Should Marijuana Be Legal?

[Mark_Pogue]

Should Marijuana Be Legal?

by Mark Pogue




Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in the United States and in most other countries as well. More than seventy million Americans have tried marijuana, and more than twenty million have smoked it in the last year.

Smoking marijuana is not a twentieth century invention. It started in the Himalayas during the latter part of the “Stone Age”, around 11,000 B.C. Many cultures since then have taken up smoking “pot”. We have adopted many names for marijuana. Some of the more popular names include pot, herb, weed, grass, Mary Jane, reefer, dope, skunkweed and ganja.

In 1937, with the passage of the Marijuana Tax Act, the United States effectively banned recreational and medicinal use of cannabis. The prohibition of marijuana has not been effective. Anyone can easily purchase “pot” in every state or county within. Since the 1970s pressure has been building to move away from the total prohibition of cannabis. Some states have legalized the use of “medical marijuana”.




A few myths about marijuana: (according to the Indiana Civil Liberties Union Drug Task Force)

* Marijuana causes brain damage.

* Marijuana damages the reproductive system.

* Marijuana is a "gateway" drug-it leads to hard drugs.

* Marijuana suppresses the immune system.

* Marijuana is much more dangerous than tobacco.

* Legal marijuana would cause carnage on the highways.

* Marijuana "flattens" human brainwaves.

* Marijuana is more potent today than in the past.

* Marijuana impairs short-term memory.

* Marijuana lingers in the body like DDT.

* There are over a thousand chemicals in marijuana smoke.

* No one has ever died of a marijuana overdose.


A few benefits of “medical marijuana” (according to Mayo Clinic Research Scientists and Physicians)

* Controls nausea (benefit for chemo patients)

* Controls weight loss (benefit for anorexic patients, AIDS patients, & Cancer patients

* Reduces pressure in the eyes (benefit for those with Glaucoma, present medication loses its effectiveness after a short treatment period)

* Reduces tremors (Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, ALS)

* Reduces muscle spasms (Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, ALS)

* Reduces pain (Cancer patients, Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, ALS, Neurological issues, Migraines,) Has an analgesic effect that seems to work as well as codeine and enhances the effect of other pain medication

* May protect nerves from damage (MS)

* Can control dosage, quick response to smoking

* Only 3% addiction problem

The real question is…"Why should marijuana be illegal?" We, as individuals, should be able to make choices for ourselves. The government should only limit these choices if the actions endanger someone else. Marijuana is not as dangerous as alcohol, tobacco, or many legal (over the counter and prescribed) drugs.

[Rick Myers]

1. Hell Yeah!

When is the last time you saw a 'stoner' in a bar fight?

If you can legally buy beer, hard liquor and smokes, WHY CAN'T you buy pot OTC???

The price would drop, market forces you know, and the TAXES would allow for Universal Health Care.

[FiveGoodMen]

7. My thoughts, exactly!

[givemebackmycountry]

2. Welcome to DU - your a little late to the party.

That's why we have a drug forum - this question has been asked as much as "is Bush an asshole?"

Of course it should be legal.

[Mark_Pogue]

9. It's never too late...

when marijuana use is still a major issue in this nation.

And this is an editorial...that's why it is posted here.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

3. Yes.

Do I want to smoke it? No. But if it helps people, then it's fine by me. It certainly is far less toxic then alcohol.

[stellanoir]

4. welp here's one person's opinion. . .

http://hightowerdownload.com/node/30

[Warpy]

5. Add NM to the medical marijuana community

because Richardson signed it into law last month.

The bluenoses will be dragging their feet setting up distribution for sick people, though.

[slackmaster]

11. Yet another reason I've decided to support Richardson

Run Bill, RUN!

[MadMaddie]

6. A few facts about legalized alcohol

If Alcohol is legal than the Mary Jane should be legalized. The war on drugs is a sham.

Legalize it and tax the shit out it....



* Alcohol causes brain damage if (said brain is in an Alcohol related accident)

* Alcohol destroys families

* Alcohol drunk drivers kill and maim innocent people every year....

* Alcohol damages the reproductive system when (If that uterus is in a car wreck)

* Alcohol is a "gateway" drug-it leads to hard drugs.

* Alcohol suppresses the immune system.

* Alcohol is much more dangerous than Marijuana and tobacco.

* Legal Alcohol causes carnage on the highways.

* Alcohol "flattens" human brainwaves.

* Alcohol is more potent today than in the past.

* Alcohol impairs short-term memory

* Who knows what chemicals are in Alcohol

* Alcohol overdose has caused many deaths..

[emilyg]

8. no

we have enough dumb people in america.

[bullimiami]

10. duh.

of course.

[muffin1]

12. Hell,yes!

:headbang:

[Douglas Carpenter]

13. I think that would be a reasonable approach

The prohibition causes does little to detour its use anyway. And the prohibition does a lot more harm than the usage -- a creating criminal element where there shouldn't be one.

Although I have no doubt but what excessive use of marijuana can make people a bit dumb and lazy it is certainly less harmful than excessive use of alcohol. The harm of excessive alcohol is that it may lead people to doing terrible things. The lesser harm of excessive marijuana is that it may lead people to just doing nothing.