Marijuana

[Spleen Spirit]

The criminalization debate isn't about making life easier for the chronic abuser who does so irrespective of the law anyways, and who would just find another way to self-medicate if they had to.

 

I've smoked weed probably 6 or 7 times, mostly in high school, and the experience was pretty unremarkable. I'd laugh at retarded jokes and eat my body weight in snacks but I didn't get the urge to drop out of school, quit my job and spiral into oblivion... nor did I feel I was doing any particular disservice to anyone, nor did it feel immoral or harmful to anyone other than myself... almost in the same way I'd feel if that bag of weed had been replaced with a case of beer.

 

The reason I think it should be legal is that I don't believe the effects or consequences of this experience warrant me being considered a criminal for the rest of my life... and yet they very well do.

 

Look at the poll - A decent number of us have at least tried it. Theres a good chance many of these individuals are upstanding, caring, contributing members of society... but if they were ever charged their careers (or future careers) would be forever jeopardized... and this would be to the benefit of society.

 

Its easy to have the legalize/not-legalize debate in Canada where weed, though illegal, is widely regarded as something that many people at least experiment with a few times in college/highschool/the safety of their own home etc... and where even police will overlook it on some occasions. Even in this thread people address the issue as if its a matter of convenience, as opposed to jail time.

 

If you believe that weed should be illegal then you have to concede that everyone who admitted to having smoked in the poll deserves to stigmatized with a criminal record. Now obviously they do deserve such stigma because they did in face break a law... but examine whether this 'deservingness' lends itself to a better society.

 

Would our society be rightfully served and benefit from all of these people being charged with a criminal offense just for trying a drug thats comparable to alcohol, one time (for example) during a first-year party?

 

If you have any friends who, for whatever reason, tried smoking pot once at a party or event (think concerts, festivals, parades etc. - places where police in Canada almost unanimously turn a blind-eye to weed smoking) then you believe that this action was on par with other criminal offences that involve actual, identifiable victims... and that society would be well-served if all these friends were charged as criminals.

 

Think about our parents, politicians, police officers, medical professionals, peers, colleagues etc - many of them have smoked pot with arguably negligible effects on society. Arguably the negative effects are on par with their overeating, alcoholism or nicotine addictions, if any exist. The vast majority of the people weren't charged as criminals (luckily for our tax dollars and penal system) but according to the law, they should have been, and that we'd all be better off if they were.

[jt23]

10char.......

[seann]

And who will fund all that? In the end it all comes back to money.

 

 

Legalizing weed will: make law enforcement more effective by crippling the "bad people's" financial income, generate $$$$$$$$ from taxes on weed sales, and free up law enforcement officers from the almost pointless need to chase after weed smokers.

 

Employing more law enforcement will: cripple the "bad people's" financial income, stimulate the economy, make them actually do something as opposed to giving out speeding tickets

 

But seriously, all of your points are pretty valid. In economic terms in would make sense.

[Leon]

Is it so easy to obtain illegal substances? Of the 92 people who voted, at least 34% have done it.

I've no experience in these matters at all but I used to be under the impression that it would be, at least, *somewhat* difficult to get hold of these things. Else I'd expect the police to catch up to it pretty quick.

 

No adding to the debate here- just trying to dispel my naiveness.

[jt23]

c0asdasdsadsada

[Tango Charlie]

Ok look you have a pretty good point assuming legalizing weed would cause less violence and gangs. But it's hard to say that would be so. If we want to make selling weed not worth it, how about tougher weed laws instead of weaker ones? How about we try to make our law enforcement better at catching these guys? How about we employ more law enforcement? Ought to be good for the unemployment situation down in the states...

 

What exactly is it about weed that makes you think all of that is justified? Putting people in jail longer for getting high on their couch and eating potato chips? Spending millions more on cops to enforce that particular brand of tyranny? The US tried this approach, and where has it gotten them? A massive prison population full of people who pose no threat to society, strained law enforcement across the country, never-before-seen levels of drug violence both domestically and along the their southern border, and more people are getting high than ever before. The only way forward is through legalization, not in trying to clamp down even harder.

