Why is marihuana still illegal in the U.S.?

I have my opinions and theories (mainly economics), but I have yet to hear a sound and logical reasoning for why it should be illegal.

Prescription pills, alcohol, cigarettes - are all legal and readily available and kill at unprecedented rates.

So it's obviously not a "4 DA CHILDRENZ1!!" safety concern.

If it were legal, it would then be produced here in the U.S. - again, legally - eliminating the need and typical way of gaining it through illegal means - which on a grander scale involve cartels and business of that likes.

So it would actually stand to reason that legalizing it would help prevent cartels influence in the production and distribution, and overall control of the American weed-trade.

Is it due to the potential misuse, although quite mild compared to many other legal ways of misuse, for example; guns, alcohol, vehicles, knives, forks, etc, so I don't see that being a very logical reasoning myself for it being illegal.

Perhaps it has to do with the stigma attached of just being a "drug," but again - so is alcohol, cigarettes, vaping (electronic smoking devices), wine - so I don't believe marihuana being a "drug" is sound for it being illegal.

Maybe it has to do with the fear of it being smoked/consumed publicly - but again, bars, hookah lounges, strip clubs - I hardly doubt it.

As we all know, it's often considered "the gateway drug," - but I have yet to see a single marihuana advertisement, but I've seen quite a few for Coors, Miller, Busch, Bud Light, as well as prescription medications, and cigarettes/chewing tobacco advertisements and billboards at gas stations/smoke shops, so I don't know if marihuana is really a "gateway drug," and if it is - so are alcohol and cigarettes. They are heavily glamorized and there's a massive effort for its advertisement.

So we checked off safety.
Public use.
Potential mis-use.
"Drug" status.
"Gateway drug" theory
And one plus, it would deter drug cartels.

Other pluses:

Medicinal uses
(Forms of oils, smoking, edibles)
Industrial use
(Textiles, oils, papers, etc etc)
Tax benefits
(This needs no explanation)
The prison industry
(Again, needs no explanation)
Police brutality, stereotyping, petty arrests
Fewer "criminals" and "criminal" records for youth and people of all ages

And a few other personal thoughts:

Deter other more "hard" drug usage
Deter alcoholism/diseases associated with alcohol and tobacco products
Enable a more productive and peaceful lifestyle as opposed to having other stimulants or kicks (we all have them)
A more sensible and reasonable approach to marihuana as opposed to the policies enacted throughout the past

And above all... because of freedom. That small thing that so many Americans have seemed to forgot, and want to restrict on others.

You and I have the freedom to drive to bars to consume alcohol.
We have the freedom to purchase tobacco products well aware of the health-effects.
We have the freedom to ask and be prescribed prescription medication.

But we don't have the freedom to smoke a plant, an herb that has been around for thousands of years. Above, I briefly outlined some of the "scenarios" that would lead one to believe in the justification of its illegality, but other legal drugs (that do more severe and widespread damage), continue to be unquestioned to no prevail.

It, in my opinion - being the illegalization of marihuana - is one of the biggest middle fingers, "Eff you" symbols of our joke of a "free" nation.

So I ask you ATS, why do you think it should be legal or illegal, and why?

I would really like to find a sound, reasonable, and logical answer as to "why" it should be kept illegal and classified with coc aine.

(In which, by the way, prescription painkiller overdoses kill more than coc aine and heroin combined)

www.businessinsider.com... aine-2012-9

Two things
1 Big Pharma

2 TPTB needed to wait until the economy needed legalization so as to bring all that money back into the mainstream to keep the economy afloat and then tax the living crap out of users.

There is no logical reason for it to remain illegal. The only reason people say that it should remain illegal is out of ignorance and fear of change. The only reason why the government and some corporations (particularly those that deal with medicine) say it is dangerous and should remain illegal is because they know it isn't dangerous and it would severely effect, not business, but THEIR business. And of course criminals who sell the substance also would like it to remain illegal because it also effects their business.

