Why is marijuana illegal?

[Kiju]

Cigarettes and alcohol are also a central part of American culture.

Marijuana is not. It's also an substance not controlled by the government, meaning the United States does not want it being sold without getting their taxes on it.

It's illegal because it's so easy to grow it yourself, there's dozens of people smuggling it in without much effort at all, and...well, yeah. You get the idea.

At least, this is my own opinion, guesses, and thoughts, without the use of an internet Search Engine.

 

[Blind Sight]

In its early days, government corporatism mostly, now its largely the result of paranoia around drug use and/or the criminal element associated with it. I recall Hilary Clinton answering the 'legalization of pot' question recently by stating that there was just too much money in it for gangs. Well, yeah, when something's illegal of course the people involved in the production become criminals and arm themselves in order to protect their goods. Does no one remember how Prohibition created a whole new criminal market for alcohol?

Someone already stated this, but I'm in the 'it's your body, thus it's your decision' group, mostly because I prefer personal responsibility to a nanny state.

Cigarettes and alcohol are also a central part of American culture.

Marijuana is not. It's also an substance not controlled by the government, meaning the United States does not want it being sold without getting their taxes on it.

It's illegal because it's so easy to grow it yourself, there's dozens of people smuggling it in without much effort at all, and...well, yeah. You get the idea.

At least, this is my own opinion, guesses, and thoughts, without the use of an internet Search Engine.

Marijuana might not be, but hemp certainly was (several of the Founding Fathers owned hemp plantations or grew hemp on their lands, including George Washington), which was one of the main reasons that the cotton and paper industries pushed for gradual regulation and then criminalization.

 

[rt052192]

A question that has plagued mankind for eons........

 

[Viperus]

Your arguments are ridiculous.

Instead of thinking how cigarettes should be banned, you're talking about unbanning the lesser evil.

As for alcohol , I think they should put a limitation how much per week are you allowed to drink.

Cigarettes and alcohol kill more people because more people use them. If you smoked 2 packs of weed every day you'd probably get lung cancer as well (not to mention other side effects).

 

[infohippie]

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.

Bahahaha! No, it does not, no reputable study has ever shown any evidence whatsoever of it "killing brain cells". Nor does it cause hallucinations.

 

[Shirafune]

I can understand why people are saying 'Weed is better than alcohol and cigarettes' is a bad point, but it's true.

Thankfully I don't really have an opinion on cigarettes, I'm always confused as to why people smoke them, they offer no feel-good benefits at all, they're just poison that people continue to suck on.

Alcohol could probably be involved with some of the worst experiences I've ever had, but I have had some fantastic nights while on the drink, which I guess I could have done without it.

But I have never had a bad night with weed, I smoke only on a blue moon with some close friends, and other than the former, we never broke any laws while under the influence.

I realize that all pro-cannabis vocalists are working to a lost cause, and that saddens me because I would much rather have a night with some some weed than with alochol and not go to jail just for doing so.

Let's just swap smokes for marijuana..

 

[mrht101]

Because who needs freedom over their own body and actions anyways. I say keep it illegal, and illegalize speech and beliefs against the government as well. If you're going to remove personal freedoms, why not go the whole nine yards.

 

[Mittens The Kitten]

One more thing I forgot to mention: I'm sure we'd ban cigarettes and alcohol if we could afford to, but by the time we figured out how bad they could be, they had become an integral part of our economy, and we literally couldn't financially afford to ban them. Keeping marijuana illegal isn't so much about fairness, it's more like keeping more things like cigarettes and alcohol (i.e. harmful but necessary) from making their way into standard economy and practice. I'm personally in favor of keeping it illegal. I just don't see why people want it so bad.

So you're not of the mind that it's a person's right to kill themself slowly? If that's what they want.

 

[mrht101]

plus there are the dozens of cases of people developing mental illnesses and/or schizophrenia from it (although it is possible that those are all from other drugs.)

This may also have to do with the myth about smoking from devices with an aluminum or tin bowl, things like tin foil or soda cans.

