Legalize it!

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by GhettoDogAllStars

Have you ever exceeded the speed limit? Does that make you irresponsible, or a disappointment as a parent?

Silly argument, not quite applicable. Sometimes it's actually safer to go 70-75 in a 65 because the traffic is flowing at that speed.

You go 65 when everyone else is going 75, you've got a problem with speed differential and ability to react to those around you.

Yes I've broken the speed limit, gotten a speeding ticket for going 80 mph in a 55. I'm not perfect, so I hope I don't come across as high and mighty as your post seems to suggest. But would I go 80 in a 55 with my daughter in the car? Hell no. Never have, never would.

[GhettoDogAllStars]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

Silly argument, not quite applicable. Sometimes it's actually safer to go 70-75 in a 65 because the traffic is flowing at that speed.

You go 65 when everyone else is going 75, you've got a problem with speed differential and ability to react to those around you.

Yes I've broken the speed limit, gotten a speeding ticket for going 80 mph in a 55. I'm not perfect, so I hope I don't come across as high and mighty as your post seems to suggest. But would I go 80 in a 55 with my daughter in the car? Hell no. Never have, never would.

I posed that question because it forces you to look at the gray area surrounding the law. Moral conscience is not derived from law.

I expected you to answer the way you did. I just thought this statement was a little too absolute:
"You'd be irresponsible and a disappointment as a parent if you condoned anything illegal."

[MTK]

Originally Posted by TheMalcolmConnection

Honestly, I'm going to be a very cool parent in that regard. I might have to do some hard thinking about weed, but I guarantee that my kids will be drinking with me and will have the leeway that IF they get drunk, I'd much rather them call me to pick them up than have them drive home drunk.

I think regarding kids they need to be educated and not hid or sheltered from drugs.

Whether we like it or not, kids are going to be curious and want to experiment no matter how great their home life is.

I'd personally feel alot better if I were open and honest with my kids rather than trying to pull the wool over their eyes with propoganda and that 'just say no' crap I was fed in the 80's.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

I think regarding kids they need to be educated and not hid or sheltered from drugs.

Whether we like it or not, kids are going to be curious and want to experiment no matter how great their home life is.

I'd personally feel alot better if I were open and honest with my kids rather than trying to pull the wool over their eyes with propoganda and that 'just say no' crap I was fed in the 80's.

But as a parent you have to recognize your role, you can educate, but you have to draw the line at allowing anything illegal to take place. You have to teach them that there are rules and consequences, and that breaking the laws means there will be consequences. If you catch them drinking underage and you don't issue a punishment, you've essentially sent the message that the behavior is acceptable.

Whether you think underage drinking is acceptable or not is completely irrelevant. In the eyes of the law, it's unacceptable. As a parent, you have to make your kids accountable to the laws of the land, or you're failing them.

I do agree that it's important to educate them on the damaging effects of drugs, including alcohol and tobacco. so they can make their own decisions. This builds their confidence as you show faith in their ability to make sound decisions on their own. But ultimately you have to hold your children accountable when they do break the law, or they will grow up with depreciated respect for authority, thinking the laws don't apply to them.

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

But as a parent you have to recognize your role, you can educate, but you have to draw the line at allowing anything illegal to take place. You have to teach them that there are rules and consequences, and that breaking the laws means there will be consequences. If you catch them drinking underage and you don't issue a punishment, you've essentially sent the message that the behavior is acceptable.

Whether you think underage drinking is acceptable or not is completely irrelevant. In the eyes of the law, it's unacceptable. As a parent, you have to make your kids accountable to the laws of the land, or you're failing them.

I do agree that it's important to educate them on the damaging effects of drugs, including alcohol and tobacco. so they can make their own decisions. This builds their confidence as you show faith in their ability to make sound decisions on their own. But ultimately you have to hold your children accountable when they do break the law, or they will grow up with depreciated respect for authority, thinking the laws don't apply to them.

You sound like you're going to be or are a good parent. I don't necessary adhere to the same philosophy as I think there are exceptions, but good post.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by Sheriff Gonna Getcha

You sound like you're going to be or are a good parent. I don't necessary adhere to the same philosophy as I think there are exceptions, but good post.

Thank you for the compliment, I can't think of a better compliment in the world. I've only got a 6-month old at this point, so I'm a ways from dealing with the drugs issue with her. Thank goodness.

I agree there are some exceptions and fine lines here and there. Like a 20 year old at his 26 year old brother's wedding, can he drink? There's certainly no handbook on being a parent and I should make sure I don't come across as preachy because each child needs to be handled differently in different situations. Being a good parent in the end probably just comes down to really thinking through the eyes of your child in each situation, relating to them, and determining what they need in their life.

If you've that 20 year old at his brother's wedding was an honor student and didn't get in trouble much growing up, then yeah, as a parent you probably can knock back a few with him. He's probably good to go in terms of respect for authority and stuff like that.

[RobH4413]

Well, my stance on civil liberties is that you can do whatever you want in your own home as long as you don't infringe on the rights of other.

This goes with dangerous substances as well, If you OD on heroin, you affect the paramedics that have to come and resuscitate you. Something that destructive shouldn't be legal.

There is no way to OD on marijuana. There are zero reported fatalities. It can probably even be argued that some of the effects of marijuana are beneficial to society (not to many stoners beat there wives compared to alcoholics). It also has been suggested to marijuana smoke may have some protective effect against lung cancer. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...01729_pf.html).


Ultimately the problem arises when you ask yourself about infringing the right of others, and it's fairly evident that it lowers your reaction time, and hence driving while impaired becomes an issue. There is no way to give you a potalizer, and until one is developed, I don't see marijuana becoming legal.

