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Marijuana: should its use be legalized?

dennis hodgson on Marijuana, Crime, Morality

20 weeks ago

Voters in the US states of Washington and Colorado recently voted to legalize the consumption of marijuana for recreational purposes. Do you think this should happen elsewhere?

If you disagree on practical grounds, consider this comment from Peter G. Shilston, an expert on the history of organized crime in the USA:

"If people want to buy something which is illegal (drugs, prostitution, alcohol [in 1920s America], immigrant smuggling, etc.), then they will have to trade with criminals. Two consequences follow from this: all possibility of quality control is lost; and sooner or later the trade will fall under the control of the men of violence. I would say that almost anything is preferable to putting large amounts of money into the hands of violent criminals."

If you are against on moral grounds, what gives you the right to decide what other people do with their lives?

Here is the case for legalization:

http://dennishodgson.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-green-green-grass-of-home.html

44 Replies

Denna ∙ 20 weeks ago

What I can say is that in Holland it is legal. It is a big plus that kids that want to try it out do not have to do shady things to get it. the downside is that is easier to use.

In my case, I never did drugs but I do not mind if people use as long as they do not bother me. It is their life so to speak.

dennis hodgson ∙ 20 weeks ago

Dutch society has always been noted for its tolerance Denna, a tolerance that you demonstrate with this comment. As you say, by allowing its use, your country's authorities keep the trade out of the hands of criminals, which can only be a good thing.

A technical point: marijuana use has not been legalized in Holland, it has been decriminalized. There are restrictions, such as a ban on all strains with a THC content of more than 15%, implemented in 2011.

Ritesh Srivastav ∙ 20 weeks ago

Science & morality do not conflict each other but to make the modern man believe scientific justification is a must.
Anything that weakens us physically, mentally & spiritually should be eliminated from our lives & Marijuana is 1 such hallucinations.
Ya...practically its not that easy to implement laws to ban it in totality because of the historical affection of people towards it but now as we r much more matured in deciding the pros & cons of a practice on even scientific grounds,the governments & society should together initiate plans for its reduction which may lead to its elimination in the long run....Youth r the biggest victim of this drug & to legalize it can be a temporary measure but for permanent measures the society should condemn its use to the maximum if not eliminate it in total....friend ....!

dennis hodgson ∙ 20 weeks ago

You are right to point out that science and morality are not in conflict Ritesh, but then science has nothing to say on this subject beyond describing what is in the drug and what effect it has on the brain.

The one thing you haven't addressed in your comment is how to keep the trade in marijuana out of the hands of criminals. You refer to youth being the victims of this drug, but if you have read the post that I linked to above (which I believe you have not), then you would see that part of the attraction for young people is the feeling that they are defying authority. You would also learn that because the trade is currently run by (often violent) criminals, all manner of nasty things, far more harmful than marijuana, are added.

And what about the use of marijuana for medical purposes? It is a powerful, non-addictive analgesic; it is an effective anti-nausea agent; and it also acts as a vasodilator. These are important properties that should not simply be ignored.

"Anything that weakens us physically, mentally & spiritually should be eliminated from our lives & Marijuana is 1 such hallucinations."

I agree with the first part of this statement, but the second part is a non sequitur. You offer no evidence, only your opinion, that marijuana weakens people.

In the end, my friend, you are making a moral judgement on how people should run their lives. Would you say the same about alcohol?

Ritesh Srivastav ∙ 20 weeks ago

I support u Megan for its legalization on temporary basis but why to be addicted to something which a gateway of hallucination if not that bad as per ur explanation....Ofcourse I cannot generalize my perception for all who have made it a part of their lifestyle & r extremely cautious of its side effects but I think u must also he believing them in minority ....for majority it does not act positive & give extraordinary negative effects on their health & this is a scientific fact friend. Because majority of them use it carelessly & for instantaneous pleasure of the senses in an intensified amount .
Even the US president Mr. Obama regrets his Marijuana days in his biography & urges the youth to check that illicit drug usage....I believe u got me friend this time....!

Natasha ∙ 20 weeks ago

Marijuana's active ingredient is THC, which is not physically addictive. But like everything you do on a routine basis, it can be mentally addictive. Examples would be food addicts and sex addicts. And I am telling you from personal experience that the mental addiction is harder to fight than the physical addiction. I am a recovering opiate addict. The physical part was over in a few agonizing weeks, but I am still battling the mental addiction and I have been sober for over a year!

Natasha ∙ 20 weeks ago

Sorry Megan, I didn't see your reply until after I posted mine. I didn't mean to be repetitive.

Ritesh Srivastav ∙ 20 weeks ago

Well, ..it was a good talk I believe ...have a good day friend ..!

