Cannabis

[Bigblargh]

I'd like to hear thoughts on legalization, age restrictions, or if you find it disgusting and immoral. Or anything else.

Here's a summarized version of my thoughts to jumpstart discussion:
I'd love to see it legalized mostly because of economic reasons— cannabis is a huge industry, and if it was manufactured and taxed, who knows? It could give our economy a little kick. I think that 18 years is a fair buying age, as it's the same as cigarettes, but I could get behind 21 because both cannabis and alcohol are mind-altering substances. This would make turning 21 one hell of a party.
Looking at health, legalization would be nice because it's hard to find research about cannabis that isn't biased one way or another. I've heard all sorts of claims, like how THC can cure cancer— wouldn't that be great? Who knows if it's true? I was under the impression that cancer can be caused by smoking it. Cannabis can have negative effects, like memory loss, but I know this through personal experience and word on the street. These are not good sources.
My fear of legalization would be that cannabis would be processed like cigarettes and filled with nicotine and other stuff that gets you hooked. Worse than potential health detriments that wouldn't be there in pure cannabis, addiction would be really bad— a smoke break during work hours would be bad news. It's probably not a good idea for manual laborers to jackhammer the street when they're really distracted and find their jackhammer UNBELIEVABLY FUNNY.

EDIT: By the way, if cannabis was legalized, I personally would have very little intention of smoking.

What say you?

[Lachesis]

I think that the alcohol age for beer should go down to 18, but for hard liquors and marijuana to be set at 21.
Also, there should be restrictions like you can't smoke it in public places, and other stuff like that.

I would seriously like to buy into the cannabis industry, but alas, the bush economy took all my money.

[Bigblargh]

Ah, yes, I forgot! Cigarettes and cannabis should be under the same area restrictions. Perhaps more severe ones for cannabis because it's probably not a good idea just to be high anywhere, doing anything.

[t̷s͢uk̕a͡t͜ư]

I think you and I are on the same page for the most part, Bigblargh.
To be brief, I think that if liquor and cigarettes are legal, then marijuana definitely should be, and I also think that liquor and cigarettes should be legal. It's pretty straight-forward, really.
In some parallel universe which most notably isn't this one, an alternate ego of mine may have smoked some pot every now and again, and every time that me (who obviously isn't me me) got high, he never found it enjoyable. Maybe he, hypothetically, isn't the sort of person who would actually use it recreationally, he and I suppose, but I don't imagine I'd have much of a problem with people having the choice to.

[PALEMOON]

i agree that there would have to be some stricter regulations than smoking imposed if it's legalized, but other than that i really would have no problem.

[wedgie]

I don't have a problem with weed at all. I personally think that alcohol in general is more damaging than weed, even though I love to drink and don't smoke. I think that if alcohol can be legalised then weed should be too. It's really not all that bad.

[origami_alligator]

I still don't understand why it hasn't been legalized yet.

I heard the main reason it became illegal was because THC was found in urine tests of a lot of arrested folks, even though they may have been doing something illegal and got caught without actually being high on pot.

I heard that the state of Oregon is proposing a ballot measure to allow the Oregon Liquor Control Commission to grow and sell marijuana in places where alcohol is sold. The age for purchase would be 21.

I imagine that even if marijuana was legalized, companies would still demand drug testing and fire employees if discovered being high at work. Workman's compensation could still deny money to people who test positive for marijuana use.

[wedgie]

One thing I've picked up on after reading through this is the predictions that if THC were legal, then people could go out in their lunch breaks and get high before returning to work. Or generally smoking weed while working. But a similar thing already happens with alcohol, which is legal. People could go out on their lunch breaks and get pissed, which would make their judgement just as bad, if not worse than if they were high. Making something legal doesn't also make it ok to use whenever and wherever you like.
Legalisation of weed would not give it a lawless exception that would override common sense. It could be legalised while still remaining controlled like alcohol is.

[Kablizzy]

I think it's disgusting and immoral, but I also think that it should totally be legalized.

[bluenin]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29433708/

[Lachesis]

Also, only SMOKING weed will give you cancer, and that's of the lungs, because, well duh, you putting smoke into your lungs.
Alcohol damages your liver.
I SEE NO DIFFERENCE.

Also, the lung cancer can be avoided by simply eating the weed, and not smoking it, or smoking it from a bong, which take away some of smokes bad effects...

[otters~1]

Everything under the sun should be legal--let's allow humanity to make the right choices.

[Lachesis]

Everything under the sun should be legal--let's allow humanity to make the right choices.

State of nature FTW!!!

[capt_weasle]

Everything under the sun should be legal--let's allow humanity to make the right choices.

I think you mean "everything under the sun that won't harm anyone else other than possibly the user." If you think everything should be legal you have some major issues.

[otters~1]

Everything under the sun should be legal--let's allow humanity to make the right choices.

I think you mean "everything under the sun that won't harm anyone else other than possibly the user." If you think everything should be legal you have some major issues.

