Should weed be legal? [Discussion]

[thekeemo]

In theory anything is addictive but there are no withdrawal symptoms, you could probably use it for ten years and one day be able to stop. Its no more addictive than Coffee (apparently)

https://teens.drugabuse.gov/blog/post/marijuana-withdrawal-real

first result 

[Overkilled]

Interestingly I feel like some people do it because of the 'cool factor' of it being illegal. I wonder if (or when) it does become legal those people will move onto more dangerous drugs that actually should be illegal

[Notree]

Legalize it. Tax it. Profit. Everyone who smokes weed already gets it illegally. Legalization isn't going to make more people smoke weed.

[Memories4K]

I feel very strong about weed being illegal. It's just another stupid thing for people to get hooked on. And even though it's not really that bad, I just think it's unnecessary to have it be legal, when it can potentially cause some serious long term effects that are arguably just as bad as cigarettes'. 

 

People are going to abuse weed. It will cause massive issues with businesses since employers don't want anything to do with people that do smoke weed, and people will most likely start exploring more things to push the potential law's boundaries once again. Proving that it could potentially cause yet another problem.

Are you also in favor of taxing soda and banning McDonalds?

I work as a diet therapist and am currently studying for my degree in Dietetics, what's funny is that one of the many solutions (possible, not supported) given to my country's obesity problem in the lectures (#2 on the planet, behind Mexico. Don't worry, we'll be #1 again lmao) is that we completely ban fast-food and/or foods that do not meet a specific criteria of standards for public sale.

The thing is the problem is the public's education and own choices, it is not the fact the food is easily accessible.

People can be very healthy and nutritionally well-fed, and also have that Big Mac from down the street or the Mountain Dew.

The problem is too many people don't know better and abuse their bodies.

No different from problems found with many illegal substances.

The issues would still be there, only less accessible. 

[asiancorruption]

Interestingly I feel like some people do it because of the 'cool factor' of it being illegal. I wonder if (or when) it does become legal those people will move onto more dangerous drugs that actually should be illegal

I see your point. I think the next "edgy" drug to do would be lean because of the face that it is relatively inexpensive and highly glorified.

[Memories4K]

 Everyone who smokes weed already gets it illegally. Legalization isn't going to make more people smoke weed.

This is the biggest thing.

[techswede]

Nope

Because pot heads are insufferable..

[paddy-stone]

I'm all for it personally... I have a chronic illness (fibromyalgia), and without going into too much detail, I struggle with life every day because of intense pain throughout my body. There are currently no legal drugs that  help much with this kind of thing. I personally don't partake, and struggle a lot because of this... but marijuana is not legal where I live and it is also not able to be prescribed by any medical persons. I have actually been advised (unofficially) by a doctor to get hold of some to help relieve my symptoms, and I know of many others with conditions like mine or similar where they have had great success with using it. I used to use it recreationally when I was younger and didn't have this condition, but now that I have mobility problems etc it's not like I can go to the local pot dealers house and ask for some, lol... so think it'd be a great idea if it was available on prescription for people that have medical conditions. Not sure I would agree with it being used legally for recreational use though, as that would come with inherent problems such as driving while under the influence etc and could cause more traffic accidents, accidents whilst at work operating machinery etc.

[Vivilacqua1]

There's enough drug abuse already

In my opinion, drugs, alcohol and smoking should all be banned at the same time.

America tried that with alcohol. Didn't go too terribly well lol. But I see your point.

[Monkey Dust]

By keeping weed, and other drugs illegal, it puts money in the hands of criminals and terrorists (yes terrorists, they don't grow poppies in Afghanistan because they look pretty), and fuel violence. I'd legalise it along with various other things, not everything but at least one from each 'category'.

[Maxxtraxx]

Difficult subject, as a disclaimer I do not drink, smoke, chew or do drugs of any kind because I decided during my late teens that I wanted to be in control of my own body at all times.

