Marijuana: Should it be Legalized???

[Epitome]

[size=1][color=red]Now, if this is innapropriate I totally understand but I just wanted to get the opinion of some of the OBer's on this situation...

So, I am doing a public policy project on the legalization of marijuana. I am personally for it. One of the main things that I have heard was that alot of people that use marijuana, not for medicine, use it to rebel against parents, government, etc. or to "relieve" stress. Now I for one have tried marijuana, and when I tried it I did feel good, but it wasnt right for me. But the thing is, I think that if we did legalize the drug, then more people would stop using it because there is no sense of "rebellion" left in the drug...

Now to my next point about it, medicine. If you dont think it should be legalized for everyone, do you think all states should allow it as medicine. I agree with this as well because if they are using it, or trying to use it for a good cause then I agree with it being allowed to be used.

So what do you think on the situation? Are you for it, or against it, and why...[/size][/color]

[Zeta]

[QUOTE]So, I am doing a public policy project on the legalization of marijuana. I am personally for it. One of the main things that I have heard was that alot of people that use marijuana, not for medicine, use it to rebel against parents, government, etc. or to "relieve" stress. Now I for one have tried marijuana, and when I tried it I did feel good, but it wasnt right for me. But the thing is, I think that if we did legalize the drug, then more people would stop using it because there is no sense of "rebellion" left in the drug...[/QUOTE]

That is EXACTLY what I think on this subject. They do it because kids are told not to do it. They like to feel "cool" knowing they are not following their parents/govt. laws.

I myself was quite a big smoker of marijuana up until a few months ago. The fun had left me. I no longer felt cool while doing it. I just felt how stupid I am for wasting so much money on something that is worthless in the long run when I should be putting my money towards a new car, college, computer, anything that will actually help meh. I just tried it again the other day and thought to myself "I wasted so much money on this?"


Imagine the money the government could make by taxing it if it were legalized. Not only would it help the sick if it was prescribed to them, it would keep children away from much harder drugs such as cocaine, heroin, etc. With it being illegal, they have to get it from the black market basically, which only increases their chances of coming into contact with other, harder drugs.

I couldn't have said it better myself Serraph.

[Godelsensei]

[COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]Being one who is against the fact that cigarettes are legalized, I don't think that marijuana ought to be, either.

Kids still smoke tobacco because they think it's cool.

Parents still wouldn't want their child smoking pot, regardless of whether or not it was legal.
Also, it's a gateway drug. It's like downloading your first low-quality fan-sub via Kazaa, only worse for your health.

The reason that having small amounts of marijuana about one's person was decriminalized is that the police had to arrest so many teenagers who were just trying it for the first time.

I believe having one joint results in a $150 fine, but I'm not sure. (A friend of mine had to do a small report on this issue.)

Dealing it, growing it, etc... is still a crime punishable by jail-time, however.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[Zeta]

[QUOTE]
Kids still smoke tobacco because they think it's cool. [/QUOTE]

Because they are not legally allowed to smoke it perhaps? Either way you look at it, they are still breaking the law. Legally they cannot be smoking it, but adults can. So naturally they smoke because they are breaking the law, a law that many don't care about, but still a law.

Marijuana is in fact, not as bad as cigarettes. It is a common mis-conception. With cigarettes one can become addicted all to easily. You need more and more to get the buzz, which lasts maybe, maybe 15 minutes at the most. You can't stop. But with marijuana you know when you are high, and usually you just stop there. I read an article on this issue a few weeks back that explains everything in much more detail than I am, I will try to find it if anyone is interested.

It isn't like they would allow kids to smoke marijuana if it were legalized. There would still be restrictions. Most likely it would be until they are 18, same age as cigarettes. Or possibly 21 since it is more like alcohol than a cigarette. At those ages, you are no longer a child but an adult, and your parents can't run your life anymore. They may not want you to, but as long as you would be doing it legally they can't stop you.

[Solo Tremaine]

[quote name='Zeta']Marijuana is in fact, not as bad as cigarettes. It is a common mis-conception.[/quote][COLOR=#503F86]N[/COLOR][color=#503f86]ot in terms of the damage it does to your body- marijuana is a lot worse than you might think. It releases far more dangerous toxins into your body and the effect they have lasts for weeks after the initial effects. Studies (I can't name any, but I'll gladly find them if you want to) have shown that traces of the drug can still be found in people weeks after smoking even the tiniest bit. The way it effects you can be quite severe. Do you know how many car accidents are drug-raleted? Well over 40%, certainly in the UK. Legalise it and you'll get a hell of a lot more people doing it in places they wouldn't have before. Considering the huge amount of smokers about, hypothetically if they all changed over to marijuana we'd be in deep trouble.

It's not just the body it releases harmful toxins into- it releases them into the air, as well. Forget car exhausts- if you got everyone in the world to stop smoking I'm sure there'd be a huge decrease in the amount of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere.

I am incredibly opposed to all of this, cigarettes included. I can't understand why someone would willingly ingest all these disgusting things into their bodies. I'll admit that there are times I've been saying things that it would look 'suitable' to have a cigarette in my hand, but I hate the media for having created that image in my head. Frankly I feel much better knowing my body's in a far better state of health than the rest of the chain smokers and druggies about, even if they might be having a better time.[/color]

[QUOTE]Because they are not legally allowed to smoke it perhaps? Either way you look at it, they are still breaking the law. Legally they cannot be smoking it, but adults can. So naturally they smoke because they are breaking the law, a law that many don't care about, but still a law.[/QUOTE][color=#503f86]They don't do it just because it's a law to brea. A lot of the people I know who smoke did it underage not because they wanted to break the law, but because it was something they felt pressured into doing- "I want to smoke socially because everyone else is." And even then, the others must have been affected by something. If you legalise it all you're allowing people to do is get something dangerous more easily.

Medicinal usage of marijuana isn't the same as what druggies sell- it's far less concentrated and is specially refined to aid the specific symptoms of the person they're prescribed to. I don't mind it being used for that if it genuinely helps someone get better. But using the 'medicinal properties' as an excuse to get normal cannabis legalised to the same extent as cigarettes seems disgusting to me, because they aren't the same sort of stuff.[/color]

[eleanor]

[color=firebrick] Wow, any kid who willingly smokes illegal drugs just to rebel against parents/society/whatever or because they think it's cool is dumb anyway. If I could I'd like to meet each one and punch them.

