Would legalising weed really be better??

[drazzi]

Dont get me wrong, im a stern believer that it should, for reasons that you all know, and I cant be bothered to get into it...

But dont you think there's something a bit fun about it bieng illegal? And who do you think would really benifit from the laws being changed. How much tax would they slap on??? I recon you could add on about 25% to what you're paying now...

Keep tokin':rasta::thumbsup:

[souldistortion]

no offense man but you gotta edjumicate urself. If it was legal, there would be companies making it. COMPANIES WITH 5 mile wide growing rooms, shelling out hudnreds of pounds a day from a perfect and proven method. just like they do with tabaco. Compare this to untrained indiviudals growing it in their closets and selling it on the streets, its a black market drug and its production is illegal therefore making it cost WAY MORE THEN ITS SUPPOSED TO. A pack of cannabis joints, im guessing would look just like a pack of cigs with a bunch of joints in it lol. and it would BE WAYYY WAY WAY CHEAPER. could probably pick up a pack of 12 joints for around 5-10 bucks, depending on the quaility.

[orangeman]

Dont get me wrong, im a stern believer that it should, for reasons that you all know, and I cant be bothered to get into it...

But dont you think there's something a bit fun about it bieng illegal? And who do you think would really benifit from the laws being changed. How much tax would they slap on??? I recon you could add on about 25% to what you're paying now...

Keep tokin':rasta::thumbsup:


Well I'm pretty sure they have thought about taxes but what about those that grow? I dont think it'll be legalized because of cultivation alone. It'll be just like dealing if you grow and sell. Your not paying for anything but electricity, gro materials and seeds so therefore the government isnt getting any profit from the sells. As for the weed that would be sold in stores they would get some revenue but not 100% of the marijuana going around America so I dont think that will happen. But marijuana being legal probably wouldnt do much because you'd still have to be 18 to buy it probably so kids probably would still be going to those shady dealers.

[Nochowderforyou]

I think cannabis should only be legal for medicinal purposes. It should be more readily available to those who are living in severe pain.

I don't want it legal altogether though. If they do, it will be nothing like Holland. The government will tax the living the shit out of it, and if you've been reading reports of current government controlled marijuana, you'd know that it is of low quality and crap. You'd still be paying money for crap weed.

If they let everyone have like a 4 plant limit for personal use in their homes, I'd go for that, but I wouldn't want to be buying shagg pot taxed by the government. The sad thing is, that is what will happen. There's money to be had.

[souldistortion]

I think cannabis should only be legal for medicinal purposes. It should be more readily available to those who are living in severe pain.

I don't want it legal altogether though. If they do, it will be nothing like Holland. The government will tax the living the shit out of it, and if you've been reading reports of current government controlled marijuana, you'd know that it is of low quality and crap. You'd still be paying money for crap weed.

If they let everyone have like a 4 plant limit for personal use in their homes, I'd go for that, but I wouldn't want to be buying shagg pot taxed by the government. The sad thing is, that is what will happen. There's money to be had.

You arent getting it man. If it was legal, all types of bud could be grown and in PERFECT GROWING CONDITIONS, some dank bud, no doubt, will be procuced by companies. they do want to compete for buisiness dont they? And the price (due to the fact that it will be made in bulk and in huge fucking factories) i gurantee will be at least 5 times less then current marijuana street prices. even a tax as high as 25% by the government isnt reason to say that you dont want it legal lol.

[Nochowderforyou]

even a tax as high as 25% by the government isnt reason to say that you dont want it legal lol.

Oh, and you decide what I think? Where's your God name tag? ;)

Don't get uptight at my opinion, and if you think your government is going to grow the best of quality cannabis for a good price...

[souldistortion]

Think of it this way. the price of an item is determinted by how much of that item can be produced in a given amount of time. pay very careful attention to the following example: A car made in a factory that can only produce 1 car at a time that takes 10 days to make, will be more expensive then a car from a factory that shells out 100s of cars a day. (obviously no car company has a factory like that but its just a comparison)Compare that to individuals growing marijuana, and companies growing marijuana. but because its illegal THERE ARE NO FACTORIES and there ARE no companys. you dont realize it but right now marijuana prices are on a stool not flat ground. (flat ground being its TRUE value) Illegality makes production risky, causing the marijuana-price-stool stand even taller off the ground.

