I'm a stoner myself, and although there are some medical benefits to marijuana, neither that (or fiscal benefits, though that helps) should be why it's legal. It's our bodies and we should be free (as consenting adults fully aware of the consequences) to use marijuana if we so desire. To think we can drink ourselves to death legally and not smoke responsibly is pure hypocrisy. www.norml.org Be sure to vote and let your politicians know as a constituent that you support legalization.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

If the only people using it were consenting adults fully aware of the consequences, it wouldn't be a huge problem (though I'm still against it). The problem is that other people will be getting their hands on it, like minors, and will be using it irrisponsibly. But drugs are bad, so don't do them.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

Well, as I am not far removed from being a minor (and I am still one in terms of alcohol), I can tell you one thing, it has always been harder to get alcohol than marijuana for me, and most people I've met have had the same problem. A dealer won't ask for your ID, they just want to sell, and I could find plenty of people for that; getting someone who could find a way around being carded and getting alcohol was a process that took tons of time. I'm not saying there still won't be minors using it, but it could make it harder.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

Fair argument, but marijuana is an addicting drug. Just like some people become addicted to alcohol and tobacco, many people will be addicted to marijuana. It will just end up being yet another thing that people will waste their money on, and some people may lose their jobs and families because of it. If it is legalized, of course more people will become exposed to it, and thus more people addicted to it. Plus, there are extreme negative effects on your health from it.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

You should do a little more research. I don't smoke pot myself, but I'm all for it's legalization. There are no negative side effects whatsoever. There are no addicting chemicals in marijuana. There has not been one marijuana related death ever recorded in history. Back in the early 1900s, farmers were encouraged to grow pot. Then movies showed black people smoking pot and going crazy so it scared the media. It was made illegal, then people were like oh shit, marijuana is used in a lot of medicines, so it was legal again. Then the Vietnam War rolled around and everyone was smoking pot and everyone was chill and happy and no one wanted to fight, so the government got pissed and made it illegal. Marijuana is no worse for you than coffee.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

There are no addictive chemicals in porn either. People still manage to find a way to get addicted to that.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

THANK YOU!!! It is addictive, my xboyfriend will never get it through his head.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

Marijuana is not addicting, in any way.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

Also, minors get drugs no matter what, if it's legal or not.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

Marijuana is not addicting in the way alcohol or tobacco is. If you take an alcoholic who gets wasted all day every day and have him quit cold turkey, if his condition is severe enough the addiction (which is physical at that point) and subsequent withdrawal could conceivably kill. Cigarettes too have withdrawal symptoms (not nearly as severe as alcohol) on the body. Repeated marijuana use is not an addiction, it's a habit. Marijuana is no more addicting than a piece of chocolate cake, and in the long run is about as unhealthy as one. You will not die from using it, let alone from quitting it. While you are entitled to your opinion that spending money on marijuana is a "waste", not everyone shares your sentiment and your personal opinion shouldn't get in the way of the rationale of permitting legal use. By the way, there are plenty of medicinal uses for marijuana (so much that so it is prescription medicine in 14 states) which could outweigh the risks attached.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

I'm not saying that it shouldn't be legal to be used in prescription drugs. But marijuana is bad for you, despite the very few benefits, all of which (in this article anyway) are medicinal, not recreational http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/148088/the_health_risks_and_benefits_of_using.html ""The major active chemical in marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which causes the mind-altering effects of marijuana intoxication" (Marijuana Abuse). THC enters the brain by passing through the lungs into the bloodstream, and then affects various centers in the brain, causing several health risks outlined below. Health risks include: impaired thinking and memory; diminished balance and coordination; increased chance of heart attack; increased risk of respiratory infection; increased risk of lung cancer, mouth cancer, and cancer of the respiratory tract; and possible hallucinations (Marijuana as Medicine). There is also a link between marijuana use and fat

