cannabis sativa

[marf]

thei thread is open to people who wish to talk abot legalizing marijuana.

my opinion is that they should becuase it isnt man made
and legalizing could drop the crime rating alot in america

what do you guys think about it

[GypsyElder]

In my opinion, it doesn't matter whether it's legalized or not, people will still use it regardless. I find it funny that it's illegal here, but it's a huge cash crop in California. I learned that in Econ. I don't really care if it's legalized because I don't really smoke.

Rank crop and Average production value ($1000)

1 Marijuana
$35,803,591

2 Corn
$23,299,601

3 Soybeans
$17,312,200

4 Hay
$12,236,638

5 Vegetables
$11,080,733

6 Wheat
$7,450,907

7 Cotton
$5,314,870

8 Grapes
$2,876,547

9 Apples
$1,787,532

10 Rice
$1,706,665

11 Oranges
$1,583,009

12 Tobacco
$1,466,633

13 Sugarbeets
$1,158,078

14 Sugarcane
$942,176

15 Sorghum
$840,923

16 Cottonseed
$821,655

17 Peanuts
$819,617

18 Barley
$653,095

19 Peaches
$474,745

20 Beans
$467,236

[Che]

Legalize it so I can stop drinking and ****ing up my liver, brain cells and whatever else. Oh, and so I can stop having hangovers. Tax it like liquor so the big guys can make money off it.

[Pete]

I'm torn on the subject. On one hand, it IS a natural crop that does grow. It's far more natural than 80 year old men taking pills to get their dicks up. Plus if it is legalized, then you wouldn't have to worry so much about it being laced with anything, since the government would regulate it. That would also presumably mean regulated THC levels.

Though, the same could be said about cigarettes. If we get big marijuana, like we have big tobacco, who knows what kind of harmful shit will be added to blunts, just so they can become addictive enough, or burn long enough.

On the other hand, it can really **** with your head. I've seen some kids freak out hardcore from blazing, and paranoia is a major side effect. This can be due to the fact that they're afraid of getting caught blazing, but still. Then again, with booze, people can get pretty reckless too.

I don't smoke, so I don't really care. I've done my fair share of stuff in the past, but I've grown up.

[OceanEyes28]

People drink responsibly and people smoke responsibly. People abuse alcohol and people abuse marijuana. The difference is, you can get sick and die from abusing alcohol.

And the difference between legal and illegal is who makes money off of it. I say legalize it, tax it, and let's pay for health care.

I am not a smoker. But people getting righteous over pot use as they get wasted on weekends are amusing at their best.

[Dodie16]

I don't smoke marijuana (or anything else for that matter), but I have a few friends that do. I honestly don't see the appeal, because after they smoke up they either act really goofy or really mellow. I don't want to put anything in my body that makes me lose any sort of control over my actions.

As for legalizing it, I really don't have any strong feelings either way on the subject. I do see the pros of legalizing it, like for health related stuff (like helping cancer patients deal with the side-effects of going through chemo), but I see cons as well. I do think that marijauna is a gateway drug, so once you become tolerant to it's effects, then you may want/"need" something stronger to get the results that you once got from just lighting up a joint. But I also think that it really depends on the person if that indeed happens or not.

So I think that if people can be responsible about it, then I say that I have no problems with the legalization of marijuana.

[Maridia]

Legalize it. I don't smoke, never even tried it. I know tons who do though. It's something we can throw a tax on and put to better use. Mass has new tax on all alcohol which has made people irate. Do it with weed too. Actually if you have less than an ounce it's only punishable by a fine here. Just like the bunny ranches where the government gets their cut they seem happy about it. Do the same with weed. With how America seems to want to scrounge up whatever money they can dig deep for that cash...you can't stop people from smoking. Just like you couldn't stop them from drinking during Prohibition. So why not make money off of it?

[nix]

I don't want to put anything in my body that makes me lose any sort of control over my actions.
.

You dont lose control of any of your actions when high on weed, you can do everything you can sober while stoned. FACT

There is no reason to keep weed illegal, it will solve alot more problems than it would create. Honestly, i cant see it causing any problems what-so-ever.

I dont think it should be just legalised, I think it should be mandatory for all.

The world would be a better place with happy stoned people

[loaf]

For being the TFF pot head, all I have to say is I don't care.

I mean I see it like this.

A) It's legalized. Prices go up, dealers lose their best job ever. No worries about it, less tension on it from police.

B) It stays illegal. Prices stay (which suck here). Dealers keep their best job. Police will still make it a big deal.

That is all I see with it being legalized.

[GypsyElder]

You dont lose control of any of your actions when high on weed, you can do everything you can sober while stoned. FACT

You don't see people getting pulled over and killing others because of stoned driving, unlike alcohol, yet alcohol is legal.

I have tons of friends that drive faded with no trouble at all.

