Should Marijuana be Legalized?

[idcjazmin]

Yeah, I don't plan on doing it...I never believed that self harm or suicide was ever an answer, and to be honest gouging my arm open just doesn't sound like something that would ever help me. Obviously I can't vouch for other people who do it, I don't know or understand their reasoning, and I do hope that one day they can move on, and survive through it. (did that sound insensitive? I hope not...)

And yeah, seeing a civil discussion was such a sight for sore eyes. Makes me glad that people can still talk to others.

that didn't sound insensitive at all! being someone who has struggled with self harm, i do understand how it can help some people. for me, it was like a feeling of control. at the time when i struggled with it the most, i really felt like i didn't have much control over anything in my life, and that was a way for me to cope with that. i could control the way i made myself bleed. i think it was also a form of punishment for myself. i honestly believed that i didn't deserve to be happy or feel good in any way, so i would hurt myself. also, there are many different ways to self harm, other than cutting. i also used to burn myself, and so did my boyfriend at one point. i know people who would hit themselves until their eyes were black.
on the other hand though, i do completely understand why someone else wouldn't find it appealing. it seems horrible from an outside perspective, and it is, but i think you need to understand their reasoning before making assumptions and attacking them. (not you specifically, but universal "you")

 

[PizzaTotinoBoy]

that didn't sound insensitive at all! being someone who has struggled with self harm, i do understand how it can help some people. for me, it was like a feeling of control. at the time when i struggled with it the most, i really felt like i didn't have much control over anything in my life, and that was a way for me to cope with that. i could control the way i made myself bleed. i think it was also a form of punishment for myself. i honestly believed that i didn't deserve to be happy or feel good in any way, so i would hurt myself. also, there are many different ways to self harm, other than cutting. i also used to burn myself, and so did my boyfriend at one point. i know people who would hit themselves until their eyes were black.
on the other hand though, i do completely understand why someone else wouldn't find it appealing. it seems horrible from an outside perspective, and it is, but i think you need to understand their reasoning before making assumptions and attacking them. (not you specifically, but universal "you")

Yeah, I always try to see the other person's side on it. I've seen people say a lot that it feels like a release from the bigger picture, etc. I mean, shoot, from my perspective I still don't find it helpful but people have their reasons. Like I said I just do hope they don't do something irreversible and end up getting out of it. Shoot, I mean, we all do stuff to cope...I always make fun of myself, because in honesty I hate a lot about myself. People just have different coping methods but I still do hope that people who do harm themselves end up getting through it. I'd hate to see someone lost from it.

 

[tumut]

Yes then I can smonk in peace

 

[Soot Sprite]

I think it should be legal yes. It does have medicinal qualities and like a lot of people have already said it's much less dangerous than drinking or smoking cigarettes. In my state getting caught with a .5 to 1.5 ounce can get you up to 45 days in jail and in my opinion that seat in jail could be used for someone who did a worse crime than just possession. People are going to be smoking it either way, that's just how it is. But legalizing it could give a lot more money to the state that you're in because instead of wasting taxes on holding a person in jail for it they would be profiting off the Marijuana being smoked.

 

[forestyne]

Yeah, I always try to see the other person's side on it. I've seen people say a lot that it feels like a release from the bigger picture, etc. I mean, shoot, from my perspective I still don't find it helpful but people have their reasons. Like I said I just do hope they don't do something irreversible and end up getting out of it. Shoot, I mean, we all do stuff to cope...I always make fun of myself, because in honesty I hate a lot about myself. People just have different coping methods but I still do hope that people who do harm themselves end up getting through it. I'd hate to see someone lost from it.

I used it to feel anything. I have episodes of emptiness where I feel emotionally drained and empty. It wasn't the solution to my problems and it made things worse. Not to mention I got into this "pro self-harm" community, just a generally dark and dingy place on the internet. The only good thing to come out of those years was someone who I promised I'd get better and move to Sweden to meet them. I started learning Swedish and everything. I lost that person a while ago, but I remember they told me *cheesy anime scene alert* "paint when you're stressed for me" just something cheesy lol anyway, now when I'm stressed I paint and think of them. Now I have coping methods that soothe my 'angst' and it's become a hobby and (almost) a day job Life gets better. Life is ****, but it gets better.

 

[Astarte]

Yes, just grow your own. I believe Marijuana can be gmo like other plants. You have no idea what growers put in it or grow it with. Growing it yourself would make the experience more intimate and you're apart of each and every step.

 

[toadsworthy]

make it legal, create a new industry, taxes on it will generate revenue and jobs... thats too progressive for this country though, and all people see is "bad weed, me make illegal."

fun fact: while tobacco and alcohol consumption have been clinically shown to cause bad effects during pregnancy, there isn't enough evidence to prove that marijuana use is correlated to birth defects

 

[ZetaFunction]

It should've been made legal years ago in my honest opinion. It's more medicinal than bad, people can make industries from it and boost the economy (glob knows there's some person somewhere who could get rich af from it), and studies have shown that it can help cure cancer.

