Should We Legalize Marijuana?
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
80 comments:
Absolutely!!! Cigarettes & Alcohol are far more dangerous than the wacky weed. Time to fire one up...
only for certain medical conditions - I'm sorry but it is a public health issue to me. I believe putting ANYTHING into your lungs other that our air is wrong. Period.
Yes
yes and it will be legalized, the government sees the money involved and they want it.
anonymous 9:04 said, "I believe putting ANYTHING into your lungs other that our air is wrong. Period."
Come here, pull my finger.
I would try to legalize it... I have seen many benefits from this type of herb... More so than it causes bad things... And that's depending on how you get the THC into your body...
As it stands, There is a seller of this in California, and he makes a lot of money selling all sorts of products made by hemp and or THC...
The government gets a round 800k to 1mil each year from this guy, and the state gets 300k to 800k in taxes from this guy... So it can make money for the GVMT...
Yes. This country is in desperate need of more people with the wisdom and insight of Woody Harrelson.
Sure. It would save the states an enormous amount of money because there would not be so many possession charges that are only tried to be dismissed. It would allow officers to focus on crack, heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, etc. Plus as someone else stated the government would get their hands in it so that would be even more money generated.
Either legalize pot or criminalize alcohol. Its a great example of the double standard "do as I say not as I do". Could you imagine a Washington without cocktail parties...??? Alcoholics have been far more destructive to families than potheads ever have.
Yes tax it and use the money to support education! How much paperwork would it save for our law enforcement and time that they could use to focus on violent offenses. Of course there will be a black market for it there is for cigarettes and alcohol also.
I think decriminalize would be sufficient.
sure, lets legalize the gateway drug. When people are tired of tha low high, they can switch to cocain and crack. Lets legalize those drugs too.
no question, yes.
50% of the population smokes it already, so why not?? at least decriminalize it.
Hey 9:32, why does everyone ignore alcohol as the primary gateway drug???? It is certainly the most widely abused...
Absolutely YES. I no longer smoke it but did daily for many years. I feel the money generated from taxes and saved from useless waste of law enforcement resources will help the police and courts concentrate on real crime. It will also free up needed jail space to house said criminals.
No.
9:33 - it just so happens to be the 50% that doesn't contribute anything a productive society.
A person can drink one beer and not be inebriated, but you can not smoke one joint without being inebriated.
I agree with Joe on this one. Not only does it have negative effects on one's lungs, but also one's heart & brain. There are many good reasons why marijuana is illegal.
yes legalize it and make alcohol illegal
Yes
Hey anonymous 9:46...
Before you generalize me:
1. I smoke daily, if not more, and am very successful in not only my personal life, but business as well.
2. I make well over 6 figures, and have employees that make more than you do.
3. I have smoked manyhead honchos of many of the businesses you visit in good Ole' Salisbury.
So before you generalize us, look around you, you will see things you never saw before, and that for sure would mean a few more "weed heads" than you thought before. There's a little stash in many peoples closets around here... trust me.
Would you still want it if you knew they would tax it at 100%, dble what it cost now? It would save millions on resources like law enforcement, court cost and prisons. Consider the liberal minded answer like "Alex" let the next generation burn there ambition and brain cells....put the taxes in education to keep them from getting TOO stupid....the zombie generation?
Yes. Without a moment's hesitation. We spend far too much of our (now limited) resources on trying to keep it out of our society...without any real success. I'm in my 50's, and almost everybody I know enjoys some social time with weed. More people I know smoke than drink, actually. And most, if not all, of them are successful homeowning family people. All of whom would gladly pay the gov't tax just to have the peace of mind that would come with it not being an illegal act to just own it. Same rules should apply about driving, etc., as apply to alcohol consumption.
Thanks for asking.
