i need in depth reasons as to why marijuana should be legal, such as lowering crime, religion, health, peace?
477954
Pot has a real effect on pain.  While it is not a pain killer it makes the pain more 'manageable' and you can deal with it.  It also has an effect in reducing nausea caused by some treatments.  The governments assertion that pot is very addictive falls flat when you consider some of those with chronic pain take Demerol, morphine, Oxycontin, etc. on a regular basis and those are some of the most addictive substances on the planet.  How can something that helps be worse than those?
34706
I think that it's absolutely pointless that it's illegal.  Prohibition didn't stop people from drinking alcohol, it only made it more dangerous for all of the people who were already drinkers.  The only reason I see for continuing to keep marijuana illegal is to supply more people with jobs in law enforcement and in the penal system.
457028
for it. I think that if legalized it will help cut down on drug crime. and if it were legalized yyou would at least know what quality you are getting, which is iffy from dealers. and if it were legal, lots would probobly not want to do it because it would lose the appeal of doing something that you should not be doing. besides, it could be a great cash crop. this question makes me think of dazed and confused....  oh the memories..
15228
yes, marijuana should be legalized, if not for the wonderful textile possiblities of hemp (which is legal, for it contains no THC, but y'have to jump through a bunch of hoops to be allowed to grow it), marijuana gives you the munchies!  on a humorous scale, that would increase your local grocer's business a hundred-fold.  on a more serious level, it stimulates the appetite of chemotherapy patients, so sick from all those anti-cancer poisons that they have trouble eating.\n\nthe only problem with any substance or act that makes people feel "good" is that someone will invariably abuse it.  alcohol, tobacco, acts sexual in nature, just to name a few, are abused constantly by humans.\n\nthe u.s. government could also tax the crap out of it, thus generating funds instead of wasting them incarcerating people who, otherwise, have done no wrong.  plus, it'd put the drug dealers out of business, whom often are involved in the selling of more harmful substances, as well.  i also suggest the legalized use should be restricted from those in the fields of public transportation, child care, anything requiring the use of guns, and medicine.  i'm sorry, but i want my pharmacist sober when mixing up migraine medicine.  i don't wanna get estrogen pills by mistake!\n\nthe real gateway drug?  tobacco.  think about it.
575915
life liberty & the pursuit of happiness...\n\nif pot makes you happy, then it should be lagalized
398954
Alcoholand ciggs are more dangerous than marijuana. Marijuana is one of two completely chemicaly safe drugs out there. The other is LSD (acid). Neither of them have any major negative side effects. In fact ii think the reason it is still illegal is because people arnt educated enough on it. they believe all the negatives they read and never the posotives because they arnt looking for the best thing that can happen while you are stoned, they are looking for the worst. so if it was legalized there would be a largerevold and protest. and thats not what the govt. wants. so they stay safe and keep it illegal. even tho it should not be. as for those of u who think im crazy for saying lsd is harmless. look it up and u will find out it is even more harmless than weed. weed is more dangerous than lsd.
52970
Pot is illegal because the War on Drugs is a cash cow for the government. And it also keeps undesirables - minorities, the poor, criminals - under control. It is a lot easier to bust a black kid with pot on him and get him convicted than a white kid. It's all part of the hate machine that our government's becoming.\nHey Figato - go ask your kids for a joint, smoke it, and chill the heck out man.
55616
Legalize it, impose laws like drinking laws.  I'd rather be around someone high, than a nasty whiskey drinking drunk!
512143
Because they cannot arrest everyone.  And the only reason marijuana is illegal anyway is to keep kids from smoking it.  It's really better for you than alcohol.  Most people I know smoke it, and those who don't are cool with it.  I know a bunch of cops that smoke too.
151432
Jim Bender is a Canadian politician who supports legalization of marijuana. \nits is argued that is alcohol is legal so should marijuana.\nalso, they ay if it is legalized, crime will be reduced and other related negative externalities will be reduced such as black market.\n\nread this, an excellent summary http://www.usask.ca/education/ideas/tplan/sslp/values/legmarij.htm
1045398
Mostly fear. And ignorance. \n\nThe medical community and people who decide what is legal and illegal still consider marijuana to be a gateway drug. They think it is  bad for you. \n\nWhile I agree with you about it should be legal, it isn't. \n\nYou can it taken off the list of illegal drugs and work to make it legal, but until it is legal, don't break the law and risk going to jail. Instead, work to get it made legal. \n\nIt is legal for medical use in Oregon and California and all over the west coast. \n\nWork to get it legalized.
