Please express your views on legalisation of marijuana in general.
Do you think medical marijuana should be legalised or should all marijuana be legalised. Alternatively would it be best if marijuana was illegal in all circumstances.
Click here for our other popular legalization of marijuana post.
Click here for places in the world, where medical marijuana or marijuana are legalised.
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CBD is the substance that regulates the psychoactivity in THC I think there should be no limit to the amount of either, and the potency of today’s strains has not increased since the 16th century more than 8% THC.
The only things we discovered were how to make hashish and extract pure THC oil using any kind of solvent from water to kerosine. And even if the public cultivates more potent strains what in the world is so bad about that? It just means that it takes a lot less green to put someone in God’s hands that they’re so high. Just a conservative idea.
Marijuana should be legal
Without being legal marijuana is one of the top cash crops jn the world!!
People at every age use marajuann illegally EVERY DAY! Majority of users buy their stash illegally… But what if this money was going into the economy instead of into the pockets of greedy drug dealers? Some say that making marijuana legal would not stimulate the economy but think about it… First of all prisons would decrease in the number of inmates dramatically, the authorities Wont have to waste their time trying to catch these harmless non violent users and sellers and go after much more serious and dangerous criminals.
Marijuana is a very mellow drug, as a heavy user I can say it’s an extremely easy habit to quit and there are no long term affects. Being larthargic and short term memory is only seen while duration of constant use. It is much safer than alcohol or tobacco. Some argue that marijuana is a mind altering drug and yes marijuana can and does change opinions and outlooks on life but while intoxicated functioning and decision making is. No different from when you are sober.
The marijuana industry would open jobs up to thousands of citizens, this would decrease the unemployment rate opening around 200000 jobs! Some say that people would just take their money out of other industries and put it into the marijuana industry, thus killing out or slowing down the other industry but when you think about who would most likely be buying marijuana if legalized would be previous users that already buy it, and so their money would actually be getting put back into the economy instead of the black market.
There is a very high number of people that use marijuana recreationally weather it’s occasionally or constantly it’s a very easy drug to obtain and people will do if weather it’s legal or not so why not make it legal and reduce criminalizing innocent non violent users and stimulating the economy and changing the world! Not only is this mellow soothing drug good for a nice time To relax but it also helps with plenty of medical issues and relieves pain just as well as aspirin (more people die a year from using aspirin than marijuana)
I can’t believe these credit card companies are mandating that you cannot put medical marijuana on your credit card! What about patients who can’t pay in cash or who are on a fixed income?
Almost three-quarters of Americans favor legalizing the herb within their respective states for medical use, while just 18% oppose such a measure, according to a Harris Interactive poll released this past Thursday.
Marijuana should be legalized because we are free people. They do not really affect our health badly. In fact it helps us.
Maybe the weaker stuff but perhaps there should be a limit as to how much THC and how little CBD is allowed, in my opinion the balance has got out of wack these days. Bring back the old strains.
Please contribute to this forum discussion: https://www.medicalmarijuanablog.com/forum/seed-strains-breeding-autoflowering-feminized-seed-banks/
there is no question it should be legalized. and now that there are safe ways to smoke it via vaporizers, theres no reason not to. So many pot smokers now are looking up vaporizer reviews picking one that fits them and smoking in a healthy way. Doctors even condone it.
Please have a look athe the report I did last semester for the legalization of marijuana in the United States. I’m also looking for people to discuss their views either for/against legalization. I would greatly appreciate it.
http://www.marijuanaadvocates.blogspot.com
It was evident that prohibition of alcohol failed in the 1930’s, So why are we repeating history with a different substance? Is our country that ignorant by refusing to learn from our previous mistakes? Or do we really need to travel down the same road all over again only to come to a dead end. The idea of prohibition was designed to reduce alcohol consumption, crime, and the burden that becomes the tax payers’ dime. Prohibition had the complete opposite effect in all areas.
The use of alcohol was in fact, declining until prohibition laws were put in place. In the beginning of the prohibition era, there was an immediate decline of alcohol use, however it did not last long and usage began to skyrocket again and surpassed the pre-prohibition usage by an amazing amount. Along with the spike in alcohol use, Crime began to become organized around alcohol because of the supply and demand. People wanted alcohol and nothing was going to stop them from obtaining it. Alcohol became the prize item of the black market trade. Prohibition was responsible for increasing government spending due to the excessive regulation and need for heightened law enforcement to fight the organized crime.
Once Prohibition was repealed Alcohol usage once again began to decline, along with crime, and tax burdens. This seems to be a vicious cycle that once again Americans are getting caught up in with Marijuana. It could be due to the “Forbidden Fruit Effect” an idea that people tend to want things they know they can’t have (mjlegal). Not as many people used alcohol until the government swept in and put it under lock and key. Then everybody wanted it and went to great lengths to get it.
Legalization of Marijuana would end our modern prohibition era and government spending would again decrease, and crime would go down.
Marijuana legalized? I agree with tim. It should be legalize and tax the hell out. The tax will be use to help the less unfortunate and poor people. But if legalize it can cause a lot of social problem, then they better not. Maybe only the rich can afford legalized marijuana.
Research done by the United States Department of Justice shows that even though some ingredients in marijuana are medicinal, smoking marijuana does not have any medicinal value.
They say that “Organizers behind the medical marijuana movement have not dealt with ensuring that the product meets the standards of modern medicine: quality, safety and efficacy.” Side effects are not always as mild as many think and include brain disfunction, memory impairment, paranioa, extreme mood swings, depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts as well as respiratory, cognitive and immune system complications.
These are complete and accurate studies done by the Drug Enforcement Administration within the Department of Justice.
Weed should be legal, the government would benefit greatly from this because of the help it would give to the economy.
I say legalize it and tax the hell out of it. It would improve this recession and make millions of people happy. You can’t argue with that. It has yet to have been a recorded cause of death.
Its a natural substance of the earth. God created it, why can’t we use it?
Its is only ignorance that leads to this even being a discussion.
Dumb anti-drug commercials and old wives tales. Marijuana is nothing but helpful and has never hurt anyone. Many Americans are already learning to grow marijuana, it is just a matter of time before pot prohibition is seen for what it is.
There are too many benefits of legalization for even the ignorant to ignore for much longer.
Who gave goverment the right to order me not to smoke?? Government’s job is to protect and serve it’s citizen’s not to act as their watchdog.
Why is marijuana illégal? Is it because it’s a dangerous narcotic, which can have adverse affects when taken by humans and therefore the government feels it necessary to forbid it’s citezen’s from taking it? Is it so dangerous that it is necessary to heavily penalize anyone remotely involved in distributing it, and even penalize the teenager caught with his joint??
Actually marijuana is not unhealthy. Like any substance, it can cause damage when used to excèss. Being as it has psychoactive properties , overuse can cause psychological issues in certain people. But as any doctor will tell u, marijuana is an entirely safe substance, and actually has several médicinal uses. Statistically, marijually kills 0 Americans per year, while the légal drug of alcohol kills several hundred thousand per year.
So why is marijuana illégal? In one word : Capitalism. Marijuana became criminalized when the capitalists of the early 1900’s felt that hemp can threaten their buissness interests. They therefore convinced the government to illegalize it.It stayed illégal to this day, because the capitalists are scared weed will unmotivate their workers.
America is supposed to be a free country, the land of liberty etc. Why then does it refuse us true liberty? For government to truly free it’s people, it must realize that it doesn’t have the right to rule them. It’s only job is to serve and protect us from one another. It does not have the right to protect an individual from him/herself.
When i puff i joint, i am choosing to intake a wondeful substance whose only effect is on me.
Yes. I get high and i love it. I am not a danger to society while high ,especially when compared to the mainstream narcotic of alcohol. To see for urself, walk around ur town. Look for bar. A u enter the neighboorhood, u’ll see people puking, fighting, grabbing at girls and cars swirving off. Now look for a stoner house. Signs ull look out for would be piles of pizza boxes, parked cars playing soft music, and a fat cop strip-searching a kid looking for his dimebag.
Even if u choose to believe all the scare propaganda , you don’t have the right to decide whether i should be allowed to smoke.If u feel that getting high isn’t worth it, then don’t smoke. It’s as simple as that.
Who gave government the right to order me not to smoke?
Hi I am a college student and I am doing an anomoyous survey. Anyone who would want to reply can email me the survey answers at surveyonmarijuana@yahoo.com. Thank you for your time and answers
Marijuana Addiction
1. Gender
2. age
3. how often do you smoke marijuana?
4. can you get through the day without thinking of smoking marijuana?
5. Do you not feel like yourself if you don’t smoke marijuana?
6. Do you need to make excuses to smoke?
They hire a couple of bums to plant marijuana here in the U.S. weather its California or Colorado some of that is still from the drug traffickers. And it really irritates me when people say “marijuana has never killed anybody” Because not only is it the cause of thousands of peoples deaths in Mexico but it also slowly kills the user. Smoke is smoke weather you want to acknowledge it or not.
For all of you who agree with the use of marijuana maybe this will change your mind. Let me put it on a different perspective for you all. Put yourself in our shoes. I live in El Paso Texas right next to the murder capitol of the americas Ciudad Juarez.
I am hispanic and of course I have roots in Mexico. Since the drug war started 2 years ago I have lost a cousin, I have known about 4 people so far who were murdered in Ciudad Juarez. And they dont call it a drug war for no reason.
It started because of drugs. Well not really drugs but because of drug use. When you buy illegal drugs your money goes to criminals. Killing over 3,000 people in 2010 alone in just Ciudad Juarez. And you know when you think about it, it must be getting hard for the drug traffickers to pass drugs and meet the demands of drug users in the U.S. when border security is getting tighter and tighter. So what do they do now?
They hire a couple of bums to plant marijuana here in the U.S. weather its California or Colorado some of that is still from the drug traffickers. And it really irritates me when people say “marijuana has never killed anybody” Because not only is it the cause of thousands of peoples deaths in Mexico but it also slowly kills the user. Smoke is smoke weather you want to acknowledge it or not.
Smoking marijuana causes cancer and and other diseases like tobacco. It would be like saying sugar cane is better for your health than table sugar they are both sugar arent they? They can both cause diabetes cant they? So do your research before posting inaccurate information on here. And for those of you who will say “Then why do cancer patients smoke marijuana if it causes cancer?”
Well they vaporize marijuana and just inhale the THC not all the chemicals that come out of marijuana when burned or smoked. I mean if you inhaled a tobacco plant that was vaporized you would just get the nicotine not all the junk that comes with the smoke. And here is a poem I wrote about this topic:
While you get high, People in Mexico die, Is dope really worth a life?
Your smoking blood when you smoke with your friends, And its sad for me to say, my cousin was kidnapped, We think he is dead but I dont feel any pain.
Incomplete families are a common thing, People of all ages have died on the streets, But still the United States is filled with feins, Looking for a dose of weed or cocaine, And when they get their dose they just sit back and relax. But they never think of the people who died because of that bag.
Although I may not have all the facts, and i feel for what is happening in mexico, The is also the perspective on marijuana being legalized and possibly saving lives.
People all over die through the traficing of marijua. For example if someone is in debt to another person,the person could be killed or end up injured. Things like this may happen all the time, and this may be viewed as marijuana becoming a serious problem. Things such as the drug wars etc. could be lessened if marijuana was legalized.
Deaths resulting from marijuana are not ever proven from the drug its self, but there are many cases that occur because it is not legalized. Legalize pot!
Marijuana obviously should be legal, according to any medical study done about it. There are numerous inconsistencies in the argument against legalization(e.g. less harmful than legal substances, cost). I’d like to focus on the definition of a schedule I substance:
The substance has a high potential for abuse.
The substance has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
There is a lack of accepted safety for use of the substance under medical supervision.
The last two are absolutely not true of marijuana, and the best evidence for the fact that marijuana has a high potential for abuse is the fact that people continue to smoke marijuana even while it’s illegal. That’s the definition of circular reasoning.
There is no drug war!..Cannabis is safer than aspirin!!! saferchoiceDOTorg hempcarDOTorg Oxy, Perc, Zanex, Vicodin, Darvocet, are killing you. That’s what the rich want—the poor to die.
Cannabis is safer than caffeine, alcohol, nicotine…e, but these are available to everyone & used every day. They can all kill you but cannabis has never killed anyone. The drug war has killed thousands at least. Ruined millions of lives & families. The drug war is a war on you. Your health. Your rights. Your freedom.
yes! Marijuana should be completely legal.
it pretty much was used in place of trees in the making of ropes, paper, and more back before it was made illegal . The governments only problem is that they cant find a way to tax it! The government made alchol and tobacco legal and look at how many people have died from it. Alchol: alchol poisoning, kidney failure, drunk drivers, having your stomach pumped, its not to be taken with any kind of prescribed drug, it can lead to more domestic violence and child abuse.
Tobacco: mouth cancer, lung cancer, poor circulation, makes you age faster and they will flat out tell you it takes days off your life, end up on oxygen……the list to these two things go on and on. marijuana isnt bad. the government should get there heads out there asses and look at the shit they do have legal and ask themselves “so how does this compare” studies have shown that it doesnt stop cancer but that it slows it effect. and so what if you lose a little short term memory we all do over time anyways.
I agree 100% with the legalization of marijuana.
There are many things that they could use the money they make on selling medical marijuana. That could benefit the economy, They also can use the money to try and stop other illegal drugs such as coke or heroin. Please check out my blog and please post on what u think the legalization of marijuana.
Thank you
People we need to really see what our government is turnning into. Are rights are gradually being taken away, its all about power. In my oppinion pot should be legal, what happened to our freedoms, we need to fight back, I have been saying recently that we will be fighting in another civil war in the next 100 yrs if we dont get our government under control, we the people are spoce to have the power, when did all that stop?
I’m a 20 yr old kid and don’t really know or follow alot about the govenment or follow the news, but what i can tell you is that I have noticed how fucked up our country is becomeing. Maybe im wishing for a farytale but why don’t we vote on the major concerns in the U.S.A? For example there is a large divide with pot why not just say hey fuck going through all the red tape lets put it on the ballot, o we got attacked on 9/11 why does the govenrnment pick who we go to war with, granet i would of voted yes, but why do they pick what we do when we are the ones that are majorly effected?
Our forefathers wrote the Constituation to make sure they were not ruled by a government but to give them the freedom to do as they please. I don’t know maybe im just an idiot, but my personal oppinion is that what I do on my free time shouldn’t concern anyone but me, now with that said I personally don’t think that there should be any “DRUG” laws. Now I know that is a far fetched dream, but i dont do anything but pot, but what i do on our free time is my busines, not yours not my parents, and definently not the government. The government has the hands wraped so far around this country that its not even funny, they think for us, they tell us what is good and bad for us why? What happened to freedom to think, say and do what we please. Humans adapt, why doesnt our government, after all it is human instinct. Adaptation is apart of nature, WE are apart of nature. People always forget that, just cause we are the smartest organism on the planet doesn’t mean that we still don’t need to adapt.
Our government has 3 classes, Republican, Democrat and Independent, why? Why is there labels on your views? Thats the big reason we are so divided. Example, we elected Obama as president, we thought he was best fit, not those of you that didnt vote for him, or the people that dont like him ect, why? What has he done? You say nothing? What, why? Well maybe because the Republican party, we elect congressmen and women to help represent us also so that our government dont have to much “POWER” but they already do, our house of reps that vote on bills to pass dont vote on what they think is right or wrong they vote on what there partys views are, therefor some change there views, which is what we elected them on? This is my oppoions and we need to stand up and fight back a key example is shown in the pot industry, example, in California the state passed the law on pot to be legal for medical purposes, so why can the federal government override state?
The FBI can go into a pot despencery an confinscate there inventory. Why? What happened the states being able to govern themselfs? People you may disagree on my views on pot but please dont overlook the big picture, we the people need to take back our country and adapt to the time, the generation, we need a change! We the people are spoce to have the power, our rights are slowly but surely being taken away, its up to us to take them back, lets start today by proveing it by legalizing marijuana.
Yes I think that medical marijuana should be legalized because for me and a lot more people helps us to control anger to have more appetite and fight a lot of desseases that are body produces and are bad for are health.
Great article, like 99% of the sites on google were hard to read. Question: do u think websites like how to roll a joint should be allowed on the web for kids?
I’ve smoked cannibis for almost 20 years !
Why because if I didn’t smoke I would be the meanest and most angry short tempered !@#hole in ohio…..I have bi polar “fibromyalga” amoung other I’m sure mental issues. But upon medicating those thoughts of the tiniest things that would set me off don’t effect me ….god grew flowers for us to make world peace . Even the indians knew this! Why can’t the gov/fda just give in oh wait I forgot about the health care issues or should I say finances.
This is such an amazing entry and I love to read more of it so that I will be able to look over and have it as an inspiration for further articles to write about when it comes to updates on legalizing marijuana stuffs and it’s pros and cons too. I do hope you will get to visit our official website and let us know what you think about it.
Here is the link:
http://www.nvnewswire.com/
Thanks ahead and happy holidays to you and the rest
of your family. 🙂
Yes it should be legalized but it has to be confined with regards to its application such as within the medical field only but not on recreational purposes because it might just cause chaos especially so when it is not properly regulated.
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The truth! Marijuana will never cause “side effects” such as hallucinations, where a simple prescribe drug will. IE.
Celexa is an antidepressant in a group of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). It works by restoring the balance of serotonin, a natural occuring substance found in the brain, which helps to improve certain mood problems.
WARNING: You may have thoughts about suicide when you first start taking an antidepressant, especially if you are younger than 24 years old. Your doctor will need to check you at regular visits for at least the first 12 weeks of treatment with Celexa.
Fact speak for themselves. Marijuana benefits without these horrible side effects!
yes it should be legal in all states.
USA would profit, lesson population in prison more room for harden crimals. It has been said maryjane makes you go to harder drugs, . the fear of users will go to hard drugs by smoking maryjane I believe that is false I have been smoking for 20+yrs. and I have no desire to try other drugs.
I definitely think that it should be legalized.
Here in Colorado it is, and it has become a miracle drug for my boyfriend. In February he got really sick with a mystery condition that numerous doctors had no idea about. He was dropping about 5 lbs. a week due to having stomach aches and nausea all of the time. He finally got prescribed medical marijuana and it helped him cope with his pains and allowed him to be able to work and eat a bit more. Without it, I’m not sure where he would be!
Absolutely yes, legalize marijuana.
In fact, in line with the ideas of L.E.A.P., Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, legalize all drugs in order to minimize the “forbidden fruit effect” and bring hard drug abusers closer to medical personnel who can help reduce the harms associated with such drug abuse. Use is not abuse, however and responsible adults should be able to enhance their lives with marijuana so long as they don’t harm anyone in the process. Viva Sativa!
Weed is the least harmful drug there is..even better than cigeretts. If you disagree, show me some legit proof.. (that includes a link).Tobacco had LOTS of chemicals and caused 222,520 new cases of lung cancer.
Proof: http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/TobaccoCancer/tobacco-related-cancer-fact-sheet
How many deaths are form marijuana? According to Drug War Facts, the answer is 0.
Proof: (http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_deaths_are_due_to_marijuana)
(go ahead and apply your right palm to your forehead.)
I hate when people talk about how “horrible and bad for you” marijuana supposedly is.. It’s cheap, non-habit forming, and prescribed. Tobacco is the opposite of all of those.. People say how horribly habit forming it is, but marijuana is NOT habit forming.. People get addicted to marijuana like kids do a video game.. They get addicted to the good time. Now that I think about it, video games are more habit forming that marijuana is. Anyways. You can talk down to marijuana as long as you want, but who are you trying to convince.. The only negative to it is that it is illegal. And the ONLY reason it’s illegal is because they used hemp way back in the day to replace wood in making baskets and other wood materials. Then lumberjacks couldn’t make a living selling wood.. Not at all because of it’s side effects..
So go riot and complain about tobacco before you go bitch about weed.
i agree with nick it should be legalize i was taking 6 50 mg benadrill to go to sleep but my wife said to stop i was getting in a a bad mood when i woke up i tried weed for sleep and it work legalize all the way yeah
Please read this report on legalizing marijuana, it was my first major college report. Please leave feedback if you like it!
http://www.marijuanaadvocates.blogspot.com
I THINK WEED SHOULD BE LEGAL FOR ALOT OF REASONS. FOR ONE ITS ALOT SAFER TO SMOKE THEN IT IS TO TAKE SOME OF THE LEGAL DRUGS THEY GIVE OUT EVERY DAY! NEXT ITS NOT A GATE WAY DRUG!! PEOPLE HAVE THERE FIRST CIGERETTE AND BEER LONG BRFORE THEY ROLL THEY FIRST BLUNT! AND LASTLY IF THEY LEGALIZE IT CASUAL SMOKERS WOULDNT HAVE TO HIDE AND WORRY ABOUT BEING ARRESTED AND GROUPED IN WITH REAL DRUG AFFENDERS!
i think medical marijuana should be legal many people have minor problems that could be solved with medical marijuana.
The economy would have be alot better from the tax they could put on it. It would help many people, the nation as a whole too. You never hear on the news, “crazy pot smoker kills a whole family” its all the harder drugs. Then people feel ohh weeds a gateway drug which is comepelty incorrect. People have their choice to take an accauly drug marijuana shouldn’t even be consider a drug its a plant.
The debate for the legalization of marijuana can go back and forth in every way that it is brought up to be illegal or legal. However, I have my many reasons to why I think it should be legalized whether it’s medically and/or personal use. I admit to being totally against the use of marijuana at a point in time, but as I did my research on it I see no reason for it to be illegal.
As everyone against it only sees it as a drug and nothing else, one must completely start a research while maintaining a neutral attitude towards it, and then looking at both the good and bad effects on it.
The first misconception people have about someone that smokes marijuana is that it is addictive, however there has been no known cases of anyone being clinically addictive to the plant. People automatically assume this, because of the negative way marijuana is advertized. It has always been taught to be a harmful drug, but in my opinion it is just the opposite.
I believe drugs include alcohol, cocaine, heroin, meth, crack-cocaine, etc. Marijuana is naturally grown without any additives. The drugs I named are all addictive, and have symtoms of withdrawls if the user discontinues the use of it. Marijuana does not have any of those effects, and it is proven that no one has ever enter a rehabilitation center for marijuana.
The death role is another misconception people have on the use of marijuana. For some reason, people assume that deaths are a cause of marijuana by overdose. There has never been any cases of death caused by marijuana. However, tobacco has caused 435,000 deaths annually among people in the United States, with alcohol in second place with 85,000. In my opinion, if these substances are causing this many deaths by the over-using of them, why aren’t they illegal also? Another outstanding fact is that smoking marijuana has never caused any types of cancer, including lung cancer, which you generally would think it would.
A lot of people think that marijuana is the “gateway” drug to the more harder drugs. That is somewhat true, however it does not psychologically lead to other drugs. When someone deals with getting marijuana from a drug dealer, that dealer is always up to selling more of what they have to get more money. So, they offer other drugs that are more expensive and addictive so that customer will keep coming back to them. This is a perfect explanation to why marijuana is really called the “gateway” drug.
The government strongly abuses the illegation of marijuana. They spend around forty-two million dollars a year destroying plant farms, rather than making marijuana legal and actually earning money. Jon Gettman, a graduate from George Mason University, brought up statistics that could intentionally help the United States from debt. He said that Americans spend $113 billion annually on untaxed, illegal marijuana. If marijuana was legalized, the United States would indeed put taxes on it and would instantly gain back all the money they lost detroying the farms.
Marijuana is good for relieving stress, reducing pain, ease muscle tensity, increase appetite, and a possible increase on the immune system. It is also recognized to be a treatment to help drug addicts overcome their addiction, rather than putting them on medicines that they could easily become addicted to. I believe if alcohol and marijuana switched places in the legal system, the crime between drug deals would be the same. Some people blame crime on marijuana, when in reality it is only that way because it is illegal to the government. If marijuana was legal, less innocent people would be put into jail for a small possession account that will then on be on their personal record.
I believe that if marijuana was legal it would reduce our problems in our society. Whether or not you think the same, you can not argue with the facts and statistics it carries along with it. I think that with the increase of the legalization of medical marijuana around the United States, it will eventually bring up the legalization of marijuana for personal use. Even though I am for the legalization of marijuana, I still think that the government will have to make certain regulations to follow just like they have with alcohol and tobacco products. As Stephan Dubner, an award-winning American journalist, once said, “Marijuana has become a part of our culture, and it is here to stay.” I agree with him, and I know the legalization of marijuana, whether it’s for personal or medical use, will have my vote.
I WISH THAT THEY WOULD LEGALIZE MARIJUANA IN OHIO AND EVERYWHERE IN THE STATES. I SAY THIS CAUSE BUD HAS GOTTEN ME THRU HARD TIMES AND ALL MY PEOPLE WOULD BE HOME WITH ME WHERE THEY BELONG. ITS HARMLESSS UNLESS CONSUMED BY IMMATURE PEOPLE WHO ALLOW IT TO EFFECT THERE DAY TO DAY RESPONSIBILITIES.
Over the years I have had several brokin bones that in this point in life I have a considerable amount pain that makes lifes daily chores sometimes too much to handle. I can go to doc and get all these different types of pain pills {which are man made and kills} or I can smoke. I choose to smoke the pain lets up and I can function. Yes it should be legalized.
Yes. Marijuana should be legalized, but I think doctors should be the only authorized persons to prescribe it. We don’t want people to overuse it. It should just be enough. There should be a law about it.
Weed should definitely be legal,
some people who have to take pain killers due to medical reasons end up overdosing on the pills. Marijuana, however, can help ease the exact same pain, but without the threat of overdose. it’s almost impossibe to overdose on weed unless you smoke the equivalent amount to your body weight. Let’s be honest, no one is going to buy that much weed and smoke it all at one time. therefore, if our stubborn government decides to legalize marijuana, they will cut down on painkiller overdoses, drug-related violence, and save all the money used to fight drug related violence.
In my personal opinion it seems ludicrous to allocate an all natural herb, one which is proven to be helping people with ailments ranging from minor to serious, as an illegal substance.
More over, if you’re going to allow certain people (we’ll call these people patients and caregivers within the medical marijuana systems thruought the country) it seems a bit backwards to at the same time loom over their shoulders and persecute them every step of the way instead of working with them to achieve a common ground where people of all types can attain medicinal benefits from an earthly gift the likes of marijuana.
Of course we have many “potheads” to thank for setting us back many years because they insist on demonstrating outside of the legal system, pushing the boundaries, and constantly stepping into the grey areas of the law where they ought not be.
I think marijuana should be legalized.
The prohobition didn’t last over 70 years and marijuana and less harmful than alchohol ? The goverment keeps complaining how the economy is so screwed over, but they have americas number one crop with people selling it and making about 36 million a year and it’s illegal!
Imagine if they taxed that. We would be saved in less then a year. Plus, not only would people smoke it, it would give farming jobs, we could make clothes out of it, there would probably be hash cafes, they could make paper and etc. I don’t get why they didn’t legalize it already?
The goverment just fines you if you get behind a wheel drunk, but if they catch you with something less harmful you have most likely jail time? That’s just stupid on our goverments part. I mean ALOT of people have been doing marijuna from the 1930’s and the goverment keeps spending there money everyday just to put somebody in jail for something not harmful OR addicting.
You guys can put rat poisioning into a ciggarette but you can’t sell a non-addicting, natural substance? NOBODY has died from just weed, and now you tell me how many people have died from alchohol poisioning and ciggarettes.
America could make SOO much money from just legalizing some little plant. Honestly, everybody who has been wanting to legalize marijuana, they’re not going to stop there fight to legalize it. Medical marijuana is legal, but regular weed is practically the same thing. I mean if somebody gets behind a wheel and they’re under the influence of marijuana, it’s going to do less damage then getting behind the wheel drunk. Plus, marijuana would make America more peaceful, more people just don’t care about fighting when under the influence.
If you can put rat poisioning in a ciggarette, and a bunch chemicals in alchohol then why can’t you legalize a damn plant thats WAY less harmful then ciggarettes or alchohol? Let the economy be screwed over, let america go through the gret depression again.
Americas number one crop is right there, and the goverment is just going sit there and keep spending thousands of dollars for EACH person getting arrested for it when they could free prison space, and get millions of dollars from just legalizing something they should have legalized 60 years ago.
My husband he has all kind of sempton that marijuana can help. The doctor gives him all kind of medecine, it dosn’t work at all.
He cries all the time some of the medecine that he has taken almost killed him . A few months ago he tried marijuana and it works. But is not legal in Alabama, we pray and hoping that soon well be legallize in Alabama. Please anyone that read this we need your cooperation, he is suffering with depression, nerv, athuritis, headaches and anxiety.
I think it should be legalized. I mean danm it, it doesn’t kill people, it’s not addictive, it helps cancer patients ten fold more than chemotherapy…and it’s illegal beacuse some big whig in the timber industry was loosing money to hemp since hemp was cheeper. AMERICA WAS BUILT ON WEED!!! LEGALIZE IT!
I have been using Medical Marijuana for 5 years now, I have bad anxiety that leads to insomnia. Ambien (poor spelling) doesn’t even work for me, but a nice heavy indica does.
Just this year my Grandmother(Grama) was diegnosed with bladder cancer. She went through horrible chemo and radiation that left her in more pain then the cancer did. After 3 months of almost daily treatment, it didn’t work!!!
So now she is living life, really living it because she knows it’s almost over. She had never done drugs, smoked cigerettes or even drank offten. She asked me about MMJ and if she could try it. Of course I set her up with a vaporizer, 3 marijuana strains and much more. The works.
After her 3rd pull off the vaporizer I could see her body relax. The pain relief was minor because of the severity of her pain. BUT! She ate twice that day, after not being able to eat and hold food down for 48 hours. It really helped her. That’s just one story of how it can help. Anything that can help should be legal, this country was developed on the rights of people. That is one of our rights in my mind.
I’m with you never woke up hangover after smoking and my work has never suffered.
I think that Marijuana should be legalized. No one has ever died from it’s use and I have seen it help medically. We already have several states that have medical marijuana so why not Texas.
We have one of the largest Cancer Centers right here in Houston. People come here from all around the around the world . I have even use it for my depression I have a friend the has cancer and takes chemotherapy that makes him so ill he he can’t eat but he uses it and it helps him eat.
New novel lampoons Drug War.
WITCHGRASS: a pipe dream, a novel by Dave Wilkinson portrays shattered lives and conflicted families as a New England town splits apart.
What if a Vietnam helicopter suddenly landed in your back yard? The town of New Salem, Maine faces an invasion of military operations, secret spies and child-parent betrayal that sets a peaceful rural county spinning.
Carolyn Chute, author of best-selling The Beans of Egypt, Maine, “cry-laughed and laugh-cried through a book more important than most of what they give kids to read in school.”
Witchgrass: a pipe dream sweeps the reader into a quiet world turned upside down by the War on Drugs. An afternoon invasion becomes a multi-faceted dramedy as marijuana-hunting helicopters cause confusion and panic one summer during the early 1990s.
School children, sheriffs, professors and prosecutors play their parts in a story about one of America’s major social issues. Emotions boil in the culture clash over cannabis, a matter which divides parent from child, employee from company, husband from wife.
As the story comes to its unexpected and riotous climax, Maine in the Bush One era becomes a positive vision of future enlightenment. In its non-judgmental portrayal of cannabis users, this novel brightens the image of much-maligned pot smokers.
Witchgrass: a pipe dream is available for sale online at Amazon.com and other channels, also at selected bookstores.
About the author
Dave Wilkinson wrote ordinances which produced the first municipal vote for marijuana legalization since the 1970s. The vote of Starks, Maine in 1992 was years ahead of California’s Proposition 215 in 1996 and Maine’s Medical Marijuana Act of 1999.
In 2006, with Producer Marilyn Taylor, Wilkinson created incredibleMAINE, a half-hour weekly TV show on the Maine Public Broadcasting Network. He has twice been Emmy nominated for Directing the award-winning show. Witchgrass: a pipe dream is his first novel.
contact: Dave Wilkinson
Davewilk@suscom-maine.net
(207) 778-6535
http://www.createspace.com/3454863
http://witchgrassapipedream.blogspot.com/
http://tinyurl.com/WITCHGRASS-FB
http://twitter.com/WITCHGRASSDREAM
REVIEW COPIES AND INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE
###
I am so angry right now! I have been unemployed (1-1/2 yrs) and it seems to get a job, I have to stop smoking and clean out!
What makes me mad is that I worked with a girl on my last job that would brag about going out drinking with her friends, and the next day come in with a hangover. She would lay her head on her desk and moan that her head was fuzzy and she couldn’t function. The quality of her work and job performance declined significantly.
I personally have an intolerance for alcohol–it gives me acid reflux. I went to work high almost everyday, and imagine this–I WAS THE LEAD in my department–Why? Because the quality of my work, along with my output performance was exceptional.
I am angry because I have to stop smoking so I can get a new job. Frankly, I think alcohol is WORSE than pot, and I think it is BUL_SH_T that I have to stop what I enjoy, just because the world decided it was illegal. I think alcohol should be illegal, too many DWI’s out there. I just wish I could tell prospective employers they are wrong, and go F themselves, because I’ll out perform any drunk, any day!!
I think that Marijuana should be legal but with certain limitations, I’ve been smoking Hemp since I was 14 years old, and whether it’s Legal or Illegal I will continue to smoke.
Since I started smoking I’ve never exposed minors to the plant nor have I ever exhausted any form of peer pressure as constantly invoked by TRUTH commercials, I’ve never missed a day of work and all of my bills are paid on time, I smoke for Depression and/or recreational use in my own home in my spare time nearly everyday, here’s what I think, I think that the plant should be legalized but you should have to have a license to sell it, this would effectively cut down on most drug dealers because buying from a dealer should still be illegal.
The laws to marijuana should be similar to those of alcohol, 21 to purchase, photo ID Required, also I don’t think it should be OK to smoke it around schools or anywhere where their are children. That would be the equivialent to public intoxication, smoking in a home with children would be fine as long as their was no direct exposure to the child, similar to underage drinking.
I also don’t think I’d be to comfortable having surgery if the doctor was stoned off his ass. So yes I would love my Drug of choice to be legal, but I still think their has to be some form of control.
I strongly believe that why people don’t give marijuana a chance is because they see ads that sway their decsions without them actually looking at research and statistics.
When alchohol kills hundreds of thousands each year and pot kills zero people, how can you argue with something such as that. I am a pot advicate and I use it on a daily basis, and obviously I’m not slumped over on the couch with no brain cells left such as the commercials on tv.
People say marijuana is addictive but I could quit whenever I wanted with no problems. Yeah I would miss it, but I wouldn’t need therapy or rehab. Marijuana is a plant, it grows naturally from the Earth, which to some means it is God intended. There should be more time spent on more serious problems in the world than worrying about throwing people who believe in the healing ways of pot in jail.
We too will stand still for ANTI DRUG DAY-26th of June.
Somebody said “Marijuana is a much bigger part of the WORLD addiction problem than most people – teens or adults – realize.”
The holly herb can motivate us to judge between right n wrong. Addiction is a problem not this kind of motivation. Bottom line is to Legalize
Marijuana…..
Newayz we do not give a damn what the people sitting on chair comment on it.
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
I believe that we are americans and we live in a free country and it should be legalized. Marijuana does not cause serious health problems like those caused by tobacco or alcohol (e.g., strong addiction, cancer, heart problems, birth defects, emphysema, liver damage, etc.). Death from a marijuana overdose is impossible. In all of world history, there has never been a single human death attributed to a health problem caused by marijuana. Legalize marijuana and life would be better for most people.
Are we not Adults in a Free Country? Of course it should be Legal.
I also believe marijuana should be legalized. It does have some medical benefits, and you never hear of anybody overdosing or dying from marijuana. On the other hand, alcohol is legal, and there are many deaths each year directly related to alcohol use. If anything, alcohol should be illegal, not marijuana.
I believe marijuana should definitely be legalized. For starters, they say that smoking marijuana leads to an addiction of a more serious drug. Most smokers buy drugs from a corner street seller, who has other kinds of drugs. If we offered marijuana there would be no reason to go out and potentially Learn or try something different.
Next, they say marijuana is dangerous and causes violence. The violence isn’t caused by the drug, once again it’s caused by not being able to access the drug freely. Going to someone such as a drug cartel and dealing with anger and violence there. And the violence from the drug dealers comes from greed! Not from the drug.
Another against marijuana says it creates health problems. Cigarettes, alcohol, caffeine, pills. What ingredients are used in all of these harmful products that’s have killed hundreds and thousands? Acetic acid, Benzophenone, carbon dioxide, that’s just a few. Marijuana is a plant, you can see the process, you can watch the life.
There will always be different opinions on the topic, that is the beauty of freedom. The question is if something as free as a marijuana plant can grow In wild, it cannot be trimmed and taken home like a fruit or vegie. Why? My opinion is the government is scared of what it doesn’t know. If the world just took a puff I believe we would live less stressed, more in tune with nature, and have more love and appreciation for the world around us.
Hi Everyone. I recently completed a research paper on the importance of legalizing Marijuana and would like to share some of my findings. I approached this assignment by breaking down the importance of legalization into two major issues we face as a state and as a country: our safety and the economy.
First of all, we are facing a great issue of safety with the growing power and size of Mexican drug cartels. These cartels are senselessly killing off their own people and coming across OUR borders and killing AMERICANS. How do they have the power to do this? Money. And how have they obtained so much wealth? Trafficking Marijuana. A whopping $8.6 BILLION of their revenue comes from trafficking weed, which accounts for 60% of their overall income.
So how do we cripple the power of these cartels? By hitting them where it hurts: their wallets. If our country legalized Marijuana, this will take away the market for their product and will cut off 60% of their income, leaving them powerless. Let’s face the facts: MONEY = POWER. Legalizing Marijuana WILL severely reduce the presence and power of the ruthless Mexican Drug Cartels, leaving us with safer borders and less violence.
Second: The Economy. As you all know, the state of California and the U.S. is in deep shit economically and we are facing the worst recession since the Great Depression. As a student at a public California University, I see evidence of our staggering economy on a daily basis. I struggle to get the classes I need to graduate; my valuable class-time has been furloughed, making it even harder to be successful. I have to watch teachers pack up and leave, watch younger friends (high school) be declined admission to all of their top college picks, and see older friends graduate without a job lined up even after interviewing with ten different companies.
So what is the quickest and cheapest way to jump start our economy and move to ridding all of these problems? Legalizing Marijuana. I’m not saying that legalizing will solve everything, but it will be a huge improvement. According to Stephen Easton of Bloomberg Businessweek, legalizing Marijuana will bring in national tax revenue “anywhere from $40 billion to $100 billion a year”. This is a huge opportunity that the U.S. NEEDS to capitalize on.
As you can see, legalization is much more than simply getting our weed easier, it’s a huge opportunity to get us out of a huge hole that quiet frankly, we’ve dug. So, if we’re responsible for these problems, then shouldn’t it be our responsibility to fix them?
YES MARIJUANA SHOULD BE LEGAL,NOW. My other question is WHERE IS THE MONEY COMING FROM, TO FIGHT LEGALIZATION. IS THAT TAX MONEY OF MINE AND OTHER SMART PEOPLE THAT WANT LEGALIZATION?
A funny news report on the effects of Marijuana on the environment:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBPpLcqimyM
One last thing smoking shouldnt allow someone to go to jail with murder’s, rapist, and theifs.
Think about it, considering in your mind to smoke a herb is completely diffent then thinking about going out and killing, raping or stealing. Its a completely diffent mind process. So no one should be locked up for weed. In other drugs except one other, you have to cook it or make it and its a process that considers it a drug. I have tons of points and if anyone is interested email me steeledwiles@aol.com.
ALSO FOR ALL U ANTI POT SMOKERS OUT THERE, I HAVE TO ASK YOU A QUESTION, WHAT SIDE AFFECTS FROM SMOKING MARIJUANA PUT IT SUPPOSEDLY IN THE CATAGORY AS A DRUG? IS IT THAT YOU GET; REALLY HUNGRY, REALLY HAPPY, OR IS IT THAT IT HELPS YOU SLEEP? SO LETS REVIEW, SMOKING HELPS YOU EAT WHEN YOUR NOT HUNGRY, TRUE. SMOKING HELPS BRING YOU OUT OF A BAD DAY AT WORK OR AT HOME, OR IS IT BAD BECAUSE IT WILL MAKE YOU SLEEP BETTER THEN YOU HAVE IN YEARS? all the side affects seem more of a gift then a crime!!!! like i said PLEASE EMAIL ME BACK I LIKE TALKING ABOUT THIS STUFF, thanks, steele
PLEASE EVERYONE READ, THERE IS HOPE
hi my name is steele,
if the canabis tax act doesnt pass in november 2010. My guess is that alot of people trying to push for this will become frustrated with seeing little or no progress. If we could make a nation wide website that every state knows about. Letting people type their names on the website, in which case would be signing their names for going with the canabis act.
If none of this works, i honestly think that we should restratagize. Instead of pushing for complete legalization why dont we try and push for legalization of marijuana use at home as long as you dont drive afterwards. Cops can check if your high by the small clicking in your eyes on a subrity test. And smoking at home doesnt harm anyone. Let me know what your take on this is steeledwiles@aol.com email me. my name is steele
I am disabled. I have scar tissue attached to my spinal cord. It has caused severe chronic pain. I have a spinal cord stimulator implanted. It helps some, enough to get off heavy narcs. I still have days when its not enough. I could use narcs and be lost for the day or burn one. I smoked growing up in the 70s, I joined military and quit.
Now 30yrs. later I have tried it again. I can control the pain and how out of I want to be. The big drawback, I could go to jail. Its still not legal in my state. When is the government going to get things right! I am being treated in the V.A and talk to allot of vets. The government would be surprised how many of us self-medicate.
Like Concerned Texan said marijuana has never killed any responsible people i do believe that marijuana should be legalized so that we can get out of this mess obama got us deeper into do to the redistribution of the wealth to lazy ass people on welfare for all of their life (no offense to the people who are truly in need of help from the government)and Finaly get things back to normal and by the way some of Americas most recognizable figures smoked weed such as George Washington and another fact the declaration of independence was printed on hemp paper. Legalize
I’d answer this question with this: Is it an act of sedition against the Unitied States of America for a doctor to “legalise” marijuana for medicinal purposes? I think so. I just read an article in Newsweek that says that there are Fourteen, yes, sad but true, count ’em, 14 States where pot is supposedly legal for medicinal purposes. Guess the docs who commit Sedition in the name of Medicine need to learn some Civics lessons.
Peace and all good,
GailMac
Yeah, the government is finally getting smart and legalizing marijuana in some states. If they had done that years ago, the country would not be in the bad economic state that it’s in now. Go way back to the Indians, what do you think was in the ‘peace pipe’?
Of course legalize!
Should we keep locking up otherwise law abiding citizens and filling our jails while murders and rapist run free. It’s a fact every marijuana arrest is another crime that wasn’t caught.
Police should stop people from hurting others or their property, police shouldn’t be doing the hurting themselves!
Marijuana has allowed me to concentrate and has reduced aggression. Since I began smoking I went to college and graduated. Although a Business Degree isn’t worth much with a violent record, it should be at least worth a fat blunt of that sweet, sweet, Mary Jane.
Marijuana to me is not a drug, but a plant that gets us all through the good and bad times of life.
They sell serenity everywhere in smoke shops and even some convenient stores. They also put “Not for human consumption” on it so they can’t get in trouble, but it hasn’t been doing anything good besides landing people in the hospital and a few on their death bed.
When has weed landed anyone in the hospital or death bed?
Cigarettes: They have more chemicals then I can even begin listing and people have also died from them. Weather it’s from medical reasons or just falling asleep with it and burning the house down..
Alcohol: Has killed MANY of people. It’s not good for you, but yet that’s legal also.
Marijuana is a plant that GOD put on earth, and he put it here for us to smoke. There is NO chemicals in marijuana besides maybe some miracle-grow to make that shit big. Other then that you pick it, break it up, load it up, and smoke it.
It makes no sense what so ever that i’m in deep shit with the law of something so petty.
~Legalize Weed~
I would hope that the legalization of Marijuana won’t create a sliding scale due to the reduction of income under the poverty line and resort people to committing other forms of crime for income.
I would like to see marijuana’s effects on aggression to be studied further in depth and expand upon medicinal use. I would like to see a cleaner Earth through the use of biomass while everybody who chooses to can smoke and grow without fear of prosecution.
I have smoked marijuana for the last 3 years. As an aggressive male with a history of assault charges it seems that marijuana has mellowed me out and I have had no serious violent felonies since I began toking it up!
I think marijuana should be legal. However, in Oregon it is a long shot. Most the people I know who smoke the herb do not want it legal due to the control and the income it takes from under the poverty line.
On the other hand,people like myself would love to see everything but regular use legalized and an expansin upon people who can have marijuana medicinally. The Earth would be a much cleaner place to live once we begin using biomass like hemp and should be legalized!
Sometimes people can do marijuna and thats fine but people who have raised their kids good then they shouldnt worry about them under the influence of marijuna.
But the parents who raise their kids horrible then its their fault for loosing their child and its their fault for their child’s horrible hygeine and personality and its their fault for their depression when their child gets high and dies in a car crash.
If you want our economy to be bad then go ahead but the better choice is to legalize marijuana! Its onlyy 1 drug that will be legalized.. its not like every other drug will be legalized.. just marijuna!
Its better if we become a richer country so we won’t be in debt anymore and everyone can have all their jobs back and we’ll be back on top! and people are already using marijuana so it wont make a difference and i know if they legalize it then people will use it even more but i doubt that because people who use marijuana when its still illegal to use it do it anyway and so it wont make a difference and who in the right mind would wanna pay 1,000 or hundreds of bucks on drugs to get high and loose their life and become hideous and become losers?
I did why marijuanna should be legalized as a persuausive essay in school im an ex smoker and only 16 i loved it when i did it but now play football for a school that urine tests me.
But back to the point the US is in debt 12 trillion dollars and the dea is spending 4.5 million a year to keep just weed prohibited and last year california made 4.8 billion on med mary jane, so tell me could it bring us out of debt?
It should be legalized…
It will help the economy to start and weed is not a bad thing. i was raised by a good catholic family and went to good private schools my whole life. i work at a great job and play on a very successful hockey team. but if i get pulled over with a little weed in my car i go to jail? thats a waste of an officers time and our tax dollars at work. theres nothing wrong with sitting around smoking some weed with some friends. it makes you feel good and enjoy life. if you dont like to do it thats fine by me, its your choice, but dont fuck it up for the rest of us. just legalize it and make america a better place.
Read more: blogs.kansascity.com
I would like to see Medical Marijuana made legal in Texas. I have arthritis in both knees and in my left hip. Weed is the only thing that stops the pain and helps me function throughout the day.
Hello, my name is windy. I am 17 years old.
My entire life i’ve gotten horrible migraines that made my eyes feel hot and sensitive like they were going to bulge out of my skull. I honestly don’t remember not getting them, and there was never anything me and my family could find or afford to try, that would help me. Doctors couldn’t prove they were real headaches so I started getting placebos instead of medication, and everything got worse.
Now i get throbbing pains in the side of my head too. The only thing that helps me, marijuana, i am told is wrong and a crime. It dos’nt feel like a crime, it feels like i can finally be a real person. I honestly don’t no what i would do if i had to quit. Before i started i was depressed and suicidal at times. I feel that marijuana saves my life every day. Why cant my only cure, and Americas cure, be legal? its all we have, and i cant be the only one like this.
As for California, what’s wrong with the way marijuana is distributed right now? ANYONE who wants to get legal can get their medical card EASILY. The dispensary’s pay taxes and provide jobs. Legalizing marijuana will bring corporate interests in and cheapen the industry.
