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Bill O'Reilly Weed Poll. ATOT Effect?

Whats good for the goose is good for the gander. Big money in tax and regulation. Either way we all know how prohibition turns out.
 
In my view, the effects of marijuana and alcohol are nearly the same, so why is one legal and one isn't? Seems like it would take some crime off the street if it were sold in stores.
 
In my view, the effects of marijuana and alcohol are nearly the same, so why is one legal and one isn't? Seems like it would take some crime off the street if it were sold in stores.


I see the effects as different. I think alcohol is far more dangerous as far as driving or doing something stupid goes. Also from a health standpoint I bet alcohol abuse is harder on the body than smoking an ounce every couple weeks.

I agree with you completely that it would reduce crime in some places if it was legal. We tried prohibition once, it had the same consequences as prohibition today. But back then we had enough common sense to see it for what it was and repeal it. Today, even with overwhelming evidence that marijuana is fairly safe, it remains illegal. :thumbsdown:


Somewhat off topic. I think it is ridiculous how on a Friday night I can tell my coworkers that I'm going to go drink and get drunk, I'll get high fives and laughter. But if I said on a Friday afternoon that I can't wait for work to get over so I can go score an eight ball and snort up all weekend... oh noes! I picked the wrong intoxicating drug, suddenly it's not cool. (I don't do coke, never have. Just saying that drug taboos and laws make little sense to me.)
 
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I see the effects as different. I think alcohol is far more dangerous as far as driving or doing something stupid goes. Also from a health standpoint I bet alcohol abuse is harder on the body than smoking an ounce every couple weeks.

I agree with you completely that it would reduce crime in some places if it was legal. We tried prohibition once, it had the same consequences as prohibition today. But back then we had enough common sense to see it for what it was and repeal it. Today, even with overwhelming evidence that marijuana is fairly safe, it remains illegal. :thumbsdown:


Somewhat off topic. I think it is ridiculous how on a Friday night I can tell my coworkers that I'm going to go drink and get drunk, I'll get high fives and laughter. But if I said on a Friday afternoon that I can't wait for work to get over so I can go score an eight ball and snort up all weekend... oh noes! I picked the wrong intoxicating drug, suddenly it's not cool. (I don't do coke, never have. Just saying that drug taboos and laws make little sense to me.)

Well, the effects are similar in that it impairs your senses. There has been a stigma associated with pot that started in the 20's and 30's. Both alcohol and pot have temporary effects that can be used recreationally. The reason people still cringe when you say you use marijuana is it is still illegal to obtain in most areas.
 
Somewhat off topic. I think it is ridiculous how on a Friday night I can tell my coworkers that I'm going to go drink and get drunk, I'll get high fives and laughter. But if I said on a Friday afternoon that I can't wait for work to get over so I can go score an eight ball and snort up all weekend... oh noes! I picked the wrong intoxicating drug, suddenly it's not cool. (I don't do coke, never have. Just saying that drug taboos and laws make little sense to me.)

Is it really that hard to understand? One is a legal substance and the other is an illegal controlled substance... If you said "Going to go home and murder a bunch of college kids." vs "I am going to go home and bake some cookies for college kids." would you also be confused as to why one was taboo?

I am not arguing that controlled substances are immoral to use, just that they are illegal. I don't have a problem with weed (or coke, heroin, speed, whatever) from a moral standpoint; if you want to do them, I say go ahead. However, I don't condone breaking the law and don't want that kind of shit around me; as with most people who are professional. I am sure if my job discovered I hung out in a crack den, I'd get some counselling, at the very least, if not fired. The drugs themselves aren't the taboo things, it is just that they are against the law and can easily screw you over.
 
Legalize drugs and you:
1. Take money away from the drug cartels
2. Put money in the hands of legitimate US suppliers/distributors/advertisers
3. Take a ton of pressure off of the justice and prison systems
4. Increase tax revenue
5. Reduce police AND civilian deaths from executing no-knock raids and from gang wars over drug turf (I'm talking decriminalizing possession of ALL drugs, and only prosecuting those with intent to sell the really dangerous/addictive stuff, but even that would be more of a white collar crime unless you link a death to them in which case they get hit with something akin to manslaughter and wrongful death suits)
6. Give The People™ yet another thing to distract them from a corrupt government of incompetent Robot Elders. Or to turn a phrase, "Opium is the opiate of the masses"
7. Piss off the puritanical religious fanatic control freaks

There's practically no downside for anyone!
 
