Why is Marijuana Illegal?

[sanctus]

Wow much to say:

• I believe that MJ is worse than alcohol, because, mainly if you smoke when you are young, there is a risk that you become schizophrenic (you have to already have the brain in way that it is possible that you become schizophrenic, but how do you know?). If you become an alcoholic and then you manage to get out, the only thing you will have the rest of your life is that you never ever can drink even a drop of alchol. But if you get schizophrenic, the rest of your life changes quite a lot more. I am not on a anti-MJ-crusade, I think it just important to know the risks; and this thing of schizophrenia I had 2 friends who got schizophrenic due do smoking heaps of MJ (one of them died, due to a side-effect of the medicaments he had to take, last summer at age 23...) so not making it up
• The heroin distribution programs we have in Switzerland are one of the most useful things done for the addicts living in the streets. Usually it is not the heroin itself (it does not destroy the body like eg. crack), but the life they have to live which destroys them. Making them not live in the streets is a big help (much better than the jail!). This is what every person working in this field says and also the addicts or ex-addicts themselves say (due to the work of my father I know quite a few).
  Even those christians or other people really against it, should be happy about this, simply because "their kids" (as they love to say) wouldn't need to see anymore people in the park with the needle in their arm.
• I am in favor of legalizing MJ, just because as someone said here it permits more control (once again, in Switzerland just recently it was voted against ). It will always be possible to get it underage, but by it being legal it will be much harder (just like when buying alcohol when I was 14, it is possible but not easy).

In conclusion, I do not know why it is illegal, but although it is dangerous, it should be legal because it permits better control.

[lemit]

My first response to the question is, well, because we're really dumb.

But I need to qualify that by confessing that I've only tried the substance in question a couple of times and the only thing I seemed to get was clogged sinuses.

I think maybe either we have those qualities of creativity inside us or we don't. Ascribing the qualities to a foreign substance might be a misdirection and might keep us from discovering the creative and wonderful qualities that we really have.

Does that sound like somebody who used to teach writing? Yeah, I suspect it does. Sorry, but I can't keep from wanting to discover and exploit that kernel of knowledge and expression that's within each of us, and I can't keep from wanting to find a drug-free way to do that.

I'm sorry to take this away from the original purpose, but I want all of you to remember that you're probably pretty good all by yourself.

--lemit

[maddog]

Originally Posted by Theory5

Why is Marijuana Illegal?
I found this site while I was watching the newest Family Guy episode "420" and I wanted to know why marijuana was really illegal. I couldnt figure out why so I googled it.
I put this in the political sciences forum because marijuana was illegalized due not to its effects (its been said that marijuana is actually less dangerous than alchohol, of course that depends on its consumption rate :-P ) but due to the first influx of mexicans from across the border.

Any suggestions, comments or otherwise?

I was not aware of the quote from the Texas Senate. Though your theory of Illegalization
of Marijuana in 1937 used to combat Mexican Immigration is what I have heard as well.
Harry Anslinger was hire to head the original organization (I forget the acronym -- see
Freeze's links).

The "gateway connection" theory was totally concocted. Effects are on par with alcohol
maybe, though because of the combustion temperature of Marijuana over Tobacco, the
long term effect for the lungs are not thought to be zero. Even without all the additives
in Tobacco, the Tar in Tobacco is worse than equivalent components in Marijuana (no
actual Tar per se). I do feel strongly that if Marijuana ever gets legalized in US that
severe Driving Restrictions are imposed (like alcohol) as judgment is definitely impaired.

maddog

[maddog]

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

because the USA gets mean and nasty and becomes a big bully to any nation trying to soften its laws on it.
Despite this in two Staes in Oz it has been decriminalised and mostly you get a slap on the wrist for having small quantities, on a first offence, in other States.

In what continent is "OZ" ? Are we talking about Kansas ?

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

Other reasons could include:-

• It is too profitable to too many
  (politicians, judges, law enforcers, police, organised crime, private jails?)
  to make legal.

Organized Crime both with/without US have vested interest in keeping MJ Illegal.
This is the Perfect reason to legalize it within US for both Medical and Recreation
reasons. The tax base alone could assist in repaying National Debt.

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

• Christians are dead scared of it.

Kinda' like Homosexuality, etc.

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

• Smoking is bad for your lungs
• Overuse can be hamfull

Absolutely Anything in excess will kill you eventually. If you were to drink about 3 Gal
H2O per day before a week is out your kidneys would probably give out.

So just like with MJ, Smoke a lb of Pot / day for 20 years and your lungs will probably
be kaput. I would think though the whole time your brain would be just a bit foggy and
if you did happen to quit your brain might even clear up eventually, your lungs might not.

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

• It can stuff adolescent's brains.

It might be that I might have finished a PhD in Physics had I not come across MJ in my
life (I tried it back then). More likely life got in the way of my intentions.

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

• Is is the USA's biggest employer (?)

More a reason why to tax it than ever!

maddog

[Theory5]

In what continent is "OZ" ? Are we talking about Kansas ?

I belive they are reffering to Austrailia, either that or a Oz, Isère, a city in france.
:-)
I looked it up on wikipedia.

[Moontanman]

In what continent is "OZ" ? Are we talking about Kansas ?

It's a far off, strange and windy land where they eat Vegemite sandwiches and wrestle crocodiles


Do you come from a land down under?
Where women glow and men plunder?
Cant you hear, cant you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover.

[Ganoderma]

wait a second. Can we really can this an illegal drug, at leas in countries like the USA? i mean to make it outright illegal goes against the constitution......no no, cannot do that.

