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OT: SC Medical Marijuana Bill

I started a thread about it because all you ever see are people like the ones in this thread claiming that legalization is just “common sense” and there are no downsides. We literally had somebody claim marijuana cured cancer, and nobody really challenged him on it. That kind of group think should make everyone skeptical. I also happen to know a fair bit about the subject, so I think somebody who’s informed ought to at least give some reasons why legalization might not be a slam dunk.

Also, I think the argument that it should be legal despite all the downsides is pretty compelling. I just don’t think we should close our eyes to the downsides in order to make a case for legalization. I think you’d also expect somebody who’s ambivalent to be a little more favorable to the status quo.

Not a flame, but what do you think the legitimate downsides are? And (perhaps a loaded question here) why do you think they outweigh the positives (private sector economic growth, additional tax revenue, etc)? And (definitely a slanted and biased question here) why should the government be able to forbid you from consuming this substance but allow the other substances that we do?
 
They went down in Colorado. Colorado also has more tax money than they know what to do with nos


Neither of these things are really true. Accidents are up, and marijuana revenue is a very small percentage of the overall revenue in Colorado. Still, it’s more than 0.
 
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Not a flame, but what do you think the legitimate downsides are? And (perhaps a loaded question here) why do you think they outweigh the positives (private sector economic growth, additional tax revenue, etc)? And (definitely a slanted and biased question here) why should the government be able to forbid you from consuming this substance but allow the other substances that we do?

There are a lot of public health downsides, just like with any drug. This is why most physician groups and public health departments. oppose legalization. The benefits you mentioned haven’t shown to make much of a difference, and many other claimed benefits are unproven. In fact, most reviews of literature conclude that we need to know more about both downsides and benefits.

For my part, I don’t know if these downsides are good enough reasons to keep it illegal. I don’t think we’ll really see much good come of legalization, but I also think we’re at a point where prohibition isn’t doing much good.

I don’t really see the fact that alcohol and tobacco are legal as a good reason to legalize another substance that will harm people’s health. If what you’re concerned about is public health, then multiple wrongs don’t make a right. But public health probably shouldn’t be the only factor considered.
 
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As for the silly accidents argument, automobile accident rates would fall significantly (~60%) if you made it illegal for men to drive.
 
I can't recall what show I heard this, but the sentiment rings true for me. In a free society, you don't need a good reason to make something legal, you need a good reason to make it illegal.

Yes, but this is a long-standing policy of prohibition. It’s not a new prohibition.
 
There are a lot of public health downsides, just like with any drug. This is why most physician groups and public health departments. oppose legalization. The benefits you mentioned haven’t shown to make much of a difference, and many other claimed benefits are unproven. In fact, most reviews of literature conclude that we need to know more about both downsides and benefits.

For my part, I don’t know if these downsides are good enough reasons to keep it illegal. I don’t think we’ll really see much good come of legalization, but I also think we’re at a point where prohibition isn’t doing much good.

I don’t really see the fact that alcohol and tobacco are legal as a good reason to legalize another substance that will harm people’s health. If what you’re concerned about is public health, then multiple wrongs don’t make a right. But public health probably shouldn’t be the only factor considered.
Where do you stand on gun control?
 
As for the silly accidents argument, automobile accident rates would fall significantly (~60%) if you made it illegal for men to drive.

This is much sillier than pointing out that certain policies affect public health. Some prohibitions, like drunk driving, are more prudent than others, like banning men from driving. The better point to make would be that public health shouldn’t be the ultimate deciding factor.
 
I’d much rather legalize weed and ban opioids. Unfortunately big pharma knows exactly what they are doing and blocked one but allowed the other.

If marijuana has effective medicinal qualities, wouldn’t big pharma just create medications using its active ingredients? This argument that big pharma is preventing legalization makes no sense to me, especially when there’s a pretty large marijuana lobby and industry. Also, opioids are illegal except in medicinal form, and those medicinal forms are tested and FDA approved. Marijuana needs to go through that same testing and approval process in order to find treatments that do what we want them to... but that would require the involvement of big pharma.
 
It's the subject of this thread. The premise being that marijuana prohibition is poor policy.

That’s the overall discussion, but it’s not really what the thread of responses you were in was about.

You said that you need a reason something should be prohibited, and that you don’t need a reason something should be legal- but marijuana is already illegal. A more general version of your argument could be: there’s a greater burden on people who want to make a change than on people who want to keep the status quo, because it takes some sort of intervention to prohibit something while everything is naturally legal. But the argument to prohibit marijuana was already made at some point, and was apparently found convincing. If people no longer find that argument convincing, then they can change course, but they still need to make a case for change.
 
Yep, here is a guy coming back from the pharmacy after getting his prescription for a stubbed toe...

AlarmedBelatedChimpanzee-size_restricted.gif
 
So you’re ok with those accidents and deaths rising? I also wouldn’t classify alcohol as a “drug.”
But something that grows naturally and can be used without any additional production is? But I agree with you about alcohol. It’s not a drug it’s a poison.
 
I have enjoyed Marijuana occasionally mostly for anxiety or socially bc it calms me and my anxiety down and chills me out. 3 months ago i came across CBD and i now take it regularly. It’s been kind of life changing especially for sleep and anxiety but other benefits as well. To me it gives very similar feeling to marijuana without the stoned feeling. With weed you have CBD and THC, is there anything else? What benefits other than the high feeling does the THC have?

Also my mother in law has some side effects she gets due to years of chemotherapy and radiation. I gave her CBD gummies and she is amazed with how her symptoms go away pretty quickly.
 
