Should US Legalize Marijuana?

Mr November · 01-28-2012, 08:34 PM

Personally, as someone who doesn't smoke anything, I think it should be legalized. Because:

- It's effects on society are at worst comparable to alcohol

- Generally speaking people agree that citizens should have a right to make decisions as long as they don't directly effect other people in a negative way.

- Its being illegal fuels the drug and crime industries

- They're losing the opportunity to tax a large industry at a time when they could use the revenue.

- The war on drugs comes at an exorbitant cost

I've bolded the point about it fuelling underground industry, because i think this is the main reason that the illegalization of pot needs to be reversed. They're effectively spending many billions of dollars, only to put billions into crime organizations. Very stupid. Didn't they learn anything from trying to illegalize alcohol?

And I'm not surprised that the proposed bill is crap. Most of the documents the US government puts forward are really poorly done. Curse you Sarbanes Oxley!

**Frownland** · 01-28-2012, 08:51 PM

No! Do not legalize pot! My black market acrylic sales will plummet.

Howard the Duck · 01-31-2012, 03:58 AM

^^what he said!

if pot got legagised, people will flock to coke and heroin

cos it just ain't fun to buy it at 7-11, ya know

Guybrush · 01-31-2012, 04:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr November

Personally, as someone who doesn't smoke anything, I think it should be legalized. Because:

- Its being illegal fuels the drug and crime industries

How is that going to change with legalization? The only sensible way to sell it legally would be to tax it and in that case, you would still have a black market. If legalization leads to more pot smokers, that means a bigger market.

~~someonecompletelyrandom~~ · 01-31-2012, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tore

How is that going to change with legalization? The only sensible way to sell it legally would be to tax it and in that case, you would still have a black market. If legalization leads to more pot smokers, that means a bigger market.

I think plenty of people would prefer to buy it from reputable sources, where they know it's a good quality product. And since selling marijuana would be decriminalized, there would certainly be less violence associated with the black market – which would eventually fade away entirely as we saw here in the United States when alcohol prohibition ended. Prohibition created the crime, legalization changed the industry, the criminals didn't go anywhere but ventured into other avenues of crime but eventually the big crime families faded.

Really it wouldn't "solve" as much crime wise as people believe unless all illegal drugs were made legal. Personally, I see far too much of a double standard in regards to what's actually harmful, what's been demonized and what's inexplicably legal (cigarettes, anyone?). I think it would be a great step forward in maturity for the United States to trust it's citizens.

~~Rubato~~ · 01-31-2012, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conan

I think plenty of people would prefer to buy it from reputable sources, where they know it's a good quality product.

When I used to smoke most of my tobacco came from Germany, finding someone that brought it in was fairly easy as most people I knew that smoked had their sources. It's the same product just taxed a hell of a lot less and an easy way to make money on the black market.

FETCHER. · 01-31-2012, 11:04 AM

I'm sorry but if weed was legalized I'm hardly going to turn into a ****ing smackhead. Get a grip. I'd smoke myself retarded right enough.
Legalization would mean it was readily available at better hours in shops. Either way I don't give a **** because I'm getting good green

.

Legalization has its pro's and con's.
Pro's being that it wouldn't be shady and a criminal offense to be caught with it.
Con's being it would be overpriced probably.

Guybrush · 01-31-2012, 11:05 AM

I dunno, I suspect the black market in the pot-legal scenario would easily be as big as the illegal market today. Plus, as mentioned many pages ago, it is very easy to grow cannabis at home and sell it which could create further legal conflicts.

Another interesting point is that the "illegal drug industry" could become the legit drug industry if legalization passes

Unless the government want to produce their own and keep a monopoly, but that sounds very unamerican and also smells of trouble.

Maybe it's just me, but I also think the concept of reducing crime by reducing laws is funny.

**Janszoon** · 01-31-2012, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tore

I dunno, I suspect the black market in the pot-legal scenario would easily be as big as the illegal market today.

What makes you say that? That's certainly not what happened here when alcohol was legalized.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tore

Plus, as mentioned many pages ago, it is very easy to grow cannabis at home and sell it which could create further legal conflicts.

And many people currently make their own beer and wine. I don't see the relevance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tore

Another interesting point is that the "illegal drug industry" could become the legit drug industry if legalization passes

Unless the government want to produce their own and keep a monopoly, but that sounds very unamerican and also smells of trouble.

These seem like odd conclusions to leap to. If it were legalized, I'd imagine the legit drug industry would start with the already existing legit medical marijuana producers in places like California and Colorado.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tore

Maybe it's just me, but I also think the concept of reducing crime by reducing laws is funny.

Whether or not you think it's funny doesn't change the fact that repealing prohibition would be an improvement on the current situation.

Guybrush · 01-31-2012, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

What makes you say that? That's certainly not what happened here when alcohol was legalized.

Perhaps not. I just imagined the foreign cannabis industries supplying cannabis to the US will still want a piece of that market and either they'd do it legit or they'd go black market. If there are more smokers, then there should be more buyers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

These seem like odd conclusions to leap to. If it were legalized, I'd imagine the legit drug industry would start with the already existing legit medical marijuana producers in places like California and Colorado.

Why couldn't the industries currently supplying illegal cannabis join in on the market? Besides shipping, they probably have very low production costs and so they could be valid competitors in an American market.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

Whether or not you think it's funny doesn't change the fact that repealing prohibition would be an improvement on the current situation.

I'm not denying that possibility, but it still amuses me

01-28-2012, 08:51 PM	#462 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,548	No! Do not legalize pot! My black market acrylic sales will plummet. __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x

01-31-2012, 11:05 AM	#468 (permalink)
Guybrush Juicious Maximus III Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Scabb Island Posts: 6,525	I dunno, I suspect the black market in the pot-legal scenario would easily be as big as the illegal market today. Plus, as mentioned many pages ago, it is very easy to grow cannabis at home and sell it which could create further legal conflicts. Another interesting point is that the "illegal drug industry" could become the legit drug industry if legalization passes Unless the government want to produce their own and keep a monopoly, but that sounds very unamerican and also smells of trouble. Maybe it's just me, but I also think the concept of reducing crime by reducing laws is funny. __________________ Something Completely Different

01-28-2012, 08:34 PM	#461 (permalink)
Mr November Music Addict Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Halifax, Canada Posts: 429	Personally, as someone who doesn't smoke anything, I think it should be legalized. Because: - It's effects on society are at worst comparable to alcohol - Generally speaking people agree that citizens should have a right to make decisions as long as they don't directly effect other people in a negative way. - Its being illegal fuels the drug and crime industries - They're losing the opportunity to tax a large industry at a time when they could use the revenue. - The war on drugs comes at an exorbitant cost I've bolded the point about it fuelling underground industry, because i think this is the main reason that the illegalization of pot needs to be reversed. They're effectively spending many billions of dollars, only to put billions into crime organizations. Very stupid. Didn't they learn anything from trying to illegalize alcohol? And I'm not surprised that the proposed bill is crap. Most of the documents the US government puts forward are really poorly done. Curse you Sarbanes Oxley!