There are many quality dispensaries in California including extremely well organized delivery services:
Check out NaturalRemedyDelivery.com
Hello to all concerned parties I would like to give my reasons why i think marijauna should be legalised.
Bipolar, Glaucoma, meditations, cancers and others god gave all seed bearing plants, I dont see it immoral im native as well used spiritually I want what god gave us, its no worse than the drugs the state pushes on us, court ordered. Which I have also been told by a drug and alchahol counselor they can’t legally do that and if I could die from those I would rather die from marijauna foods.
There is good and bad with everything in life. If it were legal, they could tax it like alcohol and have certain laws like, not around schools or under 18 or found doing violent crime. Can be punished by law, still it would help the economy and crime rate. Those that do it for a thrill wouldn’t think its a thrill anymore, this ones the best land of the free and home of the brave and always will be peace to all.
There is nothing wrong with marijuana. The only reason that it isn’t legalized yet is because the government hasn’t found a way to tax it yet! that’s all its about!! annually more people die from getting hit by a car than from smoking marijuana. But everyone is entitled to their own opinion. If it does get legalized than no one will be fighting over who sells it where cause everyone has it!
Over the course of my daughter’s life I have attempted many different discipline techniques to try and properly rear my child. Through trial and error I’ve learned that the more and more I try and “force” her to do what I want, the more she rebels and acts out.
I believe it’s just human nature to become defensive when given ultimatums and threats, even despite the harsh punishments that we’re made full aware of could follow our actions. The same is true in a different sense as well, for instance; the United States government. We are given these rules to follow to make sure we’re kept in line, like well disciplined children.
Although, sometimes the rules are so foolish and hypocritical that it’s offensive and undermining to the children and they have no choice but to act out against our parents and grow to resent them. Sometimes… it’s worth the punishment.
We are a country FOUNDED on rebelling against the tyrannies of an over-controlling Govt. Yet once again; here we are, under the thumb of Big Brother. Look at the Boston Tea Party, Rosa Parks, or all of the other historical events that have changed our world. All done by a few people who knew what they fought for was right, and stood against the hypocrisy.
It astounds me that for as intelligent as we convince ourselves we are, that we have let this farce go on for as long as we have. It’s unfathomable that millions of people can sit by while innocent men and women are incarcerated everyday for being in possession of a plant. A plant that is nearly harmless and that could benefit us in many, many different ways.
Criminalized, while other substances that cause massive serious damage such as cigarettes and alcohol remain very legal and easily accessible. Keep in my that we are talking about a plant that has been recently proven to be less harmful the your everyday over-the-counter pain relievers. Can ANYONE tell me how this makes sense? It’s impossible to try and rationalize the irrational.
This is why I believe that it is time we as a people stand up and fight for our rights! If they want to arrest someone, they should arrest the corporations that are profiting off of killing hundreds of thousands of people every year. Who is the real criminal here? The person that sits at home on their couch puffing on a marijuana pipe while watching their favorite prime-time television shows? Or the people sitting behind their desks pondering ways to increase their profits while decreasing their over-head as more and more men, women, and children succumb to the temptation and addiction of nicotine, alcohol?
We represent a new grass roots movement called The 420 Tea Party. We support the decriminalization/legalization of marijuana, but we would also like to encourage people to refer to marijuana as “tea” once again, just to piss off Sarah Palin and her Tea Party! Please check us out and join us at http://420teaparty.com/
Thank you for your support
Hello,
My name is Ashley Latin, and I am seeking the support of your organization.
I am a fiction romance author who has written and published a novel called “That Fire in Their Eyes” which I write about the use of marijuana for medicinal/emotional/physical purposes.
In my novel, I speak about these rights, urge acceptance and touch on the very controversial issues that many don’t understand such as those concerning religion and the use of marijuana for meditation and spiritual clarity as well as health.
I am looking for the support of your organization to bring awareness to this novel and its message…I think it’s saying what we all are.
You may find me at http://www.myspace.com/ashleylatin where you can read the synopsis and see the cover and also read about me.
I am a successful graphic designer and author who spent most of my childhood in foster care and overcame many obstacles myself such as homelessness, domestic violence, teen pregnancy, discrimination for being bi-sexual as well as religious discrimination for my beliefs on marijuana usage.
I hope to use this book as an example to others who have been in these situations and also to show that despite all of the laws and naysayers against us, we can fight for what we know is right by staying in the public’s ear through as many forums as possible.
Thank you very much!
-Ashley Latin, fiction romance author
MARIJUANA IS GOOD FOR PEOPLE SOME PEOPLE OUT THERE JUST OVER REACT DIFFERENTLY AND THOSE PEOPLE SHOULD NOT SMOKE BUT YOU WANT TO NO MORE
VISTIT http://WWW.GADGETGROWING.WEBS.COM
In response to Matt’s comment, driving under the influence laws would be applicable to marijuana users as it is to alcohol users; the two would not be separate with legalization. Marijuana alters the mind, as does alcohol and causes impairment with driving, as does alcohol. Why would the two be different? I’m confused as to why you think one would be separated from the other??
The war on drugs, just like prohibition of alcohol, has resulted in creating wealth for criminals, who became more powerful and more violent. The increase in crime on our borders is the direct result of this failed policy. Legalize it, set age limits just like with alcohol and let the government get the revenue from taxes and create new businesses and new jobs. If you legalize it, no one will risk crossing the border to pick tomatoes when they can just pick and cultivate pot that is then imported in to the USA; legally!
I don’t know if it will become legalized any time soon, but I do know that Colorado is trying to make quite a stand….there are many advocates here that seem to be trying hard.
http://www.groundflower.com
I sure hope it is in NY for medical use soon. It is the only thing that has ever helped me with my Ulcerative Colitis. Evidence is on my blog: ucandpot.blogspot.com
I strongly belive in the use of marijuana it really helps more than it harms.
As far as everyone being worried about someone smoking and driving or going to work messed up well thats no different than what you hear everyday on the news about drinking and driving some people just need to make better decisions about that.
But as far as it helping, if you was to give an anorexic patient who was dying from starvation a blunt to smoke i bet 100 dollars they will eat and feel alot better. So yeah i think marijuana should be legal and i know if enough people stand up against the goverment then one day it will be.
The war on drugs, which has been more specified as a war on marijuana, has completely failed. Marijuana should be legal for recreational purposes. I honestly believe that the only reason that it isnt legalized already is because the American government is afraid to set a precedent. They are afraid of being the change that everyone wants to see.
The right of freedom must hold no ground anymore. The fact that the government cant see the benefactors that marijuana could provide only adds to the factors that incriminate the government of being incompetent and blind. We, as people, should be able to choose what we want to do with what grows naturally. The government doesnt realize that last year, if the government had taxed and sold all the marijuana that was confiscated, they could have generated over 12 billion dollars in revenue. This could be a great economic stimulus, but the government is too blind to see that legalization is the right road to follow.
Marijuana isnt a major drug, and there is no permanent damage to be had from using it. It is 7x better for your overall health than alcohol or tobacco, and yet those two substances are widely legal, and widely abused. The government is so far in debt, that the legalization of marijuana could actually be the economic stimulus that they need to see.
It scares me that the government is so stubborn in giving us our freedom. If I, a 3 year potsmoker myself, can write as provocative, and thorough argument such as this, then why isnt this substance legalized? This war is rediculous at best, a waste of money at worst, and one of the worst economic decisions this country has ever made.
I am David Esser, 16, and I am a proud fighter in the war for the legalization of marijuana. Our government needs to look at the facts, and realize that we NEED, now more than ever, an economic boost, a source of money that would be pretty much lmitless, and a relief on the money being spent on drug busts. More than 12 billion dollars are spent every year on prosecuting, busting, and destroying, pot and its smokers. Now, that would mean that the government could save and generate more than 24 billion dollars every year, if they were to legalize marijuana.
If the bill passes, we may just see the single best economic decision of the 2000’s. Another interesting side to this story is the irony of the reasons they give for their argument against legalization. The government argues that it cannot distribute harmful drugs to the citizens of its country, because its main goal is to protect the health and wellbeing of its citizens. Interesting, then, that in the last 15 years, there has not been a single death caused by marijuana, whereas thousands and thousands of people die from alcohol and tobacco every year.
This proves that the government is no longer putting any thought into its arguments against the legalization of marijuana, and is merely reaching in desperation for an argument that may hold any water. In countries that have experimented with legalization, there have been positive results, which have greatly outweighed the negative effects.
I am writing this because i have done my research, i have personal experience, and i have looked at both sides of the story. Frankly, the governments side of the story is not a side at all. Its simply a generic wall of negativity towards the subject, and slowly but surely, as we post these comments, and we make bigger and better arguments, this wall of negativity will fall. It will crumble, and the government, then, will realize that sometimes, just because something is enjoyable and fun, doesnt mean it has to be harmful and negative.
As i hope that i have shown, even a no-name, young, “naiive” citizen of the United States of America, can provide an argument that holds its own water. This argument will stand its ground. Because it doesnt fall behind false accusations, and it doesnt provide information that isnt true. This argument is made of pure research, and it is the product of someone, who does not want it to be legalized and abused, but to be legalized for the recreational, relaxing effects that it has. We, as a community, no, as a COUNTRY, need to stand up for what we believe in. No more, should we let the government big-wigs make our decisions for us.
We need to stand against the unfair laws that the government has set. There has been so much proof that marijuana would be a benefactor, and so little proof that it wouldnt. It would be a logical choice for the government to make, if they would just grow it, tax it, sell it, and make 12 billion dollars off of it annually, statistically speaking. I hope this argument helps, and i hope it gives everyone, government included, a good look at the absurdity of this ” War on Drugs “. Contact me at esserdavid@yahoo.com
Im Out.
You’re all ignoring the major part of the argument for the legalization of this drug. It may not have the detrimental health effects that tobacco has, but it still causes death. If marijuana were to be legalized, people could smoke it while driving a car. The effect that the marijuana would have on the mind would endanger the driver and everyone around the driver. The chance of a car crash would increase dramatically, therefore increasing the chance of death. The way marijuana alters the mind is unsafe for society and if marijuana is legalized, the probability of marijuana related deaths will be exponentially increased.
There is nothing wrong with people smoking a little marijuana if they want to i have never seen or heard someone die from it! You can smoke a whole bunch of weed and not die but if you have a headache and take a whole bunch of asprin’s you will die!
Hemp produces more bio mass per year than any other plant, so it is perfect to be the plant to exploit to make alcohol for fuel, not a food crop like corn which is driving up the world food price on corn and causing people in third world countries to starve and enough corn for this cannot be grow anyway.
But it is viable with hemp. The USA needs to quit the drug war and implement the new hemp industry befor we become a third world country.
weed songs
I am almost 42 years, my children are 25, 21, & 19. I started smoking marijuana when I was 12 years old.I smoked it when I was pregnant with my oldest (young & dumb) or so I thought. I didn’t smoke it while I was pregnant with the other 2. Come to find out, my oldest was an “A” honor roll student, won the “Dream” scholarship when he was in the 6th grade and going for his 4 year business degree now. My 2 youngest struggled in school and did not graduate. I am definitely an ADVOCATE!!!
i really believe that marijuana is not harmfull ive not once heard that someone has died of it marijuana makes me feel relaxed and happy and its not so much addicting as other drugs and you still know what your doing!
You know what. America is not a communist country. The government shouldnt be able to tell us what products we should be able to buy, and use. Based on facts, marijuana has caused less deaths than asprin, but they still sell asprin dont they? they sell in right off the shelf. People cant just smoke pot once to learn how to handle it. Practice makes perfect. You have to smoke it to learn to control it. Just like alcohol and cigarettes. Even sugar for that matter.
Marijuana is no different than the everyday products that we as americans consume everyday. The government doesnt know whats good for us, THE PEOPLE DO.
We all need to protest, and pot will be legalized FAST. just watch and see.
i love how i surf the net and see how many people actually smoke cannabis or have smoked it and it still isnt legal maybe it is our fault as a community for not standing up and saying that we enjoy cannabis i myself am sick of hiding it from people its not a big deal i think the government are too old fashioned the only reason cannabis is not legal is because of the American government…thx for proving what complete asses you are once again
If weed is a gateway drug, that leads to harder and more dangerous drugs, then so is coffee, because when you run out of coffee you have to go to the store and buy some more. What else do they sell at stores? Beer, liquor, ciggarettes, junk food, etc…oh my god! its all soooo addicting.
You already drink coffee in the morning so it wont be so bad to have a shot or two at the end of the day. so there u go drinking coffee made me become an alchaholic, and i got drunk, crashed my car. so lets blame the coffee. Doesn’t that sound a little ridiculous? My point being anything can lead you to danger no matter what it is, so its up to the individual, or the parents, to decide if their choices theyre making are the healthiest for themselves.
You dont see me telling your family what to eat for dinner, so why should i listen to the government when they tell me dont sit on your couch and smoke pot, because its dangerous? hahahahahahahahaha i must be high!
We just hope you know what you’re doing. We have a 16 year old who is taking marijuana and we’ve had to put him in rehab. He is also predisposed to drugs because when he was adopted he was addicted to Meth. His mother took it throughout the pregnancy. We had hoped he wouldn’t go to marijuana but he has. And we hope it’s just a phase because if it gets worse and he decides to go to harder drugs, he’ll really be ruining his life. I had a boyfriend way back before I got married who did take marijuana and then harder drugs. And he ended up overdosing and taking his life. So like we said, “good luck.” It’s okay for medicinal purposes, but that’s all.
It would be the smartest move the government would make! I have smoked it for thirty some years and I never did eny harder drugs other than drink whisky an beer. I didnt do that for long becuase of the effects that it had on me!So I stayed with smoking even though it was ilegal. I had many chances to try harder drugs like lsd meth coc heroine crac.
But they did not intrest me and i had friends that did and seen what effects it had on thier lives but under stand that was thier choice to try them and I knew it wasnt for me so to say it leads to harder drugs is B.S. when a person is young it is more pier pressure than eny thing to try harder drugs becuase they want acceptance of thier friends.so to legalize it and not just med marijuana would help get america out of the ecconomic crisses that we are in ! and posibly reroute our tax dollars of around 40 thousand for eachperson that is in the department of correction on marijuana charges.
But then look how big of making money that is of the department corrections.I personaly would rather have my tax dollars go for the betterment and protectoin of the american population. Than that!So spread the word for legalizing marijuana!!!!! Let your state reps and government know your choice to legalize it
Previously, I disclosed that I was an under cover Narc who became a drug addict and they sent me to Fallon Nevada to refuel the stealth fighter prior to its becoming public.
My handler was a criminal defense attorney who went into the justice department. Melvin Black criminal defense attorney in Miami.
In future blogs I will let you know other attorneys who work for the Justice Department and their informants in Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and the Palm Beaches in Florida.
If you don’t think I am for real check them out and me.
Remember, Manny the Narc says if your busted call Mel and take a few lines hes a coke freak.
Gateway my arse! I tried a cigarette before I tried weed does that mean CIGARETTES? are a GATEWAY DRUG? Why not? They ARE MORE DEADLY for your health and CAUSE CANCER?
MARIJUANA actually SLOWS CANCER growth and is “scientifically Proven” in tests on animals and HUMAN patients (AIDS, Cancer, IBS, etc…). For relief of symptoms and believe it or not has BEEN QUOTED in the prolonging of an individuals lifespan. No one said it was the cure, but if it helps why not suffer less and live a little longer?
Oh? Do not believe me? Just Google it. Google whatever you want. PICK UP SOME BOOKS IN THE LIBRARY. I stand by what I say. Humans tend to look over the facts when politics and financial gain are involved. Then it becomes about who gets a piece of their pie from legalizing and taxing it. And so forth…
They fail to realize the stress involved in their lives can be cured in a rolled marijuana cigarette if they took an hour out of their busy lives to sit back, take a hit and just relax.
That’s all pot smokers do with it anyway, unless they are at a party getting drunk. Don’t even get me started on the hazards of liquor.
Did a COP ever tell you smoking marijuana will decrease your drunker stupor? Oh no? They never would either because A) they don’t know that info or B) they just wanted to bust your drunk ass anyway.
Harrison, men I’m a 100% with you… being of hispanic descent I’ve read and been told about the racism propaganda you’re talking about, which the govmt used to make weed illegal. We’re in the year 2010, more people than ever are dying of LEGAL prescription drugs OD’s…it’s time for the USA govmt to stop the bullshit and legalize weed and benefit OPENLY and not behind closed doors of this product’s sale tax and let people enjoy the “drug” of peace and love…
I used to smuggle everything, from weed to heroine. I know what drugs are and I’ve seen what they can do to people. I never seen a weed fiend, But I’ve seen people fiendin for drugs that they get from their doctors. The U.S. spends millions of dollars fighting weed, when they could legalize it and it could make billions.
In this recession, desparation increases, more people are selling than ever. Imagine the juggernaut of an industry it would become overnight. Remember, it was illegalized in part of racism. The gov’ began a propaganda campaign, this country we live in is oppressive. They don’t like it when they can’t get a cut. Communism and Capitalism are two sides of the same coin. Legalizing it would be a win for the people, for democracy, for the American Dream. I hope you read this. And if you don’t believe me, you’re a ignorant socialist beast of oppression. Holla1
http://www.loserthought.blogspot.com has a great breakdown on why marijuana should be legal. Thoughts From a Loser fully supports the legalization and taxation for responsible medical and recreational use of marijuana.
Sidenote: Those supporting marijuana that are leaving comments need to do a real good grammar and spelling check before posting. It doesn’t help the stereotypes to seem uneducated while supporting the cause.
I can’t even believe this is still even a topic in 2010 wow. Marijuana No Known Cases of any Illnesses or Deaths Ever end of story. Hears the Real Story, It’s a Schedule 1 Narcotic, which classifies it with Meth, Cocaine, Heroin, LSD- True Problem Drugs. With this Classification Bring in the Stepping Stone Hypothesis or Gate Way Drug Theory. Seeing How Marijuana has Already Been proven medically beneficial I guess so then should Meth and the Rest of the Schedule 1 Narcotics. See what I’m getting at; Think we are at the point in time where we need to start educating the people. http://www.theunionmovie.com All I have to say about Marijuana.
Legalizing Cannabis is a smart choice for America. To me and apparently to many others, the logic behind this notion is apparent.
It’s called “The Gateway Drug” because statistics show that most heroin and other hard drug users used Cannabis before they tried hard drugs. That isn’t too hard for me to swallow, and I’ll tell you why. In order for most people to get their hands on Cannabis, they have to go through a “Drug Dealer”. Drug dealers sell drugs, so many people who buy Cannabis from these “Drug Dealers” are exposed to other drugs when they make their purchases. So what if people didn’t have to go to a “Drug Dealer” to obtain Cannabis?
I am 29 years old, born in 1980. I started smoking Cannabis when I was about 13 years old. A school friend of mine who lived in my neighborhood stole a joint from his Dad and we went into the woods near his house and tried to smoke it. The problem was we didn’t know how to inhale properly and didn’t get high from it. It wasn’t until I started smoking cigarettes that I learned how to inhale smoke. That too was introduced to me by my peers. I smoked cigarettes and Cannabis for about five years before I tried Cocaine. I was introduced to Cocaine by the guy that brought me and some friends a bag of pot in 1998. It was the first and the last time I ever used the drug. I didn’t like the way it made me feel at all.
I spent many years associating with regular users of hard drugs and saw first hand what these “Hard” drugs do to you. These people were not drug dealers or career criminals, just friends and family of my peers. What I quickly learned was that Cocaine, Meth, Heroin, Alcohol and other drugs of this sort were very dangerous, and the decision to stay away from them was an easy one to make. Cannabis didn’t make you sick or violent, it didn’t make you feel guilty or impair your judgment to the point of making dangerous decisions.
As I matured, I began to increasingly loathe having to deal with these street punks to get it. They would often try to push the more expensive drugs on you, and most of them were dangerous people. Not to mention the numerous times I was ripped off by these people. I began to wonder why this substance was illegal in the first place, since Alcohol and cigarettes were obviously much more dangerous and addictive.
The number one reason I find is because people believe it is a gateway drug. So if Cannabis is seen to be dangerous because it brings people in contact with harder drugs, then why not remove it from the streets?
There are a lot of people, myself included that enjoy using cannabis. There is a very high demand for it that is being met by illegitimate people. Dangerous people. When you buy it from these idiots you do not know what it has come in contact with, or if it is safe to consume. It can be laced with other drugs in an attempt to get you hooked on these more expensive substances. It is easy to see that the real danger of using Cannabis stems from it being illegal, where it is controlled by criminals and otherwise untrustworthy people.
Economic advantages aside, legalizing Cannabis is the only way to insure that our children, our loved ones, and those of us who choose to use it can do so safely. I would gladly pay a higher price for it at a government controlled facility than to take my chances with a street punk, and I’m real sure I’m not the only one who feels this way.
America, it’s time to put an end to the madness, stop ignoring the facts and start applying some common sense to this issue. You are never going to stop us from using it because it is not dangerous to us.
America, the only dangers associated with Cannabis are the dangers that the War on Drugs has created. You have given control to the criminals, and now it’s time to take it away from them.
Tax it,
Regulate it,
Control it,
Learn from it,
Benefit from it,
But above all, make it safe for us to enjoy this wonderful gift given to us by God.
Smoking pot isn’t like doing meth, or coc, or heroine. I have NEVER heard of a pothead going out and robbing and killing someone so they can get their next fix. There are great people in this world today and in the past that have smoked pot.
i think it should be legal i been smokein for 4 years now and nothing happend to me.
I was an undercover narc who became a drug addict. I was sent to Fallon Nevado to refuel the Stealth fighter before it became public.
My handler criminal defense attorney Melvin Black in coconut grove Florida helped me. He can help you too. If you get busted give him a call. If your a small fish you’ll get off, as long as you give up your source.
Not to worry he is a direct pipeline into the Justice Department.
Manny the Narc
YES!! the advantages clearly outweigh the disadvantages
@Chris read up on the real facts chief. http://blog.norml.org/2010/03/01/weeding-through-the-hype-interpreting-the-latest-warnings-about-pot-and-schizophrenia/
I think it should be to be honest. it does no harm what so ever. yeahh,it impares you,but not like alcohol does. the thing is, you can legally drink when you turn 21, you can get put in jail at the age of 9, you can legally have sex with an older person and get your license at the average age of 16 in most states and countries, so why the fuck can’t you smoke dope?
it should be legal for the medical and economical advantages
Ive been smoking pot for 15 yrs and have a great job. All you you pot heads need to represent your self in a responsible manor. Stop the common miscoception of the lazy pot head. Represent!!
Marijuana should be legailze i want to smoke with out worries of a ticket look at the facts people
Absolutely not.
See http://www.smh.com.au/national/wakeup-call-for-teen-pot-smokers-20100227-pa3o.html
Cannabis should most certianly be legal in all forms medical and for enjoyment,its a plant, its natural,and the goverment it is saying that its illegal for it to take place. its not bad, in fact some science reports say it helps the growth of brain tissue, not destroy it as you may have heard,the tests that were done to say that marijuana kills brian cells were done with monkeys and had gassmasks strapped to there mouths and noses, and they were suffacated, anything that is sufficated loses brian cells,is a simple fact, some say its a killer, and no one has ever died in the history of the 10,00 years that it has been on this earth.
others will say that it makes you a screw up, a burnout, a stain in society, if thats true, than why are some of the most successful people in the world weed lovers, like sir richard branson, rick steves, Aaron sorkin, michael phelps, barack obama (when young), micheal bloomberg,ted turner,montel williams,stephen king,arnold Schwarzenegger,and many more (and if you dont now who any of these people are,please look them up).not only that but but if weed were to be legal it could help fix the economy.
With legalization of marijuana could come a rise in hemp products,and hemp is the singal most useful resource in the world, with 30,000 different uses including clothes,food,fuel,purifacation of food,paper,and many others, as well as creating jobs for all those products, it could definatly help our economy.if cannabis were to be legal it could be sold in stores and taxed and that tax could be put into the health-care system. and if you think that tax will make weed more expensive, dont worry weed lovers, it will still be cheaper than it is now because it will be mass produced.
one issue that some are worried about is the gateway theory, while true for some, if marjiuana were to be legal,the 42 billion dollars spent anaully on persuing marijuana by the crimanal justice system, could be put into into informing and persuing other illegal drugs like meth,cocian,pcp,ext.and could help get rid of that gateway theory.Cannabis is a huge piece of the puzzle to solving our national crisis,please support it!.
I don’t understand how weed is not legal?? I also don’t get why people take it so serious? Its just a little Mary Jane! It doesn’t do any harm, it makes everything better. You just want to eat and sleep and of course laugh or zone out into deep thought! Goshhh I LOVE Marijuana for those who haven’t tried it… MORE FOR US… you’re missing out on some good times though.
I think the United States government is to blame. They know there is NO harm in it, but since they cant tax it they don’t get any money and they throw a big fit to get there way. Typical American gov’t. If they “WERE” smart about it they would make profits not only in the weed industry but as well a stores with food or who knows.. ANY STORE lol.
Everyone needs to smoke and relieve stress (nobody likes a bitch). I just wish more people who make decisions for others knew all the facts, that includes parents who “think” their children will become addicts or do obscene things for it, pshh.
it should be legal
There is absolutely no reason for marijuana to be Illegal. marijuana became Illegal based on false accusations made mostly by a man named William Randolph Hurst. In 1935 an invention called the decorticator came out , this device allowed them to process Hemp at a much faster and more efficient rate.
The truth is before Slavery was abolished hemp was the commonly used product to produce paper ( the declaration of Independence is produced on hem). Well in 1935 when they came out with this new machine that would process Hemp it was a huge risk to the Paper companies which this man owned several of. ( Hemp is 10 times more durable then paper).
So william Randolph Hurst started producing these rumors about this new drug called Marijuana. The name marijuana is a type of wild tobacco plant that grows in Mexico. The name was never used for hemp until the 1930’s, they needed to give it a new name in order for people not to realize what was going on.
So from this guy we got add’s saying People were killing there children etc. So they very easily got the legislation passed to make “Marijuana ” Illegal when in fact they had no idea that they were banning Hemp.
Alcohol and cigarettes are both drugs. Thousands upon thousands die from these products every year but there are legal ( as they should be, it is our RIGHT to choose as adults). But these are sanctioned drugs, with tons of health implications.. Can you tell me one proven health implication of marijuana besides the fact of inhaling smoke? Another interesting fact is that when you see these commercials on t.v against marijuana there are produced by ” Partnership for a drug free America” it says so at the end of the commercial, and want to know who sponsors this company..
Alcohol!!! Its a fact that Alcohol companies are the biggest contributor to these adds and campaigns against Hemp.. And why wouldn’t they if marijuana became Legal it would Hurt Alcohol companies, Tobacco , and Pharmaceutical companies. There are so many different drugs that would be useless if marijuana was legal.
Marijuana helps People with stomach disorders, Pain, Depression and a hundred other things. In the end its a natural plant. and nothing Natural should be illegal.. Its not banned because its deadly. ( because you can go to your local Lowes or Home Depot and by seeds for plants that will kill you) Its banned because economically it helps the gov, and big companies.
If you have any questions feel free to contact me Via email at nwachob21@gmail.com
and check out my website at: gogreenon420.com
i reallly think they should legalize pot it can help in many ways! Plus pot is the bomb.
ive done a lot of good research and i found that marijuana is not illegal because as they say “its a bad thing” “it leads to more harmful substances” “it has twice the number of cancer causing chemicals as tobacco” “it destroys peoples lives”…wich is all false to the gratest extent…marijuana has NO deaths none of the cancer causing hype can be proved, but strongly disproved…the only reason it ruins lives is because IT IS ILLEGAL and people punish marijuana users as if they were real criminals.
People on the news today use hype and pretty much explain why it should be legal in there attempt to make people believe it should actually be illegal. i say it is not illegal for being bad, because it is illegal because it is too much of a great thing. for example 1 acre of hemp can produce as much paper as 4 acres of regular trees.
Think of the few months it would take to generate 1 acre of hemp vs. the time period of 4 acres of woods to grow…it can also be used to create a more efficient less harmful fuel source… it can generate massive tax dollars if legalized and can cure a huge list of illnesses, and so much more…some conspiracy theorist have strong evidence that our government purposely add chemicals to our food and medicine to gradually make us even unhealthier.
If anyone read up on or knows about the one world government “conspiracy” wich has strong proof all over anywhere you search for it, is basically the government wants us to be in debt, they want the economy to be down so they can control the people, and if marijuana was legal then it would make more than enough money to help the economy, people would be more open minded, more healthier and more peacefull…im not getting too much in to the whole “conspiracy” topic because it is hard for some people to actually take in or believe in what sounds like complete nonsense but the proof is out there…99.9% of the people reading this understands that there is NO reason marijuana should be illegal and our government isnt that dumb…think of the real reasons…you cant possibly think out gov.
Is growing marijuana, dispensing it to certain people and putting an fda stamp on it and turns around and tells the rest of our ignorant nation the lies they want us to believe about how it ruins lives and does this and that and has some man in a buiseness suit telling families across the nation that it is a horrible thing…they compare marijuana to heroin, and to someone who has no education on marijuana will think that it is just as hard as the real drugs out there.
They do and say whatever it takes to outwit us, to brainwash us, and to keep this miracle plant out of our hands. sorry about the length but people need to open there eyes…i love you guys! keep up the support, we need to all think of ways to help spread the truth and open our neighbors eyes.
Message me at myspace.com/sumkindadude if anyone has ideas or comments (thats all i use for my email).
if the gov legalized marajuana we could use the tax money for health care and other gov programs like social socirity as well as welfare furthermore if marajuana was legal crime rate will go down do too the fact that 700,000 arrest per year for marajuana offenses roughly 600,000 or 87 percent are possesion of small amounts.
Awesome article about the Pros and Cons of Legalizing Marijuana…
http://www.politics3.com/ViewArticleGallery.aspx?AID=331
What do you guys think?
Many organizations are pushing for the legalization of Marijuana as a medical drug. Marijuana has many medical advantages which include it being a therapeutic drug for cancer and AIDS patients. Many other research and studies dedicated to Marijuana has shown early signs that it can also inhibit cancer cell growth in animals.
http://www.testcountry.org/marijuana-legalization.htm#ixzz0fgkVG1jV
I would have to agree with bubba on this one marijuana should definitely be legal if only we had people like him or others that can put in a way that the government will understand it could be legalized already I believe that it can if we all get up and do something about it we could actually get it legalize..
Here’s the whole truth about it…..
the government has issued votes to legalize marijuana but only 28% of Americans voted to legalize the other 82% voted not to legalize it.my question is how about the people that don’t vote because the government don’t make us aware of it I dint even get to vote because this was keeping a underground thing but I bet anything that those number will change if we had another chance at getting the word around and really 100% of Americans voted not only a couple states.
Now I’m a American and I believe that as an American my rights have been broken I though this was a free country if it is then why am I prohibited to use a plant that was made from God.that’s were the whole law system is messed up ..why???? Example: if I can’t use marijuana then wath gives the right to tobacco company to use tobacco plants to make cigarettes or beer company’s to use crops.
I don’t like to compare weed to alcohol but its the truth weed will never cussed you the effects that alcohol do or cigarettes weed actually help you get better from the cancer that cigarettes give you there really aren’t no harmfull effects from marijuana except it throws out the dying brain cells and makes way for the new ones.the government took that little thing and turn it in to a really bad thing with there lies is bull s*** and it’s the only thing they really have to fight back at us with so for all my weed smokers if we get together we can legalize it us Americans own america not the government.
One more thing they also speak of is that weed has crazy side effects to some people I do agree with it but they can’t stop all of us from using it just cause one person acts all stupid might as well do the same for alcohol.
Last thing weed does not get you lazy I smoke a j and I’m ready to play basketball ball.people write back and give some ideas so we can get this perfect plant legalized sign da petition at http://www.PetitionOnline.com/Legalize/petition.html….
Sorry for my writing is talking about a sense less act of government makes me mad
I think it’s just stupid that marijuana is illegal. I mean it’s not even dangerous like at all. Plus the plant is probably the most useful plant on earth. Bio fuel from the seeds, hemp paper lasts way longer than normal paper (what our friggin constitution was written on),and IT IS MEDICINE.
It would make tons of money if it was sold and regulated like tobacco or alcohol, not to mention all the money we’re just pissing away on trying to stop marijuana! Our government has been lying to us forever and everyone is just brainwashed. They need to just let it go and legalize it. Everyone needs to watch the documentary “The Union” it explains everything perfectly.
I believe in freedom of choice and especially when it comes to using marijuanna. Yes I do think it should be legal.
There are MANY uses for cannabis, not only medical, it is also considered an excellent choice for mass bio fuel. Make energy, get relaxed, knock out the arthritis all at 1 time, with very few if any physical and only temporary physiological side effects unlike most of the junk we (as the human race in whole) consume or come into contact with every day.
MY PERSONAL THEORY
I know I am going to get blasted for this but oh-well.
Government says illegal, why?
Well it is just way to easy for the common folk to grow their own with plenty of extra to sell to those of whom do not have the space or talent to grow their own. Now with that in mind you have unlicensed people running an unlicensed business and not coughing up the TAXES for such sales Political crap if you ask me.
Medical company says illegal, well this is just WAY TO EASY to resolve, why? Well if all the common people are growing their own and selling to the others, well how much money are the medical companies about to loose. Well we can just “donate” a few mill to the government once in a while to get their support so we don’t have to loose millions every day”
Common people are confused, why? LOL, because the government only delivers a fraction of the truth so it sounds bad.
Marijuana is supposedly a gateway drug, fine statistically tobacco and alcohol, in which are LEAGLE are more of a gateway drug than any form of cannabis. They say smoking cannabis destroys brain cells, this is true, it does kill off the weak and dying brain cells and promotes the growth of new ones
My opinion on legalization:
A few countries have it completely legalized. They also have a more sound economy and a very slight change in marijuana use. Now I am not a man of the bible and I am not going to preach. But for all who are familiar with the bible, it states that god has put every thing on the earth for us to use. To me this means every thing should be natural, so what is more natural, that funny little pill that you take every day made in some lab or a plant you just yanked out of the dirt?
Does the American dollar bill not state in god we trust? Well IF OUR GOVERMENT TRUSTS HIM THEN WHY IS NATURAL ILLEAGLE AND SYNTHETIC LEAGLE??? The answer to this corrupted question is stated above under government says illegal. JUST LEAGLISE IT ALREADY.
i have been a legal medical marijuana patient in colorado for a year now and i think it is a step in the right direction. i think total legalization of marijuana would be positive. local mmj dispensaries are taxed which provide government with income.
oh i can’t wait. LEGALIZE !
youtube.com/watch?v=gKlcxi2MtN8
MY SONG FOR LEGALIZING MARIJUANA “UNIVERSAL” CHECK IT OUT
I agree with many of the posts on this website. Medical marijuana in the hands of the medical community can be a very positive therapeutic treatment of many ailments.
This is Great!
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Spread the word far and wide.
Well seems to be alot of rumors going around that weed is a gate way drug to other narcotics well i could say the same for ice cream.
The mind can’t comprehend one may be better than others like exotic foods an stuff like that you got try new thing cause u get burnt out on the same old stuff day in an day out as it seems but (( at least its an herb that comes from the ground that was here before we were an not man made )).
With chemicals like all these pharmasuiticle companys an scientest you have so many side affects from what your gonna knock weed cause why answer me that come on.
It needs to stay in the hands of the right people. When I starts to feel ‘uneasy’ or you begin to question whats going on is not pure and virtuous, then its time to step back. Medical marijuana has to remain in the hands of those who really care. They need to be elected by the people, informed people. Maybe Iam biased, I get most my info from http://www.budbook.org, a really nice feeling and positive medical marijuana website.
I cannot understand why our country allows the use of Alcohol, but condemns the use of Marijuana.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but on a dark, windy road, I would much rather have someone who is stoned driving towards me than a drunk person. High people are cautious and paranoid. Drunk people, pure and simple, just don’t care!
You don’t hear about weed destroying lives unless its a story of how someone gets in some sort of legal trouble. People don’t die from DT’s from marijuana use. Even the Bible says that the Lord God gave us all seeded plants to use and have dominion over.
Are the polititions of this country wiser than Him? How can we as a country continue to deny such a wonderful gift from our Creator? Please stop locking people up for indulging in this great green Earth we’ve been given. Wise up America!
If you think it would be bad your not that intelligent, it would help the economy and help pull us out of a depression and I am tired of getting bad weed, if the government would sell it would hopefully be good.
Legalization of marijuana is dangerous and would wreak the illegal drug trade economy. Countries should think twice about putting tens of thousands of murders, kidnappers, and criminals out of business.
Besides not one country on earth needs additional tax revenue. Just makes sense to keep marijuana underground and illegal. And dont you feel safer getting it from the local thug on the street who got it from the Mexican cartel?
Legalizing Marijuana would be an improvement in every way. Less people to crowd prisons and more taxes for the government if u legalized it. Its not a worse or more harmfull effect than drinking so there is no good resaon for keeping it illigal. its a fun way to let off steam and have some fun. I LOVE WEEED
Decriminalization of marijuana would cut our taxes to pay for drug offenses, both by limiting the amount of “criminals” going to jail as well as the amount of DOC employee’s we have to pay for to house them.
The U.S. Government could tax it and withing a few years maybe less this country would be dept free. I am a stroke victim and suffer from HPB. Marijuana keeps me calm and helps my medications to work better. It also helps the pain in my back and shoulder caused by 2 vehicle accidents.
I used to do security, and was a firefighter/EMT for 10 years, I know from a medical standpoint how helpful it is for MANY people who need it. Of course the best reason is “It will make you feel good!”
Well i think that if it is legal in 13 states we need to get high in alabama and georgia to, no one dies from it. The only reason people are against it is because they cant tax it. If you dont like it u just need to sit back and smoke a fat blunt it helps i will smoke no matter wat u think about it and the goverment to.
I agree it’s not bad I’m not smoking it cause it’s illegal but it’s Heath benefits definitely out ways the bad side affects.
Until I met my husband…I was dead set on Marijuana being bad and killing people…WHAT A LIE! I feel so passionalty about it that I will tell anyone…Legalize It! I have done alot of reading on my own…It all coincides. It is good for you in moderation. I wish I could move into the mountains and grow it without worry. Let’s swap alcohol for Marijuana…I think that is fair.
I am about to turn 60 years old. Have smoked marijuana since I was 17. Recently failed a random test. It has totally screwed up my life. Not marijuana, but the laws. As I stated, I have smoked since I was 17. Have never gone insane, killed anybody or anything negative.
I now have to go to counseling at the cost of $300 and have to take a drug and alcohol abuse class at the cost of $100. (Not to mention that the class I have to take is comprised of heroin and meth addicts.) The Texas DOT will now track me and frequently random test me till the day I retire.
There is something very wrong with when other persons can work with alcohol and tobacco in there system (both of which are more deadly and addictive than marijuana.) If they would come up with a test that shows you are under the influence at that time, as the do with alcohol, I would have no problem with that. What I do when I am off the clock and off of company premises is nobody’s business. It’s just a damn sham.
Well first off never wrote a blog about this subject or any subject at that matter. I feel very strong about this as do most people. Herbal ganja, whatever you want to call it… makes every day that much better as long as you dont abuse it, right?.
But honestly come on you can’t over dose from pot i think its called comatose? ha. Your functional, you can do pretty much anything but build tolerance so you dont act like a complete idiot. The safest habit people have and its frowned upon and ilegal what the hell is that. We’re missing out on billions of dollars to compensate for the goverment and this countrys spending habits.
Marijuana can do wonders for this country not only slow the traffic of drugs into the united states from canada and mexico on that front at that matter. Farmers would be able to grow, in turn they could put people to work. see were im going its like the ripple effect i guess you call it. then what people get it and use it.Thats like 25-100 dollars off one person that can be taxed and also not shipped to mexico.
Think about how many people smoke, everybody comes out a winner and something that has never been altered just grew out of the ground like a plant, a tree, tomatoes? Maryjane makes life alot more peaceful and you still do what you wanna do no restrictions. Let me know what ya think? this is puff goes the dragon … “get blazed america and get smart”
Candice – “marijuana destroys your lungs far more than cigs do”. Could you please provide some evidence to backup this claim? The only report to my knowledge that has concluded that weed damages your respiritory system is the report published under the Reagan Administration, which has been heavily discredited.
With regard to second hand smoke, the United Kingdom bans smoking in enclosed public areas – why not simply do this to protect others from second hand smoke? Also, the THC of cannabis is consumed throughout the initial drag from the spliff – second hand smoke does not contain THC which is the active component that gets you high.
“Should Marijuana be Legalised?”
Why would it not need to be? What’s going to happen when someone else finds another weed, plant ect that is just as strong? Are we all going to jump on the band wagon and say, make it illegal? We don’t go around and say band wine ? It comes from the vine, yep a plant.Please don’t use the excuse that it leeds to other drugs. Look at what would happen the very day that it would be legalised. The revenue that we would save keeping law enforcement out of it.
Releasing folks from jail that got caught with it. Look at the Billions we would save in the first year. Its a plant for goodness sake. It grows naturally.It’s not distilled. Just think the folks south of the border will not need to sneek it in. Now we saved money on border patrol.
I strongly agree that there are a lot of people who want the legalization of cannabis sativa (marijuana) to happen merely because they want to get high more often with out trouble from authorities. Lets think about this shall we, what have i just said? That someone wants to have the right to consume marijuana on there own time with out being fined or even sent to prison.
First, getting “high” is a mixed feeling of being, happy, hungry and sometimes sleepy. None of these affects are harmful. Second, I believe this should be legal for RESPONSIBLE users. When i say responsible users i mean people over the age of 18 who understand the natural substance in which they are using and understand that they are using a very minor hallucinogen ( THC ).
I myself have used marijuana, both smoking and edible ways and enjoy it for both a relaxing evening or for self medicating my Bi-Polar and ADD. Many of you may think these are minor phycological conditions but i assure you i have struggled with both and have found the use of marijuana to help chemically balance myself. Using marijuana in small doses can be a very viable medicine.
If you have watched the documentary, The Union, then you have seen that it can completely calm a patient with Multiple Sclerosis. I am shamed that I am put into the title of POT HEAD because of a young generation who abuses the substance and a public who have been lied to and scared into believing that this 100% natural substance is dangerous? Dangerous? are you serious? I would challenge anyone one who believes this to search world wide for any account that states that cannabis sativa has caused (by itself alone) a single death.
I know that you hear time and time again that alcohol and tobacco kills millions world wide every year, but honestly, it scares me to death that something so lethal can be legal while a, and i state again, 100% naturally plant that grows in the wild can be illegal and stands for over 40 PERCENT OF THE ARRESTS in the united states alone. wow! I believe its time for everyone who believes marijuana should remain illegal to re-think why this is and to research for themselves the facts and the ever growing myths of marijuana. Its time for change America and i believe this starts with one small step at a time.
So please, i ask those of you who read this to spread the word and look for yourself about the facts and not rely on others and the media to spread the so called truth. My name is Reed Davis and i am FOR the decriminalization of marijuana for responsible adults in the United States Of America. Do your part and VOTE.
I’m extremely confused why everybody thinks weed isn’t bad for you!? Marijuana destroys your lungs far more than cigs do. And the THC in marijuana nowadays is a hell of a lot more potent than it was in the past decades when is was slightly more acceptable.
Also, for all of you who use the excuse, “weed isn’t bad, it’s natural” arsenic is also natural but guess what that is?…poison.
And think about how this would affect the general public? Who hates second hand smoke? I hate just about everything regarding second hand smoke. The fact that it stinks and bothers my lungs is a pain in the butt. But the one thing that I like about is…it doesn’t get me high! And that’s exactly what second hand smoke of marijuana would do.
I live in Manhattan, and if anyone has ever been to the city you know how many cigarrette smokers there are and how much cigarrete smoke there is. If just half of the smoker population were “legally” smoking weed, the whole city, the whole millions of people that live on a crowded island would be baked! And I, as a non-marijuana user find that completely unfair.
Marijuana legalization will inevitably happen because of the increasing popularity of the plant. Marijuana can be used medicinally and recreational without becoming addicted or without having any extremely harmful side effects. Marijuana cannot be overdosed on and therefore could never physically induce death.
America can save billions in law enforcement, make billions of dollars by taxing and regulating marijuana just as tobacco and alcohol are, and also save tons of trees by using hemp. The benefits are clear, but the reasons why it shouldn’t be legalized are not clear because there are no substantial reasons why marijuana should not become legal. More and more Americans are becoming marijuana advocates, which eventually means marijuana will finally become legal and the United States will finally start thinking logically.
In response to Bertha: Weed is a drug. It is important not to spread misinformation about cannabis if you want it to be viewed without a bias.
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language defines a drug as “a chemical substance, such as a narcotic or hallucinogen, that affects the central nervous system, causing changes in behavior and often addiction”.
Although there is debate regarding the addictive properites of marijuana, this definition is applicable to weed and people who claim that it isn’t a drug are mistaken.
Marijuna has never killed anyone. Yet big tobbacco companies kill millions of people every year. Adolf Hitler is better in comparison to Tobbacco companies. At least he only targeted one race. Tabbacco companies kill everyone every where. It should be legalized.
But can we trust the public to use this substance sensibly if it becomes legalized? Currently, many Americans view the drug as dangerous and treat it with caution and avoid it. I’m sure that if it was made legal, people would assume that it’s completely safe and potentially damage themselves whilst blaming it on the government.
Weed, is NOT a drug, it is a stablizer. I would know this becuase I am VERY VERY bad, bi-polar. It helps me calm down, when I am starting to freak out. Cancer patients are allowed to smoke it, and we should be able too. When they legalize it imma get in everyone’s face and be like “I TOLD YA” 🙂
Marijuana should be made legal because the benefits it will bring outweigh the negatives. It will save the U.S. government billions of dollars, these savings mostly from some relief of the issue of overcrowded prisons. It will also bring in a great deal of revenue that our government will greatly benefit from.
Also, it does not make sense that a naturally produced substance is not legal to enjoy when harmful drugs like alcohol and cigarettes are, especially considering the studies that show marijuana being a safer drug. Gallup.com shows that 44% of the American population supports marijuana becoming legalized and the support has grown at a rate of 1% to 2% since the year 2002.
If it continues at this rate, the number of Americans wishing to legalize marijuana will be greater than those who oppose it in as little as four years. Furthermore, marijuana has been proved to be a great form of medicine. American citizens have been brainwashed to associate marijuana with danger.
What’s funny to me is that alcohol also has this association, but it isn’t illegal. I believe once stubborn marijuana-opposers actually research the facts instead of sitting on their high-horses and “poo-pooing” the possibility that legalizing marijuana could actually be a smart idea, many of them will cross over. Legalizing marijuana just makes sense.
Ultimately, the United States stands to provide as much freedom as possible without disrupting other people’s lives. There is very little evidence to suggest that cannabis use does this. In fact, a quote from the Home Office Wootton Report concluded that “there is no evidence that this activity is causing violent crime or aggression, anti-social behaviour, or is producing in otherwise normal people conditions of dependence or psychosis requiring medical treatment”.
Surely this should lead you to beleive that it should be legal and that you don’t have to use it if you don’t want to? The prohibition surrounding the drug causes crime – not the drug itself.
Marijuana is regarded as an illegal drug throughout the United States. Thanks to old, out-of-date misconceptions, and even older laws, marijuana is still illegal. There seems to be a changing of the tide though. Even as we speak, laws are being made to allow pot to be smoked for medicinal use throughout the country.
A lot of the walls that are being torn down, metaphorically speaking, are being dealt the hardest blow by the media today. Where marijuana use used to be believed to cause literal insanity in people (see Reefer Madness), now articles about marijuana are being written nearly daily, and news organizations never cease to run shows dealing in some way with the drug.
