The classic battle: Marijuana should it legalized?

[tylerdurden]

[ QUOTE ]
My question is: Why do you want to reverse this trend?

Question 2: Why do you want more lives ruined from heroin and meth?

[/ QUOTE ]

You are confusing support for a particular implementation with support for an end goal. This is the same mistake made by those who say that anyone who doesn't support Kyoto must hate the environment.

Is your goal to eliminate all people with a blood alcohol level above an arbitrary number from driving vehicles or is it to minimize injuries and fatalities caused by driver impairment from alcohol?

[Iplayboard]

[ QUOTE ]
Or maybe its more ashame that most agree that pot is "basically" harmless and yet or govt. will not listen to us?!? [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

Not sure where people in this forum came up with the myth that most people in this country want pot to be legalized, if only it weren't for those damned politicians.
Recent attempts to reduce the penalties for possesion have failed horribly. As natedogg hinted at, the 2+2 forums aren't an accurate cross-section of American voters.

"Ohio's measure would have reduced penalties for marijuana possession, offering treatment instead of incarceration to the offender. It was voted down by 67%. Arizona's measure would have legalized medical marijuana and also reduced the penalties for possession, punishing offenders with a civil fine. It was also voted down, but by a smaller margin of 57%.

And finally, Nevada, by far the most ambitious, had on its ballot a question that would have fully legalized personal possession of three ounces of marijuana and established a system of regulation for taxation, cultivation, and sale. Wow! Who said Nevada was a useless den of sin? This referendum clearly proved that Nevada is a vibrant, hip, and extremely useful den. Sadly, though, it didn't quite make it through, losing by 61%."
web page

[ QUOTE ]
Furthermore, heroin and meth destroy your life and the life of everyone who loves you, no matter what, 100% of the time. If you manage to survive without getting hepatitis C or AIDS, and your family hasnt completely abandoned you, you still are never cured of heroin/meth addiction. If heroin and meth were made completely legal, fact: more people would use these drugs.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why do people say idiotic things like this? I know many people who used meth or heroin at one point in their life and the consequences you outline did not occur. What is the sample size for your observations that have lead you to believe that "100%" of the time heroin and meth will be life-destroying?

Also, what empirical evidence do you have that indicates legalization will increase use?

Also, if your line of reasoning is correct, wouldn't it be approrpiate to ban cigarettes, since they are particularly lethal and criminalization would decrease use?

[SheetWise]

pizzystrizzy --

Don't attempt logical arguments. There is rather large segment of the poulation that never advanced their knowledge past "Refer Madness", or rely on anecdotal experience.

If people really want to know how rampant illegal recreational drug use is in this country, they should propose random testing for police, judges, and congressmen. If you really want to have fun, propose lawyers (especially prosecutors) are tested.

[microbet]

[ QUOTE ]
just about makes me want to throw up

[/ QUOTE ]

Smoke some pot. It helps with nausea.

[JonPKibble]

cannabis tax + flat income tax = +EV