Weed

OMG DRUGS! So at the moment marijuana is currently an illegal substance in the U.S. In some states it is legal if it is being used for medical purposes, however it is considered a crime to use it recreationally. The question of whether or not to make it legal has been floating around for a loooong ass time, but what is your guys' stance with this dealy?

Now, I voted legalized, and I am no pot head. I would never touch any drugs, as I know they can mess up your life, and I will never venture to smoke anything, seeing my grandpa living with lung cancer from years of smoking.

However... I do still thinking out of all the drugs, pot is by far the least harmful that anyone could take. It doesn't have any real harmful health risks, as far as I know, and it doesn't put the user in a hazardous state of mind, as some hallucinogens have been known to do.

If someone wants to be a lazy couch potato and kill time instead of doing something productive... like working a job or getting an education.. or hanging out with friends.. that is their own choice. Therefore, I do say make it legalized.

Also, this brings up a second point. Many kids take drugs BECAUSE it is illegal in the first place. It is that teenage rebel thing.. you do it because society deems it against the norm. I am sure, that if pot itself was legalized, crime would go down a bit, as cops are always busting people for smoking pot. Don't you think tax payers money should be going toward something other than busting lazy potheads who like to kill braincells for shigs?

Legalise it, then tax the hell out of it.

As far as my limited knowledge goes, it's effects are no worse than alcohol, so it makes sense to legalise this too.

And I suppose it would lower the crime rate somewhat as well. Plus the taxing should bring in some cash.

I think it should be legalized. I'm not even sure why they didn't try and do that sooner. If they are going to have normal cigarettes legally out there, marijuana should be legal as well. It isn't as bad for you and doesn't have many horrible side affects.

I wouldn't smoke it myself, as I'm against doing these sorts of things, but I don't see why they shouldn't legalize marijuana. If it were my choice, I'd have marijuana legalized and cigarettes illegalized from the beginning.

Basically, there is no downside to legalizing marijuana (in my opinion).

Yup. Along with you guys, i believe it should be legal.

- The government looooves to tax shit! Soo here's something else they can tax.
- Not all that harmful
- A step up for the law in the war on drugs, cause if it's not illegal they don't have to be fighting it anymore (lolz)
- It's organic. Thereofore good right?
- And like you guys already said, a lot of people use it strictly because of the fact that it isn't legal and they mearly want to rebel.

I am pretty sure I know who voted against legalization. And for the one who did, why don't you discuss with us WHY it should stay illegal... this is a debate after all.

It should be illegal. It brings joy to life and all joy should be crushed in the world...

On a more serious note...
Marajuana is basically a much more powerful cigaratte magnifying the bad effects of tobacco. Though I've never smelled or been around any marajuana, cigaratte smoke is one of the most digusting substances I've ever been in contact with magnifying that is unimaginable.

Marijuana use increases the heart rate as much as 50 percent, depending on the amount of THC. It can cause chest pain in people who have a poor blood supply to the heart - and it produces these effects more rapidly than tobacco smoke does.
Bad Heart=Dead

Marijuana smoke contains some of the same ingredients in tobacco smoke that can cause emphysema and cancer. In addition, many marijuana users also smoke cigarettes; the combined effects of smoking these two substances creates an increased health risk. In addition to this Marijuana smoke has been found to contain more cancer-causing agents than is found in tobacco smoke.
Cigarettes+Marajuana = dead

Young people who smoke marijuana heavily over long periods of time can become dull, slow moving, and inattentive. These "burned-out" users are sometimes so unaware of their surroundings that they do not respond when friends speak to them, and they do not realize they have a problem.
Marajuana=Unsocial

Studies of men and women show they have a temporary loss of fertility from Marajuana usage.
NO BABIES!!! D':

thinking and reflexes are slowed, making it hard for drivers to respond to sudden, unexpected events. Also, a driver's ability to "track" (stay in lane) through curves, to brake quickly, and to maintain speed and the proper distance between cars is affected. Research shows that these skills are impaired for at least 4-6 hours after smoking a single marijuana cigarette, long after the "high" is gone. If a person drinks alcohol, along with using marijuana, the risk of an accident greatly increases. Marijuana presents a definite danger on the road.
We get into to many car accidents we don't need help killing ourselves, thank you very much.

Research shows that the earlier people start using drugs, the more likely they are to go on to experiment with other drugs. In addition, when young people start using marijuana regularly, they often lose interest and are not motivated to do their schoolwork. The effects of marijuana can interfere with learning by impairing thinking, reading comprehension, and verbal and mathematical skills. Research shows that students do not remember what they have learned when they are "high".
Marajuana= Intelligence Killer

Long-term regular users of marijuana may become psychologically dependent. They may have a hard time limiting their use, they may need more of the drug to get the same effect, and they may develop problems with their jobs and personal relationships. The drug can become the most important aspect of their lives.
Fourty Year Old Virgin now becomes Fifty and Sixty and Seventy and Eighty

Marajuana is plan bad and while normally I wouldn't care if they wish to destroy their lifes they are also endangering my life and the life of my family.

I have a personal commitment to a straight-edged lifestyle; I eschew the use of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, crack, ecstasy, pills, and any other substance that isn't a medical remedy of some sort. So no, I don't plan to touch weed.

However, I am a strong believer in a system of moral rights awarded to individuals, deriving from their status as human beings. Immoral actions are those that violate these rights in other individuals. With this as my guideline, how am I to conclude that marijuana use is immoral? I can't. Unless, you know, you're injecting THC into people's veins or something, but I'm going to assume that this question has been asked of personal use of marijuana, not some fringe form of drug-assault.