And you know...marijuana is a gateway drug as Godelsensei said, and it's addictive. Making it legal is something I'm totally against. Basically everything Godel said is what I believe. It's not like once marijuana is legalized, parents will say it's ok to take. Most don't like cigarettes. Kids still do them. *shrugs* I see no point in legalizing mariguana, and it's dumb. More people would do them if it's legalized.[/color]

[Epitome]

[QUOTE=Godelsensei][COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]Being one who is against the fact that cigarettes are legalized, I don't think that marijuana ought to be, either.

Kids still smoke tobacco because they think it's cool.

Parents still wouldn't want their child smoking pot, regardless of whether or not it was legal.
Also, it's a gateway drug. It's like downloading your first low-quality fan-sub via Kazaa, only worse for your health.

The reason that having small amounts of marijuana about one's person was decriminalized is that the police had to arrest so many teenagers who were just trying it for the first time.

I believe having one joint results in a $150 fine, but I'm not sure. (A friend of mine had to do a small report on this issue.)

Dealing it, growing it, etc... is still a crime punishable by jail-time, however.[/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE]
[size=1]I agree with you on cigarettes, and I do realize that marijuana is a gateway drug, but its a known fact that MOST people do not lead to cocaine, heroine, etc. from marijuana. They normally start with alcohol or cigarettes.

I think marijuana should be legalized so that more kids would STOP... and maladjusted, you say whoever does drugs to rebel is dumb... That is exactly my thinking, but they think its cool. Thats the point. If we legalized it, I could almost guarantee you that about 1/4 to about 1/3 of the drug use would go down. And if it is addictive, then they should legalize it soon, to at least get the feeling of rebellion out of it.

Actually, Im speculating. But I still go with my theory.

And what do you think about medical use maladjusted, I agree with Godel on that...[/size]

[Godelsensei]

[COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]Sixteen-year-olds are still kids, yet it is legal for them to smoke.

It's just illegal for them to purchase their own cigarettes, as dumb as it seems.

Legalizing a drug would make it far easier to get ahold of, which would only make more people start, or continue, to use it.
[/FONT]
[/COLOR]

[wrist cutter]

[quote name='Zeta']At those ages, you are no longer a child but an adult, and your parents can't run your life anymore. They may not want you to, but as long as you would be doing it legally they can't stop you.[/quote]

As long as you're living with them they can.

[Zeta]

Well yeah of course wrist cutter. But who really [i]wants[/i] to live with their parents after turning 18, heh.

[QUOTE]
Sixteen-year-olds are still kids, yet it is legal for them to smoke.[/QUOTE]

Really? I have yet to hear that. My guess is this law is around for just where you live? Or is it for the whole nation? Where I used to live it was you have to be 18 to buy or smoke.

Yes marijuana releases things into your body. Of course. But when you look at it in the view that you don't smoke as much as you would a cigarette, the toxins don't take as much as a toll. I'm not saying that it is healthier than cigarettes ten fold or anything. You can't get addicted to marijuana as far as I am aware. You can just become dependent if anything. There is a difference between the two. Just as Kennedy was dependent on his medicine for whatever problems it was that he had, but he wasn't addicted. There have been no deaths ever recorded due to smoking marijuana. I'm not talking about car accidents or anything that could happen when being recklass while under the influence, I am talking about just by smoking marijuana itself.

Angel is right here. I have read articles from various sources that show that marijuana is not a gateway drug. It was shown that as marijuana usage went down, there was still the increase in cocaine use for example. Now if you are talking about that it introduces you to other drugs, then yes I can see it as a gateway drug. With it being illegal one must get it through illegal means of course. Doing this brings you into contact with the harder drugs. It isn't a gateway drug. DARE just teaches you this to frighten you from ever doing it.

I really don't think that legalizing it will make it easier to get a hold of than it all ready is. If the government legalizes it and regulates it, they will put restrictions o n it as well. I believe that people knowing that they will be able to smoke it legally will just wait for a bit. And also with the regulations there won't be a way for one to come into contact with the harder drugs, unless of course one goes looking for those themselves.


I can find articles conerning the health issues and the topic of it being a gateway drug if anyone wishes?

Well I decided to just get ya'll a link with some common misconceptions of marijuana. Hopefully I am allowed to link to the site, heh.

[url]http://www.marijuana.com/myths.php3[/url]

[Baron Samedi]

[size=1]Marijuana.com, extolling the virtues of firing up a good toke every now and then. Thats amazing o_O

Marijuana has worse, and quicker effects than cigarettes. It is more expensive, and also addictive. It is a gateway drug, and as the effects of the 'high' become accustomed to by your body, you need more to get the same effect. This is why it is a gateway drug. People still smoke cigarettes, even though it is legal. It is for the 'cool' factor, and 'because everyone else is doing it'. It's also stupid.

Marijuana should be available for medication, because as Solo stated, it is incredibly different from 'street' or 'homegrown' marijuana.

General legalisation is not necessarily [at all] a wise path to follow.[/size]

[Zeta]

Well if you actually go and read the website, you will see that it is in fact more than it seems at face vaule. Again, read the link I posted concerning gateway drug, addiction, etc. Because obviously you didn't read it, or if you did you payed it half mind with the years and years of it being a gateway drug forced into your brain. It really does explain the common myths, and has supporting facts to dispell these common myths.

[QUOTE]This is why it is a gateway drug.[/QUOTE]

How is what you stated the reason it is a gateway drug? Needing more of it will cause you to get more of just marijuana itself. For one they won't go looking for coke to get the high from marijuana. Judging from my personal experience with both, I don't find a likeness. You'r body can work without the drug in your system. You can't get addicted to marijuana.

I will quote parts of this article for you and others to read.

[b]Essentially all drugs are used in "an addictive fashion" by some people. However, for any drug to be identified as highly addictive, there should be evidence that substantial numbers of users repeatedly fail in their attempts to discontinue use and develop use-patterns that interfere with other life activities.

National epidemiological surveys show that the large majority of people who have had experience with marijuana do not become regular users.

In 1993, among Americans age 12 and over, about 34% had used marijuana sometime in their life, but only 9% had used it in the past year, 4.3% in the past month, and 2.8% in the past week. 59

A longitudinal study of young adults who had first been surveyed in high school also found a high "discontinuation rate" for marijuana. While 77% had used the drug, 74% of those had not used in the past year and 84% had not used in the past month. 60

Of course, even people who continue using marijuana for several years or more are not necessarily "addicted" to it. Many regular users - including many daily users - consume marijuana in a way that does not interfere with other life activities, and may in some cases enhance them.

There is only scant evidence that marijuana produces physical dependence and withdrawal in humans.

