Federal Legalization of Pot? Good idea...Bad idea?

[Titan]

Currently three states say its legal for personal use, but its still not legal in the eyes of the Federal Government.
Whether you think its harmful for adults or not, whether its truly addictive or not and whether you think it is a "gate-way" to harder more serious rec. drugs or not.
What is your opinion?

My personal opinion is this:
Most people I know who drink alcohol are not alcoholics. They may have a drink now and then but that's it.
Most people I know who smoke pot are most likely the same.

But its the accessibility of pot to those kids in their teen years that worries me. At that age major transformations are taking place in the adolescence brain structure and pot does have effects on the brain, you can deny that it doesn't.

Arresting a person for pot is more damaging that the drug itself, that's a no brain'r, so that needs looking at from a legal stand point.

We as a nation should not legalize pot like cigarettes and alcohol, Look at the damage those two drugs cause in medical terms.
And to use the argument that since cigarettes and alcohol are legal why not pot, is not logical argument.

I think cigarettes and alcohol should be illegal as well based on the physical illnesses that come from their usage.

So should pot be legal? Well, I don't think making pot legal is that simple.
But it shouldn't be an offense that results in a permanent mark on your record or time incarcerated.
If it were to be legal, then make it so ridiculously expensive and therefor mostly inaccessible to the general public.
Especially minors.

It should be very heavily regulated as to who can sell it, where it can be sold, how many stores within a certain area should be regulated, when it can be sold and to whom it can be sold to.
If caught driving while under the influence then you get arrested and it should be a felony for that offense.
If your smoking it around minors then that should be a felony.
If your in a profession like transportation, the medical field, education, dentistry or any field where being high can possibly endanger the welfare of others and get caught that should be a felony offense.
The military and law enforcement would be wise to maintain its zero tolerance for any rec. drug.
The list goes on and on but if your an adult with no kids around then, you should be able to do what you wish as long as no one else is in danger of your activities.
Personally I feel something needs to change. The case of anabolic steroids is as we are painfully aware another issue that is even worse than the pot issue. AAS pose no harm to others what so ever and the crime does not in any way fit the crime but I'm sure it all will be debated in congress for many years to come.

The most helpful thing regarding the legalization of pot to those on this and other boards is, if the federal government eases back on the legal restraints of pot maybe this would open up the opportunity to look at the easing of the legal issues with AAS?

 

[FlyingDragon]

Make all drugs legal and tax theml, would save taxpayers billions every year. People who take illegal substances will find a way to get them. People who do not use illegal substances will not start using them just because its now legal......So tax the people who are the users.

Making drugs legal will also curb gang activity as they wont have anything to sell, they would actually have to go get a JOB. Crime rates will go down, which equals less money spent on fighting crime.....

 

[Regulator]

Make all drugs legal and tax theml, would save taxpayers billions every year. People who take illegal substances will find a way to get them. People who do not use illegal substances will not start using them just because its now legal......So tax the people who are the users.

Making drugs legal will also curb gang activity as they wont have anything to sell, they would actually have to go get a JOB. Crime rates will go down, which equals less money spent on fighting crime.....

I agree with this totally! Also pot is not a drug. It is a plant that was put here on this earth. It doesn't have to be modified one bit to be smoked just dried.

 

[Realize]

Look at how prohibition worked out. People arent going to stop what they are doing. All you are doing is creating a lucrative illegal market that people are going to take advantage of.

Thats when gangsters fight over customers and the murder rate increases.

Just like FD said I would be pissed if I was a pot dealer and had to get a job, so would El Chapo

 

[FlyingDragon]

El Chapo would just retire and tell his grandkids how it use to be....That while sitting on his big pile of cash......

Scientists are now just finding out some of the chemicals in pot plants actually have a use in fighting or curing some diseases. Big Pharma doesnt like that because they cant gauge us with outrageous pricing if they were able to reproduce it in a lab.....

 

[Realize]

I wrote an essay about this in high school many moons ago. I remember my teacher (I think he was a pot head) he explained his stance was that pot should not be legalized but definitely decriminalized.

It's just like aas, should kids be using it no, but an adult should be able to make their own decision and not go to jail as long as they are not hurting anybody else.

 

[Bro Bundy]

legal weed is the shit

 

[Vick]

All drugs and weapons legal, let natural selection do it's work.

 

[Titan]

Also pot is not a drug. It is a plant that was put here on this earth. It doesn't have to be modified one bit to be smoked just dried.

Seriously?

 

[JR Ewing]

I think pot should be decriminalized - if you want to smoke up in the privacy of your own home without endangering anyone else, you should be allowed. And it's a huge waste of resources when cops chase down some kid with $10 worth of weed.

Anyone who knows me knows I am NOT a big govt person - I am very much the opposite - quite libertarian.

But one of the very few functions of government should be to protect people from harm and fraud, and that includes protecting the general public and those who cannot take care of themselves FROM themselves... therefore, hard drugs such as PCP, smack, crack, coke, etc should remain illegal and definitely NOT ever be available OTC or anything - because those who use these drugs clearly need to be protected from their own stupidity, and the general public at large also needs to be protected from that same stupidity users of these drugs exhibit in using them.

Flame away...

 

[RAIDEN]

Legalize it, tax the shit out of it, and watch the money come rolling in.

 

[1bigun11]

What is wrong with each person (and the government) just letting other people live their own lives as they see fit as long as they are not hurting anyone else? I could give a fvck less if my gay neighbors get married or happen to smoke weed. None of my goddamn business if they do. Give parents the responsibility and legal authority to control and discipline their own kids, and end this government moral majority big brother shit once and for all. Just because little Johnny smoked too much weed and crashed his mom's car is no reason to eliminate the freedom for everyone else! If you (or little Johnny) hurt someone else by your poor choices, whatever they might be, then you must pay the price. But getting high, in and of itself, causes no harm to anyone but that person and is none of the government's business whatsoever.