[souldistortion]

Oh, and you decide what I think? Where's your God name tag? ;)

Don't get uptight at my opinion, and if you think your government is going to grow the best of quality cannabis for a good price...

LOL, i dont have anything to say. except, a very polite... you are stupid. You have to know politics and economics to know whether legalization would be benneficial to us. And you obviously have no knowledge of either, so please just chill out. im not trying to attack you, just show you that you are wrong.

[drazzi]

Now now children.... It's only a frendly debate. I want the weed to be legalised, but you have to hear others opinions...:stoned:

[souldistortion]

Now now children.... It's only a frendly debate. I want the weed to be legalised, but you have to hear others opinions...:stoned:

Dont include me in that "children". People that dont have much knowledge of a complicated political topic but they dont but still decide to give their horribly informed :twocents: and then CONTINUE TO DEFEND their horribly informed :twocents: after having been proven wrong just make me a little mad.

[insanity]

I have mixed feelings about the legalization of marijuana. If it becomes an industrial process, then the plant is being explioted purely for-profit. I do not want to see marijuana in the same hands as the evil corporate shills who grow, sell, and market tobacco. On the other hand, I'd love to see people being able to smoke a relativley harmless drug so they can benefit from all pot has to offer.

[hossua34]

Absolutely YES, are you fucking insane???

The black market for ANY type of drug eventually causes violence, and death. Besides, if marijuana were legalized, in the full sense of the world, it would not cost anywhere CLOSE to what it does now in the U.S., and the state gov'ts would still be making shitloads of money. Pot is so expensive because it's scarce. Legalization would change that. Also, it's not illegal in most places to grow your own tobacco if you feel like it, so you could just do that and pay NOTHING. Not to mention you won't have to, uhhhh, worry about being arrested for smoking it.

\/ visit the site below if you still aren't convinced.

[Markass]

The industrial use of hemp, and possession of 1 ounce and a few plants would be sufficient. Then no longer would harmless pot smokers be considered criminals for smoking plant matter. It would definately benefit the economy.

[ChronicMike]

Nah, i love weed being underground and if companies did produce it like tobacco then would they add harmfull chemicals?? Most likely.

I love the cannabis culture as it is....i dont want Nestle or the coca cola companies selling me bud/ and if i seen some cheesy comerical to come and buy your bud at walmart, id quit.

[Markass]

Nah, i love weed being underground and if companies did produce it like tobacco then would they add harmfull chemicals?? Most likely.

I love the cannabis culture as it is....i dont want Nestle or the coca cola companies selling me bud/ and if i seen some cheesy comerical to come and buy your bud at walmart, id quit.

You can always grow your own marijuana, that's what's good about it being a natural plant. If it's legal, that's all you need. You can grow whatever you want, buddy.

[drazzi]

Nah, i love weed being underground and if companies did produce it like tobacco then would they add harmfull chemicals?? Most likely.

I love the cannabis culture as it is....i dont want Nestle or the coca cola companies selling me bud/ and if i seen some cheesy comerical to come and buy your bud at walmart, id quit.

I love your attitude mate. Some people take it too serious, we're supposed to be havin' fun.. Keep it real dude:thumbsup::D

[Oneironaut]

There would definitely be downsides to cultivation going into the hands of large capitalist corporations; it would probably end up something like the tobacco industry of today. They would put all kinds of additives and shit in it, and jack up the price so the company executives could afford mansions and Porsches. And the government would probably make it illegal to grow and distribute without a license and without paying taxes to the government and shit, just like with alcohol.

On the other hand, it is completely intolerable that groups of armed thugs are violently subduing people because of a plant, then kidnapping them, keeping them in cages with violent criminals, and sometimes demanding ransom money for their freedom.

Until government and capitalism are replaced with egalitarian, directly democratic forms of social organization, cannabis producers and the cannabis industry is going to have to suffer extreme hardships. The best we can do is continue the underground cannabis distribution system without government interference, and at the same time fight for our right to do whatever we want with our own bodies.