It truly shows that there is a softening in the stance against marijuana. Another part of the media that shows how lightly marijuana use is regarded in this country is the show Weeds on Showtime. This deals with the average, typical California housewife. The crazy thing is, is she deals large amounts of marijuana, and of course, hilarity ensues. Even her children get into the act. This shows how low the standards have sunk. Once, that would have been considered very questionable television. Now, shows filled with illegal drug use are the norm.
What does this say? It simply shows that marijuana is now viewed in a much more lenient eye then previously, and it obviously has to do with increased media leniency. That is not necessarily a bad thing though. Will Melton said on the Kaimin, “The only real solution is legalization, taxation and regulation. There are huge benefits to this, with only mild dangers.” Already, it is used medically. I just wonder how long it will be until the government wakes up and realizes the money that could be made by taxation of the drug.
i think marijuana shoud be legal. When i smoke it im more calm i understand life and think about things in a logical way. Its amazing at the things i can tolorate now. It puts me in a spiritual state of mind. It has helped me in many ways and never caused harm to me. Don’t knock it untill you’ve tried it.
In response to Toasty:
You say that marijuana has many positive effects on ones social life and that he or she can do daily activities such as driving and studying high better than when sober. However, I say that this is incorrect once one examines the mental and physical effects of marijuana. This statement is incorrect because marijuana, “the highest density of cannabinoid receptors are found in parts of the brain that influence pleasure, memory, thoughts, concentration, sensory and time perception, and coordinated movement.” Therefore, it seems ridiculous for a person to say that they drive better high when there coordination and time perception is impaired. How can one drive well under the influence when so many of their most important motor skills are impaired? In addition, it also seems ridiculous for an individual to advocate that marijuana helps them to do better in school when their memory, thoughts and concentration abilities are impaired. Furthermore, it seems ridiculous for an individual to advocate that their social life has improved on an overall scale. For one, the individual may want to take in account the number of friends that they have acquired since they began smoking and question if these are truly genuine friends or if they are just using buddies. Most likely these are just using buddies because if they were true friends then they would have been your friends before you started smoking pot and not all of a sudden after you began smoking pot. In addition, “Research clearly demonstrates that marijuana has the potential to cause problems in daily life or make a person’s existing problems worse.” Studies reported by NIDA indicate that, “heavy marijuana abusers reported that the drug impaired several important measures of life achievement including physical and mental health, cognitive abilities, social life, and career status” (Gruber 1). In addition, “several studies associate workers’ marijuana smoking with increased absences, tardiness, accidents, workers’ compensation claims, and job turnover” (Gruber 1). In addition, it is a hasty generalization to claim that all the individuals who are against the legalization because they have never tried it. Furthermore, it is not necessary to commit the fallacy of an ad hominem, commonly known as name calling and to say that the individuals who are against the legalization of marijuana are so because they are haters. This is not a substantial argument to make and there needs to be more facts than emotions incorporated into your argument. If the facts are separated from the emotions, which seems to heavily dominate this topic, maybe it becomes more evident that marijuana does not improve one’s driving or school performance and social abilities. Therefore, marijuana should not be legalized because of the harmful effects that occur to one’s body and brain when one’s engages in using marijuana.
I think marijuana should be legalized because all the people who have not tried it are haters and for anti-legalization. In addition, I completely agree that marijuana improves ones driving and school work abilities. Also, since i have begun smoking i have expanded my social life and acquired more friends.
Marijuana should not be legal because of the harmful side effects it has on the body, especially the brain. Essentially, “marijuana is the dried and crushed leaves and flowers of the Indian hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. The major psychoactive ingredient is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabonol (THC).” According to the National Institute of Drug abuse commonly known as NIDA, “When someone smokes marijuana, THC rapidly passes from the lungs into the bloodstream, which carries the chemical to the brain and other organs throughout the body.” Essentially, “THC acts upon specific sites in the brain, called cannabinoid receptors, kicking off a series of cellular reactions that ultimately lead to the “high” that users experience when they smoke marijuana.” However, “The highest density of cannabinoid receptors are found in parts of the brain that influence pleasure, memory, thoughts, concentration, sensory and time perception, and coordinated movement”(Herkenham 1). In addition, “A study found that young adults who smoked five or more joints a week had lost an average of four IQ points since the age of 9 to 12 years, compared with IQ gains in light users and nonusers.” Furthermore, marijuana affects an individual’s lungs as well. NIDA accordingly reports, “A study of 450 individuals found that people who smoke marijuana frequently but do not smoke tobacco have more health problems and miss more days of work than nonsmokers” (Polen 1) In addition, “many of the extra sick days among the marijuana smokers in the study were for respiratory illnesses” (Polen 1). In essence, in light of all these facts and studies, marijuana should not be legalized because of all the harmful side effects that occur on one’s body.
I think marijuana should be legalized because all the people who think otherwise are haters and have never tried it. Also, I agree that it improves my driving capabilites and school work performance. Also i have expanded my social life and friends to a greater extent. People need to wake up and realize that we are living in the twenty first century and its time to lift this life long band.
Anyone who dose not smoke marijuana is a hater who just has not tried it. Also, I def. agree that driving while high makes me a better driver.
Marijuana has helped me in so many different ways it’s hard for me to count.
First of all, I’d like to start off by saying that smoking weed has changed me as a person. It it made me more tolerable of people. Avid marijuana smoking has taught me that every person needs to be respected. It has also opened my eyes to many things.
It has made me more open-minded of a person. I can have very intricate conversations while high and I understand why things work and why things are they way they are. It has helped me understand the mysterious power of the universe. I was diagnosed with major depression when I was 15 years old, and have tried many prescription pills.
However, none of them helped. In fact, every single one of them, especially Prozac, made me feel like a complete zombie; I would have an alternate reality that I was living in and I felt like I wasn’t human. It had a very negative effect on me until I began taking up marijuana as an outlet to my stress, worry, anxiety, and depression.
Government officials might argue that marijuana would lead to other drugs, but this is completely untrue. A person will try other drugs if he wants to. I believe that marijuana is the only thing I need in order to keep me mentally healthy. Music sounds better, movies are more interesting, and conversations are fluent and adequate. Not to mention, I drive wayyy better when I am high than when I am sober. I go the speed limit, come to a complete stop at every sign, and pay complete attention to my surroundings.
It bothers me to no extent that marijuana is illegal. And for silly, petty reasons at that. Every single reason why it’s illegal is a joke; a contradiction. Officials say it’s addicting. No, it’s not at all. Officials say crime would raise and everyone would be high all of the time. Crime would decrease, because marijuana induces pacification. Also, people would adjust to the legalization just as people adjust to their alcohol habits. I would guarantee that the economy would skyrocket if it were legal.
Besides, marijuana is a PLANT. Who in the right mind would think that taking away something that is natural to the earth and healthy for us humans is a moral thin to do? The world would be a better place if everyone just got high every once in a while. People are brainwashed all of the time, and it’s a problem.
Anyway, sometimes I just wish I could speak to Obama face to face and tell him how I, and so many of us, feel. I hate having to hide my marijuana smoking because it’s illegal.
But it’s okay to keep alcohol legal, right? Because I mean, it has only killed millions and millions of people, whilst marijuana hasn’t killed a single soul on this planet.
Take pride in weed and what it does to help us. Until then, I will continue to fight for legalization, as so many of us will. Thank you for reading.
Thinkof all the things that are considerably more dangerous than growing a plant and consuming one’s harvest. Why does the govt. not outlaw these? What of the right to read what one may, based on one’s 1st Amendment right. Moreover, what is potentially more dangerous, ideas or a plant? The underlying implications concerning marijuana are often overlooked by those who feel the govt. is justified in doing what it does, often to the detriment, and contrary to the will of people. One must look at present prohibition with an eye on the last attempt at such: History can be a powerful teacher.
All of the following are just my opinions, except the factual information.
Marijuana, medical or recreational is still a drug: it is a substance that alters the normal bodily functions.
Tylenol and cocaine are both drugs.
Needless to say marijuana may or may not be safer than alcohol but it depends on the way you see it.
Alcohol abuse is way worse than marijuana abuse however long term affects of marijuana are still generally unknown. But abusing anything does not put you in a good place either way.
MEDICAL marijuana is a good way to treat things like primary open glaucoma however it is for MEDICAL use. Recreational strains of marijuana nowadays are very specific and the people that do smoke for recreation do have their favorite strains but defeats the purpose of it being “Medical.”
For some facts, there still has been 0 accounts of lung cancer caused by marijuana but usually you will find marijuana smokers doing some sort of other recreational drug.
Marijuana is NOT a gateway drug -> WRONG. I can personally attest to this being wrong because the people that are part of recreational marijuana use often do network with people that do other recreational drugs. I am NOT saying that everyone that smokes marijuana does heroin, but I guarantee that if you hang out with people that smoke weed, you are at a better chance of seeing/trying other recreational drugs.
I also think that if marijuana was legalized, it would get rid of the need for people to go to drug dealers where the other drugs are found.
The prohibition did not work, and I think with time if people fight hard enough, marijuana will be legalized as the pros outway the cons. Just do research and get the best perception of the topic as you can.
-Kevin
I believe the marijuana should not be legalized. If anyone would like to refute this statement i will be more than happy to have a debate with you.
Cannabis is a medicine and not a drug:
As a self-avowed and lifelong cynic, I can strongly identify with the adage that says that cynics know the price of everything and the value of nothing. Perhaps in the struggle to bring down the edifice that is the war on drugs, one brick at a time, certain concessions will have to be made along the way, and it will be necessary to bed down with the enemy, that entity called the State.
However, what are the long-term implications of turning a plant into a controlled substance, which will give this state the power to tax, regulate, and punish those who refuse to accede to the absolute power of the state?
I will not go to far afield with references to the U.S. Constitution, and to classical notions on matters of individual freedom. However, suffice it to say, the prerogatives and claims set forth by the U.S. govt., ostensibly serving to win its war on drugs, are neither constitutional nor a valid position for any nation claiming to be truly free.
I strongly believe that one important cornerstone to personal freedom is what one is allowed to do with one’s body, including the taking of one’s life, an otherwise rational decision for those suffering interminably-the state having no right to abridge such freedom. The ingestion of drugs and a free market for those drugs would also be a guarantor of freedom (as was the case in the U.S. until the early twentieth century, with proportionally far fewer addicts than today, and far fewer regulations on how doctors could treat their patients, including palliative care).
If activists jump the bandwagon, and push for legalizing marijuana for a strict set off uses, will anyone wind up being better served? Will prisons empty themselves of marijuana convictions? Will the right to grow the plant in one’s garden be legally safeguarded? To these questions and many others not being seriously asked, no good will come from medical marijuana law…in any state.
Defining cannabis as a medicine not only pays short shrift to the richness of our relationship to the plant, but, it is in many ways conceding to the absolute power of the state.
Maybe it’s a start. “When in Rome do as the Romans”. Such is the manner for lobbyists working to have laws changed, by giving the plant a more user friendly reputation. If marijuana is to be universally accepted as medicine (a drug, as per government control), through all the hard hours of work by a cadre of advocates and lobbyists, will the casual user be any less stigmatized and persecuted?
If the public message is that marijuana is a medicine, while glossing over all its other uses and attributes, then the Federal government and states will avail themselves to impose any kind of controls on who can consume a plant and who can’t-perhaps with greater than ever legal sanctions against law breakers). Such is not a prescription for greater individual freedom, it is a vitiation of same.
I think that it should be legalized, how come the government gets decide weither or not i get to smoke or not. Marijuana doesnt have harmful effects on the body. hell, tobacco should be illegal. it hurts you way more then weed. i think “hey why legalize it, hey why not?!” it does no harm and yeah 400 chemicals, most house plants have 500 and above. legalize the stuff.
Our tax dollars pay the salaries of elected officials who have a constitutional moral obligation to the people of this country, under the control substance act alcohol is the only recreational product available to the people, so morally our elected officials have obligated themselves and our government in the position of being responsible for any and all alcohol related damages and deaths. They should be able to afford it, considering how many millions of dollars our government collects from the licenses, permits, and taxes from alcohol.
If you’re claiming that weed killed your bf, you’re a liar. Marijuana has been around since 2737 B.C and not one person has died. And if that did happen, weed wouldn’t have been the cause. What you claim is an aneurism or a stroke. It’s hard to believe that after the millions of people that have done weed, that your boyfriend is the first in history to die from it? And you just so happen to find this discussion so you can tell us all about it?
“It’s not a war on drugs, it’s a war on personal freedom.”
It should be legalized. I started smoking marijuana not even 6 months ago, and I realized how much i’ve missed out on. I’m 19 years old and was always told these lies about pot being a “gateway drug” and that it causes people to commit suicide. I’m thoroughly pissed off about that.
If you’re using it in your own home, what damage are you really doing? NOTHING. It should be MY choice what I put into my body, not the government or law enforcement. Like it’s been said before, If weed was legalized, I’m sure it would get us out of our economic slump. Jobs would probably be made to manufacture bongs/grow weed if anything.
Plus I find it degrading that most jobs make you take a urine test. If it isn’t affecting your efficiency at work, does it really matter what you decide to do OUTSIDE of work? “What workers do off the job should be their own business as long as they are performing satisfactory at work.”-ACLU
I dont see why they dont legalize it i have been a cronic smoker for 20 years give or take and the only thing that has effected me in anyway is my possession charge. I cant get a good job and i cant find a decent apartment. So pretty much the legalization of marijuana would benifit our ecomnomy because I know there are more like me that are out there. If our government wants to clean out our jails and help out the economy with new jobs and probably less crime to then the answer in this man’s opinion is to legaglize marijuana for recreational and medical purposes.
ok in school earlier today i was debating with my health teacher “YO!!! ok so bad people do Ciggarets AND bad people Drink alco, but all my friends SMOKE WEED!!!!! and all the people who drink and do tabaco are cocky Jerkovs. and if 2 wrongs make no right, lets even the battlefeild and illegalize beer and ciggarettes, but leagalize WEED!!!!!!!”…. i totaly fucking won that argument….
All I know is that if you stick wit trees, you’re better off than being an alcoholic or a chain smoker. I personally believe that trees could’ve separated modern man from his caveman ancestors. It’s in the ancient histories of man(India, china, the list goes on) People can say Trees are a gateway drug, but that all depends on the person. People are going to do whatever they want regardless.
I know plenty of cannibus users who have families and children. In some cases too many children. So there goes the fertility studies out the window in my eyes. So what smoking trees might cause cancers, so does eating microwave popcorn. Thanks to the federal drug act trees have only been looked down upon since 1938.
A lot of things have changed since then, so it sounds a lil out dated. I think the people who oppose Cannibis are scared because there is a deeper connection than just smoking involed. Also i think those opposed are not willing to say that they were wrong. I could go on and on about this topic. If any of you skeptics wanna prove me wrong, come to the BAY AREA, California. Specifically the south bay. More specific, Santa Clara(next to San Jose) We’ll roll up some purple ( in a grape swisher or a backwood) and well discuss the pros and cons over a session. -Time
You guys are over thinking everything. Marijuana isnt a bad drug. Although many people do it to be cool, the real reason why consumers love it is because they need a place of peace. A feeling that can only be experienced while under the influence. Its not like we are getting away from our world. We just want to break that routine and do something fun and think outside of the box. Marijuana should be legalized. It doesnt matter why it should be because the only reason why people think is bad its because thats just how society has come to see it after being brainwashed. I’ve met so many people in life and some of the best friends i have and some of the most successful people I know, are consumers. If you smoke, dont do it because your friends do it, because then you are just wasting the vibe.
Thanks for reading.
I would love to debate this topic with you. Why do u think medical marijuana should not be legalized?
Ok… I’m not gonna say i hate MJ or that it made me feel like shit, it made me feel gr8… but wat turned me around from da drugs was when my bf died right in front of me… he took a hit off a joint and dat was it… he was gone… forever… the doctors say dat he broke a blood vessel in his brain and it killed him instantly… i was so high i was laughing at first cause i thought he was playin around you know… but he never woke up… i will admit every now and then i will light one up in honor of his name… and for him… i am 18 now and he would have been 20… we were gonna be 2gether forever… is what he said. but not no more…………
Im 18 and Im a regular weed smoker. Ive been smoking since May of 2008. I got started when my parents took me to Jamaica for my Senior Highschool Trip. The 2nd night I was there I was on the beach late at night and I walked upon some guys around a fire. That was the first time I had ever smoked and I havent stopped since. Im like this… go ahead and legaliz it because whether its legal or not people are going to smoke it regardless. And tow, as many have stated before me it helps many medical illnesses. I myself am a severe depressant so I love the way I feel when I’m high and honestly it keeps me from killing myself so.. yea. Weed should be legalized!!!!
marijuana should be legalized because most of the reasons people think it is bad are either completely wrong or highly exagerated. Alchohols effects on the brain and body are way worse than that of marijuana. Alchohol is legal because not many people now know how to make it and there for have to pay stores and breweries to get it, Marijuana on the other hand can be easily grown and distributed from person to person giving no money to our government. Also it is not a gateway drug and anyone who thinks that is stupid. The only reason why the statistics say this is because it is illegal. If it was legal the people who smoke it would not have to be around those who do drugs therfor decreasing there chance to be around or try a drug. Pleas write what you think about this and send to brodninja@aol.com
With all the prescription drugs advertised on TV with side effects from blindness to possible seizures or death. It appears that the drug companies and the US Drug Administration has decided that 5-10% fatalities from a marketed drug is acceptable loss. Artificial sweeteners that contain Glycol and formaldehyde are advertised as healthy. Marijuana can be used as a pain reducing drug, glaucoma reducing drug or other medical uses without the risk or death, lowering the immune system or an erection lasting more than 4 hours, then why not legalize it. The drug companies have run America for too long. Let nature have a chance.
The only reason marijuana has not been lagalized is because it requires no processing (therefore no profit) anybody can grow and use it. It was used and legal in the U.S. until the 1940’s as a medicine. Opiates require processing and are used in many modern drugs today. Marijuana was used as a medicine thousands of years ago. Before governments and doctors. I recomend watching “The Botany Of Desire” Directed by Michael Schwarz. I’m 50 years young, and have had no adverse effects my entire life.
I would like to add that when I say hundreds of successful people that use it, I mean doctors, teachers, lawyers, artists, musicians, carpenters, architects, police and all types of businesspeople.
The lawmakers up on capital hill need to wake up and realize that the Marijuana laws are outdated. The American people cannot continue to allow the top 1% of the capitalist corporate elite to govern our lives. Our farmers and industry need hemp to be legal. Our environment needs the sustainable and renewable resource. The taxpayers don’t need to pay for the processing and incarceration of harmless Marijuana users. I say legalize it, tax it and use the tax money to provide universal health care for American citizens.
I am 35 years old and I have been using Ganja since I was 10. Not once in 25 years have I had one single problem that has resulted from using Marijuana and I know hundreds of successful people that use it with no problems. In fact, I would say that it has made my life more fun and interesting. That is because I have never had any legal problems associated with weed. The only problem with Marijuana is that it is illegal and people that use it are persecuted.
The Cannabis Sativa plant is a blessing to mankind. It is a renewable resource that can be used to create fabric, paper, rope, oil and a powerful herbal medicine that promotes creativity and imagination. To persecute it is to persecute the natural order and creation.
marijuana should be legalized cause tobacco has more deaths than any product and marijuana has none no kills so it should be legalized
Look at all the deaths from alcohol among teens and then look at all the deaths from marijuana. I myself have done both and when under the influence of alcohol it becomes harder to control your actions while when you are high off of weed everything is funnier and you get hungry. Yeah your motor skills are slowed down but you are not swerving through two lanes of traffic thinking you are going in a straight line.
i would also like to hear any reports on the legalization of marijuana. i am using the topic for my IB history IA and am looking for more information, especially on the history of the drug.
i am also all for the legalization of weed.
if youre not.. well fuck you.
if you have something to send me let me know and i’ll get back to you.
Thanks
I’ve never understood how marijuana is illegal and alcohol and tobacco products are not. There are countless fatal drunk driving accidents every year, killing those drunk and also innocent as well. I’ve rarely heard of someone being involed in a “stoned driving” accident. And tobacco obviously has horrible long-term health effect, whereas pot has much more minor effects. Weed is not like other illegal substances that are hardcore and dangerous. It would also greatly help our economy to legalize it and then tax it.
Marijuana should be legalized in the United States. Just think about it. Marijuana is used to treat cancer, insomnia, pain, glaucoma, anorexia and a lot of other diseases. Marijuana has historically always been used in different cultures for its medicinal properties. It boggles my mind that Marijuana is portrayed as this evil drug in the United States, while we promote cigarettes and alcohol on television and on billboards.
Cigarettes cause cancer, that has been proven. Alcohol can easily cause death as well as cirrhosis. Where as there has never been a death that has been associated with Marijuana consumption, in fact it is used to treat cancer, which is the very disease cigarettes cause.
Personally i agree with all whom say that what i decide to do in my life is a personal choice and if i wanted to smoke a joint and the end of a hard days work, no one should be able to tell me otherwise. Sure there are some minor harmful side effects, but what doesn’t these days. Going into Boston i probably inhale more fumes and toxins in the air that are more harmful than marijuana ever could be.
And i do think that growing marijuana could benefit the US economy. Hemp is used in so many products and we are buying these products from mostly overseas. If we could have a hemp industry in America Much investment and profit is easily accessible. and all the money spent on enforcing this law can be saved and used for much more important and logical reasons.
Pot is non toxic. It cannot kill you. I am almost 40 years old, married for almost 20 years, I have raised 3 kids , all are mentally gifted , I have worked hard all my life for my family.I pay my taxes and I vote. I would love to smoke pot but I cant because it is illegal. I would like it very much if the government would not try to micro manage what I do in my home. I am entitled to life, liberty , and the pursuit of happiness by our founding fathers, but I cant smoke a joint with my wife on our 20th anniversary because ,,,, well I dont really know why.People in this blog have stated the side effects of pot that are harmful and MAYBE they are true.However I am an adult and I should be free to choose.If the drug was toxic I could understand.But I dont understand why it is against federal and state law.My wife and I dont like to drink .If I get drunk I have a tendency to get violent when provoked.Therefore I dont drink. My wife and I smoked pot when we were young. We would get high, giggle, and eat.
Weed should be legalized because it helps you, u don’t die from weed. If weed was legalized everyone would be more happy smokin weed I love weed im baked right now.
Weed is the best thing that has ever happened there is nothen wrong with weed
like those weed dectives that smoke with you then throw your ass in jail they love weed they are just stupid, weed helps people when there sick.
All i gotta say is, i been smoking herb for 9 years, i felt way more concentrated in school, i can go on blunt ride all day and never has i crashed being “too high” so in my theory, alcohol is so much worse then herb, and they should make it legal already considering that 85% of MA smokes herb, now think of this, it would get us out of the economy Bull shit we put ourselves in too, and use the tax money we would make on herb to build more schools, and all that, so if you don’t like the herb, try the herb, and make that shit legal, it wont hurt you, it wont hurt USA, it will just hurt to exhale
=ace=
legalizing marijuana is the answer to our economy’s downfall. if it were legalized, it would be taxed just like tabacco and alcohol. eliminating the billions of dollars we spend yearly to prosecute and imprison those who buy sell or smoke marijuana then produce revenue at the same time.
people are freaking out because our economy is getting worse and worse. why not legalize it and produce such a huge amount of revenue. i don’t understand why it hasnt been made legal already.
everyone should call 973-409-3274 if you haven’t already. call it then after listening hit pound if you full support the legalization of marijuana!
As long as there are*
As long as other harmful drugs on the market (i.e cigarettes, cigars, alcohol), there will always be an reasonable argument for the legalization of marijuana. This argument doesn’t just plainly work for its contradicting nature, but by the fact that it would become a taxable commodity and would benefit the nation immensely.
It should be legal, and not for a lot of the arguments I see here…
The whole framing behind the question is wrong. This isn’t about the safety of marijuana – although it is worthwhile to point out you’ll rarely, if ever, see anyone in the hospital as a result of marijuana consumption. The real question should be, has marijuana prohibition been more beneficial to society than legalized marijuana would be?
Is it right to throw people in jail for years at a time for consuming it, when the societal harm it causes is, at most, on par with alcohol (and really not at all)? Something like 40% of everyone in prison in the US are there for non-violent, marijuana-related offenses.
Is it right for someone’s career, family, reputation, and/or assets to be destroyed for having used it? One conviction, one drug test failure while applying for a job, one photograph can utterly destroy a person’s path in life.
Are either of these unfortunately frequent and drastic outcomes really beneficial to society?
Are the huge sums of money flowing into the black market to buy it really good for society? Keep in mind, far more money is made from marijuana than narcotics or cocaine, since consumption of it is greater by factors of ten. This money flows to crooks, gangsters, terrorists, and in general to support reigns of terror all over the world. Despite the social ills of alcohol, no one can really make the argument that money spent buying wine (or even moonshine) goes to support terrorism.
Is it good for society that children have easier access to marijuana than alcohol? That no one who sells marijuana feels bound to check for ID? That most teenagers can walk down to the street corner or call up a friend and get an ounce of marijuana, while alcohol generally requires that someone else buy it for them?
By default, in America at least, things should be legal unless a compelling case has been made that those things should be illegal. That is why they call it a free country – you don’t just ban things because you don’t like them – you have to have a good reason to restrict someone’s freedom.
So, again, the question here is completely wrong. The question should be, is it good for society that marijuana is illegal?
i like pot… oh and to that girl whose life got ruined… well if it was legal in the first place that wouldnt happen… everyone should smoke weed its an art…a culture.. pot smokers are some of the most creative people around and yea… people are going to do it anyway so whatever just keep doing it and if it gets legalized then woo hoo! either way your gonna come home from work rip a bong and tear up your refridgerator.. or if you want it legal that bad.. get the fuck out its legal in other countries just go there. im gonna smoke my whole life whether its legal or not because i think its right thats just who i am… “you cant make me believe cuz a tree is a tree when my soul bleeds the color that im spillin is green.” KMK
lets face it.. it does make just about everything else in the world better.. it makes movies better, food tastes better, sex feels better. everythings just better. i think the real debate is whether or not the government will make more money fining people out the ass or taxing pot? again… it just grows… it is a little ridiculous that something that just grows is illegal… lets make corn illegal… no? fuck that people like corn… well people like pot to and they come from the same place… the ground… wutcheva its illegal so are a lot of other thangs that people do… so im gonna keep smoking it.. in fact ill go smoke now see ya
i think it should be legalized because first of all people are going to do it anyway even if it is illegal. second of all its just like alcohol which is legal and makes you all speedy and shit. and third of all it doesnt harm your lungs as bad as fuckin tobacco which is legal. so whoever made marijuana illegal is fuckin retarded.
they just passed a bill in congress for the legalization of bud in the countie of maricopa in ARIZONA.
If you want to worry about drugs and their harms you need to start looking at prescription drugs they are killing americans by the hundreds of thousands not cannabis.also if your a Christain and you are against cannabis then you are actually saying god did wrong.it is clearly stated in the bible god created all seed bearing plants for us to use.irradicating the plant would be slapping god in the face now wouldnt it?also the nay sayers are doiung so because they believe the propaganda that has been put ouyt by our government for over 70 years well the gov doesnt have your best interest at heart the only did this for the money paid to them by lobbyist ( dupont ),(alcohol industry),(timber industry)
with an agenda to wipe out their competition ( hemp farmers,and hemp product manufacturers) its a monopoly plain and simple they screwed
us all so they could get rich .
before you speak against cannabis spend a few days reading about the truth.you will see for yourself the injustice has been done to us and the planet. Also if you think the government want to protect you from harm you are sadly misinformed.
OK HERE IS THE POINT THAT EVERYONE AGAINST LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA IS NOT UNDERSTANDING
1 PEOPLE CHOOSE TO SMOKE IT MEDICALLY OR NON MEDICALLY
2 ALCOHOL WAS ILLEGAL AT ONE POINT
3 ALCOHOL IS LEGAL BECAUSE POLITICIANS AT THE TIME DRANK AND NEEDED A SCAPEGOAT FOR DRUNK HISPANIC CRIMES WHEN POT WAS OUTLAWED
4 IF AMERICA WANTED TO WIN THE DRUG WAR LEGALIZING POT WOULD ONLY MAKE IT TO WERE EVERYONE THAT ALREADY SMOKES WOULD NOT HAVE TO DEAL WITH DRUG DEALERS AND THE DRUG DEALERS WOULD NOT HAVE ANY CUSTOMERS DUE TO THE FACT THAT EVERYONE COULD SUPPLY THERE SELF THE STREET VALUE WOULD BE NON EXISTENT AND IT WOULD RETURN TO BEING ANOTHER HERB IN EVERYONE’S GARDEN WHO WANTED TO GROW IT
… THE LIST GOES ON AND ON IF PEOPLE WOULD GET THEIR HEADS OUT OF THEIR ASSES AND REALIZE THAT YOU LEGALIZE POT IT TAKES POWER AWAY FROM THE CRIMINALS AND GIVES IT TO THE PEOPLE IT IS A FUCKING PLANT NOT A DRUG LIKE THE ONES THAT ARE PROCESSED AND DO LONG TERM DAMAGE
ITS NOT EVEN COMPARABLE TO METH LSD COKE MEDICALLY PRODUCED DRUGS THAT ARE A CRAZE. WHATEVER DRUG YOU OR ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO COMPARE TRY ME BECAUSE IM TIRED OF THE SHIT AND IM TIRED OF ALL THE FUSS AND THE BULLSHIT THE AVERAGE AMERICAN I STAND BY BELIEVES THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS SPOON FEEDING OUR NATION TO MAKE THINGS LIKE ALCOHOL AND CIGARETTES LEGAL BECAUSE THEY CAUSE MORE DAMAGE TO YOUR BODY AND IF YOU DONT LIVE AS LONG THE GOVERNMENT HAS LESS SOCIAL SECURITY TO PAY BACK!
First of all I would like to thank Marijuana, it has helped me in so many ways. Marijuana should be legalized hands down. Marijuana clears your mind of the negative, brings in the postive. It allows you to think more, generalize everything alot easier, you can take a good look at yourself and the world even. It puts everything in perspective. I’ve never missed work or even a day of school because of the plant. How can we talk down on the beautiful plant? To me it has never gave me any negative effects. Alcohol is legal yes? Alcohol impairs judgement an incredible amount more than marijuana does. If you take a dumbass and have them smoke Marijuana then of course it isn’t going to help them any, but if you take a responsible person and have them smoke they will stay the same. I am living proof. Anything i do i succeed at. Marijuana is nothing but a calming element. If it was legalized the U.S. would be alot more chill place.
Let me ask you people against legalizing it this, how many wrecks have you known of that were because of marijuana? How many overdoses? How many fights? killings? Now how many wrecks have you seen as a result of alcohol? overdoses? fights? killings?
Alcohol is a drug. Marijuana is a plant. Hm i don’t know how you see this but to me this is stupid, we have something legal that causes countless deaths a year, but marijuana, that causes no deaths is illegal?
Ha i don’t see any doctor trying to give alcohol to people for medicinal puposes, that’s got to say something to you people.
If marijuana was legalized you know how much money the government could make? Our nation would no longer be in debt. How can you put innocent people in jail for smoking a plant? Not just that but a plant that DOESN’T hurt you, just chills you out. If our nation was dumb enough to legalize something that kills like alcohol then what the hell is wrong with legalizing something that kills NO ONE. To me this is a stupid arguement to even be having.
And these people that on this blog that say how harmful Marijuana is, have you smoked it? More than once? I’m 17 years old have straight A’s and have been smoking everyday for 5 years. It has made me grow so much. It opens your eyes to so much that you could never see before. It brings us together, unites us in harmony.
To all you politicians who lie and take our money FUCK YOU.
To all you christians who say it’s “against God” fuck you too. How the hell do you think Marijuana got here if you believe in God?
Honestly people, open your minds to the reality we’d be better off legalizing it.
oh yeah,if it was legalized,then the dealers would have to go get a real job,which may be bad for them,but good for the users.i feel like if a person is going to be a drug dealer they should have a second hustle anyway,they should have a job and if they want to sell do it on the side so when the law pulls up on you and find money on you,you can say this money is from my job.they cant prove where that money is from.any dealer would be stupid not to have a job is they are selling drugs that way you can bail yourself out with your own money.now kids,dont try this at home and dont get any crazy ideas!ha ha ha
i think that marijuana should be legalized.well yeah it may make you lazy or less motivated but that choice is up to you.i smoke and i have been to 2 different vocational schools.i have always kept a job.i am still a responsible adult,can attend vocational school and keep a job.me smoking weed has never stopped me from doing what i have to do to make a living,the weedsmokers are not bothering anyone we pay taxes like everyone else and personally,i think the law and the government(the bad ones)are wicked,filled with devil doctrines,and they are all about the money.the only reason why they dont want to legalize is because they cant get any taxes off of it.they spend so much time arresting people off of drugs when they need to be arresting the real criminals like robbers,sex offenders,rapist,killers.why dont they do some real work and arrest them.it seems they lock drug people up longer than the real criminals.they put a drug person in jail for 10 years but they will lock up a murderer or rapist for 5 years and then release them so that they can be registered to live right next to you.but i wont get carried away with this because i can go down the list of stupid laws they have and point out these wicked worldly man laws
fuck off legalize pot assholes
It is a plant that was naturally around in nature. It is A PLANT. Stop arguing over stupid things like does it hurt you more than cigs. Who are you to tell me what I should do with my body? We all have basic rights- and the government has crossed the line on far to many. F— this debate, smoke a J and see if you like it. If you don’t- don’t smoke
Dear Mr. Gardner,
If you stick to the facts, not just what you have heard, but actually have read medical reports supported by scietific evidence, then not only will you change your mind but you will possibly change your drug of choice which is probably alcohol. Alcohol claims more death a year right under tobacco. I choose not to drink. I choose to smoke pot to wind down. If I can’t smoke my pot then you cannot drink your beer.
Everyone on this site is debating whether marijuana is as harmful or less harmful than the legal drugs on the market today. The answer is NO, marijuana is not as healthy as breathing air. But why should it be illegal? The main reason is that to many people care, 87% of Americans are open to smoking pot, of those 87%, 25% are everyday tokers. Marijuana has been used in this wacky world a whole lot longer than any of us reading this have been alive. Marijuana legal or not, will be a multi-billion dollar industry every single year, why shouldn’t the government rape us of this money by placing a tax…maybe our national debt will actually start moving in the right direction…something to think about! We are the land of the free, the home of the brave, and the pot heads of the universe.
it thinking more about it makes me want to go off a war on drugs everyone who thinks god has something against pot find it in the bible and i’ll show you someone that shits out golden wal-mart supermarkets look if you think people that smoke pot are stupid your ing wrong the smartest people in history smoked marijuana most bulidings that are created were designed by pot heads.what people need to be worried about is this ing crystal meth,heroin,and crack cause all that shit has in it is cleaning products marijuana is a plant not a ing drug if it was so bad than how come our fore fathers brought it to America tell me that shit ass holes. that and tobacco made this country it was only started to be illegal in the 1900s before then it was legal why do you think that was because it was not harmful the only reason people thinks that its harmful is because some ass hole that didnt smoke it said it was but he never tried it. if cops want to arrest someone they need to go to george.w.bush and george.h.w.bush and arrest those fags because they kill people every year in thier bohemian forest running around naked with a bunch of dudes. talking about terrorist there are no terrorist its all fake hell let obama shine dog he gonna be a good god damn president and anyone else that don’t like him at least he didnt jackoff in front of his dad like george.w.bush did. i’m out yo! shine barack obama make em wish they wouldnt have doubted you.
and another thing i hate these cock smokers that say marijuana is a drug. If marijuana is a drug that Phillip Morris is the biggest drug dealer in America because marijuana is aplant just as tobacco the only difference is that marijuana doesnt kill people the way tobacco does i smoked pot before i ever tried a cigarette marijuana didnt slow my breathing but cigarettes did i think in my opinion that tobacco should be outlawed and marijuana should be legal.
viva la marijuana!420
Marijuana is not bad for you. Your just an” ” that does not know about this subject.
About marijuana you just dont wan’t it legal cause you don’t smoke it, fine if you dont smoke it
thats you but dont ruin it for others, marijuana hasnt killed anyone cigarettes do smokeless tobacco rots out your lip, marijuana just takes pain away temperarily.
Marijuana isn’t harmful!
Legalizing marijuana would reduce the amount of underage kids that use it. When I was in school it was much harder to get alcohol than drugs because alcohol requires an adult to buy it. Marijuana is easy to get underage because no dealer is going to deny sale base on age.
Ever wonder why THC stays in your body longer than any other drug? I believe the reason for this is that your body doesn’t recognize THC/marijuana as a toxin or a poison.
If we legalized marijuana it could be grown in almost any state of the country outdoors. This would supply everyone who wanted to use it. The mexican drug cartels would loose 50% of their income and would not have the capital to wage their violence that is going on the border. Of couse it will not make the illegal drug trade go away but it will hurt it badly. The F.B.I says that marijuana is the cartels biggest commodity. Our economy is hurting enough, and it is time that our government sees that the benefits of legal weed far excede the amount of resouces our country spends on prohibiting it! 1937-2009 that is seventy-two years of a failed plan. People need to let their elected officals know at local, state, and federal levels that enough time,resouces,lives,and tax money has been spent on this failed War against marijuana.
IS NOT ABOUT SELLING AND GET MONEY OR TRY TO BE RUDE BUT PLEASE LAW MAKERS THINK ABOUT THIS YOU CANT GO AGAINST GOD YOU CANT SAY WHAT OR NOT IS RIGHT TO GOD SO DONT COME WITH THIS RIDICOLOUS LAW
UK users of tobacco in 2004: 12.5 million
UK deaths from tobacco in 2004: 400000
UK users of alcohol in 2004: most people, about 99%
UK deaths from alcohol in 2004: 22000
UK users of marijuana in 2004: 3 million
UK deaths from marijuana in 2004: 16
The facts speak for themselves, legalize marijuana and make tobacco illegal.
A few points to consider….
Most if not all drugs have some history of medicinal use. “Everything in moderation.” People can go back and forth all day on the physical pros and cons.
Yes, two wrongs don’t make a right…. so should we prohibit tobacco and alcohol? It will never happen, there is too much money involved.
Which brings me to my third point…. Consider the financial implications of legalizing marijuana. It was said in California alone, the tax revenues would be something around $16 billion per year. Granted, even if we saw this revenue, it would never be spent right with all the bureaucracy. However, for arguments sake, in the first year California could become debt free. Starting the second year on…. think of all the possible improvements we could do. From our road system, to health care, and most important – our lacking educational system. The state could directly or indirectly support new SBA loans and re-invigorate our economy.
Additionally, think of the money would we save in law enforcement. This money would better be spent supporting our borders, and keeping violate crime offenders in our prisons – instead of the proposed release just to save money.
I have no idea how, but the people seriously need to from a strong coalition in support of this; not only to legalize marijuana, but to make sure any money made and saved is spent correctly.
So I just read a comment that when children get marijuana it could be laced with things like Raid… or other poisons that could be like huffing… well if the government taxed marijuana to make up for this massive debt that the US has that is putting so many people out of jobs (just as some people would complain drugs would do) maybe we could move forward make some sweet marijuana farms in the states and pay off debt start a new economy that involves the legalization of marijuana! There are many people out there that say marijuana is a gateway drug… on a personal level and with all the people that I have ever known they have either drank a cup of coffee… took asprin…. smoked tobacco… or drank alcohol… comparing marijuana to these drugs even makes me sad… the fact that tobacco is legal is sickening… and you know the funny part i bet so many people in the government wake up in the morning to a cup of coffee and a cig on there drive to work… Ironic is what it is that everyone is out to try and my the new generation so much better when in all honesty its to shit already… why not just legalize marijuana… get tons of people unnecessarily out of jail so they can get on with there lives and raise there children to be wonderful people… pot smokers or not… its a personal choice if you choose to "put harm" into your body…. just makes a person so mad when you see so many deaths related to way harder drugs like cocaine and heroine and yet marijuana still seems like the topic to argue about…. makes you wonder what people really care about… peoples health and survival… or arguing…. just legalize marijuana.. it would make the US such a better place to live in… i thought we were supposed to be free… did everyone forget that
I srongly feel that marijuana should be legalized! Our country is so far in debt. If marijuana was legalized, the taxes on it alone would bring our counrty out of debt, and cut the costs on health care! Not only that but it would also free up alot of space in jail.
Marijuana should be legal simply because it make a lot of people better in the sense of they're less violent more open minded think about things longer and it's a natural aphrodisiac.
vote to legalize here and tell a friend. http://criminaljustice.change.org/actions/view/legalize_marijuana
Marijuana should be legal because its good for you in the sense of it makes most people more open minded, think more about subjects, a tiny bit more compassionate, and it's a natural aphrodisiac.
if you agree with me you should sign this petition if you you have not done so already
http://criminaljustice.change.org/actions/view/legalize_marijuana
I think doctors need to make this decision, not politicians and lawmakers.
Anything on this planet can be harmful if misused or abused. The real problem is with the United States government and its control. The people of this country may or may not realize that our freedom is being stripped away day by day, law by law. The U.S government already knows the profitable value behind this huge (BILLIONS in Profit!!) cash crop and is in the process of figuring out ways to tax it. It’s all about the taxation of it. People Bicker back and fourth about “oh is it good for u or bad for u.” That isn’t the debate here!! We already know it can’t be good for u, at least I know it’s not the best thing for us, but I am not an idiot, and everything in moderation. The only people who truly need laws and to be governed are the ones who cannot govern them selves, which is a lot of people, and those people are weak. If Crack was legal do you think people would jump the gun and go smoke crack; hell no, because people are not stupid; and even if they did, well we now know who are the weak and stupid ones; not that we don’t love them but only the strong survive, law of nature. Legal or not it has the same affects. That goes for Weed as well. Legal or not, people can get it 24 hours a day seven days a week, so weed being illegal only causes huge debt, crowded prisons, unnecessary search and seizures, waist of tax payers money, etc, etc.
What ever happened to self discipline?? If weed became legal do you think people will quit there jobs and just smoke weed all day lol? No, they will not. Let’s pretend they did, even then is that a bad thing? I bet violence would go down. If you are always high, you will score higher on tests; hahaha no, this was a joke. Where is your sense of humor? Tisk tisk, a lack of sense of humor, well some marijuana can fix that.
A doctor goes to med school to be a doctor. If that Doctor smoked weed during med school, it may increase their liability of not succeeding, but in the end, the choice is always ours, and for some, they might even work harder. But if you ask me, most med students would choose not to smoke weed, not because it’s illegal but mainly because they just don’t like it; it’s not for them.
I hear weak arguments about…oh weed is bad, people make money on it and don’t pay taxes. Well duhhh!!! Taxes suck. Do you guys even really know what taxes are? It’s the interest or profit of private banks/fed reserve (Yes, the Fed Reserve is a private corp. that works with the congress, but it is private and has no limit on its power).
Marijuana should defiantly be legal. It is not physically addictive so I see no real danger in it. Mentally addictive yes, lol but, anything can be mentally addictive. Sex is probably physically and mentally addictive but marijuana is not physically addictive. I am sick of the overly Christian Conservatives who have there heads up there rear ends! If we legalize it, it could literally be the single one thing that could truly stimulate this country to get out of the hole we/Bush created. It will force dealers to get a real job and start paying taxes. If the US could tax it, it would profit greatly and actually have extra tax many left over, that is after the senators get their fair share of it of course, to actually help rebuild the U.S! People can be more educated about it once it’s legal as well; not very much to be educated about, it grows in the soil, it’s a natural product of the earth and gets you high. I don’t see many negative sides to it. I mean Americans are already lazy, not because of Weed but probably because of McDonalds, now that stuff is poison, that’s a fact, but that was already covered by Michael More. If we legalize weed, everybody will benefit, the government, the rich class, middle class ( if we still have one by then) and the poor class/”ghettos.” Guess who will suffer the most, the Mexicans and dangerous drug lords who grow nasty stuff in Mexico instead of in the rich U.S soil, and the drug dealers who sell huge amounts of wait. The government would take all their business away from these drug lords.
i don't care what anyone says marijuana is the best thing EVER! Everyone should toke up! LEGALIZE IT!!!!
Stoners for life!
Legalizing marijuana has more benefits than the disadvantage. By legalizing, more no green jobs will be created. See the benefits of legalizing marijuana.
http://www.campaignsthatmatter.com/articles/5-legalizing-marijuana-in-california
If pot was legal a lot more people would start smoking it. Once you start smoking it, you get bored with. That makes you wanna try other drugs. So there is going to be a lot more drug addicts. I don't think it should be legalized.
Marijuana should be legalized, or at least decriminalized. My reasons are not because of the health benefits but simply because the prohibition of Cannabis does not work. Each year over 700,000 people are arrested for marijuana related offenses in the U.S.
Our anti drug policies do nothing to prevent people from using the drugs it prohibits. What it does is seperate families, create a burden on tax payers, and drives the next generation of people to use drugs.
Those who argue about marijuana's harmful health effects need to remember that there is no conclusive evidence linking marijuana to any form of cancer or other respiratory illnesses typical of smoking.
Statistically tylenol is more deadly than marijuana. And that is a fact. But with that said, too much of anything is unhealthy. Health is about ballance and all things(especially foreign things)should be done in moderation. A glass of wine a day is healthy, but over 85.000 people die annually in alcohol related deaths.
about a year ago i broke my arm skating in vans orlando FL, so they prescribed me hydrocodine pain killers, they wraped my arm and later casted it. so im late 4 school on my way out the door when mom says take your pain killers! so i do. when they say take with food, they mean it. what i didnt know was those two codine were burning a hole in my stomach and by the end of my bus ride i was hurting ten times worse than the initial break. the ulsar still bothers me today. weed is my drug, had that been prescribed id have been fine in stead i suffer daily. and weed is a medicine becuase it eases the pain of my ulscar wich was caused by a prescribtion.
First of all……This government should sit down with other governments where marijuana is legal, ie, Amsterdam and ask how they handle the use of this natural plant. Second of all…..lets think about what would happen if the plant were legal. The government could regulate the strength of the plant. There would be a huge amount of money made in sales and taxes. There could be clothes made from hemp on a much larger scale. There would be many more jobs. I believe people would use less of other man made drugs like meth. It would not be the end of gangs but I think it would curb some gangs. There are laws against drinking and driving, and if marijuana were legal there would be laws against smoking and driving as well. More public transportation and designated drivers. I felt it was interesting that one of the most asked questions to President Obama was "Are you going to "free the weed"? Again….to begin with….lets go to the places in this world where marijuana is not a crime and start with the people who know from experience. Forgive me if this is repeating what many others have written. I did not have the time/patience to read all that was written before my comments. Thank you and take care.
I think it should be legalized with many restrictions. Alcohol is much worse and causes a lot of trouble in society. Now marijuana in my opinion will cause a lot less trouble, so therefore needs a lot less restrictions.
