That it was even outlawed in the first place is infuriating.
(1) Racism,
(2) An overzealous enforcement agency recently put out of work by prohibition's repeal needing a new "enemy" to fight to justify their existence, coupled with
(3) Rampant disinformation (Marijuana cigarettes make people go on crazy killing sprees), and
(4) Difficulty in taxing it (anybody can grow it), and
(5) Ignorance about the drug
have all lead to it being outlawed and made illegal. For the government to take a naturally occuring plant and outlaw the smoking of it, with no reasonable justification whatsoever is a tragedy of justice and a violation of civil rights. If G-d put plants and buds that I find and abuse, who the
are you to tell me I can't use it? The cornerstore sells finer scotch and you can buy guns on almost any street, but marijuana is the main menace to society?
Gimme a
in break.
And ANY AND ALL arguments that follow the reasoning "Marijuan should not be decriminalized because (insert negative effect here)" just get immediately blown the
out of the water by prohibition's repeal.
This issue is modern day prohibition. It's just that marijuana has less supporters and less users than alcohol did.
Alcohol is MUCH MUCH more disruptive than weed. Anybody who thinks differently has either never used both or just simply would personally prefer alcohol. Ask any cop: "Who would you rather have to deal with? A drunk or a pot smocker?"
Ask:
Who poses a greater threat to society? A drunk raving maniac or a lethargic vid. game playin pothead?
Who has better decision making abilities?
Who has better eye hand coordination?
Who can remember what they did last night? (hint, not the blacked out drunk)
Which drug is is physically possible to over-dose with? (hint, not weed, I've tried lol.)
Which drug will make you hook up with nasty looking fat people, then in the morning you remember you're married or in a relationship?
I'm not saying that America will be better if it is legal. I'm simply saying don't come to me with "It should be illegal b/c it's bad" arguments because you forfeit those with the legalization of alcohol.
Spare me your stories of "A kid I know smoked weed and killed himself" because that's lowering yourself to the Fox News illogic "Video gamer kills daughter." These
s had problems that had absolutely NOTHING to do with weed or videogames.
The commercials where Timmy smokes a joint and goes and knocks up a girl or runs over a kid on a bike after the drivethru are no different than the bullshit propaghanda espoused in
Reefer Madness which spread the lies and misinformation that made it's criminalization able to be choked down by the public in the firstplace. There is a reason that the government spends millions disseminating misinformation about marijuana: b/c they're gettin big bucks from tobacco and alcohol lobby to get off their backs!
As far s the "gateway" drug argument: better outlaw cigarettes too, b/c I don't know one single person who didn't start with a cigarette.
The cost-benefit analysis has been appropriately and effectively argued by Dmaul, but to repeat (1) There could be a TON of income from tax, (2) A TON of savings from not having potheads in prison, (3) A TON of savings from the cessation of the expensive PR disinformation campaign, and (4) A TON of savings from not putting the black market crimes through the CJ system, and (5) NO increased costs for DUI/public enforcement since all the enforcment infrastructure is already in place for alcohol.
Any other arguments out there I didn't address?
