Should Pot be Legal?

[doodlebug 3]

How is legalized pot working in other countries, like the Netherlands?

Read post 86 to find out.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

20 people said no - but their views on the matter seem surprisingly absent.

[Marilyn. 340]

20 people said no - but their views on the matter seem surprisingly absent.

Having tried the product many years ago, I would say no. Aside from always being hungry, my brain was not running on all 8 cylinders. Not to mention the lethargic condition when you come down.

As it stands, we will have more morons if pot was legalized. Morons as in ADD, and brain shrinkage.

While it may be a great thing for some folks, I find that other folks have a tendency to allow it to get in the way of living with purpose. Sitting around stoned doesn't accomplish much or get many things done. I have to say, I don't remember much from 1992 to 1995. The last thing I remember was the Clinton election, and then I woke up and it was 1995...Felt like I never left the sofa. That's when I decided it was time to pull up my big girl pants & get on with it. I was in my early 20's at the time, and it had it's run-but it was time to move onward...

I have friends & family in their 40's and 50's that STILL smoke on a regular basis, and I see their accomplishments in life. No savings, no retirement fund, dead end job, and live in squalor. They go to work, come home, sit on the sofa, smoke, eat-eat eat, gain weight, etc- in a nutshell-no ambition.

I also agree with Welshcookie, in that certain individuals which have brain chemistry issues may be adversly affected-ie, paranoid induced psychosis....

So, I am one of the ones who said, "nae"...

Rose

What are the common side effects of marijuana use?

The following are some of the common side effects of using marijuana:

* Trouble remembering things

* Sleepiness

* Anxiety

* Paranoia (feeling that people are “out to get you”)

* Altered time perception

Using marijuana for a long time makes some people lose interest in school, work, relationships and other activities. It may also cause legal problems. Using marijuana can be especially dangerous in certain situations, such as when you are driving.

How can marijuana affect me physically?

The following are some of the common physical effects of marijuana:

* Tremors (shaking)

* Nausea

* Headache

* Coordination becoming worse

* Breathing problems

* Increased appetite

* Reduced blood flow to the brain

* Changes in the reproductive organs

Like tobacco, marijuana contains many chemicals that can hurt the lungs and cause cancer. One marijuana cigarette can cause more damage to the lungs than many tobacco cigarettes because marijuana has more tar in it and is usually smoked without filters.

http://familydoctor.org/485.xml

Short-term effects of using marijuana include:

*

Sleepiness

*

Difficulty keeping track of time, impaired or reduced short-term memory

*

Reduced ability to perform tasks requiring concentration and coordination, such as driving a car

*

Increased heart rate

*

Potential cardiac dangers for those with preexisting heart disease

*

Bloodshot eyes

*

Dry mouth and throat

*

Decreased social inhibitions

*

Paranoia, hallucinations

*

Impaired or reduced short-term memory

*

Impaired or reduced comprehension

*

Altered motivation and cognition, making the acquisition of new information difficult

*

Paranoia

*

Psychological dependence

*

Impairments in learning, memory, perception, and judgment - difficulty speaking, listening effectively, thinking, retaining knowledge, problem solving, and forming concepts

*

Intense anxiety or panic attacks

Long-term effects of using marijuana include:

*

Enhanced cancer risk

*

Decrease in testosterone levels and lower sperm counts for men

*

Increase in testosterone levels for women and increased risk of infertility

*

Diminished or extinguished sexual pleasure

*

Psychological dependence requiring more of the drug to get the same effect

http://www.marijuanaaddiction.info/effects-of-marijuana.htm

I have noticed when I watched that show "Intervention" on A&E that a lot of those people said they started off by smoking pot and then went on to bigger drugs....

Now I am not saying that everyone who smokes Pot will start doing heroin etc.. but I think for some people there is the danger of that happening....

I think there is a lot of ignorance out there regarding responsible marijuana use.

is there such a thing?

there are more quotes too... but it wouldn't let be post more quotes

[deemabrouk 0]

What are the common side effects of marijuana use?

