Legalize Marijuana in Canada

[August1991]

How many people wander the streets of Canada with marijuana charges/convictions in their past?

How many people have gone to prison for marijuana?

How much criminality occurs because marijuana deals must occur outside of the normal legal system?

I don't have stats readily at hand but I believe that a large percentage of prisoners in the US are there for drug offenses. The same is probably true in Canada.

We should legalize (and control) marijuana as we do alcohol. We could even consdier harder drugs such as cocaine or heroin.

We can't deal with problems like this if we pretend the problems don't exist.

[seabee]

Even though I believe legalizing drugs is necessary, I don't think it will happen.

Right now, organized crime makes billions out of drugs. If there were serious talks by the political cless to legalize them, organized crime will stop at nothing to prevent this proposition to became law, including blackmail, kidnapping and murder. And politicians will rightfully just be too scared to vote to legalize drugs. After all, would you be willing to sacrifice a loved one so that pot be legalized?

[theloniusfleabag]

Dear August1991,

Marijuana would be very difficult to control if legalized. The only thing the gov't would be able to control is 'marijuana bars' such as in Amsterdam. Anyone can grow a plant or two in a closet or basement, just as anyone can brew beer or wine. Perhaps these 'pot bars' can charge a 'rollage fee' like restaurants that allow you to bring your own wine.

I think decriminalization is the way to go.

As to cocaine and heroin, these are what the police should 'crack' down on. Marijuana makes you a bit lazy, and unfocused (as well as affecting your short term memory, but it will return after .. um,... what was I saying?) but hard drugs ruin your life as well as the lives of those around you.

If you are looking for a comprehensive solution, I have long argued that any natural plant (or drug) should be 'decriminalized', and any refining of said plants should be illegal. Marijuana, the coca plant, and the opium poppy are all natural, but refining the coca into cocaine is where the trouble begins.

Of the 'big four' drugs; alcohol, marijuana, cocaine and heroin, only alcohol destroys brain cells. Yet it is the only one that is legal!

[Big Blue Machine]

Lets not. If we did legalize it, it would cause more trouble than if we didn't.

Marijuana should only be used for medical purposes. In normal cases, it should be illegalized.

[ndpnic]

I think decriminalization is the way to go.

I agree, with provisions for medicinal users to grow 2 plants at a time.

But we still need to come up with where people can purchase pot once decriminalised.

[theloniusfleabag]

Dear seebee,

Right now, organized crime makes billions out of drugs.

Legalizing it would mean that the organized criminals would be guilty of tax evasion, one of the few crimes that the gov't zealously pursues. It is the 'crime' that took down Al Capone!

[PocketRocket]

Regulated and taxed, pot could be a huge source of additional income to the government coffers.

Spin off incomes would include increase tourism. Every pot-smoking kid in the States, not to mention many other countries, would want to come up here for a Hash-Holiday.

The arguments against legalization have always been feeble at best.

Pot is a rather benign drug, whose long-term effects are far less severe than those of the harder drugs, and even alcohol.

This could also contribute, albeit in a small way, to the reduction of violent crime. After all, alcohol adds fuel to the fire in the event of an argument, and often causes escalation to full-blown fistfights, and even more severe violence like stabbings and shootings.

Have the same antagonists smoke a joint or two together, and they're suddenly quite "mellow", and fighting seems to lose it's appeal.

Legalize legalize legalize.

[theloniusfleabag]

Dear PocketRocket,

alcohol adds fuel to the fire in the event of an argument, and often causes escalation to full-blown fistfights, and even more severe violence like stabbings and shootings.

Have the same antagonists smoke a joint or two together

I have heard the same argument many times. "Put two sets of two people in two rooms. In one room, give them a bottle of rye, in the other give them a joint. Who would get in a fight first?"

Further, a marijuana user has never killed someone (like a Subway clerk) with a hammer for 50 bucks to 'get their next fix'. Crack and smack, yes.

I found it interesting that most of our present Fed Libs admitted to using pot at least once (with the noted exception of Jean Chretien, who seemed like the most likely to be still smokin') while most people who use crack or heroin generally have a large list of convictions(few of them from drug possession), not accomplishments.

While I am a proponent of decriminalization, perhaps legalization can work. The biggest concerns from the public seem to be un-safe grow-ops, not roving bands of cheeto-munching, kumbayah-singing stoners.

