Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I am kind of new to the great debates thread and this thread is 280 replies in and therefor I cannot take the time to read them all. Withthat said I appologize in advance for probably hitting on other points made by other people in the thread. But I can neither not reply to this post as I feel my opinion in the matter should be stated.
Pot is a gateway drug. Most users of illegal narcotics began their journey with marijana. It is a drug that does not post the imeadiate threat of overdose. This means that peer pressure to initiate usage is easy to accomplish by the pusher. But after the new pot user has made the leap to use an illegal narcotic using more dangerous ones is not too far away for them.
Pot should be legalized. Not for the primary reasons many would think but for the purpose of eliminating gateway drugs from the hands of vulnerable teenagers. Yes they will use it unfortunately but they will not have crossed that line between the legal and the not legal which will deture in the future use of Meth Cocaine/Crack Heroine PCP LSD and other extremely dangerous Narcotics.
I am kind of new to the great debates thread and this thread is 280 replies in and therefor I cannot take the time to read them all. Withthat said I appologize in advance for probably hitting on other points made by other people in the thread. But I can neither not reply to this post as I feel my opinion in the matter should be stated.
Pot is a gateway drug. Most users of illegal narcotics began their journey with marijana. It is a drug that does not post the imeadiate threat of overdose. This means that peer pressure to initiate usage is easy to accomplish by the pusher. But after the new pot user has made the leap to use an illegal narcotic using more dangerous ones is not too far away for them.
Pot should be legalized. Not for the primary reasons many would think but for the purpose of eliminating gateway drugs from the hands of vulnerable teenagers. Yes they will use it unfortunately but they will not have crossed that line between the legal and the not legal which will deture in the future use of Meth Cocaine/Crack Heroine PCP LSD and other extremely dangerous Narcotics.
While I do agree that Pot should be legalized, I disagree with the "Gateway drug" claim. The only reason why it's the first one most people do is that it's the most acceptable one. But if someone's going to do Heroin, Speed, Cocaine or Ecstasy, they'll do them regardless if they try pot. Plus, I know plenty of people who did other drugs, found them to be too much and then went to pot as a result. My sister dropped Acid before she smoked pot or a cigarette, I knew dozens of girls in high school who did ecstasy but would never smoke pot. The fact of the matter is, when something's illegal, it's easier for those who shouldn't have it to get it. Once legalized and regulated it will be a lot more difficult for kids to get it. If Heroin can be smuggled into prisons, there's no way that anything can be eliminated without having an oppressive fascist government, and even then it seems as though there will always be a black market. Therefore, the only solution is legalization, taxation and regulation.
Weed is clearly less dangerous than alcohol, and if it were legalized and just 10% of alcohol users switched, the streets would be safer.
There actually has been no confirmation for marijuana as a gateway drug. Most studies indicate that the concept of gateway drug is simply not true. The logic being that environment is a bigger factor than the drug itself. So if a person is stable and smokes marijuana, they are less likely to try other substances, than a person who is unstable and smokes. Thus, other variables are involved. This is part of the reason why the anti-marijuana commercials have changed to depict marijuana users as simply lazy and not dynamic, a drastic departure from the old commercials of wild and out of control. It is medically proven that more damage is done with high alcohol use than high marijuana use. The only reason why is it is still illegal is more for social reasons.
Yes...i can think of at least one good reason ; it is hallucinary for most when taken regularly and it dulls the senses . How safe is that going to be for the Addict as well as his fellow man on the road (assuming the Addict isnt apathetic toward such things) ?
But really howdedooty who is saying anything about making smoking and driving legal. I think you need to smoke one. It'd make you less of a butthead
But really howdedooty who is saying anything about making smoking and driving legal. I think you need to smoke one. It'd make you less of a butthead
I know that smoking while driving in alot or most states now is just as illegal as drunk driving and it is treated just the same and it really should'nt be. I know someone who had 2 prior dui's and she commited to never drink alcohol again to avoid a 3rd wich she did but she got stopped a few years later after some recent light smoking and it was just enough to charge her with a 3rd offense just the same as drunk driving and that is a little harsh if you ask me to be treated with such penaltys of a 3rd dui. I'm not saying people should drive stoned but it by far is not as dangerous to do as to drink some or drink heavily and drive. I am more worried about people driving drunk or while on the phone, or kids driving and huffing chemicals wich they do, and most likely because a joint was not available.