When human subjects were administered daily oral doses of 180-210 mg of THC - the equivalent of 15-20 joints per day - abrupt cessation produced adverse symptoms, including disturbed sleep, restlessness, nausea, decreased appetite, and sweating. The authors interpreted these symptoms as evidence of physical dependence. However, they noted the syndrome's relatively mild nature and remained skeptical of its occurrence when marijuana is consumed in usual doses and situations. 61 Indeed, when humans are allowed to control consumption, even high doses are not followed by adverse withdrawal symptoms. 62

Signs of withdrawal have been created in laboratory animals following the administration of very high doses. 63 Recently, at a NIDA-sponsored conference, a researcher described unpublished observations involving rats pretreated with THC and then dosed with a cannabinoid receptor-blocker. 64 Not surprisingly, this provoked sudden withdrawal, by stripping receptors of the drug. This finding has no relevance to human users who, upon ceasing use, experience a very gradual removal of THC from receptors.

The most avid publicizers of marijuana's addictive nature are treatment providers who, in recent years, have increasingly admitted insured marijuana users to their programs. 65 The increasing use of drug-detection technologies in the workplace, schools and elsewhere has also produced a group of marijuana users who identify themselves as "addicts" in order to receive treatment instead of punishment. 66[/b]




[b]MARIJUANA IS A "GATEWAY" TO THE USE OF OTHER DRUGS

Advocates of marijuana prohibition claim that even if marijuana itself causes minimal harm, it is a dangerous substance because it leads to the use of "harder drugs" such as heroin, LSD, and cocaine.

THE FACTS

Most users of heroin, LSD and cocaine have used marijuana. However, most marijuana users never use another illegal drug.

Over time, there has been no consistent relationship between the use patterns of various drugs. 83

As marijuana use increased in the 1960s and 1970s, heroin use declined. And, when marijuana use declined in the 1980s, heroin use remained fairly stable.

For the past 20 years, as marijuana use-rates fluctuated, the use of LSD hardly changed at all.

Cocaine use increased in the early 1980s as marijuana use was declining. During the late 1980s, both marijuana and cocaine declined. During the last few years, cocaine use has continued to decline as marijuana use has increased slightly.

In 1994, less than 16% of high school seniors who had ever tried marijuana had ever tried cocaine - the lowest percentage ever recorded. In fact, as shown below, the proportion of marijuana users trying cocaine has declined steadily since 1986, when a high of more than 33% was recorded.

Proportion of Marijuana Users Ever Trying Cocaine

High School Seniors, 1975-1994 84

1975: 19% 1980: 27% 1985: 31% 1990: 22%
1976: 19% 1981: 28% 1986: 33% 1991: 22%
1977: 20% 1982: 27% 1987: 30% 1992: 18%
1978: 22% 1983: 28% 1988: 26% 1993: 17%
1979: 25% 1984: 29% 1989: 23% 1994: 16%

In short, there is no inevitable relationship between the use of marijuana and other drugs. This fact is supported by data from other countries. In the Netherlands, for example, although marijuana prevalence among young people increased during the past decade, cocaine use decreased - and remains considerably lower than in the United States. Whereas approximately 16% of youthful marijuana users in the U.S. have tried cocaine, the comparable figure for Dutch youth is 1.8 percent. 85 Indeed, the Dutch policy of allowing marijuana to be purchased openly in government-regulated "coffee shops" was designed specifically to separate young marijuana users from illegal markets where heroin and cocaine are sold. 86[/b]

If you want to know where I got these statistics and facts, go to my post before this with the link. Don't take everything at face vaule. Actually read what is said on the site, and you will realize it is a quite thorough and researched site. Same as don't judge a book on its cover.

[wrist cutter]

[quote name='Zeta]Well yeah of course wrist cutter. But who really [i]wants[/i'] to live with their parents after turning 18, heh.[/quote]

Most people can't afford moving out for quite some time. Usually the only people who get out of the house are those who go to an out of state college that their parents are probably paying for.

[Epitome]

[QUOTE=Baron Samedi][size=1]Marijuana.com, extolling the virtues of firing up a good toke every now and then. Thats amazing o_O

Marijuana has worse, and quicker effects than cigarettes. It is more expensive, and also addictive. It is a gateway drug, and as the effects of the 'high' become accustomed to by your body, you need more to get the same effect. This is why it is a gateway drug. People still smoke cigarettes, even though it is legal. It is for the 'cool' factor, and 'because everyone else is doing it'. It's also stupid.

Marijuana should be available for medication, because as Solo stated, it is incredibly different from 'street' or 'homegrown' marijuana.

General legalisation is not necessarily [at all] a wise path to follow.[/size][/QUOTE]
[size=1]I agree with you that its a gateway drug, but like I said before, most people dont start with "pot", mainly people use alcohol or cigarettes...(yes I pay attention in Health).

And as Zeta has shown, most users dont go to other illegal drugs.[/size]

[Syk3]

[font=Verdana][size=2]Man, I certainly am getting into this thread rather late. I would have liked to have found this when it was just starting out, but now I have to go through and share my opinion on these posts. Ah well, it?s worth my time. ^_^[/size][/font]

[font=Verdana][size=2]There are quite lot of people who smoke marijuana. Chances are that you or someone you trust has tried the ?drug? at least once in their lives. I put the word ?drug? in quotation marks because honestly, I don?t consider marijuana to be a drug. To me, an illegal drug is a substance that is physically addicting and will slowly kill you, even having the potential to overdose. In this sense, I would place marijuana under the category of ?herb?. Those of you who oppose the legalization of weed and consider drugs to be substances that alter your state of mind as well must take alcohol and cigarettes into account. Both of the products not only alter your state of mind, but they are much more dangerous than marijuana and are actually legal! Hell, even caffeine alters your state of mind, and ?drug? is the last category I?d wish to label that as. All four products are ?drugs? that alter your state of mind, but only cigarettes and alcohol are addicting and slowly kill you, and with alcohol you can even overdose. [b]You cannot become physically addicted to, over overdose on, marijuana.[/b][/size][/font]

[QUOTE=Serraph-Angel][color=red]Now, if this is innapropriate I totally understand but I just wanted to get the opinion of some of the OBer's on this situation...

