Marijuana legalization

Gerald Cox38 said:The rest of us in the cannabis community are actively "fighting" for marijuana legalization.

Tell us what you think—should marijuana be legalized, at least for medical purposes?

You have my vote. 👍

GrapeC said:We grew up during the 70s and 80s, back when you couldn't find marijuana anywhere, even if you needed it for medicinal purposes.

Exactly which part of the 70s were you actually alive for? 😁 😕

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Please read this carefully; these are facts, not just my opinion.

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Marijuana, or *Cannabis sativa*, truly stands as one of the most beneficial gifts nature has provided to humanity. From the seeds—which are such a rich source of oil—to the stalks and, of course, the flowers, there are countless properties that people can tap into for various benefits.

Nutritionally speaking, hemp seeds are among the most complete food sources on the planet. You won't find many other foods that provide this much protein in such an easily digestible form, nor do they possess essential oils in such a perfect ratio. A single plant can produce at least a liter of seeds, which works out to about 55 million seeds per hectare! And don't worry, these specific seeds don't contain THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), so you aren't going to get high from them. 🙂 What these wonderful little things actually pack is:

* 22.5% protein
* 30% fat
* 5.7% water
* 5.9% ash
* 503 calories per 100g
* 35.8% carbohydrates
* Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, C, D, E
* The highest concentration of essential fatty acids and amino acids found in any known food source

Essential fatty acids are organic compounds that are absolutely vital for the body, particularly for brain function and eye health. They’re also responsible for that healthy glow in your hair and skin. Since our bodies can't actually produce these acids, we have to get them from external sources. I've noticed that certain gels used to maintain dreadlocks actually include hemp seed oil specifically to give them the nutrients they need to stay strong and healthy. These fatty acids help keep hair in great shape, which is huge for older dreads that might otherwise become dry, brittle, or—well—just dead. Hemp seed oil is one of those small miracles of nature that can work wonders for your hair. 🙂

As for the stalk, you can make practically anything out of it: from incredibly strong rope to very durable, high-quality paper, and even construction materials like concrete, beams, paint, and insulation. The potential uses are massive. Our environment would benefit immensely if marijuana were utilized industrially in just a few different ways. This is really a message for everyone trying to spread a positive word about this incredible plant, as well as those trying to save what's left of our poor, overexploited planet.

The flowers hold significant medicinal importance and have been used for centuries (pretty much throughout all of human history, except for this current era we live in!). Marijuana, hemp, weed, pot, grass—there are so many names for it (one of the funniest being "hippie crack") and it remains one of the most widespread "drugs" in the world. But beyond that, there are numerous ways it is utilized in medicine, such as for treating:

* Epilepsy (acting as an anti-convulsant)
* Cancer (for pain relief, nausea, and as an appetite stimulant; in mouse studies, THC actually reduced tumors by 82%!)
* AIDS (for easing pain, nausea, and boosting appetite
* Multiple Sclerosis (for pain management and slowing disease progression
* Glaucoma (that abnormal eye pressure that can lead to optic nerve issues, vision impairment, or even blindness
* Paralysis, including para- and quadriplegia
* Migraines
* Asthma
* Rheumatism
* Arthritis (joint inflammation)
* Muscle atrophy (the weakening of muscles leading to loss of strength)
* Lowering blood cholesterol and acting as an inhibitor
...

And the list goes on and on. Cannabis is one of the most useful plants out there, and it can be grown in almost any backyard without needing heavy fertilizers or pesticides. It isn't addictive, meaning it doesn't create either psychological or physical dependency. It's also impossible to overdose on it (I hope you don't believe the old story that Bob Marley died from too much marijuana; he actually passed away from cancer). Despite all of this, marijuana remains illegal in many parts of the world. In places like the Netherlands, it's legal, and there, only about 3% of teenagers consume it.

