Should marijuana be legalised? (2 Viewers)

[DaddyK]

Thats the stupidest plan ive ever heard.

 

[Xayma]

How are marajuana users harming society? Most of them are just old hippies trying to have a happy high time...

Driving under the influence of marijuana is a dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol. Tests aren't as definitive for marijuana as it remains in fatty cells for longer.
Wrong. One third are addicted and the drug has increased in strength many many times since the 60's.

Marajuana is a drug which should definitely be legal just because its harmless and organic. I also think Heroin, ecstacy, cocaine and goey might as well be legal because their illegality isn't stopping anyone from buying them on the street and also their illegality increases crime.

Wrong. It isn't harmless read the sources in my post above. Just because something is natural doesn't mean it is safe.

Heroin is so expensive because its illegal and hard to get and as a result addicts have to commit petty crims to support their habit- the crime rate goes up. Rich heroin addicts (like celebrities and rock stars) get away with using the stuff and aren't seen as harmful to society because they just do it comfortably in the privacy of their own homes and can afford the stuff. It's the poor addicts who suffer because of its illegality.

If it becomes legal, it isn't likely to become cheaper. Why should it? Drug users cost enough to society at the moment.

Decriminalisation is different, I could understand that, not that I personally support it, however, plain legalisation no. Asquith what should the government do to help addicts, make it more easily accessible?

 

[Grobus]

There is conjecture. The hardline approach is not working. People are still dying and it's certainly still a problem.

When supply is law the price goes up, dealers start mixing, users need more money for it, crime goes up...etc etc

What do we do? Give them clean needles? Give them heroine? Let them re use needles and leave them in the park?

Execute them?

Some would say we should go even more hardline and execute them? Much like asian countries.

Just to be totally OT lol:

I tend to take the more humanstic/prevention/rehabilition approach to tackling the herion problem rather than the punishment.since Ive known a few herione addicts and they are just normal people. I wouldnt say I have many "heroes" as such, but I know someone who was a herione addict for 17 years. During his years of addiction he basically lived to high every single day and he resorted to crime every single day. But he managed to carry on a normal alternate reality, where he had long term relationships with women and his family and stuff. Hes got off all drugs and alcohol now and runs his own design firm. Anyway, the point Ive tried to anecdotally convey is that heroine addicts are people, just like us.

 

[LadyBec]

my problem with legalising marijuana is where do you draw the line? If it's ok to do pot, why shouldn't it be ok to pop a few e's too? But at the same time you can sue that with regards to smoking and drinking too.
Although it is true that the current approach simply isn't working. The fact is that people will use drugs whether they're legal or not, but legalising them may mean more people use them, cos we all know if it's legal it must be ok
In the end I have to say that I wouldn't want it to be made legal, yet at the same time I think the approach to enforcing anti-drug laws has to be changed.

 

[tWiStEdD]

its a leap of faith, really.
Ifs and buts become the most commonly spoken words '05 if it were put before parliament.
Its such a huge change, that even suggesting it could very nearly cause panic.

I'm in favour of a gradual deregulation of the drug market. It would decrease crime exponentially, but it wouldnt make it acceptable. I sincerely doubt that the legallity would cause more people to use it.... but i cant be sure, hence i'm not up for the extreme harm minimisation asquithian describes.

However, kids, sometimes daddy does know best. The government is your daddy. Educated, experienced people tell them that drugs are bad and shouldnt be legal, thus the government will make laws accordingly. If any of you think that you know better, email them.

 

[fornstar]

It's the poor addicts who suffer because of its illegality.

my heart goes out 2 the poor junkie

 

[miaomiao]

How compassionate you are

 

[Xayma]

Some people hate injecting rooms because it shows that the government can never totally beat drugs. Most people in society feel that the war on drugs CAN be won. But it really can't. So whats the answer?

Find some balance where those who can be helped are helped. So that they are given a 2nd chance. Switzerland has a hardline appoach and it's not going so well for them.

Those who cannot be helped have to be isolated from society.

It's a really difficult area. Legislators have a tought time being popular and pleasing everyone when it comes to drugs laws.

