333

What kind of social problems? Health problems I can probably figure out on my own, but if we're speaking in terms of health, what about tobacco and alcohol?

Freebase Dali

I dunno... every legal mind altering substance that causes damage to self, others, and property on a daily basis?

I don't want to get into that debate right now because it's after 3 in the AM and I'm about to crash... But if there's societal damage from marijuana, I'd like to see what that damage is if it's not created by the laws regulating it.

__________________

333

Agreed. I'm pooped.

Guybrush

But if you have some things that cause problems in society, does that mean you have to accept other things that are also harmful? To extrapolate merely to prove a point : If you allow murder, do you by default also have to allow rape?

Furthermore, there's a backside to tobacco and alcohol in that they make large piles of money for the government because they are taxed. Politically, that makes them somewhat more acceptable.

The harmful effects of marijuana are basically everything which is negative. Health is the easiest to point the finger at, I think purely statistically, marijuana smokers have a 6 times higher likelyhood of becoming schizophrenic. Other negative effects could come from children growing up with parents who smoke all the time (that's a social problem) to traffic accidents caused by people being stoned out of their minds while driving.

__________________
Something Completely Different

333

Serious time for me is over for the night. I'll get you back tomorrow. Good points, but we've a date here tomorrow, friend.

SATCHMO

The health issue is a political front disguising the fact that lobbyist from giant chemical corporations like Dupont have been doing whatever they can since the whole Reefer Madness propaganda scare tactic to prevent mass market hemp paper and textile production from putting them out of business.

Guybrush

I'll discuss it anytime, though I'll say for now that there are lots of problems with legalizing marijuana that makes it unlikely to gain support with politicians. That's why marijuana is not legalized today and why Obama has a chuckle when it's mentioned. Politicians should be aware of these problems because they have to think for society while regular users are usually not aware because their take on it is more self-centered.

edit :

Marijuana is a drug - it alters the way you think and the way your mind work. Most things that do are potentially detrimental to health. If there were no negative effects with marijuana, I'd say legalize. I don't believe it's harmless and I don't believe it's a conspiracy.

__________________
Something Completely Different

SATCHMO

I could honestly care less if it's legalized for recreational consumption, but as a renewable resource; That's another story.

333

Hey now, don't you forget they're we're ALL self-centered. With or without the high. You know, I have no problem discussing with you, but I'm curious. Are you aware of all the beneficial elements of marijuana?

Guybrush

I'm aware of it's benefits for example as medicine (pain reliever) or the benefits of hemp (which is legal). Both of those uses should be (and are I guess?) legal.

edit :

About the self-centered thing, if something is detrimental to society - that means it will be detrimental to you as well, so you can extrapolate your thinking to include society also for selfish motives ..

(I guess your point is that we're all selfish)

__________________
Something Completely Different