Now, if we accept that marijuana use is not immoral, what justification is there for its illegality? Surely moral authority does not flow from the State! In the lack of an ethical reason to prevent its use, the State should have no role in suppression of marijuana production, transportation, or use, except those restrictions in place for economic or health-based reasons (for instance, unlicensed production for commercial use should be illegal, just like for virtually everything else, and driving high should be considered impaired driving and punished similarly).

It should be noted that marijuana, like any illicit substance, has a large body of users clamouring for a supply of the stuff. As it stands, only an illegal, criminal entity may exploit this; in turn, profit is awarded to the unsavoury types in charge of these operations. It also means that quality control goes down; way down, in fact, and endangers users unduly. Not to mention friggin' turf wars.

A marijuana-legalizing Act would not only open the business up to private entrepreneurs, increasing quality control and decreasing prices, but also allow this lucrative item to be taxed for the good of all of us. In addition, profit would no longer go to criminal organizations and they would be weakened in their power and influence.

With this out of the way, I would also point out specifically to Gath that he has provided no sources for the more startling of these factoids and that a link to a medical journal or other authoritative source would not only strengthen his argument, but also be enlightening and most appreciated for our collective learning purposes. However, I shall argue against his points primarily because I am bored, just returned from work, and feel like blowing off some intellectual steam.

"Marajuana is basically a much more powerful cigaratte magnifying the bad effects of tobacco. Though I've never smelled or been around any marajuana, cigaratte smoke is one of the most digusting substances I've ever been in contact with magnifying that is unimaginable."

Plainly, this characterization is... wrong. Did tobacco become hallucinogenic when I wasn't looking? I've never been around pot smoke, so I can't speak about that, but a friend of mine assures me it doesn't smell as bad as tobacco smoke does. But even if it's disgusting, that certainly doesn't make it wrong.

"Marijuana use increases the heart rate as much as 50 percent, depending on the amount of THC. It can cause chest pain in people who have a poor blood supply to the heart - and it produces these effects more rapidly than tobacco smoke does.
Bad Heart=Dead"

Firstly, source? Secondly, isn't it an individual's right to hurt themselves? I've never heard this one before, but it should be noted that THC has never been linked to deaths, to my knowledge.

"Young people who smoke marijuana heavily over long periods of time can become dull, slow moving, and inattentive. These "burned-out" users are sometimes so unaware of their surroundings that they do not respond when friends speak to them, and they do not realize they have a problem.
Marajuana=Unsocial"

Those potheads I know don't have this problem. I realize that anecdotes aren't really admissible, but I've seriously never heard of this phenomenon. Surely I'd have heard that it produces mindless zombies.

"Studies of men and women show they have a temporary loss of fertility from Marajuana usage.
NO BABIES!!! D':"

That's a good thing. If a couple doesn't want kids--if and only if this research is correct, which I doubt, due to a lack of sources--they could stop smoking pot.

"thinking and reflexes are slowed, making it hard for drivers to respond to sudden, unexpected events. Also, a driver's ability to "track" (stay in lane) through curves, to brake quickly, and to maintain speed and the proper distance between cars is affected. Research shows that these skills are impaired for at least 4-6 hours after smoking a single marijuana cigarette, long after the "high" is gone. If a person drinks alcohol, along with using marijuana, the risk of an accident greatly increases. Marijuana presents a definite danger on the road.
We get into to many car accidents we don't need help killing ourselves, thank you very much.

Impaired driving is a crime of a serious nature, and driving whilst actively and knowingly under the influence of any mind-altering substance is an affront to public safety. We are both on the same page with this, I hope.

However, in the absence of research to corroborate your statement--and a lack of findings, to my knowledge, of such things by the RCMP in my home country, or I'd definitely had heard this--I must fail to accept it as true.

"Research shows that the earlier people start using drugs, the more likely they are to go on to experiment with other drugs. In addition, when young people start using marijuana regularly, they often lose interest and are not motivated to do their schoolwork. The effects of marijuana can interfere with learning by impairing thinking, reading comprehension, and verbal and mathematical skills. Research shows that students do not remember what they have learned when they are "high".
Marajuana= Intelligence Killer"

Considering a high number of users are in professional positions, I would question this hugely. I don't think you'd be learning much whilst high (though I may be wrong), but I can not approve of the zombie-producer image you're painting here. It smells of propaganda and elderberries.

"Long-term regular users of marijuana may become psychologically dependent. They may have a hard time limiting their use, they may need more of the drug to get the same effect, and they may develop problems with their jobs and personal relationships. The drug can become the most important aspect of their lives.
Fourty Year Old Virgin now becomes Fifty and Sixty and Seventy and Eighty"

Really now? That strikes me as an aspect of much harder drugs! Since when have you heard of people in desperation for pot money before other things, crimes committed for marijuana (disregarding the world of organized crime; such things are motivated by supply and demand, not "addictions")?

"Marajuana is plan bad and while normally I wouldn't care if they wish to destroy their lifes they are also endangering my life and the life of my family."

Firstly, marijuana won't destroy your life. Secondly, the use of marijuana by other individuals does not by itself pose any threat to you or your family's well-being.

Thirdly, you still need sources.

Your smart too smart. You must be crushed once the pandas take over the world.

I would continue to argue, but uhh that's to much effort. You win.

Holy shit. That doesn't work out so well often. XD

>_> Red, you have too much time on your hands. XD

But YES, you do win.. or something. How does it feel, sweet victory that is?

Anyway.. woo pot. Continue the debate. ROFLMAO