"Prohibition goes beyond the bounds of reason by attempting to control human appetite through legislation, thereby turning things that are not crimes into actual crimes."
— Abraham Lincoln, 1840

SOME INTERESTING FACTS

* The earliest printed Bibles were produced on paper made from hemp

* The very first American flag was crafted from hemp fibers

* Both the US Constitution and the Declaration of Independence were printed on hemp-based paper

* You can actually produce over four times as much paper from an acre of hemp compared to an acre of timber, and hemp regrows in less than a year

* Henry Ford once built a hemp-powered car

* The word "marijuana" is actually a Spanish term for hemp

* Birds tend to live about 20% longer when hemp seeds are included in their diet

* Hemp seed oil has endless uses (and really should be used more often), ranging from industrial machine lubricant and oil paints to cosmetics and high-quality food products

* Back in the 1600s, certain parts of the US actually had laws encouraging the cultivation of hemp

* During the 1700s, you could essentially pay your taxes in hemp for the next two centuries in the US

* Throughout history, hemp seeds have been a lifesaver during famines. Today, over 60% of children in developing nations suffer due to protein deficiencies, yet the government claims certain proteins shouldn't be grown—claiming it's illegal!

* Modern science has identified specific receptors in the brain that bind exclusively with THC

* While the depletion of the ozone layer threatens to destroy half of our soybean crops, hemp remains immune to the negative effects of UV light (in fact, UV rays can actually help boost THC production)

* Hemp yields significantly more ethanol than corn does

* Hemp requires little to no processing; it grows in the soil (actually cleaning it of toxins), then it’s harvested, dried, and ready for use. Doesn't it seem irrational that governments won't push for marijuana legalization to collect tax revenue instead of raising already massive taxes to close the national deficit?
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"Then God said, 'I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the ground and every tree that bears fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.'"

The Bible, Genesis 1:29

SOURCE: http://www.knottyboy.com/
TRANSLATION: embrlajzer

Whoa! Just found out marijuana can actually help treat lung cancer. Man, I really wish my grandpa was still around five years ago to know this... Looks like folks on these forums are basically stumbling onto the cure for lung cancer.😂

Daniel Patel said:There are people who actually enjoy being raped! Should we legalize that too?😕

Look, the difference is that rape involves committing a crime against someone else. When you smoke weed, you aren't hurting anyone else—at most, you're messing with yourself. Honestly, if we're talking about things that cause harm, look at how much damage bad diets or processed junk food do compared to marijuana... you can't even compare apples to oranges here.

...but honestly, marijuana legalization in America wouldn't be a smart move either, because overusing it would just speed up the decline of an already pretty dim-witted nation.

Daniel Patel said:Get this! I just found out that marijuana can actually help treat lung cancer. I’m just gutted my grandfather passed away five years ago... It feels like the people on these forums have basically stumbled upon a cure for lung cancer.😂

Sure, but smoking joints definitely isn't curing cancer... once you hit temperatures over 400 degrees Fahrenheit, you're just releasing carcinogens.

Gerald Cox38...
Just because marijuana has a lot of beneficial properties doesn't mean smoking a joint is going to do you any good. It's like saying people don't eat hemp seeds even though they're super nutritious... birds love them, but humans generally don't.

It's like arguing that because we extract certain compounds from crude oil to make medicine, drinking petroleum must be healthy.

John Doe said:Look, rape is about hurting someone else, right? But when you smoke weed, you aren't out there victimizing anyone—maybe just yourself. Honestly, compared to all the junk food we eat every day that's way worse for us than cannabis, it's like comparing apples to oranges...

Why should I have to smell that just because I'm walking past you on the street or sitting in a coffee shop? 😕

Daniel Patel said:Why on earth should I be forced to breathe that stuff in just because I happen to be walking past you on the street or sitting in the same cafe? 😕

I mean, why shouldn't I be able to buy it legally and just smoke at home without everyone breathing down my neck, simply because you're terrified of catching a whiff of some marijuana smoke?

Trust me, nobody's gonna force a joint into your mouth.