 

[wickedmonkey]

One argument would be that there are enough problems with people getting behind the wheel while drunk and I've seen what some friends are like stoned (one nearly dropped me off a cliff face while belaying me on a climb, I found out later he been smoking pot beforehand) So I'd rather not have to dodge potheads on a munchies run as well as piss-heads.

 

[WolfThomas]

As he said in that Cracked link, the only good pro-weed argument is "I want to get high without the risk of being arrested". Which I think is a fair enough statement.

But for those saying it's safer they need to take a nice long look at this article.
http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/31/2/280.full#ref-1

 

[Mcupobob]

Spoiler: If this doesn't convenience you then nothing will

OT: Propaganda and greed from oil, lumber, and other industries threaten by advancements in agricultural science would make hemp the go to all resource for goddamn nearly everything. So they started a whole campaign against a cannabis a cousin to hemp.

Spoiler: Click here for a Propaganda example!

Cannabis wasn't really popular at the time anyways and wasn't well know. So it wasn't hard to convince a nation that pot would crumble society and make those kids listen to that damn rock and roll. So the lumber companies kept doing their things without fearing hemp stepping and the oil men could finally start turning their sticky black sludge into gold. Though you can't blame them really, they had a product and they need to sell it. Though why the oil companies and such don't just start investing their billions into green tech and be the first ones leading and controlling the green industry(because thats where were heading anyways) instead of drilling for more oil and mowing down more trees.

Though the could be and just squeezing the last of this resource dry, I also think it might have something to do with OPEC not wanting to give up their bread and butter. Switching to green tech is going to be a economic and political game changer when it comes to pass, so maybe were just stalling.

I think on the next ballot prop 19 will pass in a new revised state, and with Jerry Brown pushing to make Hemp legal to grow and produce, California might just start a chain reaction.

So, sorry about the rant, but I've been interested in where the next 10 years is going to take us. Because after all

Spoiler: It's gonna be the future soon!!!!

 

[Zeema]

i don't see why not

people know the risks and if they chose to do it then its there own fault.

 

[Twilight_guy]

Because marijuana hasn't been a big a part of culture of smoking and drinking were. Drinking has been a part of every culture throughout time practically ever since man learned how to grow corn. It's hard to try and make something that ingrained illegal. That's why prohibition failed, because people need there boos. Smoking was a big part of culture (in the US) up until some decades ago when how bad it is for you started getting out and the government really cracked down on it but even still the government isn't willing to just make it illegal and is instead slowly suffocating it to death (oh the irony). It has been present in many societies and had various cultural capital for quiet a long time though.

Marijuana has had a less ingrained place in society. It's been present of course and used by various groups but I don't even recall it being historically used in the same ubiquitous way as alcohol and tabaco. (my spellcheck doesn't register tabaco as a real word, the smoking lobby really is losing power). I has been a more marginalized or less publicly used substance and thus was easier to outright ban by the sections of society that are opposed to drinking and smoking and using drugs etc.

Personally, I don't think people should use it but not many people care what I think.

 

[tofulove]

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.

(blink blink) sit down son, let me tell you a story, pot doesn't kill brain cells nor does it make you hallucinate. and better off with out it is not a reason to be illegal. your better off with out fast food but last time i check no one is serving 10 years in prison for selling a fat person a hamburger.

 

[Rawne1980]

Never touched the stuff but it doesn't bother me.

I find the whole debate over marijuana a bit daft.

If we are going to start campaigns to make silly things legal then I vote we be allowed to beat Boris Johnson with a stick anytime he speaks .... it should be a law.

And maybe David Cameron aswell, he's also a bit of a tit. A beating now and then would probably do him good.

 

[tofulove]

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.

Then why not ban alcohol and cigarettes, too?

We tried that. The prohibition led to massively increased crime rates, where as legalizing Mary Jane would lead to, in theory mind you, an increased influx of Mexican crime violence, which is a primary source of marijuana.

^ I think that belief holds some water. I dont think legalizing weed will decrease violence attached to it. I think people will just end up smoking cheap mexican weed and support the cartels.

economist theorize the price of grass would go down from 60-85% depending on who you asked in the field. so no, good grass will be affordable Mexican cartels will instead find some thing else to make money on, my guess focus more on coke/crack and meth production.