I think it would be important to let people know that alcohol and tobacco use is far more addictive. They both cause physical dependence as well as death. Marijuana causes no physical dependence, only habitual. There are roughly 450,000 deaths from tobacco a year, and roughly 100,000 deaths a year from alcohol and 0 deaths ever directly related to marijuana. In fact I there are more deaths in Columbia each year by tobacco exported from the US then deaths in the US caused by cocaine. I used to be totally against marijuana and was of the opinion it would make you dumb and it was dangerous. This was all false and from personal experience I have done far more regrettable things well drunk, then when I was high. If marijuana was discovered for the first time ever in some remote jungle, it would be hailed as one of the most important discovery of the century, not because of its recreational uses (which aren’t bad) but because of the medical and industrial use. It is ridiculous to think that we can’t even grow and utilize hemp in US, which has no recreational use. Hemp could be used to make paper, oil, clothing, etc., and it would save trees, something everyone is always talking about. The whole idea that it was ever made illegal in the first place blows my mind. Than I researched it and realized that the business of keeping it illegal is huge business. Think about it: if I grew cotton would I want it legal, no hemp would be a far easier product to produce and would provide a much more durable clothing, if I were the alcohol industry or tobacco industry would I want it legal, hell no, I don’t want another safer substance cutting in on my profits (this explains why they are two of the top donators to the anti-drug education programs), if I was the DEA would I want in legalized, no, if it were I would lose have my yearly budget, if I were a drug lord would i want it legal, nope, there goes my entire business, and the list goes on and on. Not to mention politicians, being hard on drugs is a great political platform, even though three of the last three presidents have admitted to at least trying it.
why shouldn't it be legalized? if anyone can offer one good reason, ill shut my mouth. I love marijuana, smoke it everyday, and im fine. I'm not a "stoner" sitting on my couch all day, i go to college, got a job that i work hard at, all while "under the influence". smoke before every exam, and got a 3.8, but i guess im a criminal bc i inhale something less harmful than dust. with the billions and billions of dollars taxpayers spend on the "war on drugs" it would be much better to legalize it. spend that money on busting crackheads and meth addicts not searching for a kid with a pipe and a dimebag. its ridiculous. and for all you people that are con for medical use, who the hell are you to say? do you have cancer and are dieing? i think not. we need a marijuana revolution!
Arguments
Using the prison population, saying the system is corrupt, etc. will only hamper efforts to legalize marijuana.
Stating for example that our prison population is higher than europe or russia. Yes it is and the U.S. is also safer environment to live in. Yes there can be coruption, but hte but will not support a bill based on these points.
Want to pass a bill. Cite President Bush, Clinton, The current president, the current governor of California have all used marijuana.
It is about responsible use and should be squarely compared to alcohol laws.
Use just those two categories, don't start talking about poor Joe who wnet to jail, prison populations, etc. The average voter thinks that if you break the law you pay for it. You want to pass a law, appeal to the average voter, you already have marijuana users on board.
Hope the people with AB 360 revise their site and stick to just those two areas or they will blow the 2010 bill.
im an average guy stoner or what ever from TEXAS i am worried about if pot is legal all the pot dealers ,cultivaters @ 'middle' men would be un employed.people that live in texas that get high every day smoke a lot a ounce or 2a week ,texas would suffer if pot was legal it would put 1,500,000 or more out of work in texas alonemost stoners smoke an ounce for 35$-40$pot is not bad for the community ,it is good.the gov knows this ,no lie.
marijuana should be legalized its a universal medecine and to me i dont see many ill effects. i see more deaths and sickness from the goverment prescribed drugs. ive never heard of any deaths,murders,rapes,or suicides because someone was addicted to marijuana HELL ive never heard of anyone being addicted to marijuana the only reason it is illegal is because all the big corporations that make pharmacudical drugs would be out of business because marijuana is such a better cure for anything they could ever prescribe. if anything it should be alcohol,cigarettes and Mcdonalds that should be illegal why would something so bad be legal.
alcohol=car crashes that kill families and innocent children,violent outbursts,murder,bar fights,suicides,overdosing
cigarettes=cancer,high blood pressure,secondhand smoke
fast food= obesity,heart attacks,lazy ignorant people
marijuana= munchies,no recorded deaths,no murders, no overdoses,no ill effects
now tell me which would u rather have i personally would take marijuana ive smoked it every day since i was 12 NO ILL EFFECTS YET!
why shouldnt marijuana be legalized? im a 16 year old high school student that has been smoking for years. it makes you feel wonderful, it helps with depression, which people automatically think depression is related to a serious illness but the fact is everyone is depressed in their life at least once. i believe that half the reason its not legal like alcohol is because smokeing is not a socially acceptable as drinking but hell you dont have to smoke weed. as far as the health concerns theyre less to worry about than drinking soda. so my opinion is to legalize it and help out the economy. thanx for hearing
IT doesn't matter if marijuana is harmful or not.Alcohol is harmful. Tobacco is harmful. McDonald's is harmful too. It is not the place of the government to legislate healthfulness and happiness. One only has to look at the very harmful effects of prohibition to see that doing so can have disastrous outcomes. Great blog, I've been blogging on the subject as well. Keep up the good work!
http://openminden.blogspot.com/ is the URL of a "blog spot" of mine that includes a very detailed and quite accurate answer to legalization argument. Once you read it tell me what you think and questions are welcome :). Spread on the URL if you'd like, and no this isn't for publicity or anything ridiculous like that. It's a matter of representing facts over "b.s." assumptions.
Not sure if this point has been made, but it seems to be overlooked. If legal it would be possible to have a large enough supply of marijuana to have it in an affordable food or drink form. No cancer or lung damage involved.
There have also been studies that thc reduces tumor growth, and a more recent one in england showing, with brain imaging of heavy users and non smokers, that it causes little to no cognitive damage.
With the lack of overdoses on mj, and evidence supporting minimal long term damage, it seems silly to have such an uproar about it. Plus it's nowhere near as addictive as tobacco, if addictive at all. Caffeine may be worse.
now tell me this it is legal in some parts of california and already the goverments already making millions in taxes.
Lets take a look at alcohol
long term effects of alcohol abuse can lead to a gradual breakdown of different organs and systems in the body that can result in serious, if not fatal, health problems.It can cause
Pancreatitis problems
Heart Disease,
Cancer,
Liver Disease,
Loss of brain cells
Nerve damage
Irritated stomach lining and bleeding from stomach ulcers
Epilepsy
Vitamin deficiency
Skin problems
Muscle disease
Infertility
Sexual problems
Obesity
deaths:75,766 (2001 alone)
Alright now lets look at cigarettes…
cancer of the mouth
gum disease
tooth decay
yellow teeth
headaches
Less OXYGEN
stroke
bronchial infections
chronic coughing
lung cancer
emphysema
raised blood pressure
blood clot
heart attack
loss of circulation in fingers and toes and impotence
esophagus cancer
throat cancer
increased stomach acid secretion
heartburn
ulcers
bladder cancer
kidney problems
cervical cancer
deaths:12 million (1964-2004)
Now lets look at marijuana
munchies (like thats going to kill u)
marijuana is proven in studys to kill old cancer cells.Can it cause cancer well anything smoked can but studys also show you would have to smoke weed your whole life everyday till you were about 50 for cancer cells to start showing.
Ofcourse its going to slow motor skills what does alcohol do what does prescriptions do so does everything else in this world.
775137 arrests in 1 year i wonder why the jails are full.And most of these arrests are made because of small amounts of weed.Most facts about marijuana are found to be fake like it causing skin cancer.
to overdose off marijuana you would have to smoke your body weight in an hour now thats a whole lot of weed i mean i would have to smoke 150 pounds of weed IMPOSSIBLE.You dont have to smoke weed theres other ways of consumption which would eliminate lung cancer.You people should really look things up and get the true facts instead of trusting everything the news says.how do i know all of this cause ive studied every little detail from multiple places.
I think it should be legalized
Keep in mind that marijuana was not always illegal. In fact, "marihuana" was officially illegalized in 1937. Also remember that it was first illegalized in the U.S. on the grounds that it gave Mexicans “super-human strength” and helped African American men “seduce white women.” You can thank Harry J. Anslinger for that.
In 1930, a new division in the Treasury Department was established — the Federal Bureau of Narcotics — and Harry J. Anslinger was named director. This, if anything, marked the beginning of the all-out war against marijuana.
Anslinger was an extremely ambitious man, and recognized the Bureau of Narcotics as an amazing career opportunity — a new government agency with the opportunity to define both the problem and the solution. He immediately realized that opiates and cocaine wouldn't be enough to help build his agency, so he latched on to marijuana and started to work on making it illegal at the federal level.
Anslinger immediately drew upon the themes of racism and violence to draw national attention to the problem he wanted to create. He also promoted and frequently read from "Gore Files" — wild reefer-madness-style exploitation tales of ax murderers on marijuana and sex and… Negroes. Here are some quotes that have been widely attributed to Anslinger and his Gore Files:
"There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos, and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz, and swing, result from marijuana use. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers, and any others."
"…the primary reason to outlaw marijuana is its effect on the degenerate races."
"Marijuana is an addictive drug which produces in its users insanity, criminality, and death."
"Reefer makes darkies think they're as good as white men."
"Marihuana leads to pacifism and communist brainwashing"
"You smoke a joint and you're likely to kill your brother."
"Marijuana is the most violence-causing drug in the history of mankind."
And he loved to pull out his own version of the "assassin" definition:
"In the year 1090, there was founded in Persia the religious and military order of the Assassins, whose history is one of cruelty, barbarity, and murder, and for good reason: the members were confirmed users of hashish, or marihuana, and it is from the Arabs' 'hashashin' that we have the English word 'assassin.'"
After two years of secret planning, Anslinger brought his plan to Congress — complete with a scrapbook full of sensational Hearst editorials (Anslinger got some additional help from William Randolf Hearst, owner of a huge chain of newspapers, who hated Mexicans and had money heavily invested in the timber industry) stories of ax murderers who had supposedly smoked marijuana, and racial slurs.
Anyone who would presume to regulate what I may or may not ingest in order to stay alive must first get really really sick, lose all their hair, have portions of their body surgically removed, go through chemo/radiation treatment, vomit for a minimum of two years without relief from anything 'legal', grow their own medicine for personal use, have their medicine taken from them (with a cost to taxpayers of approx. $10K just to find it) and be prosecuted (also at taxpayer expense) and found guilty for trying to save their own life.
What's so wrong with feeling good, anyway?
I can easily prove any person wrong who argues that marijuana is bad for you. if smoking gives you cancer, you don't have to smoke it, you can bake it in peanutbutter, or you can vaporize it, and therebye avoid the smoke inhalation. I think that if it is legalized i would be more than happy to follow the same laws as we have for alcohol consumption. no driving, operating, etc.
I have torn several muscles in my back as a result of a motorcycle crash. and i smoke marijuana almost daily to help with the pain. my doctor prescribed oxycontin, but oxycontin in the dosage he prescribed is EXTREMELY addictive, whereas marijuana is not at all (addictive.)My doctor has mentioned several tymes that if it were legal he would have no problem prescribing it to me. LETS GET IT LEGALIZED so i don't have to do it in secret, and pay big bucks for it.
I am telling you, pot will pull us out of this deficit. And because we are going to be the ones to legalize it, we can patent it and sell it around the globe. i am not talking about the bud. leave that to Phillip Morris to sell. Kick the cigs and sell the pot. I am talking about the fuel that can be obtained from the seeds, and canvas that can be made from the stalks and so on. Billions of dollars just being wasted in a time where we the Americans need money the most. Just think, we can be Iraq, Afghan, where ever we are sending our children to die for oil, and we are just sitting on it. Barack talks about greenhouse effects, but yet we still endorse oil. Mark my words, I know with the right amount of money backing me, i have a plan to legalize cannabis and get our country out of the deficit, create over 100000 jobs all over the US in our most economically challenged places in our country. Watch and see….This won't be the first you have heard of me…
Ok if someone can provide one stint of evidence linking Marijuana use to a death I think you would have the argument that it is very harmful but guess what there isn't any in our thousands of years of medical records. No one has ever contracted lung cancer from just smoking marijuana. No one has ever overdosed on marijuana. All the government testing done with animals is completly flawed. The fact that when they tested it on them they put esentially a gas mask on monkey and pumped them full of smoke for several weeks without additional oxygen and therefore sufficated them..they could have put dried up tea leaves or cardbored or anything else in the combustion chamber and it would do the same thing. This is also why the statement that it kills brain cells is completly false as of course your brain cells die when you are starved of oxygen. Do the research. Most people aren't aware that marijuana and hemp were used for thousands of years up until about 1885 including the declaration of Independence being written on hemp paper. Its rediculous to say it has no medicinal values, just ask a person suffering from severe MS what its like and what medications work for them. Do you people not realize we are ever so dependent on Alcohol,Cigarettes and Perscription drugs? Why do you think that is? Maybe because all three of those have close ties in govt. and they make billions turning you into zombies. You can't go 2 min. of watching TV or searching the internet without an add for some new drug that has come out and these are known to cause all kinds of problems including death. Stop believing the propaganda and start researching and thinking outside the norm. You say its poison? What is in the food you eat and the beverages you drink? and the air your breath? we are sourounded by poison 24/7..alcohol is in fact a POISON and will kill you or cause you to have kidney/liver failure if you endulge to much..tobacco will kill you and does kill 500,000+ a year and who subsidizes it, the GOVT. does..just google "side effects of " and the name of some pill you have heard about and compare it to marijuana …please people for the love of the planet and humanity do your research and open your damn eyes…if you still are unconvinced and to lazy to do the research the least you can do is watch a documentary called " The Union – The business behind getting high" or "WEED" then maybe you will see how fucking rediclous marijuana prohibition is. and you trolls need to stay outa here cause you only want one thing and thats to get people worked up..
If its already available any one can get it easy access for all then makeing it leagle and dropping the price and takeing money out of drug lords thugs and gansters plus dont forget terrorist thrive from drug money, no money harder to hurt us we take the money we gain the upper hand again, jails save 3.4 billion a yr in calif. allown, not to count court cost etc. some countries have gone 1 step ahead of us giving harawin addicts a 15.00 fix a day and that adds up to about 5200.00 a yr. saves 34800.00 on jails so u way the saveings then decide is is cheeper to give um a fix or send um to jail,
I would be happy to Debate with you.
Cannabis is more then just an illegal drug. It is a huge cash crop with multi uses. It can be made into fuel, Harder more stable metal than we currently use, Fabric Thats more stable then we use, Plastic like substances ,once again more stable then what we use, It could replace our trees being cut down to make lumber, It can replace cotton, and It can be made into more of an eco friendly fuel, lowering gas prices.
It's a great choice of medicine, curing and helping numourous situations, But yes as we all know it can be smoked to get 'high", which I think is fine, since you know we should be able to have the privacy to consume what we want in our own home if we aren't hurting ourselves or anyone around us.
Besides you can still ban it or whatever but the pot market is making untaxed billions, and that hasn't changed since they made it illegal. When I was a teen I could buy a dime sack easier then I could a beer. If they make it legal and put age ristrictions on it it would be HARDER for kids to get.
Its not "wrong".
what makes it "wrong" is its illegal.
What makes it "illegal" is a old rule back in the 30s. Brought to stand points by racism and isdustral, and the fear of not being able to tax it. THe goverment was scared of it so they made it legal, because you know the goverment runs the people…even if the people sHOULD run the goverment.
Email me anytime if anyone wants to bitch about supid laws.
Doggieblaster@yahoo.com.
This is my story, I am truly sorry it is so long! I only have my experiences to share. But its my truth. I was diagnosed as bipolar two times. Both times, I tried the pharmaceutical drug remedies recommended by my psychaitrist at the time and both times I wound up not remembering what I had done the next three days. They made me psychotic. I smoke pot everyday and have not had an episode like that ever from it. People need to understand that it is not a drug, it is an herb. I agree that God made it for us to use, especially in crazy times like these. The DEA wants us to believe Morinal is the same as Marijuana so the Drug Company Machine that controls everything in AMERICA can continue its reign of economical terror. Additionally I have suffered horrible abdominal pain for 5 years. I had 2 C-sections in 13 months and endometriosis following that. I have had 6 abdominal surgeries in the 5 years my daughter has been with me. Pot is the only thing that helps me maintain my sense of humor, for my kids. None of the nearly 300 drugs doctors have given me over the 5 years can do that. I sit here crying because my kids have never seen me well. Pot is the only thing that helps with that.
Additionally Pot will end the worlds problems. Global warming would be greatly slowed with huge crops growing across AMERICA. Veterans with PTSD would benefit. The economy Of AMERICA would be solved. Global financing would improve because of that alone. I say leave Cocaine Illegal, Leave Crack Illegal, leave anything mans sickest minds have made Illegal, so our DEA and wonderful law enforcement people and talented FBI folks can concentrate on those dangerous drugs. During my dangerous youth I used just about everything out there and those are drugs. Pot is an herb, like the Black Cohosh I take for the premature menopause I have also had to go through. One of the surgeries was an abdominal hysterectomy. They outlaw my Black Cohosh and they could solve the energy crisis with my hot flashes.
Pot would help the suffering middle class the way the end of prohibition did at the end of the great depression. JOBS farm jobs! Hell, I could start to make some money on my small farm and pay some of the $32000 medical bills I have accumulated over the past 5 years.
Anyhow that my story and Im Stickin it to em! I will not rest until its legal.. I cant work for my medical reasons, so this is my first blog, and I'm going to put all my experiences and opinions out there until its legal. My name is Mindy
Why should it be legal to drink as many beers as you want( which im not complaining about :)), but not be able to light up one joint. Come on Alcohol is soooo much worse. Legalize it.
Seriously, the point is we are adults. The burden of all adults is to make choices. When the choices inflict harm on others or could cause potential harm, we make rules against it. Which is why I can't drive backwards down the freeway. However, making rules that limit a persons ability to choose when it pertains ONLY to their own wellfare is immoral. But you won't see a bill based on that morality. What if I were king of the world and decided that it was illegal to have sex outside of heterosexual marriage. And could arrest anyone who did? Marijuana is a PLANT that requires no chemical alteration. It in and of itself is not a drug. THC is a drug, but did you know that your body produces some naturally? It doesn't cause ANY health issues that have been PROVEN to date. In fact my grandfather would be blind from Glaucoma by now, and he used to be the biggest anti-"weed" person I knew. Why the change of heart? Because THC relieves pressure on the Optic nerve. A doctor convinced him.
Does anyone here know why it is illegal? Do a little research! Like always it was to protect someones bottom line! Oil, Rope, Timber and Plastics companies, who used lobbyists and contributions to gain political favor, just to make sure that hemp, which presently can be used to make gasoline to bio-degradable plastic, didn't cut into their pocketbooks. Hemp has been in use since Babylon.
To say that it is morally wrong is assanine and you show yourself to be quite ignorant, with all that is wrong with this morally bankrupt world.
What is morally wrong is to take away peoples right to CHOOSE. People fight for women's rights to choose… But because some bureaucrats from the 30's lead a massive onslaught against "Marihuana" it remains illegal.
See: http://www.a1b2c3.com/drugs/mj004.htm
Now, I agree that children shouldn't use it… Like everything else that you must be an adult to purchase, it should wait until one is ready to make that choice. That aside, it's illegal and kids still smoke it, they just get it from the shady people who might also sell them crack.
But if you want REAL evidence about how legalization could benefit us… Check out Mendocino county, CA.
Hemp is a plant that also produces Marijuana, but has so many commercial and industrial uses. (It's what the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE was written on. And the "Drug" portion has PROVEN MEDICINAL USES!
Ready for the funny part? I DO NOT USE it. Not out of fear, I've tried it, it's just not my thing. My Mother has her medical card, so does my grandfather, and I know others. I jumped on this PRO-Marijuana bandwagon because I HATE DRUGS. My mother has been on almost every kind of pain killer and anti-depressent from her doctors (Most of the medication she takes is secondary, for the side effects of the others… like GEODONE and she always looked so strung out and had no appetite) Now she takes care of the pain and depression with weed which doesn't cost her as much and has only a couple immediate side effects: Getting Sleepy and Hungry!
As for the negative effects of smoking it… EAT IT! http://www.thestonerscookbook.com/
OF which there are NO HARMFUL SIDE-EFFECTS! (But from what I hear you don't want to do any cooking with bong water! Gross)
My opinion is that marijuana should have been legalized years ago. It is an obvious solution to the economic problems America is facing. Think of all the people that are sitting in jail living off of our tax money simply for possessing a small amount of marijuana. Arrest the people selling it to children and leave the mature community alone. Every 38 second someone is arrested for a marijuana charge (http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/07/30/frank.marijuana/). Not only would we all SAVE money on the millions of people doing unjust time for enjoying a product of this earth, but the legalization would create large numbers of jobs for people needed to maintain, harvest, process and deliver the product. Personally, alcohol has caused a lot of problems for me in the past but I have never been arrested while just high. It’s a way of relaxing after work or on the weekend with nowhere near the side effects of alcohol as well as much of the things we consume that are sold in our grocery stores. In my opinion, LEGALIZE IT ALREADY!
Marijuana should be legalized primarily in order to produce hemp which can be used for the manufacturing of clothing & blanket etc. that could be cheaply provided for the poor. The benefits of hemp fiber is unparalleled in its applications & strength. Not to mention that it can be produced to provide paper so that we can stop chopping our rain forests down. It is able to grow almost anywhere at a very low cost, it's seed oil can be used for cooking & can be eaten raw as well as it has a high level of proteins & other minerals. It's medical uses are also beneficial in many ways. The only reason why it's illegal is because the damn governments can't tax it & control it. Download a marijuana FAQ file to read up on it's many benefits.
HEY IF YOU WANT TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA (TETRAHYDRACANNABINOL, CANNIBIS SATIVA, THC) CALL THIS NUMBER (973) 409-3274 AND PRESS POUND WHEN PROMPTED. OBAMA AND CONGRESS WILL CONSIDER AFTER 1 MILLION VOTES.
CALL (973) 409 3274
Glenn,
I can't believe the U.S. government refuses to acknowledge the coming ramifications of these ignorant decisions towards marijuana… OF COURSE. Pot being illegal is a direct result of the U.S. government's manipulative nature. They have literally brain washed 60% of this wonderful country into thinking marijuana is deadly and 'makes people insane'. Not to mention it's legality is based on completely unconstitutional tax-stamp act in the first place. Wow. Do some research on the 'reefer madness' propaganda introduced in the 1930's by our sick twisted government -vs- the truth about marijuana (go to mpp.org) and you might be in shock as most people are! It's sad to see all the slaves of the corporatocracy walking the line ablivious to the true nature of this fraudulent system. Do yourself the biggest favor of your life, and visit zeitgeistmovie.com. Spend 2-4 hours of your life (it'll be worth it) to learn the truth…
Know the truth, seek the truth, and hopefully one day the truth will set us free!
I would totally have to disagree with this marijuana should most deffinitely be legalized and decrimnalized! when im smoking the herb I feel as if the world is mine for the taking. my senses are sharp and my favorite is my hearing. music is beyond amazing and is a drug of its own. so legalize it.! NOw!
Definetly legalize pot. i was arrested for pot and had to have surgery on shoulders because the bad cop left me handcuffed for 4 hrs. me begging him to handcuff up front he laughed said me should have thought about that before me got high, plus all the bullshit having to go though the piss test monthly 40.00, probation officer 30.00 monthly not to mention fine cost. we get treated worse than a rapist,thief other hardened criminals, its WRONG. Plus me diabetic will never have full range and motion in either shoulder. by-theway i work in the medial field helped countless people in these 27 yrs. this bad cop should be the in jail and stop sterotyping pot heads. thanks
i was arrested for marijuana handcuffed behind my back for 4 hrs.me begged the cop to handcuff me front he laughed said me should have thought before me got high, 2 months later had to have surgery doc said me had frozen shoulders still having pain all because a bad cop sterotyped me as pot head. never hurt anyone in-fact have worked in medical field for 27 yrs. POT NEEDS TO BE LEGALIZED AND STOP TREATING US LIKE HARDENED CRIMINALS THAT IS WRONG. THE GOOD LORD PUT MARIJUANA HERE FOR A PURPOSE FOR ME IT IS TO SMOOOOKED.
In my opinion marijuana should be legalized for individual sale..I live in West Virginia and I currently hold the record for the most marijuana ever found in the state,,,and I'm looking at some time…if it would've legalised along time ago then I wouldn't have to worry about this and neither would alot of people around the country…Alcohol is a whole lot worse than weed could ever be…I mean how many people die every year from car accidents caused by drunk drivers?!? Then try and find someone who has died from a marijuana related death!!!
I think that medical marijuana should definately be legalized. I also think it should be legalized for sale to adults. Let's be honest here, as an american I know that it comes down to how the government can make money. personally I would smoke it if it were legal, but I'm definately too lazy to grow it. I think that with proper laws and taxes governing it's sale and use it would be not much different than the laws and taxes governing alcohol. I seriously think that some of the states that are hurting so bad from this recession should think about what I'm saying. there's money to be made here….. why not take it out of shifty dealer's hands and put it into our local economies?
There is nothing wrong with marijuana! Nobody has ever died from doing it. It's a proven fact that alcohol and tobacco are more addicting than marijuana. People say that marijuana leads to harder drugs but honestly 90% of people who drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes get into harder drugs than those who smoke marijuana.
I'm a 14 year old girl in middle school doing a report on the effects of marijuana, but as i was doing my report i found that marijuana isn't the problem is alcohol.
So marijuana should be legal if there are so many other things in the world that are killing people.
weed is good dont bitch about it
I think mari-J should be legal it’s a pain releaving drug that grow’s in the ground and does not kill you and never will the only thing it does like all other medical drugs and is make you lose brain sell’s alcohol
I think it is quite stupid to use the excuse “Smoking marijuana is unhealthy therefore it should be illegal”
1. You don’t have to smoke it to get the benefits
2. You can use a vaporizer
3. If the government was really that concerned about our health Tobacco should be outlawed and nicotine gum and patches should only be legal. Who knows how many billions that would save taxpayers and insurance companies. Will that ever happen? Yeah right.
Face the facts.
Every year our government spends billions of dollars to fight the sale of drugs in which the majority is marijuana. If marijuana was legalized these billions would be saved PLUS probable billions generated from marijuana tax revenues. This would also keep money out of the hands of the Mexican drug cartels who are pretty much ruining that country.
marijauna is being bootlegged just like alchohol during the prohibition. Alcohol became legal and got taxed so the goverment was happy thats what they should do with pot. god made it so it should be legal its not like its a bunch of chemicals from under your sink i dont think ive ever blacked out on weed, but alcohol i black out all the time
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.
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.
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=237D7A59A26DDE1C&search_query=The Magic Weed full video
In the end whether you agree with the legalization of it or not, right now, its coming down to…were in a huge amount of debt right now, and the senator who pitched the latest bill, did his homework and showed, based on how much california(his home state) had made off taxing medical marijuana…he crunched the numbers and showed that if we legalize it and tax it, we have the possibility of not only getting out of debt but also the possibility of us having a surplus after.
I have and do on a dialy basis, smoke marijuana… I laugh at all the people who are against it, because all of their claims(no Im not generalizing, I do mean all) are based off of the fear campaign’s to smear pot.
and Im not sure where the nay sayers are getting their facts but, their is a site which led me here that has a marijuana myths section and it will tell you the truth about marijuana…it doesnt deny that marijuana has chemicals in it…but it does say that those chemicals are less harmful than tobacco and alcohol…broken record…
I am not a college educated person but i can say that in a free country a person should have the right to put whatever they want into there body as long as it does not affect other people and pot does not. Now you may say What about accidents that accour because of slow responses on the road from high people. Well i would call that a dui whch is a completley different crime. i think if you are irresposible on a drug you should get in trouble but otherwise you should have the right.
I have been smoking marijuana for 2 years along with my boyfriend. he drives while under the infulence everyday and if you ask me he drives better while stoned. all my friends smoke on a daily basis and frankly nothing is wrong with them, they’re still the same people and it hasnt effected them negatively at all.
and Holland has the lowest rate of sex crimes and drug related crimes because prostitution and marijuana is LEGAL.
so what does that tell you.
they should definately legalize marijuana everywhere and hey it might even make the world a better place 😉
I don’t really have a stance on whether to legalize it or not, but reading these previous posts has brought me to the conclusion that many of you have.
Why is it that alcohol and tobacco are legal if they produce the same, if not worse effects as marijuana?
I think this whole debate over legalizing marijuana or not is bull shit. I think people need to focus more on the bigger problems like alcohol; things that are accesible to everyone and are deemed “okay”.
I mean, god damn, its 2009 already. Its been illegal since the 1930s. 80 years of Prohibiton is quite enough. It didnt work with alcohol, its not gonna EVER work with weed. The drug war in America is completey pathetic. We have accomplished absolutely nothing. Not shit.
Nobody even knows why the hell marijuana was outlawed in the first place. Society has put it in people’s minds that it is an outlawed drug because it is damaging and harmful.
No. Fuck that.
Marijuana Prohibition was based on nothing but Lies, Fear, Racism, and Greed.
Marijuana
This JACKASS named Harry Anslinger and his “Federal Bureau of Narcotics” department decided to really fuck some shit up. This was around the great depression time so im guessing he jumped at the career oppurtunity and milked it for all it was worth, cuz some of the shit ive read about this guy is just ridiculous. Here’s a few quotes from this bozo:
“You smoke a joint, and you’re likely to kill your brother”
“Marijuana is the most violent causing drug in the history of mankind”
“Reefer makes darkies think they’re as good as white men”
This was the kind of fear he was spreading around the country. To make matters worst, Anslinger got some more help from William Randolf Hearst, who owned a massive chain of newspapers. Hearst invested heavily in the timber industry to support his newspaper chain and didn’t want to see the development of hemp paper in competition. So he started producing and spreading stupid, fake ass lies about weed.
After a couple years, Anslinger brought his case filled with no scientific, or medical proof that marijuana was harmful. Just all the lies, all the yellow journalism. He got his way.
Since then, this is where we are at.
I say we are way past due for legalization of marijuana.
Instead of throwing millions and millions of tax dollars into prisons housing non violent criminals, why dont we take that money and use it on education? healthcare? the war? and on top of all that money the government would be saving, they would also be banking on us weed smokers. MILLIONS.
And the uses for Hemp is endless. Theres plenty of other ways we could be making money off of it. Hemp is a billion dollar market. America needs to step up to the plate though.
Im not writing this as a stoner, im writing this as a citizen watching the country fail completely.
America will not become stupider if Marijuana is legalized. Nobody is going to start smoking weed because its legal. People who dont smoke weed dont smoke weed because they are not a fan of it, it being legal wont change that. People who do smoke weed smoke it because they are a fan of it, and if it became legal, we would STILL be fans of it.
Mexican Cartels are making $10 billion+ a year selling drugs to the US. $8 Billion off marijuana alone. Thats $8 billion+ that could be stimulating our economy.
Quit being a little bitch, America. Look into the facts. Step off the whole “drug” subject. Look at the straight up scientific FACTS. Look at your country FAILING. Its going to keep on failing unless we do something about it. Did you know our constitution was written on Hemp paper? Wake the fuck up, people
TAX AND REGULATE… SOON. Before its too fucking late.!
I beleive all marijuana should be legalized.People are out selling babies,their ow bodies,goods they have worked for and God knows what else to support crack,heroin,alcohol,and meth addictions.People rob other people and promote street violence for these substances.The fact is the majority of marijuana users do not engage in these activities.Doctors,Lawyers,and other educated individuals all participate in marijuana usage.There are other drugs out there that are promoting more unwanted behavior in our soceity that need law enforcement’s attention.We are spending millions of dollars a year in the US to house “criminals” who are arrested on marijuana related charges.If we legalize marijuana and tax it and use the money just for the country’s deficit,we would be out of debt in about 15 years.Why should tax-payers have to suffer by A) being in this recession and B) have to pay our hard earned tax money to the government so they can house incarerated pot heads.What about all the crack heads,meth freaks, and other junkies out there making our streets dangerous.I believe there would be less people selling drugs if the government would just legalize it.If the government lets this country go into a depression because they dont want to cash in on this future cash crop, then it will just go to show how little the government gives a fuck about its people.
Marijuana should be legal, I think it’s kind of stupid that the government don’t allow a plant that God has given us to study for medical purposes and to enjoy for pleasure. People who think it should not be legal should educate themselves and read more about the plant. Marijuana does NOT contain any chemicals, it’s a PLANT! It’s not a drug that is man made like cocaine, or any other. It does not create addiction, it does not have any side effects, I don’t even know why they categorized it as a drug. We are in a era where people are arguing for something that does not causes any harm either to the person who consume as well as to the people around them. This plant can’t even be compare to alcohol or tobacco since marihuana is used directly from the plant and it is not a composition of chemicals such as cigarette or alcohol.
For those who don’t know, marihuana buds are use to be smoke, the plant is cut and the buds are smoke. There is no manufacturing process, no chemicals added, nothing!, from the plant to the pipe. If someone does not agree, I would like to know FACTS about their argument.
Almost everyone is debating the legalization of marijuana. A great amount of people against weed have never even tried it. Now i agree puff isn’t for everyone just like any other drugs. Yes smoking tree can irritate the lungs but you don’t have to smoke it. Make cannibutter or oil and cook with it. Infact if it was legal the government would be able to get the best organic growers in America to grow the weed. This would cut down on the factor of unwanted, harmful chemicals. A lot of the weed that people get is either ‘shwag’ or ‘beaster’. Now these types of weed are more than likely tampered with. Ive seen many beasters covered with salt and baking soda. And there is a huge list of what can come in a bag of shwag. But if the government legalized puff they would be able to produce only organic HEADY weed. Heady weed is basically medical marijuana…any ‘name brand weed’. Smoking weed is a medicine but it holds more than that. I have smoked weed every day for the past 8 years. Its not an addiction to me because I choose to smoke everyday, it’s better then anti-depressants. It holds sanity and clarity for me and the ones I meditate with. I have discovered more things about myself and the world. The long conversations with others and within myself have helped better me as a person. I have a job and I do it very well. I am a musician and I succeed at that as well. My motivation stands strong and I have high ambitions…no pun. Also not many people understand that not every weed is the same. You have indicas,sativas, and hybrids (sativa and indica cross). The sativas give you a clear,energetic, and focused high, which is felt mainly in the head. Great for a morning or afternoon puff session. It is perfect for social events or if you wish to indulge in an epic conversation. An example would be right now, since I have just recently finished a bowl of Mango (which yes is a type of sativa). Indica is a more heavy, relaxed, sedated high. This type of high is felt more in the body. Perfect for people with pains and problems sleeping. Also a wonderful night time smoke. The hybrids give you the best of both worlds. I take the weed I smoke very seriously. There is so much more pleasure that comes with marijuana than just the high. The smell for one, I have never experienced the types of smells that I get from weed. You can have so many different smells in one type of bud and be able to pull out every kind. Smells that will make your mouth water. Also the look. The only thing nicer than a beautifully trimmed and cured nugget is a hot girl. As you hold the nugget up to the sunlight or a house light it is magic to watch the trichromes dance and sparkle as you rotate the bud. All I know is some people live by wine…I happen to share this Earth with weed.
If people don’t realize that people are just naturally idiots then they must be idiots themselves. Smoking weed doesn’t make someone dumb or unmotivated…chances are those people were already dead beats. I can sit down smoke a bowl,bubbler, or water pipe…or hell I’ll smoke all 3 pipes in one sitting…and still be able to grab the day by the balls. People are worried about kids being able to get weed if it is legal…really? They can get it already and it is not legal. It honestly is not hard at all just like it isn’t hard for young kids to get beer or cigs. So it really leaves me scratching my head about why America is so against marijuana. I have also heard that smoking weed can mess with the reproductive system…Hello? birth control…Is everyone over looking that? How about getting your tubes tide? Or having a doctor cutting on your penis? I’ll take my chances with sperm that travels a little slower…Remember slow and steady wins the race. All I am saying is I wish people would really look into subjects they don’t know about…If you want more information look up Jason King, author of the Cannabibles 1,2, and 3. Or even the Prince of Pot Mark Emery. If you read this and walk away with anything…Not all ‘pot heads’ or dumb and lazy…and there is a lot more to marijuana than meets the eye (in a good way).
-Sage-
I’m a young women that has just recently stopped smoking marijuana. I work in nursing with my average patient being elderly and dying. I didn’t stop smoking marijuana because it’s illegal. I stopped because it’s too much of a hassle to find. Then you have to drive around with it and hope you don’t get pulled over. I didn’t want to risk losing my license, so I quit. Let me just say that I miss it everyday, but it didn’t rule my life and it never would. I truly don’t believe in the whole “gateway drug” thing. If people want to try narcotics and other drugs they don’t need to blame weed. I think parents just use this as a way to take the blame off themselves at not noticing their children dealing with heavy drugs. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think anyone under 18 should be smoking but as an established adult I feel that i should be able to choose for myself. If someone doesn’t want to smoke cigarettes or weed it’s of no concern to me, but then those same people wish to point their fingers and sneer at anyone who does. I love nature and all her beautiful aspects, such as vegetables to eat, grass to feed the cows, and weed to calm the nerves. Even people with asthma can enjoy the effects of weed by consuming it instead of inhaling it. Yes, weed can make people lazy; but so does fast food and to much TV. Eighty percent of my patients dying from cancer (even the ones who never smoked anything in their lives), or others dying from chronic pain and the lack of will to live all tell me that they truly wish marijuana was legal to soothe their pain and fried nerves. For my cancer patients most dye due to lack of appetite, and let me tell you there is nothing worse then watching someone dye slowly over a period of months in front of their families simply because they have no appetite and too much pain. Marijuana would help both her pain and her appetite. What’s also sad is that the government would rather separate families caught with weed and spend more money then it’s worth to see that charges are placed. For what, a bit of green? Yes, parents should know that consequences will be had if caught, but it shouldn’t be such a big deal. It shouldn’t be a deal at all! I say legalize it with caution and some limitations, but legalize it once and for all. The statistics show that the people of this country are outwardly and silently trying to tell the government how they feel, whether everyone agrees or not. This is a free country and the way we work is voting on this or that. If America were to vote on the legalization of marijuana I think the final outcome would be phenomenal. This is all my opinion anyway. I know some of you will read this and think me some crazy hippie or an uneducated woman. Just so you know neither is true, but you’re welcome to think so anyways. Much love and Blessed Be.
How about you read this blog. I want those crackpots as I call them cry in despair that there is no best way or reason for intoxication to continue.
http://uncompromising-rhetoric.com/?p=94
Marijuana is psychoactive because it stimulates certain brain receptors, but it does not produce toxins that kill them (like alcohol), and it does not wear them out as other drugs may. There is no evidence that marijuana use causes brain damage. Studies performed on actual human populations will confirm these results, even for chronic marijuana users (up to 18 joints per day) after many years of use.
In fact, following the publication of two 1977 JAMA studies, the American Medical Association (AMA) officially announced its support for the decriminalization of marijuana.
In reality, marijuana has the effect of slightly increasing alpha-wave activity in your brain. Alpha waves are generally associated with meditative and relaxed states, which are, in turn, often associated with human creativity.
No trustworthy study has ever shown that marijuana use damages the reproductive system, or causes chromosome breakage. Studies of actual human populations have failed to demonstrate that marijuana adversely affects the reproductive system. Claims that marijuana use may impair hormone production, menstrual cycles, or fertility in females are both unproven and unfounded.
Robert Melamede, chair of biology at the University of Colorado in Boulder, reviewed studies of the illicit drug and published his findings in the Oct. 17 issue of Harm Reduction Journal. Melamede’s conclusion is certain to factor in the medical-marijuana debate, because the cancer-causing potential of the drug is one of the reasons often cited by those who oppose legalizing it for medicinal uses. He said he was motivated to investigate the issue because the Drug Enforcement Administration has made the argument that marijuana has four times the amount of tar contained in tobacco smoke, so it is potentially carcinogenic. “I said, ‘Let’s see what’s true because the government doesn’t have a very good record on telling the truth about cannabis,'” Melamede, who classifies himself as a medical-marijuana advocate, told United Press International. He said the studies indicated although marijuana smoke does contain carcinogens, it does not appear to induce cancer because of its unique pharmacological properties. Lung cancer, for example, is caused by a combination of carcinogens in conjunction with nicotine found in tobacco smoke. Studies to date have not linked marijuana smoking with the lung, colon, rectal and other cancers associated with tobacco smoking, Melamede said. “It should be noted that with the development of vaporizers, that use the respiratory route for the delivery of carcinogen-free cannabis vapors, the carcinogenic potential of smoked cannabis has been largely eliminated,” Melamede wrote in the journal. At least 10 states, including California and Colorado, have moved in the direction of allowing patients to use marijuana with a doctor’s approval. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last June that the federal prohibition supersedes state laws and the DEA can arrest patients who use the drug. “The scientific and medical communities have determined that smoked marijuana is a health danger, not a cure,” Tandy wrote in the article, which also appears on the DEA Web site.
I LOVE WEED AND IT SHOULD BE LEGAL. IT BRINGS A LOT OF PEOPLE TOGETHER IN FACT. WEED ALSO KEEPS PEOPLE FROM DOING ALOT OF VIOLENT THINGS CUZ IT RELAXES YOU. ALCOHOL SHOULD HAVE BEEN ILLEGAL BEFORE WEED. ALCOHOL IMPAIRS YOUR DRIVING WAY WORST THAN WEED. IN ALL HONESTY, I DRIVE BETTER HIGH THAN SOBER. IT MAKES ME FOCUS ON THINGS A LITTLE HARDER. I LOVE WEED!! ITS SAFE AND YOU’RE MORE OF A CALM AND EASY GOING HUMAN BEING.
why doesn’t the goverment hire some scientists to do health effect studies. maybe then they would find that there is no reason for it to be illegal.
I smoke marijuana and have a 4.0 GPA
I think tobacco should be illegal, come on, people die, its on record. I chose to stop smoking cigarettes because I felt the cancer sticks were giving me lung problems. People who are critics to marijuana maybe in denial, medical doctors say medical marijuana HAS, a medical purpose. Why do critics focus on marijuana? Do they know of the harsh drugs that exist? Do they know that the medicine in their homes are really bad for their health? Liver damage, possible overdose, easy access for teens, etc,etc… The focus should be on meth labs, cocain, heroin, extacy, LSD, etc,etc… Focus on the drugs that kill people, focus on the streets where crack is being sold, those are the ones that should be focused on. I dont get the people who run this country, lost in denial. one love… peace.
ive smoked marijuana for a number of years and i have a 3.0 gpa and i play sports and alot of school things it never has affected me now have you smoked weed
I think that it should be legal its your choice if you wanna smoke weed just like people that drink its their choice its society that make weed seem so bad but its not and if they want make an age limit like 18 or 21 but its your choice to smoke but no one makes a big deal about it when more people die from that .
it should be legalized, weed makes any situation better. we need peace on earth an the legalization of marijuana would be a huge help.
marijuana is a horrible drug that costs society billions every year. if u smoke marijuana your opinion doesnt count. go smoke another bowl, eat, and go to bed with your pothead significant other and concieve another child and let the taxpayers pay for it. all you nonworking low income potheads if want it legalized sterilize yourself so you cant reproduce.
It would be easy to manufacture and sell marijuana with a lower (but not too low) THC level just for safety purposes. It would be illegal to smoke while driving, smoke while in public, illegal to be high in public and operate machinery. There could be a maximum limit on the amount of pot that you can have on your person(a reasonable amount). It would be easy to put these laws in motion. And think of the money this new industry could bring in.
Legalize it already! I’ve been smoking the stuff for donkey years now and have completely no ill effects at all. Grow it, smoke it. Just don’t get your ass busted.
Meth, cocaine, heroine,ectasy, all these drugs were made by man to “help”. These drugs were first made for medical uses. When heroine first came out it was used as a OTC to help stop coughing and pain, Ectasy and meth was used as a wheight loss sedative when they first came out. All these drugs that are bad for us first came out as good for us. Marijuana should in fact be legalized, for it has never caused anything major. Marijuana is the one herb that everyone can benifit from without harsh side effects, Or bad addiction. Marijuana can be used for those who are in pain and need it. Unlike morphine marijuana isn’t addicting. i see all these “medical” legal drugs that are ten time worse then marijuana. Drugs that get you hooked, drugs that are addictive. Then i see marijuana. A way of helping you with pain without the possibility of becoming addictive. Marijuana is a safe and harmless way to get rid of pain without addiction. Marijuana is truely a miricle and would definalantly benifit everyone in the long run. Including the government of the U.S.
Marijuanna should definalantly be legalized. Especially in the u.s. Each year the U.S. government wastes millions of dollars on the drug war alone. If the U.S. government were to legalize it and tax it.. The united states would no longer be in debt. Thus helping financially… For medical puposes why not??? It realeses pain and give you happiness. Why can’t a dying person live a day of life happy. Marijuana is a miricle. Everyone should be able to enjoy it freely.
Call 1-973-409-3274 and press # to vote for the legalization of marijuana! If we get 1,000,000 Obama will consider passing the bill!!
HELL YES IT SHOULD!!!! The government has no place telling anyone what they can or can’t put into their bodies.
im KELLIN from After death Emergency Room. Check out our debut album and single “FUCK YOUR NO SMOKING SIGN”
Listen to and buy songs from our page!
http://WWW.MYSPACE.COM/AFTERDEATHEMERGENCYROOM
i believe the prohibition of marijuana started because of tradition because the church believed that smoking marijuana was smoking sins which is their pitiful excuse of why people who smoked it acted so wierd. Marijuana does cause temporary side affects while you’re high but no one has yet proven any long term affects. Making it legal would also improve the environments in which people smoke it and less underage would smoke it because they could just wait. it being a gateway drug is just because marijuana has been put on the same level as those other harder drugs so when obtaining marijuana it is easy to get access to other drugs too. Marijuana helps in some health cases, would ruin gangs and keep our youth out of prison for just holding a dumb leaf.
I found some nice shirts at http://www.cafepress.com/mow390. They’re supporting the legalization bill in Cali.
My name is Rudy. I have lived in numerous states, from east to west, in America. I am 29 years old, and I have been smoking marijuana for the past 16 years. I have had high blood pressure since 1985 and was diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure in 2003. I take eleven prescribed medications on a daily basis, however the only one that I can depend on to alleviate my symptoms 110% is marijuana, i.e.: Hypertension, anxiety, depression, migraines, appetite, but most of all the ability to deal with daily issues in our society. Issues like trying to find stable employment with a criminal record, trying to provide for my newborn baby and fiance, keeping up with medical issues, and mentally just being capable of handling every situation that comes at me without losing my mind. Marijuana does keep me humble.
I think it should be legalized, however, there should be laws in place just as alcohol has. I believe it should be taxed by our government but not harvested or supplied by them. Legalizing marijuana would lower the crime rate tremendously and it would also assist in the financial hard-ships that America is going through. Instead of wasting so much time, effort and money making it illegal, we should embrace it in our trying times.
In the past, I myself have tried other illegal substances and Yes, I agree, those drugs should remain illegal because they can be deadly. Unlike marijuana, not one overdose has been reported, which is a proven fact. If Americans were to vote by poll, for legalizing marijuana the same way politicians are voted in, I guarantee that marijuana would be legal.
I stand by my decision 100%. I consider myself living proof that marijuana is more than a positive than a negative. If you have any further questions or would like to discuss this matter, or if there is anything that I could do to help this matter, please let me know.
Rudy
Why should anyone decide for me what is right other than me.
No other questions need be posed or answered. Just the one.
Freedom is not what we have in America.
haha. well i have a lot to say on this subject. in short, marijuana is good for madicinal purposes, can bring in revenue for the government, free up the prison system, and lower the crime rate. Reply to debate.
I like your article, keep spreading the awareness. Hemp is not a drug, and the FDA needs to leave it alone. Ok with that being said I would like to add to the peoples awareness regarding something thats been bugging me for a long time. Is anyone else tired of the attachment people place on pot being a gateway drug? I mean there isn’t any research that proves this. Drugs are a problem if you are addicted and its ruining your life. There shouldn’t be a stereotype of whether something leads to another drug. In my humble opinion drinking, smoking weed, and all drugs mean the same thing to me. Mind altering substances. I just started this site http://marijuanapetition.info/
If you were to scrutinize each and every thing in life that poses some risk, we would have to criminalize fast food restaurants, alcohol/tobacco, sex, driving a car, leaving the house, driving in the rain, riding airplanes and boats, most recreational activities, etc. You get my point. This whole obsession with risk is borderline OCD… Why not treat people with respect and give them the responsibility of their own free will? Or, if your a fascist Nazi, you can dictate to them what they should do in their private lives.
pot should be legal. i love getting high and im tired of getting arrested. hahah
this site:
stupid potheads trying to justify their addiction.