[LIP]

There no fun in cannabis being illegal. It's a plant. No one can illegalise a plant. A goddamn plant.

Making it legal would benfit everyone.

Espcially us, cos i dont wanna go to prison, and im sure no one else does.

[cannabis campbell]

I dont see why they dont do it they could make so much money of it

[thcbongman]

Honestly, I don't give a shit if people are allowed to grow it, buy in a store. People shouldn't be punished for the possession of any drug. People shouldn't lose their job based on what they do after work. People shouldn't go to jail for it. People shouldn't have to pay for "hurting themselves."

It's a fucked up concept. Which is why marijuana should be legalized.

[TokeTilImBroke]

Weed...Illegal...WHAT!!!

Who's got a link

[flamingskullballs]

im not for legalization

im for decriminalization, and legal availability and hospitals and clinics, for patience of both the physical and mental variety

its currently illegal to grow more then 10 tobbacco plants...and i dont wnat that kind of bullshit to happen to any more plants

theres two things that shall happen before 2015...and thats either salvia will become illegal, or weed will start being less harmful in incrimination

salvia is already illegal in a few states (for those americans that wish to know)

[big smoke07]

How else could I say fuck you to the man?

[Trivium]

Cannabis should be legalized, fuck tax's. Once its legal, Stellar growing everyone!!

Also, they should just legalize it and put all there time focusing on meth labs,gangs, drug wars but nope its all about marijuana because its the highest used drug. Crackheads beyond crackheads smoke marijuana.

[WakingDream]

Once it's legal it will be cheaper, why doesnt everybody understand this?


"Its cool to be breaking the law" DURRRR Its not cool to pay $10 bucks a gram for pot.


If cannibis were legal I'd be spending more money elsewhere further funding the government machine. Legalized pot would be win/win for everybody.

[The Figment]

STOP THE INSANITY!!! Legalise NOW!!!

"whew" I feel better!!!
"Absolutely YES, are you fucking insane???

The black market for ANY type of drug eventually causes violence, and death. Besides, if marijuana were legalized, in the full sense of the world, it would not cost anywhere CLOSE to what it does now in the U.S., and the state gov'ts would still be making shitloads of money. Pot is so expensive because it's scarce. Legalization would change that. Also, it's not illegal in most places to grow your own tobacco if you feel like it, so you could just do that and pay NOTHING. Not to mention you won't have to, uhhhh, worry about being arrested for smoking it."

Check out the thred "Nasty Problem...Advice?" and then tell say it SHOULD'NT be avialable to any one over 21! or those who are ill!

[LIP]

I know, even with taxes it'd be cheaper than buying from dealers.

I guess it'd be like cigs, about £5 for a 20 pack. of spliffs. or maybe a 10 pack of large spliffs.

[shoi]

the only worry i have is that companies would start to use the radioactive stuff they use to grow tobacoo and the pot would then become abt as bad since it should then be causing cancer... if it was legal id grow my own definatly


edit: assuming they did start to grow it like tobacco

[jamstigator]

Well, there are at least two sides to most issues, including this one.

There are those in the keep-it-illegal camp. These people are, by and large:
The social conservatives (drugs/abortion/gays are all bad)
The large criminal organizations (they make oodles of money off it now)
The dealers (who'd have a job crisis if it were suddenly legal)
The mislead (who've had misinformation crammed down their throats)
The cops and feds (who have jobs at stake in maintaining a big war on drugs)
The contractors who build prisons (jobs)
The guards at prisons (jobs)

There are the make-it-all-legal folks:
The socially liberal (who don't like gubment telling 'em what to do)
The pot consumers (who don't want to be busted)
The sick or frail (who may need it)

The decriminalize folks seem to be stuck in the middle, unable to fully decide one way or the other. If it's not bad for you, why should it be illegal in any way, shape or form? If it *is* bad for you, why should it be legal in any way, shape or form (except to treat illnesses that are even worse for you)?

When you really look at who PROFITS from it being illegal, it's some government employees (who'd otherwise not have a job), but mostly, it's large criminal organizations, who care only for their bottom line, not the safety of their customers or the efficacy of their product, or anything else. Keeping it illegal keeps these organizations in business.

