I read an interesting article today in the local paper about the current state of the war on drugs in the U.S. Over the course of the 90s cocaine and heroine arrests have fallen. However, marijuana arrests have risen by a staggering amount. In fact, if my memory serves me correct, the article said of all increased drug arrests, above average rates, some 80% were for marijauna. Part of the $35 billion that is spent annually on the war on drugs, $5 billion is spent on prosecuting offenders of marijuana.

Now, I am by no means an expert on the effects of marijuana use, as I can count on two hands the amount of times I have smoked in my life. Perhaps someone can educate me further However, from my broad knowledge I have been told that there are no negative health side effects to marijuana and unless someone is using a gun, driving a car, etc. they are not posing as a threat to others. In fact, isn't second hand smoke from tabacco far worse than marijuana. So I ask, is the war on drugs worth it? If not, should marijuana be legal?

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Lost Souls

The criminalization of marijuana is ridiculous.

As far as addictiveness goes, there was a famous French report done about 5 years ago that basically put it at the bottom of the totem poll with such "legal" drugs as alcohol and nicotine (tobacco) being at the top.

As far as long term effects of marijuana smoking, there really is nothing out there to show that casual to chronic use has much of an effect. Now, when a person is actively smoking it, of course there is an effect, but unlike alcohol, marijuana (THC being the "active" ingredient) works much the same as Tylenol, and after it leaves your system, that is that.

There are so many people that lead "normal" lives even though they smoke marijuana. The government allows us to smoke tobacco and drink alcohol even though they have been shown to be much worse for us. Now smoking is smoking, and inhaling anything other than clean air is not good for you, but it is no worse then smoking a cigarette which is perfectly legal.

So why is marijuana illegal today? Ignorance, tradition and fear. People don't know much about it, but they know that it has been illegal for a long time and they're afraid our country will go to hell if it is legalized. It's really a shame though, costing people money and time as well as our government.

I think the two of you treat marijuana research the same way Bush treats research on global warming. If you look into the available studies there's a lot of studies that show long term side effects of using marijuana. Personally, I have a cousin who went mental because of it.
Now, I'm not saying that using marijuana should be illegal (I advocate that all drugs should be legal), but it's definately not harmless in the same sense that a glass of milk or a banana would be.

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Originally posted by trancaholic I think the two of you treat marijuana research the same way Bush treats research on global warming. If you look into the available studies there's a lot of studies that show long term side effects of using marijuana. Personally, I have a cousin who went mental because of it. Now, I'm not saying that using marijuana should be illegal (I advocate that all drugs should be legal), but it's definately not harmless in the same sense that a glass of milk or a banana would be.

But is it harmless in the same sense as alcohol? I mean the long term effects of alcohol can be pretty nasty too if you dont know how to handle it.

Trancaholic, I hate it when people skip over something I said and then assume something on the contrary of me.

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Perhaps someone can educate me further However, from my broad knowledge

I know that I am uneducated in this area, simply because I have found it difficult to find unbiased resources on the matter. I could, for example, to your first hand experience with marijuana and apply it as a general fact about marijuana, that is marijuana can make you crazy. However, I know there are always unique cases and I am simply looking for what has been proven to effect a majority of users.

Also, perhaps you can explain more on why you think very harmful drugs, such as cocaine and heroine should be legal.

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Lost Souls

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Originally posted by St_Andrew But is it harmless in the same sense as alcohol? I mean the long term effects of alcohol can be pretty nasty too if you dont know how to handle it.

Yes. I wouldn't consider alcohol harmless. In fact I would consider it a worse drug than pot, since alcohol abuse tend to harm people around the abuser rather than the abuser himself.

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Originally posted by kush paintings Trancaholic, I hate it when people skip over something I said and then assume something on the contrary of me. I know that I am uneducated in this area, simply because I have found it difficult to find unbiased resources on the matter. I could, for example, to your first hand experience with marijuana and apply it as a general fact about marijuana, that is marijuana can make you crazy. However, I know there are always unique cases and I am simply looking for what has been proven to effect a majority of users.

Sorry that you took offense. That wasn't the purpose of my post. But it's really not that hard to find sources on the harmful effects of marijuana.
And yes, I'm well aware that I cannot generalize from one first hand example to a universal statement about marijuana (and don't think that I did).

