If Marijuana was legalized could.......

[Guest NoCalMike]

Well I am just wondering. If it was deemed a reasonable substance, would it then be protected under the "invasion of privacy" act.....(not sure if that is the exact name of the act) I don't really think companies should be pre-screening as it is, but I don't think there is anything that can be done, however if weed was legal do you think companies would just stop testing?

[Guest red_file]

It'd more than likely be treated similarly to alcohol; as long as you don't show up for the job in an unfit state there'd be no problem. But, c'mon, what are the odds of it ever being legalized?

[Guest cynicalprofit]

They would have to stop tessting wouldnt they because it would no longer be an illegal substance. But if you show up high, you would get fired, just like if you showed up drunk.

 

Oh legalization is comming, its already enough of an issues to get noticed in things like Time and the fact that we spend billions to fight a million dollar industry is making a lot of people upset, even if they dont use drugs, because it is a horrible waste of their tax dollars.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

I definitely think it will be legalized within the next fifteen years.

[Guest red_file]

I definitely think it will be legalized within the next fifteen years.

Interesting time frame. Any particular reason?

 

I mean, I haven't really followed much of the discussion in recent years on the legalization aside from the criticisms of medicinal use. As far as I was aware, it's just a hot topic to get attention before turning to "real issues." But I'd certainly like to know if changes are coming.

[Guest cynicalprofit]

I think in 20 years or so because thats when the class of 2000 will be in their 40's and voting.

[Guest gthureson]

If all it took where teenage stoners to grow up and start voting to legalize pot, then why wouldn't it be legal by now?

 

The hippies from mid to late sixties have had, on average, 33 years as voting citizens to get it done. They are also now in their late 40s to early 50s

 

The stoners from the 70s have had 20 some odd years to get the job done.

 

The guys I knew in high school and university are all late twenties to early thirties and most of them are respectable citizen types, and I know *one* person who has actually been even moderately active in any kind of legalization movement.

 

What it comes down to is that the stoners themselves don't make a very good case for it, the bulk of the population is apathetic about the issue and couldn't care less either way, but those opposed to it, while possibly being a small group, are more vocal, better organized and funded and present a better image and tailor their argument to tie it into larger social issues. Rightly or wrongly, it works well enough to keep it illegal.

 

Why would the class of 2000 be any different? Its only really important to chronic dope smokers, not exactly the best advocacy group.

[Guest El Satanico]

If it's legalized it should be treated just like alcohol. I don't see any reason why they would treat it any differently.

[Guest NoCalMike]

The reason it proboboaly isn't legalized yet is because most people who want it, already get it without resistence, so they figure WHO CARES if it is legal or not. Also, not a huge amount of the american people vote, so a lot of things that get passed or voted down is the opinion of about 30% of us, minus however many voted against the thing.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

I think in 20 years or so because thats when the class of 2000 will be in their 40's and voting.

One thing to keep in his people change has they get older. They get married, have kids and change their overall outlook on things. Granted some future parents won't have a problem with their kids smoking Marijuana but alot of them will have a problem.

[Guest Retro Rob]

I agree that it would be treated like alcohol is. I also agree with Verne. Just because a lot of people in the Class of 2000 were really into pot, I doubt they will be marijuana advocates for the rest of their lives. People get older. They mature and understand that maybe some of the decisions they made in their teens/twenties weren't the best ones to make. If that wasn't the case, marijuana would have been legalized a long time ago, like someone already stated.

[Guest NoCalMike]

Well when we are all parents and look back to our days of teenage mayhem, I would certainly give my kids the "don't do drugs" speech, however at the same time, I would STILL vote to legalize it, because if my kids happened to experiment with marijuana, I do not want them bothered by the cops at all.

[Guest cynicalprofit]

I just figured by the time the class of 2000 is in their 40's and have political control, it will be such an accepted thing that they will just legalize it anyways because the war on pot is a waste of time and money.

[Guest Espalda]

I think a distinction should be made between reforming the laws on possession and outright legalization of the drug. I think many Americans don't believe that individuals caught with a small amount of marijuana should face jail sentences. At the same time, however, I think most people in this country do not want to see another intoxicant made absolutely legal. Even in Nevada, Peter Lewis and the Marijuana Policy Project were not able to get the measure passed on November's ballot, so I really do not forsee pot being legalized even within the next twenty years.

 

Obviously, the war on drugs has been an ineffective and expensive endeavor, however, that should not be a reason to make marijuana legal. There is no logical reason to legalize marijuana, only to change the punishments for those apprehended with small quantities.