[Pete]

It's def possible to do things while blazed, and yet sometimes it's not. I know kids who can drive, do homework, be totally dominant in games, all while high. I also know kids who become dumb as shit. Some people smoke themselves so stupid that even the simplest things become a chore. One kid started to get dry mouth, so he got some water, and I shit you not, could not find his mouth. He spilled 2 glasses all over himself, and was like "why the hell am I still so thirsty, I had 2 glasses of water."

[nix]

One kid started to get dry mouth, so he got some water, and I shit you not, could not find his mouth. He spilled 2 glasses all over himself, and was like "why the hell am I still so thirsty, I had 2 glasses of water."

rofl!!

Classic, i love that, but the thing is, if he wanted, he could snap out of his daze/trance whatever if he wanted at the click of a finger, he should have in his instance

[loaf]

It's all a mental thing. Now I know a long time ago when I used to smoke with my friends, I would just sit there and watch him play Halo 3 all night. Hell I don't even remember most of those times, but back then, playing games was hard for me. I was still getting used to being that high. Now? I can do everything high, it's become a second nature that I enjoy having while doing things. But I have been smoking less lately. Need a tolerance break.

[marf]

yeah i remember when i first started it hard to keep control
but after three years of blazing it up with homies i got used to it. now i can do preety much every thing wwile still faded. it just makes the day alot better and funner especially when you have white widow

[GypsyElder]

yeah i remember when i first started it hard to keep control
but after three years of blazing it up with homies i got used to it. now i can do preety much every thing wwile still faded. it just makes the day alot better and funner especially when you have white widow

From the looks of it, I'd say you're faded now, am I right?

[marf]

nah i just dont pay much attention to what im typing cause i
type fast and dont reread what i typed thats why its all jacked up

["Sunglasses"]

LOL Cannabis is what caused the death of bruce lee

[marf]

its impossible to overdose on weed

[Meier Link]

I think that it should be legalized here in the states, as others have said before me it is a good way fro the government to make a quick buck plus there are teh benifits in the medical feild also.

Honeslty if I had a choice to be in an auto accident with a drunk or someone that is stoned out of their mind I would say I would rather hit the stoner; you know he is goign to be the observant one that is so parinoid he is going 20 MPH under the speed limit.

I will admit I have partaken on many rips of the good old smoking accessories in my time and I have since grown out of it due to RDTs and other reasons which I will keep to myself. I think that a schmoke is fine if one chooses to do so, to one eats their own right?

Also Nix brings up a good point, if someone is in the need to kill the ride all they have to do is think about what the **** they are doing. Weed is a damn good concentration drug if you use it to your advantage. Hell I say prescribe it to kids with ADD.

[Govinda]

I think it should be available to ill people, but only to them. It's dangerous.

Back home I live on a big seller street. Almost everyone grows it in their attics or gardens to get some extra money. They sell it to teenagers, who prefer it to school. They sell it to parents, who prefer it to taking their kids to the park. They sell it to junkies who don't have the money for smack.

Marijuana is addictive in a way that alcohol isn't. People can say it's not addictive and doesn't **** with people's minds until they're blue in the face, but I have seen it. I've seen what it does to families and to poor teenagers. The middle class can hack it fine, because they've got comforts to return to once the high fades.

Weed more or less killed my best friend, years ago. I can't count on two hands the amount of people I've seen go hash - E/speed/MDMA - coke - smack. She was one of them. It doesn't happen to the comfortable kids who do it either. I've seen someone, a good friend, try to smoke a herbal ****ing teabag because she couldn't get grass and couldn't sleep without it. I've seen my dad stay up for three days and nights for the same reason, drowning himself in cheap whisky, looking for respite.

As you can probably guess, I've smoked a fair bit in my time. I'm really not keen on it anymore though. Rather a glass of wine and a cigarette.

Making it legal would clean up crime and cut down on so many bad things: sex traffic, violence, racketeering. I don't want to stick up for the gangsters, but I could never say that I'd be happy if hash was made legal.

[nix]

I'm sorry Govinda but weed didnt kill your friend by the sounds of it, she had no self control and abused alot of drugs. If weed wasn't about it would have been something else, she was a slave to the pleasure principle and doesnt sound like she did herself any favours in regards to keeping a level head when approaching the drugs.

I myself have gone from drink > weed > E > Coke > shrooms.

I decided i didnt like the majority of the above and stick only to weed and occasionaly drink.

It's a choice i made, something your friend could/should have done.

I'm sorry if you find this anyway offensive in respect to your mate, I'm not saying it to piss you off just meerley trying to highlight that everybody has a choice.

Weed cant kill, weed didnt kill your friend.

[Che]

Agreed with Nix, and not trying to be disrespectful. If it wasn't weed, it was something else.

