Poll Position: Should marijuana be legalized?
Today is considered “Weed Day” by marijuana smokers because the date, 4/20, corresponds with the numbers they use to refer to the drug. The actual origins of the term “420″ are not as widely known, but you can count on thousands of college students gathering — in some cases, together, and in very public locations — to celebrate doing something that’s illegal.
For now, anyway.
Should marijuana be legalized?
- Yes (1,088 Votes)
- No (40 Votes)
- I don't know (15 Votes)
Total Voters: 1,143
Loading ...There is a growing shift in public opinion about whether marijuana should be legalized, even in the South, with as unlikely a proponent as Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson arguing that particular drug shouldn’t be treated any differently than alcohol. Gary Johnson, a former governor of New Mexico and erstwhile GOP presidential candidate now seeking the Libertarian Party’s 2012 nomination, has called for legalizing and regulating marijuana, citing the ineffectiveness and costliness of enforcing the ban. People in favor of keeping the current law argue that marijuana can be a “gateway drug” that leads users to experiment with harder, more harmful substances. Georgia’s legislators haven’t gone as far as legalizing pot, but this year they did pass an overhaul of the state’s criminal code that calls for people in possession of small amounts of the drug to face alternatives to jail time.
So, a very simple Poll Position question for today: Should marijuana be legalized? Answer in the nearby poll and in the comments thread.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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251 comments Add your comment
Allison
April 20th, 2012
12:30 pm
Not only should we legalize marijuana but so should Mexico. Just think what that would do for the economy of Mexico. Then everyone would be trying to sneak into Mexico. Sounds like a brilliant idea to me.
Not Blind
April 20th, 2012
12:30 pm
@ Scooter Tom. Lots of life long cigarette smokers die of old age, does that make smoking them smart ? 400,000 dead every year says otherwise. Pot is the same. Lots can control it but for lots of others it controls them. You are an anomaly, not the norm [ or you are full of bs, this is the internet after all ].
ScooterTom69
April 20th, 2012
12:31 pm
Spelling nazis need not reply to my post.
I saw my spelling mistakes as soon as I hit the submit button and there is no way to go back and edit your post.
Ya’ll know what I mean.
You may now go about your regularly scheduled activities.
Darwin
April 20th, 2012
12:31 pm
Examples please dc
AmVet
April 20th, 2012
12:32 pm
Kyle, kudos for having the courage to write this article.
98, seems like the bulk of Georgians would have figured that out, oh, say about fifty years ago?
Like virtually the rest of the republic.
The obvious difference is that outside of Dixie, the Christian right wing generally doesn’t run the show.
Though they still wield enormous power.
Look no farther than the spineless Republican Barack Obama, who is opposed to legalization of even medical marijuana.
Beer, alcohol and tobacco corporations, police unions and pharmaceutical companies, all lobby to keep marijuana illegal. Note the defeat of California’s Proposition 19.
And BHO fully understands that marijuana prohibition is a multi-billion dollar business for the corrections industry.
Marijuana laws are archaic, draconian and a major state and federal tax burden, but what the hell.
Long live BIG government.
sheepdawg
April 20th, 2012
12:33 pm
Makes too much sense for politicians to follow thru. All the negatives against marijuana legalization are already approved for alcohol, tobacco, and sugar.
Class of '98
April 20th, 2012
12:36 pm
Dusty,
Why is it that people who have never smoked it are experts on it?
Dusty
April 20th, 2012
12:36 pm
Drug lords? Without people buying drugs, the drug lords would dry up.
As the president of Mexico once noted quite clearly, if nobody bought drugs & marijuana in the USA there would be no drug lords sending illegal material there. Get it? No buyers? No drug lords.
So cry a river all you addicts. YOU are the problem. Marijuana is just a weed in the wilderness.
Tim
April 20th, 2012
12:38 pm
Of course it should be legalized FOR ADULTS.
I emphasize “for adults” because prohibitionists always play the Kid Card.
“What about the children?… blah blah blah”.
It’s not about the children, it would be illegal for them regardless. It’s about adults being able to purchase marijuana through a regulated marketplace just like Alcohol, Caffeine, and Tobacco. There is no logical reason why a grown person should have to go in the street to purchase pot.
Logical Dude
April 20th, 2012
12:38 pm
Dusty: Get it? No buyers? No drug lords
Come back to reality. If it’s available, people will buy it.
Now, do you want them to buy it from a regulated and taxed industry, or a violent drug lord system?
Ending prohibition has shown that there is a way out of the drug lord system.
ScooterTom69
April 20th, 2012
12:39 pm
@ Not Blind, I’m tellin’ it like it is.