That's about it. There is no logical reason for it to remain illegal.

a reply to: Ghost147

Exactly, economics. Always been the centerfold, and the reason for its illegalization in the first place (in my opinion).

And as for the other post, I really wouldn't care if it were taxed. It would eliminate such a myriad of problems. Those who want to continue to partake in the illegal activities, it would no doubt affect them, but I (personally say) for the greater good.

No more "back-alley" drug deals, people don't do that with alcohol or cigarettes.

It would alleviate such a massive burden on the justice system and police, for starters.

But then again, police and LEO would have to pursue real crime, not marihuana arrests.

They already shoot and kill dogs because they become afraid for their lives, imagine them combatting real crime.

It would eliminate the massive revenue stream, disrupting private prisons.

Marihuana being legal would actually be a benefit and good thing, some however profit too great and don't want to see it change.

Do you really think big pharma is happy about people growing an effective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory in their back yard? AND thats just ONE use!

a reply to: RomeByFire

Yup. I completely agree! I don't mind at all if it were taxed. The sheer good it would do would outweigh the tax 1000 fold.

a reply to: RomeByFire
The real reason that they will ever admit to;
It opens your mind and makes you realize that you don't have to be a sheep.
You see the world through a different perspective. You're more in touch with spirituality, real spirituality.

These things go against being a happy little consumer, believing in what the religions say, choosing your favorite team, believing in the power of your vote, what your doctor prescribes for you, etc...

I hear it impares people's ability to spell,,,, or was that smell?

a reply to: HUMBLEONE

Now why would I want to do that?

I can go BUY something which does relatively the same thing, because the government and a whole 'lotta people I know nothing about who are much smarter than me know my own body and what would work best for me better than myself!

Side effects include: Basically everything from your eyes turning into lasagna puffs, shortness or stopping of the heart, seizures of the brain resulting in permanent blindness, butter may begin to taste like coconut, you may lose your left ear and/or foot, do not take it currently under any other medication or consume alcohol etc..

And for a whopping price of $499.99 for a pack of 20 prescription back relief pills!

WARNING: Do not take more than the allowed dosage in the required timeframe. Failure to do so - well buddy, you're toast. Thanks for your money!

But yeah, growing a plant - THAT'S crazy.

Could cannabis be illegal because it can cause more problems that (say) not indulging?

There are two paths here, for those who care...

1. There are those who think it should be legal because its basically harmless and that any evidence of the harm is made up to make big pharma money and la de da.
2. There are those who think that use and overuse can cause range of problems and tend to have the support of clinicians, even those not beholden to big pharma.

I am of the second category, having imbibed when young as a rite of passage and fun, but latterly having seen my nephew going off the rails because of it, therefore experiencing the real destructive impact.

Just a PSA / Reminder with the move ... No Personal Use references, Please

i) Narcotics and illicit mind-altering substances, legal or otherwise: discussing personal use or personal experiences as the result of such substances is not allowed in any form.

Because American politicians & law makers has their heads up their butts.

a reply to: RomeByFire

Is it safe to assume you like pot? hehe

BTW it is legal where I live...

The concerning part, from my point of view.

Is the fact that people sit around in a drug-induced haze now a days.

I've got several aquaintences who just don't wanna do anything but sit and smoke. They don't care about anything else.

My brother is one of those type as well. He's in his 30's and sits in our parents basement, smokes, and plays video games.

Escapism is all fine and dandy, but it does not change reality. But the weed makes you not care, so reality won't change.

Seems more like palliative care for terminally ill (mentally ill) zombies. "Don't rise up against us, here, smoke this.. so we can continue to control the world, while you enjoy a nice drug-induced vacation on a legal plant.. enjoy!"

And considering the stuff is stronger, more cultivated strains, than when I tried it.. I can only imagine..

