Legalizing Marijuana: One Very Bad Idea.

Want to prevent crime? Scare the crap out of people so bad they won't have the nerve to even try it even once.

That approach isn't working in Indonesia, and they have the death penalty, discuss.

Steely

The article is clearly not thought out or researched and only biased.

The fact is that the issue is controversial. Health issues have recently been in controversy as some cancerous qualities of marijuana have been shown to be less of an issue than thought before. The benefits of marijuana, specifically the effects of THC are being researched and some interesting things have been found. The benefits to cancer patients are obvious, but more things are being looked into. THC also apparently helps brain cells grow, helps against cancer causing agents in Tobacco, and aids against anxiety.

The bigger factor is that marijuana impairs its users, but so does alcohol and it's legal.

The biggest factor should be that the way marijuana became illegal was to control minority population, and not really for its impairing or health effects.

Another common statement: "alcohol is not harmful." This is completely flawed. If you have ever seen a person who's three sheets to the wind, you know what the drug does to them. They are completely out of their mind. They can't focus their eyes, stand up straight, walk, run, drive, see clearly, make decisions, eat, drink, play cards, write, read, use limbs properly, make coffee, stay awake, type, operate a phone, or anything else that requires more than an IQ of 6 or so. If someone loses the ability to function properly for any period of time because of a drug, permanent damage will be done, and I'll bet that any doctor not under the influence himself would tell you that.

Booze may not kill the user right away, but it does kill the 5 year old little girl riding her tricycle for the first time when she is crushed by a 1.5 ton hunk of metal operated by some worthless lush. At least the drunkard can take comfort in the fact that he won't remember the look on the little girl's face before killing her.

Legalizing marijuana will reduce crimes as a result of offering non-black market ways of getting it. If you recall, during prohibition, there was decent amount of crime relating to alchohol. There is no way you can argue that alcohol is not harmful. Similarly, marijuana has it's goods and bads. Legalizing it will mean restricted access, much like alcohol is today.

This is not a very convincing argument. I'm tired. Give me a break!

I'm also not talking about the death penalty

Well if that doesn't "Scare the crap out of people so bad they won't have the nerve to even try it even once" then what will?

I'm afraid some of your arguments are fallacious. E.g.

If you have ever seen a person that has recently done marijuana, you know what the drug does to them. They are completely out of their mind. They can't focus their eyes, stand up straight, walk, run, drive, see clearly, make decisions, eat, drink, play cards, write, read, use limbs properly, make coffee, stay awake, type, operate a phone, or anything else that requires more than an IQ of 6 or so.

Firstly, this is simply not true - it depends heavily on the amount consumed. I have seen all of the above done by stoned people, and quite successfully too. Should you drive whilst stoned? No. Should you play cards whilst stoned? If you like. Should you make coffee whilst stoned? Absolutely!

Secondly, not one part of your argument makes sense if you substitute "marijuana" with "alcohol". To say that one is ok and the other is not, based upon your argument, is absurd. Or are you hankering for the prohibition, which nurtured the large-scale organised crime which now controls illegal drug distribution?

Someone under the influence would most certainly be more likely to commit a crime as opposed to someone not under the influence.

More likely, someone trying to procure drugs that are, because of their illegal nature, expensive, dangerous to obtain and in the hands of seriously dodgy people, is more likely to resort to crime to obtain the necessary funds to support their habit.

If someone loses the ability to function properly for any period of time because of a drug, permanent damage will be done, and I'll bet that any doctor not under the influence himself would tell you that.

Simply not true. Long-term and heavy use probably does cause damage, much like long-term and heavy use of coffee, cigarettes, alcohol, chocolate, MSG and carrots. But to say that doing it once does permanent damage is to say that going for a run that stiffens your muscles permanently damages your legs. I'll give you pretty good odds on that bet, if you like.

I am not completely decided on my feelings regarding the legalisation of drugs, but to counter it using your arguments fails.

As kundalinikat demonstrates, this article is more accurate for alcohol than marijuana. Except, of course, that alcohol is legal.

"Someone under the influence would most certainly be more likely to commit a crime as opposed to someone not under the influence." If they weren't so lazy they'd probably feel too much of a connection to that person to assault them. The crimes occur when you arrange to meet dealers in the park at night and they pull a knife. If it were legal, no one would have to risk shady deals and the "gangsta" life and you could totally pick up some bite size brownies while you're at the store.

It should be legalized, and dealt with as a social problem. Your argument holds no merit when we have other legal drugs. What about alcohol? We tried to make it illegal... failed pretty miserably, a whole underground world sprung up - oh wait! thats what is happening with marijuana right now! Deal with the root of the problem, educate people.

Your arguments are flawed at best. I'll tackle them one by one.

1. Your argument against making what is criminal today okay to reduce crime-rate is looking at if from a wrong angle, and shows your bias towards marihuana as a drug. You must not forget that history has set a precedent already on this: The prohibition. The total ban of alcohol caused the crime rate to skyrocket and allowed the mob to flourish. Similarly only criminal elements are allowed to partake in the trade of marijuana today. A ban gives rise to a black market. And a black market gives criminals a trade.

2. In this argument you compare marijuana directly to other mind-altering drugs such as alcohol. While marijuana undoubtedly alters your mind, there are no documented cases where it has turned the user violent. Slowed down and ill (from bad pot or oversmoking) sure. There are thousands of documented cases every day where alcohol-users have turned violent.

3. Again, marijuana is a mind-altering drug. When taken in moderation and by responsible people - in the right settings - there is nothing wrong with that.

4. Here you presume that the legalization of marijuana will legalize driving when stoned. Not so, driving under influence-laws will stay the same. It will not encourage normal responsible adults to get into a car no more when they are stoned than when they are drunk.

I have amended my above comment in a Newsvine Opinion Column.

Very trollish and inflamatory. Try again.

One of the more flagrant displays of ignorance I have seen on Newsvine thus far. Just because you can write a column about anything you want, regardless of your knowledge on the subject, doesn't mean you should.

The fact of the matter is that alcohol is a dangerous drug and it is legal, marijuana is a drug which has shown some potential for medical use and it is illegal for all the wrong reasons. Both being drugs, comparing the legal status and the hazards seems appropriate.

Bottom line is: If you have nothing against alcohol being legal, then you should not feel that marijuana should be illegal.

They are completely out of their mind. They can't focus their eyes, stand up straight, walk, run, drive, see clearly, make decisions, eat, drink, play cards, write, read, use limbs properly, make coffee, stay awake, type, operate a phone, or anything else that requires more than an IQ of 6 or so.

False statement. The extent of the effects on the user depends on the potency of the drug, how much is smoked, how often the user smokes, etc. I have seen plenty of people do some of the tasks you mention just as well as when they are stone cold sober. Please, if you are going to write something like this at least do a little research first.
Have you ever seen anybody who is stoned? It sure doesn't seem like it based on your radical and narrow-minded viewpoint.
I think we all understand you aren't talking about alcohol. However the point is relevant that the prohibition of alcohol can be compared to the illegal nature of marijuana. Prohibition failed for the same reasons the war on drugs is failing. People are going to do what they do whether or not it is legal. The least the government can do is tax the hell out of it to make some money, and ensure that the product is safe and regulated.

I have seen plenty of people do some of the tasks you mention just as well as when they are stone cold sober.

Or better.