When big (and violent) criminal organizations want something to be illegal, I really have to ask myself if doing what THEY want is really the best idea. It was the same during Prohibition, but with alcohol. The main reason they cancelled Prohibition is not just that people wanted their booze, which they did, but mainly because people became displeased with all the mob guys spraying bullets around and killing each other and innocent people. That happens now too, over marijuana, although it mainly happens in Mexico and South America. Maybe that's the problem: if the criminal organizations were located HERE, as the mob was during Prohibition, then all the killings would be HERE too, and people'd hate that. Since it happens in other countries, it's easy for us to turn a blind eye...but should we turn a blind eye?

[souldistortion]

I don't see why you'd think they'd be packaged like cigs. They're alot more intoxicating. If anything it'd be $10 for a spliff of dank, or $20 for a blunt.
highly doubt that. being mass produced and no longer scarce it will be just as common and plentiful as tabbaco therfore costing relativley the same amount of money (give or take, dont quote me, i know that it would vary) but point in case, if it were legal, it wouldnt be rare, it would be in mass production, therefore price goes down. simple concept.

[Nochowderforyou]

Don't get your panties in a knot for me having an opinion.

Okay, prices may go down, but so will quality. More taxes, less quality. MY 2cents.

Try to reply in a mature manner instead of, "you're stupid" :rolleyes:

[souldistortion]

hahaha so now your changing your mind?? lol are your "opinions"(haha) even stable? your a mess man lol.

[Oneironaut]

the only worry i have is that companies would start to use the radioactive stuff they use to grow tobacoo and the pot would then become abt as bad since it should then be causing cancer... if it was legal id grow my own definatly


edit: assuming they did start to grow it like tobacco
I'm not entirely sure that would be a real big problem. With all the hippies who smoke pot, I'm sure there would be a big market for organic all-natural weed without any additives and without the radioactive fertilizers.

[JuggaloAtTheDoor]

I think the best thing would for it to be decriminilized.. then the government can suck our cocks (for those of us who have them), and we can keep toking, only downfall is a ticket.. just like a speedin ticket, no jail time, no bullshit..

[shoi]

edit: in reply to oneironaut


ya i can see taht but its just my worry.... if they do then u cant stop them and then you cant go back

[Oneironaut]

Yeah, that's a danger if independent growers aren't allowed to operate and corporations gain complete control of the market. Which is why simple legalization or decriminalization isn't enough. We don't just need to just get the police off our backs; we need to fight for the complete freedom of everybody to possess, use, cultivate and distribute the plant.

[JuggaloAtTheDoor]

thats why decriminilization is so good.. it wont make it legal, it'd still be illegal, but not as harshly illegal.. just a fine

[Oneironaut]

I don't get why so many people would be content with decriminalization. It's not good enough. Nobody should ever be punished for growing a plant or altering their state of consciousness. Not only is keeping it illegal an insult to personal freedom, it helps sustain the social stigmatization of pot smokers, and it provides the justification for returning to the current state of affairs (or worse) at a later point in time. I don't care if the punishment is a small fine or execution, it's still wrong and nothing can change that.

[shoi]

I don't get why so many people would be content with decriminalization. It's not good enough. Nobody should ever be punished for growing a plant or altering their state of consciousness. Not only is keeping it illegal an insult to personal freedom, it helps sustain the social stigmatization of pot smokers, and it provides the justification for returning to the current state of affairs (or worse) at a later point in time. I don't care if the punishment is a small fine or execution, it's still wrong and nothing can change that.


i agree (remember i said this ;) )

however the downside with this thinking is that then you need to also legalize (or u mtite not and be a hipocrit) some things that i think are not good for ppl at all (ie meth) i no u can say that its self control and not the drug but thats not my point nor a very good thing to say since its not that true... but anyway i dont want to have tons of meth heads or heroin addicts running abt... but i guess ud have to put ur faith in taht ppl will be smart enof to not do things like that... well not to not do them but to not get addicted (as in only do it every now and then)

i relize now taht i didnt rlly have a point and i dont no if that made sence or even if my stance was consistant... but i felt like saying it

