Wednesday, 01 July 2009
-
Currently
Drug Crazy : How We Got into This Mess and How We Can Get Out
By Mike Gray
see relatedFree the Weed!
Marijuana has been shown not to cause cancer. Legalization would benefit the economy, and would decrease the criminal element associated with black market drugs.
So what on earth is keeping us from legalizing it? It's no worse than alcohol or tobacco, but those are perfectly legal.
This post comes at a time when my state Governor, Tim Pawlenty (or as I know him, T-Paw) recently vetoed a bill allowing medicinal marijuana for terminal patients on the grounds that marijuana is an addictive substance with negative side effects. Hey T-Paw! They are terminal patients! They're dying, I don't think they care if they get hooked on joints. Plus, since when has morphine not been addictive?Are there any good reasons for keeping marijuana illegal? How about any good reasons for keeping it from being used for valid medicinal purposes?
P.S. My state finally has two senators! Congrats, Al Franken!
UPDATE: The FDA is trying to ban Vicodin and Percocet because (*gasp*) they can be bad for you!
-
recommend
- recs 15
-
share
-
email
- sent 0
Post a Comment
- Back to GodlessLiberal's Xanga Site!
- Note: your comment will appear in GodlessLiberal's local time zone: GMT -06:00 (Central Standard - US, Canada)
Comments (102)
it should totally be legal!
It's neither addictive (physically) nor long term harmful comparitively to many things that are already legal.
Recommended.
I see no reason to keep it illegal. As you said, it is no more harmful than alcohol or tobacco. Doesn't bother me if people want to use it. I personally can't stand the smell though
People act like dumb asses when using it for recreational purposes. I'd be fine with it for those who actual need it due to a medical reason, but for a bunch a dipshits to sit around and reek of the stuff? God no.
Suits me! I have Libertarian leanings. This is an example where freedom should ring.
I definitely agree.
I was going to do a post on this eventually, but it seems like you've more or less covered it, although I may elect to expand on those points in the future.
- John
I'm for the legalization of weed. And it will happen... in time...
I agree it is not anymore harmful than alcohol, but can't see how anyone can argue that it is not any more harmful than tobacco. How does tobacco make you stoned? Do you want a Dr out taking a joint break before operating on you? Legalizing it is a separate issue from arguing whether it is addictive or not. It is a drug that is considered an introductory drug and can lead to progression to more serious drugs which are more harmful than alcohol and physically and mentally addictive. And I will personally argue that marijuana is addictive in its own way.
I hate drug use.
However, I don't confused my personal disposition with moral conviction so if the research suggests it's any better than alcohol it damn well should be.
@oeshpdog2 - alcohol is legal. can a doctor go out and take a drink before operating?
if CA legalized weed, and taxed it like crazy, i think we'd get out of this financial crisis LOL.
I think to solve every goddamn problem in this country, we make abortion legal out west, and illegal in the east. We then make marijuana legal up north, and illegal down south. The two biggest controversies, solved, by halving them to different regions, would spur people to travel, pumping so much money into the economy that we'd be great. Oh, and gay marriage legal everywhere except Utah. Keep those fuckers happy :P (the Utah people are the fuckers, not the gays lol)
i want some fucking pot.
@Chinese_Sait0u - I was making the comparison to tobacco since some had equated it to not being anymore harmful to tobacco.
@oeshpdog2 - because tobacco users who don't get their fix shake like crazy.
@Chinese_Sait0u - So you would just as rather have someone go out and take a few hits of a joint before operating on you as you would someone going out to smoke a cigarette?
I think it can be addictive. And it's the type of thing that affects people differently. I know a lot of people who smoke weed who have tried to quit and can't. I even know someone who was very serious about coming clean, cut all her hair off and all that jazz so she would be free of all traces when she tried to find a real job after she graduated. That was a year and a half ago she did that. 9 months ago, she started it up again, and had even said that she no longer wanted to try and get a real job with her college degree because she didn't want to give up the weed, that she didn't think she could do it.
So... I don't think it's not addictive. I've seen it be an addiction for people. I also know of people who smoked a large part of their high school years who dont' remember anything before 10th grade because the weed messed them up.
I'm wary, personally, on that claim that it is not addictive and isn't harmful. But then... I suppose it isn't anymore or less addictive and harmful than alcohol can be.
Have I ever smoked it? Once... didnt do anything, so I can't say anything for it's good effects. But I don't want to do it again. I'm ashamed enough of the first time.
@oeshpdog2 - how about something called rules on substance use while on the job. do police officers get drunk before going on patrol?
@Chinese_Sait0u - Uh...again...my point was in reference to someone arguing that it is as safe as tobacco. My point then to you was to show you that tobacco (i.e. smoking a cigarette) is not the same as someone taking a hit on a joint.
@oeshpdog2 - that's great. now how do you apply that to the legalization of weed? "you can't have it legalized. doctors'll get stoned before operations!"
well...how about having weed usage on the job REGULATED...just like alcohol
Completely agreed!
I agree. Make it legal already.
@mmsupermario - better than the dipshits who use alcohol for recreational purposes and start fights...
@EarthsAzureLight - Any substance can have addictive qualities, it depends on what you make of it. THC (the active ingredient in weed) however does have addictive qualities and its quite easy to become psychologically dependent on weed.
I personally find nothing wrong with legalizing mary j. I think that for medicinal purposes it should definitely be legal. And while there are no obvious indications to say that the immediate after effects of marijuana are any worse than alcohol or nicotine, there are several reasons why it is illegal that are pretty valid.
Acute Panic Anxiety Reaction for one. Statistically people who do marijuana are more likely to go for more serious drugs as well, which is something that isn't going to change by legalizing it; it might even make it worse considering it would exascerbate deviant behavior.
Unlike alcohol the effects of marijuana last up to 4-6 hours after smoking one blunt, even after coming back down to what a person might consider "sober."
Temporary loss of fertility as well as an increase of premature birth rates.
Causes the heart rate to increase dramatically even more so than cigarettes - obviously an increase in the amount of heart attacks.
It has more cancer causing agents than those that are found in cigarettes.
I'm sure there are plenty more reasons... :x
Thought we were supposed to be trying to HELP our nation's health care instead of hindering it more by the desires of weed heads. o_o; I'm really amazed about how uninformed the previous commentors must be considering they're just agreeing with it for the hell of it. o.x
@geegooman2323 - You sir, are a genius.