 

I just find it scary that 49.45% of people haven't tried it and never will, I am pretty sure a lot of your interviewers and professors probably have. Only people I've met along my years that never did it where anti-social individuals to occupied with studying or playing wow lol.

 

Naive idealism runs strong with premeds.

[blind_synergy]

Is it so easy to obtain illegal substances? Of the 92 people who voted, at least 34% have done it.

I've no experience in these matters at all but I used to be under the impression that it would be, at least, *somewhat* difficult to get hold of these things. Else I'd expect the police to catch up to it pretty quick.

 

No adding to the debate here- just trying to dispel my naiveness.

 

It's pretty easy to get weed. If you really want to find a dealer, you just ask the guys you know smoke weed regurarly (you know at least one, everybody does). They'll set you up. I'm not a regular smoker, so I usually just mooch off my friends when the mood hits me.

[jt23]

10char......

[blind_synergy]

just wondering does anyone manage to study high and do well lol? Never tried it, my roommate wrote an essay in first year for political science, high and got an 95%, thought that was pretty impressive.

 

Authors have done amazing works drunk and/or high. Was it because they were naturally gifted and overcame the intoxicating effects or did the drugs and alcohol fuel their works?

[Spleen Spirit]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/05/13/mexico.fox.marijuana/index.html

 

Also if you look up reported marijuana use in countries where it is legalized, you'll find comparable and many times lower usage than in the US, where its policed more vigorously than in Canada. Basically there's little to no correlation between use and legalization in developed countries.

[AdamP]

Maybe all the non-smokers want all of the smokers to have criminal records thus reducing the competition.

 

In all seriousness, someone mentioned we will see it legalized in 20 years. I honestly think we are really tied to the US with this one. If they legalize we probably would the next day. But as it stands now, legalization would really grind down boarder traffic, probably enough to potentially negate any tax benefits.

 

That being said, I'm of the opinion we might see changes a lot sooner. Obama isn't going to touch it nationally, and said its a states rights issue. California has a legalization referendum going on the ballot in November (http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE62O08U20100325), and if that turns out to be successful I could see it spreading pretty quickly across the us and Canada soon after.

[jt23]

10charr......

[NewfieMike]

it is INCREDIBLY easy to get access to marijuana. Avoid the dealers altogether. There are places in British Columbia with online catalogues. You browse the site, select your product, send them cash/money order and they ship it to your mailbox in a vacuum-sealed (no scent) package.

 

I've heard of guys getting 2000$ orders shipped this way.

[seann]

Tupac said it the best "They got a war on drugs, so the police can bother me"

 

Yeah Tupac is someone who I respect very much in terms of political opinions.

Except rape

[jt23]

10charrrrr.

[seann]

sarcastic much? rape or rap lol

 

I meant rape but both would work.

[blind_synergy]

Yeah Tupac is someone who I respect very much in terms of political opinions.

Except rape

 

Argumentum ad hominem, huh?

[jt23]

10 char....

[Tango Charlie]

Yeah Tupac is someone who I respect very much in terms of political opinions.

Except rape

 

I don't know anything about Tupac beyond the fact that he's a dead rapper who still releases albums somehow, but there's actually an important point there. In the States, drug crimes are very disproportionately "perpetrated" by people of colour. Or more precisely, they're targeted by law enforcement more and receive harsher penalties compared to white people. In a sense, drug laws and their enforcement are a sort of state-sponsored racism.

[seann]

Argumentum ad hominem, huh?

 

Indeed

Someone who is a rapist, someone who incites violence including racial violence and promotes the killing of police officers will not be on my debate team. No thanks.

[seann]

Media depict black people like him as criminals.

 

He was in jail...

[jt23]

asdadadasasdasda

[seann]

I don't know anything about Tupac beyond the fact that he's a dead rapper who still releases albums somehow, but there's actually an important point there. In the States, drug crimes are very disproportionately "perpetrated" by people of colour. Or more precisely, they're targeted by law enforcement more and receive harsher penalties compared to white people. In a sense, drug laws and their enforcement are a sort of state-sponsored racism.

 

Boldened part is bull. If more people of color commit more drug crimes than it is because of the wealth distribution, not racist police officers you don't see white guys sending masses of chinese guys to jail for drugs...

[jt23]

10aasdasdasdas

[jt23]

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