Up in Smoke: Most Americans Support Legalizing Marijuana

[Modbert]

I'll file your recommendation where it deserves to be. In your ass.

But just for fun. Why don't you go to the pot websites and gather up all their 'peer reviewed' articles on how marijuana is safe and then come back here and post that information. Because it seems that you definitely need to go get someone elses thoughts to make your claims.

Again, quote me where I said Marijuana is safe. You're misquoting me constantly, you can't even keep my argument straight, never mind yours.

You can't back up your bullshit with statistics because there are none. Because nobody is going to waste their time trying to compile records on shit that does not exist.

Find me a case where someone has even died from Marijuana "overdose." I'll be waiting.

For fuck's sakes, Marijuana is more safer than a lot of the Prescription shit they put out there today.

 

[Darkwind]

Wow. I was right. You don't have any critical thinking skills at all.

Inhaling smoke does no harm to the lungs? Do you honestly think that the smoke from pot is safe?

I was right, you are talking out of your ass. Quote on me where I said Marijuana was not harmful. Oh wait, you can't, because I never said that. Of course, Marijuana in large amounts of excess might be somewhat dangerous. However, anything in excess is. It's all about moderation.

I'm saying it's less harmful than Tobacco and Alcohol, which it is. It's also less addictive. Two of the most largest people addicted to something are smokers and alcoholics. Notice Marijuana is not in that group?

I have never met anyone personally who was addicted to Marijuana. And considering a large majority of my age group is doing it, that's saying something.

Go get Me that study that equivocally states that marijuana is less harmful then alcohol or tobacco. You'll forgive Me that I don't take your word for it. You don't seem to be able to analyze information rationally.

 

[Article 15]

Why? Do you actually believe that marijuana is not harmful to a person? I suppose if I wanted to waste My time, I could dig up some stats on DUI deaths that were related to marijuana. I don't know that they've done any studies on lung cancer and marijuana but I'm sure that if they did, you'd find that it is just as dangerous as tobacco. The reasons for pot being illegal have nothing to do with health.

I just detest people who make statements about marijuana not being as harmful as other substances.

Sure, I believe it's harmful. One would be foolish not to think so. However, with the thousands of alcohol related deaths and all the alcholol related crimes that are committed every year IMO its foolish to not think marijuana is less harmful than booze.

No, I think that it would be safe to say that alcohol has been more widely studied then marijuana. Wouldn't you say?

I agree that it has been studied more widely but that doesn't prove your assertion.

 

[Modbert]

Go get Me that study that equivocally states that marijuana is less harmful then alcohol or tobacco. You'll forgive Me that I don't take your word for it. You don't seem to be able to analyze information rationally.

That's quite rich considering some of your misguided conclusions.

SAFER - Alcohol vs. Marijuana

All the professional sources to your heart's content.

 

[Darkwind]

Sure, I believe it's harmful. One would be foolish not to think so. However, with the thousands of alcohol related deaths and all the alcholol related crimes that are committed every year IMO its foolish to not think marijuana is less harmful than booze.

No, I think that it would be safe to say that alcohol has been more widely studied then marijuana. Wouldn't you say?

I agree that it has been studied more widely but that doesn't prove your assertion.

I have yet to see any proof to the assertion that marijuana is less harmful then alcohol, tobacco or a Big Mac.

I just find the entire argument ludicrous in the extreme. To argue over degrees of harmfulness as a basis for legalizing a substance? Think about that....If anything, most people argue that if it causes any harm at all, it should be banned.

Since I'm a conservative and believe in personal freedom and liberty, I don't hold to that position with the exception of minors.

 

[Darkwind]

Go get Me that study that equivocally states that marijuana is less harmful then alcohol or tobacco. You'll forgive Me that I don't take your word for it. You don't seem to be able to analyze information rationally.

That's quite rich considering some of your misguided conclusions.

SAFER - Alcohol vs. Marijuana

All the professional sources to your heart's content.

Okay. So what part of not going to a partisan site for your information did you not understand?

 

[Modbert]

Okay. So what part of not going to a partisan site for your information did you not understand?

If you want to play attack the messenger, be my guest.

However:

Source: Jack E. Henningfield, PhD for NIDA, Reported by Philip J. Hilts, New York Times, Aug. 2, 1994 "Is Nicotine Addictive? It Depends on Whose Criteria You Use." See,

Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Source: The American Scientist, the Magazine of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society.

Source: Iversen, Leslie. Current Opinion in Pharmacology. Volume 5, Issue 1, February 2005, Pages 69-72. Long-term effects of exposure to cannabis. University of Oxford, Department of Pharmacology.

Source: New Scientist Magazine. Issue 2563. August 2006, page 5. Drug-danger 'league table' revealed.

The new findings "were against our expectations," said Donald Tashkin of the University of California at Los Angeles, a pulmonologist who has studied marijuana for 30 years.