GET OVER IT
For all you ignorant people, check this site out…Here’s how we back out our claims. I think it should be legalized, there is no real reason it’s illegal in the first place.
http://www.drugpolicy.org/marijuana/factsmyths/
And for those of you who say, “it has no positive affects” I laugh, either does tobacco or alcohol… Are you saying that we should make those illegal too? Legalizing Marijuana would have so many benefits to our economy. I’m not saying that it should be a open free market…I’m saying it should be like anything else..With the labels, the warnings, the restrictions as anything else would. If it doesn’t do any more harm then alcohol and tobacco then why can’t people make the choice? If someone going to try marijuana, you’re going to do it whether it’s legal or not. It’s your choice whether you continue or not. SO WHY NOT MAKE SOME MONEY OFF IT. Our economy needs it now more than ever. California has the right idea….
sure marijuana does have harmful effects, but people should have the right to harm themselves is they want to as long as they know the effects. legalization would reduce gang powers because they will no longer be the ones u have to by weed from, it would probably raise a lot of tax money, it would open new jobs for people, as long as they are only herting themselves there is no reason they shouldn’t be able to, the only time they would be herting someone else is dui (whicth should remain illegal) and maybe 2nd hand smoke from marijuana (im not sure, but if there is then other people should not be around people y there smoking if there tht concerned)
I think all drugs should be legal, then people will loose interest in their consumption… or find some good use of them…. who knows??
I have several reasons why marijuana should be legalized, and feel free to argue it. First and foremost- I guarantee that a LARGE majority of the population partakes in the drug, whether it’s legal or not. I know tons of people who maintain very successful lives, and smoke marijuana on a regular basis, myself included. Secondly, I don’t disagree with laws such as driving under the influence. Absolutely, judgment, reaction time, etc. are affected by pot. I think that it’s smart to have laws against that sort of thing, just like alcohol. But the truth is, the use of marijuana for recreational purposes is completely acceptable, and SHOULD BE legalized. Thirdly, if the government would LEGALIZE this herb, they could use the tax money from that to pay off some of the debt accumulated by money-hungry, completely clueless politicians. If our country is in such a jam, why not take some of the man-power and money used to track this HARMLESS drug, and put it towards more important things like murder investigations and such? Next, sure marijuana has some negative side effects. ANYTHING that’s good does. Fatty foods, tobacco, promiscuity, alcohol. All of these things have so many cons, and yet they’re all legal. Obesity is the leading cause of diabetes, and yet trans-fats aren’t illegal. That’s because it SHOULD BE a person’s choice whether or not they participate in such pleasantries. I want to know why our tax dollars are used to bust some poor stoner with an ounce of weed, instead of the insane parents who recklessly murdered their kids!! Please explain to me how something that makes people feel happy, friendly, and great carries just as harsh a penalty as burglaries and molestation charges!! LEGALIZE POT!!
The legalization of marijuana would greatly help this economic crisis that America has found itself in. A report I have been reading estimates that legalizing marijuana would save $7.7 billion per year in government expenditure on enforcement of prohibition. $5.3 billion of this savings would accrue to state and local governments, while $2.4 billion would accrue to the federal government. The report also estimates that marijuana legalization would yield tax revenue of $2.4 billion annually if marijuana were taxed like all other goods and $6.2 billion annually if marijuana were taxed at rates comparable to those on alcohol and tobacco.
Talk about your billion dollar bail out plan.
Not mention that I am going to school for holistic medicine (natural medicine with no prescription drugs administered) so, naturally, I agree with the legalization because there are only so many completely natural and untouched medicines that can be administered.
Cannabis relieves nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite caused by AIDS itself and by various AIDS medications. Marijuana can reduce interlobular pressure, thereby alleviating the pain and slowing — and sometimes stopping — the progress of Glaucoma. It aids in the pain associated with cancer and Fibromyalgia. It has even been known, in some cases, to help spasms in patients with Multiple Sclerosis, and prevent seizures in epileptic patients. So, yes, from a studying doctor of natural medicine I agree with the legalization of medicinal marijuana.
CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts (CNN) — Over the past two years, drug violence in Mexico has become a fixture of the daily news. Some of this violence pits drug cartels against one another; some involves confrontations between law enforcement and traffickers.
Recent estimates suggest thousands have lost their lives in this “war on drugs.”
The U.S. and Mexican responses to this violence have been predictable: more troops and police, greater border controls and expanded enforcement of every kind. Escalation is the wrong response, however; drug prohibition is the cause of the violence.
Prohibition creates violence because it drives the drug market underground. This means buyers and sellers cannot resolve their disputes with lawsuits, arbitration or advertising, so they resort to violence instead.
Violence was common in the alcohol industry when it was banned during Prohibition, but not before or after.
Violence is the norm in illicit gambling markets but not in legal ones. Violence is routine when prostitution is banned but not when it’s permitted. Violence results from policies that create black markets, not from the characteristics of the good or activity in question.
The only way to reduce violence, therefore, is to legalize drugs. Fortuitously, legalization is the right policy for a slew of other reasons.
Prohibition of drugs corrupts politicians and law enforcement by putting police, prosecutors, judges and politicians in the position to threaten the profits of an illicit trade. This is why bribery, threats and kidnapping are common for prohibited industries but rare otherwise. Mexico’s recent history illustrates this dramatically.
Prohibition erodes protections against unreasonable search and seizure because neither party to a drug transaction has an incentive to report the activity to the police. Thus, enforcement requires intrusive tactics such as warrantless searches or undercover buys. The victimless nature of this so-called crime also encourages police to engage in racial profiling.
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Prohibition has disastrous implications for national security. By eradicating coca plants in Colombia or poppy fields in Afghanistan, prohibition breeds resentment of the United States. By enriching those who produce and supply drugs, prohibition supports terrorists who sell protection services to drug traffickers.
Prohibition harms the public health. Patients suffering from cancer, glaucoma and other conditions cannot use marijuana under the laws of most states or the federal government despite abundant evidence of its efficacy. Terminally ill patients cannot always get adequate pain medication because doctors may fear prosecution by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Drug users face restrictions on clean syringes that cause them to share contaminated needles, thereby spreading HIV, hepatitis and other blood-borne diseases.
Prohibitions breed disrespect for the law because despite draconian penalties and extensive enforcement, huge numbers of people still violate prohibition. This means those who break the law, and those who do not, learn that obeying laws is for suckers.
Prohibition is a drain on the public purse. Federal, state and local governments spend roughly $44 billion per year to enforce drug prohibition. These same governments forego roughly $33 billion per year in tax revenue they could collect from legalized drugs, assuming these were taxed at rates similar to those on alcohol and tobacco. Under prohibition, these revenues accrue to traffickers as increased profits.
The right policy, therefore, is to legalize drugs while using regulation and taxation to dampen irresponsible behavior related to drug use, such as driving under the influence. This makes more sense than prohibition because it avoids creation of a black market. This approach also allows those who believe they benefit from drug use to do so, as long as they do not harm others. iReport.com: Do you think it’s time to legalize marijuana?
Legalization is desirable for all drugs, not just marijuana. The health risks of marijuana are lower than those of many other drugs, but that is not the crucial issue. Much of the traffic from Mexico or Colombia is for cocaine, heroin and other drugs, while marijuana production is increasingly domestic. Legalizing only marijuana would therefore fail to achieve many benefits of broader legalization.
It is impossible to reconcile respect for individual liberty with drug prohibition. The U.S. has been at the forefront of this puritanical policy for almost a century, with disastrous consequences at home and abroad.
The U.S. repealed Prohibition of alcohol at the height of the Great Depression, in part because of increasing violence and in part because of diminishing tax revenues. Similar concerns apply today, and Attorney General Eric Holder’s recent announcement that the Drug Enforcement Administration will not raid medical marijuana distributors in California suggests an openness in the Obama administration to rethinking current practice.
Perhaps history will repeat itself, and the U.S. will abandon one of its most disastrous policy e
Fact is; marijuana was made illegal almost entirely, if not completely, based on heavily exagerated propaganda. Anslinger, anyone?
By keeping marijuana illegal not only are the rights of citizens being violated, but also we’re indirectly feeding the drug market. Drug cartels known for their violent acts wouldn’t have the power the have if marijuana was legalized.
Who is anyone to tell me what I can or cannot put inside my body? That should be no one else’s choice but my own.
It’s time to fix the flaw. Legalize it.
It’s time to end the failed, destructive policy of marijuana prohibition.
Tell Obama and your elected representatives that marijuana should be legalized and taxed: http://tinyurl.com/LegalizeTaxIt
Marijuana should just be legalized for anyone (no medical requirement). Passion flower, chamomile, and kratom are legal for anyone and also have both medicinal and pleasurable properties. Marijuana shouldn’t be treated any different.
The major point against its use is that smoking is not healthy. This is true. Your lungs are meant for breathing in air; however, marijuana doesn’t have to be smoked. Eating it or drinking an extract is just as effective.
There are other concerns about people driving under the influence. People who consume too much marijuana generally do not want to drive until it wear off. And if they do drive, they usually drive below the speed limit and have enough time to react to any situation. The worst thing about driving under the limit is that they may rear-ended by a speeding drunk driver.
dont smoke it vaporize it, eat it, do what ever you please really this is supposed to be a free country. Humans should be able to make their own decisions on how they want to live their own lives. Should it be illegal for someone to not believe in god because the money says in god we trust?
I have non-Hodgkin lymphoma and I am only 35 and marijuana make me smile.
If Marijuana was legalized it could create many jobs across this country. Cancer patients and other people with illness can benefit and dont have to smoke it they can vaporize it and that eliminates the carcinogens.
Help fight the cause..
i believe maijuana should be legalized it is not harmfulll!!!! god put it on this earth for a reason we have THC receptors in our brains that is designed spefically for processing cannabis…do we have that for alcohol no i dont think so nor do we have them for tobacco which is none to kill people legalizeee
ok first off marijuana doesnt effect the reproductive system. my good friend is pregnant and she smokes everyday. she has already had one child and was born healthy. and untill you have lived with someone who is in pain everyday and needs marijuana to numb their body then you shouldnt say thoes things. and “us kids” do know that marijuana is bad, we do it because some of “us kids” have harder lives then others. like being rapped when your 5 and being abused. we smoke marijuana to escape from the real world. and the only resone why most people dont agree with smoking marijuana is because its illegal, it has been proven.marijuana was grown on earth, and if its grown on earth im going to use it.
I think there are too many reasons why cannabis should be legalized. I have an entire theory that we could all live in a better world if it were to be legalized. It’s called the Alpha-Beta project and I hope you guys want to read it sometime, just e-mail me at getaway_driver69@yahoo.com and I’ll send you the rough draft, it’s still in progress but it contains my main points as it’s written now.
i first tried marijuana about 4 months ago and before i thought it shouldnt be legalized because it is a drug and most drugs are bad… but after i tried it i couldnt figure out why they even made it illegal in the first place.. but yet alcohol and tobacco are legal, there are no bad side effects you are in a good mood and your relaxed and you eat a lot of food thats it. its not even addictive, i tried it about 5 times and havent done it for 3 months now, i dont care whether it is legalized or not, although i really believe it will be soon, with in 5 years, but either way. its not gonna stop people from smoking it, by legalizing it, there will be way less crime and a lot more happy people, its just a plant anyway. i think it is ridiculous that it is legal, also how is weed not legal but salvia is??? they might as well legalize coke and shrooms too
I think it should be made legal.
Many time people who don’t beleive this have never tired it. People need to do their research before they bash marijuana. And just because you don’t want to do it doesn’t make it harmfulo for others.
I think marijuana should be legalized because it is less harmful than tobacco and alcohol. What is wrong with laughing and eating for a hour or two…really i find no problem with smoking pot. Weed it does a body good! You dont hear about people smoking a blunt and going out and doing something crazy cause all the pot smokers are chillin, laid back somewhere.
Frankly, the debate can bounce back and forth from now throughout eternity if left up to fence sitters. The real truth of the matter is that marijuana should have never been criminalized to begin with.
Silly politics and fear-mongering born from the movie “Reefer Madness” that got a bunch of panties in a wad and begged for simple minded knee-jerk reactions from our even more simple minded politicians.
One day our society will finally enlighten itself enough to learn that we can de-criminalize marijuana, control the supply and protect the quality, and provide a huge tax base income for societies needs.
The distractions of argument after so many decades is merely putting off the inevitable. The FED is already talking of de-criminalizing in order to help reduce drug related violence on our borders with Mexico. Gang violence over drugs is about profit… we can turn this into a profitable enterprise and reap tremendous tax benefits while putting these criminal gangs out of the drug business.
Face it. The war on drugs is a dismal failure. We must adopt an intelligent approach to addressing these issues. However, intelligence and enlightenment must prevail… a good dose of common sense can go along way too.
Don’t like marijuana? No problem. You simply choose not to use it as you do now. I do not believe that if it becomes legal someone is going to come to you and force you to smoke it. Get real!
Keeping marijuana use bound within restrictive laws aimed at jailing otherwise decent and upstanding citizens is simply absurd and damaging to society as a whole.
marijuana is all over the world and always will be…i just watched a cbs special on marijuana and learned that the us government spent(in 2008 alone) over 100 million dollars trying to stop marijuana distribution…etc Why waste all this money on tryin to stop marijuana distribution when the government could tax the hell out of it, because everyone knows if it is legalized that they would, and turn a 100 million dollar deficit into a billion dollar industry… The economy is in the dump, why not use marijuana to help get us out of the dump. Yes, marijuana might not be the best thing for you (reduced sperm count, short term memory loss while high, lung health after long exposure, etc…)but its much better than alcohol and tobacco. In my opinion, its ridiculous that the U.S. govnt spends so much money and time trying to catch people with marijuana when it should be the last thing on their minds….seriously the legalization of marijuana could revolutionize america and reduce the trillions of dollars of national debt.
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Marijuana is just a way to have a lil fun afta work or a hard week. Wats wrong with it??
I think marijuana should at least be legalized for medicinal purposes. Why you ask? Simply for this, any patient of any diesease commonly has the same result of taking large quantities of medication, they loose their craving for food. I know a doctor that used to perscribe medical marijuana and all of his cases indefinitly got their “hunger” back. When it was taken away from them, they stopped eating, again. Lost several pounds and some even died. Another reason is, I know an alcoholic. He was once my roommate. He dabbled in marijuana. Very little use of it. Every night, he’d get drunk and was a ticking timebomb. You said one thing, the wrong way, and he fucking lost it. Treat his best friends, the only “family” he really had, like complete garbage. Using harsh insults and even physical violence. When he smoked pot, he was amazingly genuine and full of care and sincerity. No pothead I’ve ever met treated anyone like shit because they were high. In fact, my ex-roommate will die of alcoholism way before he’ll ever die or accidently kill anyone. Fact.
Another fact is, pills for mental patients, chronic pain patients, cancer patients. List goes on, a large amount of these pills are highly addictive. Long term use and then a sudden stop amounts to the same of a heroin addict. Withdrawls. I know respectable people who are addicted to things such as pain pills and depression pills. They don’t smoke pot. But, they are out of their fucking minds when they don’t get their pills. Does a pothead go crazy without pot? Every pothead I know surely does not. Ever. They never steal money from people to get marijuana. They don’t shoot up banks and grocery stores for money for marijuana.
Another, few very good friends of mine do have some mental issues. Stressed, compulsive, paranoid individuals. They smoke pot and it’s as if these problems don’t exsist. They’re calm, collected, and keep their cool. Everyday use. They are potheads. They have jobs. That they go to. Aren’t late because of marijuana. Don’t preform poorly because of marijuana. They actually do their job better. Before they met marijuana, they were insecure, angry, depressed, judgemental, and very hurtful. Pills made them worse. Granted, some people may need perscription help for these problems. But, not for these marijuana smokers. All the need is a little THC.
i smoke weeeeeed all day man….and i mean i get good grades too.. legalllizz it
I live in the NW and in the last 2 days I have heard news that Oregon AND California are considering the decriminalization of marijuana. Although both already has some form of Legalized bud, it is for medicinal purposes only and the FBI can still come in and arrest every last one of them if their having a slow week. I do not see what the FBI has so far up there ass that they cannot see all the benefits of the legalization for recreational AND medicinal use. It would take multiples and multiples of innocent pot smokin stoners outta the jails that should be filled with violent gang members and homicidal maniacs and child molesters. Those are the bad people they should be after not the lazy dopers who sit around getting high and playing video games. I am willing to bet the closest 90% of American pot heads have been to violent activities is playing grand theft auto on their tele. Its side effects are happy and hungry. There are more, but I’m willing to bet that they are not as catastrophic as tobacco and alcohol. Does anyone else find it odd that as a young American we are taught that smoking cigarettes is BAD!! I remember in fifth grade they had a man come to an assembly who was missing half his lower jaw and lip, and had a chunk outta his tongue too. He had been chewing tobacco since he was 17 or something like that…it was grotesque. Then the next year they brought in a lung of a woman who had died of lung cancer. The thing was completely black and filled with tar. My point is that i was always told not to smoke cigarettes and yet they are legal. Everyday people die because they can’t stop smoking, because nicotine is injected into their tobacco. Everyday an innocent child is beaten by an alcoholic who can’t stop drinking because they are addicted, to the numbness that alcohol brings. I just hope that when marijuana is legalized, I believe this will happen before I die, they don’t allow those big corporate companies to add any of their “Special” ingredients that would MAKE it addictive AND dangerous. I love to smoke pot but would NEVER EVER EVER smoke cigarettes…period! Its grotesque behavior and I believe it should be illegal…but then our jails would be full of even more useless addicts. I ramble but the point is when compared to the two major legal drugs, the only reason I can see why marijuana is NOT legal is because there is no big corporation pushing their little fingers into the heart of corporate America, and forcing people to realize why they are wrong. Tobacco would never be illegal…too much money comes form the taxes and goes to schools and roads and yada yada. But why then could marijuana not just follow the same path. Its less harmful, so what it causes short term memory loss(don’t study for that test high!) or lowers sperm counts(we need that we are getting over populated by all those people that have kids for the tax benefits *cough* *cough* that bitch that has 14 kids through invetro and doesn’t even have a JOB!!!or a husband). I think the tax money would be more than worth the down falls. I think that you would still get a DUI, but it would probably be because you were driving too slow. No one ever went on a murderous rampage when they were high on marijuana, because people high on marijuana are hard to convince to get off the couch let alone go blow up a bunch o people. I believe with all my heart that marijuana could help ease the pain and tension that a lot of people feel towards life and our government right now. Not to mention all the people who would probably give up smoking cigarettes to smoke weed…if it were legal.
“Marijuana ruined my life. I am a 16 year old girl who had a nice family in Floria and a bright future to dream about. My mother’s marijuana use put her In a Texas prision and myself in foster home. You say marijuana never “hurt” anyone? I am a 16 year old girl who saw her dreams fall apart after she was torn from her school and placed in a foster home without a loving gaurdian. Marijuana does hurt. I promise.”
-Anonymous
Dear Anonymous,
Do you realize that if marijuana was legal, your mother wouldn’t have been arrested? You wouldn’t have put in a foster home, your life would not have been ruined. Your mother would face no consequences for her marijuana use. I am totally for the legalization of marijuana. I know avid marijuana users whose bad decisions are completely based on their own stupidity, not the drug. It’s fun, thats all. It doesn’t affect my grades, life or decision-making ability in any negative way. Its just a hobby. Tobacco and alcohol cause HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of deaths each year and marijuana causes……0? Lets legalize this and help our economy, now!
I smoked pot for 10 years and had to quit because all you people who think my buisness should be your cant find something else to waste your time doing and dicided that i needed to pee in a cup and I almost lost my job. I dont care what kind of B.S. facts you throw at me I enjoyed it and quite frankly people around me enjoyed me more, I was a much nicer person when i didnt have people telling me what I can and cant do. I support weed and will until the day it becomes legal and all you people with nothing better to do as Mad Max on Johnboy and Billy would say “QUIT RUINING MY LIFE” just because you cant seem to enjoy your without telling someone what they can and cant do.
for those that state that marijuana ciggarettes are cancerous beyond the cancerous effects of tobacco….my belief is that the studies and “proof” that claim this are biased. I smoke one or two small hits of quality marijuana and I am good for the rest of the evening. I would never smoke a full marijuana ciggarette in one sitting. That would be “overkill”. Tobacco users smoke about 10 to 20 puffs per ciggarette times 20 cigs a day, thats 200-400 puffs a day compared to a low end smoker (one or two puffs per day) and a high end smoker (30 puffs per day)
Also, my doctor told me that mj is fine and that his research and studies have shown zero harm in occasional mj use.
I don’t see what the big deal of marijuana being legalized. Everyone is like it bad for you and does this and it does that. So does alcohol. If it happens, that money can make new jobs, go back to are schools etc. And just cause it is legalized doesn’t mean they are forcing you to do it. If you want to, that is your choice and if you dont then you dont have to. Just like alcohol. Alchol is legalized and you have the choice to drink it or not. Another thing people are worried about there kids going to do it. Kids are going to drink or smoke whenever they want. They do it already. Its nothin new. They will get someone or have a sister or brother who is 21 to buy it for them. That issue will never going way. People don’t want it cause society is not use to the idea of legalized marijuana. Society is use to Alcohol being legal cause it was passed in 1933 druing the depression. And Alcohol grew half a billion dollars during that period that got use out of it. I want marijuana to be legalized and if you don’t want to smoke it then you don’t have to. You make that choice. Make marijuana legalized
I think the government would probably ruin it and tax it beyond belief. But, if it were legal it would make things a lot easier on a lot of people. It has so little side effects compared to oh say, ALCOHOL which is legal. It has extreme positive effects with someone such as me who has a rough past and lives with major depression and anxiety everyday. if it weren’t for this herb, I would be dead.
By the way, if you would like to contact me on this issue, please feel free to email me, johansansexy57@gmail.com
Listen, im 16 years old and am very wise. I get excellent grades and my future outlook could not look brighter. This plant has opened my eyes to everything wrong and right in the world today. I am dedicating my life to the decriminalization of marijuana. The Government is completely hypocritical. They ban the plant because it “kills” and because of their “gateway theory”. Blasphemy is what I say to this. No one has died because of it, and I, for one, see many a loop hole in the gateway theory. Yet they plaster billboards and advertise the hell out of alcohol and the devil’s crop tobacco. TOBACCO IS THE MOST DANGEROUS AND ADDICTIVE PRODUCT KNOWN TO MAN. Yet they sell the product and advertise it? Hypocrites! But now, in this time of economic woes, America needs marijuana more than ever. I have devised an excellent and efficient way to be able to federally sell, tax, and fine the hell out of the black market. Basically, the marijuana is grown by the federal government and is distributed by the federal government. They then distribute it to federally supported marijuana specialty stores. Either sold in packs, much like tobacco, or sold in units, gram, quarter, etc. The price of said units would be as followed, depending on state and tax, pack of 20 cigarettes, roughly half a gram in each cigarette, $70, gram $20, quarter $80, half oz $200, and ounc $500. As for fines, the legal age would be that of the states tobacco age. People found smoking in public areas will be fined $1000. Possession of over a quarter, like 5 grams, would be $5000, and another $500 for every gram. Illegal distribution would result in complete government seizure of the products and a fine $5000. All of this money would go to the government, thus boosting our economy. These ideas, are ideas at most at the moment. But with hard work, and government desperation, this could be the new America. Yes it may be rather socialist, but whatever it takes to decriminalize it, while profiting the big government, is necessary.
Countries that have legalized marijuana have had positive results.
LEGALIZE FREEDOM!
I think marijuana should be legalized because theres obviously no way of someone dying from it or overdosing on it. Not only is it fun but according to that movie “Super High Me”, you can be smarter and more psychic. This might not have the effect on everyone but who knows… I just think marijuana should be treated like alcohol and tobacco do, just don’t sell to the minors and you’re good. “God put marijuana on this earth for a reason. If it was such a bad thing he wouldn’t have put it here…”
I am a sophmore in college, i started smoking marijuana as a sophmore in high school, and still do. I have never touched a cigarette and very rarely drink alchohol, and have not done any other hard drugs. I have no addiction or side effects from marijuana. I have also been an honors student since the seventh grade. Other than just socially, I smoke marijuana to relieve stress, and it does just that.
Marijuana is no more a gateway drug than beer is to hard liquor. Alchohol and tobacco kill over 520,000 people every year and they’re legal, marijuana related deaths=0!
It is true that marijuana has negative effects, especially to people who smoke large amounts. But this is widely because it is smoked, which is the fastest and easiest method. If marijuana was legalized it could be eaten, vaporized, or put into oils.
If legalized, it would create an 8 billion dollar industry right here in the U.S. Also just because it is legalized does not mean that there would not be restrictions like there is with alchohol and tobacco.
they should make marijuana flavored ice cream
MARIJUANA LAWS- RIDICULOUS! A huge argument, should marijuana be legal? My personal answer, yes, it should be. Getting in trouble with it results in having a destroyed criminal record for many Americans who enjoy smoking “pot”. Is this fair? No. THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE. To all of the people who have a negative aspect about using marijuana, you really need to do some research. It is a proven study Alcohol destroys the liver, causes heart problems, and incredibly impairs one behind the wheel. But alcohol is legal, right? It is a proven study the use of tobacco causes lung problems and heart disease. But tobacco is legal, right? It is also a proven study that Marijuana is NOT a gateway drug, it has NO LINK to any sort of lung cancer, and helps many AIDS and cancer patients feel better. And further into research I found that it infact has no link to memory loss which many may not believe. But marijuana is illegal, WHY? AMERICANS we need to do something about this. Tax it, legalize it. Create millions of businesses such as hookah bars, and produce millions of dollars for the farmers. Put an age limit on it, and treat it as alcohol laws are treated. I guarentee if you put a person in a car that has had 10 beers next to a person in a car that has smoked 10 joints, the pot smoker will infact drive better and even more cautiously than a sober driver. ACT NOW! LETS GET THIS LEGALIZED!
I WILL FIGHT FOR MY RIGHT! ANYONE WHO WANTS TO ARGUE ME, BRING IT ON.
The only negative thing I see to legalizing marijuana is the price of food may go up and the obesity rate may rise. On the up side you take money from gangs and drug dealers. And we all know money is power.
I believe that God has given us pot for a reason. I’ve had a hard time growing up. I keep going through changes at 22 and younger that no one else in my family has had until their fifties. A few years ago when I was 18, I got shingles, which is like the second stage of chicken pocks. It lays dormant in a person and they have no proof as to what sets it off, but it travels to the tips of your nerves and can appear anywhere on the body. Mine was on my back. My 58 year old grandmother suffered through the same pain just a few weeks ago. Now I’m 22 and just last year I’ve had surgery, taking out my gallbladder because no one knows why it was dying or why I had so many gallstones. They didn’t discover my gallbladder until I ended up in the emergency room because I was having pancreas attacks which in my case is called pancreatitis. For those that don’t know what the pancreas is, it’s an organ in your body behind the stomach that helps you digest your food. When you have pancreatitis, your body starts digesting itself instead of food. It’s extremely painful and kills people. I’m the youngest one in my family with this inherited disease but no one else got it until they were in their 40’s and 50’s. Doctors can’t give me anything for my attacks and over the counter pain pills can’t touch it. I was having attaches ever few weeks, and as fast as this pain takes you over, it went away, and hasn’t come back sense I started smoking pot. Now I’m taking procedures with my doctor in understanding, and having pot available to me if they can prove that it’s the answer to my disease.
legalize mari-jane? you all must be out of your minds! imagine all the lost revenue the federal gov. would lose… just think of all the property, money, vehicles, etc., they confiscate once they prosectute someone for distribution. however if you want to get a legal buzz, go to the family doctor and complain about pain in the neck, they hand out “legal” drugs like candy! get some vicodin, how about some morphine, or some oxycontin! there is a host of “legal” drugs at the americans fingertips! (just last week a ten year old died after getting into his moms perscribed morphine) be careful with these “legal” chemicals. Here in the mid west every other person seems to be violently addicted to these “legal” chemicals. However when you take these chemicals in excess, dont expect to be able to remember your name. oh and dont forget about the hooch that is readily availible at the local bar, super market and 7-11, keep in mind when you get addicted to this man made substance, and decide you’ve destroyed your life and body enough, the withdrawls are comparable with herion. I dont mean to sound negative about this subject, but at this time I’ve had to quite smoking mari-jane so I can pass a pee test for an upcoming job and inevitable urinalysis. I have been using the “peace pipe” for over 25 years, raised my family just like most americans and even went with out smoking because the kiddies needed shoes or what not, and the mari-jane was not in the budget. I live in fear of driving…. daily. Take for instance, you take a toke the night before work, your sober as a judge on your way to work and all of a sudden someone has walked out in front of your vehicle and you are unable to stop or avoid the accident, they find THC in your system and off to prison you go. (even the judge would not have been able to avoid the accident). so folks, whats all this mean? its all about the money, the root of all evil. the stats on mari-jane are out there, proven tested and documented. so why wont the goverment legalize? in my opinon its de cash. I have tried a couple of times to substute mari-jane with vicodin and exprience a weird, kinda out of body sensation – thats not for me, booze does not work, just makes me physicaly sick, not in control of my body during use and definitely the day after is a feeling i dont need(hangover). in closing, my opinon is the world has gone crazy, the use of “chemicals” in todays society is out of control, crack heads are everywhere… a very, very dangerous substance. Meth is also everywhere – both illegal and both are used by people that make the choice to use this crap. How about a march to D.C. and show Obama the stats? perhaps he would see through the smokescreen that surrounds the topic of marijuana legalization! lets organize and make our voices heard!
LEGALIZE IT! I don’t even smoke it. The money we waste criminalizing it and the money we could make from taxing it. LEGALIZE IT….anything less is idiotic!
just because pot was legal, would not mean that families of users could not sue for damages, to recover the cost of drug therapy, tutoring, welfare support, or whatever.
This would be done, but because pot is not legal, the cops seize all the assets of the dealers, so there’s nothing for families to sue for.
But it does not matter what families think; lawyers run legislatures, and they have partners in the home office who make tons of money defending drug dealers.
Until voters quit electing lawyers, the only other option is jury nullification based on the fact law enforcement has not kept up with the science, which it says it should in the controlled substances section of the law.
Genetic engineering is resulting in other plants that make THC, just as corn was taught to make the toxin in Thuringer Bacillus. So, now users can get just as high, but not be busted.
There are also lots of alternative psychoactive substances discovered by anthropologists visiting shamen, which can now be ordered online.
The illegal drug money is also funding terrorism, and threatens to spill across the Mexican border. Mexican gangs are also coming north to grow pot in the national forest, and then while they are here, kidnapping young women for their brothels in central America.
Were pot legalized, registered, and licensed, the legal growers would put the illegal growers out of business, and drive them back to Mexico.
Explaining all this to juries will result in acquittals. Posting how to do this online for defendents to enter the court pro se, eliminates the money drug lawyers will make, and then the legislatures will do the right thing.
I believe it is high time, no pun intended, that the American people as a whole pushed for legalization. This legislation will not only create new tax revenue but put to rest a never ending and exponentially increasing drug war with the D.E.A. Also, as most of us have heard, two jails will be closing due to a projected deficit for the following year. Putting four thousand criminals back on the street. This could have been avoided if it wasn’t for that pesky three strikes law in conjunction with minor drug offenses. I do not know about everyone else but I am a little tired of paying to house these people who have committed no greater crime than what we saw during the prohibition of alcohol. Legalization will also help deter some illegal aliens(and maybe some of the cartels) from trying to lay stake in a massive and American market. And my last comment is that the Alcohol, Tobacco and Cotton tycoons are Americans biggest threat to passing this legislation and I find that all three have monetary reasons for demonizing marijuana and do not have the health of our citizens in mind.
I dont see any reason why marijuana should not be legal. It has been cultivated for at least 5,000 years, first by China and then world wide. There is no evidence proving that it is a danger to people, and all aliments you might have while smoking or inhaling it, disapates soon after. There are far more man made drugs in the world that people consume legally that do far greater harm, emotionally and physicaly. Pharmacology the principal active agent in the resinous portions of the drug (cannabinols)is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC appears to have no direct effect apon the consciousness, Hemp or Marijuana has been used all over the world to treat lots of aliments such has nausea, sleeping deorders, sickness,and has been found to aid in dulling pain, euphoria, seditive, antispasmodic, calming of nerves. As for exposure of marijuana causing retardation in children, is there proof of that. A study with pregnet woman who consumed during thier pregnacies has never proven children being born with aliments, in fact they tend to learn and comprehend the same as mothers who did not smoke marijuana durning their pregnacies. From my personal opinion, I have smoked marijuana and will continue to. I have had extremly difficult pregancies, because of blood compatability, and so I would not and could not eat without getting sick, and hemp helped me be able to consume food without getting extreamly nausious because of it, and all my kids are doing really well in their learning, comprehennsion, and motor skills. Iam not saying go and smoke in front of children, thats just stupidity and iggnorant, but if people choose to smoke marijuana, I would hope they use wisely, and with an understanding that for a time you will be high and understand how that affect the indivual person, and take it from there. So with all that said I will have to agree with legalizing marijuana, becaused used the right way can be benifical, and I see no harm in how it affects me and those I know personaly.
Thanks for giving me a chance to put my point across.
Okay, Im pretty much your typical American teenager. Let me put this debate in a perspective of a seventeen year old American teen, since we are the next generation. It seems to me that legalizing marijuana is something that many people, some teens others adults, feel is a benefit to the economy and society, while others disagree completely. For instance, what if we taxed marijuana and made it legal. Guess what; tax revenue…Those taxes aid in the development of better roads which can result in better commmunities, something I know I want my future kids to have. And, alcohol and tobacco are just as harmful as marijuana if abused, should we make these thing illegal too? The point Im getting at is who is to say what is harmful for my body? Everyday Im faced with these challenges as a teenager and know that its up to ME to decide if these go against my morals. Its not the government’s decision. Marijuana is the same way. Im no straight-edge kid here, but Im also no female version of Cheech and Chong. Im just throwin my opinion out on the table like everyone else.
Well, this is interesting. I’m all for the legalization. This is plant is a gift – literally. Think of everything it can do. It replaces cannabinol which is why it is given to patients with HIV/AIDS as well as an apetite stimulator. It can even be used for flu symptoms. And from personal experience, nothing beats being home with the flu while being completely relaxed and relieved of any pain that I’m feeling.
There is no direct relation between smoking cannabis and lung cancer; with cannabis containing cannabinol, it does quite the opposite effect really. It prevents Alzheimer’s and is used to treat it. It even also helps people with asthma.
The fatal dose of THC is extremely extremely high. It is basically like smoking 1500 lbs of cannabis in 15 minutes. It has no physical dependence and very very very minimal effects on the body.
Any effects cause by cannabis is usually only during intoxication (i.e. bloodshot eyes). The effects it has on the brain is only during intoxication. It’s good for the immune system, I already explained that with its use with HIV/AIDS. The fertility thing, who need more babies in this world? Well, that’s a question I’d ask if it actually had an impacting effect.
The effect it has on short or long term, you must first consume 20 joints a day for 20 years, but the effects will still be minimally.
The taxation of this will have an upraise in much needed revenue. This is a very good home remedy. Asprins are more dangerous than consuming pot. It is one of the least toxic substances known. CANNBIS NEEDS TO LEGALIZED – NO QUESTION ABOUT IT. Anyone who disagrees is probably even drinking a soda loaded with caffinee – an extremely (too extremely) common drug, but yet is even more dangerous and harmful.
Marijuana is NOT a DRUG…it is a HERB….it is not dangerous. It is as dangerous as back in Prohibition Days…when the Public was told HOW BAD alcohol was. There are NO studies that tell us that Marijuana is bad.NOT REALLY>> I know millions have been killed by alcoholic but not 1 person has been killed on Marijuana. It makes me angry…that people still believe these things. It reminds me of the days of Hitler…when folks believed EVERYTHING they were told.
Wake up America….how really stupid are you.
We could pay off the deficit…
Marijuana does NOT lead to other drugs. People (CHOOSE) to take other drugs. Stop blaming peoples own weaknesses on a poor Marijuana bush. Or hey….why don't ALL of you whom stated how terrible it is….light up one. then, 10 minutes later..you MIGHT realize how STUPID your statements are…when your just perfectly fine from smoking a joint.
Ignorance is a TERRIBLE thing.
Strictly from an economic standpoint, the legalization of marijuana makes all too much sense.
With the legalization of marijuana, there would be a huge demand for “pot farmers” thus creating millions of new jobs.
Plus, the millions upon millions of americans who illegally buy marijuana would be pumping billions of legal dollars into the economy. If so much money is already being spent on marijuana why not let it help stimulate the economy?
The government could levy huge taxes on the commomdity which would in turn raise billions in additional tax revenue.
Pot could very well be this country’s economic savior.
I think it is so stupid. Why cant the govt mind there own busness? I was diagnose with tourette and ADHD and had several seizures. the last 5 years i been smoking weed and had no seizures and seem like a different better person, can stay focused, dont yell out cuss words (Tourettes) and have not had a seizure since 2004. I also whave been off all the drugs i was on (Haldol for tourette and ADHD, never worked,always made me tired and fat even thogh i dont over-eat, Dilatin for seizures also made made me tired and slurred my speech made me seem “out of it”) And weed has no side effects except the munchies (chips and cookies cure that) and helps me fall asleep @ nite (no slleping pills no more) I just wish it was legal but theres this 1 guy i been dealing with and his stuff is str8
It seems to me Imgaetner and Santa read one or two little articles from some bogus Dr in a pamphlet somewhere and really never researched it for themselves. You need to think start thinking about the people it benefits cancer pt’s, people with eating disorders,ECT the list goes on and on my mom even swears by it for period cramps and she tried Midol so don’t go there. Just because one Dr said this and this guy said that doesn’t mean what they said is in stone. GO TO EROWID. COM for the facts on anything you want to know Drs Reports and what matters the most experience reports for all things introduced to the body both good and bad. Marijuana changed my life for the best I was 6’0″ 124lbsand never really had ambition to do much, then I started smoking I graduated high-school hit the gym gained 40lbs and got into college to start a dental career. I THANK GOD EVERYDAY FOR GROWING THIS MIRERCAL FOR ME AND THE WORLD TO ENJOY! P.S.Obama thinks so too type Obama and marijuana on you tube!!!
No matter what marijuana is part of our culture always was and always will be!! legal or not. I belive crime rates will drop drastically.If taxed it will benefit our economy in one way or the other. We spend billions of tax payers money to keep pot somkers in jail and off the streets.just look at how much it cost to keep someone imprisioned and look how many nationwide we have in jail for petty pot charges.It makes me sick
I believe it should be. It does alot of good for people. Not just getting them high, it helps with your health as well..Cancer, eyes, upset stomach, and even helps the sick gain the weight that they need and cannot gain…
Drinking is legal, and it kills faster than smokin weed. How many smokin and driving fatalities do you hear about? NONE…Now how many drinking and driving fatalities do you hear about? Thats what I thought…Millions…..
Here in the United States we have a Constitution to define the responsibilities of government, which basically fall within the bounderies of what is best for the general well being of the public. There is no more time for fussing around about who’s smoking pot. The economy’s gone to pot and we’ve got to stop the nonsense. Legalizing hemp and the notorious cannabis flowers would greatly improve the effectiveness and accountability of government. It’s not a cure all but the government could use the huge cut in spending that would come with the end of prohibition. The end of cannabis prohibition would drastically improve the efficiency of our judicial system. Many billions of dollars a year are spent on a law enforcement sheme with very minimal public benefit. While keeping the pot illegal does give the government an excuse to keep a close eye on hippies and so called “shady characters”, it isn’t worth it to have all that money and time getting spent chasing some nuisance characters when the state is already overloaded with public programs.
The drug war doesn’t work and therefore makes a mockery of our highly capable law enforcement agencies.There are too many ways that our brave police officers can find themselves caught up in borderline criminal activities while spending time policing the drug world, distracted from their real duties. I believe that if you turn drug use into a private personal issue, instead of a state issue, the black market dealers will loose the thrust of their power and all that money they’ve been making would be in back in the legitimate markets. Let’s just focus on real crimes which pose a provable threat to public safety, like gang violence, professional thieving and sexual predators. While pot smoking is notoriously controvercial among Conservatives, it doesn’t deserve our attention as a primary issue in this critical time of trial and tribulation. There’s no sense in sending out the swat teams for an herb that’s no more mind altering than common cold medicines and is not killing anyone.
Yes, I think that Marijuana should be legalized. It should be legalized in all cases. How many accidents do you hear about people drinking and driving? More than enough…And how many accidents do you hear about people getting high, driving, and getting into accidents? None. People who smoke Marijuana and drive, they tend to drive slow because they want to take their time and look at things while driving. People who drink and drive happen to get angry, and speed, which causes accidents. Marijuana should also be legalized for medical purposes too. I personally know somebody who had cancer, and said that when they smoked, it made them feel better. And it also help cure their cancer faster than normal.Why should we continue to let those who are sick suffer when there is something out there to help them? Yes, I stole this from another comment, but it is the truth. And i support it 100%.
The new dwarf varieties are too small to be seen by choppers. We’ll see what the jury says when I tell them their land can be seized even tho the plants were too small for them to notice.
My pretrial hearing on a medical mj case in Clinton AR is mar 26. I’ll letcha know when the trial is.
i smoked marijuana for about 4 years. from once a weekend till near everyday. hung out with dozens of people who lived the same life style. and honestly, it was all very chill. mostly involved relaxing and feeling good and sharing some incredible memories. almost no ones lives were harmed from a direct result of marijuana, and god knows it doesnt take drugs for something bad to happen.
from my expierience i will say that an often heard slogan from weed users is “smoke weed everyday.” this is in fact a very flawed statement because smoking weed everyday for a year can cause some problems, especially with how fast you can think and your ability to function at 4.0 level at school, though college even accept 2.0 so to raise the bar so high at schools are want to do is ridiculous.
after smoking so much weed over a long period of time i did develop paranoia when i finally sobered up. i would hear voices from outside my window when there was in fact no one there. this was my fault, this was abuse and it is hardly a justification of making it illegal.
after drinking alcohol, coke, ambien, vicodin, acid, opium, mushrooms, ecstasy, 24oz of cough syrup, 20 pills of benedryl, cigs and various other drugs. i can safely say marijuana is the least harmful of all of them. its one of those plants that could make this world a better place as long as people dont abuse it.
i mean you cant sell guns, alcohol, and cigs and then say marijuana is taboo, its complete bs.
the sad thing is ive gone up to people, like my parents and asked them to try it, to understand it, and they were seriously terrified of it, and were in the mind set of, if the government says its ilegal it must be bad, as if the government is some all knowing entity. its quite shocking the amount of brainwashing thats been done.
the sad fact is most people who want to smoke weed, already are… its freaking everywhere. the cops busting people for it is ridiculous, its like if you are sitting in a park, high, not bothering anyone its a crime. ugh its so ridiculous.
keep smoking weed out there people as protest.
There are some on this site that beleive it should be legalized as a medical purpose. There right! Smoking it may cause just as much lung problems as tabacco, which i dont beleive but i dont know for sure either. However it can be put in brownies and eaten, there are people suffering with chronic pains and we give them addictive pills made by man which could possible make it out on the streets to some of our children. Id rather have my kid eat a doobie brownie then ten vic or oc’s thats for sure. Every drug has its bad quailites, why diss on marijuana so much? I am tired of morphine being used, crack, meth, and we focus way to much hate on somthing that is less harmful then a pack of tabacco or maybe a little more harmful, bet you it is alot less addicting. Its a habit and way of life that can be stopped by anyone person who takes it. It is the individuals choice if they want to become a burn out, just like with all the alcholics in this world but its a lot harder to quit drinking then smoking grass. I know it wont be legalized, but damit id rather see the money used to fight marijuana go to fighting meth and crack and all those other drugs that we know for a FACT kill. Give out tickets for it your laws now are not going to stop it, just quit putting good people in jail for somthing as insignifacant as grass. If people who smoked it turned green i could call almost all of you racist.
General:
It’s a well known fact that marijuana is in our neighborhoods all across the country. Before it was decriminalized for medical use, all the profit generated was illegal, tax free and as your report shows often very dangerous. The Government is offering tax relief to those same individuals who are selling illegally and collecting tax free income. This needs to stop. It seems that a possible solution for the economic crises is being overlooked due to outdated conservative views. Considering Americas total debt It may be too far to call decriminalization a guaranteed fix but it would undeniably help.
by the way, why don't you tell these people the real reason why you tolerate alcohol and not marijuana?
Because if Alcohol was illegal you wouldn't be able to drink it at church. <— FACT
jmgaertner, you have to be the dimmest person I’ve ever met. Uneducated? What trials does one have to go through for you to see them as educated? Do they have to walk through fire, or just buy you a new car?
Why do people even sit here debating this with you? Your mind was made up before the conversation even began. You don’t want to debate, you just want to play political mind games and spin everything said to you.
Alcohol causes domestic violence.
Marijuana calms you down.
Marijuana fights depression and Alzheimer’s while Rx drugs for depression can make you want to kill yourself.
Have you done any research at all? Somehow I highly doubt that, because for all your claims that we lack facts, I have yet to see you mention 1 fact yourself and for some odd reason I actually spent the last half hour reading every post you have made here on this blog post comments section.
In the end it really all comes down to 1 thing;
Why should marijuana be legalized?
Because it’s a free country.
Why do you suddenly think you have the power to take away civil liberties?
That leads me to my next question;
What is your address?
Because when you cause a civil war I want to know whos house I should show up at, only so I can pat you on the back for a job well done.
Get with the program, Sir.
I am 25 years old and I beg to differ with you jmgaertner on your previous comment. At age 8 I was diagnosed with epilepsy, a seizure disorder. At around 13 or 14 I started drinking alcohol. Moved onto the better drugs shortly there after. I remember the days of being strung out on cocaine, meth, ecstasy, I think you get the picture. Anyways, my life has been quite a long journey so far. At the age of 22 I decided to marry my wife and live a normal life. Even though marijuana was and is still a factor in my life I am pretty happy with what God has given me. You see when I got married I wanted to experiment with marijuana and not in just a recreational and abusive way. I had been having multiple seizures and noticed that I was drinking more often than usual. I manned up to what I was doing wrong and stopped drinking and smoking pot. Thought this would have made a difference knowing that’s what my neurologist told me to do. Well, it didn’t. I had heard around that marijuana could actually help patients with seizure disorders. I performed an experiment, knowing that much I’ve been seizure free since July of 2007. That’s quite a while for me. Almost 2 years, when before I started doing this it was once maybe every 2-3 months. I have never been so close with my family and friends. I feel very blessed. I hope that someday you will learn to appreciate the natural substances of this earth and how they can affect us in a positive manner.
i think that marijuana should be legalized period. not just for medicinal purposes. it is not harmful, there has been no deaths due to marijuana usage unlike tobacco usage which is 400,000.
i agree with Mr E Man.
I’ve got to say, I have friends that smoke and drink, I got enemies that smoke and drink, a buddy of mine had to much alcohol and we had to pick him up to bring him to the passanger seat of a car,
Now when I smoke Weed, I can clearly walk myself to the car.
when I was in High school, I rolled with a group of kids who “Didn’t fit in” I.E. a bunch of nerds who got picked on, they all smoked Marijuana, There almost nothing better than getting picked on to the point where you want to loose it, and then you hit a joint, or what ever you use to smoke, and your better.