 

I have many friends who drink and coworkers who smoke/chew. I have very little first hand knowledge of drugs, but my personal feelings ar that it primarily comes down to the individual that is using the drugs.

 

IMO if it leads to your body developing an physical or mental addiction to a product then it should be avoided, Many individuals use drugs to escape dealing with problems they have in their life, deferment of dealing with problems is never a good way to improve the problem and will generally always make said problem worse with neglect.

 

IMO if using the drug causes the impairment or loss of normal mental functions then not ONCE have I heard of the loss of mental functions leading to a good end result or improving the decisions of the person. If your non-drug influenced mind does not stay the primary decider of your actions then the decisions you make while in an altered state will be more likely to be regrettable ones.

 

In the end MY feelings are that if a person is dependent upon a drug mentally or physically then it is a crutch/impairment/hindrance to that persons life and that wise decisions are often not made when addiction is involved.

 

Remember, the addicted mind is responsible for its decisions whether those decisions are made when rational or when impaired... and those decisions can have serious consequences not only for the life of the individual...

 

but also for the lives of OTHERS AROUND THEM whether its family dealing with the pain of an addicted loved one or unrelated individuals dealing with the consequences of that persons actions that may have destroyed or altered the life of a COMPLETE STRANGER in most likely for this circumstance of discussion... in a BAD way.

 

I don't want this to attack any individuals that support drug use, that is not my intent, please this is my thoughts on what can be a very destructive force if not used with extreme caution, it has, does and will continue to destroy lives of the user and those around them because of completely unintentional decisions when the wrong circumstance arises.

[SufficientSwimmer]

The only thing that pisses me off is the fact that my entire neighborhood smells like weed 70-ish% of the time. I'm all for using it to help with anxiety or pain or whatever the hell you can use it for, but when you start using just to get high without actually needing it that's when it starts to annoy me. 

 

But Kerf, everyone should be able to use it if they want to. It's their body, their time, and their money.

I know. It's just my opinion that they shouldn't unless they need it.

 

 

Nope

Because pot heads are insufferable..

Yup...

[Overkilled]

If you're using weed to try to deal underlying problems in your life with just like Alcohol its always gonna be a slippery slope and I wouldn't suggest using it however when used but not abused weed is probably the safest way to get high and have a good time imo.

[The Knome]

Yes and No.
People have covered things like addiction, using it as a solution to a problem like alcohol etc.

Personally I am more of the science side,,,,, at the end of the day it is a plant, its has its own benefits and downsides being a drug (and needing medication myself, I can say nothing is free of negative effects even when they have positive ones).

Science says its actually destructive, but that's primarily from police data and subjects, which also denotes the fact most will be home grown or cut with some nasty stuff which could easily lead to the problems scientific studies have come up with which is the downside of something being illegal that can be so easily created.

There are suggestions, and a few studies, even some claims of selective breeding of strains of the plant that takes out a lot of the negative effects which I would imagine is entirely possible to research and do if you take away the barriers to make such tests, which with added mediation and legalisation, can make it safer than getting supplies from some dodgy back street dealer.

[SQZY98]

Don´t do drugs kids. 

I don´t really care about that. I neither smoke nor drink. But I think it´s actually alcohol that is more dangerous. It´s just so underestimated and in my country you can drink beer at the age of 16 and it´s like so cool to drink alcohol at that age. Yeah, and there is the problem with addiction.

[TroubleKlef]

Yes and tax it. Also have laws for driving while high as harsh as a DUI. 

[Daegun]

It's funny that legalizing it doesn't take away all of the problems. It's legal where I live, but I don't know a single company that has changed their stance on it. If you're asked to take a drug test and test positive for it, you still get fired.

[Griffscavern]

It's funny that legalizing it doesn't take away all of the problems. It's legal where I live, but I don't know a single company that has changed their stance on it. If you're asked to take a drug test and test positive for it, you still get fired.

Yeah, I live in Oregon. It's legal here too, but most companies still base their drug policy off of the federal standard, where it is still illegal, and fire you if you get tested and come up positive.

