Marijuana.
 

Should it be decriminalized? To what extent? Industrialized? Mass produced, with joints sold in packs and cartons? What are the benefits of legalization, and the drawbacks?

Basically, just a complete discussion of whether, and how, marijuana should be legal.

I personally believe that decriminalization in small quantities (less than an ounce or two) would be fine, for two big reasons:
1) Economic. We all pretty much hate taxes, but think of all the money the government is losing trying to root out marijuana dealers, and think of how much could be gained with even a small tax on pot. If pot were industrialized and grown on large farms, jobs would be created as well, further aiding the economy.
2) Crime rates. With pot legalized, and likely sold in stores, many drug dealers would be unable to undercut their newly industrialized competition, and likely be forced to give up their trade. Since fewer people would be buying from dealers, the demand for and therefore quantity of dealers would decrease.

I cannot think of a single legitimate health issue against the legalization of marijuana, except for the fact that overusage can cause permanent damage to memory centers of the brain and hurt fertility. But I only mark these things as an afterthought because all things overdone are bad for you, including such common substances as caffeine.

Having said that, I am a person who follows the law, and as such I have never actually experienced the usage of marijuana, so I maybe be biased. However, I will note that I am a firm believer in systems of law. Therefore, I consider it an illegal drug because it is in fact an illegal drug under the law. If people want it changed, they should lobby intelligently instead of getting high randomly.

Next issue: legalized marijuana would not be the stuff that people are smoking now. It would be stripped down to the point where it was nearly harmless in any way in any dosage, and I personally believe the mild and unfulfilling highs would only encourage the drug markets and lead to even more prevalent usage of harder drugs.

While I do recognize the advantages of legalization of this substance, it my firmly held belief that it should not be legalized because, at heart, marijuana is nothing more than a recreational drug, and recreational drug usage should be discouraged at all times and under all circumstances.

Before you ask, I don't drink either.

I feel I should add one last time that as a prude who has never tried an illegal substance, I may not be the best person to be passing judgment on recreational drugs.

I don't know how true this is, but I've heard that cigarettes can cause mroe damage than marijuana. Also, I can't write "marijuana" without thinking "Mari-juh-wana," so Imma call it pot.

I don't really see the problem with legalizing pot, just so long as it follows the cigarette rules - smoke outside, etc.

(And before you ask, I smoke cigars, not pot. I do drink a bunch, though.)

This is half-true. If you smoke pot, you're inhaling smoke, and any way you look at it, that's bad for you. Some studies actually suggest that pot smoke is more dangerous that cigarette smoke, but cannabis contains no addictive chemicals such as nicotine. There is evidence to suggest that a psychological dependency to THC may form, but that's the case with pretty much any substance.

I disagree. In order to keep up with competition, pot farmers would be trying to create strains of cannabis that are more potent than the more common plants. As consumers would constantly be looking for more potent product, pot farmers with experience and the right equipment would gain an upper hand over freelance drug dealers.

For the most part, this topic has been addressed previously.

And to this day my opinion hasn't changed one iota.

Were it legal, you'd be seeing actual marijuana cigarettes with proper filters more commonly as opposed to joints which have no filters whatsoever.

This is true! However, it worries me a bit as well, because I foresee tobacco companies putting additives in the pot, possibly even nicotine or similar addictive chemicals.

By who? Cigarette companies?

Cigarette smoke contains hundreds of additives, including wonderful things like rat poison. Anything to get you more addicted.

There are very few substances that won't outright kill you in this world that are more dangerous than cigarette/cigar smoke. Pot is not one of them.

In fact, no link to lung cancer has actually been proven. Ever. Despite carcinogens existing in them.

Sources:
http://help.doitnow.org/126.html (anti-pot site)
http://www.nida.nih.gov/infofacts/marijuana.html (anti-pot/govt. site)
http://paranoia.lycaeum.org/marijuan...mythology.html (pro-smoking site/best organized)
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/...s-of-marijuana (pro-smoking site)

Further, looking over those links will show that Marijuana has zero long term effects. Only one of them claims it, (the first), but even the US Government (which is being paid by tobacco lobbyists to vilify pot so it stays illegal), admits there is no proof in the second link for pot being tied to mental problems (whether memory/concentration or illness related).

To be fair, tobacco companies being made of pure evil is a matter that should be dealt with separately. Probably with liberal use of fire.

But isn't that what they want?

Also, I'm all for legalizing marijuana. The people who want to smoke it smoke it anyways, and the people who think it is horrible won't smoke it if it's legal. All you'll do is take the money from criminals and put it in the hands of business owners, and give the government the ability to enforce quality control and stuff like that. Also, at least according to my high school Health teacher, marijuana does impair your driving ability, but when you're high, you don't wanna go anywhere, you're lazy, as opposed to drunk people, who are generally, from my experience, more active and irresponsible. My point is that if alcohol is legal, why not marijuana?