It's really hard to get around this issue, and some serious thought has to be put into it. Who knows, maybe if we figure out by the rate that THC is broken down in the body, we'll be able to develop specific marijuana data applied to different people.

Maybe it's a stretch, but I think it's possible. If we can send people to the moon, we'll probably be able to figure out something plausible.

So I guess my answer is yes, it should be legal if there is a way to test is more accurately.

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

This thread looks like it's headed towards hostility, I think we all need to smoke a joint and chill.

[dmek25]

medically yes, recreational no. leads to bigger and worse things

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

I understand your arguments that: (1) marijuana should be illegal because of its ill effects on people and society; (2) that parents should not condone illegal behavior; and (3) that marijuana should be taxed if it is legalized. But I don't understand why people who smoke weed are loser idiots. You can kill brain cells in a lot of different ways and marijuana use is just one of them. Moreover, only people who use it to excess suffer from its ill effects. Smoking a joint once a month isn't going to do much of anything to you, other than make you hungry.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by Sheriff Gonna Getcha

I understand your arguments that: (1) marijuana should be illegal because of its ill effects on people and society; (2) that parents should not condone illegal behavior; and (3) that marijuana should be taxed if it is legalized. But I don't understand why people who smoke weed are loser idiots. You can kill brain cells in a lot of different ways and marijuana use is just one of them. Moreover, only people who use it to excess suffer from its ill effects. Smoking a joint once a month isn't going to do much of anything to you, other than make you hungry.

That's the part where I'm not rational or objective, I fully admit that. It's a personal aversion to it. It turns me off and I immediately lose respect for those who do it.

[12thMan]

I think there are some very good reasons already mentioned here against legalizing weed:

1) Not a profitable industry for big business

2) How do you and can you detect large doses of intakes that would impair one's ability to operate a vehicle.

3) What ages should it be legalized for?

************************************************** *
Here's what I'll add to that list: Typically anything that's legal is used in excess. Generally speaking, we as humans tend to push the limits with things that are considered legal as opposed to those that aren't. So my concern right off the bat is, when and how do you draw bounderies on a substance that is legal.

The perception that goes along with being "high" or "stoned". I could be splitting hairs here, but someone that goes around stoned all the time could be considered cool. Usually teens wait until they're in a certain environment or setting before turning up the bottle and getting drunk. If we legalize weed, they'll blaze up right in the bathroom or parking lot and jet off to class.

Thirdly, people always seek ways to make what they have more potent. And here's what many aren't talking about. PCP was a "killer" drug during the 80s in D.C. If we legalize weed, we willing invite another host of illegal and underground supplements and activities to make it more powerful or to enhance one's high. You see where I'm going with this?

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

I don't buy the slippery slope argument as one that can honestly be used to oppose legalizing marijuana. First, the biggest gateway drug, if they exist, is alcohol. So, if you don't want to get the ball rolling in the first place, ban alcohol. Weed is usually just the second step in the chain. Second, I smoked weed as a teen, but I never had any compulsion whatsoever to use any "harder" drug and most of my friends felt the same. People who start using crack weren't made dumb by using pot, they used crack because they were dumb to start with.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by Sheriff Gonna Getcha

I don't buy the slippery slope argument as one that can honestly be used to oppose legalizing marijuana. First, the biggest gateway drug, if they exist, is alcohol. So, if you don't want to get the ball rolling in the first place, ban alcohol. Weed is usually just the second step in the chain. Second, I smoked weed as a teen, but I never had any compulsion whatsoever to use any "harder" drug and most of my friends felt the same. People who start using crack weren't made dumb by using pot, they used crack because they were dumb to start with.

I think when they say gateway drug when referring to weed, they're mainly talking about how you can get other drugs from the same guys you got the weed from. Or at least get connected through the guys that sold you the weed.

You're 16, and you want booze, you just go sit outside of 7-11 and wait for a shady looking guy to come up and give him money and ask him to buy it for you. But you can't get crack from that guy.

But with weed, you get the weed from a dealer. Then you decide hey maybe I'll try coke, or maybe the dealer pushes you to buy some coke. There's the gateway.

Not to mention that dealers sometimes lace the weed with other addictive drugs to get you to come back.

Now if you legalized weed, it takes away the gateway to other drugs, because now you're not dealing with an unscrupulous dealer. So I'll admit, there's the positive. But the corresponding negative is that legal marijuana will mean companies like Phillip Morris will produce it. And we all know how they lace their tobacco with things to make it more addictive in order to sell more. You can be damn sure they'll do the same thing with weed; and then a little weed in moderation won't be so easy to do. You'll be hard pressed to resist the urge to smoke it a lot more often.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

I think when they say gateway drug when referring to weed, they're mainly talking about how you can get other drugs from the same guys you got the weed from. Or at least get connected through the guys that sold you the weed.

You're 16, and you want booze, you just go sit outside of 7-11 and wait for a shady looking guy to come up and give him money and ask him to buy it for you. But you can't get crack from that guy.

But with weed, you get the weed from a dealer. Then you decide hey maybe I'll try coke, or maybe the dealer pushes you to buy some coke. There's the gateway.

Not to mention that dealers sometimes lace the weed with other addictive drugs to get you to come back.

Something tells me you probably don't have much experience with drugs, not that it's a bad thing mind you.

But some of your thoughts here are ridiculous and sound like some sort of anti-drug propaganda. Dealers don't waste drugs on lacing weed. Weed is so potent nowadays it doesn't need anything added to it. Dealers don't push either, they have plenty of customers and business as it is. Drugs sell themselves.

And on a side note, you probably come in contact on a daily basis with plenty of people you would have no idea smoke weed and are highly functional and successful people.