WTF are they busting this guy for?

[BurkGlocker]

http://www.kauz.com/news/local/62648287.html

This pisses me off to no extent. People getting busted for something as little as marijuana. No, I do not condone the use of pot, and have not used it since my teenage years, and the only reason that I dont use is because it is illegal and dirty UA's keep you from being hired for a job and even losing one. I hate alcohol, and I hate what it does to people and families, but have known many families that all of them use, the parents, the kids, hell even the grandkids of a certain age, and most of them are successful and normal everyday people. But busting people for something that grows natural and uncontrollably almost everywhere in this state, is BS. The only reason marijuana is illegal is because the government cannot control its growth, use or distrubution and therefore, cannot tax the shit out of it. When is Texas going to wake up about this issue?

[cuate]

I don't use it, my relaxation is a Rum & Coca Cola, or a beer but the history as I read it is:

Around 1935 some person with not much to do discovered that Indians and Hispanics had been puffing it for maybe a 1000 years to lay back and relax. They then decided it was the root of all evil and propagandized the so called evils of THC use, passed Federal and on down to state laws.
In the 60s the Hippy crowd got into cannibis because it was risque, and it was a way to flaunt the law in the Fed's and States faces. Later others tried it, some liked it, some did not.

Scientists claim that it is not psycologically addictive, It is doubtful it is physically addictive but its against the law, no responsible parent wants their children using it. It does not always lead to hard drugs but has in some instances. California and one other state ignore Federal law and sell it all over with a prescription. It's legalization would do great damage to the murderous Mexican drug cartels...Rum is legal, pot isn't, I'll stick to my mixed drinks, and not operate motor vehicles....

[DCortez]

Originally Posted by cuate

It's legalization would do great damage to the murderous Mexican drug cartels...Rum is legal

It would end a lot of problems on a lot of levels. How many more problems would it create? Dunno. I do know what illegal rum did to our country and how we handle the legal liquid now.


I'm not much into telling people how to live or being taxed to fix their lives.

[Libertarian_Longhorn]

Originally Posted by DCortez

It would end a lot of problems on a lot of levels. How many more problems would it create? Dunno. I do know what illegal rum did to our country and how we handle the legal liquid now.


I'm not much into telling people how to live or being taxed to fix their lives.

Closet libertarian Dcortez? I like it.

[Texas42]

If pot was legalized, the drug cartels would still exist.

I think the whole, "the government could make so much in taxes" argument is stupid. Government needs to learn to work with less money.

I think you are stupid for taking psychoactive drugs. Call me crazy. I don't doubt there are some good physiologic benefits that could be taken from these drugs, but I think a perscription is in order.

[Libertarian_Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Texas42

If pot was legalized, the drug cartels would still exist.

I think the whole, "the government could make so much in taxes" argument is stupid. Government needs to learn to work with less money.

I think you are stupid for taking psychoactive drugs. Call me crazy. I don't doubt there are some good physiologic benefits that could be taken from these drugs, but I think a perscription is in order.

Caffiene is a psychoactive drug.

[DCortez]

Originally Posted by Texas42

I think a perscription is in order.

One cartel vs another. Both driven by greed.

[cuate]

Originally Posted by Texas42

If pot was legalized, the drug cartels would still exist.

I think the whole, "the government could make so much in taxes" argument is stupid. Government needs to learn to work with less money.

I think you are stupid for taking psychoactive drugs. Call me crazy. I don't doubt there are some good physiologic benefits that could be taken from these drugs, but I think a perscription is in order.

The best drug I have found is the off knob on the TV, same on the Radio and just read the sports page in the papers....Well, Texas Guns is a wonderful media, can't escape the obamination completely but makes him smell a little less like the pile out at the barn,,,, Yeah, Texas Guns is good for the bod & mind !!!!

[hoytinak]

I think constructing a good argument for legalization would have to include an investigation into the original reason for its criminalization.

http://www.drugwarrant.com/articles/...juana-illegal/

Just one article of many.

It will be difficult to follow a good if a person carries a general disdain for potheads, though, so it would be important to note that, likely, many people around you smoke, and aren't perceived as potheads. I can think of 5 people just off the top of my head that smoke.

They hold jobs, have relationships, and contribute to society and aren't your stereotypical pothead.

The only difference between them and me is that they get high on the weekends.

It's my position that marijuana remains illegal simply because enought people don't have enough information about it. In order to inform people, we could get socratic on their asses:

Why is marijuana illegal?

"It's a gateway drug!"
No, it's not.
http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/study...rug-12116.html (one of many)

So if weed isn't a gateway drug, then why is it illegal?

"It's dangerous!"
No known lethal dose.

So, since weed isn't dangerous, certainly no more dangerous than the drugs which are available on the market today, and it's not a gateway drug, then why should people not be able to use it?

"It makes you stupid."
Not really.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/...rmanently.html

If marijuana isn't dangerous, it has no demonstrable long-term effects on your brain, and won't lead you to start smoking crack, then what makes it more harmful than, say, alcohol or cigarettes?

"It alters your mood."
Yeah, into a complacent, pacified (albeit paranoid) couch potato who enjoys simple things and/or is capable of experiencing different states of mind. Is that a bad thing?

Compare weed with salvia divinorum. Why isn't Salvia illegal?

Hemp is easy to grow, will grow just about anywhere, and has a myriad of uses. Why should it be so strictly criminalized?

Lets not forget medical marijuana.

The argument is the absurdity of the law itself.
It's like banning peanuts.

[Texas42]

comparing Marajuana to peanuts is silly.

I can think of three old "friends" of mine who became potheads. Their life went down the toilet. Haven't heard from them in years.

I'm sure they had other contributing conditions as well. I'm sure I have several of my other friends smoke, and are perfectly adjusted members of society.

The question is where do you draw the line?

Morphine, Cocaine, Acetomenophen, salicylicates, ect can all have some beneficial properties in the right situations. They also have risks. They can contribute to your death.

If you believe that there shouldn't be any regulations, we'll simply have to disagree.