Should Marijuana Be Legalized?

Come to my pad, i'll smoke you out fat

^Bump^

There are three main reasons marijuana should be legalized.

1. Choice- We live in a democracy, and the majority of people in America now want marijuana legalized. Given that the government should exist for the people, weed should be legalized on the principle of democracy. One may of course ask if the majority is right about this. Well this also ties into choice. Weed is relatively safe. We have Alcohol and Cigarettes legal. According to those standards, whether or not a person smokes weed should be their choice to make, not the government's.

2. Criminalizing Marijuana Makes Things Worse- The most dangerous thing about marijuana is that it's illegal. This forces marijuana production to become a criminal affair, which places the drug outside of government regulation and sometimes into the hands of organized crime. Going to Jail is also more dangerous and life destroying than smoking weed. Overcrowding of prisons is also an issue that the criminalization of weed contributes to.

3. The Law is Ineffective- Despite the efforts of the government, almost half of adults in America have tried weed, and almost one tenth of Americans smoke weed on a regular basis. It is also very easy for a highschooler to get weed, despite the efforts of the government. Hell, marijuana is the largest cash crop in the United States. A ton of people smoke weed. The law is not deterring nearly enough people to be considered effective. Aside from the aforementioned problems with this law, it could be questioned whether or not this law is even worth enforcing just based on cost and effectiveness.

So the criminalization of marijuana creates larger/more problems than it's supposed to solve, and it doesn't even fulfill its intended purpose that well to begin with. It also takes away people's right to a choice that should be their right to make by moral and societal standards.

Yes. Weed should be legalized.

In many European countries there are more smokers than in the Netherlands, as yet there is not allowed to smoke (marijuana)

I think it's a fad, and that the prohibition of the drug encourages smoking.

I would really like at least medical marijuana legalized in Texas. Damn.

Just the cost of prohibition in the first place should be enough for them to legalize it.

Originally posted by Emperordmb
Just the cost of prohibition in the first place should be enough for them to legalize it.

In fact I'd rather have every drug addict executed than having to deal with a pall of marijuana smoke in a restaurant.

No. It interfers with education.

Originally posted by Astner
It would be even cheaper just to put a bullet in every junky's head.

In fact I'd rather have every drug addict executed than having to deal with a pall of marijuana smoke in a restaurant.

You don't know a whole lot about marijuana do you.

Yes! Absolutely! Marijuana should be Legalized. Of course anyone under 21 cannot smoke it and the same laws that apply to drinking should apply.

Originally posted by Astner
It would be even cheaper just to put a bullet in every junky's head.

In fact I'd rather have every drug addict executed than having to deal with a pall of marijuana smoke in a restaurant.

And all because you don't want to deal with marijuana smoke in a restaurant?

People's lives and several billion dollars outweigh whatever side effects are caused by smoking weed. The fact that you'd insinuate that we should kill people just so you don't have to deal with other people in your life smoking weed is very short sighted and selfish.

Originally posted by Emperordmb
So the death of 7% of Americans is an acceptable cost for you?

Originally posted by Astner
They're killing themselves either way. Besides a tax financed bullet is cheaper than the constant medicinal treatments we'd end up paying for you.

It's really not that bad.

Your idea of shooting everyone who smokes weed on the other hand would kill 7% of Americans.

It also supposedly has great medicinal value. It's thought to be a good anti-inflammatory.

Also, I use it for anxiety. I would much rather use it than Xanax, which is highly addictive. My psychologist agrees with me.

It's a habitual addiction.