Whether you like it or not, do you think it will happen?

[MachNU]

At first maybe but overall it won't (DUI). As I said if they legalize marijuana I highly doubt you're going to see this mass influx of people trying it for the first time.

People who want to smoke weed are already doing it. Legalizingit won't change the customer base AT ALL. It will just allow existing users to purchase it legally at a higher price but they will gain access to better quality too regulated by govt.

As for the "people losing jobs" from legalizing weed and being stoners that's extremely far fetched. People smoke weed now and go to work fine.

Of course moderation is key. If someone smokes a pound and misses work, what's different than a guy drinking a gallon of whiskey the night before and being hungover?

Alcohol causes live damage, brain damage, etc

weed only hurts your lungs and at a much lower rate than cigarettes

How would crime rise? Street level dealers who don't pay taxes now, would either go into business for themselves legally or work for a larger conglomerate in the "industry" maybe as a marketing person or customer relations :p

the thugs will lose their cash crop. There will be no incentive to sell it.

But that opens up another area, let's make the private growers sell it to "abc weed store" as a distribution center a kind of wholesaler, then they sell it to the street dealers at a profit if they buy in bulk. Require every street dealer to have a registration card or id. Now we track them and can identify them

Again your basing this all on good faith. Do you really think people who have lived there life's by doing this illegal, are just going to up and go by the books because of it being legal? Why pay more when they can get it from across the border or grow it themselves and completely cut out hte middle man and have larger profits.

Also like you said people do it in moderation just for the hope of not getting caught. Make it legal and you remove that getting caught aspect. Meaning the moderation level changes.

Just like you said, no different then someone drinking heavly and going to work hung over. But like alcohol there are addictions and there are those that can be mentally addicted to marijuana if it becomes legal and with more oppurtunity to use it.

[Vteckidd]

Again your basing this all on good faith. Do you really think people who have lived there life's by doing this illegal, are just going to up and go by the books because of it being legal? Why pay more when they can get it from across the border or grow it themselves and completely cut out hte middle man and have larger profits.

I think the "cartels" in Mexico would rather sell mass quantities legally than illegally. They would make more money would lose shipments, streamline their infrastructure, open businesses up in the USA etc.

I really don't think you will see a lot of backdoor selling because it won't be cheaper.

Same happened with alcohol. Prices went UP when it was banned, not down. When prohibition ended prices fell compared to bootleggers.

Likewise American businesses would pop up all over the place. New industry new area of business etc.

Supply and demand.

Also like you said people do it in moderation just for the hope of not getting caught. Make it legal and you remove that getting caught aspect. Meaning the moderation level changes.

I think thats wrong. Weed is so easily accessible now you can get it anywhere. People don't worry about getting caught in their homes IMO. USERS don't buy lbs at a time. Your average weed smoker buys enough for a week or two cause that's what he can afford or that's what is available.

You think an alcoholic buys $1000 in whiskey everytime he goes out? Nope

just like a pothead won't buy $1000 in weed if it becomes legal.

Make it illegal to smoke in public, make it illegal to have more than an ounce there's room to compromise IMO

And honestly if someone wants to get baked out of their mind, who cares. Just like if a guy wants to guzzle a bottle of grey goose in his home, who cares. Personal responsibility

Just like you said, no different then someone drinking heavly and going to work hung over. But like alcohol there are addictions and there are those that can be mentally addicted to marijuana if it becomes legal and with more oppurtunity to use it.

years and years of study have shown no chemical dependence on thc. Furthermore what's wrong with it if people get "mentally addicted". Alcohol and tobacco are far more dangerous than thc. Now cigarettes don't alter your mind like weed and alcohol, but it's far more dangerous.

So we get a bunch of stoners that I would bet money are stoners already.

I understand your point of view, I don't agree but you raise a lot of valid points. There's still a lot of unknowns

[MachNU]

I understand your point of view, I don't agree but you raise a lot of valid points. There's still a lot of unknowns

Exactly what I was getting at. We argue about drug cartels, etc, but none of us really have the first idea on it. No one would now the true outcome in a industry settign standard, criminal standard and moderation standard because this was never legal in the first place to have a before and after comparison. Only thing close would be before prohibition, during prohibition and after prohibition up until today.

[Hektik]

Again your basing this all on good faith. Do you really think people who have lived there life's by doing this illegal, are just going to up and go by the books because of it being legal? Why pay more when they can get it from across the border or grow it themselves and completely cut out hte middle man and have larger profits..

A lot of average Joes smoke marijuana. People who otherwise are completely by the book. You would be surprised who smokes. Older people, and I mean older, like in their 40's and 50's. Mom's, Dad's, Uncles. People with average lives. People who would prefer to go to a gas station or a head shop and purchase from a cashier rather than a street dealer. People who would have no issue with paying the extra few bucks, to guarantee pure, fresh MJ. Rather than taking a chance and getting something from a shady fella on the corner.

Plus the government could increase the fines and penalties for illegal distribution and purchase, making it completely not worth it for street dealing.

Also like you said people do it in moderation just for the hope of not getting caught. Make it legal and you remove that getting caught aspect. Meaning the moderation level changes.

Again if they get stricter with the laws people would be less likely to abuse it. For instance, now days a person gets caught with less than an ounce they barely do one night in county and then pay fines. The Gov'ts main interest in catching people is the money. If the legalize, and get stricter with the laws, like for say if get caught Driving under the influence it’s a mandatory 30 days for first offense and 60 for consequent events. It would scare people more. Plus increase the fines. You see where I’m headed with this.

Just like you said, no different then someone drinking heavly and going to work hung over. But like alcohol there are addictions and there are those that can be mentally addicted to marijuana if it becomes legal and with more oppurtunity to use it.

Many studies have shown no physical addiction to MJ. As far as mental addiction I’m not too sure. However most addictions, especially those hard to get over, (IE. nicotine, alcohol, and narcotics) are chemical addictions. This is what makes it hard for someone to drop the drug. MJ does not create a chemical addiction.