So, I am doing a public policy project on the legalization of marijuana. I am personally for it. One of the main things that I have heard was that alot of people that use marijuana, not for medicine, use it to rebel against parents, government, etc. or to "relieve" stress. Now I for one have tried marijuana, and when I tried it I did feel good, but it wasnt right for me. But the thing is, I think that if we did legalize the drug, then more people would stop using it because there is no sense of "rebellion" left in the drug... [/QUOTE][/color]

[font=Verdana][size=2][color=black]I agree with you on both points, but I?ll respond to each individually[/color].[/size][/font]

[font=Verdana][size=2]The sense of rebellion being removed is an excellent point. Those using pot as a tool for such are much more likely to go on to harder drugs, and if pot was legalized it would destroy that lust, allowing us to crack down on the individuals who do coke, meth, etc. Don?t get me wrong on this; I am [i]completely[/i] against the use of other drugs in any regard, even cigarettes and alcohol.[/size][/font]

[quote][color=red][i]Now to my next point about it, medicine. If you dont think it should be legalized for everyone, do you think all states should allow it as medicine. I agree with this as well because if they are using it, or trying to use it for a good cause then I agree with it being allowed to be used.

So what do you think on the situation? Are you for it, or against it, and why...[/i][/color][/QUOTE]

[font=Verdana][size=2][color=black]Medicine is a great way that marijuana can be used as a beneficial herb to possibly curing diseases. By restricting pot in this regard as well is to block off an entire field of research.[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Verdana][size=2]In terms of legalizing marijuana on a whole, you should be able to see where I stand on the issue. The problem is that I don?t see it happening. By making it legal, hundreds of organizations will lose money, including alcohol businesses since people will see that weed is a much safer alternative, funeral homes will lose money from drunken driving accidents, and prisons will lose money from the lack of inmates who don?t deserve to be in there in the first place. And that?s just naming a few. Also, to publicly support marijuana is suicide for any political figure, due to the fact that they will instantly be labeled as a ?druggy?.[/size][/font]

[font=Verdana][size=2]And the reason that no one can publicly support marijuana is due to the misinformed public. People oppose marijuana because that?s what they?ve been taught. Everywhere are warnings saying that it?s bad, without clear, standing evidence to support it. Don?t assume something because someone told it to you, go out and look on the internet or whatever, and find evidence proving or disproving the point.[/size][/font]

[size=3][color=black][font=Times New Roman][quote name='Godelsensei][/font][/color][color=gray][font=Courier New']Kids still smoke tobacco because they think it's cool.[/quote][/font][/color][/size]
[font=Verdana][size=2]Kids smoke tobacco to be cool because it?s illegal only under 18. Kids smoke pot to be cool because it?s illegal. Kids would smoke pot to be cool if it was illegal only under 18. Kids are going to do things that are illegal to act cool no matter what. Legalizing pot is not the issue here, and you?d be surprised at how easily they can get their hands on it even now.[/size][/font]

[size=3][font=Times New Roman][color=black][quote name='Solo Tremaine][/color][color=#503f86']Not in terms of the damage it does to your body- marijuana is a lot worse than you might think. It releases far more dangerous toxins into your body and the effect they have lasts for weeks after the initial effects.[/quote][/color][/font][/size]

[font=Verdana][size=2]The number of toxins isn?t the cause for the extended amount of time that pot stays in your system. The simple reason is that THC is stored in fat cells, and depending on how often you smoke, it could stay in your body for up to 3 months. How you smoke it is a factor as well. Getting it from joints and small bowls will generally put more toxins into your body, as opposed to a water bong that filters out certain chemicals that do more harm than good. And if you ever see the resin in a bong and how gross it looks, keep in mind that those chemicals are created from exhaling; it?s not what would be found if someone were to check inside of your throat.[/size][/font]

[quote][color=#503f86][i]Do you know how many car accidents are drug-raleted? Well over 40%, certainly in the UK. Legalise it and you'll get a hell of a lot more people doing it in places they wouldn't have before. Considering the huge amount of smokers about, hypothetically if they all changed over to marijuana we'd be in deep trouble.[/i][/color][/quote]
[font=Verdana][size=2]Do you know how many car accidents are alcohol-related? And what percentage of the 40 can be related to pot rather than another drug? I won?t deny that driving while high is NOT a good idea, but like I said before, legalizing it would cut back on drunk driving, which is far more dangerous on its own.[/size][/font]

[quote][color=#503f86][i]They don't do it just because it's a law to brea. A lot of the people I know who smoke did it underage not because they wanted to break the law, but because it was something they felt pressured into doing- "I want to smoke socially because everyone else is." And even then, the others must have been affected by something. If you legalise it all you're allowing people to do is get something dangerous more easily.[/i][/color][/quote]

[font=Verdana][size=2]That?s another reason that people smoke marijuana. I don?t condone either way, but by legalizing it, it will bring off the pressure from having to say yes because you would be able to do it when you get older anyway and have time to decide whether or not it?s right for you.[/size][/font]

[font=Verdana][size=2]Let?s go on to the common misconceptions. ^_^[/size][/font]

[size=2][color=black][quote name='Godelsensei][/color][color=gray][font=Courier New]Also, it's a gateway drug.[/font][/color'][color=black][/quote][/color][/size]
[font=Verdana][size=2][b]Fact[/b]: Like Zeta pointed out, most users of harder drugs have tried marijuana, but most people who smoke pot have not gone on to other drugs. Marijuana is much more accessible, so it?s easy to see why people who do things like ecstasy start there, but the ads manipulate the facts to trick you into thinking that everyone who smokes marijuana will somehow go on to other drugs.[/size][/font]

[size=2][color=black][quote name='maladjusted][/color][color=firebrick] ..and it's addictive[/color'][color=black][/quote][/color][/size]
[font=Verdana][size=2][b]Fact[/b]: Marijuana [b]is not physically addictive[/b]. There is no proof in any way to say that you become dependant on the drug. You could be smoking for years, and suddenly decide to stop and it wouldn?t be much of a problem. You can become mentally addicted to a degree, but that is in no way different from becoming addicted to something like video games. Cigarettes and alcohol are addictive though. Gotta watch out for them.[/size][/font]

[font=Times New Roman][color=black][size=3][quote name='Baron Samedi][/size][/color][color=black']Marijuana has worse, and quicker effects than cigarettes.[/quote][/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][size=2][b]Fact[/b]: Unless you consistently use marijuana on a daily basis, you will not see any effects, and nothing has been proven that it leads to effects in the long run, as opposed to cigarettes which are shown to lead to lung cancer and other such life-threatening diseases. Any effects seen with pot will generally go away if you do not use it for a period of time.[/size][/font]

[color=black][font=Times New Roman][font=Tahoma][quote name='Baron Samedi][/font']the effects of the 'high' become accustomed to by your body, you need more to get the same effect.[/quote][/font][/color]
[font=Verdana][size=2][b]Fact[/b]: You do not need more marijuana to achieve the dame effect. My friend has been smoking since 8th grade and he is often gone after the second or third hit. It will usually take the same amount to make someone high, but I do believe that mindset plays an important role. For example, if you think to yourself that you won?t get high from a hit, you won?t get high.[/size][/font]

[font=Verdana][size=2]Other than that, I can only echo what Zeta said, and [b]encourage ALL OF YOU[/b] to take the initiative and read up on the facts.[/size][/font]

[b][font=Verdana][size=2]Where do you start? [color=#800080][url="http://www.perkel.com/politics/issues/pot.htm"]http://www.perkel.com/politics/issues/pot.htm[/url][/color][/size][/font][/b]

[James]

[color=#707875]My basic view is that I don't support the legalization of marijuana, but I do feel that it should be able to be prescribed for people who are seriously ill (and where morphine or other drugs aren't able to ease pain).