Source: Fals-Stewart , William, James Golden, Julie A. Schumacher. Journal of Addictive Behaviors. 28, pages 1555-1574. Intimate partner violence and substance use: A longitudinal day-to-day examination. Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, State University of New York

Source: Hoaken, Peter N.S., Sherry H. Stewart. Journal of Addictive Behaviors. 28, pages 1533-1554. Drugs of abuse and the elicitation of human aggressive behavior. Dept. of Psychology, University of Western Ontario. Dept. of of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice. Bureau of Justice Statistics. National Crime Victimization Survey 2002.

Source: Abrams, Margaret L., Joanne Belknap, Heather C. Melton. When Domestic Violence Kills: The Formation and Findings of the Denver Metro Domestic Violence Fatality Review Committee. March 2001.

These are all legitimate sources put together by a website. If you want to cry when presented with evidence, be my guest.

 

[Darkwind]

Shall I go look up a few thousand websites that support the notion that pot is as dangerous as all the other hard drugs? I mean, finding websites who support or oppose marijuana is not all that hard to do.

It is also one of the most amusing things I see on forums of this nature. Everyone has a biased site somewhere that is the absolute authority on anything they care to discuss and just about no one applies their own brain to a problem.

 

[Modbert]

Shall I go look up a few thousand websites that support the notion that pot is as dangerous as all the other hard drugs? I mean, finding websites who support or oppose marijuana is not all that hard to do.

It is also one of the most amusing things I see on forums of this nature. Everyone has a biased site somewhere that is the absolute authority on anything they care to discuss and just about no one applies their own brain to a problem.

You have no real argument or evidence, so you're playing attack the messenger. You did not even bother to look at the evidence I presented. How pathetic. Either debate, or go cry in the corner about how people are not agreeing with you.

 

[Article 15]

No, I think that it would be safe to say that alcohol has been more widely studied then marijuana. Wouldn't you say?

I agree that it has been studied more widely but that doesn't prove your assertion.

I have yet to see any proof to the assertion that marijuana is less harmful then alcohol, tobacco or a Big Mac.

IMO, you aren't looking hard enough. There is plenty of information about it available.

I just find the entire argument ludicrous in the extreme. To argue over degrees of harmfulness as a basis for legalizing a substance? Think about that....If anything, most people argue that if it causes any harm at all, it should be banned.

I think it is perfectly reasonable to discuss how harmful a substance is before legalizing it. Why wouldn't it be? The FDA doesn't just let any pill on the market without testing it for harmful side effects.

 

[Darkwind]

Okay. So what part of not going to a partisan site for your information did you not understand?

If you want to play attack the messenger, be my guest.

However:

Source: Jack E. Henningfield, PhD for NIDA, Reported by Philip J. Hilts, New York Times, Aug. 2, 1994 "Is Nicotine Addictive? It Depends on Whose Criteria You Use." See,

Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Source: The American Scientist, the Magazine of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society.

Source: Iversen, Leslie. Current Opinion in Pharmacology. Volume 5, Issue 1, February 2005, Pages 69-72. Long-term effects of exposure to cannabis. University of Oxford, Department of Pharmacology.

Source: New Scientist Magazine. Issue 2563. August 2006, page 5. Drug-danger 'league table' revealed.

The new findings "were against our expectations," said Donald Tashkin of the University of California at Los Angeles, a pulmonologist who has studied marijuana for 30 years.

Source: Fals-Stewart , William, James Golden, Julie A. Schumacher. Journal of Addictive Behaviors. 28, pages 1555-1574. Intimate partner violence and substance use: A longitudinal day-to-day examination. Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, State University of New York

Source: Hoaken, Peter N.S., Sherry H. Stewart. Journal of Addictive Behaviors. 28, pages 1533-1554. Drugs of abuse and the elicitation of human aggressive behavior. Dept. of Psychology, University of Western Ontario. Dept. of of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice. Bureau of Justice Statistics. National Crime Victimization Survey 2002.

Source: Abrams, Margaret L., Joanne Belknap, Heather C. Melton. When Domestic Violence Kills: The Formation and Findings of the Denver Metro Domestic Violence Fatality Review Committee. March 2001.

These are all legitimate sources put together by a website. If you want to cry when presented with evidence, be my guest.

Okay. You want to play that, then we'll play that.

I will go find a number of websites with Doctors, scientists and other assorted professionals who will tell you that pot is as dangerous as tabaco and alcohol.

Not tonight as I've worked 14 hours today and I'm planning on going to bed in a few minutes. Just promise Me that you won't get grey matter on your family when your head explodes.

 

[Modbert]

I think it is perfectly reasonable to discuss how harmful a substance is before legalizing it. Why wouldn't it be? The FDA doesn't just let any pill on the market without testing it for harmful side effects.

Except that he wants us to be his google when we've presented plenty of evidence. Of course it is perfectly reasonable to discuss how harmful a substance is before legalizing it. Especially since their actions have an impact on other people, not just themselves.

 

[Modbert]

Okay. You want to play that, then we'll play that.