Heh, that didn't take long. When I voted both Washington and California were still yellow. Figured it must have been early.
 
Is it really that hard to understand? One is a legal substance and the other is an illegal controlled substance... If you said "Going to go home and murder a bunch of college kids." vs "I am going to go home and bake some cookies for college kids." would you also be confused as to why one was taboo?
...
"I'm going to watch a download of Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes this weekend."


That copy would probably get passed around faster than any joint.


Legality and taboos are not always correlated.





Legalize drugs and you:
1. Take money away from the drug cartels
2. Put money in the hands of legitimate US suppliers/distributors/advertisers
3. Take a ton of pressure off of the justice and prison systems
4. Increase tax revenue
5. Reduce police AND civilian deaths from executing no-knock raids and from gang wars over drug turf (I'm talking decriminalizing possession of ALL drugs, and only prosecuting those with intent to sell the really dangerous/addictive stuff, but even that would be more of a white collar crime unless you link a death to them in which case they get hit with something akin to manslaughter and wrongful death suits)
6. Give The People™ yet another thing to distract them from a corrupt government of incompetent Robot Elders. Or to turn a phrase, "Opium is the opiate of the masses"
7. Piss off the puritanical religious fanatic control freaks

There's practically no downside for anyone!
5. Reduction in no-knock raids? I don't know....now you'll have a whole lot of former drug-enforcement officers with nothing but time on their hands, and loads of expensive armaments just begging to be put to use. (What, you think they'll cut budgets for enforcers that are no longer needed?)

Feral labrador terrorizing some kids at a playground? Better send a SWAT team.
Two-person fight outside a Kmart? 20 officers at the very least in full riot gear.
Maintain order at a parade? Some snipers will add to the atmosphere of the event.
 
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Is it really that hard to understand? One is a legal substance and the other is an illegal controlled substance... If you said "Going to go home and murder a bunch of college kids." vs "I am going to go home and bake some cookies for college kids." would you also be confused as to why one was taboo?

I am not arguing that controlled substances are immoral to use, just that they are illegal. I don't have a problem with weed (or coke, heroin, speed, whatever) from a moral standpoint; if you want to do them, I say go ahead. However, I don't condone breaking the law and don't want that kind of shit around me; as with most people who are professional. I am sure if my job discovered I hung out in a crack den, I'd get some counselling, at the very least, if not fired. The drugs themselves aren't the taboo things, it is just that they are against the law and can easily screw you over.


Where did I say I didn't understand? I said I think it is ridiculous. I think it is a ridiculous double standard. If a college kid goes gets drunk until he blacks out... :thumbsup: If he wanted to go shoot up heroin... :thumbsdown:

It is a stupid double standard. I generally don't condone breaking the law either. But, do you ever let your speedometer needle go up to 56mph in a 55mph? I'm not going to lie, I do, I'm guilty of breaking the law. Regarding drugs, I feel that is personal freedom being infringed on. If anything my body and choices I make about it should be the most personal and basic freedoms you have. Our most base human right is infringed upon... I can smoke tobacco and drink alcohol, but can't have a joint. Good job Controlled Substances Act. :colbert: 🙄

Lastly, your analogy is terrible. In my scenario, no person's rights are infringed upon. Whether I drink, snort coke, do LSD, etc., it is my choice and as long as I do it responsibly (like alcohol) it affects no one but me. Murdering vs. baking cookies doesn't compare. At all. Murdering a bunch of college kids disregards their rights. Smoking a joint vs. drinking beer vs. shooting heroin does not.
 
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In other words, only vote if I agree with your opinion? 🙄

Nothing to do with my opinion. Just stating that if you have a sound and reasonable understanding about the failed war on drugs you should vote. If not, please don't vote, and instead get educated. =)
 
5. Reduction in no-knock raids? I don't know....now you'll have a whole lot of former drug-enforcement officers with nothing but time on their hands, and loads of expensive armaments just begging to be put to use. (What, you think they'll cut budgets for enforcers that are no longer needed?)

Feral labrador terrorizing some kids at a playground? Better send a SWAT team.
Two-person fight outside a Kmart? 20 officers at the very least in full riot gear.
Maintain order at a parade? Some snipers will add to the atmosphere of the event.

I would think that, once legal, more cops would turn to marijuana instead of alcohol or maybe even drop acid/dmt/shrooms/etc and discover a feeling of oneness with everyone and everything and then proceed to chill out.
 
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