marijuana legalization

[Drudge Jr.]

i wrote this for my health class, this is an issue i've been deeply into for a while.


Recently Canada has begun the process of decriminalizing marijuana, and is most likely taking steps towards legalization. It is understandable that many students do not understand why ending the prohibition of marijuana is such an urgent necessity, but when examining the facts, it is clear.
Marijuana was first prohibited in the late 1800's by lobbyists from the cotton industry to destroy competition from the hemp industry. Hemp is a material that is superior in many ways to cotton and in no ways inferior, however if the male and female cannabis plants (from which hemp is cultivated) is separated, then marijuana leaves are the result.
The dangers of marijuana are severely exaggerated to the point of outright lies. Commercials show marijuana as a murderous, addictive, rape-inducing, mind-melting drug that does nothing but destroy lives. This are fabricated on all accounts. Numerous studies have shown that marijuana is not physically addictive, but can be (like all things) mentally addictive. However, less than 9% of recreational marijuana users become addicted, as opposed to 15% for alcohol users, 32% for cigarette smokers, and 23% heroin users (mpp.org). It also should be noted that the symptoms of marijuana dependence are far less severe than the symptoms of the aforementioned substances. Marijuana use cannot cause death. It is not a poisonous substance, and there is little evidence it causes cancer. If it does cause cancer, these cases are very rare and reserved for those who irresponsibly abuse the drug. Ounce to ounce, marijuana does contain four times the tar content of tobacco, but marijuana is rolled tighter and smoked far less often. It is possible that marijuana alters decision making, but not significantly such as in the case of alcohol. No study has ever conclusively linked marijuana usage to impaired driving, however even with the legality of marijuana, driving under the influence will remain illegal.
Once decriminalized (legal to possess, but not to sell) or legalized most actual dangers of marijuana will no longer exist. A main concern among recreational users is purchasing marijuana laced with other substances such as cocaine, PCP, pesticides, angel dust etc. Once marijuana is legalized it can be controlled as are prescription drugs. The theory that marijuana is a "gateway drug", meaning it's effects are mild but will lead to harder, dangerous drugs, will no longer be valid. This is because the use of these other drugs as a result of marijuana is due to exposure to illicit settings. A dealer who sells heroin, cocaine, and marijuana will only sell heroin and cocaine, cutting down on the exposure of marijuana users to these harder drugs. Once marijuana is legalized it will no longer support Latin American "Narco-terror" because "Narco-terrorists" will no longer make money off growing marijuana. Several studies have conclusively shown marijuana decriminalization will not cause an increase in usage, these studies are conducted from actual communities where marijuana has become legal (norml.org). If legalized only for medical purposes, marijuana could be used to treat pain, anxiety, nausea, appetite loss, and also significantly reduces the severity of symptoms of chemotherapy.
The drug war also causes far more harm than it solves. Billions are spent to combat the marijuana trade every year, billions that could be spent on treating addiction among other causes. Currently, 500,000 Americans are imprisoned each year for marijuana-related offenses (norml.org), that's more imprisoned than all of Western Europe combined for any crime. Most of these users were jailed for non-violently smoking marijuana. There is no social benefit to sending marijuana users to prison, in fact it only hurts society. Those who are imprisoned have their lives ruined. Their close contact to violent inmates only makes them more prone to commit violent crime upon their release, and being convicted of a felony makes it very difficult to get a

[Doomstone]

Quick thoughts, maybe more later unless someone else wants to jump in

Marijuana was first prohibited in the late 1800's by lobbyists from the cotton industry to destroy competition from the hemp industry.


Marijuana (and hemp) was legal until the Marijuana Tax Stamp Act in 1936. You might want to change this to "Marijuana was first met with opposition in the late 1800's by lobbyists..." or something of that nature.

The rest of your essay is slanted, to say the very least. You might want to think about maybe taking a more objective approach. Since the vast majority of the solid facts available on the subject are in the favor of the pro-Marijuana argument, it certainly couldn't hurt.

Here's a couple of links to current news stories that might be of interest

http://www.torontosun.com/NewsStand/TorontoSun/News/2003/05/17/89179.html

Possessing less than 30 grams of marijuana is no longer against the law in Ontario, a Windsor judge said in a ruling released yesterday.


http://www.msnbc.com/news/921968.asp?cp1=1

Ed Rosenthal, the self-proclaimed "Guru of Ganja," walked free Wednesday after a federal judge sentenced him to one day in prison for a marijuana conviction and then let him go after declaring he had already served the time.