One argument I hate is "Marijuana funds terrorism." Really? Marijuana is not grown in Afghanistan. Or Saudi Arabia. Or Iran. Or Sudan. Or Libya. Yes, money from the U.S. ends up with cartels, while the U.S. spends billions of dollars more prosecuting marijuana offenses when PCP, cocaine, LSD, and meth are far more dangerous drugs that should be getting more attention. If marijuana was legal, it would be cheapest grown, processed, and produced in the United States, putting marijuana based cartels out of business and allowing government agencies to focus on far more important matters while a giant source of new income could be used to fund education, help to balance soaring deficits, and even be used to stamp out meth.
yes
I say hell yeah...I can smoke right before I perform surgery, or go to work as a police officer of fire fighter. I already act a little goofy so they wont know. And it stays in my system for a couple weeks so if something bad happens and I'm tested for it I can just say it was in there from when I was off.
Yes, as I believe it would actually reduce the use of harder drugs. After all, if growing and buying it were legal, one would no longer have to go to the cocaine and heroin store to buy it.
anonymous 10:27, Yeah, Doctors, Police Officers and Firefighters never drink before they go to work.
Heck, I grew up in NYC and let me assure you, the Bars were always busy during the day.
Anonymous 9:56 Maybe if we had used that tax to educate you, you might know the difference between there and their. I have never smoked the stuff, but many people would pay the taxes just so they wouldn't risk criminal prosecution. People are a product of their choices and the government has no right making those choices for them.
Yes this would be a boost to the econonomy and save tax payer dollars as long as it is regulated similar to alcohol and tabacco. This would give farmers another crop to grow, ease the stress on our legal system and provide income for goverment programs. You want to smoke it or grow it you purchase a yearly stamp or license this would include growing it at home. I have always wondered what is the cost to the state for prosecuting someone who has been caught with hardly enough to make a cigarette? Probably thousands for not even enough to fill a shot glass half full.
First of all, driving impaired by any substance is just as dangerous as alcohol - and whether you want to admit it or not, you ARE impaired by weed.
Second - The concept of medical marihuana is a joke. You can get the same postive effects(increased appetite, reduced intraoccular pressure, reduced nausea) for glaucoma and cancer patients by taking marinol (Droabinol), a synthetic form of THC. Down side -no buzz. The medical marihuana platform is just for people who want to get high legally.
So whats left? Legalization / decriminalization? I don't/won't smoke it either way. I don't think it will be a cure all, as some people hope.
heeat
Looks like a bunch of pot heads look at this site...lol....my opinion is absolutely NOT! Thats all we need..another legalized way people can kill themselves.
I think on this I will break out my new Toke Master.
absolutely, yes
it works in:
california, colorado, and a host of other states, why not here.
wait a minute, it is legal here, you just cant legally obtain it yet.
ahah!!! thats coming soon too. watch.
Absolutely yes.
The transition will be difficult and not inexpensive, but it will be cheap in the long run when the legal foolishness we live with now is eliminated.
Marinol and other THC containing "medications" don't work - they don't have all the ingredients necessary to do the job of pain relief, nausea relief, etc. Marijuana does have those.
Legalize? Yes!
Here is the problem with pot. You are altering your brain chemistry with a drug to feel relaxed and happy. You become reliant to the drug to maintain your happiness. Your mind can no longer make happy hormones on their own through exercise and sunshine. So you use more and more to maintain the feeling of bliss. And when you have to go without it, you become moody from the withdrawals.
It is the gateway to other drugs.
I grew up with it all around me and I can tell you that several of the people who smoked it took the next step to coke and lost everything they had, including their families.
It is the same as alcohol, ideally. If you want to burn out your brain cells and long term tension span, go for it.
I have never met a pothead that can carry on a long term intelligent conversation. The ones I know, say the word "like" a least four times in a sentence.
I want to "like" take my "like" surf board down to the "like" beach and "like" ride some awesome waves.
They tend to be happy as long as the weed is around but stupid.
So if you want to "like" burn your brain cells out, "like" be my guest.
Join the "like" covered wagon.
For those of you that say Yes for increase in tax revenue.... how about we start saying NO to welfare and social services... Let me guess, you still want to keep those.