I don’t smoke every day, but when I feel like smoking, I smoke.
I’m more of a “weekend stoner”.
I know that marijuna may not be good for my lungs, but it does not contain the thousands of chemicals found in tobacco processed for cigarettes, which by the way, I do not smoke and can not stand cigarette smoke.
Dusty
April 20th, 2012
12:41 pm
Class of ‘98,
You don’t have to smoke marijuana to know that it is harmful.
You don’t have to have cancer to know that it is harmful.
You don’t have to drown to know that it kills you.
You don’t have to be born stupid to harm yourself knowingly but it does help.
just the facts
April 20th, 2012
12:41 pm
pot is not a gateway, been proven time and time again
legalization has curtailed soft and hard drug use in other countries
noone has EVER dies of a pot overdose while some states have more (legal) perscription drug related deaths than car accident deaths
the roots of pot prohibition are based in anti-Mexican ansd anti-Black paranoia dating back to early 1900’s
you will not go to hell for smoking pot
every day violent crimminals get early parole to make room for non-violent pot violators.
wake up America, stand up for waht is right
carlosgvv
April 20th, 2012
12:43 pm
Parking Dawg – 12:00
If pot is legalized, it stands to reason many millions of Americans will try it and become regular users. Most of these people will be licensed drivers. So, if you think the number of stoned drivers won’t dramatically increase with legalization, you’re just not thinking.
just the facts
April 20th, 2012
12:47 pm
Ok lets talk about ‘lacing’ pot. This is a HUGE myth fed to anyone whoes dumb enought ot listen bby bible thumping idiots and do nothing legilators. Pot is not laced with anything, there are no voodoo dust sprinkled on pot to get people hooked, ect. If you were a pot dealer, what exactly would you gain from adding more cost to your product. This is a 1950’s era myth that still scares people today. it’s so painfully obvious that people who are not involved with pot have no idea of what the product is, what it does, or the upsides and downsides. Why don’t you get a stack of bibles and go live in a bunker somewhere.
Aquagirl
April 20th, 2012
12:48 pm
If pot is legalized, it stands to reason many millions of Americans will try it and become regular users.
Sounds like somebody’s afraid they can’t control themselves without big-nanny government.
If the only thing standing between you and pot-suffused oblivion is a minor law, please don’t project your personal weakness onto everyone else. Go get help.
ragnar danneskjold
April 20th, 2012
12:49 pm
I voted yes, think the poll question does not go far enough. I would repeal the entire Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 or whenever it was – contributes nothing beneficial to society. Through its Byzantine regulations the FDA kills more American each year than it has saved in its entire existence, and the costs it adds to health care are incalculable.
As to the specific subject, I cannot speak from personal experience – never tried the stuff, I’m too cheap – but when I have encountered people on marijuana I have never believed myself at risk. There may be an argument for restriction/prohibition of such behavior-altering drugs as cocaine and derivatives, methamphetamine and derivatives, and alcohol and derivatives – think that is irrelevant to any argument over whether we need to punish marijuana possession/use/trafficking.
ragnar danneskjold
April 20th, 2012
12:51 pm
OMG, friend Aquagirl and I agree again.
weatherwatcher
April 20th, 2012
12:51 pm
what makes you think millions of Americans aren’t trying it now? same with underage drinking, cigarettes, etc. I do not think the number of stoned driving will increase, I think it will decrease. There are so many people who opt to smoke in a moving car because they don’t have anywhere to go where someone won’t smell it. Least that’s the way it was in college.
Baker
April 20th, 2012
12:56 pm
Wasn’t there a poll taken of law enforcement that said they wanted it legalized?
ragnar danneskjold
April 20th, 2012
12:56 pm
Seems like a lot of the posts are concerned about stoners driving. I did some deep research on the subject – think it was a documentary called “Up In Smoke” – and stoners drive abnormally slowly, thinking they are going faster than they really are. Not really a risk there.
just the facts
April 20th, 2012
12:57 pm
I can see it now. ordinary citizens are allowed to smoke pot, next day the roads and highways(no pun intended) are crawling with sick pot-addicted red-eye zombies, coming to run over your kids and steal all the white women.
Mom – keep taking your mommy’s little helpers
Kids- be sure to take your personality controlling pills
Dad – Viagra sure does make night time fun right? along with booze and cigs
But for God’s sake make a little heb that has been ingested by millions of people for thousands of years a serious crime, you lak-leg hypocrit
Dusty
April 20th, 2012
12:57 pm
Well, legalizing marijuana MAY have its good points.
We would lose a portion of weakminded citizens at an early age. To help them along, we could establsh legal Marijuana Mojo Halls like the Chinese promoted heroin dens at one time. They could wallow in no-woes wonder. Maybe we could even have marijuana stamps issued instead of food stamps, all regulated by government, of course. .
