Marijuana

[Sgt. Hulka]

Do you think Marijuana should be legal, decriminalized, allowed or whatever? (off duty hours, of course)

[Sgt. Hulka]

Re: Marijuana

Do you think Marijuana should be legal, decriminalized, allowed or whatever? (off duty hours, of course)

As of right now, 100% of poll respondents are in favor of letting me smoke some weed. BTW, I'm first and only vote.

[fixthecopier]

Re: Marijuana

Of course it should be legal. The only reason it isn't is because the pharmaceutics companies and alcohol companies spend billions to influence the politicians to keep it that way.America has the largest prison population on the planet and more than half is drug related. There has never been a shred of evidence that shows keeping it illegal reduces its use. Hell you can get drugs in prison.


Decriminalizing Drugs in Portugal a Success, Says Report - TIME

here is an excerpt...

"Judging by every metric, decriminalization in Portugal has been a resounding success," says Glenn Greenwald, an attorney, author and fluent Portuguese speaker, who conducted the research. "It has enabled the Portuguese government to manage and control the drug problem far better than virtually every other Western country does."
Compared to the European Union and the U.S., Portugal's drug use numbers are impressive. Following decriminalization, Portugal had the lowest rate of lifetime marijuana use in people over 15 in the E.U.: 10%. The most comparable figure in America is in people over 12: 39.8%. Proportionally, more Americans have used cocaine than Portuguese have used marijuana.

[mjarbar]

Re: Marijuana

Apart from the recreational use it has proven to have health benifits as well to MS sufferers etc.

[CopierChick]

Re: Marijuana

The opponents always say its a gate way drug and will lead to more criminal activity. But I know many people who have never done anything but pot and have smoked for 20 years or more and still never wanted to do the harder stuff. Also, how often do you hear about someone being car jacked, raped or physically attacked by some one who was high on pot? NEVER. But alcohol is a constant theme in all these crimes. Ive never seen a fight break out in a pot circle!! But go to any party with alcohol and see if someone doesnt start shit. Its ridiculous how many people are in jail due to pot, even small amounts of it. A lot of these people go in to jail with no other criminal record and are put with hardened criminals and end up having to turn into criminals in jail just to survive. And its tough to get a job once you get out because now u have a criminal record. What better way to make a society of criminals than to punish hardworking people for a non violent "crime" that hurts no one else, surround them behind a fence with real criminals and then leave them with no choices when you do release them.

[mrwho]

Re: Marijuana

I don't consume, but I share the opinion that much worse legal drugs are allowed (tobaco and drinks anyone?)

[MR Bill]

Re: Marijuana

I'm from washington State. It is now legel here. I'm all for it. I used to smoke a lot of weed back in the late 60's early 70's . I enjoy my IPA's now.
If it was allowed in the intire country it would shut down a lot of the crime from our southern mexican neighbors. Hell ya .

[sandmanmac]

The opponents always say its a gate way drug and will lead to more criminal activity. But I know many people who have never done anything but pot and have smoked for 20 years or more and still never wanted to do the harder stuff. Also, how often do you hear about someone being car jacked, raped or physically attacked by some one who was high on pot? NEVER. But alcohol is a constant theme in all these crimes. Ive never seen a fight break out in a pot circle!! But go to any party with alcohol and see if someone doesnt start shit. Its ridiculous how many people are in jail due to pot, even small amounts of it. A lot of these people go in to jail with no other criminal record and are put with hardened criminals and end up having to turn into criminals in jail just to survive. And its tough to get a job once you get out because now u have a criminal record. What better way to make a society of criminals than to punish hardworking people for a non violent "crime" that hurts no one else, surround them behind a fence with real criminals and then leave them with no choices when you do release them.

Way to go CC! I absolutely could NOT have said it better myself

[mrwho]

Re: Marijuana

Nevertheless, from the poll is curious to see that everyone has an opinion. Myself, I was divided between the "Yes" and "No Opinion" choice...

[Ctl-Alt-Del]

Re: Marijuana

I'm from washington State. It is now legel here. I'm all for it. I used to smoke a lot of weed back in the late 60's early 70's . I enjoy my IPA's now.
If it was allowed in the intire country it would shut down a lot of the crime from our southern mexican neighbors. Hell ya .