At the end of the day, people are going to embrace this regardless. Marijuana legalization is coming, so you might as well try to find some common ground now before you get too old and everything starts getting on your nerves.

Either way, being open-minded will just bring you more peace of mind, especially since most of the West is already inching toward legalization and decriminalization. Having lived in both the US and the North America, I can tell you that Americans are way, way more understanding about this than folks back home in the North America. It’s the same story across most of Western Europe, really.

But if you look at the US and jump ahead 10 or 20 years, you'll see the statistical results we're seeing in the North America today. And here's the funny thing—from the Americans I've met over the last few years, the ones who insisted the most that they weren't "Americans" and were actually something much more sophisticated, turned out to be the most stubborn Americans of them all.

On the flip side, I've met plenty of incredibly bright Americans who truly grasp the relationship between the West, the North America, and the process of modernization. With that kind of smart, progressive mindset, marijuana will eventually flourish as a legal commodity in every country across the globe.

Whether it takes 10, 20, 30, or 40 years doesn't really matter. The important thing is that we keep spreading the word, and the rest will just fall into place on its own.

To be perfectly honest, I’ve always had a certain curiosity regarding marijuana legalization and whether I might actually enjoy the experience.

However.

The reality is that I have absolutely no idea how to inhale smoke, and frankly, the whole business of smoking just irritates me.

If it were an option, I think I’d much prefer edibles.
Or perhaps just the seeds.

Regardless of whatever psychoactive effects they might have, who knows—maybe I’d find the seeds themselves quite tasty, sort of like snacking on some pumpkin seeds.

I haven't actually tried anything, of course, mainly because it isn't legal to acquire it here.

As for everyone else, they can smoke whatever they want, provided I don't have to breathe in their clouds; essentially, they should just stick to doing it in their own homes.

Personally, I would advocate for a total ban on public smoking—whether you're at a local pub, on a college campus like MIT, or just standing on a street corner... everywhere except for one's own house.

fadedtrucker19 said:To be completely honest, I'd actually be down to try marijuana.

But...

I don't really know how to inhale smoke, and honestly, the idea of smoking just bothers me.

I think I'd be more into trying edibles, though.
Or maybe some seeds.

Well, you can always give some of our recipes a shot. Link

There’s also medical marijuana out there, which won't get you high if that's not the vibe you're looking for. Hmm, honestly, the best way to wrap your head around it might be to watch this intense docuseries on cable here in the States.

The file is pretty large, but like I mentioned, it's definitely worth the wait. You can open it using RealPlayer or Windows Media Player.


If you have RealPlayer, click right here. It's a lot faster than using Windows Media Player.

Here is the Windows Media file for the same show. It's a bit slower.

Gerald Cox38 said:If you’re already drinking coffee, smoking cigarettes, and consuming alcohol, then these three substances are perfectly fine and quite acceptable.

Well, I don't drink coffee, ever!

I might have two beers a month, at most!

And I don't smoke cigarettes!

I’ve been using marijuana for nearly ten years now; I actually finished my degree ahead of all my peers (who, for what it's worth, spent that entire time drinking and getting wasted). I run my own business and I am entirely self-sufficient. So, why shouldn't they satisfy my needs and move toward marijuana legalization just for someone like me? 🙂

I mean, if I were in a position to ask, I wouldn't be sitting here posting on a forum or promoting my website and my personal lifestyle choices. 🙂

I drink coffee once a day (just Monday through Friday mornings),
I don't smoke,
and as far as alcohol goes, the last time I had anything was a beer a few months back—I certainly haven't been a heavy drinker for years.

I finished my college degree right on schedule (if that even counts for much) and I support myself as well.

If it were up to me, I would abolish cigarettes and alcohol altogether, simply because their consumption harms other people too.
As for the idea that you should have the right to do whatever you want within the privacy of your own home as long as you aren't bothering anyone—I suppose I agree, but if they legalized "cannabis," I suspect that after a while, it would just become like any other drug in this (frankly, messed up) society, where if you don't drink, smoke, or have your morning coffee, you're viewed as a total weirdo and an absolute outcast.

