Should Marijuana Be Legalized?

I can't see a reason that Marijuana should not be legal. Not when you consider that alcohol is, and that it's worse for you. I think that it is like anything else. if you abuse it, it's bad, but if you use it in an on again off again responsible fashion, that there really is nothing wrong with it.

I honestly think that the Government and those that made its use against the law may have been on goofballs. Or because the Govt. can't fully control its distribution (mainly because anyone can grow it) that they would have a hard time placing taxes on the product. <--- Yep I think it's because of control issues.

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Agreed 100% with the man.

Too bad Ron Paul is never going to be President and therefore not worth expending energy by hoping on.

Originally posted by RE: Blaxican
Agreed 100% with the man.

Too bad Ron Paul is never going to be President and therefore not worth expending energy by hoping on.

at least make the effort to vote for him in the primaries... then we'll see if he has a chance or not.

Originally posted by Mairuzu
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The problem with Gingrich's plan is that it doesn't go far enough. Death penalty cases can get stuck for a long time. If we give cops the authority to perform summary executions on suspected marijuana users we'll save huge amounts on prison costs.

Actually I just looked this thing up. I assumed this was just Jones deciding an offhand comment or joke was a policy decision.

It's an incredibly bizarre bill Gingrich really did put forward . . . in 1996. People who import drugs to the US get a mandatory life sentence. If (while serving a life sentence in federal prison?) they import drugs again they're executed.
http://the-peoples-forum.com/cgi-bin/readart.cgi?ArtNum=26881

A complete stunt to seem tough on drugs, not worth taking seriously at all. The only change it could possibly have affected would be making cartels send people with less than the given dose at a time.

Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
Actually I just looked this thing up. I assumed this was just Jones deciding an offhand comment or joke was a policy decision.

It's an incredibly bizarre bill Gingrich really did put forward . . . in 1996. People who import drugs to the US get a mandatory life sentence. If (while serving a life sentence in federal prison?) they import drugs again they're executed.
http://the-peoples-forum.com/cgi-bin/readart.cgi?ArtNum=26881

A complete stunt to seem tough on drugs, not worth taking seriously at all. The only change it could possibly have affected would be making cartels send people with less than the given dose at a time.

TYT had some clips from earlier either this or last month, where Gingrich was commending the stance on drugs taken by nations like Singapore, where first offense heroin possession can lead to execution.

I've never really seen anyone with any expertise on the subject effectively defend the prohibitions on marijuana.

I think the problem is that too many proponents of legalization (at least the vocal ones) just seem like stupid potheads and thus the whole thing gets strawmanned.

Originally posted by long pig
no one has ever died from pot. ever.

its impossible to OD from it.

People may have died while they were on pot but pot itself has never killed anyone in the history of mankind.

Originally posted by long pig
Do you think Cannabis should be made legal?

If yes, Why?
If no, Why?

Yes, because it's absurd for it not to be. It's time this nonsense came to an end.

Originally posted by Omega Vision
I've never really seen anyone with any expertise on the subject effectively defend the prohibitions on marijuana.

Now you have...

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Originally posted by Patient_Leech
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that isn't a defense of prohibition

I'd also say that the speaker isn't very effective and really doesn't seem like an expert, I could be wrong though, who is it talking?

Originally posted by Omega Vision
I've never really seen anyone with any expertise on the subject effectively defend the prohibitions on marijuana.

Glenn Greenwald had a recent debate against the former Bush drug czar about legalization.

They seemed to talk more about the harder drugs, but the drug czar did make statements where he even lumped alcohol and such into his argument.

Essentially, he was arguing that there is no "reasonable" level of usage, including with alcohol, and that it is immoral to let anyone use because, once you start, it is a literal inevitability that you will have major problems in your life because of your habit.

paraphrasing, sure, but I remember one of his lines was something like "If you come home and drink a glass of alcohol after work, you will eventually become an alcoholic, this is how this stuff works".

There are interesting stats, such as how most nations that have tried some form of decriminalization or legalization are starting to rethink those policies, however, when compared to some of the pro-drug arguments, the cost/benefit analysis does seem to be fully on the side of ending prohibition.

However, as far as I've ever seen, that is the most reasonable and evidence based argument for drug prohibition.

The video is here:

http://www.salon.com/2011/11/15/debating_bushs_drug_czar_on_legalization/singleton/

Originally posted by RE: Blaxican
Agreed 100% with the man.

Too bad Ron Paul is never going to be President and therefore not worth expending energy by hoping on.

Originally posted by inimalist
that isn't a defense of prohibition

I'd also say that the speaker isn't very effective and really doesn't seem like an expert, I could be wrong though, who is it talking?

Oh, right. Sorry. Brain-fart. It's Jello Biafra. He's not necessarily an expert on marijuana, but he's very politically conscious. And I have to thoroughly disagree.. it's extremely effective if what you want is actual information. He's simply stating information about the substance and its history.

Originally posted by Mairuzu
The man is snowballing into greatness. He's about to take the lead in Iowa. Has a great chance. Simply saying he doesn't would only guarantee it.

You should also take a look at how rapidly his money bomb is increasing.

If only he was pro-choice.

Originally posted by Patient_Leech
Oh, right. Sorry. Brain-fart. It's Jello Biafra. He's not necessarily an expert on marijuana, but he's very politically conscious. And I have to thoroughly disagree.. it's extremely effective if what you want is actual information. He's simply stating information about the substance and its history.

well, fair enough... I suppose something being effective is a subjective matter.

I'd be more inclined to go with people like Greenwald for the legal stuff or, for instance, Martin Booth for the historical, as he has written extremely detailed histories of both cannabis and opium going back to its earliest mentions in ancient chinese manuscripts.

Even Hunter S

over a musician at least...

Originally posted by Lord Lucien
If only he was pro-choice.

Should marijuana be legalized?

Originally posted by Lord Lucien
If only he was pro-choice.