What are your thoughts on marijuana? Should it be legal in the US?

I don’t think so because it would run them out if business since everyone will just grow it everywhere for free

Just a small point: Just because something is natural doesn’t mean that it’s good. Arsenic and lead are completely natural, and they can damage and kill us rather efficiently.

I’m not against your general argument, I just think that saying something is “natural” and this being a qualifier of it’s safety is silly.

As discussed here: should marijuana be legal and here and here

There are more threads that discuss the same. It’s a mixed bag – some good arguments for and against.

only for medicinal purposes, with a Rx

I just think there are far more deaths by stuff that is legal than by marijuana. Take alcohol and tobacco. There are far more deaths by these two alone than by any drug out there. I really don’t think marijuana is such a big deal.

@cak I was pretty sure this question had already been asked on fluther, however, I haven’t been a member for very long and the question just came into mind. I guess I was just looking for opinions from those who were interested in sharing.

Finally, an original question.

@kheredia – That’s fine and I’m sure you’ll get more opinions. You might want to see some of the past conversations about it – there are more, but I didn’t go into the medicinal threads.

Holy fuckass. Do we need this question for the billionth time?

Okay guys, if you’re not interested in sharing your opinion you don’t have too. Just move on to the next question. Its really that simple.

I just was looking for the right opportunity to use fuckass in a statement..:)

well glad to be of some use to you.

I wonder what the ancient Mayans would think about this.

Should it be illegal to celebrate Gary and Sherry’s marriage with a celebratory bowl, but legal to drink a glass of champagne? I think not.

Legalize it.
Everybody’s doing it anyway.~

I think this question has been asked enough times to prove that marijuana causes loss of memory.

If the US legalized pot, the rest of the world just might follow suit and things would be much more peaceful.

@NaturalMineralWater I think you failed to read my response up above. And by the way, I smoked pot once when I was about 19 years old. I really doubt that would affect my memory in such way, but thanks for trying anyway.

@kheredia – Uhm I think he was being sarcastic about it

@Tink1113 You’re right, I was. Perhaps pot has other side effects as well. (ok ok.. that is clearly a joke.. please.. no1 get defensive.)

i’m still gathering evidence, but, on balance, i currently think that it needs to be legalized (that is, approved) for medical purposes and decriminalized (misdemeanor at worst) for recreational purposes. probably dealing large quantities (which i conjecture would become less profitable, and hence less common, under the regime i currently favor) should remain criminalized except for licensed dealers.

It should be legal!

It should be legal, but everybody needs to be aware it’s not a harmless substance. Like alcohol. You need to know what you’re doing. THC is addictive.

I’m from Portugal and here is what has happened here:

In 2001, possession of small quantities (hash, for example, 5 grams) is not a criminal offense anymore — instead, it is a (I lack the word) that only forces you to (in practice it doesn’t happen if you don’t look like a loser to the cops) they take you to special services with psychologist and they give you a chance to go do rehab.

If you don’t want to go to rehab, it’s up to you — they let you go.

What did this do? — and let me clarify this was done with ALL drugs — traffic did not increase, consumption did not increase, but crime sure did DECREASE.

People are less stigmatized and just that has a significant psychological effect for some — they don’t feel they are criminals anymore just because they want to smoke some pot — hence being “crime virgin”, in opposition to the US where unfortunately an otherwise law-abiding citizen becomes a criminal just by indulging in his/her intoxicant of choice with no harm to others.

Inprisonment threat doesn’t stop anyone from doing drugs as you surely know in the US.
Inprisonment relief didn’t cause an increase in consumption here either.

We still chase dealers, especially the “big fish”, but even that I am hopeful will be a thing of the past in the next few years.

If you take the names and the stigma out, and just stick to the facts, you will see that there is no difference that justifies alcohol being legal while other drugs are illegal.

I don’t say make alcohol illegal — while I am totally for prohibition of drunk driving and other dangerous behaviours — what I am is for education instead of repression.

This should be enlightening:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6474053.stm
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6108672696241807159

Wish you all free, responsible, happy lives :-)

As for giving the dealers more power for keeping it illegal — the only reason for a black market is unavailability in the (white?) market. Make drugs accessible to responsible adults and black market and its remorseless criminals will end up grinding to a halt. Of course, if you bring the drugs to the free market but somewhat keep them on a restricted basis, the black market will keep going. The solution is to spend money on honest education, without prejudice. I am for total access to even the most dangerous substance — heroin — for people 18 and older. I just think that people should have really well designed educative steps along their growth towards adulthood, with proper examination of their knowledge. Say, the same way you have to earn a driver’s licence, I would not be scandalized if society would demand a drivers licence to consume dangerous drugs. People routinely failing those tests clearly need help and the help should be made available before those people go down the drain.

Lots of thoughtful responses here—thanks!

@NaturalMineralWater Actually they are finding pot helps regeneration of brain cells. http://NORML.org