Here's something you probably weren't expecting

[Supernova]

Pat Robertson backs legal marijuana. Will other conservatives follow? - CSMonitor.com Sign of the apocalypse, or are we really making this kind of progress? Discuss.

[ShadowOfSelf]

I doubt it will happen, though I doubted medical marijuana too... It should already be legal, its just a plant, but its hard for me to imagine how the world would be if it was legalized. Either way people will smoke it, so I guess for the sake of peoples safety (reduced gang crime/shit weed) convenience and your human right to take what you want, it should be legal. If the politicians were getting high, I could definitely see some great things happening, unless of course they're too baked and start wars with all neighbouring countries due to paranoia...

[ThePreserver]

Sign of progress; that or Pat Robertson is afraid he's going to get caught possessing a plant that he enjoys.

[tommo]

Is he getting chemotherapy, or developing Parkinson's?

[melanieb]

I was pondering the subject of legalization the other day. I believe it should be legalized, and at the least, decriminalized, like in California. So many people benefit from marijuana, including people I know, something that happens as you get to be older and know people with cancer. I was thinking that many people may attach a natural stigma to worlds like pot, reefer, and even marijuana, all of which conjure up negative images and repressed memories in older conservatives. I was wondering if switching to the term cannabis or some other word might help the process. Not everyone knows the word cannabis, and even those that do may not have formed a negative link with it yet. As for Robertson...I bet he found a good personal reason to back this.

[tommo]

I try to always use Cannabis. It's the scientific name, and it sounds more "professional" too. Marijuana always sounded like a stupid word to me anyway, unless said with a Mexican accent. Pot pisses me off. Weed, I don't mind it, it sort of exemplifies how it is literally unstoppable, you'll never get rid of it. But of course, not many people like weeds Interesting. I just saw on the news that the Guatemalan president is holding a conference to legalise drugs. "He said Saturday that legalization of drug use should be accompanied by a system to regulate the production and consumption of drugs. He also suggested the region decriminalize drug trafficking and instead set up a specific transit corridor with border controls for the registration of drug shipments."

[greenhavoc]

there are too many lazy, irresponsible people on this planet for pot to become legalized. -learn your place, hippie.

[mooseantlers]

Marijuana always sounded like a stupid word to me anyway, unless said with a Mexican accent. And that it is, the Spanish word for marijuana is marijuana, of course with a Spanish accent.

[ThePreserver]

With that logic, we should go back to alcohol prohibition as well. That makes people do irresponsible things...

[tommo]

And while we're stereotyping, gays should be put on an island so we don't get AIDS from them.

[greenhavoc]

With that logic, we should go back to alcohol prohibition as well. That makes people do irresponsible things... Or people can learn self control, but that ain't going to happen, ever. This is why pot shouldn't be legal, not because I don't smoke it anymore or I think it's wrong to do so. Now let's look at what I said minus learn your place, hippie and pot. there are too many lazy, irresponsible people on this planet for ___ to become legalized. And while we're stereotyping, gays should be put on an island so we don't get AIDS from them. Originally Posted by ThePreserver While we're imagining things, what if more people weren't so... bigoted?! That'd be crazy. Crazy indeed.

[ThePreserver]

Or people can learn self control, but that ain't going to happen, ever. This is why pot shouldn't be legal, not because I don't smoke it anymore or I think it's wrong to do so. Question: Do you have a right to dictate what other people can and cannot do in the privacy of their own homes?

[greenhavoc]

Question: Do you have a right to dictate what other people can and cannot do in the privacy of their own homes? Or people can learn self control, but that ain't going to happen, ever. This is why pot shouldn't be legal, not because I don't smoke it anymore or I think it's wrong to do so. Question: Can you read? there are too many lazy, irresponsible people on this planet Because this is completely off point, right? lol

[Sornaensis]

Question: Do you have a right to dictate what other people can and cannot do in the privacy of their own homes? Hell yes, in a fuck ton of situations, such as, but not limited to- Domestic Abuse Human Sacrifice Building a bunker in your basement and holding your offspring in it and having incestuous relations with said offspring and holding the offspring of said relations in the basement bunker.

[ThePreserver]

Hell yes, in a fuck ton of situations, such as, but not limited to- Domestic Abuse Human Sacrifice Building a bunker in your basement and holding your offspring in it and having incestuous relations with said offspring and holding the offspring of said relations in the basement bunker. I guess I left off context: to their own bodies/consensual. You know, standard Natural Rights. Obviously if someone else is not consenting to the sacrifice, then it's not within the boundaries of personal rights.

[DeletePlease]

Or people can learn self control, but that ain't going to happen, ever. This is why pot shouldn't be legal So you're saying that marijuana shouldn't be legalized... because of a few people that aren't able to exercise a bit of self control? Those people are going to abuse substances regardless of their legality, whether it's marijuana, alcohol, or tobacco. That being said though, alcohol abuse is far more destructive than marijuana abuse, not only for the individual but for the people around them. If society can handle the legalization of alcohol, what makes you think it can't handle the legalization of cannabis? Anyone who's likely to abuse marijuana, is just as likely to abuse alcohol so your earlier argument isn't exactly valid (unless you're in favor of alcohol prohibition as well).