Drug laws are VERY tough in NSW. Importation is a max of life in gaol.

Injecting rooms I support, they make a clean safe place. The war on drugs can't be won, but it can be forced to our advantage. Opium poppy grows, in many countries such as Afghanistan, because of a lack of alternatives. Opium free poppies that have many benefical alkaloids that can be used for malaria medication are being researched, the growers need to survive and the problem lies with what is easiest for them to survive.

Testing of ecstasy pills at various parties without risk again I see as positive. The issue becomes is who do you attack, the users or the suppliers. Ultimately as long as users exist so will suppliers, it becomes a problem when many users don't know of the risks, or just choose to ignore them.

 

[fornstar]

How compassionate you are

not very 2 b honest

i dont c y i should b

they dont really do much 4 society, except act as a warning 4 would-be junkies on how fuked illegal drugs can do 2 u

 

[miaomiao]

Download "the irony of it all" by the streets... its very insightful and relative to this topic I think. Alcaholics get aggressive and violent wheras most of the potheads I know just trip out in their own space and want world peace etc.

 

[Not-That-Bright]

You don't really think that do you?

 

[absolution*]

Its true of most potheads i know as well.

 

[theone123]

"Why is marijuana not legal? Why is marijuana not legal?
It’s a natural plant that grows in the dirt.
Do you know what’s not natural?
80 year old dudes with hard-ons. That’s not natural.
But we got pills for that.
We’re dedicating all our medical
resources to keeping the old guys erect,
but we’re putting people in jail for
something that grows in the dirt?"

Underwear Goes Inside The Pants by Lazy Boy

i was bout to say that too, too bad someone beat me to it

 

[MoonlightSonata]

Slightly off topic, but I can't believe some people here still believe mary jane is not harmful. Read Xayma's initial post

 

[soha]

both should be illegal......

yes agree.........

 

[Not-That-Bright]

Jezzmo, at the moment there is a balance.. there is a drug culture pushing that everyone should take drugs and that it's good to take drugs, and there's an anti-drug movement telling people that all drugs are bad.

 

[withoutaface]

To the people who say alcohol should be prohibited: get real. How many people would lose their jobs because of this? How many would lose their sociable Friday night? IMO alcohol should not be illegal because the long term effects when taken in moderation are not even close to those of cigarettes and marijuana.

 

[neo o]

How are marajuana users harming society? Most of them are just old hippies trying to have a happy high time... Why punish that, why oppose that? Marajuana is a drug which should definitely be legal just because its harmless and organic.

Arsenic is also organic. Have you ever been to the Netherlands by the way?

I also think Heroin, ecstacy, cocaine and goey might as well be legal because their illegality isn't stopping anyone from buying them on the street

Just because people buy it, doesn't mean people aren't deterred. Let's make murder legal, since people are still getting killed, obviously having a law against murder is an ineffective detterant. *I AM ROLLING MY EYES OVER THE INTERWEB*

and also their illegality increases crime.

Crime, A Bob Carr Solution : "In an effort to reduce crime rates within NSW rape (both statutory and the other kind, you know, rape rape), break and enter, armed robbery, murder, manslaughter, killing pigeons, homosexual relations and dog fights have all been legalised." This initiative will be brought into effect after our plan to halve the amount of trains running at any one time, to increase timeliness comes into effect."

Heroin is so expensive because its illegal and hard to get and as a result addicts have to commit petty crims to support their habit- the crime rate goes up. Rich heroin addicts (like celebrities and rock stars) get away with using the stuff and aren't seen as harmful to society because they just do it comfortably in the privacy of their own homes and can afford the stuff. It's the poor addicts who suffer because of its illegality.

Are you saying that the government should subsidise drug dealers to increase the supply, decrease the price and thus lower crime rates? THAT'S THE BEST IDEA YET! YOU'RE EVEN APPLYING ECONOMIC PRINCIPALS!

 

[miaomiao]

I can't beleive you would compare murder to taking drugs.

 

[Xayma]

Fine then, just legalise drink driving. Since driving stoned is the same, but harder to test when it is in effect.