Yep, go for it. Who needs you? Clear thinkers will prevail.
carlosgvv
April 20th, 2012
12:58 pm
Aquagirl – 12:48
Nothing in my 12:43 post even remotely suggests I would personally become a pot user and drive while high. Your reading comprehension skills are at an all-time low today. You need to lie down and take a nap. Off you go now. There’s a good girl.
As for you, ragnar, you can go back to sleep now.
just the facts
April 20th, 2012
12:59 pm
Hey Dusty – people are gonna smoke pot if it’s legal or not. Been doing it for decades. Do you want to make these people criminals, to what end?.
tiredofIT
April 20th, 2012
1:00 pm
I believe a prescription should be require to purchase alcohol. Look at the damage done by this drug!
ragnar danneskjold
April 20th, 2012
1:00 pm
Good afternoon Carlosgv @ 12:58. Somebody’s in a bad mood today, I can tell. Perhaps one of our friends on this blog could give you something to smoke that would soothe your jangled nerves.
Jimmy62
April 20th, 2012
1:04 pm
Dusty: Here’s the thing, it’s not harmful. I know plenty of very successful people who smoke pot, but you can’t cite any evidence whatsoever that it’s harmful. You know what is more harmful, causes more drastic and unpredictable behavioral changes, yet is prescribed to children every day? Ritalin. It’s sick that you are ok with drugging children, but think adults should not be able to smoke pot.
Ah Dusty, you just say a bunch of junk that means nothing. You obviously don’t actually know anything about pot since nothing you say has any truth to it, no evidence, no citations, no personal experience, no nothing.
Class of '98
April 20th, 2012
1:05 pm
Dusty, you have been brainwashed by anti-drug propaganda. You have no idea what you are talking about.
Jimmy62
April 20th, 2012
1:06 pm
Dusty: THere are already marijuana stamps. You have to buy them from the government for tax purposes to sell marijuana. It’s on the books, look it up.
One more bit of evidence to show you have no clue what you are talking about.
Tell you what, I’ll get high as a kite, you stay sober. And I will kick your butt on any test you can come up with (other than blowing really hard, I can’t compete with you on that).
Bill Cosby
April 20th, 2012
1:07 pm
If marijuana was legalized the economy would be on a good track to prosperity and plus harmless individuals wouldn’t be subjected to the harshness of prison.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
April 20th, 2012
1:08 pm
“Progressives” haven’t cornered the market on intellect. ”
Boy, there’s an understatement if there ever was . . .
Jimmy62
April 20th, 2012
1:08 pm
Our government has pot listed as more dangerous than cocaine. That alone should tell you how messed up drug laws are.
Peadawg
April 20th, 2012
1:09 pm
“Should marijuana be legalized?”
Yes. Legalize it and regulate it just like alcohol. Period.
kevin
April 20th, 2012
1:09 pm
“Not Blind” says : “There may be something more short sighted than legalizing marijuana but I can’t think of it .” Perhaps you are referring to marijuana prohibition, since it hasn’t “solved” the “problem” of individuals choosing to do a substance safer than alcohol and tobacco? 75 years, millions of arrests, trillions of dollars has only created crime and corruption. Hey “Not Blind”, explain why the repeal of alcohol prohibition was “short sighted” too.
Real Athens
April 20th, 2012
1:10 pm
Alcohol is the gateway drug — can there be any doubt?
So many people here use “freedom” and “choice” when they are heralding an issue and use these words to frame the it. The same basic ideas become “strength” or “weakness” from the same group when they are in opposition.
Aquagirl
April 20th, 2012
1:10 pm
Nothing in my 12:43 post even remotely suggests I would personally become a pot user and drive while high.
Nothing in Ted Haggard’s speeches remotely suggested he was gay. Except for all his fretting over those homosexuals lurking everywhere, held back only by godly Republican laws.
kevin
April 20th, 2012
1:12 pm
“Comparing traffic deaths over time in states with and without medical marijuana law changes, the researchers found that fatal car wrecks dropped by 9% in states that legalized medical use — which was largely attributable to a decline in drunk driving. Driving under the influence of marijuana seems to be less risky because people who are high tend to be aware that they are impaired and compensate, while alcohol tends to increase recklessness and create false confidence.” Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2011/12/02/why-medical-marijuana-laws-reduce-traffic-deaths/#ixzz1nJkUAkGi
Dusty
April 20th, 2012
1:14 pm
Ragnar,
Please think again. Are you sure you want to be on I 285 with a crowd of drivers with slow mental and physical reflexes? All of them will not drive on the far right lane. They’ll be right behind you. Watch out! Slowing up ahead!