I've ONLY drank alcohol and smoked weed, no other drugs. I won't ever do anything else in my life because I have no desire.

[Govinda]

I'm the same as you, Che. Won't do anything harder than weed, ever. And I'm not offended by either of you; I know in my heart that it would have been booze if it wasn't weed.

But still - the socioeconomic factors present in my region compound the harm that weed can do. That's why I'd never be happy to see it legal. It's just too easy a route, too easy an escape. My father is a very hardworking man with a strict work ethic, and he always has been, always will be; but he is still addicted, because it's just the way people grow up in the towns I grew up in. He doesn't try to get promoted because he's high, and the people who live around us are exactly the same. Nobody moves forward, because they don't care. Their reality isn't nice, so they get high rather than try to fix it. It's ridiculously prevalent, and keeping it illegal is one way to stem that trend, to try and stop them from just spending their lives selling and smoking.

Maybe it can't kill. But when you get a poor kid with no prospects and parents who light up constantly - where's the reason to move forward and get out of the shithole? Where's the motivation for self-betterment? It fades, because you can get high and then make a living growing, just like everyone else does.

[nix]

But thats the choice your father makes Govinda, im convinced everybody gets addicted to something at one point or another.

We all need to relax, some people smoke weed, some people drink, some take take prescription drugs when they dont need it, some smoke cigs and drink wine some work out, some play computer games, read books, watch movies etc

Regarding the job front, your father probably doesnt see much benfit for himself to give up what he likes and is comfortable with for more stress and work load for what i predict to be a small pay upgrade and the requirement to kiss more ass. Which is fine, im in the same boat, i dont want to climb the ladder in this place, i hate my job but due to recession im stuck in here and grumpy alot of the time.

In regards to legalising weed or not, it would be better for the community to have it legal as it will be regulated alot better and obviously not sold to people under the age of 18. I can confirm a drug dealer will not show any restraint in selling a minor any form of drug.

Wont stop minors from getting it i know, but im confident in thinking it will be alot harder for a minor to obtain if it were legal as opposed to it being illegal

[Govinda]

It would be alright if it was only my dad who had a shit job - but everyone in my area works in a shitty job because they left school when they were 15, and smoked a whole lot of pot. I did when I was a teenager too. I almost became one of them, but my mother saved me. And my dad, well...he hates his job, detests it, and it's not easy for him at his age (he's a scaffolder, heavy physical labour). I don't need to drink wine to sleep. That's the difference.

And the kids all get hold of alcohol very easily, through either older siblings or their parents. It's easier for them to get booze than it is for them to get grass, and I'd like it to stay that way. Ideally they wouldn't get drunk either, but they're unstoppable on that front, and their parents are in cahoots with them.

I see what you're saying, and the logical parts of me agree. But my upbringing makes me almost hate weed, so I could never agree, in good conscience, to it being legal.

[Cheesevixen]

I could make a really long post about this, but I'll keep it simple. It's 9 in the morning and my brain is dead. I believe it should stay illegal. It just makes it that much harder to become an household problem. We already have parents with drinking and smoking problems....I see no need to add to that problem. It would be just one more thing for people to abuse. Keeping it illegal, if only to make it an little harder to get, will do some good. I see no problem with people smoking it though. To each their own. Honestly I think it's better than drinking alcohol or smoking cigarettes. I just don't want it to be available 24-7 to people who don't know what moderation is, and those with kids.

[Pete]

I don't believe in the gateway theory, but I have seen kids graduate to harder shit. A girl I dated over the summer would occasionally smoke some weed, and drink every now and then. The last time I hung out with her (got out of that mess quickly enough), she was telling me about how she was doing nitrous all the time, how she tried coke a few times, smoked opium at one of those weekend hippie-fests, had done E regularly over the summer, would mix pills with booze (xanax, percocet, etc) and even snorted "cat tranquilizers" which I want to assume is Ketamine.

Now, I know you can't blame weed for this girl's actions, but Jesus. I can see how smoking can lead people to look for a greater high, but at the same time, I fully believe that it's up to the person to WANT to get that bigger high.

I've smoked in the past, and it's never really done anything for me; it was kind of a "meh" feeling. I've also popped percocets (oxycodone) in my time, but that was for my wisdom teeth, though I doubled the dosage. It was alright, but it just made me really smiley and kind of lazy. The only thing I'll do now though is alcohol, and the occasional cigar on special occasions.

[Alpha]

Marijuana should be legalised, for many reasons. First, however, it is a drug, and just because I believe it should be legalised does not mean I think we should all smoke it without concern. I rarely drink alcohol, though it is legal, so take that into consideration.

