Medical Marijuana Blog

An unbiased discussion on all aspects of Medical Marijuana.

Friday, April 14, 2006

Why is Medical Marijuana not legalized?

Great to see that we have received so many comments from our first post.

I can see from your comments that you feel medical marijuana should be legalized. The reason being that marijuana can help people with many different illnesses and medical conditions.

Why do you think most countries governments don't legalize medical marijuana?
Considering marijuana is considered by many to be a light drug, which does less damage than alcohol.

You can post a comment anonymously.

posted by Mark Levins @ 5:37 PM  

84 Comments:

  • At 7:58 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Lets face it. Oftimes the very people that are making the decisions are in power because it's illeagle. For example in the US the FBI, DEA, ATF, etc. receive funding based on their busts. If you don't catch anything, no ones going to send you money. (In the US 85% of the contraband taking into custody is marijuana at the mexican border by Border Patrol, they actulaey farm it out to other agency's so they can maintain their funding.) Why would they do something like take Marijuana off the schedule 1 list... it would kill their funding... kill their jobs. Until we find another way for those guys to make money, have "job security", and sell it to them, we'll have this push back.

     

  • At 3:33 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    interestingly in the 30s when they legalized alcohol marijuana became a problem. a lot of jobs involved in irradication. Also the economic policies would change if everyone opened their minds.

     

  • At 7:23 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    The government doesn't want marijuana legal because if its legalised, they lose money not fighting "the war on drugs"

     

  • At 3:10 AM, Blogger alanudi said…

    Basically, it's a culture shock idea. Consider the fact that the world is run by voters. Those of us whom would vote positive for the legalization of medical marijuana have, for the most part, experienced an inciteful event. An event that showed us that it is actually possible for this "evil empire" to be no more than a good herb placed here on earth to better the lives of those in need. The reason that medical marijana is illegal is that the world is run by voters. Until the majority of voters actually accept that medical marijuana is positively useful, it won't be legalized. Since the majority of voters are people who actually understand how democracy works are the ones who vote, nothing will change. This is because marijuana is widely considered a useless and/or destructive tool. Knowledge is the key and ignorance is our enemy.

     

  • At 4:29 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Because then the government would have to admit defeat, once again, with it's ability to "control" it's people...More than that, there would be too big a shift in the economy, in favor of the people because when something illegal occurs, there is the whole court and trial thing..."Make them pay" etc. Besides, it's just too simple an idea for most people to get...Legal means choice-Illegal means profit via thrill or crime.

     

  • At 9:25 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    One of the reasons marijuana is illegal today is because cotton growers in the 30s
    lobbied against hemp farmers - They saw it as competition. It is not as chemically
    addictive as is nicotine, alcohol, or caffeine.

    I don't feel that medical marijuana poses any type of health danger other than that of
    euphoric sensations, but who wouldn't want to feel good anyways! (no pun intended)
    Research/Studies do show however, that the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes really
    do have significant amounts of health benefits and anyone will agree, when all is taken
    into consideration as well as health risk, and the advantages are more for the cure of
    what ails you, then why not legalize it. Afterall, marijuana has been used in many
    countries, in many cultures, for thousands of years and is a natural herb of nature.
    (not to mention one of industry's biggest cash crop!)

     

  • At 6:52 PM, Anonymous Bsdwolf said…

    Thanks for the link to the Calgary420.ca group. We're fighting the good fight here in Alberta.
    Be safe and be well, but be heard.
    Bsdwolf

     

  • At 10:46 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I don't understand, our government does not want to legalize marijuana because they will loose millions of dollars from their " war on drugs" taxes. But if they would create farms to produces marijuana cigarette's they would be able to make all that tax money back easily, plus more. Just goes to show you our government would rather put people in jail rather then have a bounty of money.

     

  • At 9:22 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    One of my biggest reason to legalize marijuana is the fact more and more people die everyday from drinking and driving, or from the effects of say alchol damages the liver. How often do you hear that a person has died from marijuana. I don't believe I ever had. You can lierally drink yourself to death, but, can you smoke yourself to death in a sitting?

     

  • At 10:04 AM, Anonymous Phil said…

    marijuana should not only be legalized for medical purposes, but for recreational purposes as well. marijuana is a very light drug, even compared to say....alcohol? in Morroco, where weed is legal and taxed, two thirds of the countries total economy is marijuana. the extra funds from marijuana alone in Morroco feeds 200,000 starving families. and, if weed was legalized and sold at a cheap price that would take care of the drug dealer problem. cause no one is gonna pay more to get it from a dealer when they can get better weed cheaper at the corner store. if we can drink alocohol responsibly, i'm sure we can get stoned responsibly too.

     

  • At 5:42 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    For a small percentage of people, alcohol is poisonous. I, myself, cannot metabolize it well. Cough syrup nearly killed me as a child. I am 25. One beer sent me to the hospital, near death, when i was in college. So, drinking is not for me. Marijuana was always my drug of choice. It helped with physical pain, anxiety, depression, when done in personalized moderation. I smoked maybe once a week, toward the weekend. Never drove high, never went to work or class high, always did my homework and paid my bills. just came home, smoked relaxed and enjoyed some music and friends for company sometimes. While i still greatly oppose meth, crack, smack, etc, i am for legalization, taxation, and regulation. Age 21, DWI enforcement. Eduation on how to use it responsibly. Marijuana is a gnat compared to the wasps we need to focus on (hardcore drugs). I worked at gas stations night shift for 4 years. The most scary people i had to encounter were drunks! Stoners gave us BUSINESS!, and were quite entertaining to watch, sometimes. I have given up smoking 2 years ago because i was tired of worrying about possible law enforcement harassment. so i promised not to smoke it until it is legalized, which will, in turn, make me fight harder. tghis is just what I personally did. to each, his own.