>>Just to be clear, the drugs I listed aren't ranked by how legal they are, but rather by how much of a toll they take on your body and physiology.

Look, just try to imagine how many more people would end up in rehab if you could just pick up coke or heroin at any corner drugstore$5.00 like it was nothing.

>>I mean, doing a point-by-point analysis of posts can be great, but maybe just skip it if you don't really get what's going on here.

Well, look at that, I guess we actually agree on that one.

>> btw, being a criminal isn't the same thing as being someone who just breaks a minor ordinance.
There's a massive difference between a misdemeanor and a felony.

Oh, my bad, that wasn't crap, it was just a dog pooping.

Daniel Wells4 said:Why wouldn't I be allowed to buy it legally and just chill at home without any drama? Is it because you're scared of getting high?

Nobody's gonna force a joint into your mouth.

The real issue is that once marijuana legalization hits, people will start testing the waters just because they can. Then you'll have all these advocacy groups labeling everyone as a "marginalized group," and before you know it, there'll be designated "smoking sections" in every local coffee shop.

It’s wild when you look at the numbers—in places where it's fully legal, like certain parts of Europe, maybe only about 3% of teenagers are smoking, whereas here in the US, where it's still illegal, that number jumps to over 50%.

So, here we are three years later, and the laws surrounding marijuana legalization have only become more draconian.

It’s honestly a disaster. I don't know where this world is headed, or how deep human ignorance can actually go.

The minimum sentence for dealing is three years... but the kicker is what qualifies as "dealing." You can be charged just for sending a joint to a buddy—because you technically "facilitated drug consumption."

Anyway, let me lay out a few facts regarding why I think keeping marijuana illegal is total nonsense.

1. - It doesn't cause physical addiction. Period. It's been proven, tested, and verified.

2. - There has NEVER been a recorded death caused by marijuana in human history. - To put things in perspective, a lethal dose of marijuana containing 1% THC (and believe me, if you aren't growing it yourself, what you buy on the street isn't going much higher than that) for a 75kg person would be 21kg. - For comparison... back in the US in 2000, for example, 435,000 people died from cigarettes, while 85,000 died from alcohol.

As for long-term effects from regular use—there ARE NONE. Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, or the C(21)H(30)O(2) compound, doesn't affect brain cells at all; it exclusively interacts with neurotransmitters by slowing them down. This causes a "delay" in information hitting the brain, but since the brain still processes everything at its usual speed and capacity, it just results in an "overprocessing" effect. That's why everything feels more fun or more colorful ( 🙂 ), and why you get that feeling like you're "reading minds." Marijuana does affect motor skills, reaction times, and vision in the short term (meaning during the high itself, which lasts a few hours depending on the person, followed by an exponential decline over a few days as it stays in the fatty tissues). As for vision, it actually helps you see better at night. According to studies on primates, the only lasting effect that sticks for up to three months after regular use is a lack of motivation. After those three months, no effects are visible.

The list of positive uses for marijuana in medical and nutritional contexts is massive, but I won't list them all because I believe marijuana should be legalized for recreational use, not just relegated to medicine or food.

One common argument against legalization is that "once someone tries weed, they'll move on to harder drugs." That is absolute garbage. Personally, I'm 20 years old, a student at MIT, and I've been smoking almost every day since I was 15. (I went to a top-tier prep school and cruised through my classes with straight A's), and yet, I've never moved on to anything harder.
The fact is, people who are using heroin today likely lit a joint once, and it was probably one of the first things they ever tried in their lives. But it's also a fact that before they lit that joint, they drank water, ate bread, and went to school—so we don't claim they turned to heroin because of those things. Thinking otherwise is just a pure *post hoc ergo propter hoc* logical fallacy.