The idea that marijuana isn't dangerous is a complete misconception. The actual plant itself is more dangerous than tabacco. The only reason that people are saying tabacco is more dangerous is because tabacoo is smoked more frequently. But that in and of itself isn't really a terribly strong argument in my view, because how often you smoke it is irrelevant (since we can't go in and control how often people smoke it). What matters is how dangerous the substance is.

The key problem with marijuana, from the materials I've read on the subject, is that it can lead to longterm mental problems -- including skitzophrenia and other disorders. Of course, you do have to be a regular user for that to occur. But again, how does one define "regular user" when you consider that the drug has different effects on different people (ie: some are affected more quickly, others are not).

I tend to view marijuana as I do cigarettes.

If cigarettes had not been invented and I brought them out onto the market today, they would never become legal. Why? Because we know enough to say that this type of product is too harmful and harmful products (products that will cause serious health problems) are going to be blocked from sale on the market.

Marijuana is no different. It hasn't been legal so far, so making it legal now really doesn't achieve very much.

My feeling is that kids are going to smoke it regardless of the law. If they want to experiment with it, they will. Making it legal isn't going to somehow remove some "taboo" -- I don't agree with that.

My younger brother smokes cigarettes and I can tell you right now, if cigarettes were illegal, he'd have a [i]much[/i] tougher time tracking them down regularly.

I should also add that you [i]can[/i] be addicted to marijuana. Some of you are countering misconceptions with your own misconceptions. lol

One of my dad's employees is a marijuana addict; so much so, that he will go without buying diapers for his children -- or even buying food in some cases -- just so that he can buy more marijuana.

Although I am sure that the chemicals present in certain drugs can create addiction, you are forgetting that addiction is also the result of an [i]addictive personality[/i]. There are people who are more prone to different types of addiction (such as addiction to gambling, alcohol, various drugs, sex, etc).
[/color]

[Epitome]

[QUOTE=James][color=#707875]My basic view is that I don't support the legalization of marijuana, but I do feel that it should be able to be prescribed for people who are seriously ill (and where morphine or other drugs aren't able to ease pain).

The idea that marijuana isn't dangerous is a complete misconception. The actual plant itself is more dangerous than tabacco. The only reason that people are saying tabacco is more dangerous is because tabacoo is smoked more frequently. But that in and of itself isn't really a terribly strong argument in my view, because how often you smoke it is irrelevant (since we can't go in and control how often people smoke it). What matters is how dangerous the substance is.

The key problem with marijuana, from the materials I've read on the subject, is that it can lead to longterm mental problems -- including skitzophrenia and other disorders. Of course, you do have to be a regular user for that to occur. But again, how does one define "regular user" when you consider that the drug has different effects on different people (ie: some are affected more quickly, others are not).

I tend to view marijuana as I do cigarettes.

If cigarettes had not been invented and I brought them out onto the market today, they would never become legal. Why? Because we know enough to say that this type of product is too harmful and harmful products (products that will cause serious health problems) are going to be blocked from sale on the market.

Marijuana is no different. It hasn't been legal so far, so making it legal now really doesn't achieve very much.

My feeling is that kids are going to smoke it regardless of the law. If they want to experiment with it, they will. Making it legal isn't going to somehow remove some "taboo" -- I don't agree with that.

My younger brother smokes cigarettes and I can tell you right now, if cigarettes were illegal, he'd have a [i]much[/i] tougher time tracking them down regularly.

I should also add that you [i]can[/i] be addicted to marijuana. Some of you are countering misconceptions with your own misconceptions. lol

One of my dad's employees is a marijuana addict; so much so, that he will go without buying diapers for his children -- or even buying food in some cases -- just so that he can buy more marijuana.

Although I am sure that the chemicals present in certain drugs can create addiction, you are forgetting that addiction is also the result of an [i]addictive personality[/i]. There are people who are more prone to different types of addiction (such as addiction to gambling, alcohol, various drugs, sex, etc).
[/color][/QUOTE]
[size=1]I personally disagree with you on the fact the marijuana is more harmful than tobacco. Although marijuana is harmful, I think because of the fact that cigarette companies add rat poison and ammonia in some of there cigarettes, well theres a problem...

But if a joint or pipe has marijuana laced with something in it... then there could be a problem. One of my friends who I used to go to school with, smoked once and he almost got addicted to heroin because it was laced to it. Thats the only problem with legalizing it. It could be laced.

And yes it is addicting, but thats why I think we should legalize it. Because if we legalize it, theres no sense of "rebellion" as I said before, and if there is no sense of "rebellion", then I think that most or alot of teens and other people that use marijuana, would stop.[/size]

[James]

[QUOTE=Serraph-Angel][size=1]I personally disagree with you on the fact the marijuana is more harmful than tobacco. Although marijuana is harmful, I think because of the fact that cigarette companies add rat poison and ammonia in some of there cigarettes, well theres a problem...

But if a joint or pipe has marijuana laced with something in it... then there could be a problem. One of my friends who I used to go to school with, smoked once and he almost got addicted to heroin because it was laced to it. Thats the only problem with legalizing it. It could be laced.

And yes it is addicting, but thats why I think we should legalize it. Because if we legalize it, theres no sense of "rebellion" as I said before, and if there is no sense of "rebellion", then I think that most or alot of teens and other people that use marijuana, would stop.[/size][/QUOTE]

[color=#707875]I'm speaking based on scientific research though. I mean, if you compare regular marijuana smoking to regular tabacco smoking...both are dangerous, but marijuana has some potentially severe mental side effects.

All too often, proponents of marijuana try to suggest that it's a "harmless drug" or that it's somehow being victimized.

But that is incorrect. It's a drug, and it's potentially very dangerous.

I also don't agree at all with the rebellion point. And I don't think that there is any data to back that up.

