I recently visited Amsterdam were I encountered various “coffee shops.” I didn’t go in these coffee shops, but it provoked me to consider legalizing marijuana or at least lessen the offense.
Marijuana doesn’t necessary harm anyone but the user and the harms are not life threatening. If we did legalize marijuana there would be less street crimes committed and possibly less violence overall. There would be new business opportunities to explore, and the drug culture would perhaps dissipate, and children would be less tempted to experiment with marijuana if our society was already open to the idea of marijuana and didn’t treat it as a major crime. The tax payer’s money would go to more important issues of society rather than jailing teens because of procession of marijuana. Canada, Spain, and Germany have taken similar actions like lessening the crime of processing marijuana.
On the other hand, legalization of marijuana could lead to an overall increase in drug use. Since marijuana is the “getaway drug” it could perhaps tempt people into experiment with illegal mood altering substances. Another risk is psychological dependency on marijuana. We could just have a bunch of potheads walking our streets if we legalize. What are the reasons why marijuana isn’t legalized exactly?
I Would Like Some Coffee and Weed Please
By keanan - Posted on October 7th, 2008
Ehh, perhaps it's not legal because being high makes the person look like an idiot? People in government are intellectual people and they don't want people looking like dropouts. Pineapple Express makes fun of potheads like all other movies where marijuana is used. Whenever I've been around people taking hits they just act stupid and it really sucks watching them because they are completely unaware of how ridiculous they’re acting.
Alcohol makes people act and look stupid. But it's legal.
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Procrastination isn't the problem, it's the solution. So procrastinate now, don't put it off. [Ellen Degeneres]
This may be because Alcohol makes people outspoken and or beligerant. Potheads are mellow and could care less because they are to busy eating smoking or sleeping it off.
Love is like a box of chocolates; if you chose wisely you won’t be disappointed and have to spit it out. ~T
That's exactly what I mean. Stehpanie said that maybe pot's illegal because it makes people stupid. If pot makes you stupid and it's illegal, why is alcohol legal even though it makes you stupid, too?
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Procrastination isn't the problem, it's the solution. So procrastinate now, don't put it off. [Ellen Degeneres]
During Prohibition all the drunks got beligerent and force the repeal of the law. The stoners became home growers.
It was a sorry attempt at a joke
Love is like a box of chocolates; if you chose wisely you won’t be disappointed and have to spit it out. ~T
"People in government are intellectual people and they don't want people looking like dropouts."
...no., they're not. and no, they don't care.
The marijuana stamp act effectively outlawed cannabis in the USA, and it was because of racist fear mongering that it was made illegal, not out of the wish to keep people from looking stupid. Please refer to these quotes from Harry Anslinger - the father of marijuana prohibition.
"Reefer makes darkies think they're as good as white men."
"There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos, and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz, and swing, result from marijuana use. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers, and any others."
meanwhile alcohol is a poison and incapacitates people both to a higher degree and for longer periods of time than marijuana.
legalize, regulate, educate.
It is a pity that our nation still upholds laws that are based on prejudice.
Lots of things make people look like idiots, and they aren't illegal.
:-D
"What a crazy random happenstance!"
Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog
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hahaha!!! excellent point!!! let's not forget:
*wearing mini skirts and tank tops in the january
*popped collars
*drinking beer out of a brown paper bag
*and i'd just like to reiterate the idiocy in carrying a dog in a purse...
k
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view my blog! http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/49917
"Ehh, perhaps it's not legal because being high makes the person look like an idiot?"
I personally know countless people who could smoke their way through a quarter oz of weed and still intellectually whip the likes of you into a teary eyed heap of foolishness. Maybe the lazy, ill-informed and slavishly unquestioning credence you appear to afford clumsy stereotyping makes you look like an idiot in the eyes of others, did you ever consider this as a variable in a possible evaluation of who looks like an idiot and who doesn't?
"People in government are intellectual people and they don't want people looking like dropouts."
So what you're trying to say is that you herald George W. Bush as an intellectual? Didn't famous ganja smokers like John F Kennedy, John Kerry and Al Gore have a little something to do with government? Come to think of it, didn't George W have right old time of it huffing down weed, coke and booze in his day too? Not that Bush looks like any kind of drop out, no sir, he looks like a regular intellectual Gargantua.
"Whenever I've been around people taking hits they just act stupid and it really sucks watching them because they are completely unaware of how ridiculous they’re acting."
Maybe you should stop hanging around stupid people with no sense of awareness then. Although you should brace yourself for a dressing-down regarding your unenlightened opinions if you choose to raise the bar and hang out with smart folk.
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I am the people my mother warned me about.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/tuffgong
TUFFGONG
Senior Executive Administrator™
Amsterdam is dealing with numerous problems which are related to overseas tourists.
Some amongst don’t always seem to handle the freedom which is abundant to be enjoyed in this city!
Manny get drunk of emotion and booze while others take or abuse from substances in excess!
This is pretty annoying a reality for all local residents which are kind of fed up with this situation, local authorities are considering to prohibit some goods which are still free for anyone to purchase.
The sales of Magic Mushrooms are heavily questioned now!
Kind of a sad situation which occurs due to people (tourists) who unleash themselves in stupid way’s.
http://www.wowzone.com/monkey.htm
This is also annoying for tourist that dont visit Amsterdam for the purpose of abusing substances. when i was there they didnt treat me with much respect because they automatically assumed that i was stoned or really spaced out.
They carry somewhat an arrogant attitude, it’s normal in Amsterdam, it takes a conversation in order for this arrogance to disappear.
Same is to be experienced in Madrid (Spain), while Barcelona is very open towards tourists!
Antwerp (Belgium) also, while Paris could use some mentality change since they are rude on top of their arrogance, lol
http://www.wowzone.com/monkey.htm
"when i was there they didnt treat me with much respect because they automatically assumed that i was stoned or really spaced out."
It was actually probably more to do with the general Dutch superiority complex, something which leads Dutch people to believe that they are above all other Europeans, and especially Americans.
The thing with Holland is that Dutch drug policy is actually great, the problem lies with the fact that it hasn't been adopted across Europe. This has resulted in Amsterdam becoming a Mecca for drug users and abusers alike. If the rest of Europe would actually start employing science based drug policies instead of appeasing an ignorant and scared voting population, which really needs to be educated, not pandered to, we'd soon see how effective Dutch drug policy is in reducing the social problems associated with prohibition and intolerant drug laws.
Imagine if alcohol was banned in every state in the US, except for one. There would be no doubt that that state would be a hot spot for both social drinkers and alcoholics; in all the other states you'd see the rise of alcohol black markets and all the associated social problems that accompany prohibition. I don't understand how people who are opposed to decriminalization can be so blind to the glaring parallel the prohibition era represents in regard to the ineffectiveness of prohibition as means of dealing with drug related social problems.
Cannabis was only made illegal in the 20th century, but too many people seem to think it's been illegal for hundreds of years. The people who generally have the biggest issues with decriminalization of Cannabis, are also usually the people who know the least about it; this is evidenced by their tendency to quote outdated propaganda, stuff which has usually been debunked decades before, usually a fact they are blissfully unaware of.
_____________________________________________________________
I am the people my mother warned me about.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/tuffgong
TUFFGONG
Senior Executive Administrator™