[greenhavoc]

So you're saying that marijuana shouldn't be legalized... because of a few people that aren't able to exercise a bit of self control? A few? Lol, millions Gavin. Those people are going to abuse substances regardless of their legality, whether it's marijuana, alcohol, or tobacco. Those people have to hide their actions, too. Imagine if they didn't. That being said though, alcohol abuse is far more destructive than marijuana abuse, not only for the individual but for the people around them. Says who? If society can handle the legalization of alcohol, what makes you think it can't handle the legalization of cannabis? Because the effects of pot aren't as obvious as alcohol e.g we clearly understand we can't [whatever] under the influence of alcohol, where as under the influence of pot we think we can. That's dangerous, and irresponsible. Anyone who's likely to abuse marijuana, is just as likely to abuse alcohol so your earlier argument isn't exactly valid (unless you're in favor of alcohol prohibition as well). I didn't realise consuming alcohol was a prerequisite for smoking pot. Why on earth do you believe these two sins go hand and hand?

[DeletePlease]

A few? Lol, millions Gavin. Maybe we're talking about two different things. I was referring to the few stoners that abuse the substance, not irresponsible people in general. Most of the people I know that smoke, toke responsibly. The only ones that don't, are kids teens (but really what's the difference? ). Maybe it's different where you're from, but I don't see too many people actually abusing cannabis around here. Those people have to hide their actions, too. Imagine if they didn't. Ok, but I don't see how that has anything to do with the point I was making. =/ Says who? Those lab geeks with their fancy test subjects and their newfangled comparison charts. Because the effects of pot aren't as obvious as alcohol Not only are they (the negative effects) less obvious, but their also less harmful. e.g we clearly understand we can't [whatever] under the influence of alcohol, where as under the influence of pot we think we can. That's dangerous, and irresponsible. We didn't really "understand that we can't [whatever] under the influence of alcohol" until it was legalized proper tests were done. After that, people got their shit together (for the most part). It'd be the same with cannabis. Sure, there are people out there who think that they turn into Superman when they're fried, but the same can be said about people who are drunk. Their irresponsibility has more to do with their stupidity, not a few dried leaves. I didn't realise consuming alcohol was a prerequisite for smoking pot. Why on earth do you believe these two sins go hand and hand? I think you misunderstood my post (or I did a piss poor job of explaining my stance on the matter). What I meant by that last bit was that marijuana doesn't force someone to abuse the substance, it's that individual's lack of discipline that does. A person who abuses cannabis doesn't do so because of the plant, they do so because they're just that type of person. eg. Bob's a pothead, not because he got high a few times, but because he's just a lazy ass good-for-nothing slob. If Bob hadn't chosen marijuana as his vice, he would have wasted his time with other vices like alcohol, tobacco, too much time on the internet, etc. ^ That's what I was trying to say in the last post. I wasn't implying that alcohol consumption is a prerequisite to smoking bud, because that certainly isn't the case.

[melanieb]

Because the effects of pot aren't as obvious as alcohol e.g we clearly understand we can't [whatever] under the influence of alcohol, where as under the influence of pot we think we can. That's dangerous, and irresponsible. Something about this statement bothered me, and then I realized what it was. The effects of pot ARE way more obvious than alcohol, particularly to those inexperienced with using it. Inexperienced drinkers, or even experienced drinkers, are way more likely to make irresponsible choices. A pot abuser...or even a casual smoker...is honestly not interested in driving, working, or in most cases, standing up. As long as the Cheetos are in reach, all is well. There is very little liability here. The alcohol drinker...and we're talking light or heavy drinking...is way more likely to get behind the wheel of a car, and that's a recipe for disaster. This is why we have groups like MADD and SADD. Alcohol's effects aren't always apparent to the user, and even when they are, people still make a decision to drive countless times a day. It's scary. The pot smoker may decide to drive, but he's either calm and mellow, and possibly driving under the speed limit, or he can't find his keys in his own pocket and decides it wasn't that important anyway, and hey, maybe today IS a nice day for a walk. Point is, alcohol has done far more to destroy families in this country...and around the world...than any other consumable substance, though saturated fat is coming up fast, and some cities have already banned that.

[Universal Mind]

Because the effects of pot aren't as obvious as alcohol e.g we clearly understand we can't [whatever] under the influence of alcohol, where as under the influence of pot we think we can. That's dangerous, and irresponsible. That's a new one for me. Pot makes people majorly slur their words and think they can drive well as they swerve off the road repeatedly? I've never done that kind of pot or even heard of it. What strain or strains are you referring to?

[melanieb]

You know, there are probably a few people on this forum that would enjoy being on that island. It'd be like candy... Imagine if more people smoked pot instead of drinking alcohol.

[ThePreserver]

While we're imagining things, what if more people weren't so... bigoted?! That'd be crazy.

[ThePreserver]

If they're already lazy and irresponsible; why would we waste billions of dollars trying to keep pot away from them, and then waste more imprisoning them on OUR dime? Just let them be lazy and smoke pot; I don't want to pay to keep them in prison or try and take away what they will get anyways. That would be like locking up everyone who is caught with alcohol and spending billions trying to get alcohol out of the country. It just. doesn't. work. People will always get what they want one way or another, legal or illegal.

[DeletePlease]

Exactly. Cannabis can be ridiculously beneficial for people who are capable of smoking responsibly (the majority), it just doesn't make sense to bar them from the substance just because the lazy slobs (the minority) have a tendency to abuse it. Those people are going to continue to be irresponsible, whether or not marijuana is legal. Why should everyone else miss out, just because of those clowns? Not only that, but what about the millions upon millions of dollars that are wasted on marijuana prohibition?

[ThePreserver]

Swap the M for a B, and you'll have BILLIONS of dollars! Plus we'd have thousands fewer inmates to pay for; 1 in 8 inmates are in for marijuana related crimes. There is really NO downside to this; drug dealers would have to pay an income tax like the rest of us, too.