 

In my mind, mandatory mental health and addiction treatment for habitual users is a much better solution than jail time. Clearly, any individual who smokes marijuana on a consistent basis has a psychological dependence on the substance in addition to underlying emotional problems. Let me make sure that everyone understands that I am making a distinction between a teenager who smokes pot a few times in his friend's basement and someone like, say, Bobby Brown, who uses every few days.

 

The country must continue, however, to prosecute those individuals and organizations that profit from the distribution of illegal sustances. Those that cannot make money through legal channels and profit from the weaknesses of the American citizanry are a danger to this country.

 

Along the same lines, if the U.S. were to legalize marijuana, it would likely cause an influx of harder narcotics into the country. Those individuals currently involved in importing and distributing marijuana would have to move on to other illegal economic ventures should pot become a legal substance. It would be unlikely that the current dealers would suddenly take 9-5 jobs once the laws were repealed and pot was made legal.

[Guest Ravenbomb]

I've never heard an answer to this so I'll ask it now:

Why is marijuana illegal?

[Guest cynicalprofit]

Because a punch of people said so, thats why. Its kinda like your parents and their idol threats.

[Guest The Metal Maniac]

As far as I know, it breaks down like this:

 

William Randolph Hearst stood to lose a TON of money to pot. See, he ran a huge printing company, but (This is in like, the 30's) a new invention came out, called the decorticator, which was somehow used in processing hemp. I dunno exactly how, but the bottom line is, this meant that it was now extremely possible that hemp paper, (which is actually better quality then wood paper, and cleaner to maker to make) could become cheaper then wood paper, and therefore the industry standard in a short while.

 

So Hearst launched a HUGE proganda campaign, and public opinion eventually leaned towards him.

 

Now, at the same time, we got Dupont, who supplies many of the things needed to make wood paper (but not hemp paper) who also stand to lose a fortune. And the guy in charge of the bank who supplied them with dough was Andrew Mellon, who happened to be the US Treasury Secretary, and also happened to be the guy who appointed Harry Anslinger to the Federal Bureau of Narcotics.

 

So you can see where the combined efforts of these guys led.

 

Anyway, that's what the Big Book of Conspiracies says. I think pretty much all the basic facts in here are true, while the interpretation is often up for debate, so take that for what you will.

[Guest Sturgis]

I think it will be treated more like ciggerattes with the government taxing it to death. Remember our government LOVES money and once they realize that they can make MORE money legalizing then keeping it illegal and fighting a war on drugs.

[Guest So what? I liked bubble boy]

however if weed was legal do you think companies would just stop testing?

Sorry bud, but weed will never be legal so you should never have to worry about companies testing.

[Guest NoCalMike]

however if weed was legal do you think companies would just stop testing?

Sorry bud, but weed will never be legal so you should never have to worry about companies testing.

"never" is a very bold statement/prediction. Why do you feel this way? You have already expressed that EVERY change in america is happening for the worse, so wouldn't that mean that in your opinion, Marijuana would be legalized?

 

I think it will be legalized within the next 5-10 years, nevertheless, there are always going to be mindless zombies out there that listen to the propagandha about how "evil" and bad marijuana is, thus they will vote against it everytime without knowing any FACTS.

[Guest RobJohnstone]

yep, the last thing we need legal in america is another mind altering substance. Weed is a downer and most of america's youth is depressed as it is. I was a pothead in high school and I will tell you, when I was high, all I wanted to do was eat, watch tv and or play video games. What I am saying is it kills ambition which is something that america needs desperatly.Without ambition no one wants to work or plan for the future. Marijuana is a socialist drug and can do no good for us if legal. The government has the power to stop the majority of drugs from coming in unfortunatly they do not. That is why marijuana is not legalized or will ever be.

 

--Rob

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

"Marijuana is a socialist drug "

 

This is going in my sig, in an FK Teale/SKBF kind of way.

 

Logically, it means one of two things, either

 

A) The substance itself is socialist.

 

Or,

 

B) Those who use it are.

 

As for the first point, considering it's AN INANIMATE OBJECT, I think we can rule out the theory that it holds a political ethos.

 

For the second, go back in time and tell that to George Washington. Or how about yourself? You said you smoked dope in high school, were you saluting a red flag back then?

 

As far as killing ambition, scores of high school and college students made it out of there a-ok after having smoked the devil weed. Those people later became our doctors, our senators, our neighbors, and our parents. Sure, a few became our pizza boys, but someone has to deliver pizza, just like someone has to dig ditches.

 

Your statement is asinine.

