Imagine A World Where Marijuana Is Legal

[MetDream]

A proposal to legalize marijuana is on the ballot this November in Nevada. How would you vote?

Here is the proposal:

STATE QUESTION NO. 7
Amendment to Title 32, 40 and 43 of the Nevada Revised Statutes


Shall Titles 32, 40 and 43 of the Nevada Revised Statutes be amended in order to allow and regulate the sale, use and possession of one ounce or less of marijuana by persons at least 21 years of age, impose licensing requirements on marijuana retailers and wholesalers, allow for the sale of marijuana by licensed marijuana retailers and wholesalers, impose taxes and restrictions on the wholesale and retail sale of marijuana, and to increase the criminal penalties for causing death or substantial bodily harm when driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol?

Here is the link to the explination and pros and cons: Linky

Full Legal Text

[Fadingtoblack]

I would vote no. Seen too much of the effect of this drug, and seen enough of my (now ex-) friends screw up their lives because of it.

I'm in contact with almost none of my highschool friends now, in the end I just couldn't put up with it anymore. Half of them have kids (this is at age 20-21), and of course they still smoke like chimneys around them (and the girls smoke while pregnant)

But of course "it's not addictive" and they "can stop anytime they want".
And of course people are in almost total denial of how the drug affects them, for example, my friends could see no problem with going out driving after a few cones.

[MetallicaSMC]

Yeah I would definitely vote no. I never did drugs and I don't even drink alcohol or smoke and never tried and never will.

I feel that you can enjoy life just as much as if not more without them. Plus that shit can screw up lives if you get addicted. Some people may take it for stress in their lives, but it only makes situations worse.

Therefor, making marijuana legal would be one of the dumbest moves ever.

[Danallica]

I get enough of a high from Beer

[Yverish]

Well, in Holland the marijuana use is condoned (only when used at coffeeshops or at home) and I don't see too many negative effects of it around me. I don't like to say it, but that could be because of being it the more higher class of society.

I do now of some close friends that they blow or eat spacecake on a regular basis but they know when to stop. When something is illegal more people are into using it, but when you condone it, the abuse of the substance will be smaller (which is the base of the drug policy here in Holland)

[MetDream]

I would vote no. Seen too much of the effect of this drug, and seen enough of my (now ex-) friends screw up their lives because of it.

I think I remember you talking about that when a should we legalize it thread was posted a year and half ago or so... I've seen poeple's lives messed up from it. Chronic, 24/7 usage meesses up peoples lives. However, in my profession, more times that not when the only allegation was pot, the rest of the families needs were met. It was when booze, meth and other drugs were thrown into the mix is where the serious neglect occured.

I think I would be more for the legalizing of it than not. There are valuable resources: money, police, court, jails, etc that are being used to punish people who smoke/sell pot that can be better used for more seroius crimes. It is stupid to put people in jail for pot. I agree with Yverish, that if it was legal that allure of it wouldn't be as strong.

[MetDream]

The commercials on the TV that are pro question 7 go like this:

Opening scene: Street Corner, drug dealer lurking
Voice over (paraphrased and exaggerated): Voting yes for question 7 will put scum like him out of business. Protect your children, legalize pot!!!! The regulation, tax and sale of pot, strict rules and penalties for selling to minors, blah blah will PROTECT your children from scum like him. It will take off the streets, making it less accessible to kids. PLUS (BIG BONUS) Legalize pot and the sales tax $$ will go into your child's school!!!!!!!

Closing scene: Street Corner, drug dealer lurking
Voice over (paraphrased and exaggerated): Vote yes for question 7, protect your child from him.

[superman321]

I think I probably would vote yes. Why? Well, at least if the drug is legal, it is easier to deal its effects, to monitor it and if it was legal, it would more than likely be a much safer product that the crap that can be bought out there right now. Plus, alcohol is legal, smoking is legal - it seems hypocritical, especially in regard to smoking, for marijuana to be illegal. That all said, if it was made legal, i think it would have to be stringently regulated - similar to how smoking is finally being regulated.

[Fadingtoblack]

The commercials on the TV that are pro question 7 go like this:

Opening scene: Street Corner, drug dealer lurking
Voice over (paraphrased and exaggerated): Voting yes for question 7 will put scum like him out of business. Protect your children, legalize pot!!!! The regulation, tax and sale of pot, strict rules and penalties for selling to minors, blah blah will PROTECT your children from scum like him. It will take off the streets, making it less accessible to kids. PLUS (BIG BONUS) Legalize pot and the sales tax $$ will go into your child's school!!!!!!!

Closing scene: Street Corner, drug dealer lurking
Voice over (paraphrased and exaggerated): Vote yes for question 7, protect your child from him.

Ha, voiceover should be, vote yes to get him off our streets...............to behind a shop counter with the law on his side

[edit] to add: I know some people will or do use it for 'pain relief' (medicinal purposes you see), but making it legal, although removing that allure of it being taboo, is only going to make it MORE available and easier for people to get.

Reminds me of the uselessness of Australian law regarding sales of cigarettes to under 18. Unfortunately, it's not illegal for U/ 18's to actually smoke them, so police walk blindly by kids in school uniform smoking outside shopping centres. At least if they were drinking alcohol it would be confiscated.

I guess my point is you are going to need incredibly strict controls and supervision. but if the law can't even stop scum on a corner selling to a few randoms, how can shops selling to hundreds of people be adequately controlled?

[Luís]

Alcohol screws a lot of people's lives too, everywhere and everyday around the world (ask James), and I don't see anyone trying to illegalize its selling. And when they did once in the US, the crime took over it and made a lot of money.

I'm not saying yes or no (maybe I am saying yes ), but I'd prefer having the government control and make money out of that, than drug dealers. And even if it keeps being illegal, people will still do it...