What is your best pro cannabis argument?

[goindeep]

Or alternatively, what is your best counter argument?

 

See the thing is that cannabis has so many good arguments but what I have discovered is that there are not really that many intelligent or powerful arguments against it, if many at all. Most good defenders of prohibition will tell you the usual crap that can be argued away quite easily e.g.....

 

'it's a gateway drug' uhhh no it's not, there is no science to prove it and it is only perceived this way because the same dealer that sells your kids pot can also get 'other stuff' just the same as the bottle shop can sell you smokes. There is absolutely no scientific validation just like there is no scientific validation that cows milk from woolies is a gateway product to their frozen lasagne...

 

OR

 

'Marijuana kills brain cells', no actually that argument comes from a trial they did on monkeys where they starved their brains of oxygen over prolonged periods of time as they pumped cannabis smoke into their lungs. No oxygen = shutting down and switching off of neurons and cells. However it has recently been shown that teenagers who smoke cannabis can do harm to their brains which could effect IQ, critical thinking and memory as their teenage brain is continuing to grow. This last part is common sense and is why children should be protected from cannabis just like they are with alcohol and cigarettes.

 

The best argument they have up their sleeve and that they are touting as their ace is the mental health card. They will tell you that cannabis should not be legalized because it can lead to schizophrenia, paranoia or both. And here is my counter argument.

 

The counter is 3 points:

 

1. Those same studies also show that with increased use is increased problems or chances of problems and the opposite is also true. Basically, anything can be abused and so it is unlikely that cannabis will cause a mass schizophrenic effect in most users. WIth regulated use and education you can guide and direct the frequency and volume of consumption to a safer one than what is currently being offered via the prohibition method. Anything ca be abused including cheeseburgers, sugar, water, oxygen and all have devastating effects. Cannabis is no different.
2. Studies have also proven that CBD in cannabis may have the opposite effects of schizophrenia and paranoia, this seems ironic and interesting however understanding that cannabis has around 80 different psycho active cannabinoids makes it less ironic and more interesting with UK studies showing some low thc and high cbd strains or simply cbd strains showing exactly that 
3. Some people have a predisposition to schizophrenia and cannabis can quite easily be highlighted as the culprit or at least the catalyst when in fact the predisposition itself and the issues surrounding that are the real problem.

FInally based on what we have seen in the US,  here are some of the major hurdles seen with post legislation problems

 

1. stoned drivers.

 

 

Here is how you argue that apart from the obvious such as education.

 

Online retail. In the US currently they have made it too hard to sell it online. Because of that people are forced to get into their car to drive and buy their cannabis which means they are either already high or getting high before or on the way back. If online retail sales are allowed along with education programs it would reduce the possibility for it to become a huge problem or at least offer people a safe reliable and responsible way for them to purchase their cannabis and have it delivered.

 

Also random testing helps...

 

2. Edibles causing psychosis and other issues leading to death or serious illness.

 

Simple. Offer clear instructions and package the items in individuals quantities as much as possible as well as proper dosing. People commit suicide or seriously injur themselves or others with many other substances like alcohol and cannabis is no more harmful than alcohol. Also the plant or part of the plant offers its own solution which is CBD and so higher content CBD edibles may need to be made and offered.

 

3. Oils potentially being able to cause botulism and other similar related problems.

 

Simple again, use fridges,

 

 

[The Stoned Jester]

The fact that they used to use and make the stuff http://www.marijuanagrowershq.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/cannabis-tincture.jpg

and that the whole prohibition / reefer madness bullshit was a ploy by dupont and his buddy in the fbi and his chemical factory to push out hemp and bring in plastics and all that jazz.

 

 

as for stoned drivers they need to develop a test that is fair the current law is bullshit that even if you have it in your system your done for, I've been done my self and I didn't have any thing to smoke for at least 24 hours prior and I was in no way impaired.

 

and some people can smoke heaps and still be fine to drive, it doesn't affect you like alcohol does, although it affects everyone differently.

 

if you test positive at a roadside you should have to do a reaction time test and/or some form of sobriety test if you pass then you should be able to go on your way.

Edited December 2, 2014 by The Stoned Jester

[Sir PsychoHashy]

Counter argument.

 

The police would then have to investigate and prosecute real crimes in order to acheive the statistics they use to show they are doing their job, and that would be unacceptable.  Can you imagine how much their statistics would drop without canna convictions, plus all the publicity they would lose by not doing their annual chopper raids in the bush, poor bastards.

 

Have to agree with everything stated above, for my mind there is no valid argument for cannabis being illegal that cannot be easily counter argued and/or shown to be less valid than when applied to alcohol or ciggies.  I would never claim that cannabis use causes no harm to anyone, but compared to the legal drugs it seems to be minimal, and legalising it can only help to mitigate these potential harms.  Education and awareness is only ever a good thing as well.

 

Problem is that when you get into an argument with people who have an idealogical or political position on something, there is no point arguing with them, they just end up shouting you down with their tired old mantras.

 

The DUI is a real issue.  People should not do it, even though I believe the risks pale in comparison to alcohol, but being illegal doesn't make any difference to people doing, or not doing, it.  And I'm with Jester about actually having to be shown to be "under the influence", current testing and prosecution is woefully unfair and innacurate, and I believe the current legislation should not be legitimate as it stands.  I never drive under the influence, but shit myself daily that I might still lose my licence at any time.  Unless someone can demonstrate to me that a drinker with blood alcohol of 0.045 is less impaired than I am this morning after vaping a little hash a couple of hours before bed last night.

[louise]

The legitimate role of government does not extend to policing what adults chose to put into their bodies.

[pegz]

I don't think we need new arguments at this point, it's just people perceptions that need changing, which will happen with time and influence from places like 'Murica and Holland.

[goindeep]

I might create a shared google doc listing in basic and simple format a list of arguments for and against and then a seperate list for counter arguments to the against list.

 

We can all collectively decide on best arguments.

 

Is anyone interested?

[cap'n yNg]

For....its good

 

against......... "silence"......

 

[sheep_dreamer]

For....its good

 

against......... "silence"......

 

SOLD! To the man with the red jacket

 

 

Go for it GoinDeep with the google doc. I'll take a look.

Edited December 5, 2014 by sheep_dreamer

[goindeep]

SOLD! To the man with the red jacket

 

 

Go for it GoinDeep with the google doc. I'll take a look.

OK cool, will have up later today... so much to dooooooooooo! , kids.

 

P.S. just posted a cannabis related reddit poll, got deleted for some reason... not sure if I did anything wrong or not....anyway here it is again.

 

Reddit r/australia cannabis poll, please vote YES http://www.reddit.com/r/australia/comments/2oi69m/the_unofficial_cannabis_post_should_we_allow/

Edited December 7, 2014 by goindeep

[The Stoned Jester]

nope gone again you might want to post it in /r/trees.

 

Reddit folks are really picky about what goes where.