As I said earlier, my younger brother smokes. I'm sure he started because it was "cool" or something, but now he is addicted to it. Smoking tabacco isn't illegal. The sense of rebellion was there regardless of the legality of the item -- I guarantee you, making it legal isn't going to somehow make it less attractive. lol[/color]

[Guest ScirosDarkblade]

I think kids might "rebel" against their parents just as much as against the law, if not more, so legalizing it won't really reduce how much marijuana is smoked. Whether it'll significantly increase how much marijuana is smoked, well, that depends on a lot of things (not the least important of which being how much it will be priced at).

One thing that legalizing marijuana would hopefully reduce is the amount of money wasted on the "war on drugs." There's a lot of other things our law enforcement and other such agencies could worry about that are more important than your typical marijuana smoker.

As for how harmful marijuana is, well, it IS more harmful than tobacco if you compare it by volume. But since people smoke a LOT more cigarettes than they do joints, in practicality marijuana is actually not as unhealthy for those that smoke it in place of cigarretes.

As far as it acting as a gateway drug, Zeta has already handled that point. It's as much a gateway drug as cigarettes are.

Really the most valid reason for keeping it illegal is that possibly more adults (that can afford marijuana at whatever price) will be smoking it, and not too responsibly either, which may lead to more automobile accidents, etc. That's not something I'd considered before. But, now that I have, I think that it's possible to get around that issue, at least partially, but making smoking marijuana while driving a criminal offense (or something along those lines). Some sort of enforcement regulations that would curb the amount that smoking mj and driving is done.

[Epitome]

[size=1]I do agree with you that is indeed harmful, and it can hurt you. I also hear that people who do smoke it feel as if it is being victimized and that it is "harmless." But the point I am trying to get across was alot of kids do do it because they think its "cool" and because they have that sense of rebellion when they do it.

And there is data. In my health class, we watched a PSA video where they had a teen, who had been smoking pot for quite some time, and they interviewed him. And I can quote him, he said "I felt stronger than my parents when I smoked. They had no idea what I was doing, where I was... I felt like a rebel."

I dont know what the video is called, Ill find out in 3 Periods. But the point Im try to make was alot of teens do it for rebellion. Heck I did it for rebellion but only once because I realized how harmful it can be. But thats what Im trying to get across.[/size]

[James]

[color=#707875]Basically though, if you make it legal but you put regulations in, you're really only taking one step forward and one step back. You might as well just keep it illegal.

Basically I think that people are going to seek out the drug if they want it, regardless of the legality. However, the illegal factor will hopefully make it tougher for most people to locate it and it may help to deter those who would otherwise give it a try.

It's kind of like saying that we should just go open-slather and make all drugs legal because people will do them anyway. I think that there are definitely arguments in favor of that, to some degree, but I tend to think that proponents of legalization stretch the truth a great deal, with regard to the drug's impact.

Saying that people don't smoke it as much as cigarettes is kind of irrelevant I think. Again, we can't go in there and make sure that people only smoke a certain amount. You can't control that, you can only have some level of control over access in the first place (and prosecution of those who produce and sell).

I think the biggest argument against legalization, from my standpoint, is that you are potentially opening the floodgates. Not to say that everyone will become a weed addict or something, but clearly, a [i]lot[/i] more people would have free access. And none of us would do that with any other harmful product -- you wouldn't take a prescription drug that can have harmful side effects and start selling it to anyone and everyone without a prescription.

That's kind of how I view marijuana. Keep it as a prescribed drug to treat chronic pain, and leave it at that. We don't need to add [i]another[/i] harmful product to store shelves.

And Serraph, what you've said there only strengthens the point that I was making earlier.

Making the drug legal isn't going to somehow make it less appealing to teens. Teens will probably be doing it in greater numbers if anything, because there will not only be rebellion against parents, but also significant peer pressure (which we know already exists to a large extent).[/color]

[Harry]

[QUOTE=ScirosDarkblade]

As for how harmful marijuana is, well, it IS more harmful than tobacco if you compare it by volume. But since people smoke a LOT more cigarettes than they do joints, in practicality marijuana is actually not as unhealthy for those that smoke it in place of cigarretes.[/QUOTE]
Have you ever seen someone who's smoked weed frequently? They lose their short term memory, it's hard for them to concentrate, and other things. That's what happened to one of my friends and he's still a worthless stoner several years after High School.

As for this "let's legalize it because kids will stop" is one of the most naive things I've ever heard.

[Syk3]

[quote name='James][color=#707875']The idea that marijuana isn't dangerous is a complete misconception. The actual plant itself is more dangerous than tabacco. The only reason that people are saying tabacco is more dangerous is because tabacoo is smoked more frequently. But that in and of itself isn't really a terribly strong argument in my view, because how often you smoke it is irrelevant (since we can't go in and control how often people smoke it). What matters is how dangerous the substance is.[/color][/quote]
I'm not saying that the plant isn't dangerous, but it's a lot less worse than what most people percieve. It very well may be worse than tobacco, but the fact that, as Serraph-Angel pointed out, cigarettes are laced with hundreds of artificial poisons, such as rat poison and window cleaner. Cigarettes are also made with nicotine, making them addicting, and thus a [b]lot[/b] more dangerous that pure marijuana, because not only does is slowly kill you, but you can't stop. You mention addiction later in your post, and I'll address it there.

[quote][color=#707875][i]The key problem with marijuana, from the materials I've read on the subject, is that it can lead to longterm mental problems -- including skitzophrenia and other disorders. Of course, you do have to be a regular user for that to occur. But again, how does one define "regular user" when you consider that the drug has different effects on different people (ie: some are affected more quickly, others are not).[/i][/color][/quote]
I have NEVER heard of anything that even [i]suggests[/i] that marijuana leads to mental problems. Ever. I'd like to see where you got this information. I will agree that marijuana is more dangerous for regular users, in that if you smoke it every day, you are much more likely to feel the bad effects. If you don't do it more than once every week or so, there isn't too much potential harm.

[quote][color=#707875][i]I tend to view marijuana as I do cigarettes.[/i][/color][/quote]
That's the difference with us here; I see cigarettes in a completely different light, as I mentioned above.

[quote][color=#707875][i]My feeling is that kids are going to smoke it regardless of the law. If they want to experiment with it, they will. Making it legal isn't going to somehow remove some "taboo" -- I don't agree with that.[/i][/color][/quote]
Right, they are going to smoke it whether it's legal or not. You make it legal, you can't stop them from trying it, but you have to consider those individuals who would be of age as well, and not just kids.

[quote][color=#707875][i]I should also add that you can be addicted to marijuana. Some of you are countering misconceptions with your own misconceptions. lol

One of my dad's employees is a marijuana addict; so much so, that he will go without buying diapers for his children -- or even buying food in some cases -- just so that he can buy more marijuana.

