### Author:  [@BRIAN\_BROVOLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BRIAN_BROVOLD)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2000, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leagalize-mary/18060/1 "2000-04-13T18:30:00Z")
In california,washington st.,and even minnesota there is talk of the leagalization of marijuana. Is pot killing the future of america? 2.If lawyers and doctors and even presidents smoke it then why can’t I? I will start by saying I am pro-leagal and here’s why. 1.I believe some violence rates would decrease. 2.It would cure bulimia and anorexia in one fell swoop. 3.tell them they can’t and they will. 4.marijuana is concidered a class 4 narcotic when cocaine is not. I feel that ther would be less drunks fighting and on the road endangering people.the government would make a killing off it. I also belive that it should be controlled just like alcohol. Under 21 then no sale. Get non-violent marijuana offenders out of jail to make room for people who really deserve to be there IE:murderer’s and rapist’s. we jail more people every year then almost any other country in the world and we are the free society? I believe this is largly due to needlessly putting non violent marijuana offenders in jail while parole boards free repeat offenders everyday. It just doesen’t add up. and can sombody please tell me why termanally ill people are not allowed to use it if it helps them ease the pain of dying. These people are the living dead and i for one think that’s disgracful and twofaced of the gov. to allow use of demerol and cocaine and not something that was grown out of the ground in the first place to help these people. All comments welcome.
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BRIAN C BROVOLD
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### Author:  [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2000, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leagalize-mary/18060/2 "2000-04-13T19:23:00Z")
“Legalize Mary”? I though Catholicism was _already_ legal. \
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### Author:  [@NightRabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NightRabbit)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2000, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leagalize-mary/18060/3 "2000-04-13T19:40:00Z")
Alrighty, what a debate.
First of all, let me say that I know people who smoke this marijuana stuff and I don’t hold it against anyone.
My biggest complaint of legalizing marijuana follows along the lines of why prostitution is not legal. Yes, it is freedom of choice and yes, people should (ideally) have the right to choose their actions concerning marijuana and sex, etc. The objection is how this would look. It would degrade our proud country to allow prostitutes hanging around on the street corners in broad daylight wiggling their bodies at passing businessmen (Amsterdam is the butt of too many jokes to list) ; likewise would it degrade our country to legalize a dangerous substance such as marijuana. As much as I try, I cannot justify letting something like marijuana out on the streets. We don’t have prohibition anymore- alcohol use is extremely widespread among teenagers and even lower age groups now…however you’d like to restrict it by age, this is not going to be enforced. As for your “if you don’t give it to them, they’ll want it even more” that psychology is for weak individuals who are motivated by “rebelling” and other such conformity actions that they don’t even give rational thought to. It’s ridiculous to want something just because you can’t have it, and it shows that more and more people are doing this just for the “shock value.”
I am not religious, so I’m not going to bring morals into this. I’d just rather our nation TRIED, albeit nominally, to keep it’s citizens from killing themselves with drugs.
Just my opinion 🙂
* * *
Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam
omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum
saxum immane mittam.
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### Author:  [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2000, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leagalize-mary/18060/4 "2000-04-13T19:42:00Z")
Well, a couple of paragraph breaks wouldn’t hurt there Brian.
> [@](#):
>
> 2.It would cure bulimia and anorexia
> in one fell swoop.
Just because pot makes you hungry doesn’t mean it can cure the complex emotional disorders that lead to anorexia and bulemia. Got a cite for that? I’ve never heard anyone make this claim.
> [@](#):
>
> 4.marijuana is concidered a class 4
> narcotic when cocaine is not.
Class 4 ? I think you mean schedule 1.
> [@](#):
>
> sombody please tell me why termanally ill people are not allowed to use it if it helps them ease the pain of dying
Because pharmaceutical companies are the huge contributors to political campaigns. These companies make many very expensive drugs to control nausea and glaucoma. If pot was legal, they wouldn’t make quite as many billions of dollars as they do now. If you think a corporation will put the suffering of millions of people ahead of a couple of stock points, you obviously haven’t lived in this country very long.
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### Author:  [@Delta-9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Delta-9)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2000, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leagalize-mary/18060/5 "2000-04-13T19:47:00Z")
First off, I’m all for it (my user name should be a clue).
Second, this has been debated to death already. Here’s one thread:
[Legalization Debate](http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/001479.html)
**The SDMB Smoke-out Continues**
_Delta-9 has been cigarette-free for_
3 days, 16 hours,44 minutes
73 cigs not smoked, saving me $14.79
Life Saved: 6 hours, 15 minutes
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### Author:  [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2000, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leagalize-mary/18060/6 "2000-04-13T19:53:00Z")
> [@](#):
>
> The objection is how this
> would look. It would degrade our proud country to allow prostitutes hanging around on the street corners in broad daylight wiggling their bodies at passing businessmen
Or you could just legalize prostitution and confine the hookers to out-of-the-way brothels.
> [@](#):
>
> likewise would it degrade our country to legalize a dangerous substance such as marijuana
Or we could just let the kids keep sniffing glue. Let’s face it : some people are going to use drugs no matter what. Marijuana is relatively [innocuous](http://marijuana.newscientist.com) compared to most drugs, including alcohol and tobacco.
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### Author:  [@BRIAN\_BROVOLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BRIAN_BROVOLD)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2000, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leagalize-mary/18060/7 "2000-04-13T19:59:00Z")
First i will admit i did mean schedule 4 drug. Secondly I still think marijuana use is less dangerous then alcohol anyday. I have proof. Alcohol deaths beat all drug deaths 4 to 1 last year alone. in 1995 4 out of 10 people on probation said they were drinking when they committed a violent crime. only 1 of 10 claimed they were on drugs. (Newsweek april 2000) anyway I am not saying that prostitution is pretty but it sure beats skyrocketing std rates in america comparitively. I believe that there could be a happy medium without our national pride taking too much of a beating. p.s. My grammer may suck some because I cannot type.