     

  • At 10:22 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I hate the fact that our government is making money off this drug, because we all know everyone in the white house does blow.If i were in the white house it would garentee my place for at least fifteen years. I wonder if anyone thought to go to college, get a degree, and petition to make it legal! - Kraka JACk

     

  • At 8:09 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    you are not going to get it legalized sooo get over it. it doesn't need to be legalized for ovbilious reason!!!!!!!!! GET A LIFE!!! find so good cause to spend all u time on where u can make a differance!!!

     

  • At 4:54 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Marijuana as a textile will never be used until some of the big cotton, and oil barrons die off. marijuana for it's medicinal use won't happen until we have some healthcare reform in this country. You see, prescription drugs are big business, and old asses in congress don't want legalization of marijuana getting in the way. Folks, we need to change things, politics in Washington is at the point where some of this old bastards need to retire or freaking die. When Generation X takes control, we will see major change and reforms in the marijuana laws. Until then, we have to sit back and hide our behavior from police because they job depends on, "the war on drugs." It's coming ya'll, a new day will emerge where we will no longer have hide our personal habits from fear of the facist asshole police.

     

  • At 12:36 AM, Anonymous curiousg said…

    how many politicians actually platform around legalization of marijuana?...thats the kind of politician i would vote for.
    weed=good

     

  • At 5:17 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I rarely drink alcohol.
    I have only smoked 2 cigarettes ever...

    I just want to come home after a long week at work, roll one, and eat some good food.

    What is so bad about that?

    I Vote: Legalization

     

  • At 6:20 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    The only reason marijuana is illegal is because it's not grown in the U.S. It is ridiculous though. Think about it alcohol and cigarettes do way more damage so why don't we ban them?? I'm also sick of those commericals that say my son/daughter was killed by someone who was high on weed. Sorry but I have never seen weed affect someones judgement or thought. You can't say something is bad unless you have tried it yourself!

     

  • At 6:35 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I personally don't consider marijuana to be a drug. A drug to me is something that can harm your body and cause you to put yourself and others in danger. All it does is thin your blood to make you feel more relaxed. It doesn't cause you to be crazy or hallucinate. it's just a natural plant that is grown on this earth, unlike crack or meth that is made up of harmful chemicals.

     

  • At 4:27 AM, Anonymous Erika said…

    In the defense, Marijuana causes lung cancer, as smoking really, anything will. However, today I was told by a police officer about how "bad" marijuana was, because it creates these mexican & other drug cartels that are viciously violent and such. What he doesn't seem to understand, is that if drugs were legal, and were readily available thru the government or whatever, the cartels wouldn't have any reason to be trafficing drugs into the US. Drugs that are illegal will never be legal simply because the amount of money seized daily by our government in "drug" busts and such outweighs any kind of "taxes" that may result from legalization. It sucks ass, but you just got to put that in your pipe and smoke it. :)

     

  • At 4:14 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and I smoke marijuana on occasion and it helps with the numbness as well as stress because I also work with people who have disabilities. I really wish the government would consider all states to have medical usage of marijuana.

     

  • At 4:31 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Actually to what Ericka said, Marijuana would be completely harmless to the longs if smoked in an herbilizer. It is true that long term
    Marijuana users that have smoked for some decades can form Bronchitis. But if smoked in an herbilizer Marijuana is completely harmless to the longs

     

  • At 9:22 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    MARIJUANA SHOULDNT BE LEGALIZED YOU PEOPLE ARE CRAZY!!!!!!

     

  • At 7:01 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    why not instead of giving money to the police for making the busts, let the gov't tax the product and make more money from the tax. Instead of putting people in jail for crimes that are not a sevear as a rape or murder charge. Leave the room in jail's/ prison's for the people who do real crimes.

     

  • At 9:18 PM, Blogger jmg37 said…

    Marijuana is not legalized not because the government would lose money, or they're afraid, or its a culture shock. The reason it isn't legalized is that it does so much more harm than good. I know that it could possibly have medical advantages, but so could heroin, should we legalize that too? All of the scientific research to promote medical marijuana is inconclusive. They all state the it "could possibly help" but not enough evidence has been shown. Besides, the only good thing to come out of marijuana is THC, which, last time I checked, the FDA approved a pill with synthetic THC, Marinol. Stop trying to push this, its not going to happen. People are just looking for an excuse to get high.

     

  • At 9:47 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    :) im still high if its legalized or not.

     

  • At 6:26 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Marijuana is not legalized for many reasons. There is the fact that they make so much money on seizing drugs from grow op.'s, fining them and selling their weed that it makes a much larger profit than any taxes that may be in place as a result of legalization. Dispite the fact that dealers would be out of buisness if it was legalize, they don't care. Dealers give them a reason to have their jobs. I mean, I'd say 80% of calls they get (robbery's, murders etc.) are drug related and would have been solved if it was sold at every corner store at a low price. Think about it, alot of people get killed because of ripping people off for drugs, or getting robbed for cash to buy drugs, or robbed for drugs. drugs are the foundation of the criminal system. It has been said the best way to take a group down is to create a problem amungst them annonymously and show up with a solution. Once you do that, their all turned againsed eachother and you're stonger than all of them. And thats exactly what they did. If it was legalised, how many jobs would be down the drain? I'd say a hell of alot. Most of the pigs, judges, lawyers... The whole bit.


    And that is why, marijuana will never be legalized. Because no matter what, it seems, the majority of the world has fallen for it. And doesn't look to be getting up anytime soon.

     

  • At 6:01 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    The reason that marijuana became illegal stems back to the 1930's. In the early 1930’s, Harry J. Anslinger became the head of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. In 1937, Dupont patented the process of making paints, plastics, and other products from fossil fuels. Anslinger held stock in the Dupont company and urged Congress in 1937 to pass the Marijuana Tax Act making hemp illegal, because hemp could be used to make all the product Dupont could. The American Medical Association (AMA) was unaware at that time that Anslinger’s reference to marijuana actually referred to hemp, and the AMA was unable to denounce the law during testimony to Congress . These facts give an impression of conspiracy.