I like the moron quoted at the end. I guess some people really like the government telling them what they can’t do. Thankfully baby boomers voting influence will continue to decline over time.
 
I’m 33. Born and raised very conservative and I’ve been a nerd about politics since I was 13. Personally, I don’t smoke at all (not even cigarettes). I also think legalizing marijuana, especially when you can’t regulate how much someone smokes, is just opening Pandora’s box so to speak. If you think accidents happen due to alcohol, just wait for that number to spike if smoking marijuana is legal. Sure, I see the argument for how much $ it can bring in. Everyone says that marijuana is a “gateway drug.” Not sure is like that box to be opened.
I’m sorry but you’re not a conservative. You might be a republican, but you side with the government regulating a plant. The same government that approves a stronger opioid every year.

Republican logic.

Legal pot is dangerous and will create massive dangers to public, but see TAX benefits lol.

Opioids are great, we need stronger versions. It doesn’t matter that kill counts keep going up.....
 
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I'm for it all the way! It does not have in it the part that makes you high, and my sister in law in Colorado uses it for her bad back and it works! She gets it in gummy bears, and swears by it! Go for it !
 
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This is what’s called “begging the question.” I’m personally ambivalent about marijuana, but acting like legalizing it is the only thing that’s consistent with common sense is wrong.
If each state let the the population for on recreational pot all 50 states would have it pass. It is common sense. The isssue is conservatives are trying to prevent the willl of the people. Those same people they are suppose to represent.

If you think otherwise look at conservatives states love for opioids. I don’t see those noble republicans stopping the approval of more opioids.
 
YOU. Sir. Are grossly misinformed. Grossly. We are laughing at your notion that weed causes more accidents than booze. Nope, go back and do your research.
You sir don’t know how to read. I never said it causes more accidents than alcohol. I said it will lead to the increase of accidents. You should go back, read, and then rejoin the conversation.
 
Dude you are ITT talking about traffic deaths going up and you don't even have any evidence to back it up? Between that and saying that alcohol isn't a "drug," I think you should sit the next few plays out.
And not a single soul that has said I’m wrong can prove otherwise. Heck, 1 admitted he doesn’t have the stats to back up the claim they go down and another said a simple google search backs up my claim. But hey, let’s just assume I’m wrong, right? How very liberal of you!
 
You sir don’t know how to read. I never said it causes more accidents than alcohol. I said it will lead to the increase of accidents. You should go back, read, and then rejoin the conversation.
You have no stats to justify this. There are stats that say opioids kill more people than car wrecks. This didn’t stop the FDA from approving an even stronger opioid this year.
 
I’m 33. Born and raised very conservative and I’ve been a nerd about politics since I was 13. Personally, I don’t smoke at all (not even cigarettes). I also think legalizing marijuana, especially when you can’t regulate how much someone smokes, is just opening Pandora’s box so to speak. If you think accidents happen due to alcohol, just wait for that number to spike if smoking marijuana is legal. Sure, I see the argument for how much $ it can bring in. Everyone says that marijuana is a “gateway drug.” Not sure is like that box to be opened.

With all due respect, you don't know WTF you're pontificating about.
 
If each state let the the population for on recreational pot all 50 states would have it pass. It is common sense. The isssue is conservatives are trying to prevent the willl of the people. Those same people they are suppose to represent.

If you think otherwise look at conservatives states love for opioids. I don’t see those noble republicans stopping the approval of more opioids.

Do you actually know anything about opioid policy, or are you just BSing? Because it sounds like you don’t really know anything.
 
With all due respect, you don't know WTF you're pontificating about.

It’s funny how many people in this thread respond this way to somebody who’s actually correct. This is why I wonder if a lot of people just think marijuana is totally harmless.
 
I'm for it all the way! It does not have in it the part that makes you high, and my sister in law in Colorado uses it for her bad back and it works! She gets it in gummy bears, and swears by it! Go for it !

This isn’t correct. I think you’re talking about CBD oil vs marijuana. In fact, when medical marijuana is legalized, it includes smoking the same stuff, often with much higher concentration of THC, as the illegal street drug.
 
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Being on the road in MA? A bunch of high kids driving around high as a kite. You want to see automobile accidents go up? Just wait and see.
would be interested to see numbers from Colorado/Washington regarding fluctuations in Motor vehicle accidents since their laws began...Beyond that, the question is about medical marijuana and this particular law, purportedly, would starkly limit access to epileptics, cancer treatment and and little else...If you are talking about Recreational, fine, but the OP was asking about a particular bill introduced in SC...And again, to your point, I would be interested in seeing numbers pertaining to Motor vehicle accidents in those states with a longer and larger sample size of legal marijuana usage, before saying a bunch of pot smokers are gonna kill us all.
 
Do you actually know anything about opioid policy, or are you just BSing? Because it sounds like you don’t really know anything.

Republican Christians have no problem taking opioids or being prescribed them. These same people think pot is a dangerous drug and legalization would result is mass crime and deaths. All studies show there is a major opioid crisis and to no ones surprise the government isn’t doing anything to help. Instead more powerful opioids have been approved.

There shouldn’t be a pot discussion at all. The government has allowed much more dangerous and addictive substances. If pot should be illegal so should numerous other substances.

I also notice you ignore the truth that pot would pass in a general vote. Last time I checked the government is “for the people by the people.” So Republicans going against the will of the people makes no sense.

The government is good at three things: war, taxes, and killing citizens.
 
Show me those stats. I haven’t seen them and you would have to assume it would be the complete opposite. I’m also curious what the employment levels are for those states during the same period.
why would you "have to assume" that?? Have you ever smoked pot???
 
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