A Brainless Nod ∙ 20 weeks ago

It needs to be legalized, and then produce literature on the benefits and health risks of it. There is so much criminal activity over the substance that it needs to not be a crime. I've never done it, never will, but have been around it all my life. People get rich selling and transporting it, and that needs to stop. One of the major problems with the border of Mexico is specifically related to this one particular drug....

--Dan
http://abrainlessnod.blogspot.com/

dennis hodgson ∙ 20 weeks ago

Absolutely spot on Dan. Having access to accurate information is crucial. I'm proud to say that my two sons, both now adults with successful careers, have never even tried marijuana, which I put down to my providing them with that information but leaving them to make up their own minds. And how many people have died in Mexico in the last few years as a direct result of drug cartels fighting for the right to import drugs into the USA?

A Brainless Nod ∙ 20 weeks ago

Far too many, especially after the US government gave the cartels guns.

Natasha ∙ 20 weeks ago

@Dennis - Here is a quote from a judge here in GA - -
"I'm not saying that everyone that smokes marijuana goes onto harder drugs, but the addicts that I have seen all started out with marijuana or alcohol."

This judge runs a program in Hall County called Drug Court. It is a second chance offered to addicts who are caught illegally obtaining drugs. Instead of throwing them in jail they try to treat the problem. Two years of being held accountable, random drug screens several times a week, NA/AA required attendance, group therapy, counseling .... It works too.

I, personally, am neutral. I am just showing you the other side.

dennis hodgson ∙ 20 weeks ago

Natasha, the only reason heroin addicts start out with marijuana or alcohol is that these are easier to obtain. There is no cause-and-effect relationship.

A clarification of a point you made above: ONE of the active ingredients in marijuana is THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). There are others, such as CBD (cannabidiol). More research is needed in this area.

Natasha ∙ 20 weeks ago

Not necessarily true Dennis. My vice was narcotic pain killers. I was ant-drug up until I was 17. I don't know what convinced me to try marijuana - but I did. I loved it. Marijuana was my go to every night after work. It wasn't that it was easier to obtain or convenient. It just. . . was. Years later I had my first taste of narcotics and never wanted to come down. I don't think marijuana led to my narcotics use. I never said, "I smoke weed, so why not take pills?" But, people who have addictive thinking patterns have some kind of switch. When they try the first drug or drink, the switch is flipped. Why would we want to make drugs easier to obtain? It's kind of like asking a suicidal person to hold a grenade for a minute. That's one way to look at it. Another way to look at it is that it's pretty easy to obtain any way, so why not legalize it?

dennis hodgson ∙ 20 weeks ago

"Why would we want to make drugs easier to obtain?"

That sounds like a simple question Natasha, but you are assuming that the "drugs", whether legal or illegal, are the same. At least in the UK and Western Europe, this is not the case (see below). My concerns are twofold: (1) the health of users; and (2) the need to take the trade out of the hands of criminals.

On the first point, please read my post (URL in my opening post). You will be horrified at what is added to the drug by criminals, a situation that is exactly mirrored with illegal alcohol sales, where ethylene glycol (aka antifreeze, the stuff you put in your car's radiator) is often added. Methanol is also often found in illegally distilled spirits, and this stuff will kill you.

I'm sure you are familiar with the 18th amendment to your country's Constitution and the unintended results that had. It is happening again with the ban on marijuana.

A Brainless Nod ∙ 20 weeks ago

I think MJ is a link to harder drugs, because you get those harder drugs from the same dealer, because it is all illegal. If you are doing one thing illegal, why not step it up a notch? There will always be people looking to step it up a notch, but if you take away that easy access, making MJ legal, then people will be less likely to push the law.

Natasha ∙ 20 weeks ago

@BN, I didn't use because I was "pushing the law." I actually got tired of the constant anxiety of getting caught and went to a methodone clinic for two years. It was a huge mistake, but I saw it as a legal and cheap way to get high. Most drug users don't use to snub the law. They use because they tried it and they liked it. That's the bottom line. Of course, I can only speak for myself here, but most of the addicts in recovery that I know are of the same opinion.

Kewteepye ∙ 20 weeks ago

NO WAY

dennis hodgson ∙ 20 weeks ago

Are you saying that you wouldn't use it yourself, or that its use should not be legalized. If the first, then I respect your right to make that choice. If you are against legalization, then a question you should be prepared to answer is how you keep the trade out of the hands of violent criminals, because legal or not people will still try to obtain it.

Teddy ∙ 20 weeks ago

NO WAY WHAT ???

Mathew ∙ 20 weeks ago

G’day Dennis

It’s a herb not some laboratory chemical based substance which our body has a hard time digesting & diluting into the body however the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is far more potent now than in the sixties & with prolonged use can effect brain function but amphetamines & other synthetic drugs are far worse so if I had to choose I would choose something more natural that our body can digest & dilute.