    It stays illegal to this day because of the governments inability to say "We messed up 80 years ago." I did a very thorough, fact filled research paper for my college course. Hemp and marijuana are not dangerous. They do not cause cancer. It has never been associated with death unless it was in use with another drug such as alcohol. Alcohol on the other hand causes hundreds of thousands of deaths. These are facts that GOVERNMENT run agencies have stated. So for anyone that says marijuana is dangerous or evil, I say this. Get an education first. Find out the facts. Only through education can we open our eyes and change this law.

     

  • At 4:46 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Is this really a big conspiracy?? Why legalize alcohol and tobacco when they do more harm to your body? Marijuana can lengthen your life where as the other two only shorten it.

     

  • At 5:36 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    If marijuana was legalized, the crime rate would drop drasticly. the backwards government wouldn't know what to do. they don't realize that with that much crime on the way, there would be so much time that can be spent on the shit that really matters like the murderers and rapists.plus marijuana is a very laid back drug. you never here of domestic abuse or murders due to people being a little high, or high drivers going the wrong way on the interstate. and possibly the best feture of marijuana is that it is impossible to overdose on.

     

  • At 5:46 AM, Blogger sleepwlkngparody said…

    The most dramatic thing i've noticed, is that in order to really complete an argument for the use of Marijuana we shouldn't just point out the fact it doesn't kill, or do less damage than other drugs. Than it is just a drug. And health reasons? Thats a million word list of biology and medicine, it isn't recreational.
    then all the really good points about its well placed ties into the economy. hah, financing border control, financing the goverment, all these elaborate dishonest paradox.
    You are all talking about a revolution. A differnt kind of economy,
    I know peaceful and productive stoners.
    I propose choosing a geographical location and moving there. and influencing that government.
    Like WTF WIth an ENTIRE BORDER OF america. An ENtire FBI DEA, Entire American Gov.
    What about one states government, with elected officials.
    If your going to fight YOU need a HEadQuarters!
    Like any good revolution. lol

     

  • At 4:20 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    i believe that our nation is wasting all that money in catching mellow peacefull marijuana users. instead of helping homeless children and fixing parks. the most important things in life are left to be prority no. two. what has this country come to!?!?

    contact me at reefo420@aim.com

     

  • At 2:01 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    i beleive that our goverment is stupid they all are why make somthing illegal that helps poeple they make beer and tobacco legal when it kills more people then anything. marijuana is not a drug it is an anti-depressend it helps you learn because it helps you focus on what people say even if they dont legalize it im going to do and if i get caught i am still going to do and they cant stop me

     

  • At 5:54 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    we can do something about it instead of talking. we can protest just like the canadians did. and get what we want!
    *stay high

     

  • At 6:51 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    marijuana is a beautiful plant and anyone who has seen a living one knows this. to compare it to man made drugs i.e. heroin, speed, meth, E etc. is preposterous. i have seen it myself, right out of the ground, not in a "lab"
    *flower power*

     

  • At 4:06 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    why do we even have to push for the legalization of marijuana? There are thousands of plants in on this earth that have the same,if not worse effects.Yet all of those herbs are LEGAL! Come on America, get it together,we are fighting a plant for godsake!I am a casual smoker, and have for years believed Marijuana should be legalized. We have found uses for natures other gifts, so what are we waiting for?

     

  • At 10:01 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Myth: Today's marijuana is more potent and more harmful than it was many years ago.
    Fact: There is no medical evidence that shows high-potency marijuana is more harmful than low-potency marijuana. Marijuana is literally one of the least toxic substances known. High-potency marijuana is actually preferable because less is of it consumed to obtain the desired effect; thereby reducing the amount of smoke that enters the lungs and lowering the risk of any respiratory health hazards. Claiming that high-potency marijuana is more harmful than low-potency marijuana is like claiming wine is more harmful than beer.

    Myth: Smoking marijuana can cause cancer and serious lung damage.
    Fact: There chance of contracting cancer from smoking marijuana is minuscule. Tobacco smokers typically smoke 20+ cigarettes every day for decades, but virtually nobody smokes marijuana in the quantity and frequency required to cause cancer. A 1997 UCLA study (see page 9) concluded that even prolonged and heavy marijuana smoking causes no serious lung damage. Cancer risks from common foods (meat, salt, dairy products) far exceed any cancer risk posed by smoking marijuana. Respiratory health hazards and cancer risks can be totally eliminated by ingesting marijuana in baked foods.

    Myth: Marijuana contains over 400 chemicals, thus proving that marijuana is dangerous.
    Fact: Coffee contains 1,500 chemicals. Rat poison contains only 30 chemicals. Many vegetables contain cancer-causing chemicals. There is no correlation between the number of chemicals a substance contains and its toxicity. Prohibitionists often cite this misleading statistic to make marijuana appear dangerous.

    Myth: Marijuana is a gateway drug--it leads to harder drugs.
    Fact: The U.S. government's own statistics show that over 75 percent of all Americans who use marijuana never use harder drugs. The gateway-drug theory is derived by using blatantly-flawed logic. Using such blatantly-flawed logic, alcohol should be considered the gateway drug because most cocaine and heroin addicts began their drug use with beer or wine--not marijuana.

    Myth: Marijuana is addicting.
    Fact: Marijuana is not physically addicting. Medical studies rank marijuana as less habit forming than caffeine. The legal drugs of tobacco (nicotine) and alcohol can be as addicting as heroin or cocaine, but marijuana is one of the least habit forming substances known.

