This is a hot topic in British Columbia, seeing as how we are a huge producer of pot. Do you think it should be legalized? How about decriminalized? What about for medical purposes?

Does the same opinion apply for other drugs?

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Oh my. what a topic. I have some opinions on it.

I think that by keeping it illegal, it makes the stakes higher for drug lords and therfore gives them ALL the power. NEVER has it shown that increased criminalization DECREASES the occurrence of the crime.
What would I do?

Well, like homemade wine or homemade beer/ale, i would let each person grow a limited amount of plants. say.. 5 or ten. This amount is more than sufficient for personal use. And if it is legal to grow this amount, people will not be afraid to use professionals to help them establish a safe greenhouse or growing room .

If it is found that a person is growing it to sell, or if a person has over the max amount of plants, they should be fined 1000-5000 dollars per plant over the limit. This money can come off their wages, off their taxes, from personal property etc.

Benefits.

1)takes control away from drug lords by making it legal to grow their own for personal use.If people can grow their own, they wont pay exuberant amounts to drug dealers and the sale/transport/export of marijuana will therefore be much less profitable to dealers. Right now, dealers/growers make TONNES of cash because it is a high risk thing.

2)makes people more likely to use safe growing measures because it doesnt need to be hidden.

3) if people are fined rather than put in jail, then they are able to financially contribute to their country. Money can go towards health care, affordable housing etc.... If they go to jail they cost YOU and I money. It costs ludicrous amounts of money to keep these people in jail. What good are they there? sAve jail for violent offenders. If they are fined up to 5 grand per plant and they have a big grow room, WELL then, they will be getting hit where it hurts, in their pocket book.

Tobacco, alcohol, anitdepressents, sedatives, diet pills, methampetamines (like ritalin and dexadrine) have been shown time and time again to cause far more health problems than marijuana,and are very addictive, BUT because all these things make certain companies rich, and that money goes straight back into the government, they will always be legal. Deaths resulting from marijuana use compared to deaths occured from any of the above mentioned drugs are minimal and almost nonexistant. (other than the fact that it is smoking related)

I think its silly that we can go to a doctor because we are sad, unable to sleep, stressed, fat, anxious etc etc and we can be put on a DNA altering chemically addictive drug that makes pharmaceutical companies rich, BUT if we want to smoke a bit of grass to take the edge off (similar to but less harmful than having a few drinks with the guys/girls) then we risk going to jail. Double standard.

Someone should be held accountable for their actions while under the influence of course, if the fact that they are stoned has caused an accident, (like while on a sedative or drinking or certain allergy meds) then they should be charged with driving under the influence etc... but having and growing pot for personal use should be just as legal as brewing home made wine.
IMO

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I'm going to say on that. Well said Shilo.

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Andrea (35) Dh (35)
Co-host of 30-Something Parenting
Infertility Survivor!!! I love my IVF girls!

Thanks. I forgot to add, I do feel there should be a legal age limit of course, as there is with alcohol and tobacco.

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No.

No.

No. FWIW, when dh's grandma was dying of cancer and suffered severe pain, she never once NEEDED to smoke pot to relieve her pain. If marijuana NEEDS to be used(which it doesn't) for medical reasons, then make it in pill or liquid form.

Yes.

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"Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant and the rule of law under God is acknowledged." -- Ronald Reagan

Keep it illegal, I think that wasted tax money on the people in prison for marijuana is a great thing! [/sarcasm]

I believe it is no more harmful than alcohol, and could actually bring in revenue to the stages. If controlled and taxed, like tobacco, it would be extremely beneficial.

Oh, Kim, comparing one person's cancer to another isn't particularly a good idea. My great grandmother had breast cancer, and no treatments. She didn't take any pain meds, and lived alone (was checked on often). She got up, and made her bed just minutes before she died. For me to say that all people in the final stages of cancer should be able to do as she did would be ludicrous.

I'd like to hear well thought out reasons as to why it's such a terrible thing if smoked? I, personally, would never smoke cigarettes or marijuana, but if an adult wants to do it, I don't see why the government should intervene, especially at taxpayer expense. In my experience, alcohol is more harmful.

The other , harder drugs, should stay illegal,though IMO.

I agree with Shilo's post completely.

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To the states, not stages. For goodness sakes, I shouldn't even attempt to type after 2am.

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If my tax dollars are going to help with the legalizing of this drug, that is even more reason I will never support it.

Apparently you never lived with a pot smoker. Maybe that is why I am so against it, because I have seen what it does to people. I myself experimented with it and I am so glad I made the choice(oh geez, there's that word again)to stop. Yes, alcohol can be harmful if abused, but so can pot. If it is made legal, it gives people one more substance to become addicted to. If those aren't "well thought out reasons" I'm sorry.