Someone else in this thread mentioned something along the lines of not wanting to legalize marijuana because it would increase the percentage of "idiots" in society. I'd ask that you please refrain from making such stupid claims if you don't understand the basics of how marijuana/THC works. Like I said, marijuana DOES NOT affect brain cells, so it physically cannot make anyone "stupider." It's scientifically proven, and I'm living proof.

If anyone has a legitimate, smart argument as to why marijuana shouldn't be legalized, please speak up, and we can have a real debate.

BUT - if you are against legalization, ask yourself this first:
1. - How much have you actually read or researched this topic? In other words, how much do you truly know about the facts of marijuana?
2. - If you haven't studied this, yet you see that everyone who *has* studied it is in favor of legalization... couldn't it be possible that they are right?

If you are in favor of legalization... ask yourself this:
1. - Well, isn't it a fact that it's less harmful than substances that are already legal?
2. - if it can be utilized for medical or nutritional purposes
3. - provided that anyone using marijuana in no way whatsoever causes harm to those around them
4. - if usage actually helps lower aggression rather than causing it.
5. - if everyone who wants to use marijuana isn't forced to deal with shady characters and "dark alleys."
6. - if the government could collect tax revenue from marijuana sales
7. - if state-regulated cultivation naturally reduces the risk of people switching to much more dangerous substances
8. - if people just use it casually
9. - if a massive chunk of your friends could end up behind bars for at least three years under current laws. (And I’m telling you, if we applied this logic to any typical group of Americans, about 80% of them would be heading to prison right now).

- THEN HOW ON EARTH IS IT STILL ACCEPTABLE THAT MARIJUANA REMAINS ILLEGAL?!?

Some people in this thread have been drawing parallels between marijuana and things like cigarettes or coffee, arguing they aren't actually any more harmful. And look, from a certain perspective, that’s a fair point—but there is one massive caveat you can't ignore. While cigarettes and coffee aren't exactly stepping stones to heroin, marijuana often is. It's that one crucial exception that changes the whole equation.

James Nguyen13 said:Some people here have compared marijuana to smoking cigarettes or drinking coffee, arguing they aren't any more harmful. While there's some truth to that, there is one major catch. Cigarettes and coffee aren't typically a gateway to heroin, but marijuana can be. That's the big exception.

Just read my previous post.

Marijuana leads to heroin about as much as breathing air does.

The only real difference might be that if you've been ordering weed from the same dealer for a while, there's a chance they eventually offer you something much harder.

As someone who used to smoke and has since walked away from it for good, I can tell you firsthand: it is pure EVIL. What starts as just a "plant" quickly turns you into someone irresponsible, lazy, and dull-witted, not to mention more susceptible to mental health struggles. Honestly, it’s just not worth it; it is a massive trap and a one-way ticket to ruin.

Anonymous said:Well, here we are three years later, and it seems like the laws surrounding Marijuana have only become more restrictive.

It feels like we're witnessing a total catastrophe. I honestly find myself wondering where this world is headed and just how far human ignorance is going to go before we finally hit a breaking point.

The minimum sentence for drug dealing is three years. The real kicker, though, is how they can charge you with "dealing" even if you’re just sending a joint to a friend at your place—because legally, you’ve technically "facilitated the consumption of drugs."

Here's another couple for you. Fact.Personally, I find it to be absolute madness that Marijuana remains illegal.

It doesn't create a physical dependency. Point proven. It’s been tested, verified, and thoroughly vetted.

Throughout all of recorded human history, there hasn't been a single documented fatal overdose caused by Marijuana. If we are looking at a lethal dose of Marijuana containing 1% THC—and let’s be honest, unless you’re growing it yourself, what you’re picking up on the street rarely exceeds that concentration—for a person weighing 175 pounds, the math comes out to roughly 46 pounds. To put that into perspective, consider the mortality rates here in the States. Back in the year 2000, for instance, cigarette use claimed approximately 435,000 lives, while alcohol was responsible for about 85,000 deaths. The scale of risk is simply incomparable.

