Naysayers

[JohnnyII]

Well, seeing what is happening in Canada, I've lost optimism in it being legalized in my lifetime. I wouldn't ever put money on marijuana being legalized, at least in the US. Sure I'd love for it to be, but the way the framers of the Constitution set up our system of "overwhelming precedent" in order to change something requires about 70-80% of the people to support it over a long period of time in order for the changes to go into effective law. This was intended in order to avoid putting "swings in public opinion" into law. Unfortunately, this is also why it will be soooooooo hard to legalize marijuana.

Plus, by the time they figure out how to administer THC and other cannabinoids efficiently, if marijuana isn't legal yet, it would never be legal. Why would you need marijuana if you had a perfect pharmaceutical counterpart to it? The marijuana legalization movement's greatest fear is a "perfect Marinol." Because if they did invent one, politicians who were pro-legalization would be clearly just trying to legalize for recreation use, and that just sounds bad to the American public.

[Spoken Word]

^I agree.

I wouldn't want my little cousins smoking weed. It might slow them down, like it did to me. Wether you all agree or not, I think weed makes you somewhat lazy. If you aren't strong enough, it can rob you of your ambition. Now, I'm not painting myself as some yuppie because I'd say I'm deeper than that but I plan on quitting weed when I get a real good job. At least the daily smoke.

Then again, marijuana isn't that important to me right now anyway.

[burnable]

Well, seeing what is happening in Canada, I've lost optimism in it being legalized in my lifetime. I wouldn't ever put money on marijuana being legalized, at least in the US. Sure I'd love for it to be, but the way the framers of the Constitution set up our system of "overwhelming precedent" in order to change something requires about 70-80% of the people to support it over a long period of time in order for the changes to go into effective law. This was intended in order to avoid putting "swings in public opinion" into law. Unfortunately, this is also why it will be soooooooo hard to legalize marijuana.

that's definitely the reason why it's currently illegal; too many people still misunderstand it. That's why I think the better goal is to influence public opinion rather than focus on writing to politicians or lobbying. Al Gore couldn't seem to make it happen for the environmental cause during his political years, but one cogent film escalated environmental awareness so much that the majority of public opinion has shifted, and government and big business is responding to current consumer mentality. It's much more likely that we can convince other citizens about the absurdity of mj laws than influence legislators.

Plus, by the time they figure out how to administer THC and other cannabinoids efficiently, if marijuana isn't legal yet, it would never be legal. Why would you need marijuana if you had a perfect pharmaceutical counterpart to it? The marijuana legalization movement's greatest fear is a "perfect Marinol." Because if they did invent one, politicians who were pro-legalization would be clearly just trying to legalize for recreation use, and that just sounds bad to the American public.

I've never thought of this before. I just figured the pharmaceutical companies wanted to perpetuate myths about weed to keep people from thinking about benefits of mj. maybe both

[8182KSKUSH]

It is really a tragedy that it will not be legalized. The only way I forsee something moving in a positive direction would be if there were highly organized civil protests in major NFL markets. It would have to be in multiple cities. I have often thought of what might happen if o say as many as friggin possible smokers rolled up to the Federal District Courthouse in LA and had a smoke in protest? Would they arrest and charge everybody? What if there were thousands of people? What if it happened in multiple cities for multiple days? Could the police really do anything about a peaceful civil protest with thousands of people intentionally braking federal law on federal property? Who knows, unfortunately the "activists" that I have come across for the most part in California are intrested in the wrong kind of green if you know what I mean. Most of them also fit the stereotypical "activist" image too which does not help their case. I really don't know what it will take but I don't see anything on the horizon any time soon. Maybe we should ask the DEA agents that lurk on every single one of these forums what it would take? Or what would they do if their livelyhood ceased to exist? Guess they would have to go after real criminals then huh? Wouldn't be able to steal all the property they do either, and wouldn't have all the primo smoke for free. Like I said, ain't never gonna happen.

[Doctor Whoov]

Not that I condone the behavior, but legalization would drive the farmers out of business. It would be a shame because some of the best stuff comes from folks making copious amounts. Closet growers such as the majority here aren't usually in a position to make nine or ten different strains at a time, so we end up with one or two. Besides, if the government gets to have a say I'm sure they would have limits on potency the same way alcohol content (proof) is regulated. And why would anyone want the Bushes to get money that belongs to us. Don't they get enough when I fill my tank at $3.15 a gallon. (which is what I paid this morning by the way...sheesh!)

[Markass]

It is really a tragedy that it will not be legalized. The only way I forsee something moving in a positive direction would be if there were highly organized civil protests in major NFL markets. It would have to be in multiple cities. I have often thought of what might happen if o say as many as friggin possible smokers rolled up to the Federal District Courthouse in LA and had a smoke in protest? Would they arrest and charge everybody? What if there were thousands of people? What if it happened in multiple cities for multiple days? Could the police really do anything about a peaceful civil protest with thousands of people intentionally braking federal law on federal property? Who knows, unfortunately the "activists" that I have come across for the most part in California are intrested in the wrong kind of green if you know what I mean. Most of them also fit the stereotypical "activist" image too which does not help their case. I really don't know what it will take but I don't see anything on the horizon any time soon. Maybe we should ask the DEA agents that lurk on every single one of these forums what it would take? Or what would they do if their livelyhood ceased to exist? Guess they would have to go after real criminals then huh? Wouldn't be able to steal all the property they do either, and wouldn't have all the primo smoke for free. Like I said, ain't never gonna happen.

if you think legalization will NEVER happen then you apparently don't know very much about the present...I've talked to numerous college students, some who smoked, some who didn't...every one of them who didn't smoke said they knew people who smoked and didn't have a problem with it, just that it was illegal...but in fact it should however, be legal because it is no worse than alcohol or cigarettes..

here's the true story...there's a bunch of old stupid bastards 'representing' us at the moment. Someday soon, they're going to finally die, and then people like those that I've talked to on college campuses are going to be in their places. Then, marijuana will be legalized.

[Markass]

but do we really want legalization?
legalization=gov't regulation

not particularly...

but if you ask me this: do you want people charging you 3x the amount they pay for it and it's low quality shit...people who half the time don't even give me what I pay for...

or do I want

it to be cultivated and distributed by the government, particular to strain, for a very low price compared to what it is now, and me being able to not go to jail for smoking or buying it, hell fucking yes I want it to be legal

To those of you saying you don't want it legalized, have you ever been arrested for it? I've been arrested for paraphernalia, and for possession. If I get arrested with it one more time it's a felony, regardless of the amount. My state's laws do not even RECOGNIZE that marijuana can help medically, I cannot raise that defense. Fuck this shit, I don't care if uncle sam controls it, as long as I'm not criminalized for using it.

[prairieplantsystems]

I gotta partially agree with markass, what is considered "conservative" is really changing relatively quickly (maybe not in the southern u.s. but thats another story) here in Canada, being conservative now permits abortion and no death penalty. I guarantee you if bud was legal in the U.S., it wouldn't take a second to be legalized here. Also you can't go to prison for bud, unless you were a huge grower and supplier and even then it would be for 1-2 yrs max. At least here we're actually too poor to send people to jail for long periods which works out a lot better than sending people to jail for consecutive life sentences and executing people. Given enough time the U.S. (and other conservative ass countries) might pull its head out of its ass and we might get bud legalized