The following are some of the common side effects of using marijuana:

* Trouble remembering things

* Sleepiness

* Anxiety

* Paranoia (feeling that people are “out to get you”)

* Altered time perception

Using marijuana for a long time makes some people lose interest in school, work, relationships and other activities. It may also cause legal problems. Using marijuana can be especially dangerous in certain situations, such as when you are driving.

How can marijuana affect me physically?

The following are some of the common physical effects of marijuana:

* Tremors (shaking)

* Nausea

* Headache

* Coordination becoming worse

* Breathing problems

* Increased appetite

* Reduced blood flow to the brain

* Changes in the reproductive organs

Like tobacco, marijuana contains many chemicals that can hurt the lungs and cause cancer. One marijuana cigarette can cause more damage to the lungs than many tobacco cigarettes because marijuana has more tar in it and is usually smoked without filters.

http://familydoctor.org/485.xml

Short-term effects of using marijuana include:

*

Sleepiness

*

Difficulty keeping track of time, impaired or reduced short-term memory

*

Reduced ability to perform tasks requiring concentration and coordination, such as driving a car

*

Increased heart rate

*

Potential cardiac dangers for those with preexisting heart disease

*

Bloodshot eyes

*

Dry mouth and throat

*

Decreased social inhibitions

*

Paranoia, hallucinations

*

Impaired or reduced short-term memory

*

Impaired or reduced comprehension

*

Altered motivation and cognition, making the acquisition of new information difficult

*

Paranoia

*

Psychological dependence

*

Impairments in learning, memory, perception, and judgment - difficulty speaking, listening effectively, thinking, retaining knowledge, problem solving, and forming concepts

*

Intense anxiety or panic attacks

Long-term effects of using marijuana include:

*

Enhanced cancer risk

*

Decrease in testosterone levels and lower sperm counts for men

*

Increase in testosterone levels for women and increased risk of infertility

*

Diminished or extinguished sexual pleasure

*

Psychological dependence requiring more of the drug to get the same effect

http://www.marijuanaaddiction.info/effects-of-marijuana.htm

Of course the "Anti" people are gonna come up with the worse #######.. "Anti" islam people come up with a Few Doozies to try to make their point.. even though it is completely Bias.. This reminds me of the movie "Reefer Madness"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reefer_Madness

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I wonder what a pack of Marlboro Greens would cost? Would we tax it to death? Would it end up cheaper than it is on the black market? Hmmm.

How is legalized pot working in other countries, like the Netherlands?

Cigarettes are already heavily taxed and I would wager that while most smokers would buy a cheaper cigarette if they could, the convenience of buying them at the store trumps chasing down some shady character to save some bucks.

Someone else has already highlighted the statistics of how legalizing pot in the netherlands has had few social repercussions, but it's also worth pointing out that the Dutch economy is one of the most robust in Europe - there is 5% unemployment (compare that to its neighbors). They don't appear to be suffering too many negative consquences as a result of a very pragmatic position on soft drugs.

Does it mean marijuana is completely safe? No, I think we all know this is not the case. But then neither is alcohol, tobacco or many prescription drugs. In fact, a report by the New Scientist (that the World Health Organization attempted to surpress) back in the 90s found marijuana to be generally safer and less addictive than alcohol or tobacco. Do some people become addicted and can it ruin their life? Yes it can, but so can many other legal substances. The fact remains that the vast majority of adults who try marijuana don't become addicted and lead productive lives. I think people should be made fully aware of the negatives, but I think grown adults should be able to decide for themselves and that so much valuable resource should be devoted to preventing them.

[deemabrouk 0]

I wonder what a pack of Marlboro Greens would cost? Would we tax it to death? Would it end up cheaper than it is on the black market? Hmmm.

How is legalized pot working in other countries, like the Netherlands?

