Should US Legalize Marijuana?

~~Rubato~~ · 02-03-2012, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tore

First of all, I still find alcohol irrelevant to this discussion. Legalization should be about consequences and not allowing something just because we allow something else. Second, alcohol is not the same as cannabis. Perhaps society would be better if we didn't have alcohol, but considering most adults enjoy it and it's such an ingrained part of culture, society at large would probably not accept it's sudden illegality.

True, pointing out the dangers of alcohol gives more reason to ban it than legalise something else just to make things appear consistent, but the problem is alcohol has a monopoly over legal intoxicants. If cannabis causes less social problems then it would be beneficial to society to have the weekend party goers split up into coffee houses and bars rather than being forced into the more destructive option.

**Janszoon** · 02-03-2012, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tore

First of all, I still find alcohol irrelevant to this discussion. Legalization should be about consequences and not allowing something just because we allow something else. Second, alcohol is not the same as cannabis. Perhaps society would be better if we didn't have alcohol, but considering most adults enjoy it and it's such an ingrained part of culture, society at large would probably not accept it's sudden illegality. If you really were to remove alcohol in a way which was beneficial, you'd probably have to find ways to wean society off it and that's sometimes done in subtle ways.

Either way, a sudden illegality of alcohol is not the same as a sudden legality of cannabis because the drugs have different uses, cultural significance and the two scenarios are completely different. So to me, that's another reason why the legality of alcohol is largely irrelevant when it comes to the legality of cannabis.

Why on earth do you think alcohol is irrelevant? It was once illegal here, now it isn't. It seems like a pretty logical thing to talk about when discussing legalizing a drug in this country.

Guybrush · 02-03-2012, 07:47 PM

It's easy to legalize something, but it's much harder to illegalize something. Here, alcohol is for example a part of our national food culture. It is a recreational drug used by the vast majority of adults, most who use it just fine (contrary to what Aurora writes, I think most drunks realize they shouldn't be driving). Making it illegal would put just about everyone who runs a pub or similar watering hole out of business and would have consequences for other workers in the alcohol business. It would make a ****-ton of people very unhappy and turn them into potential law breakers in the future, for example from smuggling.

Cannabis on the other hand is not an ingrained part of our culture. Noone here have legit cannabis jobs. You don't go to your local "pot hole" on a night out and it's not part of our food culture. If it was gone, a small minority of people wouldn't get high anymore and some currently criminal people wouldn't make money from it. The consequences would be miniscule compared to the removal of alcohol.

**Janszoon** · 02-03-2012, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rubato

True, pointing out the dangers of alcohol gives more reason to ban it than legalise something else just to make things appear consistent...

I think what it does is highlight the fact that there is a precedent for allowing adults to decide how that want to live their lives, even when it comes to things that are potentially harmful.

**Janszoon** · 02-03-2012, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tore

It's easy to legalize something, but it's much harder to illegalize something. Here, alcohol is for example a part of our national food culture. It is a recreational drug used by the vast majority of adults, most who use it just fine (contrary to what Aurora writes, I think most drunks realize they shouldn't be driving). Making it illegal would put just about everyone who runs a pub or similar watering hole out of business and would have consequences for other workers in the alcohol business.

Cannabis on the other hand is not an ingrained part of our culture. Noone here have legit cannabis jobs. You don't go to your local "pot hole" on a night out and it's not part of our food culture. If it was gone, a small minority of people wouldn't get high anymore. The consequences would be miniscule compared to the removal of alcohol.

What does the cultural significance of alcohol in Norway have to do with whether or not marijuana should be legalized in the US?

Guybrush · 02-03-2012, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

What does the cultural significance of alcohol in Norway have to do with whether or not marijuana should be legalized in the US?

I know Norwegian culture so I'm using it as an example. Do you feel cannabis is an ingrained part of American culture to the extent where it's comparable with alcohol? Is it part of your food culture, pub culture and job market to that extent?

**Janszoon** · 02-03-2012, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tore

I know Norwegian culture so I'm using it as an example. Do you feel cannabis is an ingrained part of American culture to the extent where it's comparable with alcohol? Is it part of your food culture, pub culture and job market to that extent?

I would say, yes, it is a part of the culture to an extent but certainly not as much as alcohol. I have to say, though, the point you seem to be driving at here amounts to circular reasoning.

Guybrush · 02-03-2012, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

I would say, yes, it is a part of the culture to an extent but certainly not as much as alcohol. I have to say, though, the point you seem to be driving at here amounts to circular reasoning.

I'm just trying to point out that the legality of alcohol is a different matter from the legality of cannabis. I wish people would stop mentioning alcohol in every other pro-legalization argument.

FETCHER. · 02-03-2012, 08:01 PM

I'd say there's a massive weed culture here. We even have 420 and a cannabis leaf spray painted on the shop round from my house

**Janszoon** · 02-03-2012, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tore

I'm just trying to point out that the legality of alcohol is a different matter from the legality of cannabis. I wish people would stop mentioning alcohol in every other pro-legalization argument.

Well, like I said earlier, why wouldn't people talk about alcohol in this conversation? Alcohol and cannabis were both outlawed around the same time in this country. Prohibition was repealed for one but not the other. I would think as a scientist you'd actually appreciate the reasoning behind that comparison.

02-03-2012, 07:47 PM	#553 (permalink)
Guybrush Juicious Maximus III Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Scabb Island Posts: 6,525	It's easy to legalize something, but it's much harder to illegalize something. Here, alcohol is for example a part of our national food culture. It is a recreational drug used by the vast majority of adults, most who use it just fine (contrary to what Aurora writes, I think most drunks realize they shouldn't be driving). Making it illegal would put just about everyone who runs a pub or similar watering hole out of business and would have consequences for other workers in the alcohol business. It would make a ***-ton of people very unhappy and turn them into potential law breakers in the future, for example from smuggling. Cannabis on the other hand is not an ingrained part of our culture. Noone here have legit cannabis jobs. You don't go to your local "pot hole" on a night out and it's not part of our food culture. If it was gone, a small minority of people wouldn't get high anymore and some currently criminal people wouldn't make money from it. The consequences would be miniscule compared to the removal of alcohol. __________________ Something Completely Different*