Well I'm more concerned with the flat out irresponsible but uninhibited drivers out there. They're nuts. Maybe if they smoked they would atleast be paranoid and realize that they are drivin a thousand pounds of steal and there are grave consequences to their actions.
I didn't read through all 29 pages, so if I'm repeating something forgive me, but I have one reason that it may not be good to legalize it.
For the most part, I favor legalizing marajuana. Though there is one key issue that I hone in on, especially since my brother and sister both smoke tobacco products.
There have been studies on regular cigs that show that they are not "just tobacco," but are laced with all sorts of other harmful substances/chemicals that are carcenogens.
Would legalizing pot result in the same?
It may be a moot point, but legalizing it may possibly make it more harmful to your health.
I didn't read through all 29 pages, so if I'm repeating something forgive me, but I have one reason that it may not be good to legalize it.
For the most part, I favor legalizing marajuana. Though there is one key issue that I hone in on, especially since my brother and sister both smoke tobacco products.
There have been studies on regular cigs that show that they are not "just tobacco," but are laced with all sorts of other harmful substances/chemicals that are carcenogens.
Would legalizing pot result in the same?
It may be a moot point, but legalizing it may possibly make it more harmful to your health.
Those carcenogens and adverse health effects are only tied to the SMOKING of Mary Jane (and really, they aren't that bad, you've never heard of anyone dying or developing lung cancer from smoking MJ). If you vaporize weed, then the health problems are non existant and can actually stimulate health. They have found certain agents that actually help against the fight with breast cancer.
Also, legalizing it wouldn't make it more harmful; it'd just make it legal. It's the same with saying the number of those who smoke and drive will lead to exponential growth in the number of people who do if legalized.
*shrug* But it is a matter of the public burden. If you expect the taxpayers to bail you out of the consequences of your own choices, you lose any ground to demand that they butt out of the very conduct for which they are to pay the bill. Whether or not the government should actually regulate a private activity that results in financial exposure to the public is subject to other considerations as well -- namely, the costs and practicality of regulation -- but this does not undermine the fact the State has a legitimate interest in regulating an activity that implicates the public fisc. Thus, I simply don't see how support for universal health care coverage is consistent with arguments in favor of absolute freedom to render oneself a public charge.
By the way: contrary to your sweeping generalization, I do apply this principle across the board. (I also find it amusing how you went ahead and ascribed to me a whole slew what I suppose are "classical" political positions in your view. You assumed, in particular, that just because I question the validity of leftydan's basis for legalizing pot, I must be against environmental regulation, consumer protection or nutritional quality control. Stereotype much?) It is the idea that the government should leave us the hell alone to make our private messes, then come in and clean them up using public funds -- that is truly specious.
Then there is still the issue of fast food, tobacco and alcohol use which are several hundred times more harmful than marijuana use.
Paranoia was another trait i would see in people who were smoking Pot at the time. As for myself, the very reason i stopped smoking Pot at age 27 was that i was driving down the Interstate at night on my 27th birthday and was going into hallucinations that other motorists were about to crash into me . My concentration level and response time were greatly impaired as were other Pot induced Drivers I rode with back then. Pot today, is far more serious because it is very often deliberately spiked with strong addictive substances ; as with any other illegal drug, the MO of the Growers/Pushers are to in fact get you addicted so you will return for more and more . There are drastic consequences for Pot users who have done it for a long time, and a couple of those include memory impairment and depression ; ive personally witnessed many people who really messed up their lives from a decade or two of looking for that unique experience they thought Marijuana would deliver . Like many other things that our decadent Culture offers , it's a Big lie for the thrill Seeker -- thats why they call it 'DOPE' .
About once a minute a pothead is arrested - yeah, we're paranoid...
As far as driving goes - DON'T DRIVE. not all potheads are going to drive - I flat out refuse to drive while under the influence of anything but asprin.
As far as some seedy grower trying to get you hooked, if you could grow your own without getting an even larger fine and more prison time that would be a lesser occurrence would it not?
Many of these things that you list are also symptoms of alcohol use. Ever seen an alcoholic going through the DT's? That is far worse than seeing a moping pothead
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