[Misanthrope]

People should be free to put whatever they want into their own bodies, so yes.

 

Not quite: we shouldn't be selling say cyanide capsules for people to suicide with on the supermarket or having the risk people getting their hands on Uranium or Cesium just because some nut wants to be free to put "anything he wants on his body" 

 

But as long as prescription morphine is legal or alcohol is legal I see 0 arguments to keep weed or coke illegal.

[Misanthrope]

It's funny that legalizing it doesn't take away all of the problems. It's legal where I live, but I don't know a single company that has changed their stance on it. If you're asked to take a drug test and test positive for it, you still get fired.

 

I doubt they would prevail on a wrongful termination lawsuit though, it's just difficult, impractical and not beneficial for a worker to take that to court but I'm sure a Lawyer will eventually take that road and set precedent.

[SufficientSwimmer]

Nevermind

Edited January 10, 2016 by kerfurfulsnitz

[dizmo]

I feel very strong about weed being illegal. It's just another stupid thing for people to get hooked on. And even though it's not really that bad, I just think it's unnecessary to have it be legal, when it can potentially cause some serious long term effects that are arguably just as bad as cigarettes'. 

 

People are going to abuse weed. It will cause massive issues with businesses since employers don't want anything to do with people that do smoke weed, and people will most likely start exploring more things to push the potential law's boundaries once again. Proving that it could potentially cause yet another problem.

The exact same things can be said about soft drinks.

I don't think it'll cause any more issues than are already there. Weed is ridiculously easy to obtain. It might as well already be legal.

 

Interestingly I feel like some people do it because of the 'cool factor' of it being illegal. I wonder if (or when) it does become legal those people will move onto more dangerous drugs that actually should be illegal

Weed is considered a gateway drug. However I think as long as people don't get into synthetics it's not so bad.

Not everyone goes farther though. Chances are making it legal won't change the minds of people that do.

 

Are you also in favor of taxing soda and banning McDonalds?

I work as a diet therapist and am currently studying for my degree in Dietetics, what's funny is that one of the many solutions (possible, not supported) given to my country's obesity problem in the lectures (#2 on the planet, behind Mexico. Don't worry, we'll be #1 again lmao) is that we completely ban fast-food and/or foods that do not meet a specific criteria of standards for public sale.

The thing is the problem is the public's education and own choices, it is not the fact the food is easily accessible.

People can be very healthy and nutritionally well-fed, and also have that Big Mac from down the street or the Mountain Dew.

The problem is too many people don't know better and abuse their bodies.

No different from problems found with many illegal substances.

The issues would still be there, only less accessible. 

I don't think it's necessarily that they don't know better, I think it's that the foods easier to obtain.

That's why I eat it. I know I shouldn't but it's just so much easier than cooking something.

Plus that fountain pop. Such addiction.

 

It's funny that legalizing it doesn't take away all of the problems. It's legal where I live, but I don't know a single company that has changed their stance on it. If you're asked to take a drug test and test positive for it, you still get fired.

 

In the US? Isn't that because it's still technically illegal on a Federal level?

[Daegun]

Is there a problem with this?

Well it pretty much defeats the purpose of it being legalized...

 

I, personally, have no problem with people smoking weed, and it's not like everyone here has turned into a stoner since it was legalized. My only gripe is that the radio commercials for the places that sell it are pretty damn annoying, but presets exist for a reason.

 

@dizmo

Probably.

[Griffscavern]

Is there a problem with this?

If you are intoxicated at the time of the test it is a problem. If you are in a state where its legal, and you're not high when asked to take the test, yes, it is a problem. That won't change though until its legalized on a federal level.

My thoughts are, though I don't partake myself, that if it's legal where you live, and you are not doing it while working, driving, around a minor, or other stupid instance, then what you do on your own time is fine. As long as it's legal to do so.

[Griffscavern]

In the US? Isn't that because it's still technically illegal on a Federal level?

Yes