Core Democratic Values

[Eric]

This topic is from another forum I use, but I think it can be of intelligent discussion.

I've been graduated from high school for a few months, about to start college, but earlier I really got to thinking about something.

Core Democratic Values. My teachers always stressed that EVERYONE that's a citizen of the United States of America as the right to three things. Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. If anything violates these three things, doesn't it make that certain "thing" unconstitutional, thus making it illegal?

Then, of course, that got me thinking about cannabis. Why exactly is it illegal? I don't want to her some jargen about how the government can't tax it so they make it illegal. Do people really think that if the government deemed marijuana a plausible source of income, that they'd jump on the sale of it immediately? Seriously, why is it illegal? Marijuana being illegal violates my core democratic values. If I'm sitting in my house smoking, I'm not endangering lives, I'm not taking away any civil liberties of myself or others, and I'm fulfilling my right to the pursuit of happiness, which is given to me by the constitution.

According to the definition of pursuit of happiness, a person can do whatever they want as long as their actions do not violate other people's three basic rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Alcohol is legal, yet it destroys your liver, brain, and cells. Cigarettes and tobacco are legal, yet they destroy your lungs, brain, and cells.

 

[DarkSpark]

so then by the "core democratic values" you speak of aren't jails in themselves illegal for taking away the ability too "pursue their happiness".


on the topic of pot, who really cares about all the fancy names and stuff. In reality the governments have stood their ground for that long that they wont back down on it because they have no idea what might happen as a consequence... A risk i know i wouldn't want too take if i was the man in charge...

 

[The Fat Controller]

The Constitution is taken to be akin to Holy Writ. I don't think policy-makers should have to base their judgment of right and wrong on a generalized set ground rules.

 

[Eric]

You think the constitution is a generalized set of ground rules? Lol..

 

[Oephi]

This topic is from another forum I use, but I think it can be of intelligent discussion.

I've been graduated from high school for a few months, about to start college, but earlier I really got to thinking about something.

Core Democratic Values. My teachers always stressed that EVERYONE that's a citizen of the United States of America as the right to three things. Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. If anything violates these three things, doesn't it make that certain "thing" unconstitutional, thus making it illegal?

Then, of course, that got me thinking about cannabis. Why exactly is it illegal? I don't want to her some jargen about how the government can't tax it so they make it illegal. Do people really think that if the government deemed marijuana a plausible source of income, that they'd jump on the sale of it immediately? Seriously, why is it illegal? Marijuana being illegal violates my core democratic values. If I'm sitting in my house smoking, I'm not endangering lives, I'm not taking away any civil liberties of myself or others, and I'm fulfilling my right to the pursuit of happiness, which is given to me by the constitution.

According to the definition of pursuit of happiness, a person can do whatever they want as long as their actions do not violate other people's three basic rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Alcohol is legal, yet it destroys your liver, brain, and cells. Cigarettes and tobacco are legal, yet they destroy your lungs, brain, and cells.

Psssst. PSSSST!


So Does Cannabis. =_="

 

[The Fat Controller]

You think the constitution is a generalized set of ground rules? Lol..

Since when wasn't the constitution a set of ground rules for the running of law and government in the US?

What I meant was that policymakers shouldn't feel compelled to legalize harmful drugs just because it can be argued that them being illegal violate people's "core democratic values".

 

[Bbri06]

The drug companies have a lot of money and power. Marijuana has the potential to eliminate many pharmaceutical drugs from the market.

Psssst. PSSSST!


So Does Cannabis. =_="

Psssst. PSSSST!

Cannabis smoke is much less damaging to your lungs than tobacco. In fact

http://www.european-lung-foundation.org/index.php?id=10262

Not to mention that if anyone smokes 20 blunts or more a day then they are either god, or sit around all day doing nothing, high out of their mind. Show me one case of marijuana related death or injury. Finally,
"The largest study of its kind has unexpectedly concluded that smoking marijuana, even regularly and heavily, does not lead to lung cancer.
The new findings 'were against our expectations,' said Donald Tashkin of the University of California at Los Angeles, a pulmonologist who has studied marijuana for 30 years."

The source to that above quote, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/25/AR2006052501729_pf.html

Another interesting fact, marijuana was originally made illegal based on racism and false evidence. Quoting Henry J. Anslinger, the first head of the Bureau of Narcotics and the man directly responsible for originally making marijuana illegal in the United States

"There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos, and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz, and swing, result from marijuana use. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers, and any others."

The above is complete racism and untrue.

"...the primary reason to outlaw marijuana is its effect on the degenerate races."

Proof please.

"Marijuana is an addictive drug which produces in its users insanity, criminality, and death."

Anything can be mentally addictive. Marijuana does not produce insanity, criminality, and is impossible to die from if used responsibly.

"Reefer makes darkies think they're as good as white men."

Racism.

"Marijuana leads to pacifism and communist brainwashing"

Proof please.

"You smoke a joint and you're likely to kill your brother."

Were did that come from? Proof please.

"Marijuana is the most violence-causing drug in the history of mankind."

Quite the opposite.

 

[Oephi]

The drug companies have a lot of money and power. Marijuana has the potential to eliminate many pharmaceutical drugs from the market.



Psssst. PSSSST!

