The classic battle: Marijuana should it legalized?

[PokerMatt]

"Maybe not, even thou I enjoy smoking the green sticky stuff I dont wont my kids smoking it or do I condone smoking it while driving. It does impair your judgement I know this because I smoke it. I dont think it impairs as much as alcohol(sp) but still there is a affect in judgement."

I agree for the most part. I don't think kids should smoke it either, so you can make a law regarding age. If I'm not mistaken, teenagers say it's easier for them to get cannabis than alcohol or tobacco. That's because the black market doesn't discriminate with regards to age. As far as driving, it's not something I condone but the scientific consensus shows it's not a big concern: Cannabis driving studies

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If it is not legalized maybe it should be decriminalized. When was the last time you saw a pot head go out and beat someone because he was high on the grass. Yet with alcohol it happens daily(just go to bar). I find it hard to understand why a person can be placed on a probation system then end up in jail for a period of time because they where smoking the rope."

No on decrim. It doesn't mean it's legal, it just means you get a ticket for it if you don't get caught instead of the possibility of arrest and a criminal record.

"But most of the jails the house marijuana violators are county jails and need this money. So they will lock up someone for 6 months for a joint. Now this person gets out of jail on a probation term and is in the system. He messes up again he/she is back in jail. Then there kids notice mom or Dad isnt around and they end up in a life a crime. Now we have a cycle, all this start over a joint. This of course is a worst case sceniro."

Jailing cannabis users is big business in this country. Granted, you won't usually go for your first time with just a joint but multiple offenses or combining it with other crimes (even non-violent crime) can be enough depending on the jurisdiction.

Your worst-case scenario is unlikely with pot (though much more likely with other drugs). Still, the point is that there are side effects of prohibition that are much worse to the so-called "criminal" and his family than the actual act of ingesting cannabis in the first place.

"What about the jobs the local police agency create to stop pot? Marijuana Task Force. BS, they dont want pot legalized for these reasons. The drug cratels dont wont pot legalized eithere. For this would ruin there bottom dollar. So it makes me wonder who is in bed with who?"

Bingo. Like I said, it's big business for the cops and the others involved. The corrections lobby is one of the biggest contributors to the anti-drug movement along with the pharmaceutical, chemical, lumber, and textile industries. They all have a financial interest in keeping cannabis and industrial hemp illegal because of its applications in medicine, textiles, recreation, and a host of other things.