People don’t want to legalize it, and I do not understand why, get this,I had a few friends tell me, they wanted to stop smoking because the police had been giving them shit about it, then they started looking for legal over the counter drugs.
DXM is dextromethorphan. It is a legal cough suppressant found in many over-the-counter cough syrups
one of the most common and easiest drugs to get. they would pop 40-60 Mucinex Pills as they could because they could legally Purchase the drug, when I seen them on the drug, they wanted to die, but couldn’t stop from popping these pills.
anyways, The government should either legalize marijuana, because there’s much worse that is legal. and I don’t want to pop 40-60 pills and feel dead, plus the economy may have a chance of survival yet. Legalizing Marijuana could help pay for schools, roads, failing businesses.
Stop arresting everyone with weed on them, It’s a fucking plant, and if you just so happen to put fire to it you get high, Drunk is a high, tobacco is a high.
Of course when I say “Legalize Marijuana” I mean completely legal, like cigarettes or alcohol.
But reality lies in the U.S. Government, not the U.S. people, we cannot make that change.
Hmm, don’t want to legalize it? So, you are saying you support the murder of thousands of Mexican Nationals? Or is it that you support the imprisonment of 850,000 Americans each year? Oh, maybe, you support the discrimination of Black Americans and Hispanics?
the only way the stoners are going to be heard is if we take a stand and get ourselves heard man. theres more facts supporting us than there is supporting the fact that “weeds bad for you”. we need 10,000 signatures on a petition haha which actually wouldnt really be that difficult
heres a thought, the way our economy is going right now, if marijuana was legalized and taxed, the government would be rollin in doe.
If only America was built on marijuana instead of tobacco, life would be much eaiser.
I think its about time america wakes up and sees that marijuana is not the crazy drug of the 1920s like we used to think. Medically it works for a lot of things and for people who arnt really sick it helps with all the stress of everyday life. its not very harmful even if you use it everyday and most of the problems people complain about can be solved by legalizing it, but wether or not the US legalizes it the stoners will keep being stoners!!!! blaze it!!!!!!
show me one case that someone got cancer or ever died from marijuana and ill get off it
Average deaths per year caused by alcohol poisoning: 50,000
Average deaths per year attributed to tobacco use: 400,000
Total documented cases IN ALL MEDICAL HISTORY of death by marijuana overdose:0
Everybody in this blog who are against the legalization of Marijuana need to wake up and smell the coffee! In this country today its going on all around us, like in Denver, California, and several other places around the United States. There is nothing you can do about it, it is a plant, made by god, that will forever grow no matter what you do. Like it says in the Bible: ” All Seed Bearing Plants I Give To You.” So answer your own question, would you rather drink alcohol, which was created by man, or consume an organically grown Plantrown from this earth. And one more thing is, have you ever seen a junkie for Marijuana like the way you see some junkies for alcohol today? Yea alcohol junkies are gross and ruined. That doesnt happen with Marijuana.
i love weed. how can we legalize it? it does slow your motor skills but not perminately. you wake up the next morning and your good to go.
The most destructive element of marijuana today is the power wielded by the various levels of government in trying to “eradicate” its use. In the name of marijuana, the government is empowered to control you and your property. The damage done to our society by the various levels of government in the name of marijuana use is, by far, more damaging than the worst effects of the drug itself. Marijuana will not be legalized because that will require the US government to give up control over citizens’ lives and freedoms. Think about it in terms of the multi-millions in tax dollars allocated: we have a drug czar — an executive-level government position with all the staff, budget, and people that go along with it. Think about it in terms of the confiscation of property: that’s a critical part of most law enforcement budgets. The arguments presented here, that marijuana is illegal because it’s bad for you, is laughable; if that was the case, cigarettes and alcohol would be illegal. Marijuana is illegal because it suits the needs of the government for it to be illegal. By properly regulating marijuana use, we could establish appropriate drug education and treatment programs for a fraction of the costs associated with the “war on drugs.” You folks can come on here and argue the societal, cultural, and health issues associated with marijuana and waste your time and energy if you wish, but you’re all missing the pertinent point. If you really want to resolve this issue, don’t vote for another SOB that advocates imprisoning our children, killing our citizens, confiscating our property, and providing a significant economic base for organized and opportunistic crime by making a naturally-occurring weed illegal. Marijuana is not the problem. Government action in the name of marijuana is dramatically more destructive to our society. By the way, I haven’t smoked marijuana in 21 years — a personal choice.
It’s as simple as this. The government (and every one else who is not completely IGNORANT) knows that marijuana has no negative effects. Unless you want to cop out by using an indirect negative affect such as “driving under the influence.”
So the government chooses to feed us anti marijuana propaganda and makes it illegal because this is the easiest way for them to profit off of the plant.
So instead of paying them money (taxes) for a corrupt and pointless
drug admin to fight weed. We instead need to legalize it and tax it like any other legal product. This would give our government the funds they crave. It would give struggling farmers another crop to grow. It would greatly reduce prison population. It would abolish street dealers/street gangs. It would give pigs something else to do that is actually constructive. It would reduce the amount of marijuana crossing our borders which would indirectly reduce the amount of illegal aliens entering the country. It would drastically reduce the amount of Cig smokers as they would have a healthier alternative. I could go on and on with positives but can not find a legitimate negative.
Legalize it ignorance is not an excuse.
marijuana is not a “gateway drug”…give me a break…alcohol is much more inhibiting. For that matter, my friends were more of an influential factor than being high, which all that ever did was make me giggly and sleepy. I never felt sexual or inhibited when I was high like when I was drunk.
I believe that marijuana is less harmful than tobacco and alcohol. If the U.S. government would legalize marijuana with a high tax the U.S. treasury would be out of debt in 5 years. We could deplete the number of people in our prisons (another tax burden) and take away power from drug dealers. This solution is so simple but impossible because of the stigma marijuana has, even though the reason it was outlawed in the first place was to reduce the population of South Americans in the 30’s, not because it was especially harmful. It should be treated like alcohol.
I have the answer to our economic downfall, legalize it. Yes its that simple this would create more jobs then ever thought of and it would get the money flowing back into our system it would be the gold rush all over again. And don’t tell me they couldn’t tax it they are the government they could tax the air we breathe if they wanted to. “NOW IS THE TIME LETS SHOW THEM FOR THE PEOPLE BY THE PEOPLE.”
you can’t get high off of tobacco. I have smoked tobacco for almost 11 years and there has been no high. i have been a drug addicte for longer than i can remember and i am al,ive and am still doing god in skool and am going to the national guard so whats wrong with it now.
i think marijuana should be legalized. it does not make much sence liveing in a country that will allow cancer causing tabbaco and alcohol which has a numberose of problems but will not allow marijuana to be legal. for years marijuana has been illegal and for californa it seems that prostitution will be the next to be legalized before marijuana. prostitution will only make more problems when it comes to the health and lives of people and im not just talking about the prostituts. why is it that the government will allow such hazerdouse things for people legal but will not legalize something that is natural and can be used not just for plessure but for medical purposes too? the free country we once belived in is slipping threw our fingers and the only one who truley has a voice in our lives is big brother. the econamy is down, unemployment risses as well as the deaths in cancer from tabbaco and DUIs from drinking, they now are talking of legalizing prostitution yet still do not have the cure for aids,HIV and outher STDs. marijuana comes no where near to the dangers these things that are legal bring yet they continue and marijuana continues to be illegal.
legalize it Marijuana has been proved to slow and sometimes even shrink lung cancer and there is things in a persons everyday life that are way more harmful for your body take caffeine for example people have been smoking pot for centuries your are not going to stop it. This is the start of a long and hard road to legalize it but i will see the day that it does. And to me Mr E man I scored a 28 on mine and i was high as a kite. If it weren’t for pot i would of been dead a long time ago. I suffer from depression HDHD anxiety and god knows what else. I use to be suicidal and have homicidal thoughts. I was A sick skinny lil boy then when i was 15 i found this wonderful drug and it help fix my life. It helped me gain weight and over time my thoughts grew and matured and im better now. I just wanna thank god for the plant and the gift of life. My email address if anyone else would like to talk is Dark_illusions_blackrain666@yahoo.com
The FACT remains that anti-marijuana laws, in the U.S., were based on LIES sold to the general population. In a so-called democracy, how can we survive by building laws on falsehoods. Our elected officals, whom we pay, take hard earned tax dollars and piss them away hunting down and incarserating people for the use of an un-processed PLANT. there are many terrable truths in the world, our govt. is getting rich while you can go to jail for picking a flower. land of the free?
look im 18 years old i have been smoking weed now for about 5 years it has never hurt me in any way. my parents smoke it i mean come on people has any 1 ever killed some one when they were high on weed no has any 1 ever robed u so they could go get a hit of weed no they do stuff like that for crack or coce but never weed im a high school graduate so it did not evect me so all the bad things that people say about pot its wrong do ur research there was a lil girl on here that said it effected her because her mom went to prison an she went to foster care listen hun sorry that happend to u but its not pots fault its these dumb people in the world that will not ligalize it if it was ligalized there would be less people in jail send people to jail for murder an rape not smoke pot i know why they will not ligalize weed is because they can not find a way to tax it so i say LEGALIZE MARIJUANA
I think that marijuana should be legalized. There are so many positive effects. It can help people with cancer, post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and other mental disorders. There are no known harmful side effects. How many people do you see getting in fights when they are high as opposed to when they are drunk. Weed should be legalized and sold like cigarettes. Less people would be going to jail for pot and the police can go after the real criminals commiting real crimes. The government is a bunch of nazis that are out of control and need to legalize marijuana and stop putting good people in jail for using weed.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE GO AND VOTE ….
Please take a moment to visit http://www.change.org/ideas to vote for the causes you would like President-elect Obama to take under consideration immediately upon his inauguration. We hope you’ll pay extra attention to the marijuana-related questions, particularly this one:
http://www.change.org/ideas/view/legalize_the_medicinal_and_recreational_use_of_marijuana
This is in relation to Santa’s comment. You said that ‘not only does the tar in a cannabis cigarette contain many of the same known carcinogens as tobacco smoke but the concentrations of these are up to 50% higher in the smoke of a cannabis cigarette.” Cannabis is a natural grown plant, and TAR is a man made product. ‘Tar is a viscous black liquid derived from the destructive distillation of organic matter. Most tar is produced from coal as a byproduct of coke production, but it can also be produced from petroleum, peat or wood’. That is wikipedias quote on tar, so explain to me how a natural grown plant can have tar in it, its hard isnt it. An d another thing you quoted Dr. Sheena Lewis of Queen’s University, when in actual fact her reasearch into marajuana was proven false in 2008, search it on google to find the full story. There are currnetly millions and millions of people worldwide that smoke marajuana, but acording to the lastest polls more people die from shark attacks then they do from marajuana. Infact there have only been 3 deaths on record from the drug.
i live in the UK and ive been smoking marajuana for almost 3 years now. I recieved high G.C.S.E’s grades and im now doing a national diploma in business at college. i go to the doctors every 6 months to have checkups and my Doctors exact words are; ‘ so far there is no signs that the drug has harmed your health in anyway’ . The bible says ‘ i give you every herb that grows from the ground’ therefore 67% of the worlds population (followers of christianity) have to be in favor of marajuana. Lelalize it, the government should be spending our money on clamping down on harder drugs like herion or cocaine not on marajuana.
Legalize all marijuana. People keep making a commotion about the medical use of marijuana. Gather your facts and I will be glad to gather mine. The great people of our history have been smoking mj for decades, maybe centuries, and yet people still want to deny this. Marijuana is history, and people keep trying to destroy it when it has not destroyed us.
Marijuana should be legalized.Yes Yes Yes …. It is not dagerous, it is natural and it’s good because it makes you happy. I don’t want to go in jail because i want to be happy. So it should be legalized everywhere in the world.
The Wisconsin Nurses Association and the Wisconsin Public Health Association favor legalizing medical marijuana.
http://www.wsaw.com/health/headlines/34142599.html
Yes, marijuana prohibition does not work.
(The Union – a Marijuana Documentary)
http://blip.tv/file/1356143/
I donk care what people say about marijuana…. good or the bad. marijuana may be harmful…. but if I want to smoke a joint im going to do it.. people shouldn’t be able to tell me what todo in the comfert of my own home. Im not bothering anybody by smoking it, im not driving while doing it, and i certinly don’t distribute it either!!!! The case for legalizing Marijuana Use in the Us stems from the nation’s history. The declaratio0n of Independence speaks of evry citizens right to”life liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” The constitution and the Bill of rigts go futher, making specific garentees. They forbid the government to make un warrented entry into dwelling places. They forbid the seizure of personal property, exept when very clearreasons are approved be the courts. they allow every citizen to remain silent in court when accussed of a crime. Legal decisions have extended these rights, so that every citizen may feel safe , secure, and sheltered from poblic veiw in the privacy of there own home… so i believe i should be able to smoke marijuana in the comfert of my own home, were im not bothering anyone… do you not agree?
I believe that weed should be legalized considering i got pinched for having a hoint on me…I lost my license as well as my job, i was making 60,000 a year i have a wife and a son and now am currently making no income because i have a felony on my record all because i wanted to smoke a joint while cleaning the snow off my car in my driveway…. There has been now recorded deaths related with marijuana, i believe you should be able to smoke weed in th comfert of your own home… and yes im smoking as i write this!!!!!!
i think we need to get these legalization questions on the ballots every november. check this link from california. it didn’t pass last november. but the struggle continues. what this says to me is we need to get more proactive and get out to the supermarkets, concerts, stadiums and get registered voters to sign petitions to repeal the marijuana laws back to the pre-1937 status.
we need to organize, which is what norml, and other alleged marijuana organizations should be doing, but don’t seem to be doing. we need to start a grassroots (pun intended) movement in each and every state in the union, instead of sitting on our collective buttocks.
drug users and gays are the last targets of discrimination in our country, it’s time to make them stop discriminating against us. stand up to the government and demand your rights of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.
http://ag.ca.gov/cms_attachments/initiatives/pdfs/i782_08-0009_initiative_compliant.pdf
http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_j_103008.htm (look for 1341)
The funny thing is that any complications that do occur due to marijuana is in the manner in which it is grown. That being the use of pesticides harmful to humans, but if the U.S. controlled it, I guarantee there would be no complications ever. That being said, there are hardly any medical problems that happen anyways, and yet things such as tobacco and alcohol are legal. Does anyone remember when LSD use to be legal?
Marijuana should be legalized for the benefits of using it for resources like paper, clothes, food, and medicinal purposes.
go to http://www.legalizationofmarijuana.com for more info
How is it that marijuana is illegal and cigarettes are sold in everywhere. You would think that the thing that kills people in such horrible ways would be illegal and the thing that makes people happy and hungry would be legal. Pretty stupid government if you ask me!
Heres a little essay I wrote on the issue; I’d appreciate feedback from both sides.
Mitch McConahay
I took my first hit. The smoke filled my lungs and I coughed it out almost immediately. To be honest, I didn’t feel any kind of “high” the first time I smoked marijuana. This is the case for most people trying the drug for the first time. The brain becomes more reactive to THC with repetitive exposure. Why did I do it again if the first time did nothing but make my lungs hurt? I wanted to experience it. Curiosity always kills the cat.
I am not a cat and my curiosity has yet to kill me. Marijuana is illegal, placed on the same controlled substance list as drugs like cocaine. Marijuana, however, is no more harmful than a cigarette and is reasonably less dangerous than alcohol. For example, it is practically impossible for someone to overdose on THC since a user would likely pass out before reaching dangerous limits. No deaths have ever been linked to a THC overdose. On the other hand it is very possible for someone to overdose on alcohol. People have died from alcohol poisoning. Cigarettes’ drug nicotine is known to be very addictive. Marijuana has no habit forming chemicals. Studies have shown that smoking marijuana may have four times the potential carcinogens compared with smoking a cigarette. However, this study fails to acknowledge the many other negative side effects of smoking tobacco. It is unrealistic to think of marijuana as a truly dangerous drug, or at least no more dangerous than legal drugs like tobacco and alcohol. Even a much more potent drug, salvia divinorum, is legal within the U.S. Salvia is a plant native to South America and is the strongest naturally occurring mind altering drug known. The drug can literally render a person incapable of responding to the physical world around them despite the user appearing conscious. Salvia’s legality has been in question and has been placed on the controlled substances list in some sates, but the drug has managed to remain legal in most cases. It just isn’t logical for Marijuana to be illegal, but the fight for it’s legality must come one step at a time.
Some of the penalties for having and/or using marijuana are just as astonishing as the fact that it is an illegal drug. One specific example is the penalty on college students convicted of having even small amounts in their possession. Aside from possible jail time and fines, a student on financial aid becomes ineligible to receive financial aid if convicted of possession. This seems hindering to our society in my opinion. A college student who is paying for school with financial aid probably can’t attend school without the monetary help. What if the next Einstein just so happens to be caught with marijuana? The Government refuses him schooling and a brilliant mind is wasted all because future Einstein had a plant in his pocket! There is simply no rationality behind this, yet the issue goes unquestioned (at least here in the state of Ohio).
Consider the harm in loosening the tight shackles on marijuana use and possession. Perhaps some people would be more likely to use the drug because their fear of the consequences would ease. Is this such a bad thing? We see people everyday walking down the street smoking a cigarette or drinking a beer at the bar. Merely dropping some of the harsh penalties would not mean seeing people walking around downtown with a joint or finding a group of people at the back of a bar passing a bowl. Getting rid of harsh marijuana related penalties is not a step towards chaos within society. Even if marijuana were to become legal we would not see America fall apart around us. In fact, it could even ease the tension on the horrible economy. The legalization of marijuana would lead to the creation of new corporations and put a positive boost of the economic crisis. Marijuana is really only dangerous because of the consequences its use entails, maybe it’s time we make marijuana a little less dangerous.
29year old Female. College graduate, Medical Health Professional, Long time Smoker
Here are some facts!!
Home page of: http://www.legalizationofmarijuana.com/
Like any substance, marijuana can be abused. The most common problem attributed to marijuana is frequent overuse, which can induce lethargic behavior, but does not cause serious health problems. Marijuana can cause short-term memory loss, but only while under the influence. Marijuana does not impair long-term memory. Marijuana does not lead to harder drugs. Marijuana does not cause brain damage, genetic damage, or damage the immune system. Unlike alcohol, marijuana does not kill brain cells or induce violent behavior. Continuous long-term smoking of marijuana can cause bronchitis, but the chance of contracting bronchitis from casual marijuana smoking is minuscule. Respiratory health hazards can be totally eliminated by consuming marijuana via non-smoking methods, i.e., ingesting marijuana via baked foods, tincture, or vaporizer.
You can use history as a guide to our governments intelligent decisions. There was a time called prohibition when alcohol was bought and sold the same was marijuana is now bought and sold. Eventually the government with come up with a “great idea” to tax and make money for our failing economy. As with alcohol prohibition we will see the legalization of marijuana in my life time. The evidence affirms sound economic theory. Alcohol prohibition was a failure and so is Marijuana prohibition. They will soon realize our prisons and law enforcement are being over used to prevent a drug from being sold and used that has no ill effects and does not cause the person to commit violent crimes.
Morphine or mariuana?
you choose.
I disagree with any of you that say marijuana should be illegal. There are many good arguments to support my position, which I will go into in a second. But first, I have one key point to make that I feel is really the only one that truly matters. We are a country founded upon ideals of freedom. Smoking pot is something which is a decision made by those who smoke it and the act of smoking it does not harm anyone else. This being the case the government has NO right to tell adults what they can and can’t do if they’re not harming others.
Now on to my other points for those of you that believe in the government butting into all our personal lives. First and foremost, alcohol and tobacco are far more harmful to those who consume it than pot and secondly people who consume alcohol cause far more problems than those who smoke pot. I don’t know if many of you have smoked before but I have. When you’re drunk you go out you do stuff, you get rowdy and riled up easily and it often leads to fights and trying really dangerous things. When you smoke pot you are very relaxed, very mellow and you just want to sit around, eat and watch some tv.
My next point is that you are wasting money and aiding criminals by having marijuana being illegal. Because it is currently illegal that means anyone who wants to smoke pot has to buy it from criminals, many of whom do far worse than just sell pot. This pours tons of money into illegal enterprises. It’s the same thing that happened during the prohibition, Al Capone made all his money off of liqour. If pot were legal people wouldn’t need to buy it from criminals and you could regulate who can sell it and who can’t. In addition to this the government would save an estimated $7.7 billion a year in enforcing current marijuana laws and could potentially make upwards of $6 billion in revenue if they taxed it the same way they do cigarettes. In today’s hard economic times don’t you think that an net gain of $13.7 billion a year would be helpful to us?
Lastly I would like to say that I find it horrible that you would want to ruin people’s lives over something so minor as smoking weed. Many young adults get caught with minor amounts intended for personal use that wouldn’t harm anyone and they get a criminal record for it. Many get kicked out of school, and for many it causes them hardship for the rest of their lives.
If anyone disagrees please feel free to post a response.
Yes, Marijuan should be legalized and be controled. It will take out crime and help the economy. Alcohol is sold in stores and that should be considered a drug. Smokin marijuana is a choice you do not have to smoke it if you choose not to. Marijuana sends out the same message as drinking alcohol you can be 7 seeing your parents drinking thinking that is good so why does it matter if you want to smoke
People should think of the negative impact that prohibition has on the marijuana situation. The increasing potency of marijuana is a result of it being illegal. As a blackmarket substance, it is more profitable to grow really powerful pot. If it was legalized it would be a blow to the criminal world. Less connections to the world of crime. There are plenty of people who have jobs and can function even though they smoke some pot. If this is the land of the freedom, where is my freedom to do somethin I enjoy, that doesn’t hurt you?
Alcohol and cigarettes are both more harmful and more dangerous than pot. it should be legal, but controlled like the psychoactive substance that it is- it would be safer and lead to more prosperity and happiness around the nation.
Medical patients don’t cause problems, they cooperate because they are so happy they can just get a little bud without breaking the law. Support patients rights!
Just because you dont smoke weed doesnt mean everyone else doesnt have to i smoke weed and it calms me down. The government would make sooooooooooooo much money off it, we could have like money for school, poverty, and money for cancer ect research.
Simple Fact Weed IS 1000 times better than liquor , it should just be legal just controlled like alcohol no smoking and driving and no smoking outside … but i definetly think u should be able to go to a store and buy it
we need to legalize marijuana right away
FACTS
when cannibis got tested to see if it killed brain cells they pumped caanibis into monkeys but what they dint tell nobody is that they were supposed to pump the monkeys with 30 joints a day for 1 yr but pumpd 63 columbian strength joints through a gas mask so they didnt test this they clean suffocated the monkeys and just simply said that the monkeys brain cells died from the marijuana which is wrong it was caused from suffication then in 2005 new rasearch was said that cannabis could actually stimulate brain cells but this reaseach wasnt acted on which it should have bieng..
heroin coke cigs and coffee all have caused deaths in the thousands not 1 person has ever died from the results of smoking cannabis
A perfect reason for never legalizing marijuana can be found on my blog today. That being said, drugs are pretty much the refuge of people who can’t handle life…we’ll call them “losers”. I’ve never met a successful druggie yet (other than on the internet, where they all hold high-paying jobs, own mansions and bed starlets) and I’ve dealt with thousands of them in my line of work. Sad, pathetic people, every one of them.
And “medical marijuana”? Just a ploy to get legal weed to any stoner who can find a fake-ass doctor to write a scrip while getting the public used to the idea of potheads toking up. If THC is so beneficial, then simply refine it out, break it down to pill form, and let users take it without the side-effect of the euphoria that the smokers get.
Oh, but that wouldn’t be any FUN, would it? It would ruin the game for the Cheech and Chong crowd who now all pretend to be terminally ill.
I think marijuana should be legalized. Government spends billions of dollars a year in the “War on drugs.” This includes the all arrests made and the number of people put in jail for marijuana use and distribution. This is the American people’s tax money being spent on petty crimes such as possession. In economic theory, if marijuana was to be legalized, government could potentially gain billions of dollars by taxing the marijuana. Instead, we choose to not legalize marijuana and contribute to our national debt. I agree with you jmgaertner that marijuana can be harmful with having over 400 chemicals in it, yet if ingested instead of smoked all respiratory dangers are eliminated.
if anyone of you had actually done some research, you’d see that studies show no difference between the lungs of a heavy marijuana smoker and a non smoker. and sure they say marijuana smoke has 400 chemicals in it, but caffeine has about 1500 chemicals, and rat poison only have 30. theres no correlation between the amount of chemicals and toxicity. in fact, marijuana is less toxic to our bodies than tylenol!
Either prohibition is good policy or it isn’t. It can’t be good policy for marijuana but bad policy for alcohol. That would be illogical! Prohibition has the same effects no matter what substance it’s used on. It eliminates legal supply but leaves demand unchanged, so criminals enter the market to make money satisfying the demand. The end result is more criminals, more violence and more danger in our communities.
We need to stop pussyfooting around with marijuana and control it with the only policy that can effectively keep it away from minors and keep drug dealers out of our communities. We need to control it with exactly the same laws as we use for alcohol!
I agree that Marijuana should bot be legalized soley for medical purpses, but nothing should ever be legalized for one sole purpose. Obviosly if Marijuana is ever legalized, the governement will have several resons as to why they are finally accepting a drug that they have argued is harmful. In my opinion, Marijuana should be legalized. There has never been a death due to Marijuana abuse. The governement only legalizes drugs that they can tax amd get money. There is a superfluous amount of people in jail due to Marijuana based charges. It just doesnt make any sense. A day in the life of an inmate coasts us taxpayers $50.00So we’re punishing them but at the same time paying for their lives in confinment? Why not just tax the thing and get it over with. We arrest people for drinking and driving. Marijuana only impaires your motor skills while under the influence, but not in the significant amount that alcohol does.
Hello, i am a 21 year old college student. I currently do not use marijuana but completely support its legalization. The fact of the matter is that we live in America which is suppose to be a free country. The prohibition of marijuana is merely a restriction on one of the freedoms an American citizen should have.
On another note everyone has been talking about how bad it is to smoke it. All the carcinogens and tar in the smoke. All bad things, if we legalized it, it would most likely be cheaper, and guess what….YOU CAN EAT IT!!!
“I pledge allegiance to my God”
My God’s flesh and blood is marijuana’s flesh and chlorophyll.
In the dictionary chlorophyll is explained as, “Any of a group of
green pigments essential in photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the
consumption of the light’s energy of a plant.
“Without light, the Earth would compress the size of a softball,”
my 8th grade science teacher told me.
“When a person consumes plants, they consume the energy of the
light,” a botany college teacher told me.
“God is light!!!” the Holy Bible reads in 1 John 1:5.
Also, in the Holy Bible it is written in Matthew 26:26, “And as
they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to
the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the
cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of
you. “For this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many
for the remission of sins.”
Christ is claiming to be the light inside of the bread and fermented
plant juice. (Plant blood)
“Light’s energy is inside of alcohol from plants,” my 8th grade
science teacher also told me.
My God is the one light binding the universe together, and moving
everything.
“Without light, there would be no heat, plants, air, animals, or
humans,” the encyclopedia explains.
Light is the source of all life.
I believe all of the matter and energy of the universe was emitted by
my Heavenly Father who I call Jehovah.
I call him the “albino Alpha primate”.
Simply put, in my religion, he began with one Spirit inside of an
extremely dense physical body. The Spirit is all of the light throughout
the universe. His physical body has X and Y chromosomes.
In the beginning I believe my God was the only matter and Spirit in
an eternal void of darkness. All of his Light (Spirit) was stored inside of
his body, so he could not see anything of the nothingness surrounding
him. He was very lonely. All he had to communicate with was his
X chromosome inside of his one body. Since he was before time in
darkness logically his skin would be pure white, including his hair.
He stretched out his hand and said, “Water.” A stream of blue water
energy emitted from his fingertips like a sphere being fed lightening.
The water glowed dimly because of its source inside of Jehovah’s body
filled with absorbed light.
He did the same thing when he emitted green earth, yellow air, and
red fire in my belief. They orbited around him in the darkness, until
he raised his arms, and they clashed above him into one enormous
compressed Earth.
“Light!!!” he roared. Light pours out of him creating a sphere of
light from his primate body. He formed a ball of compressed light in
his hand, and threw it at his Earth. I call the first Earth the Goddess’
egg.
The Goddess egg explodes, and fills the universe with matter and
light. The light being out side of the Father’s body is default gender.
Her name is Jehovah.
She is the Holy Spirit outside of the Father’s body. He is the Holy
Spirit inside of his body. They are one Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is referred to as “he” because it is the Father’s
Spirit. He is one with his X and Y chromosomes and Light.
“Default gender is female,” my 8th grade teacher said.
In the center of the explosion is the Goddess body. (Female clone
of the Father)
Some of the chunks of living Earth died, and some fed on the dead
Earth. This explains the big bang theory.
Witches, Jews, and Christians worship the same God, Jehovah. I
follow all three religions, and call myself a Je.di. (Jehovah disciple).
Jehovah and Christ are one. Marijuana is my God’s flesh, because
his Spirit is in it. I worship it.
She speaks to me in common sense saying, “I am Holy. Use me
in a worthy manner. Do not drive when you smoke me. Get the U.S.
Government in control of distributing my flesh instead of the gangsters
and criminals. Sell my flesh for 5 dollars a session, inside of a U.S.
Government smoking bar. Have security patrol within.”
“I pledge allegiance to Marijuana.”
To learn more buy “Alpha Primate” at http://www.authortree.com/popepopess
oh and btw its a documentary on marijuana its called The union:the business behind geting high
Hello, I’m 19 in the State of Florida. A young scholar of Law currently attending Kaplan University for my Criminal Justice Degree. With a 3.8 GPA, I’ve even managed to secure myself a position on the Dean’s List.
From my perspective, politicians around the country are addicted to the prison money. I am one who’s for the legalization of marijuana inside the United States! The lack of ethically morale policies in Washington regarding marijuana and it’s questionable effects on health related matters has lead to a much greater incarceration of our youth. Don’t you think it’s time we see the reality for what it is? If marijuana does not kill anyone in comparible contrast to cigarettes and alcohol, doesn’t that already take public safety issues off the table? It’s funny because we will sell death to each other in the form of chemically altered cigarettes, yet we imprison all who deal in something that is naturally grown around the world. No matter if we stick everyone who smokes weed in jail and burn down all the crops, it’s always going to grow. The truth is non violent drug offenders fill the empty positions in our prisons. Without them, the vast majority of private prisons would no longer be needed. I guess I’m what you would call a phycotic drug abuser since I smoke weed everyday but that won’t change the fact that even after all the idiots in Washington screwed up the economy, I’ve managed to keep my job and exceed in education. I do think it’s time for a change in direction; tired of being lied to just like the millions who’ve had enough with the old ways of Washington, I already know Obama will win this election! Although unfortunately he seems to have flip flopped on this issue! Regardless we all know he will win because America will not allow another idiot like Bush to take over office. Considering how John McCain refuses to see how lonely it really is at the top 5% while the other 95% is off strugling to survive and maintain a roof over their head. I will happily vote 999.99% democrat to avoid another 4 years like this. It is true that I am very proud of my country and how far it’s come to allow someone like Obama run for White House. Martin Luther King must be rolling in hs grave knowing his dream decades later finally went mainstream; but back on topic is this wasteful drug war against marijuana even worth waging? Shouldn’t some of these resources be allocated to more effective programs? Like catching all these rapists who stream live on limewire? I see our nations drug policies have only lead to a greater incarceration of our youth. We are trapping the minds of our future in prisons and educated them to be animals. Why not instead invest in more treatment programs that deal with people who actually want to be helped? Lack of ethically moral policies in Washington have lead to the current incarceration of over 1,595,034 prisoners and of these, 199,118 — roughly about 12.5% — were incarcerated in Federal prisons and 1,395,916 — 87.5% — have been incarcerated in State prisons. With the United States officially in recession I believe a cannabis market could create a much needed boost to our economy. Legalization should only be for adults age 21 and above. We all suffer when the average blue collar worker or student in college gets arrested and ruins his life over some stupid herb. I honestly believe we’ve taken the bait on this one and made it a far bigger issue then it really it is. We should all stop lying to ourselves and benifit socially by admitting we might have actually something to gain by legalizing marijuana, which has never been as bad for your physical or mental health as everyone has painted it so. Now with the government taking over our banks, I honestly believe we have bigger issues to worry about in America. Let’s put all these drug dealers out of business by legalizing it and taxing it like tobacco!
i think it should be it is not as bad as tobacco and no one has died from it.
I’m not arguing that marijuana is a completely harmless drug, but it’s more harmless than alcohol, tobacco, aspirin, prescription drugs, etc. Should it be legalized and regulated and taxed? Absolutely!
medical marijuana can help in some way or another physically or mentally with patients of these conditions:
-AIDS
-Athsma
-Arthritis and other Autoimmune diseases
-Cancer
-Chronic pain
-Depression and other Mood disorders
-Epilepsy
-Glaucoma
-Menstral Cramps and Labor pain
-Multiple Sclerosis
-Muscle spasm and Spasticity
-Migrane Headaches
-Paraplegia and Quadriplegia
-Pruritis
-Insomnia
In some cases, Marijuana can help with these conditions more better than the actual treatment given to the patient.
Medical marijuana is not just a way for people to get high legally.
Its just a way to help.
one strong point that people always bring up with trying to legalilze marijuana is that it is not as dangerous as alchohol or tabacco. and that is very TRUE.
My mom was an alcoholic, and it ruined my family, it put my family through a lot, and almost killed my mom 4 times. being an alcoholic is a disease, but because you cant get ohysically addicted to marijuana, smokinh it all the time, is not considered a disease. why would alcohol be legal if alcoholism is a disease, when smikonh marijuana is not?
My dad smokes pot and i didnt even know untill last year. when my moms alcoholism started to affect my family about 10 years ago. my family is perfact know, but we still smoke pot. if anything, alcohol should be illegal.
i am all for the legalization of marijuana if it means tobacco and alcohol are made illegal. who needs something known to kill hundreds of thousands of people a year to make way for a harmless plant.
Take money out of the War on Drugs develop a limit testing devices, regulations and education for the drug. The farmers who can’t pay their bills farm Pot, sell it to user with a tax on it. Use that to support schools, add money to social services and even help the troops with shit they need survive. After all, Amersterdam isn’t leading the world in crime.
Marijuana being illegal is pointless. The number of recorded deaths is 0 when alcohol and tobacco are almost half a million every year. Why should the less dangerous drug be illegal? I’ve been smoking for 3 years now and have not had any problems in fact my grades in school have improved since I started smoking because it relieves stress. I have never been arrested or in major trouble at school. I have never become dependent on it in anyway mental or physical.
Keep in mind that marijuana was not always illegal. In fact, "marihuana" was officially illegalized in 1937. Our U.S. Constitution was written on hemp paper. Throughout both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars cannabis sativa was used to fabricate uniforms, ship masts, parchment, flags and even Henry Ford constructed a car of resin stiffened hemp fiber, and even ran the car on ethanol made from cannabis sativa.
Also, remember that when "marihuana" was first illegalized in the U.S., it was on the grounds that it gave Mexicans super-human strength and helped African American men seduce white women. But nobody knew that this evil"marihuana" Satan drug was actually the cannabis plant all the nice white gentries were already smoking. That's right- racism and propaganda resulted in the prohibition of cannabis, hiding under the name "marihuana".
I smoke pot. I drink alcohol upon occasion. I have done other mind altering substances, but do not use them currently. I own my own business, pay taxes, and am raising an eight month old daughter. Pot has helped me to be a happy, productive American.
Why does our government want to throw me in jail because of it? Why does our government want to take away college scholarships, destroy opportunities for employment, waste years of their own taxpayers lives behind bars, and waste millions of dollars every year on a bogus "drug war" to try to exterminate a plant?
Well, here's a few good reason's why:
#1: Prison is a growth industry. Penitentiaries get paid for each prisoner they hold behind bars.
#2: Marijuana would replace 20% of pharmaceutical use in the United States. The pharmaceutical gorillas (namely Merck and Bayer) makes billions upon billions of dollars every year on getting americans addicted to their concoctions.
#3: Marijuana is a key to spiritual evolution. The last thing a corrupt government needs is a society that is capable of enlightenment & thus overthrowing them. Virtually ALL revolutionaries smoked pot.
#4: If we legalized the cultivation of cannabis sativa, we, as citizens, could cultivate our own clothes, medicine, fuel, paper, food, and recreation. This is a very counter productive theory to capitolism.
#5: WE AS CITIZENS HAVE NOT STOOD TOGETHER AS ONE AND DEMANDED THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA/POT/HEMP/CANNABIS. And yes, it is our Constitutional right, as Americans, and our duty to ourselves, as human beings, to demand the legalization, cultivation, use, sale, trade and distribution of this plant for medicinal AND recreational use.
So what? What are we going to do? What are YOU going to do? This plant exists, and has every bit as much a right to be enjoyed as we do. I’ll tell you what I am going to do. I am going to continue to support groups like NORML, the ACLU, and others. I’m going to continue to research the facts and debunk the myths. I’m going to continue to educate my fellow citizens. I’m going to continue to write to my State Representative. I’m going to write my congressmen. I’m going to keep going to rallys and protests. I am going to keep fighting for the legalization of Marijuana, with the hope that my children’s children will be able enjoy to this gift from the Gods without fear.
Oh, and by the way, yes marijuana should be legal.
In my opinion marijuana should be legalized… I have reasons.
1.) Have you ever heard of anyone smoking pot and going out and killing someone or doing anything violent at all? Alcohol makes people violent NOT marijuana
2.) Tobacco and alcohol kills, pot doesn’t. As long as you stay in the safety of your own home or wherever and as long as you don’t abuse it you will be perfectly fine.
3.) Why is tobacco legal anyway? It kills over 400,000 Americans a day according to http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/pressreleases/sg05312005.html
go to that site and see for yourselves. Maybe tobacco is the problem.
These are my main reasons why pot should be legalized. You don’t have to agree with me every1 has their own opinion and you guys should feel free to speak it.
i think it should be legalized for medicinal purposes, for anxiety, the government could make money off of it just like they try to suck every dollar out of everything else. the government is trying to make natural ways to have electricity, run cars, and plenty more..so why not smoke something natural.
Marijuana should be legal. If anyone has had history before they would know that it was outlawed to promote a drug-free campaign. They would know that most doctors and researchers doing these “test” are being paid off. Alcohol is legal tobacco is legal hell even laughing gas is legal. Smoking it may cause harm to lungs but if you eat than there is no harm being done to the body. If you have done your research you would know that it helps people with a certain type of brain cancer live longer. This cancer has no cure and it shuts your brain down. With marijuana these people can live longer than expected b/c it slows the process. Marijuana also helps with cancer of all types. The reproductive system is not directly affected and actually smoking while pregnant is good. The thc puts protective coating over the brain cells of the baby. So before you down legalization of marijuana maybe you should do the research and learn history. I am a smoker myself and proud. Its the only thing that helps with my mental problems and insomnia. I don’t want to be put on different kinds of drugs and struggle everday because they make me so messed up that I don’t who or where I am. Marijuana is not a drug. It is an herb put on this earth to use for a purpose.
Oh, and i have one question for anyone who is willing to answer. If marijuana does get legalized then do the people who have already been arrested from it get set free?
Just a question i would really like to know, so please answer if you know the answer
I am commenting about the girl who’s mom smoked weed and got arrested so she went to a foster home and her life was ruined. I’m fourteen and smoke weed every chance I get. It’s not a bad thing. I have a great concern for her, but the reason her life got ruined was because marijuana is illegal. If it legal then her mother wouldn’t have been thrown in jail for it, and she would still have a happy life leading into a great future. Personally i think this is the main reason we should legalize marijuana. Weed being illegal is ruining a lot of people’s lifes. Most people who smoke weed are relaxed people. Parents that smoke marijuana are risking a lot, but they do love their children. Throwing them in jail and putting their kids in a foster home is a terrible thing to do just because they need to calm down from time to time. Legalize marijuana, please.
Thank you for reading my comment and i hope this might have changed your mind if you’re against legalizing marijuana.
I apologize for any spelling or grammar errors.
I run a 5 acre off-the-grid, wood-fired, solar and wind powered permaculture homestead in Eastern Oregon. It’s a small farm, for those unfamiliar with farming.
I am responsible for all the resources and labor involved in keeping aloft a tree nursery, greenhouses, a flock of poultry for eggs and enough vegetables herbs and flowers in about a 100-day outdoor growing season to produce a surplus beyond what I must grow to feed my family, which I am very pleased to share and trade with my rural community. I’ts not legal to sell cannabis plants or cut flowers and leaves, so I don’t sell them. I provide medicine legally for two family patients. When a plant reaches the end of its lifespan, I use every part of it for something good. I don’t get high-quality fiber, as my seed stock is of medicinal genetics. If I could do so legally, I would also grow cannabis on a little larger scale, say an acre or so, with strong hemp-genetics, as a fiber, bast, and seed crop. It’s extremely productive, speaking from a biomass perspective. Chickens love cannabis seed, for one…it keeps their feathers healthy and them perky. I want the best eggs possible, and I get better eggs than most of you have ever experienced. Same goes for the rest of the food. I grow my own tobacco. Same goes. I don’t want mass produced BigPharma remedies or BigAg foods and I don’t need them. That’s why I live the way I do. I want to be self-reliant and I want control over my own supply of inputs, especially the ones I take into my own body, whether directly or indirectly. I want to do my part to provide good food at fair prices for a local audience of eaters and I want to use my own resources over and over without wasting them.
Nobody gets taxed when I plant seed that I grew out and harvested and carefully started in the greenhouse from my garlic, onions, cabbage, asparagus, beets, carrots, squashes, lavender, rosemary, wormwood, and many other food, herb, and medicine plants. Nobody should. I paid for the panels to pump the water from the well (which I also paid for) to irrigate each of them. I protect them from frosts, keep them weeded, feed their soil, grow them out, harvest each of them on time, ripe, and carry them out to market. They’re plants. They are alive. They might die before I can harvest them. Even if I do get them in and off to market, they might spoil before they reach your table. I take on all the risk of loss at every point of the cycle, and sometimes I lose big. Enough times, not. You want these types of farms to exist and thrive if you want to buy and eat really good quality local food, know who grows your food, know what isn’t being sprayed on it or who isn’t being taken advantage of to get it to market. You want them to have every economic advantage, because farming anything successfully, the way you want it farmed, is really very hard work.
There are a great many crafty things that I do on a very small scale with the limited amount of cannabis plant material I can legally grow on the farm. The plant is an economic powerhouse, as are many of the other plants I grow here to my heart’s content, in accordance with local demand for those products.
My farm assertively supports small-scale cannabis farming just like we assertively support small scale vegetable and orchard farming. I advocate full and open exploration and exploitation of all known and yet-to-be-discovered uses of the mighty cannabis plant, a weed whose many uses humans have known and appreciated for well over 12,000 years. I am 41 now. My generation will see normalization of the relationship between the humans and the plants.
First of all i want to say i killed a 12 pack of Bud-lite(beer)one night, i was fucking hammered. i dont remember all the shit that went down the rest of night but i know the next morning i woke up wishing alcohol was never invented. when your drunk shit goes crazy. you dont think, act, or function right. I think alcohol is the WORST LEGAL DRUG. I only drink maybe once a month for that reason, if that often, but when it comes down to facing a big ol’ fatty blunt, i absolutly love it. nothin better in the world. i dont fell like shit afterwards. instead i wish it was legal. my life has pretty much been the same before i started to smoke. the only thing that has change i became a more relaxed person. i dont get pissed off so easily like i used to.
And when it comes down to driving drunk HELL NO. not going to happen. but i will smoke a L and drive the problem with driving when im high im usually drive 5 to 10 mph under the speed limit. And the whole reaction time is slowed i think thats BS, well depends on the person. Me, i stay focus even more than when im not high. i believe im actually a worst driver when im not high. i try to past people, go over the speed limit, and just do dumbass things to show off.
But the main point of this is just to say i believe alcohol is WAY fucking worse than sweet Mary J. And weed should be LEGALLIZED.(not just for medicinal purposes only)
This is my opinion on my views in my life and everyone has a right to there own opinion.
Marijuana should be legalized. It is bad for you obviously but what isn’t anyway. Pretty much everything we eat is bad for us partly due to eating to excess.. but that doesn’t mean we should make everything illegal. Health is important but we should have the choice to choose our own balance between enjoyment and safety.
People can get it anyway and making it illegal forces people to become part of crime by getting it. Even if we couldn’t get it we would find other legal ways which are much more dangerous like sniffing glue or paint. Law shouldn’t force people to be safe, it should allow us to do as we please so long as it doesnt effect others.
If it is legalized, I still think it should be for sale only to over 18s and some limit should be set for driving. Legalize it…
That kind of behavior is unheard of from some one who smoked pot. Another point is that my family naturally has a hard time sleeping. I have several family members addicted to sleeping pills who cant go one day without that pill, but because of pot, I sleep fine and I only smoke pot on average maybe twice a month, sometimes I go longer without it. Cigarettes make me feel like shit, and like i don’t want to work, but pot relaxes me and I do better at work. Just for understanding, I don’t smoke on my work days, only on my days off if i do smoke. My customer service skills went from poor to excellent at my job.
Marijuana has helped me in my life to be a better person. All my life I had been an angry person. My family nick named me the grouch. I was quiet and kept to myself but anytime anyone even spoke to me, I would snap at them. I smoked pot for the first time in my life when I was 20 and the difference in my personality from the grouch to some one laid back and relaxed was amazing. All the stress and constant worrying about things that I couldn’t do anything about stopped. I became mellow and no longer uptight. I started making friends and having a life, instead of pushing everyone away. I really push the issue that it should be legal because alcohol is. There have been several times where i have been drunk and became enraged physically hurting my husband and caused property damage.
I think that marijuana should definitely be legalized. people that make their point against it saying that it can cause cancer are ignorant. anything can cause cancer now-a-days. I, for one, would much rather take my chances with weed than to eat or drink anything with splenda or any other artificial sweeteners.
And as for it being a “gateway drug”, that’s merely a biased opinion. It’s not proven in any way. I could say the same about alcohol being a gateway drug. Mainly, i think that the people that try harder drugs after trying pot are just trying to find a better high.
As for the girl that said weed is bad because her mom went to jail, well that is because it is ILLEGAL. Which is the whole point of this blog. If it was legal she wouldn’t be in jail.
Also, as for kids being able to get it easier, every high schooler knows where to get some ganja if they wanted it. And no one ever says no. So the only people that would be interested in legal pot would be the people that already smoke it. Simple as that.
I’ve done a lot of reading on this issue including all of the economic benefit and decline of drug related crime points. All of which I think are very valid.
I’ve had a lot of experience with all kinds of drugs in my lifetime and I’m only nineteen. Being that they were either my own personal experiences or people very close to me. And in my opinion, marijuana is the least harmful drug on the market. Including alcohol, cigarettes, and prescription pills.
“Understand that legal and illegal are political, and often arbitrary, categorizations; use and abuse are medical, or clinical, distinctions”
-Abbie Hoffman
Thankyou for reading.
Now im going to go smoke.
man i think they should legalize it just cause i like do get high n everybody else does to. Just comin home after a hard day and relaxin, now thats the american dream
You hear about people getting drunk and killing people all over the world and them selves. You hear about people dieing from lung cancer from smoking cigaretes all the time. But how many times have you ever heard of any body dieing or killing any body from smoking marijiuana??????? It should be legal because you do not have to process it like alchohol or cigaretes or cocaine or any other drug. You can grow it yourself pull it up dry it out and smoke with out any kind of processing. It was made like that by Mother nature and can be smoked with out any other process being done to it!
yeah it should not be legalized for medicinal purposes… it should be legal for any kind of usage
It’s not enough that we support legal marijuana, we must also oppose *illegal* marijuana.
