# Pot-free, support marijuana legalization - anyone else in this boat? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 24, 2009, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-free-support-marijuana-legalization-anyone-else-in-this-boat/522420 "2009-12-24T05:24:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Bith\_Shuffle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@The\_Bith\_Shuffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Bith_Shuffle)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-free-support-marijuana-legalization-anyone-else-in-this-boat/522420/1 "2009-12-24T05:24:43Z")
I’ve never smoked pot. Ever. And I don’t really plan on it, though I might try it one of these just to see what it’s like. But I have never, up to this point, smoked marijuana. And I completely support marijuana legalization. It just does not make sense for recreational marijuana use - marijuana use _just for fun_ - to be illegal. It’s legal to drink just for fun, but it’s illegal to use marijuana just for fun. Make sense? Absolutely not. Is anyone else in roughly the same boat as me? ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-free-support-marijuana-legalization-anyone-else-in-this-boat/522420/2 "2009-12-24T05:29:04Z")
Yep. ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-free-support-marijuana-legalization-anyone-else-in-this-boat/522420/3 "2009-12-24T05:33:10Z")
Yes indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Todderbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-free-support-marijuana-legalization-anyone-else-in-this-boat/522420/4 "2009-12-24T05:39:28Z")
I don’t currently smoke, but have in the past. I supported the legalization of Marijuana before I ever smoked, though, so can I be in your club? ---
**Author:** ![A\_Spoonful\_of\_Awesome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@A\_Spoonful\_of\_Awesome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_Spoonful_of_Awesome)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-free-support-marijuana-legalization-anyone-else-in-this-boat/522420/5 "2009-12-24T05:44:53Z")
I’ll apply for membership as well. Should I bring pie, or would brownies suffice? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-free-support-marijuana-legalization-anyone-else-in-this-boat/522420/6 "2009-12-24T05:46:39Z")
> [@The\_Bith\_Shuffle](#): > > I’ve never smoked pot. Ever. And I don’t really plan on it, though I might try it one of these just to see what it’s like. But I have never, up to this point, smoked ma. rijuana. > > And I completely support marijuana legalization. It just does not make sense for recreational marijuana use - marijuana use _just for fun_ - to be illegal. It’s legal to drink just for fun, but it’s illegal to use marijuana just for fun. Make sense? Absolutely not. > > Is anyone else in roughly the same boat as me? Sure, but all they’ll get is my vote-no cash or anything. And it would help if they would just stop with the fucking lies about the wonders of Hemp.:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![The\_Bith\_Shuffle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@The\_Bith\_Shuffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Bith_Shuffle)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-free-support-marijuana-legalization-anyone-else-in-this-boat/522420/7 "2009-12-24T05:48:06Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Sure, but all they’ll get is my vote-no cash or anything. > > And it would help if they would just stop with the fucking lies about the wonders of Hemp.:rolleyes: Yes, it would be nice if they gave that up. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-free-support-marijuana-legalization-anyone-else-in-this-boat/522420/8 "2009-12-24T05:55:13Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > And it would help if they would just stop with the fucking lies about the wonders of Hemp.:rolleyes: Only when the other side stops with the fucking lies about the dangers of pot.:mad: ---
**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:** [December 24, 2009, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-free-support-marijuana-legalization-anyone-else-in-this-boat/522420/9 "2009-12-24T06:12:53Z")
Last toke for me was before Reagan got elected. Count me in and you can tack on a lot of the other recreational drugs as well. I’ll even kick in some bucks if it can get better use now than NORML usually showed in the old days. ---
**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:** [December 24, 2009, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-free-support-marijuana-legalization-anyone-else-in-this-boat/522420/10 "2009-12-24T06:23:38Z")
I haven’t smoked pot since sometime in the 70s . . . and not much before then. I totally support legalization. ---
**Author:** ![not\_alice](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_alice/32/7283_2.png) [@not\_alice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_alice)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-free-support-marijuana-legalization-anyone-else-in-this-boat/522420/11 "2009-12-24T06:24:55Z")
Yup. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-free-support-marijuana-legalization-anyone-else-in-this-boat/522420/12 "2009-12-24T06:30:36Z")
I haven’t smoked in over ten years, but support legalization, and will buy and smoke it the day it does become legal. ---
