Not sure if a topic like this has already been posted, if so then I'll lock this.
Anyway, lately I've been hearing more and more chatter about how legalizing marijuana could save our slowly dying economy.
I think it has a big chance to, but on the other hand I think that America would be dropping very low on the moral standards that it has set for itself. What do you think, TDC?
It would also really put a lot of criminals out of business, and clean up the streets. If its legal, then drug dealers are out of a job.
As the stereotypical residential hippie, I believe strongly in the legalization of weed.
The government is starting to consider the benefits of cannabis legalization and taxation, though I think we're still a bit off in terms of bills being passed.
If only I could grow my own weed... *sigh*
How would it save our economy?
Not that I think it shouldn't be legalized, but that seems like a pretty ridiculous reason.
I mean, I realize it would probably bring in quite the influx of new revenue, but it wouldn't really fix anything, you know?
It would fix the pharmaceutical companies' grip on this country. Pot can easily and inexpensively replace quite a few drugs that are commonly used and expensive.
It wouldn't fix the economy. The only thing that would do that is a change in the mentality of the consumers.
Maybe if we put an age limit on it. I don't know, 23 years?
I don't mean to sound like a doomsayer, but we're too overpopulated anyway.
I wouldn't mind it being legalised, yeah, but... not much would change. people would still do drugs, people would go through great lengths to get said drugs, and the economy could still fail. sometimes it being illegal makes it more cool to do, and so a lot of the people responsible for high amounts of pot sales would drop out because it doesn't have the thrill of illegality anymore. they'll just say "hey crack'll get you high and it's still illegal..."
I've thought about that too, that maybe people would drop it since its not illeagal. But then I started to talk to more and more tokers, and they all said that they would continue to smoke it.
I think it definatly has a chance, and no doubt many laws and restrictions will.
As for the lots of frisky-ness caused by the stuff, I'd have to disagree. Most of the people I know just get chill off the stuff. And who knows, maybe if the world chills out a bit crime will go down.
Quote from: 2nd Lieutenant Jean Havoc on June 17, 2009, 10:20:23 AM
Maybe if we put an age limit on it. I don't know, 23 years?
How about 42.0 years old? *badum crash*
Sorry, that was a really bad joke.
Quote from: Takun on June 17, 2009, 05:28:55 PM
As for the lots of frisky-ness caused by the stuff, I'd have to disagree. Most of the people I know just get chill off the stuff. And who knows, maybe if the world chills out a bit crime will go down.
That may be true, but I imagine productivity might go down too. I could be mistaken though.
Quote from: 2nd Lieutenant Jean Havoc on June 17, 2009, 10:20:23 AM
I don't mean to sound like a doomsayer, but we're too overpopulated anyway.
Word.
Anyway, it most certainly would not fix the economy, since much of it is a "perfect storm" of events coming together to make it such an ordeal. Just one thing isn't a cure-all.
This one thing may not be a 'cure-all', but sure as hell can help significantly.
One of the core reasons that marijuana was illegalized was due to a smear campaign in the 20's or 30's that a politician ran in order to increase publicity. A lot of untrue "facts" were used to "clean up the streets".
Quote from: JQ Pickwick on June 18, 2009, 07:43:36 PM
This one thing may not be a 'cure-all', but sure as hell can help significantly.
Help significantly? I won't deny the decent likelihood of that.
Save our economy? No.
Quote from: Boxxy on June 18, 2009, 07:57:08 PM
One of the core reasons that marijuana was illegalized was due to a smear campaign in the 20's or 30's that a politician ran in order to increase publicity. A lot of untrue "facts" were used to "clean up the streets".
Yeah, Harry J. Anslinger. Also, a lot of the push to make it illegal was due to racism against blacks and Mexicans, who were seen as the main users of the drug.
Another problem is that even if it's legalized in the states, it will still be ilegal in mexico, which is the main route for the drug. However, the debate is also raging in mexico, what with the drug wars and all.
Quote from: Rorschach Mikaudes on June 18, 2009, 09:05:24 PM
Another problem is that even if it's legalized in the states, it will still be ilegal in mexico, which is the main route for the drug. However, the debate is also raging in mexico, what with the drug wars and all.
Didn't they just legalize drug possession in small amounts for personal use?
Pffft, it's not like anyone even bothers to follow Mexico's drug laws anyway.
QuotePffft, it's not like anyone even bothers to follow Mexico's drug laws anyway.
...
That's...that's the point?
Quote from: JQ Pickwick on June 18, 2009, 09:11:12 PM
Pffft, it's not like anyone even bothers to follow Mexico's drug laws anyway.
Which is why nearly 200 persons are killed everyday by the mob in the cities close to the border, a slight tweak in the constitution could, you know, save them.
I'm from the UK so I can't really comment on how it would save US economy but I can't deny that it wouldn't support even Britain's economy massively. Everybody, does weed. This is the truth of the matter, having spent 13 years in education and preparing to go on into uni, it's pretty damn obvious that it's not hard to come by. I have my own reasons for not wanting to go near it, and much as I don't like it, I'd be lying if I didn't say that almost everyone I've known in my time has done it for at least a month or two if not consistently since they were 12. Which is where we come to my problem, I don't think that just legalising it is the solution. It may just be prejudice, but hear me out.
Friend of mine from year 10, was incredibly messed up by it. I understand that some people say that in moderation it's fine, and that it doesn't effect you. But he clearly wasn't doing it in moderation. He stank of it quite often, would come into class and just STINK of weed. But no teachers cared. Because it was quite common (I have my suspicions that I number of my teachers did as well anyway, tbh) To cut a long story short, the problems escalated and he ended up killing himself by throwing himself into the road in front of a car. I had always thought it was an accident, because that's what we had been told. His father later told me that he had found out and tried to confront him gently about how much he was smoking and that he had begun freaking out, acting incredibly paranoid. And later that day this happened.
