# Marijuana legalization **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 7, 2011, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization/577477 "2011-04-07T00:51:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization/577477/1 "2011-04-07T00:51:55Z")
Just curious. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization/577477/2 "2011-04-07T00:56:45Z")
Haven’t imbibed myself, but know plenty of tokers. I much prefer the smell of weed over that of tobacco, too. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization/577477/3 "2011-04-07T00:57:26Z")
I support full legalization (ie give it the exact same status as alchohol) of marijuana and I’ve used marijuana. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization/577477/4 "2011-04-07T01:27:30Z")
Smoked it for 25 years, have not smoked in 7.5 years. Look, different drugs do different things to different people. Marijuana was a relatively safe drug for me. I understand that it isn’t for everyone, but the bottom line TRUTH is that the number of people killed by Marijuana each year is less than the number of people killed by buckets. It has legitimate medicinal uses, basically no lethal dose, and is a lot less harmful to your body than tobacco. Marijuana prohibition is a farce. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization/577477/5 "2011-04-07T01:43:51Z")
Former user, will never use again. Legalize and tax the crap out of it. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization/577477/6 "2011-04-07T02:20:46Z")
Tried it a couple of times, it was really bad for me. Don’t care really one way or the other about legalization. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization/577477/7 "2011-04-07T02:41:23Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Smoked it for 25 years, have not smoked in 7.5 years. > > Look, different drugs do different things to different people. Marijuana was a relatively safe drug for me. I understand that it isn’t for everyone, but the bottom line TRUTH is that the number of people killed by Marijuana each year is less than the number of people killed by buckets. It has legitimate medicinal uses, basically no lethal dose, and is a lot less harmful to your body than tobacco. > > Marijuana prohibition is a farce. I totally agree. Whenever the subject comes up in mixed company, I always feel the need to stop conversation and take a poll by raising hands among the group. I ask, “Raise your hand if you know someone or know of someone who was negatively impacted by alcohol, especially car accidents or DUI’s.” Everyone raises their hands! Then I ask, “And a raise of hands of people who can say the same about weed?” No one. I rest my case. And I’ve watched every episode of Intervention. Not a one featured weed. And I’m tired of my friends having to hide their stash. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization/577477/8 "2011-04-07T02:50:56Z")
Never used it, but support legalization. Keeping it illegal does quite a bit of damage to society and individuals, with little to no benefit in return. ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization/577477/9 "2011-04-07T03:03:30Z")
I never used it but I support legalization because (1) The Man can’t tell me what to do and (2) I am tired as heck of hearing people complaining that it’s illegal ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization/577477/10 "2011-04-07T03:12:44Z")
I support legalization, but haven’t used it since the 60s. Actually, I support legalization of all victimless crimes, as long as they are truly victimless. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization/577477/11 "2011-04-07T03:31:28Z")
I’m fairly ambivalent on the issue of legalization. I have used it once or twice in years past, and would probably use it more often if it were legal and it wouldn’t jeopardize my job, but i’m not particularly concerned with whether it’s legalized or not. ---
**Author:** ![\_mostly\_Harmless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/9d8465/32.png) [@\_mostly\_Harmless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_mostly_Harmless)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization/577477/12 "2011-04-07T04:50:52Z")
I tried it a few times but it makes me nauseous. I’m gonna be quite honest and say that the only reason I’m against legalizing it is to say “fuck y’all” to those who can enjoy it. I know it’s neither rational nor mature but here we are. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization/577477/13 "2011-04-07T05:28:58Z")
Legalizing it and taxing it is the same as keeping it illegal. There will still be a black market. You don’t need to pay taxes on a tomato vine, why should you have to pay it on a pot plant? Just legalize it, period. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization/577477/14 "2011-04-07T06:29:08Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Legalizing it and taxing it is the same as keeping it illegal. There will still be a black market. You don’t need to pay taxes on a tomato vine, why should you have to pay it on a pot plant? Just legalize it, period. Hmm, I don’t know if I buy that. Even with the very high taxes on tobacco, black market cigarettes are a fairly minor problem compared to the size of the whole market. Black market booze is largely unheard of. (Not counting underage keg parties.) ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_Stimulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Digital\_Stimulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_Stimulus)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization/577477/15 "2011-04-07T12:46:39Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > I ask, “Raise your hand if you know someone or know of someone who was negatively impacted by alcohol, especially car accidents or DUI’s.” Everyone raises their hands! Then I ask, “And a raise of hands of people who can say the same about weed?” No one. This points to the _only_ reservation I have about legalization – that there’s no non-invasive DUI test for weed. At least, AFAIK. It’s inarguable that smoking pot affects one’s driving ability. I don’t want the vast majority of pot smokers to get behind the wheel when high, and feel that there should be strictly enforced DUI laws/penalties. But, if there’s no cheap, easy to administer a side-of-the-road test, there’s no practical way to enforce such laws. As I said, it’s just a reservation I have; all things considered, I _still_ think legalization is correct policy. ---
**Author:** ![zeldarae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/f14d63/32.png) [@zeldarae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zeldarae)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization/577477/16 "2011-04-07T12:56:12Z")
It should be legalized, if for no reason other than ending the huge waste of tax dollars to enforce our sin laws. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization/577477/17 "2011-04-07T13:11:17Z")
I voted other. What I support is _de-illegalization_. “Legalization” sounds too much like asking for the government’s blessing, whereas the government shouldn’t endorse anything; it should step the f\*ck out of the way and stop impeding freedoms. /me Not user, by the way. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization/577477/18 "2011-04-07T16:20:36Z")
I voted “support, never used” but I did smoke pot about a half-dozen times in college. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization/577477/19 "2011-04-07T16:50:34Z")
> [@Digital\_Stimulus](#): > > This points to the _only_ reservation I have about legalization – that there’s no non-invasive DUI test for weed. At least, AFAIK. > > It’s inarguable that smoking pot affects one’s driving ability. I don’t want the vast majority of pot smokers to get behind the wheel when high, and feel that there should be strictly enforced DUI laws/penalties. But, if there’s no cheap, easy to administer a side-of-the-road test, there’s no practical way to enforce such laws. > > As I said, it’s just a reservation I have; all things considered, I _still_ think legalization is correct policy. If you’re stoned enough to get pulled over, you’re probably stoned enough to fail a roadside sobriety test. If the person administering the test is trained and certified in identifying non-alcohol intoxication, it shouldn’t be a bigger problem than dealing with driving while on painkillers. Education and awareness goes a long way here. People need to be reminded that just because something is legal doesn’t mean you should drive while using it. We don’t ban cellphones because it’s more difficult to prove their use directly contributed to the accident. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization/577477/20 "2011-04-07T16:53:36Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > If you’re stoned enough to get pulled over, you’re probably stoned enough to fail a roadside sobriety test. If the person administering the test is trained and certified in identifying non-alcohol intoxication, it shouldn’t be a bigger problem than dealing with driving while on painkillers. Most people who are charged with DUI are not pulled over because they appear to be drunk. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-legalization/577477.md?page=2)