Should Marijuana Be Legalized?

I'm not sure if you caught any of the sarcasm, and I'm really not sure of most of what the fuck your saying. I'm saying the US government has purposefully slandered pot and set up rigged 'scientific' experiments, which you would know if you FUCKING WAAATTCHED THE VIDEO PEEWEE.

Good example of a completely biased source hero

Him quoting NIDA would be like me quoting NORML.

Except NORML uses actual scientific facts and studies.

Did you guys even bother to read my link, or did you just dismiss it as bias?
As quoted from the link, pertainent to the brain cell theory from the section of the report entitled 'How Does Marijuana Affect the Brain':

"Scientists have learned a great deal about how THC acts in the brain to produce its many effects. When someone smokes marijuana, THC rapidly passes from the lungs into the bloodstream, which carries the chemical to the brain and other organs throughout the body.
THC acts upon specific sites in the brain, called cannabinoid receptors, kicking off a series of cellular reactions that ultimately lead to the "high" that users experience when they smoke marijuana. Some brain areas have many cannabinoid receptors; others have few or none. The highest density of cannabinoid receptors are found in parts of the brain that influence pleasure, memory, thinking, concentrating, sensory and time perception, and coordinated movement.1
Not surprisingly, marijuana intoxication can cause distorted perceptions, impaired coordination, difficulty with thinking and problem solving, and problems with learning and memory. Research has shown that, in chronic users, marijuana's adverse impact on learning and memory can last for days or weeks after the acute effects of the drug wear off.2 As a result, someone who smokes marijuana every day may be functioning at a suboptimal intellectual level all of the time.
Research into the effects of long-term cannabis use on the structure of the brain has yielded inconsistent results. It may be that the effects are too subtle for reliable detection by current techniques. A similar challenge arises in studies of the effects of chronic marijuana use on brain function. Brain imaging studies in chronic users tend to show some consistent alterations, but their connection to impaired cognitive functioning is far from clear. This uncertainty may stem from confounding factors such as other drug use, residual drug effects, or withdrawal symptoms in long-term chronic users."

Now, where does it say that brain cells die as a result of usage? Oh right, it doesn't. It doesn't even have the phrase 'brain cells' in the entire report, let alone the section on the affects on the brain. Therefore, given that I posted the link, my point had little to nothing to do with whether it actually destroys brain cells. The purpose was general information.
Did I incorrectly assert that it did [based on my knowledge]? Yes, and for that, I look ignorant and I apologize for that. However, given the facts of the rest of the report, the side effects that DO exist are no more desirable than the loss of brain cells [which has been disproven as far as the information presented here goes] and therefore my position on the use of marijuana has not changed.

Note: Whether or not you believe my sources or any other sources that I post or I believe yours is a matter of subjectivity and choice. If you choose not to, that is not my problem.
"Truth is not what is, but what is percieved."

And I have my reservations about this 'slandering pot' theory. If you have ever taken a course in basic studies that require research, be it in psychology, science, or what have you, you would realize that presenting ligitimate findings is not easy. In this case, it would appear that the research group failed to meet the standards [yes, there are standards for proceedures in experiments]. The fact that the government recieved the report and has failed to revise their position in face of the fact that it was in fact false can indicate nothing more than that the U.S. government is continuing is streak of ineffectiveness. Though there may be merit to your accusations, as it stands, I would blame the research group and the government's inefficiency before 'calling in the big guns' and calling it a conspiracy.

I definitely believe what that report says. And all it says is, "hey, watch out, if you smoke marijuana you get high!"

Not really an argument for criminalization.

Did you miss my 'Note: Not saying whether it should be legalized or not, just responding to the idiocy of the responce post.' part?
And remember my 'Social Darwinism'part?
As far as I am concerned, you can do whatever you want, as long as it does not affect me in a negative way. The use of marijuana does cause problems in the society. Take the U.S. for example: them and their cartel problems. Even if it were legalized and the cartel problem went away, the problem with stoned people sucking up on the welfare system remains. And from my link:

"Effects on Daily Life
Research clearly demonstrates that marijuana has the potential to cause problems in daily life or make a person's existing problems worse. In one study, heavy marijuana abusers reported that the drug impaired several important measures of life achievement, including physical and mental health, cognitive abilities, social life, and career status.9 Several studies associate workers' marijuana smoking with increased absences, tardiness, accidents, workers' compensation claims, and job turnover."

