading too many William Randolph Hearst articles.

If you read the entire topic we've discussed. I've clearly said pot doesn't fall into this category. Other drugs fall into this category though.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I feel that all people should be allowed to make their own decisions as far as their own bodies go and any powerful entity that stands in the way of that right is limiting the human experience. Mind you, the only substances that I take part in are marijuana and alchohol, dabbled in everything else years ago but have little to no interest anymore.

[PorkChop]

I wonder if I'm the only one on here who's never smoked weed in their life?

I never have either. I just don't think it should be illegal.

Neither have I. I've never smoked a cigarette, in fact.

Smoking has never appealed to me, mainly as I can't stand the smell. My dad smokes like a chimney and the smell embeds itself in my clothes and everything I own. I've also never found myself under any pressure or influence to start smoking - none of my mates smoke, and like myself, quite a few of them haven't ever tried.

I'm not sure where I stand on the debate about legalising marijuana. It's not something which directly affects me or anyone I know, so I don't have any strong feelings one way or the other.