    Myth: Marijuana use impairs learning ability.
    Fact: A 1996 U.S. government study claims that heavy marijuana use may impair learning ability. The key words are heavy use and may. This claim is based on studying people who use marijuana daily--a sample that represents less than 1 percent of all marijuana users. This study concluded: 1) Learning impairments cited were subtle, minimal, and may be temporary. In other words, there is little evidence that such learning impairments even exist. 2) Long-term memory was not affected by heavy marijuana use. 3) Casual marijuana users showed no signs of impaired learning. 4) Heavy alcohol use was cited as being more detrimental to the thought and learning process than heavy marijuana use.

    Myth: Marijuana is a significant cause of emergency room admissions.
    Fact: The U.S. government reports that marijuana-related emergency room episodes are increasing. The government counts an emergency room admission as a marijuana-related episode if the word marijuana appears anywhere in the medical record. If a patient tests positive for marijuana because he/she used marijuana several days before the incident occurred, if a drunk driver admits he/she also smoked some marijuana, or if anyone involved in the incident merely possessed marijuana, the government counts the emergency room admission as a "marijuana-related episode." Less than 0.2% of all emergency room admissions are "marijuana related." This so-called marijuana-causes-emergencies statistic was carefully crafted by the government to make marijuana appear dangerous.


    ANNUAL AMERICAN DEATHS CAUSED BY DRUGS

    TOBACCO ........................ 400,000
    ALCOHOL ........................ 100,000
    ALL LEGAL DRUGS ................ 20,000
    ALL ILLEGAL DRUGS .............. 15,000
    CAFFEINE ....................... 2,000
    ASPIRIN ........................ 500
    MARIJUANA ...................... 0
    ----------------------------------------
    Source: United States government...
    National Institute on Drug Abuse,
    Bureau of Mortality Statistics

     

  • At 10:50 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    i think that legalizing marijuana is completely insane. marijuana may be a light drug but it is still a drug, and its still unhealthy. plus legalizing marijuana will make it more availible to the countrys youth.

     

  • At 10:04 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    there is no reason for maryjane to be illegal. it causes no damage if used responsibly and it opens the mind to new ideas and horizons. it pacifies the user and makes him appreciate life in a brand new way. if people paid attention they would understand wats truly important in life. but ignorant people that dont want to admit the truth screw it up for all of us. the "war on drugs" should be focused on tweakers and crackheads cuz they are the ones that are really messing up society not us peaceful stoners. legalize the plant that will save the world! your are restricting nature by keeping it criminalized. seriously now why would god put it on this earth if we werent meant to use it? whatever legal or not im still takin bong rips :D

     

  • At 9:02 PM, Anonymous Brittanie Straugh said…

    even if the government does legalize it then yes they would loose money with the whole "war on drugs" thing. but then again they would be gaining it all right back if its sold out right, taxes, it would be the biggest money maker the gov. would have, duh. More than 50% of stoners are going to college are doing something good with there life, dont punish the ones who know what to do, punish the ones who take advantage of it and let it take over thier life. ITS NOT AN ADDICTIVE DRUG mind over matter.....what ever im still cheechin.

     

  • At 9:54 PM, Anonymous changethewayandsmoke said…

    to all the bud smokers out there!

    i agree with all of the positive comments posted on this site. it brings me an unimmaginable amount of joy to know that "we the people" are trying to open the eyes to such a blinded society. i've been a daily smoker since the 5th grade and have had no problems with jobs or health. the only problem i have had is being put in jail for "misusing" the chron. i have been diagnosed with bipolar symtoms, and have tried pharmaceutical drugs and have not had any cure to my problem.

    thankfully, i got the herb that never fails me, and dosen't cause nasty side effects.

     

  • At 1:54 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    My mother used to smoke marijuana as I was groing up. I am 16 now. I can agree that many things might be better if it were legal-who knows, crime could go down, our money could be spent in a better way. But I suffered and was neglected and abused my whole childhood. I live with another family now, and my mother is in a Texas prision now for five years. While I can forgive her, I cannot bear to think of a worl filled with more cases like mine. Please don't vote to leagalize marijuana. I do not ever want to see another little girl in my shoes. Please.

     

  • At 3:29 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    yo i beleave that marijuana isnt leaglized because they cant tax it and the coponies such as alcohol componies and also bars all sorts of componies pay the gov. to make it illeagle the bars dont want you smoking a blunt or a joint on a friday and sat. night they want you in the bar drinking on weekends and week days not smoking a joint i smoke every day and it makes you relaxed and you feel good i do stuped things some times but shit you can act straight when you need to you know what im saying

     

  • At 8:39 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I'm soon going to attempt to put together an add campaign fighting for the legalization of marijuana. I'm talking billboards, commercials, an official name with an abbreviation... the works. All i need is someone strong in advertising and some resources.

     

  • At 3:12 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I have smoked ganja for 5 years i still love it but ive found i need it just to get through the day.but i can go without it u cant do tht with alcohol or coke. i think it shud be legalized if it was this nation would be alot safer therz not many stonerz out ther that like causing trouble. Thay simply cant be botherd but thts not the point ganja has a effect that makes u feel warm and at peace. U can say wot u like about ganja but the bottom line is that the butifull plant we smoke is all ways going 2 be ther in sum1z room or growing wild thayl never stop us. its simple keep tokein do it werever u like. encaserate me ill find a way of blowin my smoke in the face of authority till my dieing day peace out 2 the stoner society, big love!