I'm in the Seattle area and in the past two years we closed down the state run liquor stores, legalized weed and legalized gay marriage and my life has not been affected at all with a few exceptions.

1. I can buy liquor after 8pm and I can even buy liquor on Sundays
2. I can possess up to 1oz of premium Northwest bud and smoke it in the privacy of my own home.
3. I get to go to my gay friend's wedding.

[MHeon71]

Re: Marijuana

I never tried it, but I would say legalize it. Of course, the government would tax it and it would end up costing more. So, with that said, it may be best to use it tax free.

[mojorolla]

Re: Marijuana

A study was conducted in the late 1970's to determine the "lethal dose" of marijuana.
They estimated that it would take approximately 14 POUNDS of marijuana, smoked consecutively, to kill a grown man.

I hope I don't overdose.

[Supertech]

Re: Marijuana

I never tried it, but I would say legalize it. Of course, the government would tax it and it would end up costing more. So, with that said, it may be best to use it tax free.

There will always be a gray market for the product so it the government wants to make any money they will need to keep the price pretty close to what people are already paying. I would pay a little more to be legal but not too much more.

[neergish]

Re: Marijuana

I voted no, I believe there are enough social/health issues connected to the drugs that are already legal to add another to the list.

In the early 90s I tried to be an Artist, went to art school at Uni and all that, dope was everywhere (I don't smoke so it never really interested me, my vices were more computer orientated) and I watched my fellow students that I most admired slowly fall into a pit of dope fulled introspection and crappulance, sure it made my final folio look special in contrast, but I am still saddened by the loss of all that potential. One friend I still keep in contact from those days is now diagnose with a bi-polar disorder which in his particular case has been directly linked with his abuse of marijuana. Another friend of mine simply cant sleep at all without a couple of cones before bedtime.

I certainly have no issue with the use of Marijuana on medical grounds and even recreational use, but the human animal is a creature of habits and its a slippery slope for some from casual use to life changing abuse. How many lives have been changed for the worse when a casual drink has turned into alcoholism.

[jonezy999]

Re: Marijuana

I voted no, I believe there are enough social/health issues connected to the drugs that are already legal to add another to the list.

In the early 90s I tried to be an Artist, went to art school at Uni and all that, dope was everywhere (I don't smoke so it never really interested me, my vices were more computer orientated) and I watched my fellow students that I most admired slowly fall into a pit of dope fulled introspection and crappulance, sure it made my final folio look special in contrast, but I am still saddened by the loss of all that potential. One friend I still keep in contact from those days is now diagnose with a bi-polar disorder which in his particular case has been directly linked with his abuse of marijuana. Another friend of mine simply cant sleep at all without a couple of cones before bedtime.

I certainly have no issue with the use of Marijuana on medical grounds and even recreational use, but the human animal is a creature of habits and its a slippery slope for some from casual use to life changing abuse. How many lives have been changed for the worse when a casual drink has turned into alcoholism.

Firstly I don't buy into the whole anti-social thing, a few cones isn't going to turn anyone into a hermit. You can do that all by yourself, no weed to mention.

Secondly there has been very little research into marijuana, (both pro's and con's) but what seems to be more and more apparent is the fact that researchers are finding very good uses for marijuana medically, even to the point of it containing natural anti-psychotics.

Thirdly, I don't think you can make any connection between weed and alcohol as weed has very similar effects no matter who smokes it but alcohol has many different reactions to certain bodies it enters.

Finally bi-polar. Here the thing, one of the main characteristics of bi-polar and even schizophrenia is stress, now in the early days they tried to link smoking cigarettes to causing these mental illnesses, then doctors said, hang on, maybe these guys all just smoked cause they have been stressing out. Cause or coincidence? Now I can only comment from my own dealings and that is I don't have any mental side effects from smoking weed, I have a friend with schizophrenia who has never smoked weed in his life and also another friend with bi-polar who still smokes to this day, it doesn't make him better but it sure as hell doesn't make him any worse.

So...

LEGALIZE WEED.