[white rice]

</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (Waychel,)
I also fail to see why we should make other damaging substances legal just because one such as alchohol already is. I guess the bottom line for me is that I see no direct benefit in making drugs legal. If it is legal for medicinal purposes (such as in the case of Marijuana) then that is the important thing. As a means to get high, I find it a reckless abuse of a substance that simply has a damaging affect upon our society sociologically.<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'>

The greatest health hazard to marijuana is its effects on your lungs. But you can ingest marijuana and feel the same effects as smoking it. The catch is that ingesting marijuana is more expensive and since it is illegal, black market demands shoot up the prices driving many people to get high with less weed by smoking it.

Now if people want to smoke weed or drink inside the safety of their homes, then that's their right. The big issue is whether professionals will do their job stoned or impaired. It's the same concern as whether one is intoxicated or not isn't it? Rush Limbaugh tweaked up with medical painkillers. It won't be the first or last instance, and the abused drug's legality isn't the main issue when it comes to addiction or negligence.

If you compare the health effects of alcohol with the neurotransmitter in cannibus, THC, alcohol will appear more hazardous on almost all cases. Damage to the liver, long term effects on the brain, physical dependence, and heart damage are all side effects stemming from constant alcohol consumption. Whereas the side effects of THC is largely short term and less likely for the average person to develop a physical addiction (mental addiction is a different matter).

Another concern is whether marijuana legalization will open some floodgates of closet potheads. Like most vices, it is a personal preference and the decision has already been made even before considering whether it is legal or not. Cultural tendencies has created a negative aversion to marijuana and the opposition is generally filling in the gaps concerning its dangers with no conclusive proof.

Marijuana is not some wonderdrug. But it is not the cause for society's ills. Marijuana use could possibly be a result of it. Because of that, people are going to do it if they desire to whether it's legal or not.

The direct benefit to decriminalization is saving taxpayer money and opening up police resources towards finding serious drug dealers. Marijuana can be sold by reputable dealers at reasonable prices with a greater degree of quality control as compared to a shady drug dealer. The underground network of drug dealers with harder substances will also take a hit since most people don't try illicit drugs outside of marijuana, but those who do try to go through the same dealer, hence the gateway drug perception.

The Netherlands has been decriminalized for awhile now. It didn't open up a Pandora's Box. Rather, their government admitted that it was already open.