HELL NO!!
can't legalize until there is a testing device, like the breathalyzer, to protect the highways.. once such a testing device exists, then go for it!!!!
HA you people are a joke....alcohol is 4238239 times worse than pot and yes you are right the MAJORITY of the big wigs around here atleast dabble in marijuana but usually cocaine also...you people would be SHOCKED if you knew half the stuff that goes around not just here but everywhere some of the most intelligent and succesful people i know are functioning drug addicts
I think that.............
Ummmm, I think.........
I forgot.
Pass the Cheetos
There are plenty of people that smoke weed every day without it disturbing their daily lives. I know of several people that smoke every day and make more money than I do! They bring in 6 figures a year and have excellent reputations for their work ethic. People who "laze" around are doing so because they are slackers, not because they puff.
Did someone say they had a new Toke Master? Where did you find it my friend? Mine broke awhile back and I haven't been able to locate a replacement.
They wont be able to tax it. People will just grow their own.
I say no. I dont want a bunch of pot heads driving around the roads or running machinary anymore than I do people drinking and driving on the roadway.
Yes. I am white. 39 yrs old. Successful lawyer, and smoke in private. Please legalize.
no
What I do in the privacy of my own home should not dictate whether or not I am able or capable of a certain job. The fact that I choose to smoke pot on occasion, and on my own free time shouldn't hinder me from job opportunities where drug testing is mandatory. I understand that corporations use this as a first line for weeding out (no pun intended!) what they consider to be "worthless" employees...but it very rarely does just that. Obviously, I'm not applying to be a police officer or EMT. With certain industries, there is no way to take drug testing out of the equation. But drug testing for a job at Royal Farms???? I could service 50 customers before they'd be done ringing up 1. IQ and performance don't go hand in hand just because someone can pass a drug test!
Yes
SPDLEO
It should never have been made illegal.
Just say no. Should we phase out the DARE program and send the wrong message to our youth? What happened to the war on drugs? Are we going to throw in the towel because its easier to make it legal. Just what I want, a generation of pot heads running my country.
no , it is bad for you. it will make you laugh and giggle all the time. It will make you eat lots of stuff.
LMAO....hahahahahaha, you guys are so damn funny,,Bunch of potheads!!! at least everyone would be HAPPY! hahaha, everyone would walk around with there eyes half shut, lmao- chip & snack sales would be UP...and we would have a bunch of fat asses walking around :)
I think legalize for medicinal use, and decriminalize for possession of small amounts. I wouldn't flat-out legalize. That's sending the wrong message to kids.
Since our Congress is illegal (totally unconstitutional in its dereliction of duties) and our Presidents (yes, plural) have all violated our constitution, I would say just leave it alone.
We have all found ways to get what we want.
The only reason legalization is being considered now is the CIA has lost its ability to make profits off mary jane.
They want to legalize it now to tax it.
Pluck em.
WOW!!! It's unbelieveable how many people are STILL brainwashed by the BS propaganda film Reefer Madness from I think the 1950's. It's amazing how many people are willing to argue with absolutely no facts, only lies.
If you actually CARE enough about what you are arguing, take a look at NORML's website. Do something new... READ a little... the decent potheads can do it, CAN YOU?
Whether you are for or against smoking marijuana, you MUST realize that this is also about FREEDOM. You are the first to cry that Obama is taking away your freedoms, well, YOU are supporting the ones who have taken away the freedoms of a large portion of the population. YOU are hypocrits
Wow, I can't believe how many people are so under educated in regards to cannibus. That's right gotta keep 'em stupid them folk keepin 'em believin the weed is bad.
Good grief people get out of the Dazed and Confused mindset. Educate your selves!
Pot causes pyschosis? Good Grief! I take it you're so misled you have never opened your mind to understanding the medical benefits. Alcohol reduces the ability to reason and communicate and it's a proven fact that the brain actually shrinks from consumption.
Don't vote on a clear subject based on opinions only. Get some facts first.
anon 10:53 the three states you just named are totally bankrupt dude !
