Well said, Buckeye T. I hadn't commented on this discussion in a while because like gun control to some, it's a no win situation. Most people that drink alcohol and are vehemently opposed to the legalization of marijuana take said position because they know nothing about it. I try to be open-minded about things I know nothing about but most people are not like me in that regard. It sort of goes back to the thing of fearing the unknown. I believe there are lots of drugs that are detriments to society. Acid, cocaine, crystal meth, heroin, and the like are dangerous and people can die from them. However, comparing marijuana to those drugs shows a complete ignorance of the facts. No one has ever overdosed on marijuana alone. In order to do so, it is thought that you would have to consume about 1/3 of your body weight or perhaps up to 1500 pounds according to this site: http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/library/mj_overdose.htm I think it is more than safe to say that much more people die from overconsumption of alcohol whether through alcohol poisoning or other means in one day than have ever died from the consumption of marijuana in history. Let me say this, I do not use illegal drugs of any kind and I very rarely drink. In fact, I think the world would be a much better place if neither drugs nor alcohol existed. However, they do exist and we are forced to make decisions whether we will or will not use them. To those who have never touched drugs or alcohol, I applaud you. The problem is not in the drug itself, but our problems lie within ourselves. If you allow me to get biblical on you for a second, Jesus said: There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. The same is true with drugs or alcohol. Our self-control or lack thereof is the problem. The simple fact is you can't legislate self-control.
Intoxication can happen from more that alcohol or drugs. Intoxication is an escape from reality. If there were no drugs or alcohol, you would see a surge in model airplane glue, paint thinner, and aerosol spray paint. There are so many things that can cause intoxication that they all can't be legislated against. My reason for "preaching" against marijuana has nothing to do with its dangers relative to alcohol or other drugs. It is because it is illegal, plain and simple. Whether marijuana leads to the use of stronger drugs or not, I'm not certain. What I am certain of is setting a precedent. If you legalize marijuana, which drug will then be the least dangerous illegal drug that people want to legalize?
Does tobacco makes you better? Alcohol? Chocolate? (insert name of fatty foods here). Your case that it impairs you or isn't good for you just doesn't hold water. Shall we begin criminalizing everything that isn't good for you? Oh goody, I bet this administration would love something like that. As T mention, we are beyond hypocritical about alcohol... and as I mentioned before, somehow we didn't learn the lessons of prohibition. Here in AL we have booze laws and 'dry counties'.. I really didn't think those existed anymore until I moved here. You want to know why people legalize booze in this teetotalling state?? because the state can regulate and profit from it... that's why. our stance of narcotics being illegal while alcohol is legal is hypocritical and laughable. Someone please tell me how we are a more peaceful, productive, structured and organized society as compared to when all of those drugs were legal in the United States? Somehow the 'whiteness' of the vice seems to play into social acceptability in this country. Organized crime born en masse by the god damned teetotallers and prohibition, have been pushing illegal narcotics into the ghettos since they've been illegal... but we don't have 'a crisis in America' till little Jim Bob Hoover from the local church group comes down with a case of the cocaine sniffles... I have an uncle who is a junkie piece of ****... but to challenge George's notion that he couldn't still better himself... He holds a BA and two MAs... He's been a heroin addict since maybe 1966 (I think he was 16 then).. He's been a teacher... He's been a prison guard. hell, that guy has been so many damned things i can't even count... The reason he keeps losing jobs? minor heroin/opiate busts... I know several kids who loved my uncle as a teacher... He's no JOCO but he was connecting with kids and making a difference... I think he works on a connected loading dock in a Vegas Casino now... Now did heroin make him better? Clearly not. A family that loved him was clearly the reason he was able to overcome constant legal trouble. At the same time, he'd probably still be a decorated teacher just shy of retirement... but he has a vice... and we can't have that. What always struck me as odd about people (other teachers) judging my uncle (I worked in the same school district for a while) was the hypocrisy. My uncle couldn't be a teacher because he was a heroin addict but the following people could be respected (even honored) teachers: 1. A fall down drunk away from school who regularly beat his wife for over 2 decades. 2. Multiple women's coaches who had a thing for banging underage athletes (both boys and girls in some cases)... One 'legendary' women's volleyball coach had been married (by the last count I was aware of) 3 different times... All 3 times it was to former players of his, and as soon as they turned 18... each replacing a former player as wife. Hell, I know of so many that fit into this category I wouldn't know where to start.. But when the dust settled, the truth eventually comes out (silently) that they had been banging for years prior to getting married. 3. Not one, but two ladies whose husbands would get hotel rooms for them so that they could have sex with several, rumor has it even dozens, of black men who had answered their anonymous online advertisements. 4. People who regularly lie, cheat and steal. I could go on, but I'll sum it by saying.. I'm not judging those people per se. They are human. Everyone has a vice.. everyone. Some people have weaknesses that people are willing to overlook, while other people fell into something bad and could never get back from it... so we make them criminals... even dangerous criminals.
Look, America already has enough moral problems. One of them being in the White House right now. Let's not add another reason for God to completely turn his back on us.
That reminds me of a joke...... 8) Moses comes down from the mountain carrying the tablets and proclaims to the assembled masses, "I've got good news and bad news. The good news is that I got Him to cut it to ten. The bad news is that adultery is still one of them!" Bada bing...... 8)
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