As far as I am concerned, I have no interest in using marijuana due to its negative affects, regardless of the positive ones [which could be achieved by other means].

What do you mean by 'which could be achieved by other means'?

There are plenty of other drugs that are approved by the medical community that can achieve the same affects that the use of marijuana can.
Besides that, some of the users of marijuana simply have **** reasons which do not reach the level of disruptivness in their lives to qualify for a ligitimate perscription to help alieviate their symptoms.When a teen [not discriminating against teens] gets a marijuana card just to solve 'a little anxiety', then it becomes simple abuse. The reason can be just ****. Everyone gets a little anxiety now and then, but you don't really see the majority of them getting high. Though many do turn to anti-depressants... but that's another debate.
But that last is just my opinion, I'm no qualified medical professional.

Of course people abuse the medical system you fucktard, that's why they made it. Does anybody really think that Marijuana is the only medicine that can do the things it does? Surely it is better than some other medicines, but that isn't the point.

And what other drugs can get you high without fucking you up?

I'm not sure if calling him a fucktard is the right way to put your point across. It's needlessly insulting.

1. As D3VIL succeeded in pointing out, insulting me lends nothing to the ligitimacy of your argument.
2. I do not know of any drug that can achieve what marijuana does without negative side effects. However, that is hardly a good argument for legalizing it. Of the thousands of medical professionals many still hold that other drugs are preferable to use instead of marijuana for the purposes that people use marijuana. I am confident enough in the medical community to say that I believe that if marijuana was truly the best drug to use for the purposes that it is used, then the medical community would push for legalization inso as far as allowing for prescriptions. Which they have done so in California. However, the vast majority of states still hold it as illegal.
3. Questioning my opinion on the matter in the context that I 'do not know enough' about marijuana to say whether I think that it should be legal or not is absurd. I cannot think of anybody on this forums that is a medical expert. Therefore it is all to be based on subjective analysii from individual perspectives based on the information that each individual has recieved. I am not a medical professional, however, based on what I know of marijuana, I have no interest in using it and would encourage others not to if they so chose to ask my opinion. I cannot point to an alternative with lesser risks due, again, to my status as a non-medical professional. Holding that I should somehow have an alternative ready and prepared if I chose to argue against the use of marijuana involking the negative affects of said drug is absurd.

I think we have misunderstood each other. Are you talking about medical or recreational use? I'm talking about recreational use. I'm pointing out that, although Marijuana does indeed have medical benefits, the point is that it gets you high. That's why people use it, that's why it is legal as a medicine, that is why it should be legal, and that is why conservatives want it illegal. What, exactly, are you suggesting?

When it comes to medical use of marijuana, as far as I realise marijuana isn't used in the same way nor in the same amounts to get you high.

Yes it is.

Aren't there 2 things in marijuana, THC and something else, and the other thing is mostly used for medical purposes.

When you get Medical Marijuana, it is the exact same as recreational marijuana. Some chemicals may have medical value, but that doesn't mean that it won't get you high just because they slap a medicine label on it.

Not what I'm saying either. I was talking about CBD (cannabidiol), marijuana contains THC and CBD. CBD doesn't alter your mind in the same way as THC.

I'm sorry to say but it probably will never be legalized in the countries that have it to be illegal because it provides a very nice scapegoat for when things become really bad. Then the public can focus there attention on something other than the fact that the government and the state is going to hell. But I do support the movement, low I do not smoke it.

I understand, but medical marijuana needs to have THC because that is what has all the medical benefit. The only marijuana that doesn't have as much THC is industrial hemp. Medical still has to get you high for it to work.

I guess it depends on what you're actually doing with it, treating something or dealing with pain or whatever.

No it doesn't. All medical Marijuana will get you high. There is really no difference between it and recreational marijuana.