[The Jays]

however if the male and female cannabis plants (from which hemp is cultivated) is separated


Change "is" to "are".

This are fabricated on all accounts.


Change "are" to "is"

This is because the use of these other drugs as a result of marijuana is due to exposure to illicit settings. A dealer who sells heroin, cocaine, and marijuana will only sell heroin and cocaine, cutting down on the exposure of marijuana users to these harder drugs.


Assumption.

Once marijuana is legalized it will no longer support Latin American "Narco-terror" because "Narco-terrorists" will no longer make money off growing marijuana.


Assumption.

In both assumptions, you assume that legalized marijauna will be cheap and easy to buy. A different assumption would have it that marijuana would be a controlled substance, requiring proof of ID, prescription, and be subject to taxation similiar to tobacco and alcohol. In order to properly combat illicit drug sales, the amount of weed obtained in a dime bag would have to be priced below street value, and taxation, along with control of marijuana trade, would probably not allow it to compete effectively. Where as a person would have to be 18 years of age to buy and pay upwards of 15-20 dollars of one particular grade of weed at roughly the amount of a dime bag under trade control, a 15 year old could be able to get a high quality bag with no hassle from a drug dealer for 10.
Legalization does not automatically stop the black market of marijauna sales.



There is no winning the drug war, especially when marijuana use has become a normal part of society. Studies have shown a large percentage, up to one third, of the US adult population has used marijuana.


Change the last "has" to have".

33% of one time usage of marijuana does not equate to marijuana usage being a normal part of society. 33% of the population may have been passed-out drunk off alcohol only once in their lives; that does not mean that extreme intoxication is a normal part of American society. When an activity is enaged in by a large portion of society on a regular basis, i.e. going to work, participating in sports, driving, eating fast food, smoking cigarettes, then that activity can be considered a normal part of society.

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[LiquidCourage]

Once you're past your early 20s and you still give half a shit about pot legalization you really need to get a good ass beating.

[Drudge Jr.]

thanks for the corrections/suggestions guys. i realize it's really skewed, but i've looked into the studies mpp and norml cite and they look pretty solid.
as for the 33% thing, i'd definatly say marijuana is part of society. only 10% of americans are gay, and i think we'd all agree homosexuality is a part of our society. marijuana is just so hush hush, but i definatly think it's a part of american culture.

Once you're past your early 20s and you still give half a shit about pot legalization you really need to get a good ass beating.



i'm confused, do i need a good ass beating because i give a shit about pot legalization... and you dont?

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This message was edited by Drudge Jr. on 6-4-03 @ 7:48 PM

[DJEvelEd]

Once you're past your early 20s and you still give half a shit about pot legalization you really need to get a good ass beating.



I'm 35 and WAS beaten and kicked (while handcuffed) by the police for a speck (o) (actual size) of pot. This happened on my front lawn on SEPT 11. Is this the free America you want? I've been involved in activism for 20 years and have seen first hand the hypocracy our government manifests on it's people.

There are cancer and aids patients who need pot to help them with their appetite. These people want to smoke because they can't keep down the pills that they are given to stop the nausea.(DUH) Cheryl Miller has MS and lives under NJ's draconian pot laws. She lit up in front of troopers and they refused to arrest her or her caregiver. Goto: http://www.nextplayvideo.com for good info on this subject.

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[Death Metal Moe]

It wounds me deeply, but I have to side with Drudge Jr. on this one.

Marijuana is pretty harmless in all the real life settings I've seen it in. I atually don't smoke it, and wouldn't be ashamed to admit it to a bunch of people like you.

I look at all the frankly unnessecary money we spend chasing people, prosecuting them and jailing them. It doesn't stop the flow and it never will.

I say Legalize it and move on to Terrorism and Border Patrol.

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[The Jays]

only 10% of americans are gay, and i think we'd all agree homosexuality is a part of our society.


Yeah, it's a PART of society, but it's not a normal part of society. There is not a large portion of society chugging dick/eating box on a regular basis. Not that there's anything wrong with it.

