Washington & Colorado Legalize Recreational Marijuana

[piercehawkeye45]

Originally Posted by Ibby

That's interesting, ph45, cause like - I wouldn't call LSD a harder drug the way I'd call coke. LSD, shrooms, weed, dxm... nah, shit should be legal and regulated. MDMA i'm not sure about, but it's largely much less harmful than most drugs. Coke, crack, heroin, meth, nah way bro.

LSD isn't addictive but there is too much we currently don't know about it to justify its legalization. Weed is justifiable because even though I would argue that the net effects are negative when used as a habit, the effects are no worse than alcohol.

LSD is a drug that can have drastically different effects depending on the hit and person. One person may be able to take LSD on a regular basis (once a month) for years and experience very little negative effects while another person may be fucked up for life by taking a single hit. I'm not opposed to people using it, I would argue no legal consequences unless you are dealing, but it is something that should not be promoted within our society in any way. Too much uncertainty.

[Flint]

Originally Posted by piercehawkeye45

LSD isn't addictive but there is too much we currently don't know about it to justify its legalization.

Conversely, I would argue that we didn't know enough about it to make it illegal in the first place--after all, it wasn't illegal when it was discovered.

And from what I understand, there were many likely beneficial effects of this compound being researched (with great promise) when it was made illegal. So if we "don't know enough about it" it's because it was made illegal.

I don't want to digress from the main subject here, into a more questionable landscape, but I do struggle with this particular argument.



Regarding the main point here, about marijuana use, I think the people (the people I know, anyway) are clear how they feel about this. I think we're waiting fore some dottering old hardliners, who believe the internet is a series of tubes, to (sorry to have to say this) die off. And leave the rest of us sensible folk the hell alone. To be clear here, I don't smoke. But if you do, I don't care if you do. I also don't care who you sleep with or if you have any religious leanings--these things are none of my business, and for goddamn sure none of the government's business.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Flint

Conversely, I would argue that we didn't know enough about it to make it illegal in the first place--after all, it wasn't illegal when it was discovered.

At the end of prohibition, Elliot Ness & Co would be unemployed, so make something else illegal, because moonshiners weren't wide spread enough. Something only lowlifes like Negroes and musicians and Hobos, cared about.

[piercehawkeye45]

Originally Posted by Flint

I don't want to digress from the main subject here, into a more questionable landscape, but I do struggle with this particular argument.

The argument isn't ideal, but no other argument on that topic is either. As long as the effects of something remains largely unknown, there is no purely legitimate justification to legalize or ban something. That is why these issues are so controversial.

With LSD, there are known permanent side effects that can affect people for the rest of their lives. See HPPD (Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder). Almost all the specifics are unknown about this condition besides that it is really bad for people who get it. I don't believe that this, and similar side effects, justify LSD's prohibition but I want to make a point that society has to make a decision before sufficient evidence surfaces. Only in hindsight will we know if the decision was good or not.

However, my argument for LSD is more of a pragmatic one. While I don't see it negatively effecting society because its prevalence is low and the risk of major side effects is even lower, I don't think the drug should be promoted by society due to the current uncertainty about its safety. Since it is already illegal, the act of legalizing LSD itself is a form of promotion and I believe that should be avoided. Personally, I don't care if people use it (almost every single one of my friends have used it, including myself) but the uncertainty associated with LSD is too much for it to be considered "safe". However, as I mentioned, I think that LSD and similar drugs should basically be decriminalized. No one should go to jail over their use.


With regards to weed, I agree with you. I don't see it as much different than alcohol (better than alcohol in my opinion). Both are drugs that employers ideally shouldn't have a say with but unfortunately, both drugs can control some people's lives, affecting their working ability.

Basically, the entire drug argument comes down to the fact that we are forced to make a one size fits all decision on substances that effects everyone differently. There will never be a "fair" decision but I think we should strive to at least make a rational one. Our current drug laws are far from rational, and yes, many people will have to die (old geezers) before a rational discussion on the this topic can even occur.