Pot should remain illegal

no, not at all. the rationale in the op is, "it's bad: it should be illegal." I'm criticizing the rationale. That's not thread derailment. If you think the analysis or criticism of the rationale in the op was incorrect, then dispute the criticism - don't dodge.

 

it's also difficult to find a job when you have an arrest record

 

Yeah I'm not sure why people always associate drugs with a lack of jobs when it's the laws against drugs making things more difficult. Many people who are employed used drugs. Hell how many people drink and still have a job? How many people smoke and have a job. How many people are on prescription drugs and have a job? Your coworkers could be getting high on their own time and you'd never even know. Fact is though that the second you get caught snorting coke on a Friday night you are done. You are now a felon, your job is gone, your bills are stacking up and you can't deal with them because you are in jail. God forbid you have a kid because the states taking them to go live in a foster home, which we all know is a great thing. (*)(*)(*)(*) the anti drug crusaders and the suffering and destruction they have caused.

 

Only the stupid and weak minded use pot, or any other illegal drug!!!!!!

 

But "legal" ones are okay? OK, sheep.

 

Pot didn't make the top 10 of most dangerous substances. Alcohol is number 5 on that list.

Tell me more about how dangerous it is and how the government should continue to create black market for violent cartels to exploit.

 

we would not have e=mc2 if not for pot

http://eazysmoke.com/marijuana-quotes.htm

"The prestige of government has undoubtedly been lowered considerably by the prohibition law. For nothing is more destructive of respect for the government and the law of the land than passing laws which cannot be enforced. It is an open secret that the dangerous increase of crime in this country is closely connected with this."
- Albert Einstein quote on Hemp"

looking in a mirror wondering if he would be able to see his reflection if he was going the speed of light..... hmmmm

 

yeah, poor people should be like the rich and buy their drugs legal via prescription, IE Zanax, ect...

 

they keep getting proven wrong

"5 Years After: Portugal's Drug Decriminalization Policy Shows Positive Results" April 7, 2009

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=portugal-drug-decriminalization

ending prohibition is the way to go...

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"Ten Years After Decriminalization, Drug Abuse Down by Half in Portugal"

http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2011/07/05/ten-years-after-decriminalization-drug-abuse-down-by-half-in-portugal/

 

Yeah, great point! Illegal drugs like pot are dangerous, we should all stick with drugs our big daddy gov't says it's safe for us to do, like alcohol!

 

Are you sure you don't mean religion?

 

I am somewhat of a hard ass. I feel that the medicare system should let people die who have not taken care of themselves. Drinking, smoking, overeating... Be a (*)(*)(*)(*)load less disease if your option was take care of yourself or die.

 

Agreed.

 

As long as they support their own habit and do not get federal monies (food stamps and (*)(*)(*)(*)) then it is fine. I really do believe a person should be allowed to have free will but others should not have to support the results. We need to restructure our welfare system before we make pot legal and this is why I say it should stay as it is. Still I think some of the punishments should be rethought.

If I have an open container of beer or a bag of pot in my vehicle, within reach of the driver, why should one be a ticket and the other jail?

 

In a free society I can fire and hire who I want. That is just cause.

 

Ahh context is everything here. Did I say it was bad? Liberty is Liberty and if legalizing it means others must pay for a portion of the population of the user population who choose to use then it affects my the liberty of others! Your rights and liberty stop where my wallet begins.

 

Never said it was dangerous but it makes many people stupid and lazy! Drinking does much the same thing.

 

^_-

again, that's not a basis for saying pot should be legal. That's more like a basis for... not having free (government paid) pot. No one is arguing that.

If you're trying to cite welfare programs as a basis for your right to infringe on the rights and liberties of others - sorry dude, but that is just silly. That's the equivalent of me saying, "Well Archer0915, if you're married and don't make x income you should be sterilized by the government - and I have every right to say so if you're married, because if you're married you're getting huge tax benefits!"

 

We've been handling alcohol just fine. What you suggest is that as a society, we can't handle our off time endeavors. This is silly to suggest.

 

all the pro-prohibitionists have put in prison (think that is free), spent on enforcement (think that is free), the degradation of law that comes with prohibition (think that is free), ect... and pro-prohibitionists all think they have the right to complain about what it might cost them, what about what your war on drugs costs society?

and after all that, what have the pro-prohibitionists accomplished, legal or not the abuse still exists, just like it did with alcohol

FreshAir says "ill-legalizing it means others must pay for those pro-prohibitionists that abuse of the system"
.

 

The addictions or pleasures of one should not be subsidized by another! I am all for doing away with tax credits and deductions.

 

Look up data on alcohol related violent crimes.

Here is a bit:

https://www.ncjrs.gov/App/AbstractDB/AbstractDBDetails.aspx?id=168632

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But Alcohol is legal... see above.

 

Again, it's HIGHER on the list of dangerous substances. So that should be of no surprise. Pot wasn't on the top 10 and it's also a Schedule 1 narcotic, which means it has 'no medicinal value', which has proven time and time again to be completely false.

The war on drugs is a joke. Also, the drunk driving rate cited is decreasing, meaning whatever we're doing to discourage the act is working. Public transit goes a long way in lowering that statistic along with public programs to bus drunks from bars back home and allow them to pick up their car from an establishment the next day.

Most people don't think too far ahead, so why should use of alcohol be expected to show the opposite of human nature? If we provide programs that make it so people don't have to think and still aren't in a position to endanger lives (i.e. public transportation for intoxicated people that takes them home), everyone wins. People can enjoy their off time as they see fit (pot or weed or cocaine or whatever drug of choice they have) and the roads are safer. It's a win win: Freedom with safety measures.

 

you left out sports, too much sun, overexertion, ect... even driving a car is dangerous, look how many are harmed or killed each year because of them...

heck we could ban everything, but that could stress people out and STRESS KILLS, for some these recreational activities are needed to relieve stress


.

 

As long as they support their own habit it is fine but many will not and will expect others to give up their liberty (freedom from over taxation) to give them liberty (subsidized living) while they buy pot!