Firstly, it's ridiculously easy to get hold of anyway. When I was smoking it I would get mine from my friend, but I never asked where she got it from. Everyone knows someone who has/does smoke it, and to get hold of it, it's only a matter of asking them. I heard statistics that 50% of teenagers in my country have tried it (I think it may be more like 30%, and it depends what "tried it" is defined as), which is evidence of the fact, and also suggests that people are always going to do it, so making it illegal will turn a lot of ordinary people into criminals. This may affect them in the future, say with job prospects. It's sort of silly to say to a 35-year-old, sorry, I know you're qualified, but when you were 16 you once smoked some marijuana with your friends, so I can't offer you the position. Just silly.

Medicine. If for no other reason, marijuana should be legalised for medicinal use. Cannabis has been used medicinally for over 12,000 years. That's as long as we have evidence for agricultural society. No one claims that cannabis is a 'miracle' drug or cure, but it is becoming clear that cannabis can alleviate the suffering of many people with a variety of conditions, such as cancer (although I acknowledge that cannabis is a carcinogen, but so are many GM crops, such as the majority of crops grown in the United States... which are in your cereal). Here is a list of conditions which may benefit from medicinal cannabis:

* multiple sclerosis
* spinal cord injury
* chronic pain
* some seizure disorders
* glaucoma
* asthma
* anxiety
* arthritis
* anorexia
* brain injury
* stroke
* migraines
* phantom limb pain
* Tourette's syndrome
* movement disorders
* depression
* addiction withdrawal

Cannabis has also been shown to help alleviate the nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy and cachexia in HIV/AIDS. The dosage required to obtain the medical benefits are lower than what is required to become intoxicated (high).

For those who say it is addictive, marijuana is less addictive and less harmful than many other prescribed drugs. If we were to deny the availability of a drug on the basis that it may be abused, we would have to remove a huge range of medications from use.

It is impossible to overdose on marijuana. Estimates indicate that a person would have to consume 20,000 to 40,000 times as much cannabis as is contained in one cannabis cigarette in order to die from acute marijuana use, and they would have to consume this amount in a short space of time (less than an hour).

This isn't to say using it is without risk. Smoking can cause irritation of the throat and lungs, and can lead to respiratory conditions such as bronchitis. Smoking it produces a hot smoke that can irritate delicate lung tissues and aggravate existing respiratory problems. However, that's why there are other ways to use marijuana (such as vaporisers). Naturally, your dealer isn't going to give a shit about this, but the government, when it regulates its use, might.

Safety. If it's going to be used, it should be made as safe as possible. Dealers are renown in my country for lacing marijuana with methamphetamines. Not good. P is the worst drug in the world. Worse than heroine even. With legalised marijuana, how is that going to occur?

Tax. Self-explanatory. It should be hefty, but also ensured that it is made slightly cheaper than what dealers can do. This would be easy to achieve, as dealers would need hydroponics; could only grow small crops; would need some pretty good concealment; etc., whereas a legal grower would be able to take advantage of economies of scale, and could offer a low price (not to encourage accessibility, but to undercut dealers, at least until they give up on the drug).

There are plenty more reasons, but I also want to add that marijuana isn't any more dangerous than alcohol, which is used pretty much everyday. I had a glass of Merlot with dinner last night. Shoot me. Plenty of people get angry by using alcohol, but marijuana makes them chill the **** out.

[Che]

This may affect them in the future, say with job prospects. It's sort of silly to say to a 35-year-old, sorry, I know you're qualified, but when you were 16 you once smoked some marijuana with your friends, so I can't offer you the position. Just silly.

I'm just nitpicking here, but no one is going to know when you're 35 if you smoked some marijuana when you were 16. There's no way to prove it, and I don't think anyone with a brain would mention it to a potential employer.

For those who say it is addictive, marijuana is less addictive and less harmful than many other prescribed drugs. If we were to deny the availability of a drug on the basis that it may be abused, we would have to remove a huge range of medications from use.

I like that you said it's less addictive rather than it's not addictive at all. Anything can be addictive, and a lot of people who argue the subject will tell you that it's not addictive at all.

Some people are addicted to sex. You can definitely become addicted to marijuana, just not physically like alcohol is. The addiction would be more of a mental addiction.

[Josh_R]

I feel pot should definately be legalized, for many reason such as less alcohol abuse. My step dad use to smoke pot all the time and he was a happy person when he wss doing it until he got caught and charged with possesion. After getting caught he started drinking and when he would get drunk he would hit my mom and me and my siblings. Pot does not have this affect when smoking pot you dont get violent and you still have the ability to do shit.
Me personally I have tried other drugs for a little while in high school I was real ****ed up on pills(vicodin,percocet,oxycontin, and valum)shit that could easily kill me. I didnt give two shits, until about two months after I started my memory started getting fuzzy and it was becoming hard to function so I quiet and started smkoing pot. After that my memory wasnt cloudy no more and my motor functions had come back. So with all of this I think these are the drugs that should stay illegal to get off the street and pot should be legalized...