     

  • At 3:44 PM, Anonymous yailen said…

    I beleive marijuana is not a drug, but simply an herb. i also beleive the government wont allow this 2 be legalized for the simple fact that it will be hard to almsot impossible to TAX. same thing with alchol back in the 1920's. it iz only addictive when you make it and actually tell yourself you want it. lets face it if everyone was smoking a little weed then alot of thingz in this world wouldnt be as bad such as crime nd etc

     

  • At 1:16 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    they really are going to legalize it because one of these days their going to realize just how much money they will make on taxes insted of losing it for this "war on drugs"

     

  • At 1:39 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    well not too long ago Alaska was going to legalize it but 51% of the citizens said NO and 48% said yes, but since that didn't pass they legalized medical marijuana and if we (the citizens of the U.S.A.) keep fighting so at least one state becomes legal more state will

     

  • At 8:17 PM, Anonymous Eduardo said…

    With my experience I did not feel like I needed more after the high was over. It was awesome i must say, but unlike alcohol,you don't feel any hang over or lethargy. You just feel like you just had a fun vacation and are happy to be back hmoe with your loved ones. Plus I agree with ya'll it's not nearly as harmful as Cigarrette smoke because you don't smoke it like a butt, you just take a quick hit or two and within seconds comes a feeling of warmth and euphoria.
    I say it should be legalized! It ain'yt hurting nobody!

     

  • At 4:11 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    importantly, this is not an argument about whether you should smoke marijuana or not. the real question is whethet it sould be lagalized or not. simply put, legalizing marijuana would definiately lessen the indirect problems caused by cannabis. by this i mean the illegal trade of weed, which results in crime. if cannabis was legalized (not decriminalized, as i fear this would cause more problems) but if you were able to buy cannabis commercially from a licenced premises, it could be sold at a very low price, say, the same price as a pack of cigarettes. understandably, the government would want to tax it, which i have no problem with. but it would eradicate the black market completely, making not worth the effort for street dealers. furthermore, it would still be illegal to sell on the black market, as with alcohol and cigarettes. safer 'brands' of canabis could be made, or stronger types which could mean people need to smoke less of it. and you wouldn't necessarily have to smoke it. there are many less harmful ways to enjoy a bit of weed.
    in short, people are going to get stoned, just as people are going to get drunk or smoke cigarettes. but if the government were to legalise marijuana, it could become controlled, lessen crime, and would be safer and taxable. legalization does not mean the government is endorsing the use of cannabis, and of course, no-one will make you smoke it. weed generally doesnt cause crime, but the illegal trade in weed does.
    the social and health issues surrounding the use of cannabis are a different matter, but generally in my opinion, are lesser issues than those caused by alcohol, and believe it has become morally acceptable to use marijuana as a recreational drug.
    And yes, i do smoke from time to time, but i had the same opinion long before i ever smoked, and the majority of non-smokers i have spoken to agree.

     

  • At 10:15 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    There is clearly enormous support for a review of the law. If even a small percentage of this support could be utilized, perhaps by teaching it basic literacy and deploying volunteers to provide rudimentary envelope sealing and postage stamp application techniques, coupled with some effective mailbox location strategies, a hugely persuasive petition could be raised. Such a petition would send a very clear message to the government: Legalize Marijuana; or risk the pro legalization lobby one day being taught how to read and write, how to register to vote, where to vote, when the election is being held, how to safely cross the street so as not to be struck by cars, buses etc whilst on the way to vote, who to vote for and that writing implements will be provided for the purpose of voting and seeing the power they wield simply disappearing......


    If the government thinks these people will simply STOP saying the same thing over and over again, then it is WRONG. These people have a DEMOCRATIC RIGHT to say the same thing over and over again. The government may CHOOSE NOT TO LISTEN, but that will NOT stop these people saying the same thing over and over again.

     

  • At 7:23 PM, Anonymous Lance said…

    in my opinion marijuana should be legalized for many reasons lets just list off a few it has no addictive qualities, there are no recorded deaths from marijuana, the government if they were smart could grow it and put a heavy tax on it just like they do with gas, cigarettes and alcohol thus creating a lot of extra money that the government could use i mean with a national debt of trillions of dollars they could use that tax on the eighth that everybody is buying ha ha.

     

  • At 10:34 PM, Anonymous G T said…

    To the few who truly know the aspects of this plant, please be advised there is a lot to learn.

    Marijuana has not been proven to directly be a cause of cancer. In fact, it hinders the aspect of that, and this is the case of so.

    Nicotine has been scientifically proven to contain an enzyme (if you dont know what an enzyme is, wikipedia.org loves you much.) that actually causes the break down of the toxic chemicals in Nicotine.

    On the other hand, Marijuana does containt up to "four times the cancer causing agents" than cigarettes. Though, here's the spinner that you don't learn in 8th grade Health Class, is that THC hinder those chemicals from breaking down in the body. In fact, because of THC, Free Radical Cells which have been found to have a major place in cancer studies were destroyed after smoking Marijuana.

    In fact, for those who don't prefer to smoke, you can always get a Vaporizer, seeing as the Resin Sacks on the bud itself are what contain the highest concentration of THC. Vaporizing can provide a rich effect without the smoke or smell and virtually hinders any possible negative side effects seeing as your inhaling a gas version of the chemical melting like oil on a hot plate.

    Please all, do your research. Marijuana is clearly not legalized because of the Prescription Drug Industry, Politics, and Govermental Funding.

    We need more farmers, and less DEA.

     

  • At 2:17 PM, Anonymous The System said…

    Ok, Here's What I think.

    Marajuana = Yes

    Under 18 = Yes (but with proper Supervision)

    Driving While Intoxicated with THC = No

    Marajuana to anyone Under 13 = No

    I agree With Phil @ 10:04 AM. He is very right. I don't see anything wrong with goin home and Rollin one. And Yes, Government would lose Jobs And Profit. BUT, If the could CONTROL Purchase, They could TAX it.

     

  • At 1:35 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Presidential candidate Congressman Ron Paul is a strong supporter of medical marijuana. He is also a medical doctor. He introduced a bill to get rid of the drug Czar's office.

    See Here:
    http://www.mpp.org/site/c.glKZLeMQIsG/b.1087581/k.5A2D/Congressman_Ron_Pauls_GAO_complaint.htm

     

  • At 6:03 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Type marijuana in at Answers.com. You will find that MJ has many benefits. It fights many bacteria that cause strep throat and other bacterial infections (some STDs). I personally don't smoke MJ and never have, but I don't understand why it isn't illegal because its no where near as bad as other drugs (crack etc.) and cigys. The thing that makes MJ so scary to people is the people behind the drug not the smokers. Its the people who sell and deal (not all but most and this is true for most illegal drugs).