Kyle Wingfield
April 20th, 2012
1:14 pm
I must say, I thought there would be a substantial majority in favor of legalization, but I did not think it would be (as I write this) 93.3% in favor. The only question I recall being more lopsided related to Sunday sales, which had the approval of 94.1% of you (and with a much larger number of votes cast).
stands for decibels
April 20th, 2012
1:16 pm
Not thrilled with the idea of proceeding right to legalization. I’m conservative that way, tend to want to phase in such things.
So I’d carefully move first to decriminalization of cultivation and possession of small amounts for ostensibly personal use, ideally. See how that works out, then consider legalizing some kind of controlled, regulated marketplace for the drug, down the road.
But I didn’t have that choice, so I went with “Yes,” as did an overwhelming majority of Kyle’s readers.
AmVet
April 20th, 2012
1:16 pm
Yeah rags, that damn deadly EPA.
Without those interventionists we could have had a boatload more people have deformed babies by using thalidomide like the Europeans did.
And the Elixir Sulfanilamide tragedy, in which over 100 people died after using a drug formulated with a toxic, untested solvent?
Tough t*tties. Caveat emptor.
And I never did understand why the government had to step in and check up on all that pesticide stuff?
What’s a little poison marketed between friends?
Yep, let the free market police itself, right cons? Isn’t that your battle cry?
just the facts
April 20th, 2012
1:18 pm
you ever met a violent pot head? NO
would you rather run into a pothead in a dark ally or a dunk or a coke head or a meth head or a oxy-pill popper?
Think people, it’s called a soft drug for a reason. Try to wash away all the mis-information you were raised on and do the right thing would you please?
Peadawg
April 20th, 2012
1:19 pm
Kyle,
Marijuana is no different than Alcohol imo. Have the marijuana laws 100% mirror the alcohol laws.
just the facts
April 20th, 2012
1:19 pm
if pot is the end of the world, how are we still around if millions of americans ALREADY smoke it regularly?
Inject some logic into the discussion, enough with the reefer madness, think for yourselves
Dusty
April 20th, 2012
1:21 pm
Kevin. 1:12
Your report sounds accurate. It said “People who are high tend to know they are impaired..”.
So marijuana users don’t mind being impaired because they are less impaired than those drinking alcohol.
Wonderful! So we end up with a large number of impaired drivers on expressways and that is good news?
Doesn’t take much to keep some people happy.
just the facts
April 20th, 2012
1:22 pm
Dusty- pot being illeagal is helping metro traffic, really is that the best you got? I know we’re ppiling on you but man you just aren’t making sense.
The only thing bad about pot is it is illeagal
stands for decibels
April 20th, 2012
1:22 pm
Marijuana is no different than Alcohol imo.
Well, it’s a crapload easier to kick. (imo.)
Dusty
April 20th, 2012
1:26 pm
Just the Facts, 1:19
Why do you need “something” to keep you going? That is the question.
Healthy people do not need “something” to push them along or slow them down.. Maybe you have forgotten that normal state.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
April 20th, 2012
1:28 pm
A few thoughts on this particular subject:
First, I’ve never tried pot. Was the only airman out of 50 in my basic training flight to never have done so. Also, didn’t have my first drink until after I turned 21 (and didn’t even do that on my birthday). Outside of a few family and pet losses, I’ve never had the need, nor the desire, to alter my mood artificially. Bottom-line; I’m pretty high on life, even when things don’t always go my way.
That being said, I’ve always been about individual liberty AND responsibility.
On the down side, I’ve seen what drugs can do to people when they allow them to take hold, especially when their local supplier laces them with something designed to get them to move up in addiction, as happens with meth all too regularly these days.
On the up side, I’ve known plenty of people who use on a regular (not constant) basis who live productive, if not especially successful lives. Where they differ from my associates who drink is that initiative isn’t hammered out of them with alcohol, where 8 times out of 10 it seems to be with my pot user friends.
So my answer to Kyle’s question is no to legalization, but yes to decriminalization.
I don’t want government getting into the regulation of any particular product, especially one where addiction is involved, nor do I want them finding yet another revenue stream to fund an ever-burgeoning nanny state.
So if you want to get high, do so. But don’t expect me to hire you if you use the stuff, and don’t expect me to treat you any differently that I do today in demanding you take a drug test if you work for me. Don’t expect me to coddle you if you do happen to injure or kill someone while under the influence and I’m on your jury. And don’t blame me if your supplier puts a little something extra in your next batch of pot (although if you finger him or her, I’ll gladly put them behind bars for a minimum sentence of 10 years without parole).