Why is marijuana illegal?

[lizards]

Because if it was legal nobody would care about it...

and get taxed to hell, which would be rather uncool

 

[SimpleJack]

Because if it was legal nobody would care about it...

and get taxed to hell, which would be rather uncool

too right.

 

[Harlief]

Because it makes people stupid. Sure they feel like they're hella smart when high, but it's only because ordinary phenomena seem like epiphanies to pot-heads.

Actually, it enhances that creative and artistic parts of your brain. I'm no scientist, but wouldn't that be considered making you smarter? I can't draw worth shit, but while under the influence in a safe environment at my own home, I made some pretty amazing pieces of art.

Nope, it only makes you think you're better. You draw better when you're relaxed and you let go of your inhibitions, am I right? You don't need drugs to do that, try breathing and self confidence. Even better, they're free and will benefit every aspect of your life.

 

[lizards]

Because it makes people stupid. Sure they feel like they're hella smart when high, but it's only because ordinary phenomena seem like epiphanies to pot-heads.

Actually, it enhances that creative and artistic parts of your brain. I'm no scientist, but wouldn't that be considered making you smarter? I can't draw worth shit, but while under the influence in a safe environment at my own home, I made some pretty amazing pieces of art.

Nope, it only makes you think you're better. You draw better when you're relaxed and you let go of your inhibitions, am I right? You don't need drugs to do that, try breathing and self confidence. Even better, they're free and will benefit every aspect of your life.

while i do smoke pot im the first to say, "fuck off its not healthy and it doesnt make you better at anything" but i will agree that in an indirect way it helps you concentrate only on what you are doing which can help with some things, problem being it makes it harder to multitask, and affects your short-term memory

i also would like to point out that breathing and self confidence are both subjective and fairly hard to attain and maintain for many people

 

[Harlief]

Because it makes people stupid. Sure they feel like they're hella smart when high, but it's only because ordinary phenomena seem like epiphanies to pot-heads.

Actually, it enhances that creative and artistic parts of your brain. I'm no scientist, but wouldn't that be considered making you smarter? I can't draw worth shit, but while under the influence in a safe environment at my own home, I made some pretty amazing pieces of art.

Nope, it only makes you think you're better. You draw better when you're relaxed and you let go of your inhibitions, am I right? You don't need drugs to do that, try breathing and self confidence. Even better, they're free and will benefit every aspect of your life.

while i do smoke pot im the first to say, "fuck off its not healthy and it doesnt make you better at anything" but i will agree that in an indirect way it helps you concentrate only on what you are doing which can help with some things, problem being it makes it harder to multitask, and affects your short-term memory

i also would like to point out that breathing and self confidence are both subjective and fairly hard to attain and maintain for many people

I learned both through doing martial arts. It's quite incredible how a better functioning body helps the brain to function better too... until all my uni assignments are due then it's coffee coffee coffee until 3 in the morning!

 

[AndyFromMonday]

Frankly, all drugs should be legal. The government does not have the right to tell a person what to do with their body.

 

[azzair]

its illegal yet cigarettes and alcohol kill alot more than marijuana does.

Marijuana is illegal because cotton manufactures back in the 1800s (or was it early 1900s?) wanted to get rid of the hemp industry so they'd have a monopoly on rope.

Seriously, that is the reason why Marijuana was made illegal. It had nothing to do with it being a drug - it had everything to do with hemp vs cotton.

Because it was a knee jerk reaction in the US during the prohibition of alcohol era. It was made illegal around the same time. However it was much less popular than alcohol so it was never relegalized.

Yes, I think you're right - early 1900s. But it ALSO had a lot to do with the cotton industry.

I've heard this argument before and I was going to post it up as a possibility. It does make sense when you hear it all, but I don't believe its the only reason.
Yeah the cotton industry had its hand in the decision and needed marijuana made illegal so that hemp (which cannot be identified as not marijuana without a microscope) would also be banned so that no one could grow pot and say it was hemp. This gave the cotton industry a great advantage. However, hemp is starting to come back. Not grown in the US of course, but its products imported from countries where it is legal.
It makes sense, it does, but the cotton industry alone does not own the government. I'm sure there were more reasons, one being what viranimus posted, and some others. Guess we can never really know.

As to why it remains illegal. It has a negative stigma in society. Lot's of people still view it as a substance that can be easily abused and not as a recreational drug like alcohol, even though the effects of both are about the same in severity.
And referring to OP initial remark. Cigarettes and alcohol kill more people than marijuana, but also more people drink and smoke cigarettes, and are allowed to do so in public. Usually when weed is consumed/smoked, people stay on the down low, unlike when you are drunk, cause alcohol is legal. At least that's the way I see it.

 

[Crazy_Dude]

Because if it was legal nobody would care about it...

and get taxed to hell, which would be rather uncool

Living in Holland I can say its the truth. More then half of the prices are taxing alone and most people simply dont care.

 

[Domoslaf]

its illegal yet cigarettes and alcohol kill alot more than marijuana does.

There is a ton of things that kill a lot more people than marijuana does, but are legal. So what? That doesn't actually make marijuana harmless all of a sudden.

Maybe "why are cigarettes and alcohol legal" is the question you wanted to ask.

 

[RickRoll]

And legalizing it would increase the risk of people driving while hallucinating. While the effects may not be perceived as being "as bad" as cigarettes or alcohol, it still is bad for you, and we're probably better off without it.

I don't get that point. I live in the Netherlands (the use of Cannabis is allowed for quite some time now) and the number of fatal car crashes last year was 57, 8 less than the year before. Also, even if you tolerate Cannabis use, driving while under influence of any substance will get you quite some jail time.

