This was originally going to be a reply, but then I decided not to risk hijacking someone else's thread. Also, a few people might disagree with me, and this is generally directed towards the (fairly large) marijuana using population on the boards.
I would also like to note my biases towards marijuana: I do not condone the use of it, regardless of factors. I don't smoke weed, never have, and in all probabilities, never will. However, if an individual chooses to use such a substance, then I do not feel that it is my place (or responsibility) to infringe upon their decision, whether I agree or not, so long as they aren't putting me or others in danger.
With that being said, I think that marijuana should most certainly remain illegal in the United States. I don't think that many people consider that, regardless of their views towards marijuana, too many Americans aren't responsible enough to use that or any other drug in an intelligent manner. Though not so dangerous to adult brains (just like alcohol), excessive marijuana use can permanently damage brain development in adolescents. Too many kids have free access to drugs and alcohol as it is; making pot legal not only makes it even more obtainable, but will also give kids the green light to say, "If the government allows it, it must be safe!" This is the same mentality that has plagued alcohol abusers in the 12 to 17 age bracket who have no idea about how heavy and regular drinking disrupts their brain's development, while it may only take out a couple of brain cells in a fully grown adult of 21 or more years of age.
Also, if you already have the stuff, and you can get it reasonably priced, why in the world would you want to turn the production and sales of it over to big businesses that would create further mark-up, not to mention the heavy United States "sin taxes" that would be applied to it? Or, better yet, what if it became marketed as a general over the counter health/medical solution? Pharmaceutical subsidiaries would dominate the market, and I think we all know what tends to happen to prices when that occurs.
If you've already got it, and you know how to easily get it, why is it a big deal to so many of you? Judging from many of the posts I've read on this board, a great deal of you view the United States government to be full of corrupt and unintelligible bureaucrats that you couldn't care less about... so what does it matter if these people view your actions as "illegal" or "immoral"? Other than drug screenings and the (slim and generally light) chance of being charged with possession, the worry of creating legality for the drug seems, for the most part, a superfluous concern. Legalizing the drug probably wouldn't change a lot of users' habits anyways, seeing as it would follow many of the same laws of alcohol and tobacco use. No smoking on the job, no going on the job intoxicated, no being high in public, no smoking in a vehicle, no smoking in bars or restaurants, no driving while intoxicated, etc. You are once again confined to using marijuana from within the safety of your own home.
Would legalizing marijuana really create any sort of positive change within this country? And for those who smoke and think it should be legalized, do you really actually care if "the machine" gives you green light to go ahead and do what you've already been doing for years? I hardly see any reason as to why the answers to either of these questions should be anything but a rhetorical "No."
<P ID="signature"></P>
I would also like to note my biases towards marijuana: I do not condone the use of it, regardless of factors. I don't smoke weed, never have, and in all probabilities, never will. However, if an individual chooses to use such a substance, then I do not feel that it is my place (or responsibility) to infringe upon their decision, whether I agree or not, so long as they aren't putting me or others in danger.
With that being said, I think that marijuana should most certainly remain illegal in the United States. I don't think that many people consider that, regardless of their views towards marijuana, too many Americans aren't responsible enough to use that or any other drug in an intelligent manner. Though not so dangerous to adult brains (just like alcohol), excessive marijuana use can permanently damage brain development in adolescents. Too many kids have free access to drugs and alcohol as it is; making pot legal not only makes it even more obtainable, but will also give kids the green light to say, "If the government allows it, it must be safe!" This is the same mentality that has plagued alcohol abusers in the 12 to 17 age bracket who have no idea about how heavy and regular drinking disrupts their brain's development, while it may only take out a couple of brain cells in a fully grown adult of 21 or more years of age.
Also, if you already have the stuff, and you can get it reasonably priced, why in the world would you want to turn the production and sales of it over to big businesses that would create further mark-up, not to mention the heavy United States "sin taxes" that would be applied to it? Or, better yet, what if it became marketed as a general over the counter health/medical solution? Pharmaceutical subsidiaries would dominate the market, and I think we all know what tends to happen to prices when that occurs.
If you've already got it, and you know how to easily get it, why is it a big deal to so many of you? Judging from many of the posts I've read on this board, a great deal of you view the United States government to be full of corrupt and unintelligible bureaucrats that you couldn't care less about... so what does it matter if these people view your actions as "illegal" or "immoral"? Other than drug screenings and the (slim and generally light) chance of being charged with possession, the worry of creating legality for the drug seems, for the most part, a superfluous concern. Legalizing the drug probably wouldn't change a lot of users' habits anyways, seeing as it would follow many of the same laws of alcohol and tobacco use. No smoking on the job, no going on the job intoxicated, no being high in public, no smoking in a vehicle, no smoking in bars or restaurants, no driving while intoxicated, etc. You are once again confined to using marijuana from within the safety of your own home.
Would legalizing marijuana really create any sort of positive change within this country? And for those who smoke and think it should be legalized, do you really actually care if "the machine" gives you green light to go ahead and do what you've already been doing for years? I hardly see any reason as to why the answers to either of these questions should be anything but a rhetorical "No."
<P ID="signature"></P>