    If the gov. legalized MJ they could open centers that would distribute it to people. They could control the amount of THC and how much people were allowed to have. The gov. could make money off it too by having a tax on MJ. Smokers could pay a season pass type of deal for MJ. There is a way of smoking things responsibly.

    Eating it is better for you because smoking has carcinogens and other stuff that causes lung cancer.

    PEOPLE WHO ARE DRUNK ARE VIOLENT OR TOO HORNY AND KILL OR HURT PEOPLE. PEOPLE WHO ARE HIGH ARE PEACEFUL AND JUST WANT TO SIT. But lets outlaw MJ.

     

  • At 8:39 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I say we protest and have a "sit in" and make history. Marijuana should be legalized. It is a natural resource and for all those Christians who think drugs are evil...god did tell us to use all his resources. He put it here for a reason...for us to get stoned.
    I understand they are afraid of losing money and shit-but there are more serious drugs to be worried about.
    I smoke everyday and I don't give a shit.

     

  • At 2:39 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    FUCK ALL YALL who keep sayin shit about how people or agencies or the the governent in general lose money on the war on drugs or finding it because thats all they damn well look for because its easy to find, if it became legal i strongly promise you there would be a new 85% # bra or w.e. else fuckin bullshit, that pisses me the fuck off...wut about other drugs, huh? there's so much fuckin coke and shrooms flowin through this country right now...they r more worried about catching some damn potheads or pot dealers when they aren't looking for the really dangerous stuff like meth or coke/crack or acid and any of the shit thats really addicting and really illegal...those people got probs dude. the jails of america are being filled up with NON VIOLENT drug offenders(pot, quit fuckin sayin marijuana) so where is there a place to put all the really dangerous people like petifiles or rapers, serial killers...don't even tell me that some of that violence is caused by the drugs cuz we're talkin about pot, if somebody punches you and ur high u go like oh well i probably desserved that...but the point is...something's going to have to be changed in the laws against marijuana

     

  • At 4:10 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    i wish weed would be legal but i know it will never be cause if they legalized it they couldnt make money taxing it cause nobody would but it hell if u wanted some weed u could just grow it every drug even prescriptions have to go through a process and weed is the only drug that doesnt i have tourettes syndrome and when i smoke weed my symptoms almost go away completely without it i am a fuckin wreck LEGALIZE IT...look at all the countries crime rate that has weed legal it is very low if everybody smoked weed alot of problems will just be laughed at thank u for reading im about to smoke me a fattie

     

  • At 12:53 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    If we gave them enough shit, they would probably legalize it because the war on drugs wont stop if marijuana is legalized, cause theres still meth, heroin, cocaine, crack, extacy, and acid. maybe more idk, but they would probably start stoping those drugs more which would do alot better then putting way meth friekes then people who smoke marijuana. so they would start focusing on getting funds out of busting drugs that are more illegal and getting more money.

     

  • At 2:41 AM, Anonymous Jamie said…

    If the government can distribute the drug to citizens with diseases(wheelchair weed)to help with their pain, than they certainly should give others the right of freedom. It's said that legalization will give children the idea that drugs are acceptable, yet are they not? Alcohol is a drug. If restrictions were layed upon the use of this drug like alcohol than it wouldn't be as accessible as it is now. If the drug was legal, but controlled the same way as alochol and tobacco than it should be acceptable. Not everyone is affected the same way by the use of marijuana. In fact, for myself it brings out a positive side of me. I'm naturally a negative person, however with the use of marijuana I have more of a sense of humour, I'm more layed back and I enjoy most things more than I would if I were sober. Although I'm under the influence I can still make logical decisions.

     

  • At 4:46 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    what i think it is....the goverment cant tax marijuana....if they found a way 2 tax it im sure u could buy it pretty much enywere...but the goverment cant get there greddy hands on the profits and that is why it is illegal

     

  • At 7:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    hey stoners what is with the bullshit the government gives us for smoking pot its not thier life or thier body y is it any of there bussness what we consume its like stupid alchol boes more damage then pot but yet it is still legual after all the deaths but ihave never heard of a death because of pot it stupid i say out with alchol in with pot

     

  • At 5:32 AM, Anonymous James Hovland said…

    Dennis Kucinich is a candidate for President that wants to decriminalize marijuana, online he is leading in many of the polls because he is on target with the peoples issue, one of them is marijuana.

    I see people writing letters to congress and to the president, econimist, doctors, people from all over working to decriminalize. Help elect this guy and we don't need to write anymore letters because the President will already be on our side.

    The media doesn't want us to know about him because thier clients like the candidates that promise them favors. This guy honestly doesn't stand a chance without the peoples help to spread the word. Well here I am, an average Joe like youthe rest of , not paid, just motivated and hoping for a better future for my kids. This guy is easy to promote because he wants what the people want, but he does need our help, please spread the word. Dennis Kucinich for President in 2008. For peace, for decriminalization, for the people. We can do this, we just need motivated. How about growing pot in the open? Motivation enough? Spread the word.

    James Hovland, find me at www.care2.com

     

  • At 4:21 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    i want to know why we dont use marajuana to help peaple like other drugs that are far more addicting and have more side afects? also hemp can be used for so much and it will save our trees. i belive what they are afraid of is they might have to addmit they were wrong about marajuana and thats just something they wont do.

     

  • At 12:48 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I think law enforcement should focus their entergy on herion, crack,x,and other drugs thats tearing our family and neighborhoods apart. marijuana has not done those things, i've heard that they think this leads to other drug use thats not so if people want to do other drugs they will.