Yes, just grow your own. I believe Marijuana can be gmo like other plants. You have no idea what growers put in it or grow it with. Growing it yourself would make the experience more intimate and you're apart of each and every step.

Almost any plant can be GM'd, so you should be careful about anything you ingest whether its fruit, grains, or mary jane in this case. But if it does become legal there'll probably be quite a bit GM'd and also a good amount being lowkey sold in organic/health food markets that's not.



Random fact about weed: it's actually a hybridized form of hemp.

 

[ZagZig321]

I feel having it illegal causes more problems than it does solutions..

 

[p e p p e r]

No, it's pretty much legal where I live & I hate that. You can pay to get a "medical marijuana" card from a wacko doctor & buy it anytime. It's a ****ing scam because 99% of the people who have it are just stoners, and don't have a medical reason to use it.

If you're going through chemo, and need it so you can have an appetite to eat, then go for it. It's definitely not harmless or no big deal, I have two friends that are addicted to it & smoke it daily, it's had such a negative effect on their brain & personality - one of them is noticable dumber, I can't even talk to him anymore.

 

[Bella789]

It's not the end of the world tbh, it does have medical benefits, but I'm still not sure, would have to research a bit more on it

 

[lostineverfreeforest]

I live somewhere it's legal. The sky hasn't fallen, society didn't collapse, and things have been going quite well. Prohibition has failed, regulate and tax it instead.

 

[Twisterheart]

I don't think people should be going to prison for having it, but I'm not really for having it legalized because of personal reasons. I know that not everyone who uses is like this, but I've just seen too many people put marijuana before everything else and the effects that has on their life because they care more about being high than anything else. I'm against cigarette and alcohol too, for similar reasons as well as the bad health effects those have.

So basically I don't think it should be criminalized like it is, and people certainly shouldn't go to prison for it like they do, but I'm just not on board with it being legal for personal reasons

 

[forestyne]

I live somewhere it's legal. The sky hasn't fallen, society didn't collapse, and things have been going quite well. Prohibition has failed, regulate and tax it instead.

Wow, it's almost like society can function with marijuana legalised. Shocking

 

[idcjazmin]

Wow, it's almost like society can function with marijuana legalised. Shocking

sounds fake but ok

 

[lostineverfreeforest]

sounds fake but ok

Can confirm, the state I live in is a real place. In fact, it's so real people are moving here in droves 'cause it's such a nice place to live. Maybe you can tell them it's not real and they could go somewhere else and stop driving up the rent.

 

[Weiland]

I don't really care. It's already legal in some places and it's legal in Australia for medical purposes. However, it doesn't affect me whatsoever. Legalise it all you want, I don't care.

 

[amanda1983]

I don't think people should be going to prison for having it, but I'm not really for having it legalized because of personal reasons. I know that not everyone who uses is like this, but I've just seen too many people put marijuana before everything else and the effects that has on their life because they care more about being high than anything else. I'm against cigarette and alcohol too, for similar reasons as well as the bad health effects those have.

So basically I don't think it should be criminalized like it is, and people certainly shouldn't go to prison for it like they do, but I'm just not on board with it being legal for personal reasons

I think I get where you're coming from, but I'm a bit confused by your references to not wanting it to be legalised, yet also thinking it shouldn't be criminalised the way it is, nor should people go to jail for it (I assume you mean possession + usage)?

Do you mean marijuana possession and usage should be treated as a misdemeanor rather than a felony? Or that it should be regulated as tobacco and alcohol are (with taxes and proof-of-age purchasing requirements)? Whereby it is decriminalisation yet still controlled

In my state of Australia, Victoria, the maximum penalty for possession (in non-trafficking amounts) of marijuana is a fine of up to $750 on the third - or any subsequent - offense : http://www.lawstuff.org.au/vic_law/topics/drugs

As it stands, it is currently a criminal offense here but the penalties are on-par with those applicable in states where possession has been decriminalised (civil fine rather than criminal sentencing). We are working towards having marijuana decriminalised, slowly but surely.

Most recent reliable state-by-state comparision I could find via google (updated in 2015) : http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2012/04/03/factbox-cannabis-laws-australia

It seems things are quite similar in this regard to the situation in the US where there is significant variation state-by-state : http://www.drugtreatment.com/expose/marijuana-felony-amounts-by-state/

 

[piichinu]

no i dont think it should be legal

so like... anybody know about that cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome or...

anyway, in terms of making it legal medicinally, why are non-medical field people even allowed to vote on that

then sometimes i wonder why people try to justify it by saying "well tobacco and alcohol are more harmful and are legal" because like ... do you guys not know that like,,, those two things are a huge part of the economy and like ... straight up banning them isn't gonna work too well since they're already a huge part of many people's lives It's not that simple

 

[Gnome]

yes bc taxes