Legalize Marijuana (a term paper)

Hey guys,

I have to write a term paper, and I was thinking a survey would really help my assigned argument to legalize marijuana in the United States. If you chould check a few boxes that would be really helpful

Medically? Or recreationally?

[EDIT]: BTW, in your poll, "Have you TRIED it" doesnt mean they are for or against legalizing it. I've done a few status offences just once or twice, but don't necessarily want the age requirement to go down. Or make them legal -Recreationally-

I really don't think it would be a good idea for pot to be legal and able to be sold in stores... it causes enough trouble as it is for parents. Now, if people were RESPONSIBLE and just did it under moderation with a sober person around and proper health concerns, that would be a different story, but highly unlikely. Yes, people will get it anyway, but then it is not as easy as "Hey 'brother', can you buy me some pot?"

On the other hand... if they legalized it recreationally, which I highly doubt will ever happen, they could control it much better. Also, they would be able to add 'fees' and 'pot tax' on it which would probably make it cost a lot more than it does now for the average person to get it. May be more annoying to have it legal than illegal for the people who do use it.

Medically, I think should be fine in certain situations. The penalty and social hate for it (can't think of the word right now...) I fell are way too high. There are plenty other things to be worried about, and should focus on those things as opposed to just stopping a few kids in their homes having fun.

this is always a good topic as it will bring up a heated debate. The one i have heard time and time again is "you cant overdose on marijana" i would advise you against using this argument if you are planning on it. You can OD on just about any drug, it is just very unlikely as you need to ingest a large amount of THC.

I personally don't care either way if it is legal or not. However if it is legalized i am all for taxing it heavily just like alcohol and tobacco.

I would want it legalized simply to ease the strain on our prison population, a significant percent of whom are doing hard time simply for possession of small amounts of marijuana.

Kash said:

doing hard time simply for possession of small amounts of marijuana.

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Does that really happen? I know some counties in Indiana you get a ticket for procession that will cost you less than a speeding ticket.

Prison terms are based off how many offenses you have for it, as well as quantity you have on your person.

here is a link on sentencing

Can't believe Fallooza hasn't commented on this thread yet!

mynameis said:

Does that really happen? I know some counties in Indiana you get a ticket for procession that will cost you less than a speeding ticket.

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It's different in every country. In some Western European countries you can carry a small amount without violating any laws. In the US, you're screwed regardless of what amount you have.

PowerBookG4 said:

Hey guys,

I have to write a term paper, and I was thinking a survey would really help my assigned argument to legalize marijuana in the United States. If you chould check a few boxes that would be really helpful

Click to expand...

My school paper had an article on this, it wasn't written that well but it did give a just case.

If you want I can scan it and post it for you, just to read and what not.

I've never used it (I voted that i'd try it if it were legalized). It should be legalized for the sole reason that it would cause an immediately blow to the illegal drug trafficking industry. Something that is artificially regulated via drug busts and a controlled distribution network would become no more expensive or difficult to obtain than tobacco. This would also cut down on drug related violence.

In the long run, the amount of people that would use marijuana wouldn't increase above rates before it was legalized (see the example of Holland). This topic was discussed in my college sociology class yesterday.

Kash said:

I would want it legalized simply to ease the strain on our prison population, a significant percent of whom are doing hard time simply for possession of small amounts of marijuana.

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No one does hard time for a small amount of marijuana.

They may not serve time on their first offense, but they sure as heck would on subsequent offenses. And if you're caught in a drug free school zone, the chances of getting jail time increase exponentially, even for a first offender.

Kash said:

They may not serve time on their first offense, but they sure as heck would on subsequent offenses. And if you're caught in a drug free school zone, the chances of getting jail time increase exponentially, even for a first offender.

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Repeat offense is a different story. It's the same with any crime.

If someone is stupid enough to have drugs in a school zone, they deserve what they get. :2cents:

But having marijuana in a school zone is not out of the realm of possibility, and is actually more common than one would think, hence why places like Lockney, TX instituted that insane drug testing policy.

I say legalize it and tax the mess out of it, if somebody wants to smoke it they will regardless of whether not it's legal. Our country might as well make some money off of it.

I have grown up around it since I was 8. I dont smoke but my parents did (until recently). Plus I dont think I can stand that moldy smell on top of the cigarettes I already have to smell. And it's expensive. There was a time a few years go where pot was more expensive per ounce than gold!

PunkRockTuba said:

I say legalize it and tax the **** out of it, if somebody wants to smoke it they will regardless of whether not it's legal. Our country might as well make some money off of it.

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I concur.

I believe it should be legal for any medical issues, I don't want otto be recreationaly legal because people it would be abused
its also less addictive than any type of pain killer

Well, heres my 2 cents..... Do i think it should be legal? Yes. Why? Because i honestly see no problem with people using it for recreation, i wont say i've never done it.... but let me put it this way...At no point did i feel like dropping out of school, not working, or going out and causing trouble... And to the person that said not to use "You cant overdose on mary j", it really is nearly impossible. To OD on pot you would have to smoke 10x your body weight in pot. So if you weigh 180lbs, you would have to smoke 1800lbs of pot to OD which is pretty much impossible to do in a day....IMO the only reason that pot is not legal in the US is that it would be waaaay to hard for the government to regulate, if not impossible, i mean people would still be able to grow it and sell it so. Government can't regulate which means they cant tax it, therefore they are not making money of it , so they wont legalize it. But yes, i think it should be legal.

anytime i hear "THE WAR ON_________" i cringe

would be good to see the gringo best effort spent in a positive way on issues that are resolvable as opposed to an endless downward spiral.

Kash said:

But having marijuana in a school zone is not out of the realm of possibility, and is actually more common than one would think, hence why places like Lockney, TX instituted that insane drug testing policy.

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It's definitely not. I'm sure there are kids that carry drugs to school every day. They're just that...kids. They get charged as juveniles, get a slap on the wrist, and have their records sealed. An adult carrying illegal drugs into a school zone knows better. They're likely doing so with the intent to distribute.