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[phixion]

Marijuana is pretty harmless in all the real life settings I've seen it in. I atually don't smoke it, and wouldn't be ashamed to admit it to a bunch of people like you.


see thats why u and i dont agree on anything. u need to let me roll up a fatty, then u and i can sit-down and hash out our problems. and by the time we clip the roach u and i will have bonded and a true friendship will have begun........ then we'll get sober.

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drinking beers, beers, beersrolling fatties, smoking bluntswho smokes the blunts?we smoke the blunts." -Jay

[Death Metal Moe]

see thats why u and i dont agree on anything. u need to let me roll up a fatty, then u and i can sit-down and hash out our problems. and by the time we clip the roach u and i will have bonded and a true friendship will have begun........ then we'll get sober.


Sorry man. Pot just gets me paranoid and lazy.

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[TheMojoPin]

Yeah, it's a PART of society, but it's not a normal part of society.

How so? Because they're only roughly 10%? That's roughly the same percentage of the American population that's black (12%) and Hispanic (13%)...

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to label you with anything negative, I'm just wondering if you're saying they're not "normal" because of their behavior and the percentage of people engaging in it. 10% in a country this size is pretty big. You let 10 people out of 100 start sucking and fucking man-style, and I'll guarentee you it'll be hard for the other 90 to ignore them.

As for legalizing marijuana, I'm for it, as long as it would be better regulated than the tobacco industry. But Jays is right, there would have to be a MASSIVE to plan to keep the legal prices comparable or better to "street" prices, and at the same time turn a profit. And let's be real, you wouldn't be able to just sell a cigarette-sized pack of "joints" full of nothing but weed. Bullshit posturing or not, having a country of people able to drive around blazed out of their mind is NOT safe. "Legal" weed would have to be sold in lower-per-cigarette average than your "standard" joint. Maybe some kind of delicious wedd/tobacco hybrid? As long as you would ultimately be ending up with a decent "pack o' pot" that cost far less than the average dime bag, it might work.

Mainly I just want it to happen so we can lower and regulate our out of control prison population. Close to 30% of our prisoners are in jail for relatively "minor" narcotics charges (posession, mandatory minimums, etc.) and it's strangling the space and money-starved prison system.

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[Doomstone]

there would have to be a MASSIVE to plan to keep the legal prices comparable or better to "street" prices, and at the same time turn a profit.
How would that be difficult at all? Considering it's incredibly inexpensive to cultivate, and legalization would cut out a ton of middlemen, it would not be a problem. And that's not even getting into the huge profits to be made from industrial hemp. I'm sure there would still be a black market, mostly due to kids not being able to get it through legal means, but it would be greatly reduced. Why would anyone take the risk of buying it illegally, if they didn't need to?

And let's be real, you wouldn't be able to just sell a cigarette-sized pack of "joints" full of nothing but weed. Bullshit posturing or not, having a country of people able to drive around blazed out of their mind is NOT safe. "Legal" weed would have to be sold in lower-per-cigarette average than your "standard" joint. Maybe some kind of delicious wedd/tobacco hybrid? As long as you would ultimately be ending up with a decent "pack o' pot" that cost far less than the average dime bag, it might work.

I don't think it should be sold in drug stores or 7-11's or anything like that. Follow Holland's example - just sell it in coffee shops, and only allow people to smoke it in certain designated areas, or private residences.

[fatty]

Sorry man. Pot just gets me paranoid and lazy.



that must be the worst. you're scared someone is chasing you but too lazy to run away.


i still have yet to find a reason why marijuana is illegal. if anyone can give me an argument why it should be illegal, but at the same time explain why that argument doesn't work the same for alcohol as well (which is obviously legal) i would love to hear it.

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[furie]

If that's an essay, I hope you get no higher (pardon the pun) than a C. You should present both sides of the story. Then once you've presented both pro and con you draw a conclusion. But you didn't do that.

As was stated, this is very slanted. You set out to prove your point of view and only gave evidence that supported it. Welcome to circular reasoning.


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[StupidGirlllll]

What about cocaine...if we legalize pot... can we shoot (snort) for cocaine next..

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[The Jays]

How so? Because they're only roughly 10%? That's roughly the same percentage of the American population that's black (12%) and Hispanic (13%)...

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to label you with anything negative, I'm just wondering if you're saying they're not "normal" because of their behavior and the percentage of people engaging in it. 10% in a country this size is pretty big. You let 10 people out of 100 start sucking and fucking man-style, and I'll guarentee you it'll be hard for the other 90 to ignore them.


