The thought came when I was posting in another section of this forum.

Marijuana generally is considered much safer than, say, cigarettes, usually because A) it isn't filled with all of the harmful additives that cigarettes are and B) people who smoke marijuana generally smoke significantly less than cigarette smokers. It's also less harmful in second-hand terms, seeing as it isn't something you can go and do around others--and the people you do smoke with generally don't mind. ;P

It is also less addictive than cigarettes and alcohol. Alcohol causes organ damage. Unfortunately, it also has a high impact on others, due to its affect on cognition.

It's estimated that 100,000 Americans (not even taking into consideration the rest of the world) die each year due to alcohol abuse.

How can alcohol be blamed for 100,000 deaths each year?

5% of all deaths from diseases of the circulatory system are attributed to alcohol. 15% of all deaths from diseases of the respiratory system are attributed to alcohol. 30% of all deaths from accidents caused by fire and flames are attributed to alcohol. 30% of all accidental drownings are attributed to alcohol. 30% of all suicides are attributed to alcohol. 40% of all deaths due to accidental falls are attributed to alcohol. 45% of all deaths in automobile accidents are attributed to alcohol. 60% of all homicides are attributed to alcohol. (Sources: NIDA Report, the Scientific American and Addiction Research Foundation of Ontario.) Also see Alcohol Consumption and Mortality, Alcohol poisoning deaths, CDC report,

-http://www.come-over.to/FAS/alcdeath.htm

Now here's the thing: many people want MJ legalized for these reasons along with others. On the other hand, marijuana has its own downsides, despite them being more "mild" than those of smoking cigs and drinking. Smoking is smoking, no matter what the substance. Inhalation of smoke isn't good for you no matter how you look at it, and marijuana is also known to cause lung cancer.

Just a few of the risks include:

Long-term
effects of using marijuana include:

• Enhanced
  cancer risk
  
• Decrease
  in testosterone levels and lower sperm counts for men
  
• 
  
  Increase
  in testosterone levels for women and increased risk of infertility
  
• 
  
  Diminished
  or extinguished sexual pleasure
  
• Psychological
  dependence requiring more of the drug to get the same effect

I think that, along with marijuana, smoking and drinking should also be illegal. It does so much more harm than good. There are other ways to enjoy yourself. Everyone says that it's only a problem when abused, but look how often it is, look how often people can't handle its effects.

Do you think MJ should be legalized, or do you think smoking/drinking should be banned?

Marijuana should NOT be legalised. You did not mention all the mental health issues around it. Since it’s re-classification from a class B drug to class C drug in the UK there has been a significant raise in people being referred to psychiatric wards.
Drinking and smoking is a problem, but banning them is not the answer.

We have to draw the line somewhere. I mean we can't ban everyhting that causes people harm. What's next banning guns or maybe horror movies? At some point we have to be held accoun table for our own choices. As far as legalizing marijuana, due to my personal experience with certain illnesses that marijuana can help I do think it should be legalized for medicinal purposes and strictly controlled just like any other narcotic available by prescription. will some people abuse it? Sure. But many people already abuse prescription drugs.

Good points there, I agree that legalisation for medical reasons would help thousands of people just like drugs such as morphine do, in that sense I am all for legalisation. But for recreational use it’s a definite No No.

I think marijuana should be legalized, not talking about health problems, but I'm sure we would have a decrease on the number of deaths caused by ilegal drug dealing, several lifes would be saved, of course, it has the bad part too, if people could use it as much as they want to, we would have a big increase on the number of addicts.

It could cause a lot of drug dealers to stay out of the streets, but it may cause pot dealers to start dealing more harmful substances like cocaine and heroin. So, maybe make harsher laws for trafficking the substance, but less harsh laws for using cannabis for medical purposes. And with cigs and alcohol, there should be harsher laws against it, because the health facts for both are overwhelming compared to pot.

Correct me if I am wrong but I thought you mixed marijuana with tabacoo to smoke it/ ?If so then it is just as harmful as any other tabacoo. Dont quote me on that I just know we used to do it as kids.

eashaw wrote
We have to draw the line somewhere. I mean we can't ban everyhting that causes people harm. What's next banning guns or maybe horror movies? At some point we have to be held accoun table for our own choices. As far as legalizing marijuana, due to my personal experience with certain illnesses that marijuana can help I do think it should be legalized for medicinal purposes and strictly controlled just like any other narcotic available by prescription. will some people abuse it? Sure. But many people already abuse prescription drugs.

I agree. Any marijuana legalized should be controlled and administered by medical professionals. There is still, after all these years, research being done on marijuana and not everything is known yet. There are so many different kinds that produce different effects, and some of the harsher effect have had people ending up in mental institutions.

Never forget that marijuana can be taxed, and if it's taxed, a lot of money can be earned from it.

Also, if it can be legally acquired, it puts a lot of drug dealers who deal in it exclusively out of business. People are already addicted to drugs and alcohol, but a large amount of money that makes up the pricetag is raw taxes.

Like it or not, lots of people smoke marijuana, but at least it's not heroin or acid. We could always use more public money these days.

I thought that it was proven that marijuana didn't cause cancer. Now, testosterone issues? That's a new one, I kinda doubt that. Besides, marijuana isn't that addictive, I knew a kid that smoked it and he only smoked it like, once or twice a week or something.

Cannabis didn't use to be very addictive, but now it's more addictive
than ever because it's evolved so much and homegrowers are coming out
with new strands that are loaded with THC.

I think it would help our economy if it were legalized. I mean we spend so much money on trying to stop it, what was it like $40 billion on stopping it? When it doesn't even cut it down. People will smoke no matter what. And although there are some mental issues it is better and safer than alcohol. Look at amsterdam, lol theyre fine :P

Maybe they should just fully legalize and tax it for one full year, at the end of that year, they can decide if it's worth it or not. No harm in trying, though people will probably stockpile it and sell it at a profit if they illegalize it again.

I think they should legalize Marijuana and ban Ciggs. thats a betetr idea because its safer, but I dont know about banning alcohol, thats become too big apart of everyones lives to just stop it.

I think marijuana should be legalized I really dont see the harm it does. its better than alcohol and ciggs.