**Author:** ![Terraplane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@Terraplane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terraplane)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-free-support-marijuana-legalization-anyone-else-in-this-boat/522420/13 "2009-12-24T06:31:31Z")
It’s been years since I’ve tried it and I don’t have any plans to do it again, but yes. I don’t think it’s any worse than alcohol and probably not even as bad. It’s silly for weed to be illegal and I think legalizing it would cause less problems than the current state of affairs. It’s nowhere close to an urgent issue to me when compared with healthcare or civil rights or foreign policy but if given the choice between two otherwise identical candidates I’d choose the one in favor of legalizing pot. ---
**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:** [December 24, 2009, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-free-support-marijuana-legalization-anyone-else-in-this-boat/522420/14 "2009-12-24T06:38:17Z")
Another yes vote. I’ve never even tried it, or been interested in doing so; but it appears to be about as harmless as recreational drugs get. And I long ago came to the conclusion that prohibition is doing a lot more harm to society than legalizing it would even if it was a lot nastier than it is. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-free-support-marijuana-legalization-anyone-else-in-this-boat/522420/15 "2009-12-24T07:43:09Z")
Haven’t smoked since college, but absolutely support legalization. I don’t like punishing people for what they do in the privacy of their own homes, so long as they don’t harm anyone else. And I don’t like the people who profit from illegal pot. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-free-support-marijuana-legalization-anyone-else-in-this-boat/522420/16 "2009-12-24T08:07:32Z")
Me, too. I loathe smoking, but have a much better impression of pot than tobacco, at least partly because you don’t have to smoke pot. (Is there such a thing as pot snuff? Are tobacco brownies edible?) I’d legalize pot and place it right beside tobacco: same restrictions on sale and use, same taxes… except I’d make it legal to grow at home, same as you can make wine and beer at home. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-free-support-marijuana-legalization-anyone-else-in-this-boat/522420/17 "2009-12-24T08:20:22Z")
I’ve never smoked marijuana, nor have I ever had a drink of alcohol or used any other recreational drug. I support the legalization of marijuana for several reasons. Pot does less social harm than alcohol. It’s not physically addictive. Many people enjoy it and their use of it doesn’t hurt anyone. It has legitimate medical uses. The posession of small amounts has been decriminalized in many communities without causing any problems. Many people flout the laws against marijuana, which leads to decreased respect for law in general. Some kids, when they learn they’ve been lied to about marijuana, conclude that they’ve been lied to about other drugs, including dangerous ones like heroin, cocaine and meth. On the other hand, what social benefit is there in keeping it illegal? I suppose it might keep some people from becoming wasted stoners, but I doubt it. ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-free-support-marijuana-legalization-anyone-else-in-this-boat/522420/18 "2009-12-24T08:46:46Z")
Pot-free now for several reasons, but absolutely support legalization. Hell, the whole medical marijuana deal indicates even the authorities have had to admit there are some benefits to it. ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-free-support-marijuana-legalization-anyone-else-in-this-boat/522420/19 "2009-12-24T08:51:08Z")
[http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/archives/188734.asp](http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/archives/188734.asp) Seattles new Mayor is on board, I didnt hear the interview but I was told he would go so far as to instruct Seattle police to take a stance similar to Canada, if a cop sees you smoking pot he makes you dump it out and crush it on the ground and you both go on your way. not a pot smoker, but definitely behind this one, to much money going to incarcerate people for getting high. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-free-support-marijuana-legalization-anyone-else-in-this-boat/522420/20 "2009-12-24T09:03:20Z")
I’d be OK with legalizing it, as long as people can’t smoke it in most public places. Pot and tobacco smoke both affect the people who breathe in the secondhand smoke to some degree. I have only inhaled a joint on one occasion (and I suspect that I didn’t inhale correctly), but more than once I got high off the pot smoke in a movie theater (this was in the 60s and 70s, when tobacco smoking was allowed in theaters, and most employees would not search too hard for the source of the sweeter smoke) or in other public places, like at a concert. And please, as others said, don’t insult my intelligence by praising the glories of hemp. Hemp makes very poor quality paper and fabric, and marijuana is NOT going to be legalized because of its value as a source of fiber! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-free-support-marijuana-legalization-anyone-else-in-this-boat/522420.md?page=2)