I will go find a number of websites with Doctors, scientists and other assorted professionals who will tell you that pot is as dangerous as tabaco and alcohol.

Not tonight as I've worked 14 hours today and I'm planning on going to bed in a few minutes. Just promise Me that you won't get grey matter on your family when your head explodes.

Go ahead, I mean I figured the statistics would stand for themselves, but I guess not.

 

[Darkwind]

I agree that it has been studied more widely but that doesn't prove your assertion.

I have yet to see any proof to the assertion that marijuana is less harmful then alcohol, tobacco or a Big Mac.

IMO, you aren't looking hard enough. There is plenty of information about it available.

I just find the entire argument ludicrous in the extreme. To argue over degrees of harmfulness as a basis for legalizing a substance? Think about that....If anything, most people argue that if it causes any harm at all, it should be banned.

I think it is perfectly reasonable to discuss how harmful a substance is before legalizing it. Why wouldn't it be? The FDA doesn't just let any pill on the market without testing it for harmful side effects.

Of course it is reasonable. What is NOT reasonable is discussing the degrees of 'less harmful' as a means of legalizing. To Me, I don't see the health issue as one for keeping marijuana illegal. And in case everyone missed it, I support the legalization of marijuana with the caveats that I stated earlier.

Now, I'm going to bed as it is 2 a.m. here and I've been up since 8 a.m.

 

[antagon]

This statement is a flat out lie. It is NOT less harmful. It may not be more harmful, but those trying to foster off the notion that it is less harmful are absolute fools.

I have altered My position on marijuana and support placing it on the same controlled substance list that alcohol is on.

In other words, legalize it and put the exact same restrictions upon marijuana as exist on booze.

i dont see the need to legalize any illicit substances, but if you've close to drank yourself to death, you'd understand the wisdom without any clinical studies. if youve close to smoked yourself to death, you were smoking crack.

 

[JW Frogen]

[i dont see the need to legalize any illicit substances, but if you've close to drank yourself to death, you'd understand the wisdom without any clinical studies. if youve close to smoked yourself to death, you were smoking crack.

Why does the world legalise, indeed encourage, quiet desperation, the worse death of all?

 

[Toro]

How do you all feel about legitimizing criminal organizations?

How do you feel about funding criminal organizations? That is what you are doing by criminalizing demand. The biggest source of funds for criminal organizations around the world is illegal narcotics. It is a source of corruption and destabilizes entire countries. Had we not criminalized demand for narcotics, we would never have transferred literally trillions of dollars into the hands of criminal organizations.

You cannot legislate away the iron laws of supply and demand. If the government drives the price up by criminalizing a product, it will increase the profit margins to the point that criminal organizations will fill the market to supply the need, with the profits from the illegal trade going to the criminals, increasing their power and their capacity to corrupt civil society and fund criminal activity elsewhere.

 

[Toro]

Me personally I could care less if the drug is legalized although I don't like the idea of making criminal organizations legal businesses with the stroke of a pen...we make our own beds and we must sleep in them.

In a competitive market, the criminal element should get squeezed out. Why? The reason why the criminals are involved is because profit margins are so high. In a competitive market, profit margins come down, and the core competencies of the criminal organizations - the use of force to ensure supply - are lost. On an operating basis, criminal organizations are no match for the Proctor and Gamble's of the world.

This is what happened in Las Vegas. Gambling wasn't illegal in Las Vegas but corporations generally stayed away because it was not considered respectable. As gambling, er "gaming" became more respectable, corporations moved in and essentially drove the mob out of Vegas.

During Prohibition, the mob was the distributor of alcohol because profit margins were so high that it was profitable for the mob to undertake illicit activity to meet demand. When Prohibition collapsed, prices collapsed and the mob was driven out of the business.

When criminal organizations control legitimate businesses, it is usually in businesses with some sort of monopoly divied out in concessions by the government, such as waste hauling.

 

[Toro]

Of course it is reasonable. What is NOT reasonable is discussing the degrees of 'less harmful' as a means of legalizing. To Me, I don't see the health issue as one for keeping marijuana illegal. And in case everyone missed it, I support the legalization of marijuana with the caveats that I stated earlier.

Now, I'm going to bed as it is 2 a.m. here and I've been up since 8 a.m.

Of course we should discuss whether something is less or more harmful when deciding whether or not an activity should be legal. That is part of the political process. We must decide whether or not the costs are worth it.

The number one killer in America is heart disease. The number one cause of heart disease is lifestyle, particularly diet and lack of exercise. Should we criminalize fatty foods? They are harmful also. Why should there be a double-standard on marijuana and junk food if junk food is bad for us?

 

[antagon]

i dont see the need to legalize any illicit substances, but if you've close to drank yourself to death, you'd understand the wisdom without any clinical studies. if youve close to smoked yourself to death, you were smoking crack.

Why does the world legalise, indeed encourage, quiet desperation, the worse death of all?

for money.