It is a "Controlled Substance". yes, that sounds right. can't get in trouble for taking away freedom if its simply controlled, cause there is still possible access in a word like "controlled"

Turns out later that it was a good thing, because whether you agree with it or not, there is a very good argument to be made that marijuana acts as a "gateway" drug, seemingly innocent, but opening the door to ever-more addictive and ever-more harmful and dangerous drugs.

that has always been a common, but very flawed/weak argument. The only way marijuana, or any illegal substance, acts as a gateways drug is through the social conditioning that you are a criminal, your doing drugs....so it makes a person out to be a bad drug criminal, and shortens the gap between a "soft" drug and a "hard".

if perhaps you don't agree with that, perhaps it's the mind altering affects that marijuana causes. by that very standard like stated above alcohol nad even tobacco should be illegal.

fact is marijuana is less harmful than legal drugs and it alters perception as much as other legal substances.

the controlled nature of this plant is really hypocritical cause by the standards they claim either marijuana, and others, should be legal OR alcohol/tobacco and others should be controlled. it is a double standard that has no logic or reason.

[Michaelangelica]

Oz isn't in any continent.
It does have some of the sacred-lotus-eating properties of the famous film of Dorththy's lurid trip, however.

Is Cannabis Canada's major export crop to the USA?

Boerseun
Turns out later that it was a good thing, because whether you agree with it or not, there is a very good argument to be made that marijuana acts as a "gateway" drug, seemingly innocent, but opening the door to ever-more addictive and ever-more harmful and dangerous drugs.

Is there a good argument?
Do you want to make it?
It is certainly not the consensus opinion of Health Authorities in Oz.

[Boerseun]

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

Is there a good argument?
Do you want to make it?
It is certainly not the consensus opinion of Health Authorities in Oz.

Yes - I believe there is a very good argument in support of the gateway hypothesis.

In South Africa, MJ is illegal. But, with the police being swamped by more serious matters, they basically turn a blind eye to the small-time dealers and users.

In other words, MJ is illegal de jure, but is freely available with very little risk and is, for all practical reasons, a de facto available drug like cigarettes and alcohol.

The dynamics of this system might be slightly different than the experience in the US, the UK or Oz - with quite a couple of interesting lessons to learn.

In the Western Cape, there's a serious problem with Tik usage. I don't know much about Tik, apart from the fact that it seriously scrambles your brains. And because of the social impact the big Tik-addict problem in the western Cape has, a lot of studies have been done on it. And you don't have to take my word for it, I will go and look for links and such, but for now just bear with me:

It turns out that the vast majority of Tik users (>90%) have started on MJ, which is, for all practical purposes, as freely available as cigarettes - and at about the same price, too. Users have reported that MJ is expressly taken to "trip out", and upon reaching a rather dissappointing plateau, they search for something stronger. This is not to say that they haven't consumed cigarettes and alcohol, too.

But the telling part comes in when an addict is in Tik rehab. When they come down from Tik, all they want is MJ. They don't care about cigarettes or alcohol, they can do perfectly without.

Some wild claims, surely - but I will go and look for links towards that study.

[Ganoderma]

these people that are always looking for a better, do you think it really has to do with MJ, or is it more they are mentally situated to want a certain feeling. whether they need escape from some kind of mental/physical pain or if they just have the personality the fact is they left MJ because it didn't work well enough for them, it wasn't a strong enough drug. which makes me think that is mj was not around, they would find something else to do.

probably different between SA and canada. where i am from in western canada it is more or less similar as far as "being allowed" or tolerable. bigger fish to fry kind of thing. i always read the odd article in the newspaper or on TV about various things like you say. one recent thing is they are putting meth in weed.

now the thing all these people are doing is say weed is so bad, there is meth in it now and you can get messed up "only buying pot". which is true, my mom has gotten 2 people in her lab for this exact thing last month.

but think it through. these are pretty hard core drug dealers (dealing with meth). so right off the bat we have criminals doing immoral things to unsuspecting people in illegal narcotics. but why do they put it in meth? because its controlled by the gov, but has no absolutely NO control over its production and sale. so its an easy thing for drug dealers to add things to.

my question is this. if marijuana becomes a legal controlled thing like alcohol or tobacco in many countries, would the social stigmas and negative social aspects (such as being a criminal, hanging out with the wrong crowd, and mixing up with other drugs)?

personally i find that the gateway thing is not due to marijuana so much as the social conditioning that if you use marijuana your a low life criminal. and the fact that some people just want, or need, to get high and the method/end result is not so important as the effectiveness.

how many times do we see legal drugs being laced with things? not so common, because they are controlled more or less.

Boerseun: I'm curious if you think the gateway theory is really due to the effects of marijuana as a true experience view, or of a social type aspect that when your with your friends getting high, its cool and fun and new things might be as well.


here is a study. really small sample, and does not hold much weight in my mind...but its interesting anyway.
The herbal remedy: Teens use cannabis for relief, not recreation

The herbal remedy: Teens use cannabis for relief, not recreation
April 22nd, 2009

When legal therapies let them down, some teens turn to cannabis. A new study, published in BioMed Central's open access journal Substance Abuse, Treatment, Prevention and Policy suggests that around a third of teens who smoke cannabis on a regular basis use it as a medication, rather than as a means of getting high.

some more neat studies on this dangerous narcotic.
Cannabis Compounds Reduce Multi-Drug Resistant Infections

Cannabis Compounds Reduce Multi-Drug Resistant Infections

Study Says Cannabinoids Show "Exceptional" Antibacterial Activity Against MRSA

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cannabis Science, Inc. (OTCBB: GFON). Dr. Robert Melamede, PhD., Director and Chief Science Officer, reported to the Board on the current state of research into the use of natural plant cannabinoids to reduce the spread of drug-resistant bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphyloccus aureus (MRSA), and the prospects for development of topical whole-cannabis treatments.