10% of anything is not normal. Most parts of the country, it is abnormal to see a black person. Just the same, it is abnormal to see two people of the same sex engaging in an activity. While it's accepted, it's far from the norm. Too many of us are NOT gay, too many of us are NOT black, and too many of us are NOT druggies.

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[TheMojoPin]

and too many of us are NOT druggies

Depends on what a "druggie" is. That's a pretty broad and generalized category, legal or illegal "druggies".

And all I'm saying is that ten percent of, say, ten million is still a million. It's not the majority, but it's still a pretty damn big number. And as the larger number increases, so will the amount in the percentage. Again, in a country this large, it's just impossible to ignore minorities that "small".

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[high fly]

Far out, man. I, uh, er.....ay, uhh....like wow, man, uhhh, what was the question?

" and they ask me why I drink"

[Death Metal Moe]

Imagine when it becomes legal?

No one's saying you can drive and smoke. Make some limits on it like alchohol if you want.

But you can buy it anywhere other tobacco products are available, or maybe sell it in special stores like alchohol. They can charge more for stronger product. The price will drop due to supply going up, and the government can tax it thereby making a lot of cash off of it.

And yea, it was LEGAL until like 80 years ago in our country. I don't understand what the government is doing. They love cash in DC.

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[FUNKMAN]

Far out, man. I, uh, er.....ay, uhh....like wow, man, uhhh, what was the question?


funny stuff...


some people can function pretty well when high but others don't and can become a "hazard" and "unproductive" which could lead to injuring others and being a poor employee...

i have a friend who smokes daily but has the ability to study for and pass some highly technical tests such as for his Cisco CCNP and CCIE. He is also a "master musician" on the guitar, knowing everything it seems there is to know about the guitar and it's scales and chords etc... he has the ability to focus for extended periods of time...

then there's the dope like me, when i would get high my head would be fogged up for days afterwards... and bad cases of "short term memory" and forgetfulness... i would go into work and not remember the name of a co-worker that i worked beside for several years...

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[Drudge Jr.]

funkman, that argument is based on the assumption usage would significantly increase, which studies have shown it will not.

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[Death Metal Moe]

I like to let people smoke with me and take fake hits, then act stoned.

Is that a crime?

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[Spank Daddy]

i still have yet to find a reason why marijuana is illegal. if anyone can give me an argument why it should be illegal, but at the same time explain why that argument doesn't work the same for alcohol as well (which is obviously legal) i would love to hear it.

Here's a reason I once heard........Marijuana has hundreds of active chemicals, all of which will get you high in some form or another ( the main one being THC ). Drugs like alcohol and tobacco have one active ingredient, which makes is easier to control the dosage ( i.e. light and near beer ). Thats why the drug Marinol ( synthetic marijuana ) is not successful, because scientists can't isolate and control the good parts of marijuana ( for nausea and pain relief ) without the "bad" parts ( the "getting stoned off your ass" chemicals ) getting in the way. I am not a doctor, and never played on on TV either.......this is just what I heard, and am passing this "info" on.

[phixion]

I like to let people smoke with me and take fake hits, then act stoned.

Is that a crime?



u waste weed? yeah its a crime. if u dont wanna smoke, fine, pass the bong to me. wasting weed....geez...moe whats wrong with u?

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"smoking weed, smoking weed doing coke, drinking beers
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[furie]

funkman, that argument is based on the assumption usage would significantly increase, which studies have shown it will not.

what studies?

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[high fly]

There was this time, like, when we were all getting stoned, right? And we had this killer bud- real skunky, y'know? And, like I was telling my friend Matt, -he was this dude I went to high school with and I met him when he sat next to me in English and Social Studies class--hey did you have Mr. Blatt? He had that German accent, y'know? And like, we used to make fun of him behind his back, and there was that one day when we had that fake bomb scare and all had to go outside and I always wanted to do that but never did; but this time I was talking to Becky Farley. She was so hot with that pure blonde hair and remember those peasant blouses she used to wear that you could almost see through and how she used to laugh at stuff at the wrong time like that time a bunch of us cut class and went to the mall and were at the food court where Doug and Sarah had that big fight and started throwing food at each other and then we all got in Scott's car and went out to the lake and got stoned but had to go back when Amy got sick and there was that story going around about paraquat and it wasn't really true but we all got paranoid anyway?


" and they ask me why I drink"