710726
Yes I believe it should be legalized, because in relation to other drugs that are currently legal, the deleterious effects of marijuana simply don’t compare. I think the distribution of it should be controlled as to where it can be smoked, and who is licensed to sell it.
769865
Absolutly.  Making it illegal wastes tax dollars and ruins people's lives who have not engaged in any sort of violent crime.  Instead, they have done something very similar to drinking or smoking cigarettes, and because they have, they now face jail time, huge fines and criminal records.  It should, at the very least, be decriminalized, as the punishment would be rehab or something.  But absolutly, legalization will put drug dealers out of business (similar to the way the end of prohibition ended the mobster culture).  It would bring in more revenue, it could be regulated (and kid can tell you its easier to get pot than beer, as they don't have to show their ID to dealers), and it would free up our police to search out and get violent criminals more effectivly.
253044
Yes it should be legal. For one, I have lived in a place where it IS legal and the differences are astounding. Children/Teens are MUCH less likely to smoke pot if it is legal. It doesn't have the "mystique" that illegal items do. Also, there are fewer Driving while Under the Influence charges per capita where marijuana is legal, because it is used more responsibly. Check your crime statistics, you'll find that I'm right. Marijuana is no more dangerous than a cigarette. In fact, it is NOT as addictive. Infact, marijuana is ONLY a psychologically addictive drug, not a physiologically addictive one. Cigarettes are both. Economically speaking, if it were legal it would be MUCH cheaper to get. This would help regulate quality of the drug, making it much less likely to be laced with other, more addictive additives like PCP. The sale of it could be governmentally regulated, like alcohol and other controlled substances, and TAXED. That would generate a HUGE amount of tax revenue........
654614
I think I would be for arresting anyone that tries to grow their own. Rather there needs to be a control over how much people are allowed to smoke. \n\nThe reason I say that is because there are severe addictions, mental problems, and a few other health problems that marijuana can cause if you are able to smoke too much of it on a regular basis. \n\nBut as far as a minor causual use gotton from strictly controlled sources, that is another issue entirely. That approach could easily reduce the current severe abuse of marijuana where outright legalization or outlawing can't. Therefore reducing the problems that come from severe abuse. \n\nAlso legalizing marijuana would remove the bars from Industrial Hemp. We are the only country that doesn't have Indutrial Hemp production. \n\nIndustrial hemp could replace wood in paper product production and be a tool in reducing the amount of forests that are cut down. \n\nIt's most common use is clothing and textiles. We could generate thousands of jobs in this area alone. \n\nSo yes, legalization could be helpful.
621511
if marijuana was legal it would make uncle SAM tons of money. one they would be able to tax it. hello that right there is some cash.  all those people sitting in jail waisting a tax dollars for having a few ozs they would be out giving uncle SAM more cash.  they could regulate it better its easier for underage kids to by weed than alcohol so if they sold it in a store you could check id.  Violence in inner city's would go down soon.  other country's like Holland have realized that legal green can be and is a good thing.  /even Alaska legalized weed for a short tI'me, and im not talking about just medical i mean it was legal to have so much on you and grow so much in your home as long as you weren't selling it.  i wish that the government would make it legal i think it would benefit our county greatly
1084926
I have theories, but they're just theories. Cigarettes and alcohol are legal because they bring big dollars to the government. And they are entirely too common. Marijuana legalized would bring big bucks too, but they would rather use it for keeping the prisons full. The towns that have prisons, typically the prison is their primary source of income. More prisoners equals more free labor, and more jobs within the prison for town residents.  There's also the race thing. Minorities are the ones caught with marijuana charges. After being imprisoned, they're lives are over. Possession of marijuana is grounds for denial of financial aid for college and for employment. Therefore usually after being released they are found doing the exact same thing all over again, or worse. And the cycle continues. There are deeper reasons why marijuana is kept illegal, your proof lies in the fact that cigarettes remain legal no matter what. Several cities are banning the indoor smoking in all public places because of the hazards of secondhand smoking but the thought of making it criminal to smoke at all never came up.