57! Holy crap, that's really not that bad at all! Damn, you guys have good drivers up in the Netherlands. I think it's a waaaaaaay worse statistic down here in the States.

Its due to a lot of rules. Very strict road safety policy and all roads are maintained very well. All cars are to be tested as well each 5 years. People manually have to extend their driver's license which isn't as easy earned as in the US and elderly people have to prove themselves behind the wheel each 5 years. Also, with a lot of traffic jam, people can't speed a lot.

Edit: Also Ambulances must be able to reach each place in the country within 12/15 minutes. Apart from that, the government has been eager in handing out free first aid workshops and certificates.

...and this is why Socialism rocks! I'm jealous, mate. I just might have to come over to the Netherlands sometime hopefully soon in the future to see how cool it really is in person. Hell, I might even move there judging from how screwed up America has been getting lately.

 

[RickRoll]

The fact that it directly kills brain cells is the main reason. And legalizing it would increase the risk of people driving while hallucinating. While the effects may not be perceived as being "as bad" as cigarettes or alcohol, it still is bad for you, and we're probably better off without it.

You don't seem to know much about marijuana.

1. Marijuana doesn't kill your brain cells.

2. Marijuana is not a hallucinogen.

Actually it IS a hallucinogen. Some people are more effected by that side effect than others. Since I'm sure you won't believe me, here are three quotes, the first of which is from a site that exists to promote medical cannabis use so they have no reason to add symptoms that don't exist.

Known psychic side effects are sedation, euphoria ("high"), dysphoria, fear to die, feeling to loose control, impairment of memory, altered time perception, depression, hallucinations.
http://www.cannabis-med.org/index.php?tpl=page&id=35&lng=en

A mild hallucinogen, marijuana has some of alcohol?s depressant and disinhibiting properties
http://www.acde.org/common/Marijana.htm

While many drugs clearly fall into the category of either stimulant, depressant, or hallucinogen, cannabis exhibits a mix of all properties, perhaps leaning the most towards hallucinogenic or psychedelic properties, though with other effects quite pronounced as well
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_(drug)

Hallucinations are nowhere near common, though. Marijuana effects everyone differently, but hallucinating is rare.

Either way, driving while high is extremely stupid.

Agreed that its not the most common side effect, just pointing out your authoritative and conclusive statement that it is not a hallucinogen is wrong.

Lol, take it from personal experience, Marijuana CAN be a hallucinogen, albeit a minor one. You just gotta smoke a ton of really dank herb. I once saw strange faces being formed in this gnarly plaster ceiling I had in my Freshman College Dorm room when I got really high one night. It's pretty goofy, but nothing like psychedelic mushrooms, which are absolutely crazy out there and a totally different story lol.

 

[RickRoll]

Frankly, all drugs should be legal. The government does not have the right to tell a person what to do with their body.

AMEN!

 

[RickRoll]

Because it makes people stupid. Sure they feel like they're hella smart when high, but it's only because ordinary phenomena seem like epiphanies to pot-heads.

Actually, it enhances that creative and artistic parts of your brain. I'm no scientist, but wouldn't that be considered making you smarter? I can't draw worth shit, but while under the influence in a safe environment at my own home, I made some pretty amazing pieces of art.

Nope, it only makes you think you're better. You draw better when you're relaxed and you let go of your inhibitions, am I right? You don't need drugs to do that, try breathing and self confidence. Even better, they're free and will benefit every aspect of your life.

Clearly Harlief has never smoked weed. Weed does you make more creative. It does. Bottom line. I come up with crazy shit to draw virtually ever single time I smoke enough weed. Also, I make waaaaay better creations in Minecraft when I'm on it. It also gives you a perspective in life that is above all the propagandic bullshit and is instead truly objective and uninfluenced. In other words, you start to see shit for what it really is, rather than the stupid facade that so many things are falsely hyped up to be.

 

[AngloDoom]

I'm not going to dive into this argument with point of view, because the side I support has brought up some very good points that are being simply ignored or matched with stretched realities and ridiculous exaggerations.

Instead, I'm going to ask:

Why are alcohol and cigarettes legal?

 

[gaztaseven]

I smoke marijuana, and I am not going to pretend it is 'better' for my health than cigarettes or alcohol, because realistically all of those are bad. However, one thing I am certain of is that alcohol creates MUCH more crime. Stoners don't smoke a few joints then go out in groups and attack people or vandalise property. Often, the only crime stoners commit is smoking weed! People regularly hammer beer to excess and then do something stupid to themselves and/or others, costing hospitals, police and courts both money and time.
A common counter-argument to this is that cannabis is a 'gateway' drug, leading to harder drugs and therefore more serious crime. My response is that cannabis is no less of a gateway drug than alcohol; indeed, alcohols' legal status creates more peer pressure and acceptability in getting off your head, and is also seen as a more sociable drug, when it actually evokes much antisocial behaviour...

The main problem with ALL drugs, IMO, is the people taking them. People do not excercise enough self-restraint; a little alcohol here, a little cannabis there, one cup of coffee a day, it's not going to kill you or even affect your health adversely, allergies and such excluded. But people don't know when to stop - this is a societal problem, and possibly in part due to lack of real education beyond 'drugs are bad, mmkay?'.

One final thought - Smog is bad for you. Flouride in water is bad for you. E-numbers in food, working in factories, even sunbathing is bad for you. We are constantly taking bad things into our bodies with little or no choice in it. Shouldn't we have the freedom to enjoy a little smoke as well?