Marijuana

Tobacco raises about 25 billion in taxes a year for the government.
Tobacco (and its health issues) cost us 200 billion dollars a year.
Just think about those numbers.

Now what do you think legalizing pot would do?
Pot has 50 - 70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons
Pot is equally, if not more addicting than Tobacco


Are you for or against legalizing?

The mommy wants to say AGAINST.. However if we are already in an over-medicated synthetic pill popping society I say FOR IT... Just depends..

First off, can you please provide your sources for the tobacco tax income and the cost of related health care.

Marijuana doesn't have to be smoked to be effective. I don't agree with you on the addictive properties. Can you provide your sources for that too please.

I'm for legalizing it for quite a few different reasons.

Originally Posted by Buzzard

First off, can you please provide your sources for the tobacco tax income and the cost of related health care.

Marijuana doesn't have to be smoked to be effective.
I don't agree with you on the addictive properties.
Can you provide your sources for that too please.

I'm for legalizing it for quite a few different reasons.

University of Cambridge
Columbia University
Both have pretty definitive studies on Pot being addictive.
The active ingredient in marijuana, THC, binds to cannabinoid receptors in the brain (CB1 and CB2). (As do other addicting drugs)

nocigtax.com
and Usatoday
for the tax numbers.

I work at a hospital, and the figure was at work,
I will bring home the info and post its sources asap.

I am not against the use of medical pot (easier to type than full name lol)
I mean LEGAL, completely free and legal.

Originally Posted by atomdanger

University of Cambridge
Columbia University
Both have pretty definitive studies on Pot being addictive.
The active ingredient in marijuana, THC, binds to cannabinoid receptors in the brain (CB1 and CB2). (As do other addicting drugs)

nocigtax.com
and Usatoday
for the tax numbers.

I work at a hospital, and the figure was at work,
I will bring home the info and post its sources asap.

I am not against the use of medical pot (easier to type than full name lol)
I mean LEGAL, completely free and legal.

Cool, thanks for the links. I'll check them out in the next few.

As far as the addictive properties; some studies that I have read do show that there are some, though not as much as tobacco. While there are carcinogens, smoking isn't the only way marijuana can be used. It can be consumed in food products and used in a vaporizer, both of which greatly diminish or eliminate the carcinogens if I recall correctly. Not to mention the additives that are put in cigarettes, that's another story.

I'm still for legalizing it, taxing it and allowing adults to decide for themselves. These prisons for profit getting filled up for minor drug possessions are completely wrong imo. (Just an example, not sure if these prisons are filled with minor drug offenders. It sounds good though .) It seems one can do harm either physically or financially to someone else, such as embezzlers, tax cheats, etc. getting a mere slap on the wrist as punishment while a kid gets caught with a bag of smoke and spends time in jail for it. The war on drugs is a complete waste of money in my opinion. It's a modern day prohibition, and we all know what happened in the prior one involving alcohol.

I used to work in the respiratory therapy department in a major hospital in CA and saw first hand the effects of tobacco on people, and it is still legal. Not using that as an argument, just a fact. I saw people smoke through their stoma when in the hospital, back when smoking was still legal in hospitals. They just had to have their nicotine. I have an acquaintance who has had at least 5 collapsed lungs, beginning emphysema and COPD, and a host of other lung issues due to cigarettes, but can't and won't quit them. He was able to quit smoking pot with ease.

I wouldn't doubt that drug cartels are major opponents and financial contributors to the WoD, big business too.

I get random drug tests at my work, so I don't use. If it was legal, I may or may not. I can legally drink but it's not a major factor in my life, I can take it or leave it. I would imagine that that is how I would handle pot if I were allowed to smoke it. Some can handle alcohol, some can't. I think that also would go for pot too.

[NateR]

Never smoked it, never had any interest in smoking it - legal or illegal. However, I do believe that making it legal would cause more people to try it out and potentially get addicted to it. I think the fact that it is illegal deters a lot more people from trying it than we might think.

That's all we need, more stupid people.

Pot kills brain cells. If you don't believe me, just try to have a conversation with a long time pothead.

Originally Posted by County Mike

That's all we need, more stupid people.

Pot kills brain cells. If you don't believe me, just try to have a conversation with a long time pothead.

I know many long term pot users, all above average intelligence and quite successful in their careers. Owners of their own business, college graduates, etc. The studies that I have read don't seem to support your claim, nor does my own experience with pot users. Sure if you look only at slacker kids who smoke dope you could get that impression. Back when I worked at the hospital, so many of the resident doctors and other staff hospital members were known to toke up quite frequently. Hard to pass your medical boards if you don't have the intelligence.

Heck, using your standard, I would claim that some of the posters on this forum were potheads because of their lack of basic writing skills. One that comes to mind I doubt uses.

We could also use your definition and say the same about alcohol drinkers, tobacco users etc.

Originally Posted by Buzzard

I wouldn't doubt that drug cartels are major opponents and financial contributors to the WoD, big business too.

Can you think of one single other business in the world that lobbies to have its products outlawed?

if they plan on legalizing it, let me know, i will buy stock in doritos ..

there are many good arguments for or against it .. the good things are that the cartels would stop because there would be no real reason to traffic it, but they would probably move to something else like coke, heroine or people .. people say it is a gateway drug, but i think tobacco and alcohol are also gateway drugs ...

here in canada it is decriminalized, meaning if you get caught with a spliff, you get a ticket or something, but if you have a bunch of it, you do get charged for intent to traffic .. something like that .. not saying that is the answer, but it might be a possibility .. me, i am for a keeping it illegal ..