Legalizing Marijuana

[Collz]

Recently, I wrote an article about the debate of whether or not marijuana should be legalized. I listed arguments for both sides of the debate. I'll give a brief summary of both sides and the you'll decide which side you choose to support.

Feel free to read the rest of the article on my blog if you wish to do so.

The Good:

• boost in the economic system
• reduces criminal charges of marijuana possession
• keeps teenagers out of prison (reduces taxes used for prison system)
• saves room in prison for real criminals

The Bad:

• promotes violence and crime
• gateway drug to harder drugs
• frowned upon by society
• second-hand smoke can be harmful

Those are some simple points to get the discussion going. So now it's your turn; choose a side!

 

[Evan]

Your arguments for the bad is biased.
There are no evidence that it promotes violence and crime, however maybe when getting high, you lose control of yourself. Isn't this the same as being drunk?
There are no evidence that it is a gateway drug, this is just a ludicrous statement.
Frowned upon by the society, sure, but that's going to change very quickly (see medical marijuana).
Second-hand marijuana smoke is not harmful, what makes you think it is?

 

[Collz]

Your arguments for the bad is biased.
There are no evidence that it promotes violence and crime, however maybe when getting high, you lose control of yourself. Isn't this the same as being drunk?
There are no evidence that it is a gateway drug, this is just a ludicrous statement.
Frowned upon by the society, sure, but that's going to change very quickly (see medical marijuana).
Second-hand marijuana smoke is not harmful, what makes you think it is?

I was arguing for the Good. Everything that was stated for the bad was based upon different articles that I read. The argument for the bad was strictly based upon the similar arguments that other people were offering.

 

[Extrodus]

Weekly Use of Marijuana Pro/Con List (7 grams a week/typical consumption of a patient)

Pros:

• Less toxic than many of the drugs that physicians prescribe every day. -- Joycelyn Elders, MD - Former US Surgeon General
  
• Relieves pains & migraines. (cancer/hiv patients)
  
• Appetite stimulant. -- No debate here.
  
• Helps clear/refresh skin pores? - Yahoo Medical Source
• Mind-Expander + Encourages Thinking - Web Articles, Entertainers & many other intelligent people state Marijuana has helped them in some way concerning thinking/creativity and self-awareness.
• Self-Enlightenment in a friendly/helpful sense (Unlike hard drugs that put you into a trance.)
• Less likely to be the one losing their cool when dealing with daily troubles! (ie: trolls or a-holes) <-- Very useful.

Cons:

• Wheezing and Hacking (Excessive Coughing) - Personal Experiences
  
• Can develop bronchitis from not smoking with caution of health/excessive use. - USA Medical Article
  
• Mental Illness - Teens starting from 11-17 years old can develop Schizophrenia. (Usually when having to hide the fact you smoke/peer-pressured) - Mental Health Article
  
• Overall Lung Health Decreases (In some cases, there has been barely any changes to the Stamina of the smoker if they remain athletic while using.) - Articles/Personal Experiences

Info:
For my list I was looking for actual facts from doctors, patients, and other reliable sources.
The cons list was actually more sought after than the Pros.
It just seems after lots of searching, there is way more factual pros than cons.

Mainly because the cons are things that can be dealt with.
Only smoke if you are in a friendly environment (Schizophrenia Eliminated).
Don't smoke excessively. (Chances of Bronchitis Decreased)
Smoke small tokes/only inhale what you can. (Wheezing Hacking Minimized/Eliminated)
Physically Work Out + Breathing Exercises - Surround yourself with fresh oxygen when not smoking. (Overall Lung Health Balanced)