Marijuana

[Super_X]

The government classifies marijuana to be as harmful as other drugs, such as cocaine. The human mind often recognizes these lies.

I somehow doubt you actually found a credible source for that information.  Otherwise though, you do make some reasonable points.

My bad. It's actually listed as a Schedule I narcotic, along side heroine. The government is actually saying it's worse than cocaine. http://www.dea.gov/pubs/scheduling.html

I think rather than going back and forth in an argument full of platitudes and passion between the pro-legalisation advocates (who, I wish to emphasize, are almost solely marijuana users) and the rest of us, it would be enlightening to really investigate what effect the recent legalisation of marijuana in a first-world country has had.  Does anyone have any meaningful data or knowledge about this?

I haven't used marijuana in about 6 months, and before that, another 6 months.

Check out google for Britain. They've dropped marijuana to a Class B drug, which from what I understand is a lot less severe than what it was before, and that it might even be legal to possess small amounts.

Why do you squander your money on drugs for short-lived, fleeting pleasure that is unquestionably detrimental to your health?

Why squander your money on anything? Almost any activity could be called "detrimental to your health."

[Ender]

When you buy a new computer, you don't say "wow, I could have given that money to charity". When you spend your money on drugs, you do realize that you're wasting your money and throwing money into corrupt circulations where it should not be. Some people may say that it's their right to buy drugs with their money (setting the legalities aside). I say: bullshit. You should have given that money to charity.

[Armin]

When you buy a new computer, you don't say "wow, I could have given that money to charity". When you spend your money on drugs, you do realize that you're wasting your money and throwing money into corrupt circulations where it should not be. Some people may say that it's their right to buy drugs with their money (setting the legalities aside). I say: bullshit. You should have given that money to charity.

Did you miss what I said? I don't spend money on it.

[Eric]

When you spend your money on drugs, you do realize that you're wasting your money and throwing money into corrupt circulations where it should not be.

I realize the same when I spend money on gas for my car.

[Ender]

When you buy a new computer, you don't say "wow, I could have given that money to charity". When you spend your money on drugs, you do realize that you're wasting your money and throwing money into corrupt circulations where it should not be. Some people may say that it's their right to buy drugs with their money (setting the legalities aside). I say: bullshit. You should have given that money to charity.

Did you miss what I said? I don't spend money on it.

My last post (relative to this) never said you did. I said that it was a bad idea to squander one's money on drugs. You tried to debase that assertion. I defended it.

In my second to last post (relative to this) I did say you squander your money. Okay, I should have used the past tense.

[Armin]

When you buy a new computer, you don't say "wow, I could have given that money to charity". When you spend your money on drugs, you do realize that you're wasting your money and throwing money into corrupt circulations where it should not be. Some people may say that it's their right to buy drugs with their money (setting the legalities aside). I say: bullshit. You should have given that money to charity.

Did you miss what I said? I don't spend money on it.

I never said you did. I said that it was a bad idea to squander one's money on drugs. You tried to debase that assertion. I defended it.

The government classifies marijuana to be as harmful as other drugs, such as cocaine. The human mind often recognizes these lies.

I somehow doubt you actually found a credible source for that information.  Otherwise though, you do make some reasonable points.

My bad. It's actually listed as a Schedule I narcotic, along side heroine. The government is actually saying it's worse than cocaine. http://www.dea.gov/pubs/scheduling.html

I think rather than going back and forth in an argument full of platitudes and passion between the pro-legalisation advocates (who, I wish to emphasize, are almost solely marijuana users) and the rest of us, it would be enlightening to really investigate what effect the recent legalisation of marijuana in a first-world country has had.  Does anyone have any meaningful data or knowledge about this?

I haven't used marijuana in about 6 months, and before that, another 6 months.

Check out google for Britain. They've dropped marijuana to a Class B drug, which from what I understand is a lot less severe than what it was before, and that it might even be legal to possess small amounts.

Why do you squander your money on drugs for short-lived, fleeting pleasure that is unquestionably detrimental to your health?

