# Legalization Of Marijuana **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 23, 2009, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalization-of-marijuana/511205 "2009-09-23T06:30:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![NajaNivea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NajaNivea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NajaNivea)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalization-of-marijuana/511205/21 "2009-09-23T16:53:18Z")
I don’t know what ever happened to the campaign. I’m plenty happy about it (in theory), so long as it doesn’t restrict the average Mary Jane from growing or selling her own. The one suspicion I have with such a proposal, is that it might effectively open the channel for commercial exploitation while continuing to criminalize the little guy. If the small-volume grower is protected then I’m all for it. I don’t think there can be much debate about the need to end the wasteful spending on criminalization of marijuana. I read recently that four out of every five dollars we throw at the “war on drugs” is spent addressing marijuana. Anyone know if that statistic approaches anything like accurate? ---
**Author:** ![Hirundo82](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/919ad9/32.png) [@Hirundo82](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hirundo82)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalization-of-marijuana/511205/22 "2009-09-23T18:34:24Z")
> [@filling\_pages](#): > > I’m just curious - better, the same, or worse than alcohol in what way? I’m assuming in terms of physical and social consequences–long-term medical problems, danger to others when under the influence, etc. I voted for legalization for those over 21. IMO marijuana should be regulated and distributed in the same manner as alcohol. If (or when, hopefully) the drinking age is returned to 18, the age for pot consumption should be lowered as well. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalization-of-marijuana/511205/23 "2009-09-23T18:38:59Z")
Legalize it. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalization-of-marijuana/511205/24 "2009-09-23T20:31:32Z")
Leagalize mj. Also, certain other drugs. Shrooms spring to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Jamaika\_a\_jamaikaiake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7993a0/32.png) [@Jamaika\_a\_jamaikaiake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamaika_a_jamaikaiake)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalization-of-marijuana/511205/25 "2009-09-23T20:37:58Z")
You don’t have as an option “legalize marijuana” that didn’t also legalize other drugs. This is how I wanted to vote. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalization-of-marijuana/511205/26 "2009-09-23T20:56:45Z")
I think 21 is better than 18 as an age, simple because the frontal lobes don’t finish developing until you’re in your early 20s, so it just seems logical to try to delay any problems until the brain develops as much as possible (same reason I’m for alcohol’s age being 21 and later). Legalize it and tax the hell out of it. ---
**Author:** ![Jamaika\_a\_jamaikaiake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7993a0/32.png) [@Jamaika\_a\_jamaikaiake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamaika_a_jamaikaiake)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalization-of-marijuana/511205/27 "2009-09-23T20:57:02Z")
Also, multiple choice makes this poll skewed. People who vote ‘never legalize’ will only vote for that. People who want to legalize partially may vote for more than one option. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalization-of-marijuana/511205/28 "2009-09-23T21:24:39Z")
This week’s [Fortune Magazine](http://money.cnn.com/2009/09/11/magazines/fortune/medical_marijuana_legalizing.fortune/index.htm) has as its cover story an article arguing that, because of medical marijuana laws and a statement made by Obama’s Atty. General Erick Holder last February that stated it’s now the official policy of the Federal Government to _not_ go after medical marijuana dispensaries, reversing the Bush policy. (Btw, voted yes for 18+). ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalization-of-marijuana/511205/29 "2009-09-23T21:43:56Z")
Where was just “legalize it, period”? Which one should I tick for that? ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalization-of-marijuana/511205/30 "2009-09-23T21:51:06Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I also chose legal for 18+, because I also think alcohol should be legal for all adults who so choose, and 18 is legally adult. My thoughts exactly. ---
**Author:** ![gladtobeblazed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@gladtobeblazed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gladtobeblazed)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalization-of-marijuana/511205/31 "2009-09-23T22:09:46Z")
I chose to let the states decide, as I thought it would be easier than legalizing it nationwide. Otherwise make it legal nationwide for those 19 and over (too many 18 year olds in high school, although we could fix that simply by kicking out all 18 year old students and sending them to community college to finish their studies). ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalization-of-marijuana/511205/32 "2009-09-23T22:16:13Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > I think it should be legalized. > > I’d be surprised if there was anyone here who _didn’t_ think that. I came close but went with leaving it up to the states. I sat in on a debate long ago (Nixon was still President) and something in the issue that “decriminalization is better than legalization” really won a place in my heart. What all the factors were I forget (I may have been a little stoned at that lecture series) but I haven’t seen anyone blow it out of the water well enough to change my mind. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalization-of-marijuana/511205/33 "2009-09-23T22:46:41Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > Legalize it. …time to recognize it. [/Sean Paul] ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalization-of-marijuana/511205/34 "2009-09-23T22:55:15Z")
I’m ambivalent. On one hand, it seems wrong to allow alcohol and not marijuana, when the former is more addictive. On the other, I’ve seen it destroy lives of people who get too much of it or do it too often. Too many people self-medicate rather than dealing with their problems. If it were up to me, you’d have to get an actual license or prescription to purchase all psychoactive substances (yes, including caffeine) that are less addictive than alcohol And it would be limited to a certain low amount. You’d have to at least have a physical and mental check up to purchase the stuff. Unfortunately, this is not one of the allowable answers. Three of the answers are close, though. (Crossed out sections to make exact) [ul] [li] Only be legal if prescribed by doctor [del]for medical reasons[/del].[/li][li][del]Don’t legalize it, but make it just a misdemeaner for[/del] under an ounce.[/li][li] Legalize [del]ALL drugs[/del], under strict control.[/li][/ul] Total: [ul] [li]Only legalize if prescribed [or allowed] by a doctor, at quantities less than an ounce, under strict controls.[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalization-of-marijuana/511205/35 "2009-09-23T23:12:11Z")
Some people aren’t old enough to remember when brewing your own beer was illegal. Then we got the homebrew laws and any idiot can now brew pretty much whatever the hell they want, although home distilling is still illegal. So rather than commercialised legalization, let’s have a National Homegrown Law. You can grow up to 50 plants a year. You can keep or sell the product to others or to local/regional distribution channels. You can possess up to 20 pounds at any given time. Sales taxes collected by the distribution channels. To be sure, if Mary Jane Weed sells all her product to people she knows, the state isn’t going to be collecting any sales tax. But if she does so and doesn’t report it as income, then it’s an income tax evasion issue. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalization-of-marijuana/511205/36 "2009-09-23T23:14:50Z")
A big yes for Medical Marijuana however I’d only support legalisation of marijuana for pleasure only if it’s highly regulated and taxed (80% tax) ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2009, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalization-of-marijuana/511205/37 "2009-09-24T00:34:50Z")
> [@filling\_pages](#): > > I’m just curious - better, the same, or worse than alcohol in what way? > [@Hirundo82](#): > > I’m assuming in terms of physical and social consequences–long-term medical problems, danger to others when under the influence, etc. Yes, that’s it exactly. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2009, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalization-of-marijuana/511205/38 "2009-09-24T01:24:48Z")
Over 18. Old enough to vote, old enough to toke. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2009, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalization-of-marijuana/511205/39 "2009-09-24T03:18:19Z")
I picked 21+ to keep it consistent with alcohol. But more importantly, _since when have we been able to do polls_?! ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2009, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalization-of-marijuana/511205/40 "2009-09-24T03:35:46Z")
I wanna know who the one person who voted “never legalize it” was. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalization-of-marijuana/511205.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalization-of-marijuana/511205.md?page=3)