Just like with alcohol today, we support legal alcohol but not illegal alcohol. We have no problem with the current prohibition on illegal alcohol, it keeps bootleggers out of our communities and guarantees the booze we buy won’t kill us or make us go blind. It is apparent then that we need to take the same attitude towards the prohibition on illegal marijuana.
“Marijuana Legalization” doesn’t mean we want everything that’s currently illegal to be made legal. All the dealers, drug cartels, armed grow ops etc suddenly becoming legal ..that’s a scary thought! It means we want the government to certify reputable businesses to produce and sell marijuana at a price lower than the dealers can match.
This one policy change will quickly force the dealers off the streets because their customers will of course prefer to purchase the lowest priced product available, especially when it’s being legally and safely sold in attractive establishments (“coffeeshops”).
The result of this will be minors will have nowhere to buy marijuana (apart from older friends), and the prohibitions’ glorification of marijuana will end, thus reducing the overall rate of marijuana use in society, and most importantly violence associated with the illegal suppliers will be gone.
There’s only *one* way to end demand for illegal marijuana and that is to allow reputable businesses to sell it legally.
I am 17 and I have smoked marijuana before and can recognize it’s benefits the only reason i do not currently use Marijuana is the fact that i don’t want to be criminal, and I know you’ve heard it before but, I believe that marijuana a should be legalized with the same public/driving restrictions of alcohol because of the shear facts:
1.There are on average 85,000 annual reported deaths due to alcohol abuse.
2.There are on average 435,000 annual reported deaths due to tobacco use.
3.But there are 0 reported deaths do to the use of Marijuana, and far less reported crimes while under the influence of marijuana (Cultivation, Distribution, Possession excluded), when compared to reported crimes while under the influence of alcohol.
4.At age 17 it is legal to join the Armed Forces to fight and possibly die for the rights of the people in the US, rights you don’t even have yet like the right to smoke tobacco or drink alcohol.
Also it is my personal opinion that if current and/or potential drugs users could obtain a recreational high from a legal substance (i.e. Marijuana), they would be less likely to seek out and use an illegal and more damaging substance to obtain the aforementioned high. Therefore I beleieve we would see a significant drop in other illicit drug use.
For one thing marijuana should be legalized. The government waste to much money on this, marijuana is not lethal nor is it harmful. If you ask me they should legalize marijuana and do away with tobacco. Some people put marijuana in the same category as crack cocaine and heroin, which are lethal. I thought America was a free country; what happened to a little thing called the constitution?? Comment back please.
We should not legalize marijuana……banning drugs in the past has worked so well for us. When we banned alcohol, it turned out great, We put over a billion dollars into the hands of organized crime. Having marijuana banned still helps to feed the organized crime around the world.
What i dont understand is why the American people are so blind by the “war on drugs”. The mayjority of crime is in relation to drugs. By decriminalizing weed it would bring more peace to the world, boost the economy and save ALOT of gang bangers from shooting each other up over a dime bag. I dont see why a working professonal who smokes weed but still is a college graduate with a decent job in society would be labeled a criminal for smoking something that grows form the earth and poses no general harm what so ever. Legalize it and see the endless possiblilities of world with hope and give everyone a little bit of a sence of humor, maybe then our world would look a little brighter.
GO GREEN!
I believe that marijuana should be legalized. Marijuana has helped me and my friends to become better people. It has helped my friend’s panic attacks, my other friend’s depression, and my stress problems. Right now me and my friends are in the process of making a documentary about marijuana to inform people about the truth of marijuana. We want to disprove all the myths about marijuana with facts and evidence. By doing this we hope to let everyone know that marijuana is in no way a harmful drug and if anything would help our society out today.
From a government stand point, legalizing marijuana would cut down crime, reduce tax dollars spent on prisoners, and produce more tax dollars because of the tax on marijuana.
Also, the myth that marijuana is a gateway drug is false. If anything alcohol is a gateway drug. When under the influence of alcohol it is very hard to refuse someone offering you cocaine.
i think marijuana should be legalized.
alcholol and tobacco products are BY FAR more dangerous.
and “jmgaerter” ; you say tobacco is legal, but that doesn’t mean marijuana should be too. and that it’s very harmful without many positive effects.
i 100% disagree.
what are the positive effects of tobacco? THERE ARE NONE.
unless you think that lung cancer, throat cancer and all of those disgusting things are “positive effects”.
Marijuana helps AIDS patients and cancer patients in many ways. it can get rid of menstrual pains and headaches.
and for you to say that there is no positive effects, is proposterous.
IF ANYTHING should be illegal, it should be tobacco or alcohol.
as a response to the last post i agree with all your amazing research and like to point out that when you are talking about doctors being fake that is totally true because way back when doctors told us that cigs and tobacco were good for us and now we know better…
as a regular marijuana user i have driven when i was baked and i got home just fine i find that i can drive when i am high but it is impossibe for me to drive when im drunk.and to those who say it causes u to be infertile, my dealer just three months ago had a beautiful baby boy who was perfectly healthy and not retarted.
Marijuana should be totally legal. Do some research before you idiots argue that marijuana is harmful and it causes loss of motor skills and brain cells. Marijuana is not to blame for many of the traffic accidents. Stupid people are. Just because there are accidents and someone involved had thc in their system does not mean that it caused the accident… carelessness did. Could it be that maybe they were reaching down to get something or screwing around with their phone that caused the accident? And just because thc was in their system, it automatically gets the blame? Would they still have had the accident if they werent high? The answer is yes. Im tired of all you ppl that think marijuana causes the accident, did you ever realize that there are so many ppl in this world and some of them just shouldnt drive?
And about it being harmful to embryos. I have known people that have smoked marijuana the entire length of their pregnancy, and the babies came out fine. Perhaps, it was something else that might have caused the retardation. I dont care if a Dr. said it, its just not true. How many other stupid things have doctors said? Oh maybe its just that they needed some more money to afford their Lexus or Jaguar. I know if i was paid for being an idiot, i would say whatever just to make that check. There has been far more research done to prove that marijuana is good than there has been opposing it.
The term medical marijuana took on dramatic new meaning in February, 2000 when researchers in Madrid announced they had destroyed incurable brain tumors in rats by injecting them with THC, the active ingredient in cannabis.
The Madrid study marks only the second time that THC has been administered to tumor-bearing animals; the first was a Virginia investigation 26 years ago. In both studies, the THC shrank or destroyed tumors in a majority of the test subjects.
Most Americans don’t know anything about the Madrid discovery. Virtually no major U.S. newspapers carried the story, which ran only once on the AP and UPI news wires, on Feb. 29, 2000.
The DEA quickly shut down the Virginia study and all further cannabis/tumor research, according to Jack Herer, who reports on the events in his book, “The Emperor Wears No Clothes.” In 1976 President Gerald Ford put an end to all public cannabis research and granted exclusive research rights to major pharmaceutical companies, who set out — unsuccessfully — to develop synthetic forms of THC that would deliver all the medical benefits without the “high.
In 1983 the Reagan/Bush Administration tried to persuade American universities and researchers to destroy all 1966-76 cannabis research work, including compendiums in libraries, reports Jack Herer, who states, “We know that large amounts of information have since disappeared.
“The active chemical agent in marijuana curbs the growth of three kinds of cancer in mice and may also suppress the immunity reaction that causes rejection of organ transplants, a Medical College of Virginia team has discovered.” The researchers “found that THC slowed the growth of lung cancers, breast cancers and a virus-induced leukemia in laboratory mice, and prolonged their lives by as much as 36 percent.
Now argue with that!
All I can say is, I would be dead if I didn’t have access to cannabis. No, I don’t sit around getting high all day. I’m just trying to stay alive and take care of my family. Who are those who make this gift from God (yes, God) illegal? What gives them the right to deny me medicine that help me stay alive? It’s so infuriating I sometimes feel like going on a killing spree. No, I won’t do that…but, that’s in essence what people who make this medicine illegal are doing. Read the book “Ain’t Nobody’s Business If You Do” to gain an educated perspective.
Peace and Love to All. Even if we don’t agree, I still respect your right to your opinion.
so i have like 10 minutes before my lunch break is over and i like to voice my opinion so hear i go… i am a senior in college at a top ten school in the country, i major in both mathmatics and physics and i love weed, so does about 90 percent of the rest of the school. i know this because it is a small school and i have smoked with about 90 percent of the students. if the US legalized it then probably the biggest threat we would experence is a drop in the efficiency of the labor force…. kinda bad i know. Also there really is not any pluses to the situation other than money money money to be honest. but here is my opinion, i am allowed to choose my religion, my education, my future, my shoes i bought today, and my haircut i will be getting after work. why cant i choose to roll a joint after work and turn on some muse? i know the health risks and the academic challenges it puts me through and i willingly accept these. i just feel if we live in the land of the free we should at least be free.
hey anonymous, could you also email that report to speedymiester@aol.com?
i agree with many of your points and would like to read more of your thoughts on the subject. thanks
gaertner your an idiot…pot is probly the least harmful drug used by people these days, even compared to over the counter drugs in some cases and especially alcohol.
After reading the New York Times issue this past week, one that very interestingly charted the medical marijuana trade, I realized the ignorance in current government officials. The public is living with a recession; we need as much economic boost as possible. As I remember, the article states (I am paraphrasing, and no number I cite are necessarily true…) that the price of marijuana per pound dropped from around $400 to $250 as medical marijuana was introduced to the state of California. If we legalized this herb, the price would drop another significant percent, allowing for generous trade and economic growth. Also, if FDA monitored organization could cultivate and market marijuana, the other illegal drugs which are put into marijuana dealers would disappear. Overall, the drug would become much safer and be used towards the America economy.
Not to mention your body is your own, and if you want to sit around and waste your time with marijuana, be my guest.
Marijuana is perhaps the least habit forming drug out there. It does have medicinal value: Marijuana has been known to cut cancerous cell growth in half and was used up until the early 1930’s as a “cure all” medicine for headaches, stomach aches and joint pain. I am a high school student and i have used Marijuana for several years. I have researched Marijuana and have read many case studies concerning the use of Marijuana and have conducted my own on the use of Marijuana and learning abilities.
I have found that While under the influence during classes i asked more questions, payed more attention and have scored higher on tests. I feel as though Marijuana is a mood enhancer and can help with concentration.
The government has campaign’s saying the use of Marijuana is a gateway drug and has bad side effects. From experience i know that it being a gateway drug is false. Some people are prone to experiment with drugs other than Marijuana because thats there personality. Just because i smoke Marijuana doesn’t mean I’m going to smoke crack, or snort cocaine or do any other drug. Peoples curiosity leads them to other drugs. Some people are depressed and turn to drugs.
Also Marijuana has very few side effects. The short term side effects being memory loss which comes from prolonged use. The memory loss comes from the THC receptors in your brain growing a fatty tissue around the making it harder to remember things. The solution is stop smoking for a couple of weeks and the tissue goes away. I know of no long term side effects.
I have also experimented with not smoking for a period of time and then smoking again for a period of time. As of now i am conducting an experiment due to my probation.
I was arrested for possession of marijuana and went to jail. Now I am on probation for a year and i cannot smoke Marijuana. I am going to write about being sober for a year and after i am going to smoke for another year and see which weighs out to be better for me for school and life in general.
i smoke all the time. its very relaxing and its a big part of my life. pot should be legal if cigarettes and alcohol are. if you ask me, they do so much more harm than marijuana ever could. anyone who thinks pot is bad needs to try it. the government doesnt listen to us, so why should we listen to them? they tried to make booze illegal and we all know how well that worked. they cant stop us. and neither can anyone who thinks pot should stay illegal.
the only real harm marijuana causes is the legal harm done to the person who is caught with it
i have never heard of anyone whos life was ruined becuse of marijuana other than the people who were caught with it and went to jail…and then the people (friends/family) who were affected by the imprisonment of that person
and u know what? if it were legal this wouldnt even be a problem
I JUST WANT TO LET THIS OUT. WE ARE ALL HUMANS. WE ALL KNOW EQUAL ON OUR EXISTENCE. THEN WHO IS ANYONE UP IN THE FUCKING GOVERNMENT TO TELL US WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT DO. IN THIS HUMAN RACE WE ARE ALL EQUAL AND WE ARE ALL FREE. THE SUB-CONSCIOUS IS TRUE CONSCIOUSNESS.
YOU ARE NO ONE TO LEGALIZE IT OR CRITISIZE IT. IT IS MY CHOICE FOR ME AND YOUR CHOICE FOR YOU.
WHATS TRUELY NEEDED IS A REVOLUTION AND TRUSTYOURSELF, IT IS COMING.
Well we need to realize it will NEEEVVER, be legalized. It will be decriminalized. It would have the same laws as alcohal: no driving while high, no going to work high, etc. Weed is going to be around for as long as the earth is here and we all need to realize that. We need to stop arresting innocent pot smokers and focus on the people that comit dangerous, violet and serious crimes. If the DEA would stop tryin to bust all the bud smokers they would have their plate full of murderers, rapest, and harmful drug users/dealers. The Governtment wastes so much money on the prohabition of marijuana, its dumb. Not only would we save money on the arrests. We would gain money and increase our economeys revenue by taxing marijuana and selling it. Another plus to selling it, the FDA would gaurantee a safe, high quality product. It would be more potent thus you wouldn’t have to smoke as much. The less smoke the healthier it is. Yes, marijuana can be un-healthy, but only if it is abused. But anything if abused can be un-healthy. Pizza, dounuts, coffe, caffene, etc. Besides all you ignorent people out there think you can only smoke weed to feel it, WRONG. There are so many ways to get THC into your system: They have THC pills, baked goods, topical spray, candy bars, ice cream, the list goes on! Don’t believe me, all of the things I just listed, there sold in dispensaries. Look it up.
With all the dispensaries, the illegal bud dealers would be run out of buisiness and could possibly stop the moeny supply for some terrorist groups. In some cases with the dealers being cut off the sometimes violent outcomes of people ripping eachother off would end. If weed is so damn bad why is it used as a medicine and percribed by some doctors? Weed isn’t only used to have a good time. It can actually have amazing benifits in your life. I’ll tell you right now, not everyone should smoke weed. Just like some people just shouldn’t drink. People that can control marijuana are the ones who benifit from it most. It can help releave pain, releave you of anxiety, and helps you focus and be calm.
Bottom line, If we DECRIMINALIZE marijuana. It would help our economy out big time. It could also save lifes for those who need it for medical puposes. One last thing, weed makes people chill out relax and have a good time. Alcohal can make people angry and violent. I sure as hell dont know of single violent and angry pot smoker.
“God made weed, man made beer. Who do you trust more?”
The United Kingdom is in a state of economic crisis.
Holland found itself in a similar situation after the Second World War.
In order to boost its economy, Holland legalised marijauna, but enforced certain guidelines, such as you can only purchase a quarter at a time, you have to be 18, and you can only smoke it in coffee shops and hotel rooms.
WHY CAN’T WE DO THE SAME?
The reason is because our government has spent millions brainwashing the population into thinking weed is more harmful than cigarettes and alcohol.
Legalisation would defintiely cut crime, and the government would stop wasting our taxes on enforcing this unjust, pointless law.
PLEASE LEGALISE WEED FOR THE GOOD OF THE COUNTRY’S ECONOMY AND ITS PEOPLE.
it should be legal accross the board. i have never heard of guy who smokes pot then beats his wife booze is far more harmful. we waste so much money trying to stop the use of pot. its not going away . we need to stop fighting these losing battles at the tax payer cost. it’s like
prostitution we create more crime
and abuse of women buy it being illegal. legalize it regulate it and be done with it. all you moral majorty people who try and invoke your values on everyone else need to f— off.
I have Tourette Syndrome. For those of you who aren’t aware of what TS is, please Wikipedia it.
My TS causes violent neck twitches and “shutters”. Traditional pain killers such as Tylenol, Advil, and Alive just don’t cut the chronic pain in my neck and back from twitching so much.
I admit, I consumed Marijuana just for its effects. But when I was smoking with a group of friends, one pointed out. “Hey, your twitches stopped.” I had to watch myself in the mirror, but sure enough the twitches had subsided substantially. They had not completely stopped, but they were reduced dramatically.
For those claiming that Marijuana is hazardous to health…yes it is “dangerous” to smoke Marijuana, however I vaporize. Heating the Marijuana to the point BEFORE combustion, eliminating vaporized ash (smoke) and carcinogens. All I receive is THC. No harm to the lungs or body WHAT-SO-EVER.
When consumed in this manner (or baked goods) Marijuana has NO harmful effects on the body…other than reducing sperm count, but I’m 20 and would not like kids, so it plays well into condition.
I support the legalization of Marijuana.
THE STUPIDEST THING I EVER HEARD !! TAKING A HIT OF MARIJAUNA CAN’T STOP A FULL BLOWN ASTHMA ATTACK ?? FREAKIN STUPID !! I HAD A FRIEND THAT DIED FROM HITTING WEED TO HARD AND DIED FROM AN ACUTE ASTHMA ATTACK !! IT CAN HAPPEN AND IT DID !! SMOKING BOMB PUTS YOU ON STUPID MODE .. PLUS IT’S ALWAYS LACED – RARELY REALLY PURE BUDS .. I SAY STICK TO SHWAGG !! YOU’LL LIVE LONGER !!
ABSOLUTELY!!!
Not only should medical marijuana be legalized, but recreational marijuana should be legalized as well. I’m not going to pretend like I have a medical condition but I’m still going to smoke cannabis!
It’s like a forbidden fruit! Why are teenagers facinated by alcohol and other drugs? Because its this FORBIDDEN SUBSTANCE that they aren’t allowed until age 18! Which is why they seek to get high! If parents gave alcohol to their kids while growing up, in SMALL TOLERABLE amounts, then we wouldn’t have as much deaths regarding drunk driving as we do.
RIGHT ON. The pro’s triple the cons. Therefore, stop paying 50 million a year to keep people in jail for possession charges its rediculous.
all these posts why it should be legalied for medicinal vales….
still not even close…… to legalization. not even close
i think it should be legalized entirely……
all the people mostly parents opposed to legalization, for all these years
have believed cops stating they are trying to “help” us pot smokers
help? throwing me in jail, taking the weed that i bought forcing fines and fees and treatment and loss of jobs and loss of dwelling situation car lost how does this help ?
all you opposed are telling the courts its ok to throw us pot smokers in jail, along with your pot smoking child in jail with murders rapists molesters and other violent offenders……..?
WHAT IN THE WORLD R U PEOPLE THINKING ????????????
your not thinking out side of your precious boxes. you are letting the government ruin lives and teaching kids that marijuna is in the same boat as crack and heroine and crystal meth…….?
and murdering and or affecting someones life forever
i am sick and tired of having to finance criminals activity buying marijuana instead of growing it for freee and financing no one and just smoking it
and then get arrested by johnny law, waste of money time and brainpower.
i am sick to death that people are ok legalizing gay people that will undoubtedly affect our youth very negatively ….
BUT marijuana oh no ?
i buy my weed from high school kids, they have access that not one adult i know has.
i have never sold weed. never mond sold it to a child
and if it was legal and i was growing it and nuturing it.you can bet your ass i would nt sell it or give it away.
all this ive presented to all.
who will read it ?
who will care ?
whos mind will it change ?
i didnt read not one other persons response lol
i dont expect anyone will read mine.
why can we not legalize marijuana
but liquor was legalized in the same manner but much quicker than we are trying to legalize marijuna
trying to just get everone to band together and still not even close.
i have smoked with cops lawyers and representatives of the state,
i have smoked with doctors and no a nurse that grows it.
all this will fall on deaf ears
guaranteed
but at least i speak the truth
i will never quit doing what helps me not hurt people, smoking pot keeps me sane think what you want
but stop acting like retarded witch hunters and grow up and legalize marijuna.
good bye
ok so legalizing marijuana would cause the government to make much much money and save much much money ok so all you people think ohh no marijuana has bad effects on your body why the fuck do you care about my body its my choice. i know smoking kills me so let me die in Peace!
Why shouldn’t it there is nothing wrong with it, it hasn’t killed any one that i have heard of. things that are legal kill more ppl than weed has. Think, why is/should any other non medical. why should alcohol be legal? Alcohol – in excess can be deadly, lead to death of others, and can be addictive. Marijuana – nonlethal in excess, can’t impair most to uncontrollably do reckless things, and proven to be non chemically addictive.
For people with glaucoma and people subjected to keymotherapy, it would keep them alive. I really dont know any other way that can be said.
Marijuana may not have many positive medical effects but even if it has one, thats one more than tabacco or alcohol
Also i could just like to say i would probably never be able to change you opinion and you definitely would never change mine. So speck you peace i have already spoken mine.
on 6/27/08 i go to prison for 12 years for growing pot in my house…the cops lied about everything to the papers…why…because the illegality of pot needs lies to keep the myth going. someone commented that pot slows motor skills therefore killing people behind the wheel.Having smoked pot for 27 years you are wrong. all times hard drugs,prescription,mostly alcohol are the the cause but the media loves to say marijuana..the legalization of hemp and marijuana would almost eliminate your taxes ,plus green house gases would be reduced by 25% due to no logging for paper-trees would make co2 at record levels-the black market ,which right now is thriving,will disintegrate.pot is and always has been available at all high schools. knowledge is the key not some scare tactic prohibition. pot makes people smile-i just was talking to someone who would come home everyday and try to comfort her mother suffering from cancer-she was getting no pain relief from pills so my friend said f… this and went out and bought pot and her mom smoked…she couldnt believe how well her mother was..eating again too!!!! please realize pot was created by god…those that murder such a beautiful plant are the devils…legalize marijuana…stop the lies…free my people..t p g
Marijuana should be legalized…Barack Obama is even for the legalization.Look at Holland for example they have marijuana and prostitutes and it has less deaths and casses of HIV than the u.s.In history when the u.s.banned alcohol people killed because of it,when they relegalized it they stopped,the same could happen for marijuana. Plus the violence over marijuana would stop,it would be mass produced and cheaper.It also wouldn,t be laced with crap.
You nay-sayers are obviously ignorant towards the hundreds of other uses that cannabis is capable of. I suggest you check out JackHerer.com and read up on some truth. I do believe “Marijuana” should be legalized to revolutionize the World.
Everything has its downsides. But in this case I believe the pluses way out-weigh the minuses.
My husband and I were busted for growing a few plants in the woods for the purpose of saving my life. I am a cancer patient who, without THC, would be dead. I was down to 93 pounds, unable to keep food down and nauseaus 24/7. Thanks to marijuana, I am now up to 115 lbs. and am starting to feel much better. Facing a possible 7-year prison sentence, I took the ‘deal’ and pleaded ‘guilty’ to manufacturing (how ridiculous) a controlled substance. My husband refuses to plead guilty to something that is not a crime (God grows marijuana, not people). He will be arraigned on May 14, 2008. Please pray for us.
Hmm…
this is all so far out of our hands; I don’t know why ya’ll’re arguing about it…
CASH CROP
———
Could be;
a. taxed
b. ticketed
c. marketed
d. Mas-produced
Just like alcohol and cigarettes, or morphene, bandages or whatever else.
‘Ohh I’d never want my daughter doing that stuff.’
-Good for you. Talk to HER about that. I don’t care, nor will I ever affect/effect that. To say; fuck you and your daughter.
Furthermore; ‘for the people by the people.’
I understand why we set it up the way we did, however I think that it is wrong that some rich guy gets to decide how everyone of us lives for four years, then we get some different asshole doing the same thing. Don’t tell me that the next president is going to be different.
How many songs about cigarettes do you hear?
Me?; a few bands that mention them are
sublime
s.t.p.
metallica
Which bands talk about Cannabis?
Tom Petty
Bob Marley
Willie Nelson
Sublime
Bone Thugs & Harmony
I believe Led Zeppelin condones it
The Dodgers
2Pac
~1/2 of southern california
post is long enough. enjoy ya’ll.
Here’s the problem with legalized marijuana. The current liability laws punish the employer when an employee has an accident and does damage to life or property. The fact that weed is detectable in your system for so long, a person can smoke it on Saturday, have an accident on Tuesday, and test positive for drugs. The offender has no money so the lawyers for the victims go after the employer. So I say legalize beating somebody’s ass for burning the American Flag instead.
If people stopped making such a fuss over weed, kids would be less likely to try it or do it because they think they’re “bad ass” in doing so.
Most of those who support the legalization are one’s who use marijuana.
Also, it has been proven that a marijuana joint has much more cancer causing agents, about twenty times more. To those who do smoke regularly or have smoked for years, be aware that the mental and physical consequences that follow using marijuana will effect all aspects of your life. obviously it will effect health and memory, that’s not shocking.
Just because there are disagreements, does not mean anyone should speak violence or anger. Sometimes we just have to agree to disagree.
This is a bit of topic, but why is it anybody business to dictate everybody lives but their own. If a person wants to smoke marijuana, whether it be for medical reasons or recreational reasons, why do care. It’s their lives not yours.
ok first of all jmgaertner are you a doctor? Do u have significant evidence that marijuana can cause cancer? I am a fellow pot smoker and I have never been sick because of weed. I believe that if marijuana were to be legalized all the government would do is put a tax on it, thus making them more money. Also the legalization of marijuana could stop it (to an extent) from being sold by “hustlers”, and might have an effect on the violence caused by the dealers because they wouldn’t have to sell any more.
yea so im writing a paper on my stance on narcotics whether its good or bad. not about legalizing pot(no politics) but i figured this might help with some of my research so please let me see your views on this:
First, i have never smoked weed never been drunk never done any drug so yes- it limits my experience. but i’m not some blind follower that doesnt smoke because my parents told me not to. i made the decision not too. i used to be curious about it but my experience has shown me why they are bad. alot of close people in my life use drugs. they are not so close anymore. my brother, cousin, and best friend all started using and some still do. i am not going to argue the physical effects because i can find proof on that but what about the moral and personal effects? People say its fine because it only effects the user but its not true it harms other people. ever since my brother started using he says hi and bye and leaves. we have no relationship anymore. same with my cousin and it started to become that way with my friend. it hurts others people- believe me. the way i see it drugs take your mind off of finding yourself and put it on finding weed.
Second. I see it as running away from problems (for those of you who do it just for fun see above) its taking the easy way out. i dont want to do that. i like working and accomplishing things.
Third. Once you do smoke or do drugs (this is where i am limited) i have learned that you always want that same level of euphoria and happieness. i dont know if i understand it but i dont want to have to do drugs just to feel happy. as for those to do- i feel sorry for you. but something tells me that you can get away from it and feel a natural happiness.
So thats a summation of my arguement that drugs are bad so give me some feedback please
Oh not to mention there is already legal drugs in use that contain the same basic substance. I worked in a nursing home for a while and there was a gentleman there that was prescribed Marinol or somesuch, basically THC in a pill.
Sorry about posting twice >.<
Legalize it.
Yje growth of the actual plant is very beneficial to the amount of oxygen produced. Save the trees and make hemp paper. the useful applications aside from smoking are reason enough to legalize it.
If you sell it on the shelf for half the street price or even 3/4ths of the street price and most of it would be tax dollars considering the relatively easy growth and harvest process. No heavy machinery required all you need is an oven (for drying purposes) a chunk of dirt and water. Do a favor for the environment and the economy. spend less tax-payers dollars fighting mary jane and actually generate positive revenue and its environmentally friendly.
taking a “moral” standpoint is usually a religion-based belief, what ever happened to the separation of church and state eh?
They could at least try legalizing it and seeing the effect it has over a period of time, then go from there, instead of being ignorant and claiming it is evil all because the government tells us it is. Use your freedom of choice, instead of letting someone else say what you can and cannot do. Im an American, i live in the land of the “Free”. I would rather have the freedom to choose than be denied the right to make my own choices.
I have had to suffer from migraines for many years. The only medication that works some of the time is Imitrex. Now that I am in my mid 50’s, my doctor wants me to stop taking Imitrex because it could cause me to have a stroke or heart attack. It constricts the blood veins and arteries. At my age I probably have some clotting and one day the Imitrex will cause constricting and I could die. What I have read marijuana is the safest and works with everyone that has tested it. I am an Officer and have been working in narcotic interdiction for many years. I’ve made many arrests over the years but I would like a way to releive the terrible migraines I have suffered so long.
i have been drinking alcohol since my freshman year in high school n every time i drink its takes soo long to get the feeling that by the time it hits me ive drank so much i am now throwing up. i started smoking marijuana for 2 months now n have not touched alcohol since. i have never thrown up from smoking or gotten sick. in fact i was sick a while ago then after i smoked i was fine even after the feeling was gone. wen u r drunk u have no clue wat u are doing n as i have noticed ppl have a tendency to be aggresive. wen high u are completly aware of wats happening the only affects are happiness sleepiness and incredible hunger aslo some of my not so bright friends who are extremly hiper are completly normal people wen the r high the worst thing that has ever happened to me while high is mild paranoia and everyting they say about it making u dumber is not true in fact since i began smoking my grades in school have increased n i never need to smoke i do it on the weekends occasionally after a long week at school to chill out with some friends
Marijuana SHOULD be legalized, you should not even compare alcohol and tobacco or cigarettes to marijuana, they are MUCH more harmful to you then marijuana is, it IS proven there are no hugely significant physical side effects to marijuana, and unlike alcohol, you can’t overdose on marijuana [THC]. Sure, You shouldn’t smoke marijuana and drive, but look at drunk drivers, they do it all the time, look at the news, every morning almost I’m sure you can find somewhere at least in the USA where someone has died because of it, things should be monitored. Do you realize how much it costs to keep marijuana illegal? How many innocent taxpayers go to jail because of marijuana who are upright citizens who can be some of the nicest people you could meet. Unlike to some popular belief marijuana is often related to violence well if you’ve ever smoked I’m sure you’d find you aren’t very violent what so ever. Marijuana is NOT addictive, some people have addictive personalities and they make it so. Jmgaertner, you must include people have other ways to get high, they don’t have to smoke it either, they can eat it, and that is a much safer way in some effects of lungs, also, if they smoke, they don’t have to use blunts or cigarettes to smoke it, they can use a bong or a pipe that does NOT have cancer containing agents. Your claims are just saying plainly you are against it and you just dislike it. Call it ignorant but, I’m sure if you talked to anyone who smokes it, they would love to see it legalized. It costs a LOT of money to keep it illegal, did you know that? Billions of dollars are spent each year to keep it illegal, that could be going towards health care and education, but of course why do that? Oh, another topic, dealing. With legalization police no longer have to deal with marijuana users and now can focus on real issues such as (Actual crime- theft; murder; breaking and entering; Hard drugs.)
Should marijuana be leagalized or not to me becomes a morale question. How many laws do we need to tell us how to behave. The majority has spoken and said marijuana is bad, so hence illegal.
One state said lets make it legal. I dont remember a crime spree going on and I was there. You would think with the amount of people that smoke pot would have turned the vote around, I dont’t know maybe we were stoned at the time. Can we not police ourselves, are we so afraid of each other that we can not come together to solve our own morale delemas. I beleieve 95% of the people on this planet are good people, some just didnt have someone to give them a helping hand. Let us be our own morale police.
weed this less harmful for your body then cigarettes and alcohol the number of death because of weed in canada this year 0…..number of death by cigarettes 10,000 whats really stupid
Many studies have shown that marijuana could replace up to 20% of presently used pharmaceutics with less side effects. Marijuana does not have to be smoked. Much of the time doctors will prescribe it to be taken orally or with/in food. I think that there are many positive benefits of marijuana if it does not control a person’s life, one being a less dangerous substitute for alcohol for social parties.
It is not the fact that THC is bad for you, it is the fact that was illegalized and has been falsely portrayed since. There is presently a drug called “Dronabinol” that has the same chemical make up as THC and is prescribed openly for a plethora of purposes. I don’t think the health issue is the problem with marijuana, its the fact that people can’t accept change.
Also, show me how many accidents have been caused by the intoxication of marijuana compared to those of alcohol.
Mary Jane should be legalized. It’s true that it does have tar in it, but mostly in the leaves. Most people dont smoke the leaves of the plant, they just smoke the buds. Marijuana causes the least deaths, and, its more fun to do than smoke cigarrets or drink alcohol. Why the **** shouldnt we legalize it?
Also why are people against it. lol why do they worry about people that smoke mj, like were runnin around like a drunk tryin 2 hurt people. or a crack head robbin people,or a feen that will actuall commiy murder for a government drug EXC. Most people who just smoke mj are really peacfull!! AND i know all this stuff from exerience.Soo why should sum1 judge me for smokin mj. I mean i pick on my wife for smokin cigarrets,lol i say why do u smoke ?She replies “idk i guess, cuz im addicted. Ask me why u smoke I reply “Please have a seat”? Cigarrret companies if u look at them like i do ” are all a bunch of masked murderer’s along with all the legal drugs that are prescibed by the government. I say u can stuff all ur drugs up ur @. all i need isa join!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Legalize MJ
jmgaetner, ur prejugible and i dont think u really know what ur talkin about!! Some of my best friends, including me and 70% if noy more of the world will diagree with u with proven fact all layed out on a peice of paper!! Imean its ur choice what what you consume, aslong as it isn’t hard drugs(crack.meth,pills, coc,lemme c ooh yeah, and all of our governments drugs,valume, qualude,zanax a highly prescibed drug for the whole world ,2 use!!legaly fn bs ) all these will for surely put u in the slums, its only a matter of time. KK lemme c my aunt robin, she gets prescribed zanax, guess what know shes hooked even after her prescripion ran out. now u wanna know what she does all day, lol u guessed it, stays at home dazed out with 2 kids and steady on the look for more(zanax,mophine,u know the usually)and i can go on an on about all my friends and family that fell off on government drugs. Here a lil marijuana story. Soo i hang with 1 of my friend sammy. me n him smoke together,thats how i met him. Well we was at his house on day rollin a fatty lol, when he told me that his dad smokes marijuana. So i said go get him, ill smoke with him.SOO me n him was havin a little chat. He told me he had some kninda disease that makes his bones deteriate.ne ways he said that when he smokes marijuana it make the pain goo away and it dont even get himm all that high it mostly relaxes him (unless it was some fiya lol), C what im tryin 2 say marijuana isn’t like ne other drug out their, it differs beyond what u really think it is. And whats with all therse fn commercials about smokin weed n not rememberin the next day, or sittin on the coach all day, (never n my life have i got soo pissed off about a commercial) Do u c the all the the differnt drugs for sleepin,stomache crampfn lunesta lol,a sleep aid,got some advice smmoke a fn j befor sleep lol no side effects when u wake up!! Im not telling everyone 2 smoke marijuana its life choice, and some prefer not 2( wich it totally cool ) I respect that!! Also the liitle girl that spoke on here, yea hes right if it was legal that wouldas never happen soo their, blame our fn law system, and the government that passes them. Im 18 years old and will never ever change my mind on what is right and what’s not.I WILL smoke marijuana when it illegal, Im not lettin the government tell me what kinda drugs i can cunsume(lol cause id prob done BE dead) Soo their u got it!! IM NOT THE MOST EDUCATED MAN IN THE WORLD ( BUT I GOT COMMON SENCE ) MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE AND LEGALIZE MARIJUANA !!!!! SOORY FOR ALL THE WRITING ERRORS!!!!!
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
Nuff said
yea it should be legalized.. i don’t see anything wrong with smoking marijuana. smoking cigarettes is more damaging than smoking marijuana. if you against marijuana, then you don’t have to smoke it. that doesn’t mean EVERYONE cant
I officially quit smoking today. It really sux. What the fuck is wrong with this god damn country that they can’t make something as innocent as weed legal. I mean seriously. Pot heads do not go out and kill each other and make really stupid decisions regardless of what the piece of shit mother fucking commercials say. All we want to do is chill and get high and enjoy our time. Its all good. We don’t cause any problems and if anything the govt could totally tax the shit out if it and make lots of money possibly helping the national deficit. This is so ridiculous. I almost wish I could move to the few states where it is legal. I’d buy it all the time. And it doesn’t interfere with my grades and being a failure because I fucking graduated with honors and made it through nursing school and have a damn high school diploma with honors too, so why the hell do asshole people make commercials that depict it to be such a sin. If you want opinion on the matter they should make alcohol illegal instead of pot. But you don’t see commercials in TV showing the problems that it causes like drunk driving, torn families, alcoholics, people dying of cirrhosis of the liver and all the bad shit and bad decisions made under the influence of alcohol. I’m so right about all this. Yes I do appreciate the country that I live in because I’m safe but if everyone would just fire it up every now and then perhaps they would all be a little nicer and we wouldn’t have all the bullshit going on that we do. And it isn’t a gateway drug unless YOU as a person choose it to be. *SIGH* I’m depressed.
I work as an engineer for the dept of defense, and spent 6 yrs in the navy. I don’t drink, and the only recreational drug I use is pot. It helps me to relax in the evenings after work, and I’m convinced it helps me sleep. It only takes a few “tokes”, so it’s not like I’m injesting much smoke anyway. I’m of the opinion this is (was) a free country, and I should be able to enjoy pot in my home, as I choose to. I pay my taxes, raise my child, and go to work. It compliments my quality of life, and %#$@ you who disagree.
legalizing marijuana would cut billions of dollars a year out of taxes paid for people who are in prison for using it. This would cause an increase in money available to spend for citizens, thus boosting the economy during this depression we are in. There is your benifit for legalization.
i am in youth and government for my school and i am presenting my bill this Saturday(2/9/08) on the legalization and capitalization of THC products in North Carolina. if anyone know of good facts, or FACT sites pro legalization, then drop me a line, thanks- barkerben31@gmail.com
I was active in the movement (NORML). And the correct terminology is;decriminalise rather than legalise might seem like splitting hairs but there is a big difference.Alcohol, nor tobacco products are “legal”.they are regulated as far as who can distribute,purchase,and consume said drugs.
what people do in their own time without harming other people is their choice
“jmgaertner-As we all know, marijuana is a gateway drug”
were you trying to sound intelligent?
you ask for proof on the upside of marijuana but without question make false statements about marijuana
Marijuana is less harmful physically and mentally than any other legal drugs such as tobacco and alcohol. This much we know is true. And marijuana probably shouldn’t be illegal, it could prove far beneficial in our troubled society. But I am not sure that crusading in the name of medicinal marijuana is right. Sure maryjane has some proven medical benefits, but we have other drugs for this. Saying that weed should be legalized for medical benefit is merely using the hard work and studies behind marijuana as a crutch. Marijuana should not be legalized for medical use, marijuana should be legalized or at least decriminalized purely because it is scientifically less harmful than legal (TAXED) substances.
I have smoked pot for only about a year, and im a senior in high school. My grades have stayed the same i have not become any lazier… its just a fun thing to do to pass time. Unlike alcohol you can live a normal live while high. Tobacco is legal addictive and extremely harmful to the body if smoked for multiple years, Pot is illegal less addictive then caffeine and barely harmful to the body its plusses outweight the negatives in the medical viewpoint and with it illegal it is easier to get, more expensive(if it was less expensive people wouldnt smoke more they would just have more money to spend on food, bills, rent.) With pot illegal getting caught will ruin a teenagers life… if someone smokes and doesnt get caught it will be nearly harmless. if we make it legal nobodys life will be ruined and people wont have to smoke while driving to get high people will be able to do it where they can walk and wont be forced to drive. The only reason the government wont legalize it is because it will prove the government wrong for the last 30 years which is even worse then prohibition in the 20s.
I think Marijuana should be legalized for many of reasons, i’ll start with the most basic.
1, I like to get high, I met some of my closest friends getting high.
2, I think getting high is better then drinking/smoking, for one, Marijuana makes me feel extremely good if I smoke alot, Alcohol makes me throw up my guts, if I smoke too many cigs, I pass out: So which one would I rather do? Pot. It’s less dangerous, it doesn’t shrink your brain like Alcohol, it doesn’t make you addicted to it like cigs, it doesn’t have chemicals in it like TAR and NICOTINE and ALCOHOL which are HIGHLY negative chemicals to your body.
3, The Medicinal uses of Marijuana are highly(if not the most) effective) in alot of different cases, i’m sure we’ve heard those already.
4, Marijuana doesn’t cause impaired judgement or blackouts like Alcohol which can lead to ockward/illegal situations such as DUI.
5, Of those charged with marijuana violations, approximately 89 percent, 738,915 Americans were charged with possession only. The remaining 90,710 individuals were charged with “sale/manufacture,” a category that includes all cultivation offenses, even those where the marijuana was being grown for personal or medical use.
The average cost of inmate per day is 46$, that’s 33,990,090$ per day, for each person with just a possesion charge, I coudln’t find the average of days/weeks/months that people stay in jail for possesion, but I know it’s atleast a month, depending on quantity, so 30*33,990,090=1,019,702,700, Mmkay, 12 months in a year, 12*1,019,702,700=12,236,432,400.
TWELVE BILLION, TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY SIX MILLION, FOUR HUNDRED AND THIRTY TWO THOUSAND, FOUR HUNDRED$ spent just on NON VIOLENT drug possesion charges.
The money we would save, just think about it, taxes would go down, we would have alot more money to use for productive reason which IMHO we could really use right now, seeings how there are people who are losing their homes due to mortgages gone wrong, i’m sure they’d appreciate the money.
Lest not forget the families ruined because you people think Marijuana is bad, the illegal part of marijuana is the only BAD part of it, other then the MINISCULE longer term side effects, which would be LESS HARMFUL then say, our legal drugs.
The FDA regulates our OTC drugs, but those are killing thousands of people each year, it’s causing thousands of unneccesery side effects, which BTW, some of those sideffects and the meds themselves can and do KILL PEOPLE, but that’s not the argument, the argument is why we should legalize the least harmful drug that’s used in widespread.
IMHO, the workload in prisons/jails would be less, the cost of housing prisoners would be less, America COULD tax it to make some money(alot of money), the medicinal purposes of Marijuana would be used, I can garauntee that people would stop drinking or drink less, just to use the most favorable drug available, the reasons are endless, but people that are AGAINST the use of Marijuana OBVIOUSLY have NEVER smoked it, but I guess that’s because people like that are bringing up RETARDED ass arguments that make no sense if you dwell on them, why?
The question really isn’t why to make it legal, the question is more of WHY IS IT ILLEGAL IN THE FIRST PLACE?
Well, i’ll tell you.
Marijuana is illegal because….? There IS no effing reason, they did it because they felt like pissing off a nation, JUST BECAUSE THEY COULD! They’re asking us to give reasons to legalize it, why don’t you guys give us a reason it should be illegal, don’t say “well, two wrongs don’t make a right”, what’s wrong in smoking some pot? Absolutely nothing. Look at how happy amsterdam is, I don’t see them waging wars with 3 different countries, at the SAME TIME, I don’t see them slaughtering people, blowing them up, it’s just my point of view, some of you may see a rant, but I assure you, it’s not, everything said here in this post is in my opinion, other then the numbers I found on the internet.
first off i’d like to say that jmgaertner is way outnumbered here. second i am a high school student i started smoking marijuana in 6th grade. i am a straight a student i had straight a’s last year and finished with a 3.8 gpa. this year i am a sophmore in all honors classes with a 4.0 gpa currently. this is a statement directed at jmgaertner. the day before mid term i smoked a blunt and a half of highly potent marijuana. i made a perfect score on my chemistry exam a 97 on my spanish exam and 90 on my english exam. the 90 was my lowest score. so how can u prove that marijuana would create a less productive society. if u honestly think about it america isnt that productive.
we have police dedicated to finding drugs. dont you think there are bigger things to worry about other than marijuana? shouldnt we be out persecuting rapists, murderers, and theives instead?
if u ask me our priorities are wrong here. marijuana should be legalized but it should still have laws. put the laws for marijuana use the same as those of alcohol. dont drive while u are impaired. the statement that it impairs judgement is used in repetition as a safety blanket just as something to fall back on. alcohol impairs you by far worse than marijuana will. look at it this way: what constitutes alcohol for legalization but not marijuana?
basically what im saying is that marijuana should be legalized with the same laws and penalties as alcohol. its a mood lifter, it makes you happy, it makes you more comfortable with yourself, its an anti-depressant, okay if marijuana was legal we would probably have a happier society that is more likely to accept others for who they are.
MARIJUANA SHOULD BE LEGALIZED! Jmgaertner says that legalisation of marijuana would make society less productive. However, many people find this to be untrue. When I smoke, I use it for inspiration on my artistry, meditation, and general relaxation. Also, if you do your research there are many strains of marijuana which are specifically grown for social interaction. Not everbody gets lazy and goes to sleep. Many people with insomnia also use an indica strain of marijuana as an alternative to FDA “approved” drugs. These FDA drugs may cause the immediate relief of your ailment, but only cause negative side effects in the long run. By the way, FDA drugs are chemically made. These chemicals have toxins in them which slow down and clog our bodies. Marijuana, (when grown organically) should have no toxins in it, unlike our “friendly” FDA drugs. The same goes for any organic herbal remedy. Walk into a health food store and try it.
And also, jmgaertner, I would like to see the proof of marijuana being a gateway drug. I also find this to be the opposite. I had two friends who were addicted to cocain. As we all know, this is a highly addictive drug. We used marijuana to kick their previous addiction. Now, they are no longer addicted! Marijuana is not addicting, and it is NOT a gateway drug.
Medical technology is most of the reason why we have so many health problems. FDA drugs cause more side effects. People take medicine to relieve side effects from other medicine! It’s a terrible cycle. Herbal remedies do not cause these problems and neither does marijuana.
In short, marijuana grows naturally in the ground, beer and other drugs are made by man. Which one do you trust? Not the man made!
first of all- Im 18 years old, almost 19. If you guys want pot to be legal than vote for RON PAUL. but anywho- you guys keep talking about alcohol and tobacco…the government wants us to use their over taxed products to get us f-ed up. why would the government want us to take marijuana when we could get their shitty pills that ALL have bad side effects. every pill that is advertised says..”it may cause stomach cramps diareah, vomating..etc.” lets see what pot does…it takes the edge off of everything. makes you happier (oh wait, the government doesnt want us to be happy), it makes us FEEL GOOD, you eat better and the only side effects that it gives you is that you are tired (so it will help you sleep if you can’t) and you may be tired in the morning. I know a lot of kids that say “oh man, i came high to school and did BETTER on my test then when i would come sober. POT INDEED helps you. don’t lie to yourself and say it doesn’t. VOTE RON PAUL.
if im a cancer patient and i need marijunan to keep my food down …who the fuck are you tell me i cant smoke it ..if it helps to lessen my pain who the fuck is the government to tell me not use it ?
Marijuana is physically harmless and not, for most people, a psychologically overpowering drug. In practical terms of it itself, there’s not really much of a reason for it being illegal, especially in any country that allows the sale of alcohol.
Notice, though, that although alcohol is much worse for you, it’s not considered a “gateway drug”. Why? Because it’s legal. It doesn’t get grouped together with the other recreational drugs. Drinking alcohol is already ok, society accepts it. Smoking marijuana is not.
So when you smoke pot and find out that it really is harmless and enjoyable, you question, to some degree, other similar restrictions. Hopefully, you’ll do your research before getting into anything deeper, and a lot of people do. Unfortunately, many do not.
I really don’t think marijuana itself is inherently a gateway drug. Society’s thoughtless imposition of negative labels is the culprit. The solution is to be more honest.
The only reason its not legal is because the greedy goverment cant put there tax on it. Its harmless i have been smokein for years n i mean i have fucked up in my life alot but that is because of boose n thats legal because they put there tax on it. You never hear about people dieing from blowin some blunts but u hear all the time about alchol related deaths its bull shit n we goin to the same jails as actual criminals its all bull shit
Yes… I do think that cannabis should be legal. Marijuana is a natural pain killer. And has 0 deaths in the world. If you asked me tabacoo is a drug compare to marijuana.
