Katczinsky

Presumably the purpose of laws are to protect people from other people, not from themselves. Perhaps laws like helmet laws are an infringement on personal freedom and responsibility. If I remember correctly, you don't seem to have any problem recognizing the problems with over-reaching gun control laws, so I don't see why this should be much different.

That said, I might understand laws that segregate or limit places where people can smoke (because such would be requiring people that they don't infringe onto others; via second hand smoke), even though the true effects of second hand smoke I think have been really exaggerated and perhaps those laws are really debatable; but I don't see outlawing substances like alcohol, cigarettes, or in this case marijuana as truly defensible positions.

Clearly, law enforcement has much better things to do than raid the house of some hippie puffing grass.

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Political Compass:

Economic Left/Right: -9.50
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -6.72

sgtdmski

For once I agree with you, I was just pointing out the hypocrisy of it all. As a smoker I know the effects of cigarettes on my own body, however, I question the effects on others. But this whole new trend of laws protecting us from ourselves is something rather new. One can fall on either side of this issue, however, I have seen first hand the adverse effects of abuse, so maybe I am tainted by that fact. I do not truly know, but that is the position that I come from and I guess it should be known. I had a very good friend who smoked marijuana entirely too much and too often who ended up in a fit of depression after getting high, take his own life. So maybe my own personal experience has left me jaded. All I know is that since he is gone, I miss him and had he not used, I wonder if he would still be alive???

dmk

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Conservatism, I repeat is not an ideology. It does not breed fanatics....But if you want men who seek, reasonably and prudently, to reconcile the best in wisdom of our ancestors with the change which is essential to a vigorous civil social existence, then you will do well to turn to conservative principles
-Russell Kirk-

tristanrobin

First, I would like to state that, as a fifty year old man, I have run across a FEW people in my lifetime that smoke pot. I have never met one that had any of the mentioned disorders. Of course, I know lots of people who ride the subway, and though it's a risk, have not had their arms torn off by the trains. Assertiveness due to marijuana use? LOL That is some heavily treated pot LOL.

Second, there is a HUGE difference between a drug that is PRESCRIBED by a medical professional to perform a specific function - and it does something else completely - something else and something detrimental ... and a drug that is sold as recreational with known warnings attached.

Thirdly, we learned from prohibition that restricting adults from alcohol doesn't work - and we SHOULD have learned by now that restricting adults from marijuana doesn't work. As I said - I don't smoke pot - but it's not because it's illegal, it's because I don't like the effect it produces. I don't think we need to spend billions of dollars trying to stop marijuana use, prosecuting it, and warehousing those who use/sell it. BILLIONS.

Fourth, I will repeat, I don't believe in fascism. I believe that a nanny state telling people what they can or can't smoke (for God's sake - SMOKE!) is anything other than a symptom of fascism.

you won't LET me? LOL LOL LOL

you are too self-impressed

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"know this is EXACTLY why people think you shouldnt have equal rights" 2/11/08 Grace

tristanrobin

well, without a question, that's a sad story. I'm sorry to hear it.

But (and I don't want to make your deceased friend a "point" in a debate), I would wonder if he would still be alive if he had received the mental health treatment he needed. I don't believe - never will - that marijuana will cause somebody to commit suicide who didn't already have that tendency.

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"know this is EXACTLY why people think you shouldnt have equal rights" 2/11/08 Grace

Man Of Tomorrow

Legalizing it would be going too far. It's fine the way it is now. For Medical Use and anything far from that is illegal. Although people who come in saying their doctors told them to use it for low self-esteem and a stomach ache are asking for criticism and a night in the county tank.