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### Author:  [@Delta-9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Delta-9)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2000, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leagalize-mary/18060/8 "2000-04-13T20:03:00Z")
Did another search and found this thread where we went 'round and 'round with AvenueB-dude about this subject.
[War on Drugs Debate](http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/001491.html)
Enjoy.
(still _cigarette_ smoke free)
* * *
The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
[Delta-9 Home Page](http://www.delta9studio.com)
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### Author:  [@kknick34](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kknick34)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2000, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leagalize-mary/18060/9 "2000-04-13T20:45:00Z")
If marijuana is legalized, usage will certainly go up. With the increase in usage other bad things will happen: car accidents will increase, teen use will increase etc.
If society is willing to deal with these additional costs, then there is no reason not to make it legal
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### Author:  [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2000, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leagalize-mary/18060/10 "2000-04-13T21:42:00Z")
neutron star wrpte:
> [@](#):
>
> Or you could just legalize prostitution and confine the hookers to out-of-the-way brothels.
You mean, like they already do in Nevada?
Naw, that’d be too easy.
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### Author:  [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2000, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leagalize-mary/18060/11 "2000-04-13T22:20:00Z")
I would like to see marijuana treated the way prostitution is treated in Las Vegas–it is illegal, but the law pretty much looks the other way.
Dr. J
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“Seriously, baby, I can prescribe anything I want!” -Dr. Nick Riviera
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### Author:  [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2000, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leagalize-mary/18060/12 "2000-04-13T22:27:00Z")
Oh, and just for info’s sake–Schedule 1 drugs are controlled substances with no approved medical use, such as marijuana. Schedule 2 drugs have medical uses, but high abuse potential as well, such as cocaine. They can only be prescribed one month at a time, and the scripts are usually written on a special pad. Schedule 3 and 4 are controlled and require a prescription, although I’m not sure of the difference between the two. Schedule 5 drugs are over-the-counter.
That’s what I remember from the beginning of my Pharm course, anyway.
Dr. J
* * *
“Seriously, baby, I can prescribe anything I want!” -Dr. Nick Riviera
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### Author:  [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2000, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leagalize-mary/18060/13 "2000-04-13T23:07:00Z")
Wait a second … Marijuana is still in the “no approved medical use” category, despite that law voted on in California a few years ago that allows for the medical use of Marijuana?
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### Author:  [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2000, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leagalize-mary/18060/14 "2000-04-14T00:06:00Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Originally posted by tracer:
> **Wait a second … Marijuana is still in the “no approved medical use” category, despite that law voted on in California a few years ago that allows for the medical use of Marijuana?**
California?
What about Washington St., Oregon, Aridzona, Maine, Hawaii…hold on, I’m missing somebody here…\
Who’s number 7? Is it Alaska?
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### Author:  [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2000, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leagalize-mary/18060/15 "2000-04-14T00:06:00Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Originally posted by kknick34:
>
> **If marijuana is legalized, usage will certainly go up. With the increase in usage other bad things will happen: car accidents will increase, teen use will increase etc.**
Slippery slope… Try again…
* * *
Yer pal,
Satan
[http://www.raleighmusic.com/board/Images/devil.gif](http://www.raleighmusic.com/board/Images/devil.gif)
_TIME ELAPSED SINCE I QUIT SMOKING:
Four days, 22 hours, 3 minutes and 53 seconds.
196 cigarettes not smoked, saving $24.59.
Life saved: 16 hours, 20 minutes._
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### Author:  [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2000, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leagalize-mary/18060/16 "2000-04-14T02:48:00Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Originally posted by BRIAN BROVOLD:
> p.s. My grammer may suck some because I cannot type.\*\*
Brian-
Your grammar is not so bad, but your posts would be a lot easier to read if they were not undifferentiated blocks of text. Try hitting “enter” between points.
Good luck and welcome to the board.
-Bean
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### Author:  [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2000, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leagalize-mary/18060/17 "2000-04-14T03:51:00Z")
Perhaps we now have a junior auxillary to GD? 😃 Brian, you make some good points. Try following the rules of capitalization and grammer and you will be a lot more effective in getting them across. I believe that your comment on bulemia and anerexia was a joke, it made me laugh anyway. Was it? Anyway, let me add my welcome to the board, we look forward to many interesting debates with you. Keep up to this laudable standard you started woith and you’ll be a great addition to our community.
* * *
Cecil said it. I believe it. That settles it.
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### Author:  [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2000, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leagalize-mary/18060/18 "2000-04-14T03:52:00Z")
As to spelling…well, I obviously can’t throw stones there! 🙂
* * *
Cecil said it. I believe it. That settles it.
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### Author:  [@2sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2sense)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2000, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leagalize-mary/18060/19 "2000-04-14T04:47:00Z")
Not to get on a horse that has been beaten to death, but…
I have used both marijuana and cocaine(powder and crack) and I feel(and I mean feel) differently about these drugs.
## 1 I take. The other I leave.
## Just putting my 2sense in
**The 'Burg Dry Spell Continues**
_2sense has been marihuana-free for_
4 days, 21 hours, 65 minutes
5 joints not smoked, saving me $75 (OK, 5 _sliffs_
Life Saved: 0 hours, 0 minutes
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### Author:  [@2sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2sense)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2000, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leagalize-mary/18060/20 "2000-04-14T04:48:00Z")
um,…SPLIFFS
* * *
## Just putting my 2sense in.
_Tyranny_,\* like Hell\*,\* is not easily conquered\*.
-Thomas Paine (fugitive slave catcher)
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