[4gan2ja0]

i think it should be legalised, but i think companies growing it would put shit in the spliffs to get you hooked, like they did with cigarettes.the companies dont care about the buyers, they care about the money which is why when cannabis is legalized (which it soon will be, in canada at least) coffee shops should be opened for the public. yeeeeeeeeeeaaaah i can just see it now... its so beautiful

[Oneironaut]

I don't even think heroin and meth should be illegal. People are going to use them whether they are legal or not, and I don't think prisons are the solution. They should be manufactured in a safe, public environment and distributed in the safest possible manner so we can avoid all the meth lab explosions and AIDS-infected needles. And people who are addicted can be helped without the threat of being locked up in a cage because they're sick.

[Genuine17]

yes

[Captain Hanks]

before it was prohibited it cost 9 bucks for an ounce, prices will probably go up as most things do in this new day and age, but it probably would follow the tobacco pattern (5 bucks for 20 joints weighing in at .7 per joint), also people will be able grow them more openly and do alot more testing on the drug allowing in more understanding and higher levels of thc!:D

the only downside that i can think of, is that companies would do to the herb what they've done to tobacco... (add alot of cancerous chemicals that make it addicting):mad:

heck, herb is so much easier to produce it would probably be less then 5 for a pack, more like 2.50$

[MistaPoleeseMan]

What you fail to realize, is that the government wouldnt let us have any weed that was 30-40 percent THC. It would be like beer. They would regulate the THC content in the name of "Public Safety".

Also, were it legal, people would just grow it. How can you tax a weed? It is essentially a weed that will grow anywhere under most any condition. And actually, the IRS sells stamps that you are supposed to buy if you sell drugs.

If you havent they will get you for tax evasion, which is worse than possesion of weed. The marijuana trade will never be regulated. How many of you buy tomatoes at the store? Out here in the south nobody buys anything from the store that grows in the ground. They do it themselves. The police make more money with weed being illegal.

And to the dude who started this thread, youre a fuck. Apparently you havent seen hundreds of your peers and family members locked away and arrested due to the illegal war on drugs. Ive lost hella freinds to the drug game. And you think that shits fun? Call me and tell me how much fun youre having when you get thrown in jail with abunch of real criminals who dont give two shits about your narrow ass.

[Oneironaut]

Also, were it legal, people would just grow it. How can you tax a weed? It is essentially a weed that will grow anywhere under most any condition.
Exactly. As Noam Chomsky put it, "One might ask why tobacco is legal and marijuana not. A possible answer is suggested by the nature of the crop. Marijuana can be grown almost anywhere, with little difficulty. It might not be easily marketable by major corporations. Tobacco is quite another story." If weed were legal, heck, I'd have plants growing all over my apartment. And so would many of my friends. We'd probably grow enough that we could just give it away or sell it extra cheap to all our friends, and it would probably be mostly under-the-table deals so the government wouldn't get a cut. There are very few modern industries that could be done almost entirely in ordinary households, but the marijuana industry is definitely one of them.

[shoi]

I don't even think heroin and meth should be illegal. People are going to use them whether they are legal or not, and I don't think prisons are the solution. They should be manufactured in a safe, public environment and distributed in the safest possible manner so we can avoid all the meth lab explosions and AIDS-infected needles. And people who are addicted can be helped without the threat of being locked up in a cage because they're sick.


o yes i agree completly that jails and such arenot the answer... also u can eliminate alot of risks, but i think many of these things arent good to have for similar reasons as alchohol

[Oneironaut]

Exactly, and they should be discouraged through proper education and peer pressure, not legislation and coercion. If we teach our kids about the real dangers of these drugs, they'll know not to do them if they want to avoid those risks. The problem is that currently we are just using scare tactics to try to steer people away from all drugs, which are lumped into a single category labeled "EVIL". This lack of real education about drugs is causing a huge problem: once people learn that not all drugs will instantly kill you or make you hopelessly addicted, they start to ignore the real dangers they should have been properly educated about and start doing meth and heroin and other things which can be really harmful.