Drugs are just bad. They cause nothing but decay and they ruin neighborhoods and lives. I hear all this push for legalizing pot and drugs from left-wing suburban white kids and college students from San Francisco and other places. I would say to them that if they are in favor of this then before they confirm that decision they should take a trip out to East LA or the inner city and see how drugs ravaged the neighborhoods. They should look up the history of Felix Mitchell and Money Moore and how they destroyed Oakland with crack and heroine in the 70s and 80s. I am tired of these idiot liberal flunkies that have no idea or any concept of reality trying to push their own agendas on the rest of american society. They better thank god mommy and daddy can afford their tuition at Columbia and those private liberal arts schools because I bet you that they would have a different opinion about drugs if that shit started polluting and turning the suburbs into warzones for gangs and drug hustlers. Let a surbanite's kid get gunned down over a fuckin dimebag or a god damn coke hustle or let there daughter get turned out on the strip in order to support her drug habit and let's see how much they root for legalization.

I'm tired of all this drug legal shit. They don't need to be legal at all. We need to try harder to enforce drug laws. A push to stamp out drugs isn't a clamp on civil liberties to all you brain dead liberals who think that.

tristanrobin

liberal this liberal that liberal this liberal that



we aren't discussing crack or coke or heroin or anything that one gets turned out on the street for

we are discussing marijuana

get a grip




besides, you're wrong

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"know this is EXACTLY why people think you shouldnt have equal rights" 2/11/08 Grace

Man Of Tomorrow

Pot is also peddled on the streets. It's basically the starter kit for drug hustlers my out of touch friend.

Before you say I'm wrong perhaps you'd like to visit urban areas and ask the guys on the street corner what drug they started selling before they got into selling the harder shit. Also they will tell you that they started off smokin pot then got into things like crack. So yes, pot leads to harder shit. Selling pot is what rookie drug dealers sell to get their feet wet before selling crack and heroine. Younger kids in the inner city also sell pot for the big time hustlers for quick cash too. I know what I'm talking about because unlike 90% of the people who push for widespread ligalization of pot I've actually seen first hand what drugs of any kind can do to a community and it's people. Notice how its mostly old white burnouts and their suburbanized offspring that always bring up the pot legalization argument. Inner city folks don't want that shit to happen because it would cause even more damage and it would basically make it easier for young teens to push that shit. See legal pot means more wiggle room for dealers because the cops would have no authority to squeeze them because it would be legal to carry the stuff so dealers would have more supply to sell and ship out. That causes more money being made and more lives being lost because of the dirty deeds that come along with selling drugs. Just because pot would be legal wouldn't erase drug dealers from existance. It would enhance them because they would basically have free will to sell it without being hassled by the law.

Let me give you an example:

Guns aren't illegal

But that doesn't stop people from selling guns on the street ok?

If pot was legal that wouldn't stop drug dealers from selling it

It would actually increase the amount of drug dealers because it would be easier to get and they would turn it for profit.

Man Of Tomorrow

I don't know where people get this idea that if pot was legal people wouldn't sell it on the streets anymore. Thats really ignorant.

Also. I am begining to have you pegged as one of those types that are "anti" just for the sake of being anti. As if you like the idea of being against the stat quo. Thats not a good way to be. I could be way off but that's how it seems. I've read quite a few of your posts and replies to different posts because you seem to have a response to everything on here. I know its a forum site but your always replying. Like you wait for a post then reply at lightening speed.

You know alot of people on tv play that role of the antagonist. Joy Behar does it on The View.

tristanrobin

well, not actually

if it were sold just like cigarettes or liquor, it would be regulated (safety ensured) and the government would get more taxes.

I don't think there's a big market in cigarettes and liquor for drug dealers.

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"know this is EXACTLY why people think you shouldnt have equal rights" 2/11/08 Grace

tristanrobin

what are you ranting about?

I said we were discussing marijuana - YOU brought up the other stuff LOL LOL LOL

and - yes - I'm anti-ANYTHING THAT IS FASCIST IN NATURE

That's an interesting observation. I"m often accused of only having one interest LOL

I'm going to point out your observance next time it happens LOL

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"know this is EXACTLY why people think you shouldnt have equal rights" 2/11/08 Grace