should marijuana be legal?

[captainjack]

we spend billions on marijuana, a harmless and quite frankly brilliant mind enhancing drug. so what if people blow a little steam with it, eh?

how do fundamental christians interpolate that drugs are wrong when there's nothing in the bible distinctly about the blunt?

if anything, the govt can tax marijuana and help more people and help society progress. imagine how many prison cells will free up after puny 1 time smokers and dealers are let go.

making it legal doesn't equate to forcing people to smoke it.

[terrya]

1. Yes. eom

[DenverDem]

2. (Inhale, hold it, hold it, hold it, exhale) Ahhhh, YES!!!!

It's the healing of the nations.

Wish I could afford some.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

3. Yes.

And it would stop being a "gateway drug" if it were legalized and sold in stores where they don't also sell other drugs.

[el_gato]

4. The Drug war is a scam

but hey, they gotta keep them prisons full or criminal operations like Wackenhut wouldn't be able to justify thier leeching of our tax dollars.

[Pragmatique]

12. Haven't you heard?

There's a lot of "private sector" owned prisons these days and in order to turn a profit they need inmates. And what better inmates to have then docile laid-back stoners? It only requires about half as many correction officers to keep order, and that fact boosts the profit margins.

[Ron Green]

5. Peace to the Leaf!

:smoke: :hippie:

[lil-petunia]

6. yes, but a good first step will be in Chicago

fines, not criminal cases.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

7. Yes

I don't care what adults do with their own bodies as along as it doesn't affect me. I don't drink but I don't stop others from drinking. I don't smoke but I don't stop others from smoking. I don't eat meat, but I don't stop others from eating meat. Free country, do what you will.

[Cobalt Violet]

8. I hope to see it in my lifetime.

But I'm starting to think that would mean I have to move to another country.

Botanically speaking it is a fascinating plant! I would love to be able to grow it.

[MuseRider]

9. Yes. n/t

[miss_kitty]

10. you have to ask? n/t

[salvorhardin]

11. Abso-f*in-lutely

Marijuana is so much less harmful than either tobacco or alcohol.

I'm not so sure how you could tax a weed that will grow pretty much anywhere. I'd hate to see the government only make it legal for RJ Reynolds et. al. to sell it, although I'm sure there are plenty of people who would choose to buy it from them rather than keep a plant of their own. Of course, if big tobacco got into the mj game, they'd make it almost as dangerous as cigarettes by using radioactive pesticides.

I would hope if it were legalized that small organic farmers would cash in by growing their own marijuana locally. My area used to be the largest producer of hops in the U.S. and the local economy was totally driven by hops production. In modern times the largest sector of our economy is a second rate teaching hospital and third rate tourism. It'd be really nice to see the area's farmers make a comeback.

[ChrisK]

13. i think part of the problem is

that we have attached some stigmas to legalizing marijuana that say if we do everyone and there mom will start using it and that's a joke.

I tried it once back in the mid 80's and didn't care for it much and have never tried it again and will not if it were legal but thats me so the idea that it will be ramped in the street and everyone will be doing it is nonsense.

You have the right to drink motor oil if you feel the "need" to no matter what others say and no one can stop you I can't see why a drug that has no worse side effects in some cases then alcohol or cigarettes is going to be worse for you minus using it when driving or when your pregent..I'm sorry but I just don't get it with people trying to run other peoples lives...fix your problems first then come looking for me and we'll talk, until then mind your own business.

Oh and I say yes it should be legal..sorry I just took the LONG road getting to my answer :)

[malachibk]

14. Good lord, yes eom

[sniffa]

15. you got any?

i'm dying here! the sox game wouLd be so much more enjoyabLe.

oh, and yes, it shouLd be LegaL.

[salvorhardin]

16. Heh -- maybe we should

start the DU MJ Buyers Club. :evilgrin:

[sniffa]

17. i often suggest it

the green party. :D

[johnnie]

18. HELL NO!!!!!!

Haven't y'all ever seen that movie "Reefer Madness"?!! Look at what that shit can do to you! One hit from that can turn you into a whacked out junkie, and you would play the piano real fast and stuff.

[BlueJazz]

22. Boy....Ain't that the truth!!

I was the brightest student in my High-School.....I took ONE hit on a Mary-wanna plant and now I'm a skid-Row Bum who would sell his own sister for another toke....

[Pragmatique]

26. Sorry to hear...

So sorry to hear about your downfall. How much for your sister, and do you/she accept Visa?

[Senior citizen]

19. I'm reading Crossing the Rubicon.....

....and after learning how much Wall Street, the CIA, terrorists, and multinational corporations depend on drug money, I'm starting to think maybe all drugs should be legal.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

20. You mean it's --gasp!-- NOT LEGAL?

Damn. I am a criminal.

[ismnotwasm]

21. Of course

[Nikia]

23. Yes and testing for it at work should be illegal

Having it be illegal discriminates against people who have a different drug preference than alcohol drinkers. It is less harmful than alcohol. Keeping it illegal and alcohol legal is discrimination and unequal protection under the law. If it were to made legal or decriminalized, we need to make sure that drug tests for it tied to employment are made illegal. I think now it is fashionable to prove that stoners are unemployed and unmotivated by limiting their employment choices by drug testing. With few exceptions drug testing has nothing to do with anything employmentwise.

[Tafiti]

24. Normally, I would say yes, but...

...we've had such strict laws against it, a bunch of fucking retards would get blazed and do stupid shit and give a bad name to responsible users. However, it should definitely be decriminalized. It's a very necessary first step to responsible drug policy.

[theorist]

25. Yes, but do you believe we import hemp rope?

Hemp is one of those miracle plants that has been "following" humans around for millenia. Besides it's psychotropic properties, it has hundreds (possibly thousands) of practical, technological uses.

I have a feeling that the only reason it is criminalized is that many government officials can't admit they are wrong, thus releasing thousands of drug offenders who will vote them out of office. It's kind of angering.