Cannabis smoke is much less damaging to your lungs than tobacco. In fact

http://www.european-lung-foundation.org/index.php?id=10262

Not to mention that if anyone smokes 20 blunts or more a day then they are either god, or sit around all day doing nothing, high out of their mind. Show me one case of marijuana related death or injury. Finally,
"The largest study of its kind has unexpectedly concluded that smoking marijuana, even regularly and heavily, does not lead to lung cancer.
The new findings 'were against our expectations,' said Donald Tashkin of the University of California at Los Angeles, a pulmonologist who has studied marijuana for 30 years."

The source to that above quote, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/25/AR2006052501729_pf.html

Another interesting fact, marijuana was originally made illegal based on racism and false evidence. Quoting Henry J. Anslinger, the first head of the Bureau of Narcotics and the man directly responsible for originally making marijuana illegal in the United States

"There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos, and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz, and swing, result from marijuana use. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers, and any others."

The above is complete racism and untrue.

"...the primary reason to outlaw marijuana is its effect on the degenerate races."

Proof please.

"Marijuana is an addictive drug which produces in its users insanity, criminality, and death."

Anything can be mentally addictive. Marijuana does not produce insanity, criminality, and is impossible to die from if used responsibly.

"Reefer makes darkies think they're as good as white men."

Racism.

"Marijuana leads to pacifism and communist brainwashing"

Proof please.

"You smoke a joint and you're likely to kill your brother."

Were did that come from? Proof please.

"Marijuana is the most violence-causing drug in the history of mankind."

Quite the opposite.

If you even took into thought what I bolded in my quote, you would see that I was trying to get across the point that Cannabis, regardless of it being less damaging, IS STILL DAMAGING.

Also, about your proof of people dieing from marijuana....

Myth: No one has ever died from using marijuana
The Kaiser study also found that daily pot users have a 30% higher risk of injuries, presumably from accidents. These figures are significant, though not as high as comparable risks for heavy drinkers or tobacco addicts. That pot can cause accidents is scarcely surprising, since marijuana has been shown to degrade short-term memory, concentration, judgment, and coordination at complex tasks including driving.(1) There have been numerous reports of pot-related accidents --- some of them fatal, belying the attractive myth that no one has ever died from marijuana. One survey of 1023 emergency room trauma patients in Baltimore found that fully 34.7% were under the influence of marijuana, more even than alcohol (33.5%); half of these (16.5%) used both pot and alcohol in combination.(2) This is perhaps the most troublesome research ever reported about marijuana; as we shall see, other accident studies have generally found pot to be less dangerous than alcohol. Nonetheless, it is important to be informed on all sides of the issue. Pot smokers should be aware that accidents are the number one hazard of moderate pot use. In addition, of course, the psychoactive effects of cannabis can have many other adverse effects on performance, school work, and productivity.

from http://paranoia.lycaeum.org/marijuana/facts/mj-health-mythology.html#myth5

 

[Bbri06]

was trying to get across the point that Cannabis, regardless of it being less damaging, IS STILL DAMAGING.

Almost everything can be damaging to you.

About the death. I thought I put in a "...if marijuana is used responsibly." some where in there. Apparently I forgot. Now if you take that into account, then since the article you have linked says 30% higher risk presumably- yes I know, presumably- from accidents, then if you use marijuana responsibly and do not operate machinery ect. you effectively have no risk of death. There is no way in hell you are going to die from marijuana if you use it responsibly(especially if you vaporize :idea.

 

[/B/lackup]

I would like to add, that running is more harmful to your brain than smoking any amount of weed will ever do to you. While running your brain bounces up and down slapping the insides of your skull completely destroying cells in your brain. While marijuana simply releases a chemical already inside your body into your brain.

Alcohol is legal, yet it can kill entire families in car wrecks, destroying your brain cells, liver, kidneys, and is fattening...and it also can ruin your family life. Alcohol also does not really relax you, it causes your brain to make decisions that it would normally never ever make.

The same health detriments go for smoking, if you smoke your own homegrown tobacco it is actually not very unhealthy....cigarette companies add chemicals to their tobacco and is terrible for you.



IMO, marijuana is illegal because people would grow it in their backyards and in their houses and the United States government could not tax it.

 

[wowhamba]

The government likes to chose whats good and bad for you, which is wrong and violates your freedom. They haven't and wont answer any important question that anyone wants to ask.

 

[Ughster]

Drugs are basically only illegal for political reasons, end of story.

Everyone knows this and it doesn't change much, though cannabis has become such a widespread commodity that the government will probably be forced to make it legal sooner or later.

 

[Jesse]

The government likes to chose whats good and bad for you, which is wrong and violates your freedom. They haven't and wont answer any important question that anyone wants to ask.

You don't even live in the United States, so what are you even talking about? Most of this is about the United States laws, etc.

 

[wowhamba]

You don't even live in the United States, so what are you even talking about? Most of this is about the United States laws, etc.

I have the right to post my opinion as long as i'm following the forums rules, Just because I don't live there doesn't mean I cant post what I think, Many people on this forums don't live in the united states. I actually do know what I'm talking about and know a bit of politics and the current state of the U.S.A.

 

[The Fat Controller]

Drugs are basically only illegal for political reasons, end of story.

Maybe for cannabis this is partly the case, but for hard drugs? No. Ordinary people and the medical community don't condemn drugs like heroin because of political brainwashing.