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Marijuana Law Drugs Topic Index

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Should marijuana be legal?

Background

Marijuana (or cannabis) refers to either the plant or byproduct of the plant containing the psychoactive compound THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) that is illegal in most countries. The arguments for its illegality are based on its negative health effects and associated social costs. The arguments for its legality are typically based on respecting individual liberty, being scientific about the health risks, and the cost, failure, and injustices of enforcement.

Implications to Other Questions

Should marijuana be decriminalized?

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If you believe B then presumably you believe A

Should psychoactive drugs be legal?

Experts

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Agree

Experts In Drugs

NORML National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws

Agree

Since the 1970s, more than a dozen government-appointed commissions have examined the effects of marijuana, and made public policy recommendations regarding its use. Overwhelmingly, the conclusions of these expert panels have been the same: marijuana prohibition causes more social damage than marijuana use, and the possession of marijuana for personal use should no longer be a criminal offense.

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16 Aug 2007 Source

Experts In Astronomy

Carl Sagan Astronomy Professor, Writer, Emmy Award Winner

Agree

I hope [legalization of marijuana] isn't too distant; the illegality of cannabis is outrageous, an impediment to full utilization of a drug which helps produce the serenity and insight, sensitivity and fellowship so desperately needed in this increasingly mad and dangerous world.

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01 Jan 1969 Source

Experts In Economics

Milton Friedman Iconic Economist of 20th Century

Agree

Now here's somebody who wants to smoke a marijuana cigarette. If he's caught, he goes to jail. Now is that moral? Is that proper? I think it's absolutely disgraceful that our government, supposed to be our government, should be in the position of converting people who are not harming others into criminals, of destroying their lives, putting them in jail. That's the issue to me. The economic issue comes in only for explaining why it has those effects. But the economic reasons are not the reasons.

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01 Jan 1991 Source

Sub-Arguments Of This Expert:
Should psychoactive drugs be legal?
Agree

Experts In Media

Glenn Beck TV Host, Political Commenator, Conservative

Agree

I woke up this morning and I thought, we should legalize marijuana. ... We have to make a choice - we either put people who are smoking marijuana behind bars or legalize it - but this little game we're playing in the middle is not helping us, it is not helping Mexico, and it causes massive violence on our southern border.

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09 Mar 2009 Source

Disagree

Experts In Drugs

Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Department in U.S. President's Executive Office

Disagree

Legalization is being sold as a cure to ending violence in Mexico, as a cure to state budget problems, as a cure to health problems. ... To test the idea of legalizing and taxing marijuana, we only need to look at already legal drugs - alcohol and tobacco. We know that the taxes collected on these substances pale in comparison to the social and health care costs related to their widespread use.

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23 Oct 2009 Source

Experts In Law

Barack Obama United States President

Disagree

I'm not someone who believes in legalization of marijuana.

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21 Jan 2004 Source

Experts In Politics

John McCain U.S. Senator, Republican

Disagree

I can't support the legalization of marijuana. Scientific evidence indicates that the moment that it enters your body, one, it does damage, and second, it can become addictive. It is a gateway drug.

The Slippery Slope Pitch The Paternal Pitch

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29 Oct 1999 Source

Comments

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Refuse gave their takeonit on 02 Apr 2009

Neutral

Well, marijuana is probably one of the safest drugs in the sense that it is neither physiologically addicting nor provably hazardous to your health. But most people in power see it as a detriment to society and necessary to criminalize. In some ways their right, as population of free-minded burnouts don't make very good corporate serfs.

But either way, the stuff is pretty plentiful, and if you want it bad enough no law on the books can force you to put down your bong. Still, "you've got to pay to play", and if you're not willing to accept the consequences for your actions, you're in the wrong game.

dave from oz gave their takeonit on 15 Jan 2009

Agree

BY KEEPING MARIJUANA ILLEGAL IT KEEPS BLACK MARKETEERS (DEALERS ETC) IN BUSINESS; WHICH IN TURN MAKES PEOPLE (WHO WOULD OTHERWISE BE LAW ABIDING)for whatever their reasons to use it seek out these dealers who they would not usually associate with .therefore risking getting busted and face criminal charges and a known associate of these dealers and their criminal baggage.Also the material or fibres of the plant have an extrodinary amount of uses from paper to clothing and also medicinal.it is a very useful plant that may very well help reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Benja gave their takeonit on 09 Sep 2008

Editorial Comment

Should also have questions here regarding:

Is marijuana a gateway drug?
Is moderate marijuana use dangerous to health?
- does it effect memory / intelligence long term?
- does it cause cancer - i.e. the active ingredient THC

Regarding health, there is this potency argument that assumes marijuana is more dangerous if it's more potent... But if the real danger is cancer from smoking, then more potent marijuana potentially allows the same high to be delivered without requiring the inhalation of so many carcinogens.

A question on medical marijuana too...