Tired of "decriminalization" talk

[mfqr]

I am not too sure about legalization, yes it would be wonderful for all the potheads, but do we really want a culture of stoners. Most stoners are too stoned to really be a part of any society outside of a few stoner friends. And do we really want millions of stoned people driving down our highways. I used to get stoned and drive in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. The weed since then has severely increased in THC content. If a joint will lay you out, do we really want society functioning on that level? maybe some can handle it but all the people that would try it if it were legal would undoubtably be stoned beyond belief. I'm all for medicinal MJ, but am not convinced a full legalization would be the best plan. Decriminalization for sure. But if you are driving while impaired on MJ then there should be penalties.

It has been proven that legalization of Cannabis would most likely not cause an increase in the usage of Cannabis. Think about it, if crack was legalized, would you be inclined at all to smoke some? And about driving, if it were true that there would be an increase in usage, who says that anybody would go driving their first time, or if they were novice smokers? I remember I didn't want to drive for quite awhile, because I wasn't able to handle it as well as I can now. A lot of other people I know were like this as well. Also, why would it be so horrible if this were true? Millions of people drink, and drive drunk. That is way worse than driving stoned. A lot of our culture is around drinking, too. Except most people don't see this as a bad thing... but of course, the illegal Cannabis plant would not be good as a "culture," even though it already is, basically.

[B.Basher]

but of course, the illegal Cannabis plant would not be good as a "culture," even though it already is, basically.

I'd say cannabis is definitely rooted firmly in our culture (UK and US cannabis culture is very similar). It might not be legal but that doesn't stop millions of users across the country toking up and loving it. Anti-weed ad campaigns and the like just fuel the fire. It has been, and always will be a method of personal expression, a rebellious retaliation to a system widely accepted to be flawed and deluded.

Don't you see man, cannabis culture is huge. Do we have head shops for alcohol?

[MOBABN]

im tired of reading about this bullshit on here bc it will never be legalized. The USA wont completly legalize bc look at who the fuck is running it right now. A puppet. Anyways thats another story, but yes lets quit talking about it who cares about laws keep smoking.

[ZeldaG.]

:Tomcat: :Tomcat:

am not too sure about legalization, yes it would be wonderful for all the potheads, but do we really want a culture of stoners. Most stoners are too stoned to really be a part of any society outside of a few stoner friends. And do we really want millions of stoned people driving down our highways. I used to get stoned and drive in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. The weed since then has severely increased in THC content. If a joint will lay you out, do we really want society functioning on that level? maybe some can handle it but all the people that would try it if it were legal would undoubtably be stoned beyond belief. I'm all for medicinal MJ, but am not convinced a full legalization would be the best plan. Decriminalization for sure. But if you are driving while impaired on MJ then there should be penalties.
__________________

i swear thats something you expect to hear in a reply from an MP to a letter talking about legalisation...

grrr :cursing:

[Iplaybass182]

I think the first step to legalization might be getting a way to quickly test the amount in someones system then they can determine a legal driving amount and arrest those driving over it. I think no one should ever drive while on anything that alters or slows the mind PERIOD. But that is just my opinion.
I also think with legalizing it it will do more good someone mentioned their friend getting nowhere. Well if he is thrown in jail that will not help, but I think instead of sppending all the money to throw people in jail we could spend it to help their promblem. Plus the legalization will help our governments debt out hugely by taking in taxes and not going out to arrest these farmers and tokers.

[mattmao]

i totaly agree as far as i know there aint nowhere on the planet where it is totally legal and in my life time time it never will be.and shit these baby steps annoy me!!

[mjlupi]

Mattmao, I am with you on the decrim talk. It is all nonsense. Baby steps? Why is it illegal in the first place? Is there a legitimate reason? Granted the UK banned weed before the US by a decade, but that prohibition was done for reason that where really unrelated to a problem with marijuana. It was a knee jerk reaction that occurred due to international diplomatic manuveering. Prohibition as we know it today is a direct result of the USA's campaign between 1935 and 1937. The demonization of marijuana that occurred at that time cemented future attitudes toward weed and has resulted in the quagmire that we currently find ourselves in. Does anyone know why the US deemed it necessary to prohibit marijuana? Was there a legitimate reason? We know that the science cited by prohibitionist in 1937 as a reason for outlawing marijuana was bogus. So why prohibit marijuana, why lie? Why commit fraud against the world community by slandering the herb? Historians in the US assert that it was because of Mexican immigrants and African-American jazz musicians, but when asked why the Federal Bureau of Narcotics made the final push to prohibit marijuana they have no definitive answer. Paraphrasing one of the first observers (Becker, 1966): Whatever the reason may have been they decided to prohibit marijuana. In other words we don't really know why? Other historians talk about political pressure from the individual states, however, if you bother to check the source of the pressure the trail leads you right back to the Federal Bureau of Narcotics. Sure several states had banned marijuana before the Bureau was created, but these laws simply banned the smoking of marijuana cigarettes. Truth be told, Parke-Davis bud was available anywhere in the US by mail order for 35 cents an ounce. According to a 1917 US Government report, the Mexicans preferred the PD bud over their shitty mexi weed. Go figure. Wrapping up this rant, I just want to ask why we'd talk about decriminalization when illegality in the first place is suspect? I am not a lawyer, but there is a law - US Code Chapt 18 Sec 1001 - False statements. It covers the misrepresentation of the truth. The prohibition of marijuana should be completely repealed based on the original lies of demonization. Lies that are essentially acknowledged by the US Shaffer Commission in the early 1970s. Prohibition would not have occurred if the Bureau of Narcotics had not demonized marijuana in 1937, thereby polluting the public perception of what was previously known by other names like hemp, cannabis, ganja, muggles, reefer, etc. Several generations passed before people began to evaluate the consensus opinion about marijuana in the late 1960s and early 1970s. By this time the damage had been wrought. More later. Decriminalization is wrong, for the simple reason that marijuana should have never been criminalized in the first place!

[MirandaHart]

It's a gold mine for the pharmaceutical companies. Profits from cannabis derived drugs doubled last year from over 300 million to 709 million. Money talks and when the drug companies see unlimited dollar signs on the horizon they do everything in their power to lobby the government into not legalizing.

It's also discouraging to see a bias within this forum on 'potheads' and 'stoners'.