The classic battle: Marijuana should it legalized?

[whiskeytown]

there is obviously very strong evidence for keeping it out of kid's hands (as with alcohol - it interferes with developing brains for one) - but I can see no reason whatsoever why anyone would honestly find a reason to keep it illegal while alcohol stays legal -

not nearly as dangerous as booze....but who knows - start a bunch of pot clubs and you might see driving stats. that are scary - but that's something that can be dealt with as it comes - it doesn't stop us from serving booze...

RB

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Specifically, I will make an argument for hallucinogens like LSD, mushrooms, peyote, 2c-e, etc. being legal. None of those drugs have ever caused a fatal overdose that is on record. None of those drugs make people behave any more dangerously than alcohol

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The alcohol bit is particularly important to me. Given that alcohol is legal (as it should be), I find it absurd that other drugs that are probably less lethal are illegal. It's just like cigarettes. Cigarettes kill millions of people and are sold on every street corner, yet harmless pot will get you thrown in jail. It doesn't make any sense.

I vote for purging the books of all drug laws and letting the free market buck. We'd save hundreds of millions on prison costs and pick up major tax revenue.

[Autocratic]

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there is obviously very strong evidence for keeping it out of kid's hands (as with alcohol - it interferes with developing brains for one) - but I can see no reason whatsoever why anyone would honestly find a reason to keep it illegal while alcohol stays legal -

not nearly as dangerous as booze....but who knows - start a bunch of pot clubs and you might see driving stats. that are scary - but that's something that can be dealt with as it comes - it doesn't stop us from serving booze...

RB

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http://www.cannabisculture.com/news/driving

That link was given earlier in this thread. Almost every shred of evidence I have ever found shows that marijuana is far, far safer than alcohol. I don't want to get into this debate too much because I'm a bit too passionate.

Perhaps we can argue more about what to do in schools. Is "just say no" sensible, or do we need to change our abstinence-only policy?

[coffeecrazy1]

I think "just say no" is pretty sensible. Even though I gave my fairly radical viewpoint, I want to underline that I am in no way saying that you should do drugs...and especially people who are not old enough to be able to decide.

I'm arguing that we could, but we shouldn't...in terms of how I think the question of drugs should be. I believe that crack should be legal. I think crack is one of the foulest substances on the face of the earth, but its legality or lack thereof makes little difference to me, who is clean, or a crackhead, who is not. We are going to do what we want to do. Is there anyone in America who honestly could not get their hands on whatever drug they wanted in a maximum timeframe of 24 hours? I don't believe there is. Drug use is already largely a choice...and the people who suffer from it are the users(in terms of infringing on individual freedoms).

[jokerthief]

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Specifically, I will make an argument for hallucinogens like LSD, mushrooms, peyote, 2c-e, etc. being legal. None of those drugs have ever caused a fatal overdose that is on record.

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1/4 of the human race is mortally allergic to peyote. That said War on Drugs=Bad.

[Autocratic]

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I think "just say no" is pretty sensible.


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So you think that not teaching our kids realistic information about drugs, but rather telling them that saying no is always the answer, has been effective?

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and pick up major tax revenue.

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This isn't a good argument. Lottery tickets boost tax revenue but they are a "tax on the poor." More harm than good is caused from Lottery tickets, and the same thing would result if marijuana were taxed.

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Specifically, I will make an argument for hallucinogens like LSD, mushrooms, peyote, 2c-e, etc. being legal. None of those drugs have ever caused a fatal overdose that is on record.

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This is nonsense. The native american church uses peyote as a sacrament. They do not drop like flies. In fact, there is not one documented case of a person dying from mescaline use.

1/4 of the human race is mortally allergic to peyote. That said War on Drugs=Bad.

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and pick up major tax revenue.

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This isn't a good argument. Lottery tickets boost tax revenue but they are a "tax on the poor." More harm than good is caused from Lottery tickets, and the same thing would result if marijuana were taxed.

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Uh what? What possible harm would result if marijuana were taxed?

BTW, the lottery isnt a tax on poor people, its a tax on people who are terrible at math. Ironic that the funds are used to pay for education.

[Autocratic]

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and pick up major tax revenue.

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This isn't a good argument. Lottery tickets boost tax revenue but they are a "tax on the poor." More harm than good is caused from Lottery tickets, and the same thing would result if marijuana were taxed.

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A good comparison is cigarettes, not lottery tickets.