Yay!!!!!! As you can see I think this report is
What do you guys think

Let the debate begin!

If I based it on the harm it has done to friends and family - I would say criminalize alcohol. Pot, on the other hand, seems a positive influence to most (but certainly not all - I've seen a few friends clearly addicted).

Alcohol is the ugly drug.

The control effects of alcohol combined with the carcinogenic effects of tobacco. The health effects and the medical costs to the country of both....hmmmm.....

The title of the post is wrong, because the proposal is not to legalize it.. the proposal is to decriminalize it. You can still get a ticket for using it, but you can't get thrown in jail.

Either way, it's a stupid idea. Will it solve any social problems? Not really... Will it add any?

Aren't there enough problems to deal with, without adding this one to the plate?

I'd be in favour of legalizing possession for personal use (say less than 1 oz) and medicinal reasons and decriminalizing trafficers and possession of larger amounts. Prosecuting recreational users is pointless, clogs the courts and wastes money on prosecuting people for using a substance that's mostly harmless and should be a personal choice. And then, the money collected from fines for trafficing could be spent on substance abuse programs that could help people with a real problem.

Another interesting point, which i read an article on a couple months ago, was hydroponic growers who steal power from the grid by bypassing the meter. A single home operation can use 1000's of dollars worth of electricity in a month, overloading the system and driving up the price of electricity during peak hours when demand is the highest, which affects all of us, especially in the deregulated market. It's almost impossible to track these people, other than driving all around the city, as there's no way to trace them. Something to think about.

This idea is coming from the same clowns who will one day make indicators on cars part of the optional accessory package because most people don't use them. How liberal do you want to go?

Has anyone heard the argument from some people that they'd rather their kids use certified marijuana than pick it up off the street? It's like they've given up with the "there's nothing I can do.. I have to go to the gym" type of attitude.

Anyway, I'll stop now before I get put in the "too sensible for this society" garbage can.

Originally posted by mbg The title of the post is wrong, because the proposal is not to legalize it.. the proposal is to decriminalize it. You can still get a ticket for using it, but you can't get thrown in jail.

Nope, the proposal IS to LEGALISE it. It is suggested that it would be available to purchase, through gov't authorised sellers to anyone over the age of 16. I don't really have a problem with it being legalised, but I don't think Canada (especially with such a conservative neighbour) is ready for such a sudden step. I would like to see a phase in process over several years. There are still major problems with people getting it for medicinal use. Why not get that straightened out, then decriminalise it, then legalise it. And I DON'T agree with the age of 16. Why not make it 18 (or 19 as the case may be in your province), the same as alcohol and tobacco??

Originally posted by mbg Anyway, I'll stop now before I get put in the "too sensible for this society" garbage can.

No way, dude. What you said makes sense to me!

I have mixed feelings.

I *hate* marijuana or any other drugs. But like someone else mentioned, when you compare it to alcohol, it doesn't make sense that alcohol is legal but marijuana isn't.

If marijuana is illegal, alcohol should be as well. To me, that's like legalizing protitution but banning adult video stores.

How many times have you heard about some guy who got high one night, then came home and beat his wife and kids?

If it was up to me, I'd ban both.

Originally posted by MaxPower2000 I have mixed feelings. I *hate* marijuana or any other drugs. But like someone else mentioned, when you compare it to alcohol, it doesn't make sense that alcohol is legal but marijuana isn't. If marijuana is illegal, alcohol should be as well. To me, that's like legalizing protitution but banning adult video stores. How many times have you heard about some guy who got high one night, then came home and beat his wife and kids? If it was up to me, I'd ban both.

Marijuana has been given a pretty clean image by the people who want it legalized. But, consider:

- there are alcoholics who are calm and do not beat their wife and kids. Maybe we are only seeing one side of the coin.

- What are the long term effects to one's family if marijuana has a detrimental effect on your brain? Do we have a population of reliably long-term marijuana users large enough to do studies on the health effects? The health system is in a lot of trouble as it is -- do we want to potentially add to this problem when the hospital population is ramping up?

- regardless of what it is, when is it ever harmless to inhale smoke into your lungs? Anybody can inhale most things at any time and it wouldn't be illegal. Bleach... Old Spice... you could inhale the smoke off dog •••• if you wanted to -- Cheech and Chong have done it -- but decriminalizing it gives it an air of permissibility... that somehow it's not harmful.

I agree that alcohol is the problem we have with people and that it is legal. Pot, Ive seen my ex hubby get so stoned on it but so relaxed and mellow: its amazing what alcohol would do to him though. Grocery bills went higher when he smoked it too, lmao. I think if they legalized it they should legalize it where its limited as they do alcohol. Im mixed about it, as with alcohol people drive when drunk and get a penalty, with pot they if they overdo it they can cause damage to the public also. Alcohol does crazy things to people and pot makes them calmer too relaxed to be of any use lets say even driving....unsure. yet medicinal would be good, Ive had a few friends that smoked it but limited the smoking because of their health: it seemed to decrease pain etc.
My only way of thinking is though that if alcohol is legal why isnt pot?? Which is the worse evil?

I don't understand the "I think alcohol is worse than pot so pot should be legal" argument. That's a bit like saying "murder is worse than assault, so assault should be legal".

The difference is that alcohol IS legal and pot isn't, understood... but if you THINK one should be illegal, why should the other one be legal just because it's not as bad as the one you want illegalized?

Originally posted by mbg I don't understand the "I think alcohol is worse than pot so pot should be legal" argument. That's a bit like saying "murder is worse than assault, so assault should be legal". The difference is that alcohol IS legal and pot isn't, understood... but if you THINK one should be illegal, why should the other one be legal just because it's not as bad as the one you want illegalized?

I think most people who were arguing along that line here, suggested alcohol should be made illegal. Interesting psychological insight, though.