There are simply no long-term consequences from regular Marijuana use. Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol—specifically the compound C21H30O2—doesn't actually damage or alter brain cells themselves. Instead, its impact is strictly limited to how neurotransmitters function, specifically by slowing them down. Because the brain continues to process information at its usual capacity and speed while the signals are being delayed, you essentially experience a sort of "information lag." This mismatch leads to that characteristic over-processing of sensory data, which is why everything can suddenly seem much more vivid, colorful, or even funnier than it actually is. 🙂 And that brings us back to why you get that sensation of "reading someone's mind." Regarding marijuana, the short-term effects—specifically during the high itself, which lasts a few hours depending on the individual—followed by an exponential decline over the next few days as it lingers in fat cells—it impacts motor skills, reaction times, and vision (specifically, enhancing night vision). According to research conducted on primates, the only long-term consequence that persists for up to three months after use is... Regularly. When it comes to marijuana use, I’ve noticed a distinct lack of motivation to get things done. After three months of regular use, I honestly haven't seen any noticeable changes or effects at all.

The list of potential benefits when using Marijuana for medical or dietary purposes is undeniably massive. However, I’m not going to focus my argument on those specific uses. In my view, the conversation shouldn't just be about treating illness or adding it to food products; we need to be talking about full Marijuana legalization for recreational use as well.

The typical argument against marijuana legalization is the claim that "once someone tries marijuana, they’ll inevitably graduate to harder drugs." Honestly, I think that’s complete nonsense. To give you some perspective on my own experience: I’m 20 years old, a student over at Georgia Tech, and I’ve been smoking almost every day since I was 15. I went to a top-tier prep school and maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA throughout high school. Despite that, I have never once felt the urge to move on to anything more serious.
The reality is that many people currently struggling with heroin addiction likely lit their first joint at some point in their lives. But let’s be logical here: before they ever touched a joint, they were drinking water, eating bread, and attending school. We don't claim those basic life activities caused them to spiral into heroin use. To suggest otherwise is a textbook case of the *post hoc ergo propter hoc* fallacy—just because one event follows another doesn't mean the first one caused the second.

Someone in this thread previously suggested they wouldn't support marijuana legalization because they believe it would lead to an increase in the population of idiots. I’d kindly ask that we refrain from making such baseless claims if you don't actually understand the fundamental science behind how marijuana and THC work. As I have stated before, marijuana does not affect brain cells, and therefore, it cannot cause any kind of cognitive decline or "diminishment" of intelligence. This is scientifically proven, and I can personally vouch for it.

If anyone else has a compelling argument as to why Marijuana legalization should be avoided, please, step forward. I am genuinely interested in hearing your reasoning so we can have a proper, meaningful discussion about it.

BUT - if you find yourself opposing Marijuana legalization, please consider this first:
1. - how much have you actually read or researched this topic? In other words, how many facts do you truly know about Marijuana?
2. - if you haven't studied the subject deeply, yet you see that everyone who has done the work supports legalization... shouldn't you consider the possibility that they might be right?

If you are in favor of legalization, ask yourself these questions:
1. - what if it is an established fact that it is less harmful than substances that are already legal?
2. - what if it can be utilized for medical or nutritional purposes?
3. - what if the person consuming Marijuana in no way whatsoever causes harm to others?
4. - what if being high doesn't trigger aggression, but instead actually reduces it?
5. - what if everyone who uses Marijuana is forced to deal with street dealers and "shady paths"?
6. - what if the government could collect tax revenue from Marijuana?
7. - what if state-controlled cultivation would naturally reduce the likelihood of people switching to much more dangerous substances?
8. - what if people are using it regardless of its current status?
9. - what if a huge percentage of your friends could end up in prison for at least 3 years under current laws? (And I guarantee that under these laws, 80% of Ford Motor Company employees would end up behind bars).
- THEN HOW IS IT STILL ACCEPTABLE THAT MARIJUANA REMAINS ILLEGAL?!?

This is just a pile of nonsense from some high addict. Marijuana is harmful to both mental and physical health.