Uruguay knows the score

[WA Toffee]

Kurt & WA Toffee,

genuinely sorry to hear of the negative experiences of people close to you.

In your opinion, do these isolated cases justify denying the many millions who enjoy cannabis? Does it justify denying those who use it for beneficial medicinal or spiritual purposes?

This thread has real people with real negative stories to tell of loved ones reacting horrifically to cannabis use. Cannabis is illegal, and we presumably don't know for sure exactly what they were smoking (Skunk would stay illegal forever in my book).

To go back to my case for legalisation, if natural bush weed for legal, its research better funded, if it was controlled, its use licenced, the children educated at school level, do you think we would have more or less cases such as what happened to your friends?

I think it should be de-criminalised. Just because of one very bad experience of someone close to me is no reason for me to want it banned. I wouldn't think it is any more harmful than cigarettes or alcohol, both of which I regularly use.
It is decriminalised in parts of Australia (Canberra and Darwin), although if you ever met people from either of those places, it may justify banning it.......

 

[dholliday]

Yes. Seriously.

C'mon mate, everyone else is actually giving reasons for their opinions.

Why was it illegal before then?

Because it gives you a buzz. Once it was discovered poor people are getting high and not working as hard, they brought in some 'experts' and made Reefer Madness to get the middle-class onside and thus were able to ban it without much protest.

 

[Azzurri]

Yes. Seriously.

On a separate note, for those of you who are experts in this field, I'm going to ask probably what would be considered a stupid question.

Why was/is marijuana made illegal? Until recently, it was illegal in every state here in the States. Now it's legal in a few states. Why was it illegal before then?

I read something once about it being made illegal because big timber corporations were losing money from people making furniture out of hemp and the government made it illegal to help the industry and because marijuana/hemp was too widespread to begin taxing, or something. Could be complete bollocks or I could have remembered it incorrectly, but yeah.

 

[Moomin]

For the same reason ale was 80 odd years ago.

You can run your car on weed??

Remember watching a documentary about a variation to Ethanol fuel and that Ford was going to mass produce a new car to run on it in the early 20's. Prohibition put on a stop to it, was interesting to say the least.

 

[LocalNative]

Step in the right direction if legalised. Smoking marijuana is no more harmful to your lungs than smoking cigarettes. What's the difference in going out and having 10 pints to smoking a joint to yourself? Nothing. Both will **** your insides up, yet we do it anyway.

Uruguay will see a massive influx of tourists (if Tourists can indeed purchase it there) and the country will reap in the cash by taxing it. Look at Amsterdam, serious amount of money going into their country through taxing weed.

I smoke occasionally and can see why some say it may be a gateway to other drugs. But saying that, again, alcohol has the same effect.