Lothar121

Marijuana Should Not Be Legalized
Colby DeMarco| The Free Lance-Star | 08/28/2005

I'm writing in response to a recent letter to the editor ["We should regulate and tax marijuana, as with alcohol," Aug. 24].

Kirk Muse suggests that we should "regulate, control, and tax the sale and production of marijuana and sell it in licensed business establishments like we do with tobacco." I have to disagree.

Is there really an option of controlling the distribution of marijuana? I don't think I want my fellow teenagers driving under the influence of marijuana, as they do with alcohol. Putting an age limit on a drug or drink doesn't control youth from getting hold of it.

Legalizing marijuana for nonmedical purposes shows our youth that it's OK to get high, once you're old enough. Although I'm only 13 years old, and don't have the experiences of my elders, I can see the flaws in Mr. Muse's idea.

The only thing legalizing marijuana would produce is more bloodshot eyes.


Colby DeMarco

Orange

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TheNewGuy

Teenagers are purchasing weeds anyways...but the way they buy it now they have to go through shady deals with people that might lace it with something. If you controlled it, it would be safer than going to someone on the street.

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"Anyway, no drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. If we're looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn't test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power." ~P.J. O'Rourke

Lothar121

It isn't a black and white either or issue. The proper question to be asking yourself is "will it reduce youth access?" not "will it eliminate youth access". Nothing will eliminate youth access, but we should look at ways to minimize the harm.

I would point out to the author of this letter that scientific surveys have consistently shown that our youth can obtain marijuana easier than alcohol. Alcohols cards, marijuana does not, go figure.

Reality check. Nobody says it would eliminate youth access, it would simply reduce youth access. Think of it like a slider:

(***)= % of youth having access to cannabis

Prohibition
more access|||||| ***|||||||||||||||||||||||less access

Taxation/Regulation
more access||||||||||||||||||||||***|||||| less access

So it's quite simple really. It would reduce access, not eliminate it. It is more than apparent that the author just didn't look into the issue very far.

There is also no conclusive evidence that marijuana legalization would increase use. States that reduce penalties for marijuana have not experienced a necessary increase in use. That's one point. The other point I would like to make is increased enforcement of marijuana related laws has not detered use either.From the Justice Policy Institute Article:

Despite this increase in spending on drug control from $65 million to currently $19 billion, and the imprisonment of 30,000 people for a marijuana offense, marijuana usage has remained relatively unchanged regardless of arrest rates going up or down.

http://www.marijuana.com/420/showthread.php?t=40641

The infamous

MAN I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW STUPID PEOPLE ARE!

i live in VA and have to put up with this. i know just how many KIDS, and i mean kids (13-15yrs old). Smoke weed. And how much easier weed is to get than cigs or alcohol. why not just legalize it? so the government can make money too(taxes). Its really stupid how these people say its going to make it harder to obtain if it remained illegal. WE ALREADY HAVE IT. Stupid ****s.

sorry if i'm breaking any rules...but this stuff just makes me mad.

Thanks for reporting it though

Lyte it up 420

i can't believe how fast everyone's jumping down this kid's throat. He's 13, probably strait out of dare and obviously has no idea what he's talking about. I give it a year or 2 before he comes over to our side.

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uniquexperience

Well.. it might take him some time.. Maybe get him a girlfriend who smokes. :spark:

Buzzby

Other than infamous, who's 14 himself and is now banned, no one was jumping down the kid's throat. They were challenging his misstatement of the facts. How is he ever going to learn the truth if no one disputes his erroneous beliefs?

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greypoe

I wrote this in response to the article. http://fredtalk.fredericksburg.com/s...=5&o=2&fpart=1
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I still don't see a valid reason for why cannabis should not be legal. You say you don't want kids driving around while "high"? They're going to do that legal or illegal. The only real problem with that, is there is no way for police officers to test them for it. Perhaps they should be required to keep their bong in a bag, like alcohol.

Want to keep kids off drugs? Stop DAREing kids to use drugs. That is what Anti Drug Propiganda is doing. Just check out the NIDA (National Institute Of Drug Abuse) Publication for teens. http://www.nida.nih.gov/MarijBroch/teenpg3-4.html#use

Why Do Young People Use Marijuana?

Quote:
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Some teens may feel they need marijuana and other drugs to help them escape from problems at home, at school, or with friends.



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When kid who is having problems at home reads this message, they just found a reason to use it. On a subconscious level, they will do it to rebel.

Legalizing it would be a better route for keeping kids off drugs. One, it will thow out the Gateway effect: If they use marijuana they are more likely to use other drugs; if they come to believe this, it shall become a reality. If cannabis is legal, it will be grow everywhere. It will grow old to rebellious kids, untill the kids grow old and become mature, and informed. Then it would make a good hobby, with great rewards.

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