Maybe it had no connection. Possibly he'd just been giving some 'freaky' stuff, or maybe it had no connection whatsoever, but I can't help my personal prejudice and worries. My uncle has similar problems. I think he still does it. All I know for certain is that he barely keeps in contact, has extreme personality disorders and is very very scary when he has one of his panic attacks.
I'm sorry if this comes across as a bit of a rant, but I think a lot of people see this as an obvious answer, and I always wonder how much experience people actually have of the consequences of overdoing this. People obviously can easily get it as is, so blatantly the situation needs to change in my eyes. And maybe regulation could help reduce problems, but I have yet to see a plan offered by someone that regulates to a degree that solves the problem. Make it illegal at a certain age. Great, so when people have finished doing it to a massive degree while they're younger, they can later continue by getting it illegally? Considering it's currently illegal, I don't see how making it legal would make the governments job of stopping illegal trade any easier. All you're doing is reducing the illegal trades target age.
I'm all for legalisation, as long as there's a way of proving that we're not just going to make things worse. I've heard people say you can't addicted to it, but that is rubbish. I know that from experience, from hearing James talk about it, from asking him to not do it while we're inside and just talking and him saying that he can't have fun or just have a night out without doing it any more and how he can't do anything and enjoy it without it anymore. I don't care what people say, that IS a form of addiction. Anyway, that's my opinion chucked in. And in case anyone chucks the argument I always hear at me about how it's not as bad as other legalised drugs (Alcohol, Tobacco) yeah. I know. I don't do that either, for personal reasons a heck of a lot closer to me then those I've described above. So as far as I'm concerned, I don't think the current legalisation of those drugs help AT ALL so I don't see why legalising Marijuana would.
QuoteI don't care what people say, that IS a form of addiction.
You really can be addicted to anything. Weed, television, chocolate.
I don't advocate doing it while you're not an adult. A lot of kids do it and that seems to be where the majority of the problems come from. But the problems decrease the later you start doing pot. I've been smoking almost everyday for over a year now and I find that it has calmed significantly where the other meds could not (took antidepressants for four years, just stopped last month)
Quote from: JQ Pickwick on June 23, 2009, 11:39:16 AM
I don't advocate doing it while you're not an adult. A lot of kids do it and that seems to be where the majority of the problems come from. But the problems decrease the later you start doing pot. I've been smoking almost everyday for over a year now and I find that it has calmed significantly where the other meds could not (took antidepressants for four years, just stopped last month)
Again, I can't comment. No personal experience. But my concern isn't so much with the idea that there are ways it can be taken where it is not harmful, but actually helpful, as with the lack of ways of stopping it being misused and harming people heavily. I don't see how you could enforce that effectively. It's illegal for people under 18 to buy cigarettes and drink alcohol, but I've yet to find someone over the age of 14 and under the age of 18 who hasn't done so. But if the problem is doing it when you're too young, then why is this so? I don't know the science behind it. Is it something to do with being at an underdeveloped age? Or is it just something that effects you with time, so if you live on to be older your quality of life will be vastly reduced at this age?
Your brain's still making connections. Alcohol and such at that age can screw up those connections and all that, mess with your brain. So when you're older and those connections are already made, it's not as risky. Though you can still destroy your brain.
Quote from: Shika on June 23, 2009, 03:55:46 PM
Your brain's still making connections. Alcohol and such at that age can screw up those connections and all that, mess with your brain. So when you're older and those connections are already made, it's not as risky. Though you can still destroy your brain.
Yeah, well overdoing anything can kill you so that's not a huge surprise. People die of over hydration, so I was more worried about when the boundaries were. Hmm. I no longer know what I'd support in this discussion. Because I'm sort of pro the whole "let people do what they want, then the people who use it responsibly will benefit" thing. But personal experience tells me that the majority will not and that if it becomes any more available it'll be a large proportion of my and previous generations ending up with their lives wrecked. I guess it's down to that thing of trying to protect people from themselves. Meh, this is why I'm not in any situation where I decide what happens to my country and it's regulations (Democracy my butt. Thank you Tony for taking us into a war nobody supported and there were active marches and popular riots because of. Also, thank you for Gordon for refusing to hold an election when it was really due. It would be nice to be able to consider yourself a legal prime minister maybe? No? Still worried? Well, I suppose the time when you were likely to keep your job after election is well over now, huh?
EDIT: That word's not allowed, sorry.
It's pretty much impossible for marijuana to kill you directly though.
Don't get lung cancer, impossible to overdose.
Quote from: JQ Pickwick on June 23, 2009, 04:11:56 PM
impossible to overdose
you can always OD on anything. granted, yes, marijuana isn't a one-hit-KO like crack cocaine or meth or acid or whatever, but you
can OD on it. you can OD on soup, water, etc.
too much of a good thing is still too much.
No, seriously. the LD-50 for Marijuana in humans is so high, you'd have to smoke more than your weight in 3 hours.
Your avatar was hilarious when I read that post.
Quote from: JQ Pickwick on June 23, 2009, 04:15:47 PM
No, seriously. the LD-50 for Marijuana in humans is so high, you'd have to smoke more than your weight in 3 hours.
I was always told that you would have to smoke equal to your weight in weed in 15 minuets. But you seem to have more experience than I.
I agree with some of what you say, Teadrinkinglooney. My step-father uses it often, and he cant have a good day unless he has his weed. So I think that it would have its downfalls, but it may just be the quick money that the economy needs.