Just because alcohol and cigarettes are legal don't mean we need more addictive harmful substances's legalized. I dislike alcoholics as much as dopeheads so whatever. Nothing good comes from addiction issues. Potheads will defend the stuff to death and say it's harmless only because it fits their agenda for legalization. Marijuana is a mind altering substance.

I know a lot of people that smoke marijuana and most smoke it like choo choo trains. From my experience I do not know any casual users. I've seen people that smoke on a regular basis that are dumber then a box or rocks with the memory span of an Alzheimer patient. They weren't like that before they started smoking.

I voted for medical marijuana because I thought cancer patients and the sick might benefit from it. I've come to regret my decision and I will not be voting to legalize it.

I think it should be legal. I don't smoke it and have no plans to although I'd consider taking a pill for any of the ailments that it allegedly seems to help.

There are a lot of things that are illegal because someone lobbied for it and over time no one remembers why it was so important to make it illegal in the first place.

I also think prostitution should be legal as well. I have yet to hear a well reasoned argument as to why it is illegal.

originally posted by: paraphi
Could cannabis be illegal because it can cause more problems that (say) not indulging?

There are two paths here, for those who care...

1. There are those who think it should be legal because its basically harmless and that any evidence of the harm is made up to make big pharma money and la de da.
2. There are those who think that use and overuse can cause range of problems and tend to have the support of clinicians, even those not beholden to big pharma.

I am of the second category, having imbibed when young as a rite of passage and fun, but latterly having seen my nephew going off the rails because of it, therefore experiencing the real destructive impact.

Yet use and overuse of alcohol causes problems too. This was covered in the OP yet you ignored it.

Also I think it's a bit disingenuous to claim that it was cannabis that caused your nephew to go off the rails. I've noticed that people who let their lives get that out of hand due to drug use often will claim cannabis as the culprit and leave out all the other crazy drugs they were taking in an attempt to white wash their other habits.

Did the OP not make it clear? We live in a country where imbibing alcohol is legal under most circumstance. That being that case their is no high ground moral or otherwise to claim cannabis should remain illegal.

originally posted by: corvuscorrax

originally posted by: paraphi
Could cannabis be illegal because it can cause more problems that (say) not indulging?

There are two paths here, for those who care...

1. There are those who think it should be legal because its basically harmless and that any evidence of the harm is made up to make big pharma money and la de da.
2. There are those who think that use and overuse can cause range of problems and tend to have the support of clinicians, even those not beholden to big pharma.

I am of the second category, having imbibed when young as a rite of passage and fun, but latterly having seen my nephew going off the rails because of it, therefore experiencing the real destructive impact.

Yet use and overuse of alcohol causes problems too. This was covered in the OP yet you ignored it.

Also I think it's a bit disingenuous to claim that it was cannabis that caused your nephew to go off the rails. I've noticed that people who let their lives get that out of hand due to drug use often will claim cannabis as the culprit and leave out all the other crazy drugs they were taking in an attempt to white wash their other habits.

Did the OP not make it clear? We live in a country where imbibing alcohol is legal under most circumstance. That being that case their is no high ground moral or otherwise to claim cannabis should remain illegal.

Alcohol and marijuana both impair judgment. With addiction it's not difficult for ones life to be derailed because of poor decisions. Addiction ruins lives regardless of the substance.

Because the huge freightliner called the SS USA takes about ten miles to turn around at 1 knot with too many hands at the helm.

Big pharma is one reason.

Another reason is the US Government learned a lot of important lessons during prohibition:

1) Making something illegal brings in money from all over: bigger budgets to fight a "war", bribes from folks running the illegal operations, etc.

2) The existence of a "widespread problem" makes it easy to expand the federal government. The ATF and DEA wouldn't exist without the government deciding that some items need extra regulation.

3) If the prohibited item is desirable enough, people will let the government control the distribution and tax it if that means they get to have it back. Look at what happened with alcohol and tobacco...

The only way for the U.S. Government to profit off of drugs was to make them illegal first.