Marijuana's Legalization

Hello, and thank you for making your argument clear and with some valid points. I say I disagree with some of your points and will address each of your points respectively. "1.There will be little to no negative effects to the country/society from marijuana's legalization." -Weed would be taxed, as alcohol and cigarettes currently are. Some may find this to be a negative aspect to its legalisation. -Like second hand smoke, people may inadvertently get high from breathing in others' smoke in public places when they do not wish to. This is a negative effect that may cause health issues to the public. -The legalisation of weed may promote the drug for recreational use by people who had previously not tried it. It would mean that the government approved its usage within the country and would therefore not condone getting high - something which changes behaviour in some negative ways. "a) Marijuana is not addictive." -It is. Anything that is in some way interpreted by the brain has the ability to be addictive. People become addicted to online games despite not taking in any substance. Caffeine can be addictive. Chicken burgers can be addictive. On a personal note, I am a Psychology undergraduate and have studied those addicted to gaming. "For a small percentage of people who use it, marijuana can be highly addictive. It is estimated that 10% to 14% of users will become heavily dependent. " - http://www.csus.edu... "b) It is physically impossible to overdose on marijuana" -It is possible to overdose on any substance if enough of it is taken. Though this is extraordinarily unlikely... it is still physically possible. It would have to be concentrated in a laboratory and taken in high enough doses. "c) Marijuana's supposed "negative" effects, whether long term or short, are negligible, and many of which cannot credibly be declared true." -I know a person whose personality had become aggressive, volatile and extremely paranoid when in a state of being without weed. He professed himself that his attitude to life had changed since taking the drug, but didn't care for his personality change. "d) The logic of the gateway theory is fundamentally flawed and therefore it cannot be true" -Please expand on your point here. "e) Marijuana's intoxicating effects are not harmful to the users or others within itself (i.e. calmness, changes to mood or perception), and therefore responsibility is placed on the user (although it would be anyway)." -See my previous point on my volatile friend. And the responsibility would be always on the user, as you said, as an inanimate object cannot have responsibility, but it can be stated as the cause for issues. "f) Youth's access to marijuana will not be increased by legalization but will in fact be decreased" -Please state how. "g) Assuming it is true that marijuana's psychoactive potency has increased since the 1900's, it is an irrelevant fact seeing as how the negative effects remain unchanged." -Please reference this point. I have stated previously how weed can lead to an increase in aggression. "2. There will be a plethora of positive effects resulting from marijuana's legalization. a) The revenue saved and made from marijuana's legalization will be substantial and much needed to the country" -I must state that although the government would get more money from taxes, it would not be substantial. "b)The medical benefits (known and to be known) of marijuana would benefit many of its citizens, saving lives and creating a greater quality of life for many" -In my country (The UK) it is legal to smoke weed for medicinal purposes, as I believe it is also in the US... unless I am mistaken. "c) Legalization will allow regulation of cannabis and therefore a greater degree of damage control. (i.e. preventing child access, reducing drugged driving)" -Legalisation would increase production and would allow adults to legally buy the drug in which they could pass it on to children for a profit, which occurs with alcohol. Increasing the access would not reduce drugged driving. "d) Legalization will improve society by ending prosecution and punishment of responsible, contributing citizens simply for committing the victimless crime of consuming cannabis for medical or recreational purposes." -It is not victimless. Currently drugs are smuggled into countries, sometimes by people who do not realise. This is far from victimless. Also, I believe medicinal weed is legal. "e)Cannabis integration would benefit our culture and uphold our rights as a nation under the constitution." -How so? "f ) Gang violence and crime revolving around marijuana will be greatly decreased." -Please say how. "g) Legalization's resulting industry would create jobs and generally benefit the national economy." -In turn I could argue that more people would waste money on buying weed as it is so easily accessible. "h) Marijuana education would be healthy for both youth and adults (because now the only education is lies unless you dig deeper)." -False. At least in the UK, we are highly educated about drugs and to know the facts. "3.Marijuana Prohibition altogether is a colossal failure. a)The whole purpose of cannabis prohibition is to prevent use nationwide, yet, cannabis use is still very prevalent." -The whole purpose of making rape illegal is to prevent rape nationwide, yet, rape is still very prevalent. Prevalence does not mean something should be legal. "b)Because of point a, the adverse societal effects of marijuana (however minuscule) are in effect despite it's prohibition, ergo prohibition is purposeless." -Please expand on this point. "c)marijuana prohibition is exactly the same as the 20's alcohol prohibition save for the failure to end it." -They are two very different drugs. It is not the same. "4. It is not the governments place to tell us how to live, but to protect the life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness for the nation." -Making weed illegal is protecting life. "a) Proof of the government's failure to do this is how a constitutional amendment was needed to sign alcohol prohibition into law (and is now being used to prohibit marijuana). This means that the views/values this nation was built on differ from those that allow/support prohibition." -Times change = laws have to change.