     

  • At 1:47 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    If we could get politicians in power that were not greedy, or untruthful, it could work. One problem I think there is in society is the people representing the ideal. What they see is people going, "Hey weed shud be legal cuz i lik it" and they think we are just stupid and uncultured. In reality, all you have to do is look at the science. Marijuana is not detrimental to society in any way except when those who use it make it so. The same problem occurs with alcohol. If anything, tobacco and alcohol should be unlegalized, and marijuana should be legalized. It all comes down to the chemicals. Tetrahydrocannibinol, or THC, is the chemical that gives you a high. We have receptors in the brain that takes THC in. In many studies on THC, the chemical stimulates brain cell protection and generation. Also, it has been seen to help in the curing and control of many disorders and cancers. It is a health beneficiary. THC is only found in the cannabis plant, and so we should use marijuana. But the ingestion also has something to do with it. Burning it, like for smoking and conduction vaporization will cause smoke inhalation, which is the real problems. The toxins in cannabis smoke are similar to the toxins in cigarette smoke, and so can give you lung caner, among other things. The one thing that redeems it all is convection vaporization. It heats the air inside the vaporizer using electricity to the point where all the THC dissolves into the air, coming out of the plant. Then you inhale the mixture like it is air and hold it in, or whatever you want, then exhale. This is a more efficient way of THC extraction, as well as obliterating all negative health effects. If everyone used convection vaporization with their marijuana, along with discretion in action, all marijuana would do is improve the overall life quality for humans. The problem is here: major corporations and corrupt government systems cannot benefit from health. They make money off of the suffering of us in the general public. The thing that they are not thinking about is that all of this terrible stuff they do to us, they do to themselves. Their children are consuming these products, and suffering along with everyone else. And if they are not, they should think of how it feels to be the ones who suffer. How would they like it if some jackass was indirectly killing everyone he knows? Maybe things would improve if they read shit like this. The overall idea is that some people, like me, research what they do beforehand, so we have the knowledge. We should start an organization with branches everywhere people support marijuana, and band together, so we can improve this world 1 bud at a time!

     

  • At 2:24 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Haven't had time to read all the comments, so some of this may be redundant, but...

    I read somewhere that marijuana was made illegal because it can be used to make better paper products and Dow (and perhaps other companies involved in the use of wood pulp) didn't like that idea. So, they generated yellow journalism, which made pot look like it created monsters. If there was a rape, for example, by a black man in the south, the headline would read, "BLACK MAN ON MARIJUANA RAPES WHITE WOMAN." But the truth was, of course, that he drank a bottle of whiskey that night. There happened to be part of a joint in his ashtray, though.

    What gets me is that marijuana is a plant that is EASY to grow. It grows like a weed. It is a plant that oxeganates the environment at a faster rate than most, makes good paper, cloth, and many other things, and has never, ever in the history of man been the cause a health problem that led to death. Unlike tobacco, alcohol, pharmaceutical drugs, aspirin, etc.

    The people need to understand that they've been taken. Every single person who believes that pot is an evil drug is blind to reality. And yet, at the same time, they are often the ones who can go to church Sunday morning and be half in the bag by afternoon. In front of their children.

    I wonder if they are conscious of the irony of it all. How can it be that so many would be aware of what is right (legalization) and yet do nothing about it?

    I wonder if you could tell, as you read this comment, at which point I got stoned.

    Peace, all.

     

  • At 12:12 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    i have reciently been busted for cultivation by the police. I am 53 and have spent the last 7 years taking care of my father which has cancer. When i first arrived my father was fine. Through the cancer treatment he was loosing weight. The only thing that gave him the urge to eat was the special cigars that we smoked. Marinol was not a option since it hit him to hard. I do not regreat what i did for my father and i might have years in prison to think about the treasured last years of my life with my DAD. In my life time i am sure that something will be done to aide some of the surrering people with cancer.

     

  • At 3:06 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    it should be legalized. the governemnt can sell it and make money off of it. their wasting their money trying to keep it illegal. it doesnt kill your brain cells. you only feel wierd for a couple of hours and then it wears off. if the government is so worried about people abusing it then just set limitations. like, no driving under the influence, and you can only have so much in your system at a time. so lets just make this process easy and save everyone some money and just legalize it. depressed people can smoke and be happy. it makes everyone get into a good feeling. and it helps some cancers.

    LEGALIZE MARIJUANA!!!

     

  • At 5:59 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    So i am doing my persuasive speech on legalizing marijuana and i was wondering if anyone has any good advice as to what i should put in my speech. it can only be like 5-7 min. long and that will be hard for me because i want to say everything but i cant. any suggestions?

     

  • At 1:06 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Ron Paul is a Congressman running for President who wants to decriminalize all drugs, ending the drug war....you might find many of his other stances pretty great too (like peace and the end of the income tax!!) if you check him out on YOUTUBE or his own site www.RONPAUL2008.com. I promise everyone here will get a good felling about this.

    -peace and freedom

    Peter

     

  • At 11:04 PM, Anonymous MDS Dizzle said…

    God made Weed!
    Man made alcohol.
    Who do you trust?
    I going with god and im gonna keep on tokken from my bong.
    Im gonna roll it up,light it up,inhale,exhale.

    Every body knows the mother fucking reason its not legal and thats because the goverment hasnt found a way to make more money than they already make off of weed so fuck the government! ALL they care about is MONEY

    LEGALIZE IT or Im going to Amsterdam

    PEACE

     

  • At 2:21 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I use to smoke bud maself, however I do not think it should be legalized at all. I have a friend who smokes only a 10 a day yet she is turning out to be a major pscitzaefrenic! Im not just talking about her bad temper, she'll sit in a cupboard shouting 'leave me alone' over and over again for hours, whilst cuting her wrists. She is only 15, and usually a lovely, stuning, popular young girl from a rich loving family. She is my best friend and my cousin and if you had seen what I have, this shit about legalizing it would make you feel sick!! So what if the gov. only think about fukin money, they havent done this 2 my m8, weed has!! you sick bastards!!

