Cannabis should be legal not because the drug war is futile but because cannabis really is a good thing. Adults should have legal access to it in order to partake of the substance for pleasure.
Yes, some people will undoubtedly wreck their lives with it, but since it isn't really that addictive, this sort of self-destruction will happen in the same way that people can, say, ruin their lives with World of Warcraft: i.e the huge opportunity cost of spending lots of time being stoned. But the majority of people who use it will do so responsibly just like the majority of users now.
It is A GOOD THING that adults have legal access to marijuana. This increases HUMAN HAPPINESS.
I make this point because liberals and libertarians tend to argue for ending marijuana prohibition on the grounds that prohibition itself is more harmful than marijuana, and this is indeed a compelling argument. Here's a video going around right now showing North Carolina cops busting into a home without a warrant and harassing people because they smelled marijuana outside the home's door.
But how did we get here that our police feel entitled and compelled to act this way?
The answer is decades long relentless demonization of cannabis and its users. After all, who cares how demons who use a demon product are treated?
But ending those drug war externalities--the erosion of the 4th amendment, the police exceeding their authority to merely protect property rights and people from each other, the sheer cost of morally policing the citizenry this way, etc -- might just rely on ending the demonization of marijuana users.
Cannabis is a good thing. The parent who tells their teenagers "moderate and responsible use of cannabis for recreational purposes can add to your life when you're an adult" is a decent parent.
We live in the country where co-workers go to bars for "happy hour" after work but where also admitting to using cannabis for pleasure can get you fired.
Yes I am a cannabis user and it has made my life richer, mainly because it enhances pleasurable activities like listening to music or socializing, and toking after work does really relieve stress. It's not fair that the whiskey aficionado faces no shaming but I do.
Posted by Heisenberg (Member # 13004) on :
Just be patient, we're only a few years off. It's only old people that really have a problem with it. And people will soon see that Colorado and Washington are still there.
Posted by oscfan17 (Member # 13377) on :
Yea but I'm 30 years old now, I don't want marijuana to become legal when I'm 50 and already practically dead.
Posted by Samprimary (Member # 8561) on :
Honestly all that ending the drug war is gonna change significantly is the cost of decent weed. Not much will change in terms of its availability.
Posted by Heisenberg (Member # 13004) on :
My sister has a medical card in AZ, she gets medical grade stuff for a couple dollars cheaper a gram over street dealers.
Posted by JanitorBlade (Member # 12343) on :
quote:Originally posted by Samprimary: Honestly all that ending the drug war is gonna change significantly is the cost of decent weed.
Well that and keeping millions of people who would normally be productive members of society out of jail with millions of dollars still in their pockets.
It would be awesome if we ended the war on drugs because we were starting a war on corruption.
Posted by Stone_Wolf_ (Member # 8299) on :
Sure...politicians are going after corruption...like 911 calls being answered by the mafia
Posted by Alberto (Member # 14557) on :
I absolutely agree with you, it is a pity that not all countries understand this
Posted by steven (Member # 8099) on :
I can’t make jokes out of this spam. Spam for Russian brides and cigarettes like you guys did back in the day. I’m nostalgic for some old school spam.
Posted by Mr. Y (Member # 11590) on :
You could say you have the munchies for some classic spam.
Posted by steven (Member # 8099) on :
quote:Originally posted by Mr. Y: You could say you have the munchies for some classic spam.
Salty goodness
Posted by hawser (Member # 13415) on :
Researchers generally consider medications like these, which use purified chemicals derived from or based on those in the marijuana plant, to be more promising therapeutically than use of the whole marijuana plant or its crude extracts. Development of drugs from botanicals such as the marijuana plant poses numerous challenges. Botanicals may contain hundreds of unknown, active chemicals, and it can be difficult to develop a product with accurate and consistent doses of these chemicals. Use of marijuana as medicine also poses other problems such as the adverse health effects of smoking and THC-induced cognitive impairment. Nevertheless, a growing number of states have legalized dispensing of marijuana or its extracts to people with a range of medical conditions.
Posted by Interstellar (Member # 14611) on :
I think it should also be legal because the drug war is futile. I don't smoke nor do I care to, but it's obvious that it does have some medical benefits and people aren't exactly overdosing on pot. Plus I think it would be easy to undercut the black market if they priced them out with a better product. Seems like a no brainer to me.
Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
I will probably get a dispenser's license when I am to that point, because I've found that as a parent of a kid with autism, my pediatrician is uncomfortable prescribing Risperdone. I looked into how I could find someone who would do so, and for a while was going to change clinics. I'm not sure where I am at with things now in terms of getting something to prevent elopement when we have to go places like the dentist or a wedding.
So while I don't feel like cannabis is that good of a medication, I have personally lived the escherian maze of trying to obtain "legitimate" alternatives.
Posted by HellerThriller (Member # 14505) on :
Legalizing weed for medical reasons is viewed favorably by many Americans, including members of the medical community and Congress. Some of their arguments include: Marijuana is far safer than alcohol, which is legal. Medical marijuana provides a safe and natural treatment for many types of chronic pain.
![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)