And as far as heroin goes, I think legalizing opium could do a lot to lower heroin use. After all, who wants to shoot up when you can buy a pack of opium cigarettes from the local store? One reason heroin is so popular is because opiates are expensive and heroin gives you the biggest bang for your buck. If opium cigarettes were cheaply available, I think that would be a more popular and safer way for people to get their opiates.

[shoi]

Exactly, and they should be discouraged through proper education and peer pressure, not legislation and coercion. If we teach our kids about the real dangers of these drugs, they'll know not to do them if they want to avoid those risks. The problem is that currently we are just using scare tactics to try to steer people away from all drugs, which are lumped into a single category labeled "EVIL". This lack of real education about drugs is causing a huge problem: once people learn that not all drugs will instantly kill you or make you hopelessly addicted, they start to ignore the real dangers they should have been properly educated about and start doing meth and heroin and other things which can be really harmful.

And as far as heroin goes, I think legalizing opium could do a lot to lower heroin use. After all, who wants to shoot up when you can buy a pack of opium cigarettes from the local store? One reason heroin is so popular is because opiates are expensive and heroin gives you the biggest bang for your buck. If opium cigarettes were cheaply available, I think that would be a more popular and safer way for people to get their opiates.

YES!!!!
i have said this abt proper education many many times (not on this board however), i also feel this is a big reason marijuana is (or is labeled as) a gateway drug, once some one sees pot isnt even remotly how they were taught then they think "well maybe meth is the same"

also i find ur idea abt opiates very good... the only problem is if they are too cheap and such then that could lead to problems... but this goes back to proper education

[MistaPoleeseMan]

Exactly. If we were taught facts instead of propaganda, and what they describe as dangerous were something we had seen in our lifetime, it might be different. With all the lies they tell about weed, when kids do it for the first time, they realize theres nowhere near the risk they were taught about, and therefore, view all drugs in the same manner as marijuana. This is unfortunate, but it is a direct result of the lies being perpetrated in this country.

[Flesh420]

The fucking problem is that most of who smokes weed either wont go and do something about it or they dont care. I like to compare it to Bush, its like everyone hates him and hes doing all kinds of shit to make America go to shit and NOONE will do shit about it. We just let him get away with it. EVERYONE needs to unite and fight for our freedoms even if a few get killed.

[Reefer Rogue]

Dont get me wrong, im a stern believer that it should, for reasons that you all know, and I cant be bothered to get into it...

But dont you think there's something a bit fun about it bieng illegal? And who do you think would really benifit from the laws being changed. How much tax would they slap on??? I recon you could add on about 25% to what you're paying now...

Keep tokin':rasta::thumbsup:


Yes it would be better, a lot better. Think of all the people that go to jail for non violent cannabis related charges. It's bullshit. If it were legal I think it would be cheaper. They would try and tax us but people would still grow their own. There is an element of fun in it being illegal, the rush, always trying not to get caught. Being stealthy and shit. However, if weed was legal say goodbye to paranoia.

[Nochowderforyou]

I never even thought of the fact that the black market of cannabis would disinegrate if it were legalized. I mean, look at Holland, 4 million people living there and only 2% of the country uses hard drugs. They say it's because cannabis is legal and available almost as easy as grabbing a lager. People have that freedom to indulge.

I just don't like thinking about the tax they will put on marijuana ciggs.. And I know they will have perfect growing conditions, hell, they do already, but they're going to hire half asses growers for cheap and grow half asses weed. They are good for one thing, getting the cheapest candidate for the cheapest wage, and charge a hefty price for it.

I know buying a pack of 24 marijuana ciggs.. will not be as cheap as tobacco, no way! I don't think cannabis will be that much cheaper to buy if it is packaged, and sold by companies in pre-rolled ciggs. Not for me anyways.

I know you struggling smokers out there paying upwards of $400 for an ounce. I feel your struggle there.

I am all for legalizing and letting people have a plant limit, in their home, for personal use, much like Holland. Having cafes and designated smoking areas, yeah, but I don't want to buy cannabis ciggs.. in the stores, like you buy tobacco. I'd prefer to control quality myself, or go to a cafe where there are real growers. Not super scientists who gum up the works by making shit harder than it has to be.

I'm done ranting now. :D