Legalize it!

[quote=Mattyk72;296063]Right, I'm talking about things that are unprocessed. Things like coke, booze, etc., come from natural ingredients of course but need to be processed into their final forms.

I'm not sure about opium, but they do use the poppy seeds for food. I'm not 100% sure of the process of turning the plant into it's drug form though.

Well, just an fyi, you got your Peyote
Peyote - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peyote)

you got your Coca leaf
Coca - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca)

you got your mushrooms
Psilocybin mushrooms - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psilocybin_mushrooms)

I'm sure there are many more I am not aware of

[quote=Mattyk72;296063]Right, I'm talking about things that are unprocessed. Things like coke, booze, etc., come from natural ingredients of course but need to be processed into their final forms.

I'm not sure about opium, but they do use the poppy seeds for food. I'm not 100% sure of the process of turning the plant into it's drug form though.

Well, just an fyi, you got your Peyote
Peyote - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peyote)

you got your Coca leaf
Coca - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca)

you got your mushrooms
Psilocybin mushrooms - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psilocybin_mushrooms)

I'm sure there are many more I am not aware of

Thanks, I figured there were more.

Those should all be legal too ;)

I just realized, if TB MOD IV finds out we've all been talking about illegal drugs all day we're all gonna get banned for a year!!!
I think it's time I cut out of this conversation!

Like Matty is saying to legalize (all natural) them all. I don't know if he is serious about that or not, but I cannot agree.
There are many people in the world who don't need the level of freedom to choose yes or no on illegal, potentially deadly, and certainly addictive drug use.
To do so make us Amsterdam. We don't want that.
While some may view it as Government invasion where it does not belong, it's not that simple. There are certainly many health risks associated with drug use, and it's frequently attendant addiction. For those of you preparing to scream "ALCOHOL". Yes, it shares many of the same qualities and problems. It's these same arguements and health risks paid for by the public sector that have shut down a substancial portion of the tobacco industry.
Gotta' say no.
I don't believe that sends the correct message to society in general, and I don't believe that would be a positive move.
You.............slaves to the leaf will have to continue to operate in the soft underbelly of society

Hog,

Would you also say that the Government should ban fast food, mandate exercise, and tax fat people? Because cardio-vascular disease attributable to poor diet and lack of exercise has become the #1 killer in America and the single greatest reason why Americans have such poor health and pay so much for healthcare. That sounds like an awfully socialistic, paternalistic point of view - the people are too dumb to decide for themselves, the government must do it for them.

Or, as long as we are talking about social utility, what about guns? Guns have social utility only insofar as they can be used to protect against others with guns. Should people have the right to possess weapons that can kill, but not have the right to possess marijuana?

I am concerned about the validity of the poll results. Don't you think that those in favor are instantly attracted to this thread. If you don't, you don't care. If you do, you do.

I wonder if that's the reason for the results.

Or I hope it's just that the skins fans are just ****ing cool.

_____________________________________________
"are you cool man...."

Hog,

Would you also say that the Government should ban fast food, mandate exercise, and tax fat people? Because cardio-vascular disease attributable to poor diet and lack of exercise has become the #1 killer in America and the single greatest reason why Americans have such poor health and pay so much for healthcare. That sounds like an awfully socialistic, paternalistic point of view - the people are too dumb to decide for themselves, the government must do it for them.

Or, as long as we are talking about social utility, what about guns? Guns have social utility only insofar as they can be used to protect against others with guns. Should people have the right to possess weapons that can kill, but not have the right to possess marijuana?

The points you bring up are valid, are not answered simply, or absolutely. In truth, I do not know the answers. I can say for me, the legalization of Smoke is not that big of a deal. The legalization of other more powerful drugs may have a more profound effect. I simply don't believe that, that society is one we want to live in. Yes, I believe that the species of man has to be regulated by ( at least some) law, or chaos ensues. I view the legalization of virtually all mind benders as a serious step in the wrong direction.

And yes, I would love to see America ruled by something other than money! Until then, fast food stays.
Let's face it, Strychnine is heavily regulated. Why, no money in it. Nobody cares. Same result as fast food?? just slower.

Maybe it's like helmet laws?? To stupid to wear a helmet?? No problem, it's my head, right? Wrong. Your head, my health care dollars?

I would love to weigh in on the gun issue, but I will save that for another time, as I don't believe it germane to this arena.

Hog,

Would you also say that the Government should ban fast food, mandate exercise, and tax fat people? Because cardio-vascular disease attributable to poor diet and lack of exercise has become the #1 killer in America and the single greatest reason why Americans have such poor health and pay so much for healthcare. That sounds like an awfully socialistic, paternalistic point of view - the people are too dumb to decide for themselves, the government must do it for them.

Or, as long as we are talking about social utility, what about guns? Guns have social utility only insofar as they can be used to protect against others with guns. Should people have the right to possess weapons that can kill, but not have the right to possess marijuana?

I know this was directed to Hog, SGG, but I'd like say that this kind of argument seems to say "legalize it all or don't make any of it legal".

I don't agree that domestic businesses would not be able to compete in a global pot market.

The first reason is import taxes. Surely the government would tax imported pot, just as they do other imported goods. This would raise the cost of imported pot, thereby giving the domestic businesses a small advantage over them.
Couldn't the government theoretically raise the import taxes for marijuana so high that it would make it nearly impossible for other companies to import it?

This would require a domestic market and infrastructure to grow substantially and thus solve any global trade problems. This would pour money into the government, and help boost the overall economy. Farmers would be making money, increasing the demand for farming equipment, farming supplies, and a whole sort of things.

It would totally benefit the economy, help free up resources for law enforcement, unclog the courts, etc.

One problem could be what to do with the convicted criminals in jail right now on marijuana charges. Once pot becomes legal, what happens to people convicted on multiple charges, with some of them being marijuana charges.

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On an interesting side note, a good friend of mine recently interviewed a former DEA agent for a report for one of his classes. Apparently a lot of the agents don't even worry about marijuana, and assume it will be legal once the general population finds it acceptable. There also ARE marijuana testing equipment readily available should any legislation be passed. Every thing is in place, just the general public is what holds it back.

Thought that was interesting.

I didn't mean to say that everything that's bad should be legal or illegal. I meant to point out that a principled objection to the legalization of marijuana based on health care considerations, costs to society, and the belief that the government should decide such issues for the people is inconsistent with a republican principles and the notion that fast food should be legal, untaxed, etc.