Knowing the social burdens created by alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking, does the legalization of marijuana seem logical? |
Nothing but logical
Of course it's logical. "Social burdens" are individual choices. If you choose to smoke marijuana it's your choice and you shouldn't be denied access because the idea of you smoking pot bothers people who choose not to. I'd also like to urge people who are against the legalization of marijuana to stop using the "no it's a drug" argument because alcohol nicotine and caffeine are all "drugs" as well so don't try to make an argument out of a senseless statement especially when you're puffing on your cigarette while drinking your coffee the morning after getting hammered at the club
Posted by: AnonymousIn this economy...
With the current economic recession, temporary legalization of "Mary Jane" as some call it would help by placing a tax. Logically, the demand for said drug is enormous in black markets. The sin taxation could aid the government a bit more.
Posted by: AnonymousMarijuana should be legalized, because it has medical benefits.
Marijuana has been proven to be helpful for many ailments. I think it should be available for people who can benefit from it. For some ailments, it is no worse than being put on potentially harmful drugs. Marijuana does have side effects, but so do other drugs that are readily prescribed.
Posted by: FemaleTyron73Yes, because the burdens of alcohol prohibition were worse than those prevailing now, and the drug war is similarly doing more harm than good.
Given that marijuana is a drug with modest intrinsic harms (at least with occasional use) with some benefits, and that prohibition makes criminals out of many productive, responsible people, it seems that law enforcement resources spent on marijuana issues could be better deployed against more genuine threats. And the fact that the sale of illegal substances is frequently used to finance other illegal activities (a lesson of Prohibition, too, by the way), legalization of marijuana seems not only logical, but long overdue. Making pot legal and regulated would also allow people who did develop psychological or physical problems from their use to more easily seek treatment. And it would also allow the government to obtain additional tax revenue.
Posted by: M4I4cFeIineI agree with the legalization of marijuana for tax reasons.
I believe marijuana is not as dangerous as some people make it out to be, and the extra tax revenue would help struggling states.
Posted by: MDavisLegalization of marijuana would provide no greater social ills than cigarettes or alcohol.
Both cigarettes and alcohol provide numerous health risks to the consumer, as well as collateral effects on non-users. The harms associated with marijuana consumption pose no greater threat. As such, legalization is a logical extension, allowing the benefit of a taxable commodity and jobs to American workers.
Posted by: N3r0nKrooIThis question is sophomoric.
Some Facts:
We know alcohol kills. 85,000 deaths annually
We know tobacco kills. 435,000 deaths annually
We know marijuana CAN NOT kill. 0 Deaths annually
Any questions?Posted by: AnonymousYes, the legalization of marijuana seems logical despite the problems of legalizing alcohol and cigarettes; just like those two drugs people will use marijuana whether it is legal or not.
A drug's illegality does not stop people from using it; it just hinders the government's ability to regulate the product and allows the criminal element to make a fortune from selling it to the pubic - while the government receives nothing. Just like alcohol and cigarettes, usage is better controlled because they are legal; the same could be said for marijuana. If it was legal, more safety concerns could be pushed through as well a required legal age for purchase of the stuff.
Posted by: H_BairdFor the Sake of Consistency
People don't respect inconsistent laws. If we're going to keep marijuana illegal alcohol and cigarettes illegal too since they are more dangerous.
Posted by: MasturDbtoryes, marijuana use is a victimless crime
Smoking marijuana doesn't effect anybody else other than yourself. People should have the right to put whatever they want into their bodies. If somebody hurts somebody while they are high then it is their fault not the fault of marijuana.
Posted by: AnonymousI agree that legalization of marijuana is logical because it would eventually prove to be less of a social burden than cigarette smoking.
Having quit both smoking pot and smoking cigarettes, I can tell you that the latter is a far harder battle. I quit smoking pot rather accidentally. I hit my late twenties and just didn't feel like doing it anymore. However, after nearly three years without a cigarette I still long for just one more. Cigarettes are more addictive and more dangerous to the health of the smoker. I think that marijuana is already so widespread that legalizing it would not significantly increase the number of users. It would, however, make the industry more controllable and reduce a significant number of criminal cases passing through law enforcement. Certainly, legislation would have to be established for the prevention of driving while high, etc., but I don't think the burdens of legalization would outweigh the benefits.
Posted by: Shim2freeAnd banning anything for the small guy is stupid, its what they do with it that they should be jugded for(ie murder another).
It makes me sleepy and when i need sleep i need to sleep, i don't want to be fucking taking all these stupid fucking pills my doctor attempts to give me(ambienTM). If you dont like Marijuana then don't smoke. the only thing locking people in jail does is create jobs only ass-holes will do , and in turn creates conflict. I don't want to buy the shit from wallmartTM i just want to grow my plants in PEACE PLZ, just go and bother your own family's and leave mine alone, thank you
Posted by: AnonymousLegalizaion of marijuana will result in less violence.