Although I am sure that the chemicals present in certain drugs can create addiction, you are forgetting that addiction is also the result of an addictive personality. There are people who are more prone to different types of addiction (such as addiction to gambling, alcohol, various drugs, sex, etc).[/i][/color][/QUOTE]
No misconceptions, lol. I described this in my first post. It is absolutely impossible to become physically addicted to the drug. What your story relates to is a [i]psychological[/i] addiction, in which the guy just really wanted to feel the high. I'm not saying that psychological addictions aren't bad as well, far from it, but the simple fact that this problem resides in the mind makes it much different from something like heroin, and easier to cure as well. Also, extreme cases such as this do not reflect the norm.

I'll edit this post over, my class just ended.

[Solo Tremaine]

[color=#503f86]I wish I'd had time to reply this morning, heh. Damned college >.>

Anyway, having a dad who works as a major consultant for drug and alcohol addicts and a mother who conducted scientific research on the affects on drugs on the body hopefully what I know should stand for something, even though I dn't proclaim to know about anything. Doesn't prevent my bias, though ^_~ And I apologise if I appear rude, but I do feel incredibly strongly about this, probably due to my heavy anti-drug upbringing. The last thing I'd want to do is flame anyone, heh (especially Syk, as he's where most of my comments are aimed towards).

[quote name='Syk3][font=Verdana][size=2]All four products are "drugs" that alter your state of mind, but only cigarettes and alcohol are addicting and slowly kill you, and with alcohol you can even overdose. [b]You cannot become physically addicted to, over overdose on, marijuana.[/b][/size][/font][/QUOTE][QUOTE]What your story relates to is a [i]psychological[/i'] addiction, in which the guy just really wanted to feel the high. I'm not saying that psychological addictions aren't bad as well, far from it, but the simple fact that this problem resides in the mind makes it much different from something like heroin, and easier to cure as well. Also, extreme cases such as this do not reflect the norm.[/quote]'Feel' in this case seems like a physical basis to me. You can experience it with your mind, but the mind by nature is part of the body anyway, so nothing can be purely one or the other.

An addiction isn't either mental or physical- it's a balance of both. You can become addicted to pretty much anything if your need for said substance isn't satiated. Why do people smoke in the first place- most people do it for the initial hit which as has already been said, is due to the ammonia in the cigarettes. I understand that 'pure' marijuana shouldn't have that in it, but the point is it is the body's chemical imbalance that causes the high in the first place. If you want to get high, it's because your body feels in need of something to pick it up. The decision to do it may be a cognitive thing, but the initial drive to have it is always physical. That's the same with pretty much anything else- caffiene, nicotine, food, sex... you name it, every drive has some kind of physical drive behind it.

The research Zeta brought up showed only cocaine research and is flawed- It shows [i]High School Seniors[/i]. It's University research, not substantial evidence taken from a wide representation of the drug-using population. And it's eleven years out of date. A lot can and will happen in ten years regarding rise and fall of drugs. It may be a completely different case in the UK, but drug use is certainly not on the decline.[/color]
[font=Verdana][size=2][QUOTE]In terms of legalizing marijuana on a whole, you should be able to see where I stand on the issue. The problem is that I don?t see it happening. By making it legal, hundreds of organizations will lose money, including alcohol businesses since people will see that weed is a much safer alternative, funeral homes will lose money from drunken driving accidents, and prisons will lose money from the lack of inmates who don?t deserve to be in there in the first place. And that?s just naming a few. Also, to publicly support marijuana is suicide for any political figure, due to the fact that they will instantly be labeled as a "druggy".[/QUOTE][color=#503f86]Not forgetting all these crime organisations that will lose millions smuggling the drugs into the country in the first place. For shame, heh.

Many UK politicians have already admitted to having taken cannabis during their University years, and I sincerely doubt there is a single one of them that hasn't. They haven't been labelled as 'druggies' because everyone else has done it to. For anyone to carry out a character assassination on that level here would certainly be hypocritical; I'm not sure what it's like in the States, though.[/color]

[QUOTE]And the reason that no one can publicly support marijuana is due to the misinformed public. People oppose marijuana because that?s what they?ve been taught. Everywhere are warnings saying that it?s bad, without clear, standing evidence to support it. Don?t assume something because someone told it to you, go out and look on the internet or whatever, and find evidence proving or disproving the point.[/QUOTE][QUOTE][/size][/font]Fact: Unless you consistently use marijuana on a daily basis, you will not see any effects, and nothing has been proven that it leads to effects in the long run, as opposed to cigarettes which are shown to lead to lung cancer and other such life-threatening diseases. Any effects seen with pot will generally go away if you do not use it for a period of time.[/QUOTE][font=Verdana][size=2][color=#503f86]Marijuana carries [b]exactly the same health risks as smoking[/b] because you are inhaling carbon monoxide and dioxide which are both serious carcinogens. They may not be laced with ammonia or rat poison but the fact is that you're still ingesting poisonous chemicals into your body. Smokers cough- cannabis users get it to because [i]they smoke it.[/i] There's no debate over the heath risks of smoking anything- this is only a comparative of the effects of cannabis and smoking which have different effects on the chemicals inside the body but still do exactly the same things to your lungs. Except marijuana tar is about five times more concentrated.

[url="http://www.newscientist.com/hottopics/marijuana/moreharmful.jsp;jsessionid=KAMHPNAHDIEM"]"Marijuana Special Report"[/url]- New Scientist article about research carried out by the British Lung Foundation. Admittedly you only have to look at who carried out the research as to what it's going to say, but that's going to be the same with anything. Research carried out by cannabis users is going to support claims that it's 'not as bad for you as smoking' because they want hard evidence to back up their claims. likewise people who are against it will do the same. Looking at articles on oth sides of the argument I can see flaws in both but that doesn't change the fact that I still view it as a rather disgusting habit.