[Guest RobJohnstone]

My statement is correct. It does not mean you are a socialist if you smoke weed, it means it takes away your ambition and without ambition yuou will not work hard. You will be lazy and lazyness is the driving force behind socialism.

 

--Rob

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

How about tv? Is TV socialist?

How about Alcohol?

Or being tired?

 

No, it's not correct. Laziness is behavior, not something created do to being under the influence. Millions of people worldwide manage to get up and go to work or school every day, and do their part, regardless of smoking pot. You made a broad generalization, and a bad one.

 

EDIT: Worded something better.

[Guest NoCalMike]

Smoking pot during a party, or on occasion does not cause you to lose ambition or desire. It just isn't true. Now if you are a POTHEAD and that is what you wake up to do in the morning, then yes there is a problem. Fact is though, you can replace, TV, Food, Beer etc..with Marijuana as things that already cause lack of ambition/desire, so the argument is pretty lame.

[Guest So what? I liked bubble boy]

yep, the last thing we need legal in america is another mind altering substance.  Weed is a downer and most of america's youth is depressed as it is.  I was a pothead in high school and I will tell you, when I was high, all I wanted to do was eat, watch tv and or play video games.  What I am saying is it kills ambition which is something that america needs desperatly.Without ambition no one wants to work or plan for the future.  Marijuana is a socialist drug and can do no good for us if legal.  The government has the power to stop the majority of drugs from coming in unfortunatly they do not.  That is why marijuana is not legalized or will ever be.

 

--Rob

No Cal Mike......becuase Rob said SO!! Also, Television and weed are to very different things.

[Guest NoCalMike]

yep, the last thing we need legal in america is another mind altering substance.  Weed is a downer and most of america's youth is depressed as it is.  I was a pothead in high school and I will tell you, when I was high, all I wanted to do was eat, watch tv and or play video games.  What I am saying is it kills ambition which is something that america needs desperatly.Without ambition no one wants to work or plan for the future.  Marijuana is a socialist drug and can do no good for us if legal.  The government has the power to stop the majority of drugs from coming in unfortunatly they do not.  That is why marijuana is not legalized or will ever be.

 

--Rob

No Cal Mike......becuase Rob said SO!! Also, Television and weed are to very different things.

Of course they are different things, that wasn't my point. My point is, addiction is ADDICTION, no matter what it is. Do you think someone smoking pot on weekends is any worse than people that HAVE TO SEE THAT TV SHOW, OR ELSE?? Now, I am not putting an addiction to tv on the same level as an addiction to heroin, but to a certain extent, addiction is addiction.

 

No one has really ever given a good reason why our government made marijuana ILLEGAL in the first place. Or why something like alcohol is legal at the same time....Either substance in moderation is fine, done excessively and you are in a world of trouble.

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

I am still amused at Rob calling marijuana a socialist drug.

 

True fact, Lenin smoking a fat one and stayed up alllllll night on that sealed train that went to Russia.

 

So.. is masturbation socialist, because that can make somebody lazy and tired also.

 

Marijuana and Cocaine are illegal thru the hard work of the Hearsts, who used racial stereotypes and fear to get people to support them. They pitched the idea to people that black people smoked pot and then got white women, or became violent. It was a racist BS campaign.

 

Marijuana won't be legal for a long time. People who have a huge say in the government would be run out of business if people could grow hemp and marijuana. Our Government is content with the idiotic commericals such as 'You buy drugs, Carlos shoots this girl in Colombia and you're a terrorist" or "Smoke pot and you'll shoot someone's eye out".

 

I guess the Internet is socialist because it makes you lazy (and you sit in a chair for hours)

[Guest NoCalMike]

A good movie on this subject that explains how the government used ridiculous propagandha and showed how the rebellion against the government regarding marijuana, and how it all went down is "GRASS" I believe it is hosted by Woody Harrelson and plays on IFC and Sundance sometimes....Our government has used just about EVERYTHING in the book of MYTHS over time to convince stupid people about the "harms" of pot.....good movie.

[Guest RobJohnstone]

Smoking pot during a party, or on occasion does not cause you to lose ambition or desire. It just isn't true. Now if you are a POTHEAD and that is what you wake up to do in the morning, then yes there is a problem. Fact is though, you can replace, TV, Food, Beer etc..with Marijuana as things that already cause lack of ambition/desire, so the argument is pretty lame.

agreed, but not too many people can use it in moderation. When smoked everyday, you become addicted via habit and makes you lazy and unmotivated. Once in a while at a party or something is definitly ok by me.

 

--Rob