You told me specifically that it was a bad idea. If you changed who you were talking to, you should've been more clear about it.

[Super_X]

When you buy a new computer, you don't say "wow, I could have given that money to charity". When you spend your money on drugs, you do realize that you're wasting your money and throwing money into corrupt circulations where it should not be. Some people may say that it's their right to buy drugs with their money (setting the legalities aside). I say: bullshit. You should have given that money to charity.

Did you miss what I said? I don't spend money on it.

I never said you did. I said that it was a bad idea to squander one's money on drugs. You tried to debase that assertion. I defended it.

The government classifies marijuana to be as harmful as other drugs, such as cocaine. The human mind often recognizes these lies.

I somehow doubt you actually found a credible source for that information.  Otherwise though, you do make some reasonable points.

My bad. It's actually listed as a Schedule I narcotic, along side heroine. The government is actually saying it's worse than cocaine. http://www.dea.gov/pubs/scheduling.html

I think rather than going back and forth in an argument full of platitudes and passion between the pro-legalisation advocates (who, I wish to emphasize, are almost solely marijuana users) and the rest of us, it would be enlightening to really investigate what effect the recent legalisation of marijuana in a first-world country has had.  Does anyone have any meaningful data or knowledge about this?

I haven't used marijuana in about 6 months, and before that, another 6 months.

Check out google for Britain. They've dropped marijuana to a Class B drug, which from what I understand is a lot less severe than what it was before, and that it might even be legal to possess small amounts.

Why do you squander your money on drugs for short-lived, fleeting pleasure that is unquestionably detrimental to your health?

You told me specifically that it was a bad idea. If you changed who you were talking to, you should've been more clear about it.

I belive he meant "you" in the collective "you all" as in the drug users.

[Armin]

Then he shouldn't have quoted me specifically.

[Rule]

When you buy a new computer, you don't say "wow, I could have given that money to charity". When you spend your money on drugs, you do realize that you're wasting your money and throwing money into corrupt circulations where it should not be. Some people may say that it's their right to buy drugs with their money (setting the legalities aside). I say: bullshit. You should have given that money to charity.

So you don't believe that it's one's right to spend his money how he pleases within the confines of the law?

(Here I am interpreting "drugs" to include alcohol, tobacco, and any other such legal substance).

[Ender]

In more primitive times of our history there was a popular philosophy that if a nation could take another nation by force then the stronger nation has the right to occupy the weaker. I think this is analogous to the contemporary sentiment "if I can buy it I can get it". If you have the power to do something you're not necessarily justified in doing it.

NB: When I say "can" I mean that one can do something without any moral repercussions.

[Rule]

In more primitive times of our history there was a popular philosophy that if a nation could take another nation by force then the stronger nation has the right to occupy the weaker. I think this is analogous to the contemporary sentiment "if I can buy it I can get it". If you have the power to do something you're not necessarily justified in doing it.

NB: When I say "can" I mean that one can do something without any moral repercussions.

There is surely a difference between invading a country and choosing to use a legal drug on yourself.  And further, morality is an incredibly subjective and individual thing.  Whether or not one faces "moral repurcussions" solely depends on that individual.  No doubt there are cogent arguments that money is better spent on alcohol than charity.  Does that mean every time you wish to send money to charity you should instead be forced to spend it on alcohol? Of course not!

My question is, even though you believe it is a waste for someone to spend money on drugs, should he still be allowed to do it within the confines of the law? I think we can both agree that forcing this person to spend it on something like charity would be utterly ridiculous.

[Ender]

We don't force it on them, we just allow for lesser mortals, and try to improve people without imposing. The word impose, of course, carries a tentative definition. You could say I was imposing my values on others with my responses. I think of impose as impeding one's life choices.

[iago]

We actually talked about this issue a lot last year in my Ethics class (minus the part specifically about marijuana): how can you feel good having a big house and a nice car and a big screen tv, and not give to charity?  Wouldn't it be better to have average stuff and give the rest of your money to a good cause?  Does buying stuff you don't really need and not giving to charity make you a bad person? 

It's an interesting question