Cigarettes are already heavily taxed and I would wager that while most smokers would buy a cheaper cigarette if they could, the convenience of buying them at the store trumps chasing down some shady character to save some bucks.

Someone else has already highlighted the statistics of how legalizing pot in the netherlands has had few social repercussions, but it's also worth pointing out that the Dutch economy is one of the most robust in Europe - there is 5% unemployment (compare that to its neighbors). They don't appear to be suffering too many negative consquences as a result of a very pragmatic position on soft drugs.

Does it mean marijuana is completely safe? No, I think we all know this is not the case. But then neither is alcohol, tobacco or many prescription drugs. In fact, a report by the New Scientist (that the World Health Organization attempted to surpress) back in the 90s found marijuana to be generally safer and less addictive than alcohol or tobacco. Do some people become addicted and can it ruin their life? Yes it can, but so can many other legal substances. The fact remains that the vast majority of adults who try marijuana don't become addicted and lead productive lives. I think people should be made fully aware of the negatives, but I think grown adults should be able to decide for themselves and that so much valuable resource should be devoted to preventing them.

Anything can become addicting and Ruin their life... Sugar and Food !!! can be addictive and have ruined peoples lives - Diabetes, obesity, etc. Every negative has a positive. and Visa versa... That is just how life is.. As with everything - Moderation is the Key.

And as for kids smoking pot(which seem to be getting younger and younger)... physically and mental they are not mature enough.. I think the Cafe's in Amsterdam had a 18 and older restriction??

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I think so -- also you can only smoke in coffee houses or places where alcohol is not served. Although I've been to places where I've seen both, but these were usually far away from where the tourists go for the thrill of a legal smoke.

[Fandango 1,440]

raging alcoholism has not forced alcohol to become illegal...think about that

ETA: no one here should put any opinion forth such as 'health negatives' because as it's been pointed out, there are many associated with smoking tobacco and misuse of drinking alcohol yet no one's lobbying that those be made illegal. Which makes the health argument a superfluous one.

Edited April 12, 2007 by LisaD

[Alex+R 0]

raging alcoholism has not forced alcohol to become illegal...think about that

ETA: no one here should put any opinion forth such as 'health negatives' because as it's been pointed out, there are many associated with smoking tobacco and misuse of drinking alcohol yet no one's lobbying that those be made illegal. Which makes the health argument a superfluous one.

Totally.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

Nor has obesity resulted in a ban on McDonalds. I always find it amazing whenever people use the "what about the children" argument with regards to the legalization of marijuana, the complete disregard or lack of ackowledgement for how in less than a generation there has been an explosion of childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes. I would rather see the money spent in fighting soft drugs on education and nutritition to prevent this real healthcare timebomb, which poses I think a far more serious health risk.

[derekkj 0]

raging alcoholism has not forced alcohol to become illegal...think about that

ETA: no one here should put any opinion forth such as 'health negatives' because as it's been pointed out, there are many associated with smoking tobacco and misuse of drinking alcohol yet no one's lobbying that those be made illegal. Which makes the health argument a superfluous one.

Well, not since 1920. And THAT worked well!

[Welshcookie 17]

Does it mean marijuana is completely safe? No, I think we all know this is not the case. But then neither is alcohol, tobacco or many prescription drugs. In fact, a report by the New Scientist (that the World Health Organization attempted to surpress) back in the 90s found marijuana to be generally safer and less addictive than alcohol or tobacco. Do some people become addicted and can it ruin their life? Yes it can, but so can many other legal substances. The fact remains that the vast majority of adults who try marijuana don't become addicted and lead productive lives. I think people should be made fully aware of the negatives, but I think grown adults should be able to decide for themselves and that so much valuable resource should be devoted to preventing them.

I absolutely agree

[Otto 83]

The same people who are against pot or any other recreational drug are some of the same people popping psychological medications at home.. the defense of "I have a prescription for them" is a load of #######...and these people are always the last ones to realize this - everyone else in their life knows.. What's in your medicine cabinet???