If everybody smoked pot and ran around naked, there would be no more wars. Think about how many people are in prison, or the grave, from alcohol abuse? How many broken homes and abused children? I have never met anyone arrested for driving while stoned on pot, but I have met many people for driving while intoxicated on alcohol (or drugs). Stop the senseless War on Drugs by legalizing marijuana and by treating drug abuse as the medical problem it really is... America has become "incarceration nation" by jailing its sickest and by letting the real criminals into politics.
Posted by: AnonymousMarijuana is a plant
It should be as liberal to use as lettuce it grows from the ground cures cancer, glacoma, helps with pain and aids. it does not cause death brain cell lose or lung cancer and the amount of auto accidents caused from it is less then caffiene caused crashes. if you think it should not be legal for medical and recrational purposes your are an ignorant test tube baby that screams slogans and NEVER did real medical reasearch on it
Posted by: Anonymous
I do not believe marijuana should be legalized for the general population due to its dangers.
Marijuana is a controlled substance which can easily be abused and should not be legal with the exception of medical use in limited quantities. The known effects of abuse have been studied for some time; marijuana should not be legalized for this reason as well as the crime associated with drug traffic.
Posted by: SIyPageMarijuana can impact the health of consumers.
People beleive that as majiruana is a soft drug it does no arms. Such beleif can't stand in front of the medical evidences. In the long run, majijuana is more harmfull than cigarette. The risk of addiction is real. It s our responsability to enlight the public about the health damages which can occure. We should not put people life at risk for money.
Posted by: AnonymousI'm opposed to the legalization of marijuana. It will become a problem for society and cause accidents, just like alcohol has.
When a drug is legalized, such as alcohol, it will be used by large numbers of people. If something is legalized, a lot of people will come to the conclusion it is OK to consume the drug if they have not, or consume it more often, since it would be legal and acceptable. Studies show marijuana can impair your ability to perform certain tasks, making it a lethal drug if legalized.
Posted by: SparkRoldMarijuana should not be legal since its consumption will create lots of burdens to the society.
Now, when people have limited access and when it is illegal to possess marijuana, we see that many young people and others are already having health problems and other problems, such as irresponsible conduct thanks to the use of marijuana. If marijuana has a non-restrictive access, similar to alcohol or cigarettes, the US society should expect a huge social burden and a big cost to its health systems.
Posted by: l0olllooiNo, it's a drug.
No, it should not be legalized; it is a drug and should be treated as a drug. Anything that alters the mind should be controlled. If it truly has medical purposes, then there should be a way to make those medical purposes into a pill form and sell it as a controlled drug only.
Posted by: Ci3nInvaderI don't think social burdens should play a role in the legalization of marijuana since people befriend others like themselves.
People who drink are friends with others who drink. People who smoke cigarettes tend to befriend other smokers. The same theory applies to marijuana smokers. Those who don't condone such behaviors befriend others who feel the same. This is the definition of a free society in my words. The majority of people in this country do want our society to think, act, and behave in the same manner. Marijuana smokers already have their niche of friends and legalizing it wouldn't change a thing except to people who oppose it. The people who oppose it are already the people who preach the downfalls of alcohol and tobacco and for some reason can't understand why some people would choose to do activities that they feel are wrong. Well... welcome to a free society where we have that choice regardless of what the opposition thinks.
Posted by: BrianDjWe simply cannot afford any more social burdens.
As stated, we already have plenty of social burdens created by alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking. There are many issues created by people under the influence of alcohol, so we cannot afford to have more people under the influence of mind/mood altering substances.
Posted by: AverageHoward86Stoners don't create history, and making marijuana legal will be one of the worst moments of ours.
Smokers die young, but they can work for decades before dying. There are many famous and productive people who smoked, contributing to society and supporting themselves. There are famous and productive people who drank heavily, from writers to actors to politicians. Drinkers can drive drunk and kill others, but many people muddle through life despite abusing alcohol. There are no famous and productive "stoners," despite a few musicians who abuse drugs. There are no people who abuse marijuana and manage to pay their way through life. Someone can smoke a cigar every night and still pay taxes and raise a family. Someone can drink heavily every weekend and still get up Monday for work and manage to raise their children. Those who use marijuana almost never work, rarely raise their own children, and end up only draining society. Smokers are so productive that the cigarette taxes are a major source of state revenue. Alcohol taxes pay for law enforcement. Marijuana taxes wouldn't cover much if the marijuana users were expected to pay them, because they do not work after abusing the drug. There is only a cost of marijuana users, never a real benefit.
Posted by: Pir4AndTo legalize marijuana would but a greater burden on our already over-burdened health care industry.
Our health care system is already over-burdened. It is about to get even more so with Pres. Obama's health care reform plan, to add another "legal" form for harming ourselves. All this does is add pressures and taxes to a system that is on the verge of collapse. It is a bad decision.
Posted by: EmiIeP4tty