I would have to say yes if one wants or needs to take such substances but I would like to see it put out into circulation with less THC’s. Everything we ban helps the black market boom, I’m sure some of these pollies have shares in the black market trade!!!!

Love
Mathew

dennis hodgson ∙ 20 weeks ago

Hi Mathew. You make an important point with regard to impairment of brain function with long-term use. But this information is something that should be included in an honest education program on the subject. When you say that "everything we ban helps the black market", I wonder if you are aware that the Dutch authorities have banned the sale of all marijuana varieties with a THC content of more than 15% since 2011, and in my view that only provides an opening for the criminal gangs to exploit (some modern varieties have a THC content of 25%, and before the ban these were the Dutch coffee shops' best sellers).

Shannon ∙ 20 weeks ago

Why not legalize it? Alcohol is legal and is incredibly harmful, of course the government taxes it, why not just tax weed? They could honestly use the tax and it would take money from crime organizations who profit greatly from the illegal sales. You could also say that it would use less tax payer money to house people in jails over carrying it, that's a huge expense as is. The studies that have been done indicate no real harm from using it which is much better than ciggs. which are legal. It has been proven to be helpful in alleviating pain in cases where the alternative is pills which typically damage the liver and create addictions. What is the point on this "war on drugs" besides consuming insane amounts of money? It baffles me why we even need such debate, if you're against it, don't use it, sample idea as any other legalized drug.

Ritesh Srivastav ∙ 20 weeks ago

Well,Dennis ...I am amazed to notice ur indirect defence of a vulnerable threat to the present generation.
u claim for unnecessary proofs when something is being widely condemned because of its ill effects largely even though its usage & trading could not be controlled due to lack of sufficient awareness initiatives by the the people.
Right from the nervous disorders causing the dysfunctioning of the brain cells to the increased heart rate causing attacks & hypertensions to the reproductive disorders causing low sperm counts ,Use of Marijuana cannot be appreciated at all on physical or mental level except as medical drugs for the dying patient.
Again u may start elaborating its positive effects on people but those can't surpass the negatives my friend ....!
The youth r the pulse of reformation & revolution in any period & they must not be misguided on any grounds....I am happy that in India especially u may not find its defense in any case unless its urgent for medical purposes ....& I can even claim that even Jesus Christ never appreciated its use even indirectly ....who was & is a great inspiration of morality throughout the world.....Society needs order my friend & without it its a jungle ....our only challenge is to check the illicit trade & criminals involved in it & the process should start with social awareness so that they can't exploit the ignorant masses ....I hope u understand that Dennis ....!

KalamityJane ∙ 19 weeks ago

Marijuana does have a lot of negative long term side effects, no one is saying t doesn't. However, alcohol is legal and that also kills brain cells, increases the heart rate, lowers sperm count as well as the quality of eggs in women, and can lead to many serious mental problems. Also alcohol kills your liver and kidneys. Cigarettes also have these negative side effects.
So yeah, marijuana is bad for you. But what makes it any different than the other substances that are also bad for you? I just don't see the difference.

Ritesh Srivastav ∙ 19 weeks ago

Cigarettes, alcohol, Marijuana, Tobacco,all of them r only those weaknesses of society which is inturn exploited by the profit seeking business class where there is no accountability.
What benefits can poison bring to life in any form....Legalizing can be a economic measure but what about the long term social impacts? ....& it can never be in favor of human race,largely ...
its support in any form only reflects weak points in our personality ...
!

KalamityJane ∙ 19 weeks ago

Everyone has different ways of dealing with weaknesses. Atheists often claim that people with faith are weak for relying on god. I think that everyone is weak or has moments of weakness, and how they deal with their own weaknesses is their own personal business. I think that if religion helps someone through a rough patch, it is a good thing. If smoking cigarettes or pot or whatever helps people keep themselves together through a hard patch, it's a good thing. It is only when people take away other's rights to attain their fix that it becomes a bad thing.
Also, if people want to poison themselves I really don't see how it effects me, and I have no right to judge what they do their body.

LA Green ∙ 20 weeks ago

@Ritesh...you can Claim Jesus never appreciated its use?? This I have GOT to read. I'm not saying he smoked it BUT in my 28 years of life, I have never heard anything along those lines. I'm not doubting you, I'm f****** intrigued by this. Why? I live in Los Angeles the second if not first weed capital of the world; and I swear every stoner that tries to get me to smoke drops this line, "God put this here for your use. It's good for you." Which, yes makes perfect sense because this is technically a plant; something created by God. Why would he create, not only weed, but other plants that would be a drug?

Shawn Yankey ∙ 20 weeks ago

Yes, absolutly. The ONLY reason it is illegal is profit. Hemp is extremely useful for much more than its medicinal qualities and relatively harmless. Much more harmless than alcohal and tobacco which are legal.