     

  • At 10:19 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    you are an idiot she is useing more than just weed,weed dose not make you that way, i smoke about an 8th a day and i dont get that way she is on coke or beans(pills).
    the time to act on this shit is now the proibition on marijuana is just that bull shit. we need to fight for our rite to use legally the government are just running over us, marijuana has been used since the beginig of time its even mentioned in the bible as gods gift to the world, you anti-pot people make me sick telling lies and forceing you oppions to get your point acrossed,so i say stoners rise up and use force if nessecery for the rites of all americans we need to bring these fat with conservitives in washington down

     

  • At 2:03 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    look now damnit i no dat alot has been said about marijuana but 65% is probley a meth cuze da police and the govenerment made it up 2 scare people that ant even tried it.....why u ask idk....but i do no 1 thing the governer oooowwweeesss us big time cuz we americans put up with a hell of alot they r taking our freedom away i thought that i wuz suppouse 2 be living in d land of d free u no whut thats a bunch of bull...u no whut else...?....whell i say the hell with tha govenerment cuz the dont no how 2 treat a lady...if day did day wuld b nice 2 mothernature for godssss sake.........i mean they already control whut we say on the tv but my point iz dat they shuld really think about whut america whants not whut they...:(

     

  • At 9:10 PM, Anonymous frankthetank13 said…

    I had an epiphany the other night and I thought that I should share it with whom ever might read this.

    You cannot make something from nothing and that is what all the candidates are trying to convince us that they can do. They are not magicians, and there is no way to make a national health care system in this country with our national deficit and top tier tax bracket egocentricism. And here with our many problems we have the answer right beneath our noses; Marijuana. Instead of waging a war on drugs and dumping money into programs with little success in attempts to eradicate this drug we should embrace it. And not to just simply let happy pot heads run around freely smoking weed as they please, but to regulate it as alcohol and nicotine are legal. With similar regulations to alcohol, and taxation like cigarettes, we could create a natinal health care system from the taxes reaped from the legalization of marijuana. Not only would we make millions from simply taxing the sale, cultivation, and ditribution of marijuana, but we would save millions of government funds and time from the judicial and jail systems overloaded with these nonviolent (soon to be non criminal) criminals, thus freeing up space and money to try the more serious violent criminals.

     

  • At 12:03 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    My name Tanner and i just wanted to say that weed shouldnt be illegal because it helps people out. have u ever herd about what pills do to ur liver i have. weed can help u out because if ur having truble sleeping in stead of taking liver killing sleeping pills u can smoke a joint. or if ur ever nervus dont smoke a cigeret smoke a joint. U never here about people geting cancer from smoking weed but u can get cancer by smokin a pack of cigerets.Smoking weed is even safer than drinking a beer if u think about it if ur STONED and drivin wouldnt u drive slower and more careful in stead of driving drunk and fast. Just remember that next time u go to drink a beer or smoke a cigeret that both of those things can kill u some day. Smoke a joint or a bowl. now if u can id get and evaporater that is the most safest and best way to smoke weed and if u dont know what it is look it up on google or ebay. Thank u for reading this now im going to sit back realax an smoke a joint. Later to who ever reads this.

     

  • At 4:25 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I read in a post on here that pot causes lung cancer. This is actually a false statement as studied by the AMA. There has been no known cases of lung cancer due to pot smoking. Pot is actually shown to cause less pollutants than the air you breathe outside. Please do the research and gain the knowledge before you say anything like that. People who have never smoked get lung cancer as well, many of them.
    Read up on your subjects preferably through reliable medical journals and you will see for yourself.

     

  • At 7:02 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    there a few people on here that say marijuana is bad whatever. that is what they were thought when they were raised. in all reality MARIJUANA should be legalized deffanatly. it doe NOT cause lung cancer it can give people brocidis thats baout it. it helps depression its very peaceful.
    also a person in the middle of these comments said something about THCpill and that we need to get over the fact that is bad..well accordindg to people who dont smoke it THC is the worst part of weed! its ALL GOOD PEOPLE!
    ROLL A BLUNT SMOKE A JOINT ITS HELLA PEACEFUL people who think is bad ya'll is TRIPPIN

     

  • At 8:41 PM, Anonymous Keith said…

    I do agree with making marijuana legal. But what are things we can do to progress? If there was some way to show the government the benifits from legalizing. Not only the turn around of the american economy! From the release of prisoners to the multi- billion dollar industry! But what are some steps everyone can take to make them see what we see! I'm not talking about writting a senator or a congrassman we all know that really dosn't do shit but i'm willing to do anything so i don't have to worry about the police busting down my door because i want to relaxe a little! So if anyone has ideas let me know i really what to get the ball rolling with some steps to legalize.

    -Because talk is cheap!

     

  • At 1:28 AM, Anonymous thegonjahero said…

    alright... this goes out to all you stupid ignorant mutherfuckers that think that marijuana is a threat to american society. Anyone who tells you that weed kills brain cells or that it is worse than smoking cigarets is lying to you. Marijuana poses minimal health risks when smoked. If marijuana was leagalized then the crime rates would have decrease dramaticaly and people in prisons would be dramaticaly deacreased. If America is supposed to be the land of the free then why do they throw people in jail for a little harmless plant? Think about that next time they tell you that america is a free country. I cant wait till the day people open their eyes and realize that marijuana should be leagalized. Leagalize Freedome.

     

  • At 1:13 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Marijuana is a natural plant as opposed to meth, crack etc. made of horribly harsh chemicals. those should stay banned, but the main point of this is I geuss is that alcohol, and ciggarettes cause more damage and addiction to your body that marijuanna. so if tthose are legal, then why can't hemp be legal as well. not to mention the thought that weed would be far safer if it's watched over and monitered by the government, as opposed to Vinny at the street corner.

     

  • At