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Originally posted by kush paintings Also, perhaps you can explain more on why you think very harmful drugs, such as cocaine and heroine should be legal.

Because it's part of me being liberal. Everyone should be allowed to do whatever they like to their own body.

While I agree if a person wants to destory their own body it is up to that person, but users of cocaine and heroine have demonstrated that they cannot be trusted in society when under the influence, which goes without saying, if marijuana was legal and somebody was driving while high, I believe they should face similar punishments as would a driver under the influence of alcohol.

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Lost Souls

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Originally posted by NeoPhono As far as long term effects of marijuana smoking, there really is nothing out there to show that casual to chronic use has much of an effect. Now, when a person is actively smoking it, of course there is an effect, but unlike alcohol, marijuana (THC being the "active" ingredient) works much the same as Tylenol, and after it leaves your system, that is that.

a few:
- memory changes, such as relaxation and a sense of well-being
- sensory changes, including a lack of balance and slower reaction times
- physical changes such as dry mouth, rapid heart beat, and a rise in blood pressure

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Originally posted by NeoPhono There are so many people that lead "normal" lives even though they smoke marijuana. The government allows us to smoke tobacco and drink alcohol even though they have been shown to be much worse for us. Now smoking is smoking, and inhaling anything other than clean air is not good for you, but it is no worse then smoking a cigarette which is perfectly legal.

There are also many people that lead "normal" lives even though they smoke crack, PCP, shoot heroin, and pop pills...should we lagalize that also?

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Originally posted by NeoPhono So why is marijuana illegal today? Ignorance, tradition and fear. People don't know much about it, but they know that it has been illegal for a long time and they're afraid our country will go to hell if it is legalized. It's really a shame though, costing people money and time as well as our government.

Personally i dont know if it should be legal or not...i see the pros and cons of the argument and am stuck in the middle....personally i would say ban cigarettes BEFORE marijuana.

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Bring back 1994 NYC clubbing nights, cus the sh*t today is filled with junk parties and DJs that play sh*t House.....Zabiela, Sander, or Howells and all the rest suck and couldnt throw a night like it was in the early 90s in NYC!!!...Screw Twilo - give me Limelight circa 1993!!!

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Originally posted by trancaholic (I advocate that all drugs should be legal)

Crack?
Ice?
Heroin?
Cocaine?
Acid?

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Bring back 1994 NYC clubbing nights, cus the sh*t today is filled with junk parties and DJs that play sh*t House.....Zabiela, Sander, or Howells and all the rest suck and couldnt throw a night like it was in the early 90s in NYC!!!...Screw Twilo - give me Limelight circa 1993!!!

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Originally posted by trancaholic Yes. I wouldn't consider alcohol harmless. In fact I would consider it a worse drug than pot, since alcohol abuse tend to harm people around the abuser rather than the abuser himself.

What kind of nonsense is that? Would you like me to post how many drinking and driving deaths have killed people just in the past year? Let alone 10 years?

7 times out of 10, in an auto accident with drinking involved the person who was drunk lived while little Susie, her brother and mom and dad died.

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Originally posted by trancaholic Because it's part of me being liberal. Everyone should be allowed to do whatever they like to their own body.

I would agree...but drug abuse usually goes on to affect the people around the user.

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Bring back 1994 NYC clubbing nights, cus the sh*t today is filled with junk parties and DJs that play sh*t House.....Zabiela, Sander, or Howells and all the rest suck and couldnt throw a night like it was in the early 90s in NYC!!!...Screw Twilo - give me Limelight circa 1993!!!

Just one question tiesto14 - who do you believe should regulate the drug trade? The government or criminals?

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Originally posted by George Smiley Just one question tiesto14 - who do you believe should regulate the drug trade? The government or criminals?

Thats an absurd question. With ot without legalization drug abuse would still cause problems - those problems range from criminal, family or financial.

Whether or not crack is legal or not...if someone gets hooked they WILL rob, steal and kill for it....Makes no difference if u buy it in a dark alley or from some government sponsered facility makes zero difference.

Hard drugs should not available to people...plain and simple.

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Bring back 1994 NYC clubbing nights, cus the sh*t today is filled with junk parties and DJs that play sh*t House.....Zabiela, Sander, or Howells and all the rest suck and couldnt throw a night like it was in the early 90s in NYC!!!...Screw Twilo - give me Limelight circa 1993!!!