by Anonymous 14 years ago

(mmzznnxx):fatal accidents. "Studies show that 6 to 11 percent of fatal accident victims test positive for THC" (Marijuana Abuse). Marijuana use may also hamper the ability of the immune system to fight off infections. In addition, marijuana may be addictive. Research has shown that "people trying to quit report irritability, difficulty sleeping, and anxiety. They also display increased aggression on psychological tests, peaking approximately 1 week after they stopped using the drug" (Marijuana Abuse). Benefits Medical benefits to marijuana use have been acknowledged throughout the medical community. These benefits primarily treat symptoms of various diseases, including: treatment of nausea often associated with cancer chemotherapy treatment; reduction of pressure in the eyes benefiting individuals with glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness in the U.S.; relief of pain often associated with cancer; and possible protection of nerves from the damage caused by multiple sclerosis

by Anonymous 14 years ago

A) It doesn't matter if it's bad for you, everything from potato chips to television are bad for you, it is almost harmless relative to other drugs, and if adults can be ascribed the options of driving, drinking, unhealthy foods, etc., there's no reason marijuana shouldn't be another option. B) About 6 of 11 victims testing positive for marijuana: THC is very fat soluble and attaches to fat cells in the body and use of pot can be traced for about a month, give or take. Testing positive for THC in no way means that the user was inebriated or under the influence of marijuana at the time, just that they had used marijuana in the window of time of about a month. C) Again, just about any "addiction" to marijuana is mental. About 35% of the population have addictive personalities ((http://www.12steptreatmentcentres.com/ALCOHOL_and_DRUG_ADDICTION_41.asp) and the people who couldn't put down a bong probably couldn't stop chewing gum easily.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

Also, those oral maladies (throat cancer, etc.) are more due to smoking in general, rather than what you are smoking. If you were to vaporize or to extract THC (like making brownies) you would almost completely circumvent any chance of those health risks (of course it could still happen, but it would be more to chance or prolonged previous smoking). By the way, obviously there are recreational benefits to pot, otherwise 95 million Americans would have never used it at least once (http://blog.norml.org/2009/04/10/who-are-you-us-government-statistics-on-adult-marijuana-users/). While not the best argument, it does have a lot of recreational value to a lot of people. Even Carl Sagan loved to toke up, go figure. I just think if we're going to keep pot illegal, we should prohibit most things that shorten life and be consistent about it. In any case, the war on drugs is not working and is punishing lots of people who are, for the most part, good.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

I agree that they should be consistent about drugs that are prohibited. I think that tobacco should be illegal as well. Another thing about marijuana that I've observed (not fact based whatsoever) is that people use marijuana more than and in addition to alcohol. This means more people who have impaired judgment more of the time, making for a stupider world.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

I won't lie, the only thing I like more than a few beers or a little pot is a few beers AND a little pot, haha, but I try to be productive when I partake (or at least not destructive). Poetry, movies, writing music, all that stuff. But not everyone is as motivated as me during inebriation. Glad you agree about the consistency though, this country is just far too inconsistent (on many things, not just drug policies). By the way, out of curiosity, and you are free to refrain from answering if you so choose, but have you ever tried drinking/smoking? Not to accuse of being naive, but I was just wondering if you've had some negative experiences with them or something.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

I have never smoked, nor have I drank enough to even become buzzed, however you could say that I still have had some bad experiences with alcohol.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

Ah, I gotcha. Well regardless I hope everything's all right with you. It was good discussing with you as well.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

Here's my problem with people who argue this. "oh, what about all the benefits?" Well heres the thing, you aren't using it for the benefits, you're using it to get high as a kite. You say it should be legal for this, only so you can go use it for a different reason.

by Anonymous 14 years ago

Well, I don't think you'll ever meet a stoner (myself included) who won't admit that their main intention for desiring legalized pot is for their own personal, recreational use. However, that doesn't mean the other benefits (pain alleviation, possible Alzheimer's prevention, and hemp has TONS of uses) shouldn't be considered. However, as shallow as it is, the way to pave the path for legalization seems to be winning over the people still believing in "Reefer Madness" and it only seems logical that if said peoples can see the positives it brings in terms of a medicinal capacity and medical users not turning into criminals and dope fiends. Also, why make a person risk getting addicted to dangerous narcotics when they could use pot which you can't OD on and can be discontinued fairly easily, while still providing the same relief?

by Anonymous 14 years ago

weed is only bad if you smoke it everyday all day. the only long term affect is lung cancer. make weed brownies and eat them every other day and you'll be fine. all my joints pop out and i would LOVE something to make the pain easier but pills are too expensive and a hassle and more addictive. weed please? :]

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