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"Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant and the rule of law under God is acknowledged." -- Ronald Reagan

And if it stays illegal, it just continues to cost tax payers money buy clogging up the judicial system and prisons.
Alcohol isnt needed, but it is legal. It is recreational.
Tobacco isnt needed, but it is legal. It isnt EVEN recreational. There is no use for smoking at all.
Pain meds are addictive, as are antidepressents, sedatives, amphetamines... yet they are all legal and pharmaceutical companies make a 'killing' off of our mental disorders.
I have lived with a pot smoker for many years. I have known many pot smokers. Some of these are teachers, architects, authors, technological engineer, and one doctor. I used to smoke pot but I didnt like the way it made me feel. For me it brings on panic attacks. (thank goodness I had Paxil and Xanax! hehe)

I don't think any substance should be used as a crutch. Having a crutch makes one weak. Whether it be prescription meds or alcohol, cigarettes or pot.
The government wastes SO much money fighting this... if people could grow a small amount of pot for themselves, avoiding lining the pockets of drug lords, and being able to grow a plant organically, chemical free, (making it a different substance than processed cocaine, speed, acid etc) why not?

BUT, if people are selling it, then BUST them, but dont arrest them, just fine them up the wahooo and then use the fines to better the immediate social problems.
Save the effort of the police for the real crime.

It's a plant for pete's sake. YEs, if you smoke it, you can get high....and if you drink beer , you can get drunk. So do we need to call back a prohibition for alcohol and tobacco too? Both those things are more harmful. OR how about all the other plants that have certain properties that can get us high? The plant is a natural, god given growing thing. You will never stop people from abusing things and let me tell you, people smoking crack, and shooting heroin and snorting lines are not interested in pot.

The TRUE gateway drug? If there is one? Is alcohol. IT lowers inhibitians and makes one much more likely to be open to ideas and suggestions that they would otherwise not be interested in.

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Actually, I have. My abusive ex smoked pot, but he was far more scary when drunk, or high on a harder drug. On pot, he was mellow and sleepy.

Pot isn't physiologically addictive,though. So, it's easy to make the choice to stop. People who think they're addicted to it are the ones who will find any substance (if pot isn't available then alcohol) to "make life easier". My ex was one of those people.

Making it legal will actually save money, and maybe even make money (through taxation). We spend millions every year housing people in prison who have been caught with pot (in large amounts). I'm not actually concerned with that aspect, but it's quite true. I'd rather save the jailspace for the real criminals.

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Yes. Oh dear, nobody anywhere ever has ever ever started a should marijuana be legal debate before. Jacie, you are the bestest at coming up with topics!

Sorry, my snark-o-meter went into overdrive.


Yes.
Yes. Yes.


No, although I do believe some could come in handy for medical use.

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Dear Jacquie,
You were right about everything.
-Jacie

And I do agree with most of what Shilo has to say about it.

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Dear Jacquie,
You were right about everything.
-Jacie

You are so predictable. I knew you were going to say something about that.

I have not seen a marijuana topic on here for a long time. And people are responding, so people must still want to talk about it.

Shilo, very well said!

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Maybe I am stupid but I thought she was being nice. Maybe I am just gullable.

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I think it should remain illegal. I smoked quite a bit as a teenager and it impaired me way more than beer. Not all the time, but everyone I know could have one or two drinks and thats it, but if pot was there, you smoked until you were out of your mind. EVERY TIME. Plus around here, it was much easier to get pot than beer. Still is.

The other problem I have is when you pull over a drunk driver, you do a breathalizer and can tell how much they consumed. Nothing to see how much you have smoked.

For medical reasons, I see no problems. As long as NO driving occurs.

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You are not gullible, but I wasn't being serious. They way MMG "said it" struck my silly-snarky bone.

My snark wasn't directed to your subject matter, attention whore.

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Dear Jacquie,
You were right about everything.
-Jacie

I agree with Shilo that having a few plants for personal use should definitely not be illegal.

But what about commercial harvest and sale?

DH has a friend that has a license to grow pot for the Canadian gov. for medical use. Do you think this should be expanded to recreational use?

I know some marijuana users who do not want it to be legalized. The reason? It is easy to get right now, and relatively affordable. So, why pay tax on it?

Canada likes to tax the heck out of things that are addictive.

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Good post Shilo. ITA! I think alcohol is way more harmful than pot and not just on a behavioral level but also on a physical level. Think of what booze does to the body. If you think pot should be illegal then you should think that alcohol should be too. If not I think you just are not educated enough on the subject to be talking about it. Funny how people think that a glass or two of wine after the kids are in bed are the same people who flip out over a mom who takes a toke after same kids are asleep. Really.

Adamsmommy, maybe you did, but not everyone gets high till they are senseless, just like not everyone drinks till they pass out. People who toke until they are no longer aware are often the same people who will drink themselves into oblivion.

I do agree though, that it should be treated like any other drug(legal and otherwise) in that you should not be driving or operating other heavy machinery when under the influence.

I agree Shilo, I bet alot of people would be shocked at knowing who smoked the occasional blunt. People always associate pot with teen boys who go around saying Duh all the time but really, I have met some super smart people who have high paying high profile jobs who get high.