LEGALIZE MARIJUANA!
Write a letter to the govenor, to the president, and the supreme courts, put your voice out there. Let’s end this prohibition against marijuana, and persecution!
For all of you that think marijuana should stay illegal, I ask you why? You cannot give me a even a halfway descent reason. You view marijuana the way you do because of its illegal status. Does any of you know why marijuana was added to the narcotic list as a schedule 1? Because it was commonly seen in the era of the hippie being used. The negative views of marijuana came from added use from LSD, Cocaine, Heroin, and etc. Marijuana has been proven to be less harmful than anything legal now. Even less harmful then most medicine prescribed by your doctor. Its all good though, the day of legalization of marijuana is coming, the hippies in the day are now the ones that judge our laws are coming into office.
no law should incriminate 20 million americans…
If marijuana was fully legalized then independent drug dealers would be gone, gangs would have to resort to selling harder drugs which in turn would mean less gangs because of supply and demand.
Would this lead to less crime because a highly used drug becomes similar to cigarettes?
In turn would this lead to a higher rate of abuse which is NOT the goal of legalization?
The question is whether the positives of legalization out weigh the negatives. I believe less crime and more money from taxing the drug and not prosecuting offenders out weighs the possibility of increased abuse. But can the last issue be solved by using the tax dollars to increase funding for education on all drugs and alcohol beginning at a younger age.
Finally, it is my belief that this issue is often segregated by two sides. One is the side who have personal stock in marijuana (i.e. use) and the other is against it for a personal reason (i.e. family abuse, death by car accident, decreased motivation). I believe that this hampers the ability to look at the issue the right way; that is to leave personal beliefs behind and make the decision that betters the community (or country) as a whole.
I guess legalize… but i still go back and forth
hey anonymous, can u email that report to dairyfarmer11@yahoo.com?
i would love to see that. i agree with you and the rest of the clear thinkers in this world.
Marijuana psychosis is total BS. hate to tell you madmom, but if your son says thats all he was on, hes lying. or, also very possible, he was getting laced weed. people who have low quality product will often spray it with Raid or some other pesticide, which ultimately gives the same result as huffing. although most people will beat the living tar out of someone caught “raiding” because it is basically poisoning people, and just plain mean. ive smoked marijuana for years with zero side effects. Marijuana isnt a drug, its only a plant. a drug, by definition, “is any substance that alters normal bodily function”. This would make a laxative a drug. give me a break people. The ONLY reason its illegal, is because its hard to track, therefore hard to TAX. if people gave marijuana away, it wouldnt be illegal. yet the prescription drugs that totally ravage our bodies and do more harm than good, are given out like candy. i have a back disorder, i can go to the doctor and get hundreds of narcotics monthly. yet, weed, which works more effectively, and has NO dependency, can get me in trouble. narcotics are habit forming (this keeps the $$$ pouring in to the drug companies, who are in bed with the government. do your research people) and can easily alter your mind and control of your body. take a couple of zanex, your lightheaded, dizzy, your WHOLE body is effected. smoke a joint, back pain gone. maybe a relaxed feeling. nothing more. same for anxiety. i have nerve problems. what is the only thing that relaxes me? weed. i will not take any medicine now, at all, period. because it does more harm than good, regardless of what big business tells you. if it cured you, they wouldnt sell it. they fix one problem temporarily, yet causing 3 more, and whalla, thats more medicines your buying. cholesterol medicine, for example, destroys your liver. i can veryify 100& what 4/20 everyday! said about asthma, because IT CURED MINE. i was diagnosed with asthma very young, took 5 medicines a day for it for years. didnt help a bit, i couldnt run, i couldnt play sports, anything. the doctors said it would only get worse with age. about a year after i started smoking weed, my asthma was gone completely! not to mention it cured my depression, and is the only thing that helps my insomnia and anxiety. every myth about weed harming you has been proven false. it does not kill brain cells, it doesn’t contain more tar than cigarettes, etc… and to the guy who said weed costs $20 a gram, i would love to get ahold of that stuff, lol. try 5. 10 for the REALLY REALLY REALLY strong stuff. Marijuana is not psychedelic, it is not addicting, it doesnt alter your judgement, the only side effect would be the munchies, and sleep . and carpentry, according to george carlin =). alcohol and cigarettes are far more harmful than weed, and thousands of people die each year from alcohol related incidents each year, rather it be drunk driving, liver disease, or stupidity. why is it legal when weed is not? TAX $$$. moonshine is the perfect example. when people started making it themselves in the ’20s, they outlawed it, because it bypassed taxes! when they passed a law making it illegal for home brew (under 5 gallons a year for personal consumption ((not sold, therefore no money involved, therefore no taxes)) IS legal though, FYI) and therefore guaranteeing taxes, bingo! its legal again. it does not effect your thinking OR motor skills either, and I can also prove this personally. i am in college, got a 27 on my ACT, and could tell you more historical/political/religious information than anyone on this blog, guaranteed. now im not insulting anyone on this blog, or calling you unintelligent, i just spend hours a day discussing, researching, and TEACHING this information. as for motor skills, i study mixed martial arts, practice, and teach them to friends and family. my motor skills aka reflexes are beyond superb. it also has greatly influenced and improved my music, as i play drums (also showing motor skills. if you play drums, or have even seen drums played, you know this takes serious motor skills and coordination). it is also inspirational. not one of you can deny, without weed, we wouldnt have HALF of the music we have today that is considered “classic” and “great”. everyone wants physical evidence, there is no greater physical evidence than the body, and mine is the perfect example. i am not dependent, and never have been. i can smoke nightly, and i have also gone months without smoking just fine. around where i live, weed is not even taken seriously by employers or police. if you apply for a job and take a piss test, and weed shows up, they could care less. police? if its not in great quantity, most dont care, some will simply take it (btw, many police smoke weed. when they “confiscate” a joint or 2, it seldom makes it to the evidence room. and im not making this up, i have many friends in police). if you have less than 4 ounces on you, (which is a LOT for the average user. here, 1/4 ounce of decent bud goes for $60. that makes 4 ounces $960, unless you are good friends with the seller, which usually gets you a quantity discount, making it about $800. still some serious dough.) its a minor misdemeanor. your weed is confiscated, a ticket given, AND THATS ALL. the majority of people who are so anti-weed, have NEVER TRIED IT. thats like a 5 yr old saying he hates broccoli when hes never had it. those of you with kids know what i mean. reading other peoples opinions on the internet doesnt mean a damn thing. i can tell you the moons made of blue cheese, and put it on 100 different blog sites, but that wouldnt make it true. if you havent smoked weed, and personally experienced all these so called negative consequences, SHUT YOUR DAMN MOUTH! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO SPEAK OF WHAT YOU DONT KNOW! Have you ever heard the expression “Its better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt”? case in point. if you go around waving all these “facts” about weed, but have never so much as had one hit, then to all the users who can testify to the TRUTH, you look like an ignorant jackass, and are laughed at. if you want to participate in a discussion about weed, go light up a joint, then come talk to me. until then, dont bother speaking, because you are un-educated on the subject and therefore your opinion doesnt matter in the slightest. it would be like me arguing about if childbirth hurts. i could say it doesnt all i wanted, but my opinion would never be given a second look because im a man therefore I DONT KNOW! exact same situation.
i think smoking makes you happy… and if it makes you happy then y the hell not smoke the refer!! like serioulsy lighten up..literally… -mary jane
Positive Effects of Cannabis Sativa(Weed):
1) Marijuana has been known to treat asthma. More than 15 million people are affected by asthma in the US. Smoking cannabis or marijuana would be benficial to 80% of these people. “Taking a hit of marijuana has beenn known to stop a full blown asthma attack”-Dr. Donald Tashkin
2)Glaucoma(Loss of Vision)- Smoking cannabis would benefit 90% of the 2.5 million glaucoma victims.
3)Tumors- Successful studies show that smoking cannabis can reduce tumor size.
4)Nausa Relief-“Cannbis is the best agent for control of nausea in cancer chemotherapy”-Dr. Thomas Ungerleider
5) Muscle Spasms-Cannabis is benefical for 60% of all epileptics. It is denfinitely the best treatment for many, but not all types of epilepsy and for victims of post-seizure mental traumas.
6)Herpes.
A direct contact with THC killed herpes virus in a University of South Florida 1990 researcg study by Dr.Gerald Lancz. “Smoking marijuana will not cure herpes”
7)Lung CLEANER and Expectorant.
Cannabis is the best natural expectorant to clear the human lungs of smog, dust, and the phlegm associated with tobacco use. Marijuana smoke effectively dialates the airways of the lungs, the bronchi, opening them to allow more oxygen into the lungs.
8)Sleep Stress and Relaxation-
Cannabis lowers blood pressure, dilates the arteries and reduces body temperature an average of one-half degreem thereby relieving stress.Evening cannabis smokers in general report more restful sleep.
9)Increase Appetite-Users of Marijuana ofeten experience “the munchies” a stimualted appetite for food, which, at this time, makes cannabis the very best medicine on the plant for anorexia.
10)Bio Mass Energy- Cannabis can be made into energy or fuel. It can replace many of the fossil fuels used today. This can be accomplished if cannavis is grown for biomass and then converted through pyrolysis(Charcoalizing) or biochemical composting into fuels to replace fossil fuel enerygy products.
11)Art Canvas- The paintings of Van Gogh, etc. were primarily painted on cannabis canvas, as were practically all canvas paintings.
There are many other postive effects of Cannabis, but in order to list all of these effects it would take me forever!
World War II was the most recent time america(gov.) asked our farmers to grow Marijuana, even though it was outlawed 5 years b4.
Drugs—Deaths
Tabacco—-340,000-350,000
Alcohol—-150,000
Aspirin–180-1,000+
Caffeine—1,000-10,000+
“Leagal” Drugs—100,000+
Illicit Drugs—3,800—5,200
MARIJUANA—-00000000000000
People who smoke cigs and drink alchol know they are harming themselves. so do the people that smoke pot. well im not hurting anybody. why cant i just sit at my house and smoke a fucking joint and not worry about the cops knocking on my door. I made the decision to smoke knowing all the shit it does to me. and i dont care. its a “free” country. yeah fucking right. the government has taken all our rights away. i was arrested with possesion and now i have mandatory rehab. they diagnosed with some bullshit depression and anxiety and acute marijuana withdrawl. so they gave me some habit forming anti depressants. no one can fucking tell me thats better than just smoking weed. i have to meet with a therepist who is trained to help people stop drugs. he feeds me all this bullshit about how weed is wrong and bad blah blah blah. theres people out there suffering from real addictions such as heroin or crack and hes wasting his time on me who has never done another drug other than weed. so fuck the government and fuck the police. just fucking legalize it.
While Congress, the president, Liberals, Conservatives, and the media are arguing about the War on Terror, they’re neglecting another war that has been raging since the Nixon administration, America’s War on Drugs.
We’re not losing the fight against drugs, nor are we winning. Instead, we’re sitting in a 21st century trench warfare in drug policy. The drug war needs revitalization, a strong commitment to success and new, unconventional ideas to achieve a long overdue victory.
Starting off, America should legalize marijuana. I know, I know. I’m a right wing, gun-toting, anti-abortion, racist, woman hatin’ ultra-conservative, what am I doing endorsing the legalization of an illicit drug?
Quite frankly, it makes perfect sense, and you can’t win the War on Drugs without first decriminalizing marijuana possession in America. Now, don’t get me wrong – I don’t smoke marijuana, never have and never will. I think it’s wrong, but that shouldn’t keep Joe somebody who sits next to me in history from doing so, especially when it’s so economically advantageous for the United States.
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an estimated 96.7 million Americans (40.2 percent) have tried marijuana; an estimated 25.4 million (10.6 percent of the population) smoked marijuana last year alone. If there’s one area of which the United States government is an expert, it’s taxation. Let’s suppose that all 25.4 million of those people smoked an average of five grams of marijuana throughout the year.
If we estimate each gram of marijuana costs $20, of which the government enforced a 25 percent per gram tax, the U.S. government would have received an additional $635 million in revenue last year.
Legalization would not only increase the U.S. pocketbook, but save money as well. Last year, there were 1.7 million drug-related arrests in America. Of that 1.7 million, 771,605 were marijuana-related and 684,319 of those were for possession.
Enforcement of laws prohibiting marijuana cost American taxpayers an estimated $4 billion in 2004. Yet, frequently conducted studies from numerous sources indicate that marijuana is nowhere near as dangerous to health or property as tobacco, alcohol or “hard” drugs.
Tobacco, alcohol, hard drugs and anti-inflammatory medication such as Aspirin directly accounted for a half-million American deaths last year. Direct deaths from marijuana totaled zero. In fact, the average marijuana user would have to consume 5,000 times the normal amount to die directly from its use.
Marijuana also is less addictive than caffeine (interesting side note: Nicotine is more addictive than heroin, cocaine and alcohol). Legalization would have to come at a cost, however.
Entry of marijuana into the United States and its production in America would need strict regulation to ensure consumer safety. So count out maybe $1 billion of our generated surplus, and we still would have $3 billion left over to continue to fight the truly evil drugs.
The additional $3 billion generated could be used instead to combat the remaining hard drugs, which do have pronounced physical and social effects on Americans. Prosecution simply is not enough anymore. I wish our citizens were smart enough to know that drugs are not healthy, and imprisonment is an effective deterrent to drug use, yet, neither of those are true.
That’s why treatment also must play a key role in eliminating drugs in America. A simple solution I’ve heard for a while now is for every dollar spent on drug enforcement the government should spend a dollar on treatment and prevention programs. Most of you reading this went though D.A.R.E. during elementary school. D.A.R.E. is an outstanding program that demonstrates to children the dangers of drug use.
These types of programs should be extended in our schools and at home. More money cannot be the only answer. Simply throwing more money at a problem doesn’t make it go away. Parental involvement is needed to help curb drug use. Parents should be involved in their children’s drug education and if they chose not to, should be held accountable.
It would take a decade or two, but once you’ve inoculated a whole generation against drug use, you really can begin to stamp out drugs in America.
While you continue various programs in America, work has to be done abroad to curb the amount of drugs available in the United States. Currently, cartel leaders essentially control Central and South American countries through money. They pay off political leaders, the military and even local citizens to ensure their autonomy and safety.
You see, fighting drugs is much different from fighting terrorism and radical Islam.
Radical fundamentalists appeal to a shared ideology, drug cartels appeal to people’s wallets. That’s how we can appeal to those citizens. If money can buy their support, then it’s our place to out bid them.
Drugs can be fought in much the same way as the Cold War, by outspending those who sell them. Cartel leaders are essentially businessmen. Their tactics are harsher than your typical Fortune-500 CEO, yet, at the end of the day, their goal is the same, to make a buck.
With the economic resources of the United States government, we can make cocaine and heroin production unprofitable. Political pressure and economic sanctions can be put on countries that allow cartels free reign.
The United States has the clout, the economic power and the will to win. It’ll take time, effort, money and forward thinking by Americans, but it’s not that hard.
Legalize marijuana, start education against drug use earlier and use the power of the dollar to destroy drugs at their source. Thirty years is much too long to still be dealing with this problem. It’s time to end it, now.
I think it should be legalized because it is a proven fact it does not kill brain cells people just think that…but thats all i gotta say cause it makes me mad when people say marijuana is bad for u …tobacco is bad marijuana is not wat does it do that is so bad…answer that..
It sucks that your son was hangin witht he wrong crowd, i once sold pot to but i would never call people to sell it, they knew i would just have it. If some one did not wont to smoke i would keep them away from it because it does have a mental addiction to it. I wish i could smoke right now but the legal system say’s no, PEE TEST. So i am four months clean and hate it. I have my depression back, i go through really bad emotoinal swing’s from being happy to sad. I have started smoking even a cig just to calm my nerves when i get my anxity attacks. Some times a get so frustrated and can’t calm down. I seem to not be able to find it right now but some one in this blog claimed it lowers your immunity system bull shit ever since i started smoking pot in 9th grade now being a freshman in college i have not once been able to be sick. If i get nusiated i smoke a joint and i feel fine, no stomach pain just not a steady eating habit. Have you ever really notice to that all the poeple that do smoke pot, well in my group of friends they are all healthy not over wieght at all. This is true from young stoners to old hippies, they are all pretty much in shape, not 150 to 300 hundred over the limit. Maybe it’s becuase that the stoners spend a little more of there funds on grass, not the soda and donuts.
I’m a freshman in high school and i think marijuana should be legal because people with anorexia do not eat and everytime that i smoked marijuana in my life it has always relaxed my brain and maybe the people with anorexia it would relax there brain and they would forget about not eating a eat something
My Son was diagnosed with marajuana induced phycosis just three months ago. He is expected to recover no sooner than a year. Before he was hooked on pot, He would light up a room with his smile and outgoing personality. Everyone wanted to be around him. Now the only people who call are the ones trying to sell to him. His freinds completely abadoned him. His heart is broken. And it breaks my heart to watch this wonderful person deteriorate. Be a good friend and don’t get your freinds involved in your habit.
if only cops would focus on the more important things they should worry about… aka crime, hard drugs, etc etc marijuana is a peaceful substance that would only bring more peace to the world… something we honestly need
do people know how many perscription drugs are out there in the states that are sooo harmful they can damage ur organs for life… yet marijuana has no link to cancer or anything so what the fuck? LEGALIZE IT ALREADY… and replace it witha ll the perscription drugs that are killing our nation… we all know that perscription drugs is a HUGEEEE business…
ahh this country is so corrupt… thanx bush!
everyone always says the bad side affect of marijuana is lung cancer and what not… they now have a device called a vaporizer which cannot damage your lungs b/c it only takes the thc out of the bud and into ur system… no smoke involved just heat… ITS GENIUS i love vaping…. drinking is way more damaging than thc… esp in the long run you just have to use ur weed in the right way
this page has yielded some very interesting opinions on both sides. i personally believe that cannabis should be legalized. marijuana use affects the user only so who are conservative politicians to say that they shouldn’t have that right? I advocate marijuana legalization, not because I myself use it from time to time, but because of the reasons for which it is illegal are illegitimate. I have read many political arguments and watched many television shows on this subject and many prohibitionists are blinding themselves to the truth. some of them say that legalizing it will send the message that the government condones the use of marijuana and even other psychadelic and addicting drugs.
To me that is a lame excuse since all the government would have to do is ban advertisement of marijuana on the television and radio and put a health risk label on the packages that are sold by local cannabis clubs and ban it on school property. The government is very hypocritical about prohibition anyways, since they relegalized alcohol simply for the fact that it’s criminalization led to an enormously profitable bootlegging industry. But now legalization for a proven less harmful substance is suddenly out of the question in modern times?? No one has ever died from smoking pot so I don’t see how that is justified. One thing the DEA doesn’t understand is that marijuana is much easier to obtain for most minors than cigarettes and alcohol. Take it from someone who has friends who try to get people to buy those things for them, there is always someone to sell pot to them. Some prohibitionists say that legalizing marijuana will lead to increased use in minors. I believe the opposite and will explain why. Street drug dealers don’t ask for I.D. when selling marijuana so any kid can buy it no matter what age. Okay now think about this…..if it was legal, those street drug dealers would go out of business simply because marijuana would be much cheaper if controlled by the government, since otherwise everyone would keep buying from the illegal dealers who would sell cheaper. Then ONLY 18 year olds and up (assuming that would be the legal age to buy) would be able to buy marijuana. Of course while some argue that kids could still ask adults to buy it for them, there is obviously no solution for that just like the government can’t stop adults from buying kids tobacco and alcohol. But not every kid who smokes weed is going to know an adult who smokes it also…so the chances of them getting access to it would actually be smaller. Another benefit to legalization is that street gangs in ghettos and large cities would no longer be able to rely on dope as a means for profit to purchase guns, ammunition, and even harder drugs. Even the most adamant opposer of legalization can’t argue with that. Of course if it was legalized I’m sure there would be laws on driving high…
Marijuana is no more addicting than any other type of fun and withdrawal symptoms, while rarely heard of, are very mild, but it would take heavy, prolonged, and frequent use of cannabis to get withdrawals. It has PROVEN health benefits in cancer patients and many people are helped by it who struggle with depression, insomnea, glucoma, ADHD, and many other illnesses. There are more subtle benefits to legalization besides the smoking of the plants buds. Hemp…………
simply put
http://www.sustainablespirit.org/why_hemp.html
in your browser and you’ll see why
Marijuana legalization will lead to a greater hemp industry which would benefit our economy immensely not to mention the extra money the government will make from the tax on marijuana. I urge you to read up on this topic before voting on any major proposition that may come out in the future because knowledge is power and ignorance is weakness.
I am an advocate marijuana smoker i think marijuana should be legalized not just for the average stoner but for medicinal use. In that it helps cancer patients, Glaucoma, Nausea, pain, Multiple sclerosis, Arthritis, and muscle spasm. As a user of marijuana I know it does not make me crazy or want to hurt anyone only makes me calm and relaxed lets me forget about all the bad things. If any thing makes me want to eat allot n break out in laughter. Marijuana should be the only substance legal because the amount you need to overdose is way more than alcohol and anything else. Smoking cigarettes is more dangerous than smoking pot the only reason why it’s not legal is because the politicianer’s are afraid of what will happen to the country, I think they need to try it and they will say “hey this ain’t that bad I feel really good…where’s the chips at man”. Anybody who thinks different post a comment and argue my statment.
yeah i definetly think it should be legalized. if marijuana is illegal, then why isn’t alchohol or tobacco? Plus marijuana is the least harmful out of the three. Its even less addicting than caffeine! WHAT THE FUCK IS UP WITH THE GOVERNMENT
The wheels of the propaganda bus go round and round… Sheesh – talk about moldy oldie propaganda! Truth be told – it should never have been made illegal in the first place. It’s all about what it’s always been about – politics. Nothing more.
oh and to that 16 yr old girl who had marijuana ruin her life cuz her parents are in a texas prison and shes in a foster home..yeah maybey if it was legal people wouldnt be locked up for such as smokin marijuana. keepin people in jail costs money every year. open your eyes. The law doesnt stop people from using it. must suck to know that your own country is against you. ALOT of you.
in amsterdam people smoke it less often then we do… thats because they know something bout having structured drug laws that actually work. thats because marijuana is normalized over there rather then dramatized like it is in Canada and the United States.
-16 yrl old guy from ontario
Holy christ , im 16. me and my buddies have been blazin for a long time , we are all in school, and i have a job, license..all that stuff a teenager should be tryin to get. marijuana doesnt make me lose memory. when im high i cant focus my attention as much in certain areas like numeric equations and stuff. anyhting els , instrument playin or whatever seems to work out well.
i’ve drank and done alot of other substances , ,alchohole,mush,lsd,oxycotton,yayo,dxm , and so on.
marijuana seems to me like it cant be related to all those things..it just simply doesn’t impair you enough to change your personality. theres alot of bad stories with alchohol that ive heard,witnessed and experienced. most of the people who dont want it legal , dont touch it. If you dont prefer it..then dont use it.Dont hate what you dont know!… but for the large % of people who would like to use it, should be able to. wheres the freedom at? id rather buy marijuana from a store aswell with quality control rather then a local neighbourhood dealer.
we’re just pointing out all this dumb shit about it that isn’t true half the time such as marijuana causing teenagers to vandalize and damage property…….?????!??? dumbest shit ive ever heard. i’ve never heard someone wanted to smoke weed and wreck stuff… why??!
tobacco is just not appealing to me, ive smoked marijuana enough to have my good taste standards. and cigarettes are filthy shit, they kill small cities.
aswell there is no marijuana-cancer link. i looked it all up. numerous sources. simply a case of the law vs millions. theres no addiction to marijuana, even tho i smoke every day. i take days off without any withdrawl or any moody behavior because of not having marijuana. whenever i feel sick , first thing i do is go and blaze a fat j or a massive bowl. makes me eat some food, makes me rest. sleep. wake up ready to do something(unless im still sick). Caffine is probably worse, yet its never look down on. most of the legal stuff is always more harmful and harder to get anyways…its easier to buy some marijuana over a lighter. but yeah in conclusion…legalize it. i dunno if you guys are from the states or whatever but in canada alota ppl toke and we all love it, and were all successful people. legalize it. keep illegal “narcotics” and all that garbage illegal.sorry for writing such a long paragraph everyone. it’s just my view.
lets live a little.
(unedited)
Marijuana is a natural plant that grows in the dirt! We have soo many other drugs that are worst! Marijuana isnt a gateway drug 70 percent of people that treid marijuana stay with it….that is really fucked up that its not leagalized! many poeple smoke weed, if the government would leagalize marijuana more than half of the county jails would be set free. More people are in jail for smoking this herb than rapists are! Some poeple spend more time in jail for a substance that makes you feel good, than rapisist! now plz tell me that that isnt fucked up…wouold you rater have a rapist in jail…or a pot head?
People focus on many of the wrong issues when they argue for or against the legalization of marijuana. I do not believe it should have anything to do with how harmful tobacco is or alcohol is, because we are not trying to prove it just isn’t as bad as currently legal drugs. The point that should be made is the fact that marijuana is a substance that has very few, and even these few are argueable considering the lack of any conclusive evidence, harmful side effects. Sure it could impair driving, but no greater than sleep deprivation. Yes it is possible that heavy smoking can cause cancer, but no conclusive studies have even come close to proving a link to marijuana and lung damage. The effects are so long standing and mild that you would have to smoke constantly for your entire life to be harmed. I do not know about any of you out there but I tend to not worry what 100 years of smoking marijuana will do to me considering I will not live that long to begin with.
You can sit and argue that there MIGHT be negative effects and that there is always the possibility you are harming yourself, but why does everyone waste time, energy, and money just to fabricate arguements to support an ideal that was created under false pretenses nearly 70 years ago. The law itself was passed based on lies and subversion by a politician. Citing fake studies and claiming support of groups that later denounced they had ever offered their support.
Today’s society has labeled anything that makes you feel good is obviously sinful and evil. You can sit here all day and rattle off harmful effects of foods and chemicals we use every day. Chocolate, Cheese, Meat, Milk, Caffiene. Everything has negative effects. In fact I would dare someone to list 5 things on this Earth that you can put into your body in any amount and not see harmful effects. Even water in large amounts will kill you… someone died the otherday locally in a water chugging contest because they overhydrated…. come on. Illegal marijuana is punishing people who choose to relieve stress using a plant that someone else has deemed unsafe. You think you are protecting anyone? How many lives are you saving per year by ruining 800,000 American’s lives? At what point do those people’s rights come into play? You argue the if’s and the maybe’s of harmful effects, but if you added all of the if’s and all of the maybe’s and all of the could be’s together do they equal to even a fraction of the amount of people who’s lives get ruined every year by unfair marijuana laws? Why do those people not deserve to be protected from vindictive self-righteousness and unconstitutional laws?
I really fail to see the reasoning why people feel so strongly about moderating and controlling other people’s actions in these regards. If you are truely worried about our children and the safety of our fellow citizens, you would focus on all the things that are wrong without even introducing an outside catalyst.
I want to leave you with this to think about for anyone who feels so strongly against the legalization of marijuana.
Over 30 million American’s smoke marijuana according to recent survey. Your children and your neighbors are already smoking it, legal or not. What do you hope to accomplish by keeping it illegal? Do you think your children will make their choice to not smoke it because the government tells them so? Children get raised into people by their parents, not by the government and its laws. Otherwise we wouldn’t have criminals. The only accomplishment of illegal marijuana is jailing otherwise model citizens and ruining lives of their families and their children. All because of some citizen’s moral self-rightiousness, and because they believe they should be able to tell everyone what to do with their own bodies and their own children and their own lives. My children aren’t your concern any more than your’s are mine. If you really want to protect your own children… try teaching them what you feel is right, because they do belong to you, at least for a while. Maybe you should take a good hard look at your personal reasons for wanting marijuana to be illegal, and see if any of those reasons are even related to you at all.
i would love to see the research report im kind of working on the same thing for my grade 12 class and it might help me a bit
both sides have very good points. maybe it is a morality issue that we should be working out, not consumption of cannabis. im 16 and a regular user, and im am doing extremely well in school, family, and all aspects of lifew including health. im a downhill mountainbike racer, and i would have noticed health imparities immediatly. so far, i have noticed none.
The US war on drugs places great emphasis on arresting people for smoking marijuana. Since 1990, nearly 5.9 million Americans have been arrested on marijuana charges, a greater number than the entire populations of Alaska, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming combined. In 2000, state and local law enforcement arrested 734,498 people for marijuana violations. This is an increase of 800 percent since 1980, and is the highest ever recorded by the FBI.
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
thank you for your time and dont discriminate based on beliefs or actions.
2007 http://legalizationofmarijuana.com/index.html
If people think marijuana is bad, what about the drugs that are prescriped and over the counter drugs. I have seen peple get addicted to that kind of “Legal” drugs really bad. like sleeping pills, side affect dependency. If marijuana was legalized, then would it still be considered a drug?
I have been smoking marijuana for a while and i am a senior in high school. It hasent affected my learning ability. hell my grades are better then they ever have been. Also if there is no proof of any harm from weed then what is the problem, if people want to role a joint let them and if any thing ever bad happens from just weed tell me, it will be new to me. Hell is something wrong would happen its probably the HUMAN ERROR. because we are all idiots
Marijuana should definitely NOT be legalized. It is harmful to many parts of the body, and is a foolish thing to smoke! U cud get cancer from smoking ANYTHING, really.
alcohol vs marijuana
When you smoke marijuana and get “high”, you are much more capable of controlling yourself then you are being drunk. When people have a few drinks and get “tipsy” it seems as if you have no to little control of your body. When you smoke marijuana you can easily control yourself. Marijuana is more of a relaxer which at the same time takes stress away. Also i have noticed that when there is parties you usually do not see much marijuana at these parties, but you see a large amount of alcohol which causes people to drink and drive when they return home. I can honestly say that drinking alcohol is much worse than smoking marijuana. Marijuana is a natural substance which has non-deadly chemicals, whereas alcohol is man made with deadly chemicals. Another thing that i have noticed is that when people smoke marijuana they do not tend to go in rage, and when people consume alcohol some of people do tend to go in rage. I do not see why marijuana is illegal and alcohol is not. When we compare all these different facts it seems as if alcohol is worse for you opposed to marijuana.
Wow, both peoples’ arguments on both sides are blotched. The people that say that it will have no good effects on society are wrong; the other side that says it is not harmful are also a little wrong.
If marijuana were legalized and regulated it would most likely lead to lower hard drug rates, as well as lower prison incarceration rates related to drug offenses. This would allow law enforcement to concentrate more on violent crimes. Both those would lead to lower tax rates as well, because there would be a.) less inmates that need to be paid for (to be in prison that is) and b.) not having to pay for anti-drug services; not limited to anti-drug propaganda (which is financed by tax money), drug enforcement, and drug related bills. Those changed would lead to a country that would be able to spend more money on issues that people really need to be brought up in the public eye.
Marijuana as well as many other psychoactive drugs are, in fact, not overly harmful to any person, there are exceptions however. Marijuana contains no carcinogens that can lead to cancer related illnesses; some marijuana paraphernalia even help out to reduce harmful effects caused by smoke to the lungs. I refer to water-pipes, or bongs if you will, that use water filtration systems to make smoke cleaner and smoother (and that is in fact better for the lungs). Right there we can rule out that marijuana leads to respiratory impairments.
Weed does not have any overly negative effects on the brain as well. It does in younger, prepubecant children around the ages 14 and younger. That is when some marijuana experimentation is begun by some users, and in that case, yes it will lead to some off balance chemicals in the brain. As for older users about 15 and up, the brain is more developed and imbalances and impairments are more easily avoided. Around these ages, the ages most begin high school, is when most experimentation is done by users. People that use cannabis recreationally that also have chemical imbalances (such as depression) are more likely to gain some more serious form of mental illness; that is once again not likely to happen with many people.
Several other psychoactive drugs such as LSD, psilocybin or psilocin containing mushrooms, salvia, mecaline and mescal containing cacti, ectasy, and etc. do not have harmful effects on people. Bad reactions do occur. Bad reactions can happen from any drug (alcohol and tobacco included); these bad reactions come from both chemical make up and the mentality of the person using.
Methamphetimine, cocaine, crack cocaine, adderall, caffine, opiates, and a whole assortment of stimulants and prescription pills are more likely to cause dangerous bodily harm. It is these types of drugs that are more likely to lead to addiction and dependence. These are the drugs that need to be focused on more because many of them are more easily available to teenagers as a large number of them are prescribed to them. This allows for easier access to them because kids are able to sell them. Many people who have easy access to these can easily trick a doctor into giving them more.
Marijuana does have medical purposes, whether you would like to like to believe them or not. Marijuana can be used to treat glaucoma, nausea, appetite control (to increase or surpress), it can greatly relieve pain in many people suffering from AIDS, children with ADD/ADHD can eat cannabis to increase their performance at school (albeit the dose has to be very carefully recommended), and there are several breakthroughs that are being worked on that cannabis can help. I’d say that those are some positive effects of marijuana if ever there were any. You’re more than welcome to debate them if you’d like. You’re going to be wrong as those have been announced by universities, hospitals, doctors, and even government officials.
The priorities of this country are backwards. Prohibition does not work, that was proven 80 years ago. As long as there is a demand there will be a supply. If America is really a free country they should not be allowed to say what goes into each and every of its “free” citizens. People are allowed to drink even though it causes brain damage and liver damage, yet they are not able to ingest psychoactive substances that a group of politicians do not like. That goes against the very principle of freedom.
The War on Drugs is a joke. Its main target is urban minorities who smoke a small amount of pot every once in a while. Most of its efforts are wasted on marijuana, while meth usage and harder drug rates are skyrocketing.
America should worry more about violent crimes instead of people who get high and don’t do anything.
I’m 16 and a regular marijuana user.
here’s my opinion.
if the government told you that there’s a flying spaghetti monster flying, i bet hundreds of thousands of people would believe it.
if you filtered 1 Oz of marijuana, and 1 Oz of tobacco through a paper, or cotton filter, you would see that tobacco has far more tar than marijuana.
you can use any drug irresponsibly, anyone anywhere can abuse almost any drug that they want. whether it’s asprine, alcohol, caffeine, ANYTHING.
why should the government be able to decide what you do with your body?
the government tried to ban alcohol, so people just made their own, well the government has banned marijuana, and no matter how hard they try people are always going to be making their own.
i believe that tobacco and alcohol are far worse than marijuana.
some people say that marijuana is “very harmful” and that’s why it is illegal. Too much of ANYTHING can be very harmful
i think that a lot of people that absolutely hate marijuana have never tried it.
why judge a book by it’s cover?
i’m tired of people saying that marijuana kills. tons of things kill people. like land mines, guns, alcohol, tobacco, sting rays, and cars.
I believe that marijuana should be a drug that can be used by responsible adults.
Marijuana ruined my life. I am a 16 year old girl who had a nice family in Floria and a bright future to dream about. My mother’s marijuana use put her In a Texas prision and myself in foster home. You say marijuana never “hurt” anyone? I am a 16 year old girl who saw her dreams fall apart after she was torn from her school and placed in a foster home without a loving gaurdian. Marijuana does hurt. I promise.
its more of a personal freedom issue.go read the constitution,the deceleration of independence and the 1937 marijuana tax stamp act and the 1967 i believe controlled substance act. you own your body what you do with it is nobody else’s buisness especially the federal goverments.i think i fore fathers would be appalled at the socialist/fascist/totalitarian state America has deteriorated into.Another point income tax.why did they come over to the americas in the first place?!?1……
well jmgaertner u have sum very well educated comments but im afraid i disagree wit u on most of em:
1. a marijuana joint does leave more tar in ur lungs than a cig but did u ever think dat ppl arent goin 2 smoke as much bud as they do cigs? plus tha thc in tha buds also acts as an inhibitor dat stops cancer from developin. it kills old cells quicker so there is actuallu less chance of gettin lung cancer smokin buds than there is smoking cigs. n u cant 4get vaporizers.
2. there is no concrete proof that maryjane makes u steril because it doesnt. it might lower ur sperm count but the loss is so minimal dat it doesnt even make a difference.
regardin the claims made by santa:
3. marijuana does not damage the brain even after long term heavy use. in fact it takes 200 times the amount of smoke needed 2 get u high 2 actually start damaging the brain n i shouldnt even need 2 tell u dat it is physically impossible 2 smoke dat much.
on another note:
4. think about the stupidity of it all. a PLANT is a crime. a completely NATURAL plant. how can a plant b a crime? y not criminalize trees? i bet if u smoked enough of anything ud get a buzz of some sort. it’s stupid and useless 2 make ppl serve sentence because of smokin a plant seriously. especially wen most of em r more educated about life than the rest of the population thats caught up in their material world. its a gift that was put on this planet 4 a reason. tha ppl dat truly understand it n smoke it appreciate life in a completely different way. they understand just how precious a gift life is and kno not 2 waste it all on the trivial matters of materialism. thank u 4 readin my thoughts
Marajuana shouldbe legalized because people are going to be using it regardless of whether or not it is legal, and those who do use it should be protected by the food and drug admisistration, who would make sure that it was safe and not laced with another harmful substance. Most people who smoke marajuana do not know what is in until it is already in their system.
actually, i happen to have my research paper on the legalization of marijuana due tomorrow. before i did it, i didnt really care if it was legal or not. i smoke, and i thought it would be cool to not have to hide it all the time and actually be able to buy it in a store, but i wasnt really on any side of the issue. now that i did research on the whole topic (thats how i found this website), i completely and passionately believe that it should be legalized. i dont think i could do anything about it really, but if i could id do everything i could. i dont know why i feel so strongly about the issue, but its just happening, and i just read all of these posts, and i decided id share something too. i have to finish my works cited for the research paper. thanks if you took the time to read all of this. i might stop by again sometime. you guys seem really cool and i love a good debate to than you for that “argument” that went on. =]i hope everyone got to see the best in it like i got to.
well im a 16 year old and let me tell u grass has been the best thing that happend to me i love it. it helps me think and feel things i never felt before i love it and i think that marijuana should be legalized for the good of man kind
thank you for readin my message
Well guys, its been fun arguing with you over this two week period. A lot of good claims have been issued on both sides. On the other hand, a lot of people who submitted comments are uneducated and irrational. To those people I say, learn the facts before you try to sound like you know what you’re talking about. I thank you all for the reason I got into this long argument was for a college class. You have all aided me in my final project and I thank you. I hope that you all go out and educate yourselves on the facts at hand and further argue intellegently. For my stance on the issue, I could really care less if marijuana was legalized for any purpose. I honestly don’t think it ever will be legalized, but like I said, I’m impartial to the issue. Thanks again, its been fun.
jmgaertner, I find your thoughts on the matter to be educated and well thought out. However, I disagree with them. For the same reasons of course. I have done the research and taken the time to thoroughly look into this cause. I support it. I currently have a ten page research paper that I put together citing many sources INCLUDING government run facilities, countless doctors and researchers. So let me say, marijuana is not a gateway drug. The source of that comment comes from a study done by the National Academy of Sciences. It states that “There is no evidence to support the belief that the use of one drug will inevitably lead to use of any other drug. In other words, persons at the top rung of the ladder of drug use will have used all substances at lower levels, including marijuana. However, those at lower rungs may stay there and not move to higher rungs of the ladder”.
To say that it causes deaths is also a little premature in my opinion. The National Institute of Drug Abuse, or NIDA, states, “Marijuana is rarely mentioned in death reports, and when it is, it is almost always cited with alcohol or another drug.”
Do I support the use of marijuan for recreational purposes? I tend to be on the fence on that. Like alcohol, if used responsibly, then I see no problem. So I believe the use of it recreationaly should be left up to the user. However, marijuana and industrial grown hemp can benefit the public in many ways outside of smoking it to get high. Perhaps ALL aspects of marijuana should be looked at before automatically saying NO.
I have a full report on marijuana from many sources. I would be happy to share it with anyone who wishes. Simply let me know how to get it to you.
Firstly i’d like to say that the debate on this page is well thought out and healthy. However no one has mentioned the impact the legalization of marijuana will make on the surrounding world. For instance, how would it’s legalization impact the illegal drug trafficing industry, the mob and gang industy, the financial hole our country has dug inself trying to prevent its use, and the extra money now being spend on beefing up the boarders.
It is tru that marijuana can be quite harmful to the subject and the people around the user. However i doubt its legalization will be conducted without a detailed set of new laws regarding its use. For instance a breathalizer, or some other type of device to test a induced driver.
regarding the medical aspect, it is a proven fact that all medicines have different effects on everyone, that is why there are a hundred different medicines for headaces, acne, insomnia, etc. In order to find the most productive “match” for a person medically i think that marijuana should be considered into the pool of prescriptions.
I think that marijuana should be legalized. I am a freshamn in college and have been using marijuana since high school. Never once have a missed a day of work or school because of this drug. If anything it helps me relax from a stressful day.
Think of the economy..the legalization of mary jane would reduce the black market crimes and violence connected to the sale of marijuana.
Think of health..you hear in the news how some kids “freak out” from the use of marijuana. This is normally because the drug is laced with some other drug, which is a very bad thing to do because you can actually die from this. If we made it legalized there would be no chance for it to get laced and they would probably have a set amount of THC allowed to be sold.
And lets just face it many people smoke it anyways and I don’t see what the harm would be if we made it legalized. The same people who like the drug will be able to get it legally and the people who don’t like the drug just shouldn’t purchase it then.
Yes, answering your question, I have tried marijuana, it is hard to think of many people who havent. I’m not going to say it was a bad experience, but that does not mean it should be legalized. And yes, maybe the legalization of it wouldn’t lead to a terrible outcome in society, but it would by no means lead to a more productive one. It is proven that marijuana has more negative effects on the body than it does positive. And for medicinal purposes, there are more effective drugs that have been approved by the FDA to curb illnesses. And whoever said that it has been proven in many research studies that marijuana is helpful for illnesses needs to do their research. Most of the testings done are either inconclusive or biased. I’m sure that you could find some doctor out there that says heroin has medical uses and it too should be legalized. And looking at the “big picture”, have you ever thought what might happen ten years down the road if marijuana is legalized? You all think that it is going to have this wonderful effect, but nobody stops to think of the backlashes it could have. As we all know, marijuana is a gateway drug, please don’t argue this, it has been proven, therefore, more people could start to use it and move to other drugs. Also, what kind of message is this sending to our kids? Smoke marijuana, its good for you? I’m sorry, I just have a hard time believing that smoking a plant, disregarding how far we have come in medical technology in the last hundred years, will solve our problems.
In response to jmgaertner about my hasty assumption (which arguably is based merely upon personal observation and not scholarly research), have you ever tried marijuana? If so, what was your experience with it that has helped lead you to your conclusions about it?
Yes, however, I do agree it can be a dangerous substance from time to time, but not so harmful that its legalization for medicinal or recreational use would be as major a threat to the health or well-being of the general public as some assume. It would be regulated, just as alcohol and cigarettes are regulated, as dangerous as they are. I do not believe, however, it would be the unholy terror its being made out to be if its usage is controlled, as it is in parts of Europe.
Do people actually think it is reasonable to prosecute and fine americans for smoking a plant that is a lot less dangerous than a pack of cigs or a bottle of vodka? Where is the logic? Do people actually enjoy paying tax dollars towards the prohibition and arrests of users who enjoy a good joint from time to time? People need to look at the big picture instead of making laws that are pointless.
Marijuana should definitely be legalized for medical use. It has been shown in numerous cases to help those suffering with serious illnesses. Why should we continue to let those who are sick suffer when there is something out there to help them?
I agree with what the last blogger, Santa, has to say. Everyone else who has written on the blog lacks solid evidence to justify their claims. They are making the inference that if other drugs are legal, and possibly more harmful, then marijuana should be so as well.
With even the slightest bit of research one is able to see that there is no evidence proving marijuana is safe enough to be made a medicine. In fact according to Dr. Donald P. Tashkin, “not only does the tar in a cannabis cigarette contain many of the same known carcinogens as tobacco smoke but the concentrations of these are up to 50% higher in the smoke of a cannabis cigarette.” So you must not think that smoking tobacco causes cancer? And there obviously are cells in the body that are receptive to THC, otherwise why would people smoke it? The THC is absorbed into the body and this is what gives the feeling of being “high”. It may not necessarily be the THC that could cause the cancer but the other harmful chemicals that come with the act of smoking. I’m not saying that smoking does cause cancer, but the possiblity still exists and it is absurd to make the statement you did. Not only may it cause cancer but it can weaken the immune system, damage the brain and have reproductive side effects. For example, the National Institute on Drug Abuse research findings indicate some damage to the brain similar to those seen after long term use of other major drugs of abuse. Dr. Sheena Lewis of Queen’s University did a study that showed that THC made sperm less likely to reach the egg to fertilise it and that smoking men have reduced semen volume and total sperm number. These few studies just show that cannabis is not necessarily as safe and you make it seem.
Ok, I agree with your claim that tobacco and alcohol have very negative effects on the body. Marijuana does as well though. And since the first two are legal, why should we legalize the third? Have you ever heard of the saying, two wrongs don’t make a right? Just because tobacco and alcohol are legal does not mean that we should legalize marijuana. And to comment on your limb, it is a hasty generalization to say that all opposing the legalization of marijuana have never once tried it. Your opinion means much in an argument, but don’t start to stereotype people. That just makes you look uneducated.
People are just looking for a legal way to get high…
People already have a legal way to get high. It’s called alcohol, and the damaging effects of legal alcohol far outweigh those associated with marijuana.
Tobacco is another legal way for people to get high. Need we say anything here about the dangers of tobacco?
Caffine, another drug, is basically an “upper” and a highly addictive and unhealthy one at that.
I’m willing to go out on a limb and make the assumption that most of those who support the prohibition of marijuana have probably tried alcohol, maybe even tobacco, but have never once tried marijuana. Prohibitionists should make a truly informed evaluation by understand for themselves (i.e., first-hand) why it should or should not be legalized.
–R.C.
I agree, marijuana has never directly killed anyone, but, it does slow your motor skills. So therefore, marijuana has caused people to get into car accidents, even if you don’t want to believe it. Also, marijuana does have negative effects on the body. First, smoking anything can cause cancer as well as many other diseases. Second, marijuana affects the reproductive system. According to Haibin Wang, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center states,
“Exposure to THC causes retarded development and oviductal retention of embryos.”
Also, marijuana has negative connotations attached to it. Kids today do not think marijuana as being that bad because they believe that it is medicine. This is not true. Marijuana only has one positive medical attribute, THC. So if THC is all that you’re looking for to curb any illness, take Marinol. It is an FDA approved drug that has synthetic THC in it.
All studies done with medical marijuana are inconclusive. People are just looking for a legal way to get high. I do not believe that your support justifies your claim.
I am a freshman in college, and I have been smoking marijuana since the beginning of my freshman year in high school. I want to tell you what kind of student I was. I was brilliant. I got extremely well grades, and I scored a 27 on the ACT.
Marijuana has never made me sick, upset, dependant, or has never caused me to lose one job. I also have consumed alcohol in certain stages in my teenage life. When I have consumed alcohol I have been sick, depressed, angry, emabarrased and hurt on countless occasions.
What I don’t see is the reasoning behind the legal drug choice. There hasn’t been one recorded death by marijuana, EVER, but look how many alcohol and tobacco have. Like the legendary Bill Hicks said, “It’s okay to drink your drugs, we meant those other untaxed drugs. Those are the ones that you can’t do.”
How I see it is that whatever you want to do in your spare time, as long as you doesn’t directly effect anyone else in a negative way, should be fine to do. It makes sense to me, and someone else would seem ignorant to me if they didn’t see the logic behind it.
Yes tabacco is legal, but that doesn’t mean that marijuana should be too