4:02 It gets even more amusing. . . don't want a bunch of potheads running YOUR government? So you'd rather have what? Pick a poison please because they all have one or another.
LOOK at YOUR government and wait until you can't even access CARE you need but heroine addicts can get SUBOXONE or METHADONE!
People are so ignorant to the world around them. They believe a lie and reject a truth. It is this mind mode that allows so much deception. Like sheep people follow only out of instinct and lack a mind of their own.
My vote is a loud YES. Medicinal and decriminalize personal use.
I happen to be extremely intelligent and was quite successful until endotoxins ruined my health from working in an everyday environment our government claims to be safe.
There are so many days I am barely able to move without the small amount of cannibus needed to relieve me of pain. I find it demeaning and inhumane that people who need it and responsibly use it are placed in the same class as a criminal for choosing a safer healthier way of managing pain then the use of extreme narcotics. YES YES YES!
Imagine, I could at least work in some capacity without fear of cannibus costing me a failed drug test for some unrelated risk type of work. Or would you prefer my sitting home collecting government money and using narcotics and being detrimentally "high" all while you under educated individuals work for me to live LEGALLY drugged and dying?
UGH!!!!!!!
You all are ruining my buzz.
2:57
Pipe dreams on route 50 west past the 711!
And to answer the question yes, people can control themselves on marijuana, but not alcohol!
if us weed heads were to ALL at one time converge on salisbury and have a peaceful tranquil and hippie trippy good ole time and proove to the world or at least wico co.and maryland oh wait a min... cough cough choke... wow forgot what i was gonna say!!!!!!!!!!!!! any way PUFF, PUFF AND PASS THE LAW ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yea, dude...sex is still great for the three of us at 56!
just how low can our society go,and what after this, just another tax for our crocked government.
“Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”
533 probably because the government officials that legalized it smoked up all the books.
i think they should,and no i dont smoke it.but i think before some of you make your comments you might want to watch the movie call "the union: the business behind getting high" . and to the people who say its a gateway drug,i dont agree.
Next weeks poll question: What drug(s) are you currently under the influence of?
Mos Def
Instead of looking selfishly at how it will let you destroy your own life how about we look at the effect on our society as whole.
yes.then let the guys out of prison who are in for life for "three strikes you're out" for growing. Their families need them, and we don't need to continue paying for their incarceration. My opinion.
The big problem with the legalization of marijuana, is that the user can't control where the smoke goes, thus it has the ability to affect those around them, including children and others who don't use the drug.
If the chemical makeup of marijuana is so good for medical reasons, why can't this be put into a pill form. Why does it have to be smoked in it's plant form?
All drugs are bad for the body in some way. Whether it's alcohol, prescribed narcotics, or cough medicine. The question is do the benefits outweigh the negitives.
The answer to any question should never be; We can make more tax revenue from it. Money corrupts, and tax money corrupts even more.
Just say NO!
why not? ciggs an booze do worse to you then weed does.
No way. It's a gateway drug. People who deal marijuana will deal harder drugs too. The clients on my caseload at a former job were totally burnt out and did not contribute anything to society. Bad idea!
11:32 Totally disagree! If it were sold in a liquor store, like liquor & cigs, it would be more regulated and you would NEVER come in contact with a drug dealer.
Have you all that do not want this to pass because of the mental effect on people, let me ask this. Have you every heard of someone who was high on pot rob a bank? Commit suicide? Start a bar fight? Kill someone?
I think a lot of people are stuck in their shell and have no concept of the real world. Maybe you should stay there, might be too much of a shock for ya!
Joe you should give us the total vote of for and against.
Free the Seed.
Burn-out huh, thats the least of my problems.
I was gonna go to work, but then I got high
I just got a new promotion, but I got high
Now I'm selling dope and I know why, (why man) 'cuz I got high
Because I got high
Because I got high
I was gonna go to court, before I got high
I was gonna pay my child support, but then I got high (No you weren't)
They took my whole pay check, and I know why, (why man) 'cuz I got high,
Because I got high
Because I got high
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