Should Marijuana be Legal in the USA?

[Coffee Vampire]

Time for a debate! I noticed that there is some debating going on in the "4/20" thread, but this is a better thread to post arguments in! Just 2 rules:
1) be courteous!
2) cite your sources!
Let the games begin

[rarehuntertay]

I'm on the fence about this one. Even if it becomes legal, it would still be banned for the military as it falls under the category of "mind-altering drug or substance"

[Piotr]

Yes

http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6630507.html

[MuggyWuggy]

I'm on the fence about this one. Even if it becomes legal, it would still be banned for the military as it falls under the category of "mind-altering drug or substance"

I'm sure this definition can be altered if fully legalized.

[Distriimuir]

We have 22 medical marijuana legal states as of today taysby. Much more than two. And again no, there are less carcinogens than tobacco.

[Piotr]

And Holland.

[MisterJH]

Someone please find the study tht shows no link to cancer and marijuana use, showing that marijuana users have the same or lower rates of cancer than non users, and lower rates than cigarette smokers

Im horribly lazy with the google

[Coffee Vampire]

The debate is for the USA because different countries have different policies, economies, values, precedents, etc.. It would be dificult to argue for or against the legalization of anything for all of them. But feel free to use different countries as an example for your arguments. It's not like the different countries of the world have nothing in common with America!

[MisterJH]

No its about marijuana smokers not people who extract pure THC

[Aladormax]

I live in Pennsylvania which has a reputation for being slow with this. That being said I don't always agree with the policies for this substance, and even though I don't partake of it don't frown on it either. What I do dislike is that people are taking a substance that has been grown in other countries for years, and breeding these plants to have insane amounts of THC. I had the ability to speak with a person who has smoked it over the years, and has admitted that the pot of the 60-80s is far weaker than today. As I always say, to each their own so long as I am not at risk from it.

[MisterJH]

Its not that THC has been boosted its that there were weaker strains and stronger strains right? And over the years, popularity and connectivity of the world have allowed the finer strains to be bred together, so its more or less the same .poo.(just the higher end strains of the 70s) available to all and grown under perfected conditions from years of practice.

So yes for the average consumer it has become more potent, but for those reasons.

So in conclusion, yay

[particle]

I think another important question is should marijuana be illegal? It is currently a "Schedule 1" drug along side heroin and meth. The definition for a "Schedule 1" drug, according to the DEA is as follows:
Schedule I drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Schedule I drugs are the most dangerous drugs of all the drug schedules with potentially severe psychological or physical dependence.


There are two parts to this definition that I would like to discuss. The first part discusses that the substance must have no "accepted medical use". The government has made it nearly impossible for scientists to study marijuana and thus, the medical use is not yet fully understood. This seems ludicrous, considering the government's patent on cannabinoids, as posted above, and for the government's refusal to even test the substance to prove its use, or nonuse. How can a substance that has no history of overdose be categorized anywhere near something like heroin without hard facts to back it up? I understand that there is danger assoiciated with smoking and driving, but that should be regulated separately like drinking and driving.  Until the government, or anyone else, can give me a good reason that it is a Schedule 1 drug, I will continue to believe it should be immediately removed from that designation, and actually studied and understood. Then the government, with the help of scientists should determine its legal status.

edit for source:
http://www.justice.gov/dea/druginfo/ds.shtml

[MisterJH]

For reference someone should list schedule 2 and 3 drugs then remind everyone that alcohol and tobacco products are legal

But yea i tried to make the point that there hasnt been fair extensive testing on marijuana to prove its either harmful OR beneficial... Its way too controlled to even fairly test it, its LUDICROUS

[Spencer Addington]

Legalize it and tax it. It's no worse than alcohol or cigarettes. 

[MisterJH]

I think its better :p

And yea at least make money on it instea of wasting taxpayer money to waste it and incarcerate(sp?) users... Its a simple debate, lose money or gain money? Hmmmm

Clearly its not that simple just trying to make a point