Ritesh Srivastav ∙ 20 weeks ago

Friend.....L A Green....I believe u got more emotional than expected here....My only intention was to correlate science with morality in the name of Christ ....Friend....in India in the ancient ages Religion & Science were synonymous terms as the sages were seers of wisdom in every sphere of life....In modern times we generally have more faith in science than religion because we believe science to be justified in itself forgetting that science is evolutionary knowledge while religion is contemplated wisdom & here we claim practicality of present which easily disguises the wisdom of past.
Personal matters should not be dictated I believe & this was a personal opinion on Cultural & scientific grounds ....Live & Let live is the global philosophy my dear....u need not take it personal in any case....friend ...!

Teddy ∙ 20 weeks ago

Everyone has their opinions on the matter and I lean towards Dennis views completely . But since I have never done drugs and haven't even touched a cigarette to my lips, I am not qualified to comment on this subject except to say that if it was not in the equation then there would not be a need for a solution. Legal or not, it is there and it causes problems and some say it helps. on the balance scale I wonder which way it would tilt as a whole.

LA Green ∙ 20 weeks ago

@Ritesh....oh no worries I didn't get emotional. In America...well maybe just in LA when we get excited I guess it can come off as aggressive. It wasn't meant in a bad way it was meant as in you know something and I want to know what you know. lol It's all good brother. =) I like to learn new things outside of school so if you can school me, by all means take me to that next level.

Scarletta ∙ 19 weeks ago

Yes, freedom!

KalamityJane ∙ 19 weeks ago

Of course it should be legalized. The potentially harmful side effects of marijuana are no more than the side effects found in tobacco and alcohol.
And legalizing marijuana would be beneficial to our poor economy as well. The last statistic I read said that (in America) 1 out of every 4 people use MJ. And I have known many people who don't use it because they don't want to get in trouble with the law, but if it was legalized they would in a heartbeat. So why doesn't our government jump on that and tax it? It would be money coming in from over a quarter of the population!
I mean, there should obviously be some regulations like what we have for tobacco or alcohol, such as not being intoxicated in public, smoking in public, and having it be for adults not children. But I really don't see the harm in legalizing it.

Ritesh Srivastav ∙ 19 weeks ago

Being selfish is fine in practical terms to some extent but being blind is unfavourable even for our own existence. There is no question of judging others & their lifestyle but shaking hands with the evil is not desirable in any case friend ....!

KalamityJane ∙ 19 weeks ago

But that's just it, many people don't see this as evil. Some even claim it brings them closer to god.
Evil is so relative to the person, the time and the place. I'm epileptic, and 200 years ago I would have been considered evil and either been burned at the cross or had an exorcism performed on me that may have also taken my life. We know now thanks to science that epilepsy is a neurological disorder not a sign of evil. So I may be biased in this, but if science says that marijuana isn't THAT bad I'm okay with it being legalized.
Would also like to say that I do respect your opinion, and I understand your point of view. We may have to just agree to disagree. :)

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Bloggers Talks

Marijuana: should its use be legalized?

dennis hodgson on Marijuana, Crime, Morality

44 Replies

Denna ∙ 20 weeks ago

dennis hodgson ∙ 20 weeks ago

Ritesh Srivastav ∙ 20 weeks ago

dennis hodgson ∙ 20 weeks ago

Ritesh Srivastav ∙ 20 weeks ago

Natasha ∙ 20 weeks ago

Natasha ∙ 20 weeks ago

Ritesh Srivastav ∙ 20 weeks ago

A Brainless Nod ∙ 20 weeks ago

dennis hodgson ∙ 20 weeks ago

A Brainless Nod ∙ 20 weeks ago

Natasha ∙ 20 weeks ago

dennis hodgson ∙ 20 weeks ago

Natasha ∙ 20 weeks ago

dennis hodgson ∙ 20 weeks ago

A Brainless Nod ∙ 20 weeks ago

Natasha ∙ 20 weeks ago

Kewteepye ∙ 20 weeks ago

dennis hodgson ∙ 20 weeks ago

Teddy ∙ 20 weeks ago

Mathew ∙ 20 weeks ago

dennis hodgson ∙ 20 weeks ago

Shannon ∙ 20 weeks ago

Ritesh Srivastav ∙ 20 weeks ago

KalamityJane ∙ 19 weeks ago

Ritesh Srivastav ∙ 19 weeks ago

KalamityJane ∙ 19 weeks ago

LA Green ∙ 20 weeks ago

Shawn Yankey ∙ 20 weeks ago

Ritesh Srivastav ∙ 20 weeks ago

Teddy ∙ 20 weeks ago

LA Green ∙ 20 weeks ago

Scarletta ∙ 19 weeks ago

KalamityJane ∙ 19 weeks ago

Ritesh Srivastav ∙ 19 weeks ago

KalamityJane ∙ 19 weeks ago

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