[QUOTE]The number of toxins isn?t the cause for the extended amount of time that pot stays in your system. The simple reason is that THC is stored in fat cells, and depending on how often you smoke, it could stay in your body for up to 3 months. How you smoke it is a factor as well. Getting it from joints and small bowls will generally put more toxins into your body, as opposed to a water bong that filters out certain chemicals that do more harm than good. And if you ever see the resin in a bong and how gross it looks, keep in mind that those chemicals are created from exhaling; it?s not what would be found if someone were to check inside of your throat.[/QUOTE]Perhaps so, but they will still have an effect on the body for the duration of their stay, some of which include:
[font=Times New Roman][size=5][/size][/font]
[/color][/size]-Decreased attention span
-Decreased coordination
-Decreased motor control
-Decreased Short-Term Memory (which may have been what people refer to when talking about 'brain' damage- it affects the area known as the [i]hippocampus[/i])
-Increased appetite (possibly)
-Changes in sensory awareness
-Increased bronchodilation
-Analgesia
-Iecreased body temperature
-Decreased libido & sperm count (high doses, heh)
-Decreased nausea, vomiting
-Decreased fertility (high doses again)

[color=#503f86]I appreciate that the changes might be slight, but they still have an effect. And if you take into further account the fact that people have a tendency to smoke in groups not all of what they ingest will be as well-filtered as stuff in a water bong, so the various amounts of chemicals that are absorbed will vary, especially if people get incredibly ambitious with their rolies.[/color][/font][color=#000080]
[/color][font=Verdana][size=2][QUOTE]Do you know how many car accidents are alcohol-related? And what percentage of the 40 can be related to pot rather than another drug? I won?t deny that driving while high is NOT a good idea, but like I said before, legalizing it would cut back on drunk driving, which is far more dangerous on its own.[/QUOTE][color=#503f86]Drunk-driving is only so prevalent because alcohol is so widely available on a legal standing. Legalise marijuana and you'll probably have the same problem as an added bonus to drinking. I doubt that just because marijuana would be legalised, it would decrease people's motivation to drink. If anything they'd drink more if the claims that cannabis increases your appetite are accurate (and I'm not saying they are). but the point is that the binge drinking culture will always stick- people smoke cigarettes constantly in pubs and clubs while downing drinks- what makes you think cannabis will be any different there?[/color]

[QUOTE]That?s another reason that people smoke marijuana. I don?t condone either way, but by legalizing it, it will bring off the pressure from having to say yes because you would be able to do it when you get older anyway and have time to decide whether or not it?s right for you.[/QUOTE][color=#503f86]I'd have thought saying 'no' to something illegal would be much easier than saying 'no' to something legal. If you're caught in possession of marijuana you can still get arrested and that would be my major factor if anyone asked me if I wanted a tote. But if it were legal there wouldn't be a problem with me accepting under the law- it's all down to myself. That's the harder fight.[/color]
[/size][/font][QUOTE]Fact: Like Zeta pointed out, most users of harder drugs have tried marijuana, but most people who smoke pot have not gone on to other drugs. Marijuana is much more accessible, so it?s easy to see why people who do things like ecstasy start there, but the ads manipulate the facts to trick you into thinking that everyone who smokes marijuana will somehow go on to other drugs.[/QUOTE][size=2][font=Verdana]
[color=#503f86]The research also said that everyone who had done harder drugs had done marijuana at some point. So if you're going to do serious drugs the chances are you're going to do anything including the stuff less 'potent', but the fact is if you're willing to do an illegal substance you are [i]more likely[/i] to try something more illegal especially if you've an addictive personality, even if it's only the small majority of people who do so.

But while they may not do cocaine, it's well-documented that many cannabis users also use amphetamines, something which you can overdose on. And just because you can't overdose doesn't mean that you can't become addicted.[/color]
[/font][/size]
[QUOTE]Fact: Marijuana is [b]not physically addictive[/b]. There is no proof in any way to say that you become dependant on the drug. You could be smoking for years, and suddenly decide to stop and it wouldn?t be much of a problem. You can become mentally addicted to a degree, but that is in no way different from becoming addicted to something like video games. Cigarettes and alcohol are addictive though. Gotta watch out for them.[/QUOTE][size=2][font=Verdana][color=#503f86]I haven't any research to back this up but I am still incredibly dubious as to whether this is actually a fact.[/color]

[/font][/size][QUOTE]Fact: You do not need more marijuana to achieve the dame effect. My friend has been smoking since 8th grade and he is often gone after the second or third hit. It will usually take the same amount to make someone high, but I do believe that mindset plays an important role. For example, if you think to yourself that you won?t get high from a hit, you won?t get high.[/QUOTE][color=#503f86]I find that incredibly hard to believe, sorry. That's almost like willing yourself not to get fat after eating a whole chocolate gateau. When people are high, their own self-perception alters and they ca't see things in the same way as others do. Likewise if two people get high at the same time they believe they're experiencing great inspirational conversation but are actually just in the same state of mind as each other.[/color]

[quote name='Syk3][color=black']If you don't do it more than once every week or so, there isn't too much potential harm.[/quote][/color]
[color=#503f86]Like cigarettes, once or twice a week won't do you incredibly serious long-term harm in any case (although there are stories that one lungfull of cigarette smoke decreases your life by five minutes, but if it takes you five mionutes to have a cigarette then the statement's more or less redundant anyway). But you're still exposing your lung lining to some really nasty stuff.

I'm not denying that there are good points to cannabis- the chemicals inside might be able to prevent pregnancies in which the embryo develops outside of the womb. But I still think legalising it for general public use would not be a very good idea.

[url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/hottopics/cannabis/index.shtml"]BBC Science and Nature- Cannabis[/url]. That's a good place for a summary of the whole argument in a nutshell. I'm still heavily biased against smoking both tobacco and marijuana, but that's a personal opinion I've always held and I will probably never let go of, heh.[/color]

[Inari]

[COLOR=DarkSlateBlue]I feel that marijuana should be legalized for medicinal purposes. Marijuana has many positive effects on patients with tremors and other neurological ailments. It can also be used in place of morphine a highly addictive pain medication with side effects just as bad as marijuana. We can also learn so much from working with marijuana to create better medications that are less harmful, but with the same medicinal qualities.

As for allowing people to use marijuana for non-medicinal purposes I would still have to agree with its legalization. I don?t feel that marijuana is more of a gateway drug than alcohol or cigarettes. Generally people don?t start taking cocaine or other ?hard? drugs with out trying other things like alcohol, cigarettes and tobacco. This ?gateway? argument has blown itself way out of proportion and I don?t feel that legalizing marijuana would increase the amount of ?hard? drug usage.

If anything legalizing marijuana would lead to safer use of marijuana. This would standardize the dosage and purity of a joint so that people using marijuana aren?t subjected to some of the more dangerous marijuana forms sold on the streets.

I personally feel that people should not use alcohol, tobacco, marijuana or any other drug irresponsibly. A drink now and then or an occasional joint isn?t that bad for you. It?s when people abuse these things that there are problems. I also feel that if marijuana were to be legalized there would have to be ?driving while high? laws such as the various blood alcohol level laws across the country. Driving under the influence of drugs is dangerous and should be illegal.

In short, marijuana for medicinal purposes should defiantly be legal, while the widespread legalization of this drug should be handled responsibly.[/COLOR]