Debate of the Week is a weekly feature. Please comment below. Remember to keep it civil. Don't assume anything about the people you disagree with. I will delete any comments that are offensive or veer too far off topic. Thank you in advance.This November, California voters will decide whether the state will legalize the general sale and use of up to an ounce of marijuana for adults 21 and older. Currently, it's only legal for medical purposes there and in 13 other states, including my own New Jersey. On the federal level, marijuana sales and usage is still illegal, however, despite the Justice Department's decision to go easier on marijuana suppliers and users as long as they stick to state laws.
The proposed California law's opponents include law enforcement groups and California's chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, which says the law will lead to more impaired-driving accidents and fatalities. Supporters of legalization say it'll cut down on crime and increase revenue for the cash-strapped state.
So what do you think about legalization? Forget California, should the U.S. legalize marijuana? What effect, if any, would legalization have? Do you oppose legalization? Why?
Let the debate begin!
Of course marijuana should be legalized. Nationwide and completely. Seriously, what is it harming? The fact of the matter is that marijuana is far less harmful than our legal vices such as alcohol and tobacco. Hell, we've even found a way to make speed legal with energy drinks and pills. By smoking, drinking, and popping energy pills, we are ripping our bodies to shreds. What will pot do? Make you a nicer guy and give you a good night's sleep with far less health risks than any of our legal drugs. Don't believe me? Here's a site which states the facts and myths of marijuana. For those of you ignorant to what pot is really all about you should check this out.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.drugpolicy.org/marijuana/factsmyths/
Also, its common knowledge that legalizing and taxing marijuana will shape this country up in ways we haven't seen for years. By taxing it, we will patch up our economy. Marijuana is a 26 BILLION dollar a year industry. We're talking major fucking money here. We'll also be saving tax dollars by dramatically decreasing the prison population. This is purely common sense. And lets not forget that hemp is the most versatile resource on the planet. Farmers could have hemp crops and make some serious dough. Hemp products are also cheaper to make and are of good quality. You can't lose.
People want to attack marijuana for really no other reason that the fact that its been illegal for so long. They have no knowledge of it and many don't even have experience with smoking it. You want to know why its illegal? This is a fact:
"Cannabis activist Jack Herer has researched DuPont and in his 1985 book The Emperor Wears No Clothes, Herer concluded DuPont played a large role in the criminalization of cannabis. In 1938, DuPont patented the processes for creating plastics from coal and oil and a new process for creating paper from wood pulp. If hemp had been largely exploited, Herer believes it would have likely been used to make paper and plastic (nylon), and may have hurt DuPont's profits."
Fucking DuPont. Its all corporate bullshit.
The time has come for the legalization of marijuana. There is no question. No one has to smoke it if they don't want to. No one has to approve of it either. That is the beauty of America. You don't have to do anything you do not wish to do, so mind your own fucking business and let America do the right thing.
Yes, marijuana should be legalized. It would save the county about $12 billion to used to protect us against real threats. It would free up the courts prison system to deal with violent criminals. It would create tax revenue. It would take power away from violent gangs that now control the illicit market.
ReplyDeleteOur drug laws have not caused a reduction in drug use, crime, etc. This is not argued? Why then do they continue to exist? Systematic racism. Today Blacks make up around 13% of the US population, but about 30% of those arrested for marijuana charges.
What happens once you have a felony conviction? You can't vote, you can't get a job, you can't live in public housing.
Drug laws are decimating minority communities. Of course rich, white politicians will continue to support draconian drug laws.
This isn't about public health and safety, its maintaining a racist status quo.
It the government cared about public health, the focus would be on treatment, not incarceration.
As someone who has never smoked it and has no desire to smoke it, I don't see what the big deal is. It seems no worse than a number of legal vices. Even as an illegal substance, it's not like it's difficult to get.
ReplyDeleteGiven the concerns around today's school budget elections, I say make it legal and tax the shit out of it.
Personally I think all drugs should be legalized. I truly believe that legalizing everthing will put a stop to most crimes. It should be a competitive market like anything else. If people choose to buy and take these drugs, that's their business just as people who choose to smoke and drink. Less crime = less police presence = lower property taxes.
ReplyDeletePetty crime by dope addicts is what affects our quality of life today. We are the ones that suffer at the hands of these addicts. We work hard and for what? For someone to break into my car and steal a GPS because they need a $20 crack fix? And I'm stuck with $1000 bill to fix the car windows? I don't think that's quality of life.
I say LEGALIZE ALL DRUGS!
YES, YES, and then again YES. But by legalizing it the price will be driven up just like alchol and tabacco. It would free up a lot of space in jails. That would either make room for the more violent criminals or bring the cost of prisons down. Wouldn't that be nice. Instead of building a new prison we could build a new hospital or school.
ReplyDelete