[PocketRocket]

THELONIUS:

The biggest concerns from the public seem to be un-safe grow-ops, not roving bands of cheeto-munching, kumbayah-singing stoners.

I'm not quite sure what would constitute an "unsafe" grow-op. Maybe the lights are not wired properly???

Whatever.

As for the roving, singing stoners, I'd be more worried about them butchering yet another rendition of "Radar Love" than about whether or not they'd try to steal my Doritos.

Cheetos are out, man

And Kumbaya is like, so sixties

[Hugo]

Those who prefer to keep marijuana production, possession and use illegal state that they do so for the benefit of other people. Nobody should be permitted to smoke marijuana, because it is bad for them.

In reductio ad absurdum, it therefore must also be their belief that diets should be carefully regimented. Doctors and dieticians should specify meal regimes for people, and law should prevent them from buying, eating or producing foodstuffs that aren't on their prescribed lists. Perhaps to save time and money, we could just come up with a few diets according to weight, gender and age group, and then issue food coupons to people according to their scientifically determined diet so that they could not buy food that was less than optimal for their health.

Of course, a black market would probably arise in the production and sale of illegal foodstuffs, like burgers and french fries containing plenty of saturated fats, or chocolate and other candies, and so forth. The government would obviously have to spend billions of dollars busting people involved in this black market, then prosecuting them and imprisoning them. They could call it the "War on Fat" or whatever, and conduct a furious media campaign to show how evil, sick and twisted these purveyors of burgers and chocolate are, preying on schoolchildren and so forth.

Right?

[August1991]

Dear Hugo,

You ignored the savings to the health system if people followed government determined diets. When people eat fatty foods (or smoke, drive without seatbelts and so on), they incur extra medical costs which we all must pay.

[Black Dog]

Dear Hugo,

You ignored the savings to the health system if people followed government determined diets. When people eat fatty foods (or smoke, drive without seatbelts and so on), they incur extra medical costs which we all must pay.

Such is the price of freedom. To continue down Hugo's path, one of the leading causes of accidental death is the automobile. Since driving a car is unquestionably bad for the individual's health, as well as the health of those around them (not to mention that of the environment), then the automobile should also be banned.

Come to think of it, those who participate in organized sports often run the risk of incurring injury, the costs of which are borne by our health care system, so we can scratch pee wee hockey.

And so on...

[ceemes]

Of the 'big four' drugs; alcohol, marijuana, cocaine and heroin, only alcohol destroys brain cells. Yet it is the only one that is legal!

You forgot one in your list. It should be "the big FIVE" including Nicotine.

[theloniusfleabag]

Dear Hugo,

and law should prevent them from buying, eating or producing foodstuffs that aren't on their prescribed lists

I believe 'the law' has already taken steps to ban 'trans fats' from our diet. Not sure what 'trans fats' are actually, whether they are 'cross-dressing' fats, or just sexually confused fats trapped in another kind of fat's body.

[Hugo]

Reductio creep.

By which I mean a newly coined term illustrating how the previously ridiculous is increasingly becoming reality.

[theloniusfleabag]

Dear Hugo,

the previously ridiculous is increasingly becoming reality.

I think 'political correctness' leads the way in that department, and not at a creep!

[ndpnic]

By which I mean a newly coined term illustrating how the previously ridiculous is increasingly becoming reality.

Reality is as reality does.

Candaians are changing socially. We have younger generations that grew up with technology, seen the devestation caused by booze, seen the rapid destruction of the planet, seen unjust wars, ect.

If they want to smoke pot without fear of losing thier kids, jobs, or getting arrested, than we should let them.

I am tired of people who for some reason believe that they're views alone are the right ones, the ones the masses should live by!

Caffine, alcohol, niccotine, percocet, crack, heroin - all Proven health destructors, all Proven tax $ drains on health care system. THC - not Proven harmful, except to short term memory, which Does return.

If the Canadian government Really ran on Democracy, and not on Elected Dictatorship, they would simply hold a National Referendum on the legalization of Pot, and let the Canadian people decide once and for all, for themselves if they want pot legalized.

But I suspect the Canadian government doesn't have the kahonas to put thier money where the people's mouths are!!!!