No argument there!

[Bigblargh]

More questions.
If cannabis was legalized, dp you think the use of other drugs would increase? Is there any validity to the "gateway drug" theory? Would legalization make that worse?

[SlappyMcGee]

What a horrible attitude the lot have about weed. Let's tax Weed, and make jobs from it? That's what we need, definitely. We need government intervention in something else we do for recreation. Isn't that right? Because the government knows what is best for us, human experience isn't worth shit.

Take the swine who want to profit off of a plant and publicly hang 'em.

[Lachesis]

Cannabis as a gateway drug is just bullshit. Potheads almost always stick to pot, and it's actually more common for alcohol to be the gateway drug.
Also, I don't know why the f**k people say "alcohol and drugs" when it should be "drugs" because alcohol is a drug.

btw, Slappy, what the hell?

[SlappyMcGee]

btw, Slappy, what the hell?

I don't know how to debate with this rock-solid argument.

[capt_weasle]

What a horrible attitude the lot have about weed. Let's tax Weed, and make jobs from it? That's what we need, definitely. We need government intervention in something else we do for recreation. Isn't that right? Because the government knows what is best for us, human experience isn't worth shit.

Take the swine who want to profit off of a plant and publicly hang 'em.

So you think alcohol should be free? Regular cigarettes? And how about going to the movies? People shop for recreation, so should what they buy be free instead? I think that if the United States were to make weed legal, they should tax it and make a profit from it, because it could help the current economic situation. Making weed completely free would cause the supply to drop dramatically as everyone tries to get as much as they can, not to mention it wouldn't have any affect upon drug cartels who do make money off of it. Having the government step down and control this so they can sell it would create competition for ex-illegal drug traders. This could help eliminate the possible dangers involved with shady drug dealers doing whatever they can to make a sale.

[SlappyMcGee]

What a horrible attitude the lot have about weed. Let's tax Weed, and make jobs from it? That's what we need, definitely. We need government intervention in something else we do for recreation. Isn't that right? Because the government knows what is best for us, human experience isn't worth shit.

Take the swine who want to profit off of a plant and publicly hang 'em.

So you think alcohol should be free? Regular cigarettes? And how about going to the movies? People shop for recreation, so should what they buy be free instead? I think that if the United States were to make weed legal, they should tax it and make a profit from it, because it could help the current economic situation. Making weed completely free would cause the supply to drop dramatically as everyone tries to get as much as they can, not to mention it wouldn't have any affect upon drug cartels who do make money off of it. Having the government step down and control this so they can sell it would create competition for ex-illegal drug traders. This could help eliminate the possible dangers involved with shady drug dealers doing whatever they can to make a sale.

Did I say that going to the movies should be free? No. I think artists should be able to charge whatever they like to let you see their movie. Do I think the government should get a slice of that money? Absolutely not.

People should be entitled to grow some weed and then smoke it, recreationally. Instead, you're going to try and put government control on every aspect; and that means jacked up prices for a hobby that is already popular among the destitute.

I think it's fair for the government to have a monopoly on drugs, just like it's fair for them to have a monopoly on gambling and alcohol. We don't have to think about whether our money is going to a good or bad cause when we want to gamble or drink, so long as we know good ol' Uncle Sam is in charge of it.

[capt_weasle]

People should be entitled to grow some weed and then smoke it, recreationally. Instead, you're going to try and put government control on every aspect; and that means jacked up prices for a hobby that is already popular among the destitute.

Oh, alright. I don't have a problem if people grow it on their own. I don't think government should have control of every aspect, and it would be impossible to completely monitor people growing weed in their own homes, much like it is now.

[SlappyMcGee]

Mmm. Perhaps I came at this from a Quebeco-centric bias; all liquor is only sold at Quebec-run institutions, and I was mainly referring to lottery, but I digress. I feel like well government regulated weed might be a slight improvement, we would still be conceding if we let the government decide the terms (Airgo, taxation), rather than allowing it to be completely legal in trade.

It seems to me like the government taxes us on things like alcohol and, conceivably, marijuana, because they want to remind us that they continue to disapprove, and I don't appreciate that attitude. If the government made marijuana legal but taxed tomorrow, I would consider it a victory, but the war would not be over, not by a long shot.

It should probably be mentioned that I don't do any drugs.

[scythe]

I'm for the legalization of both cannabis and salvia divinorum. Also all other psychoactives, but those two get first mention.

What a horrible attitude the lot have about weed. Let's tax Weed, and make jobs from it? That's what we need, definitely. We need government intervention in something else we do for recreation. Isn't that right? Because the government knows what is best for us, human experience isn't worth shit.

Take the swine who want to profit off of a plant and publicly hang 'em.

Before you posted, nobody had mentioned taxes. Just sayin'.
However, I have a far, far better idea: don't tax weed, tax Cheetos.

[SlappyMcGee]

cannabis is a huge industry, and if it was manufactured and taxed, who knows?

Maybe I just made that quote up, though.