# Marijuana Legalization Poll **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 18, 2012, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization-poll/638136 "2012-10-18T16:33:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization-poll/638136/61 "2012-10-19T20:41:50Z")
> [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](#): > > When someone gets busted for possessing pot they pay a fine, or they go in front a judge who lowers the sentence to community service. That is decriminalization? I misunderstood the term. It’s not a crime, but they take your money and enslave you for a bit? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization-poll/638136/62 "2012-10-19T21:01:56Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > I don’t think so. My understanding of the “gateway drug” argument is that people, once they try one drug, are more likely to experiment with others. I don’t necessarily buy that because I know plenty of people who use, or have used, pot who never went on to harder drugs. > > No, my argument is more from a business standpoint. Currently, there is a black market for pot. It is a very lucrative business, of course, and where you find tons of money, you find ruthless people. I find it hard to believe that if pot were to become legal, thus drying up their profits, that they’d simply fold up their tent and go home. Perhaps they’d stay a black market dealer and still be content. But my fear is that they won’t be, and will move on to peddling something else instead, such as meth or heroin instead, since the infrastructure is already in place. And I’d much rather they peddle something innocuous than something nefarious like meth. Peddling alternative drugs only works if there is a demand for them. I don’t think such a conclusion - that demand will increase for more nefarious drugs if pot is legalized - has been definitively drawn. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization-poll/638136/63 "2012-10-19T21:07:58Z")
By the Gateway drug, it is arguable that tobacco smokers would graduate to marijuana. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization-poll/638136/64 "2012-10-19T21:17:30Z")
I voted to legalize it but I feel it has devasting affects on young students. I would like to see panels go around to the schools and give no bullshit accounts of how pot affected their lives. I also feel pot is dangerous if driving or operating machinery, in some cases even walking if an individual becomes too absent minded. Speaking from my own experience which I realize is unique to me. I have a slight problem with drug testing in that pot stays in the system so long. I see no problem with adults using pot in a responsible manner. ---
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization-poll/638136/65 "2012-10-19T21:26:44Z")
> [@magnusblitz](#): > > There were some studies recently that showed that pot has an effect on neurological development for those under 18, but not for those who have reached adulthood. Just another reason to limit it to 21 (or 18 perhaps). Agreed. Weed is for people that have found their way in life, it’s not for people that are looking for it. ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization-poll/638136/66 "2012-10-19T21:33:18Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > That is decriminalization? I misunderstood the term. It’s not a crime, but they take your money and enslave you for a bit? 🙂 [Decriminalization](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decriminalization) means that it would just be a little bit illegal. More along the lines of a minor traffic violation. Pay the fine (which gives money to whatever level of government is appropriate) or have a judge knock the penalty down to community service (which serves the community in some way). ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization-poll/638136/67 "2012-10-19T22:32:22Z")
1. I have not read the thread. 2. I do not smoke marijuana. I have smoked marijuana in the past, but it just doesn’t interest me. In my (limited) experience, it does not appear to be more harmful than alcohol. Indeed, how often do you hear of someone getting baked and beating up his wife? My _personal_ opinion is that people _shouldn’t_ smoke marijuana; but it’s not my job to tell people what they can do as adults. I doubt regulation would be any more effective that the regulation of alcohol, but regulation isn’t effective now. I say make it legal, and regulate it like alcohol insofar as it _can_ be regulated so. ---
**Author:** ![highrollinwooded](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/71c47a/32.png) [@highrollinwooded](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/highrollinwooded)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization-poll/638136/68 "2012-10-20T23:53:14Z")
My daughter just got her card today…she can chose a “caregiver” to grow plants for her…and is allowed to have in her vehicle a large quanitity of pot if she is stopped. But you cannot be under the influence of pot while driving…glad michigan is taking a step in the right direction!!! ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization-poll/638136/69 "2012-10-21T00:31:58Z")
> [@Deadhead\_Dave](#): > > In fact, there’s a little-known research partnership ongoing between UT and the University of Amsterdam where they’ve had success in hybridizing marijuana with kudzu. No, there isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization-poll/638136/70 "2012-10-21T10:51:02Z")
> [@Deadhead\_Dave](#): > > In fact, there’s a little-known research partnership ongoing between UT and the University of Amsterdam where they’ve had success in hybridizing marijuana with kudzu. I’d want a cite for this. This has nothing to do with the thread topic. It’s just that I’d want a cite for _any_ claim that a nontrivial productive use had been found for kudzu. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization-poll/638136/71 "2012-10-21T11:03:19Z")
Where I stand is, I think dope should be legal, but I’m against the notion of large corporations having an economic interest in having Americans spend more time stoned. That just seems to be a Bad Idea, IMHO. So: make possession legal. You could have it, you could grow it, you could give it to your friends. And for all practical purposes, you could buy from or sell to your friends, too, or your friends’ friends, or random passersby. It would be technically illegal, but it would one of those crimes that wouldn’t be worth the cops’ trouble to try and bust anyone over, and the consequences if you’re caught would be trivial. Under this regime, dope would be pretty easy to get hold of: if you didn’t grow it yourself, it would be easy enough to ask around and find someone who did, who might want to sell some to you. But making commerce in dope illegal, even at the parking-fine level, would keep the corporations’ hands off it, and keep them from having a reason to promote marijuana use via advertising. ---
**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:** [October 21, 2012, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization-poll/638136/72 "2012-10-21T11:16:59Z")
I’m not sure I agree with alcohol being at 21, but I do see marijuana as closer to alcohol than tobacco. The latter does not noticeably alter behavior (except when you try to quit). ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization-poll/638136/73 "2012-10-21T13:33:14Z")
> [@highrollinwooded](#): > > My daughter just got her card today… Excellent post/username combo! And what is your daughter’s email address? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization-poll/638136/74 "2012-10-21T18:10:13Z")
> [@Red\_Wiggler](#): > > Peddling alternative drugs only works if there is a demand for them. I don’t think such a conclusion - that demand will increase for more nefarious drugs if pot is legalized - has been definitively drawn. Heroin and meth are highly addictive. So peddlers may simply give away free samples in order to increase future sales. I’m not saying that we should pass laws solely based on speculation, but it’s something to consider. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2012, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization-poll/638136/75 "2012-10-22T13:16:07Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > Heroin and meth are highly addictive. So peddlers may simply give away free samples in order to increase future sales. > > I’m not saying that we should pass laws solely based on speculation, but it’s something to consider. Heroin and meth dealers can do that now. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization-poll/638136.md?page=3)