Do you support marijuana legalisation? Options

[HyPN0]

NOTE:
Before you hit that report button,you should know that this thread is aproved by stargelman (Administrator) himself.

Do you think marijuana should be legal everywhere?
I personaly have no problem with that.Marijuana is completly legal in Nederlands,so why shouldn't be legal in every country in the world?I completly agree with Nederland policy about it:

1.NO PERSON UNDER 18 CAN BUY MARIJUANA
2.MARIJUANA CAN BE CONSUMED ONLY IN SPECIAL PLACES (in Nederland they are called ''koffe shops'')
3.YOU CAN ALSO SMOKE MARIJUANA IN YOUR HOME,BUT NOT OUTSIDE HOME (not even on your balcony)
4.YOU ARE ALOWED TO HAVE ONLY 3 MARIJUANA PLANTS IN YOUR HOUSE.BUT YOU CAN BUY AS MUCH AS YOU WANT IN THE LOCAL KOFFIE SHOP.

There.At least this is what i know.

I don't support any other drugs,such as cocain,heroin,crack and that kind'a stuff.That's just to dangerus.Marihuana is like cigaretes or even better example alcohol:You know it's not good for your health,you know that after smoking it you're not gonna be so normal,and you know that you can become an adict (just like cigaretes and alcohol).

So why would you ban an adult to buy what he\she wants,IF he\she wants it?
Give me your opinion about this.

FINAL NOTE:I understand that this can fire some strong emotions in you if you don't support this,but try to be calm.Instead of flaming,post why you're not supporting marijuana global legalisation.

For those who don't want to expres their opinion publicly,i made this a POLL,so you can give an anonymus vote.But please,don't be shy and share your opinion with us.This is not a flame thread,i'm expecting this to be a civil debate.

HyPN0

[Tellie]

Marihuana is drugs...and drugs are drugs, no matter if they are less dangerous...they should be illegal...ALWAYS.

[Kiln]

NOTE:
Before you hit that report button,you should know that this thread is aproved by stargelman (Administrator) himself.

This thread is not going against any rules so nobody should have a reason to report it unless it gets spammy or gets a bunch of flamers.

As for the topic, I really couldn't care one way or another about marijuana being legalised. Myself, I've tried things that alter my mind (aka drugs) and I don't like them, I want to be in control of myself one hundred percent of the time. Thats not saying that I'm against marijuana being legal I'm just stating that I won't use it so I don't care much either way.

If this sounds anything other than civil then I apologise as that was not my intention.

[HyPN0]

Marihuana is drugs...and drugs are drugs, no matter if they are less dangerous...they should be illegal...ALWAYS.

Well,alcohol is a drug too.But it's legal everywhere,it's dangerous (especialy in driving),just about the same as pot.So,should alcohol be forbiden too?
Not flaming,just asking.

This thread is not going against any rules so nobody should have a reason to report it unless it gets spammy or gets a bunch of flamers.
If this sounds anything other than civil then I apologise as that was not my intention.

There is a rule on the forum that forbids ''illegal topics'' so i thought i contact the admin,just in case.
And your post was perfectly civil.Why would it be anything else?

This post has been edited by HyPN0: Apr 27 2006, 11:39 AM

[Alexander]

I would say yes to legalisation.


I'm from the Netherlands myself and it's legal over here, I think legalising it accomplishes much more then what's being done in many countries right now, at least when it's legalised, you can regulate it somewhat.


And I also don't think it's any worse then Smoking, and most definitely not worse then drinking alcohol, yet that's legal everywhere and is often even encouraged while marihuana is seen as one of the worst things ever.

[Foster]

I am 100% against the legalisation of cannabis, because of several factors. Firstly there is a mainstream misconception about the facts of what it can actually do to you. The health risks are purposefully played down by the pro-legalisation groups, when in fact the scientific evidence for their claims is spurious at best - they quote facts and figures and ignore other evidence, but then that's the same with all arguements. They say things like "There are myths that...", all to really further their own agenda. Really the internet is a terrible place to look for facts because there are the true, the dodgy, the downright dodgy, and the downright lies.

Anyway, from my experience of users of it, I can say that they are generally ignorant of its effects. I know a few of them that even believe it's perfectly safe to drive after smoking the vile weed, and it isn't. They tend not to mention the fact that it can cause impotence, too. And there is a lot of emerging evidence which is indicating links to lung cancer (as with any burnt matter - that's right, BBQs can give you cancer), and also, in people who are more prone to psychosis, it can make it more likely to develop a psychotic episode.

Medically, in my professional opinion there is no benefit of using cannabis over already licensed medications. Does it have medical benefit? Well, for every piece of evidence for, there is one against. I don't know. What I do know is that firstly there are alternatives, secondly those alternatives have undergone years of testing to make sure that they are as safe as possible (no drug is 100% safe, obviously, but as safe as possible), and thirdly those alternatives are legal, with good reporting mechanisms if there IS a problem - something that doesn't exist currently with street drugs for obvious reasons, meaning that the demonstration of safety evidence by the pro-legalisation lobby is, in my opinion, questionable.

I think that the alcohol and smoking arguements are getting away from the point. Cannabis supporters use this to say 'well, why can't we do it too'. At the time, alcohol and smoking were believed to be harmless enough. Of course now we know the facts about smoking there is a great big line being drawn, the fallout being endless. Alcohol is something I have great experience of, and it's a major problem in society today. It's one of THE major problems in society, and will cause a lot of problems. However, I reckon that, positions reversed, it wouldn't be legalised today. The reason alcohol prohibition failed wasn't so much the fact that it was a forbidden fruit, it was more because there was already a demand for it; basically, people were already hooked. If the majority of people wern't drinkers, then it might not be legalised because of the dangers.

Ultimately, a line has to be drawn. If Cannbis was legalised, then why not MDMA? People will start to say how much safer it would be if drugs were legal, because then there would be no tablets made from whatever crap the dealer has around, but rather through manufacturing standards. Ultimately the arguements used for cannabis legalisation could be converted until you can wonder into a corner shop and by some crack rocks, a few lines of cocaine, and a spoonful of methadone to wash it down. So where do you draw the line? Personally, I think that the line has been drawn in a sensible, reasonable place.

On an intresting aside, there is more than one way to take cannabis - you don't HAVE to smoke it. The resin is far more potent, and far more dangerous. And there is more than one form - Skunk, for example. These are other facts the pro lobby seem to airbrush over.

[ThePerson98]

Im against drugs, if I had a choice I would make beer and alcoholic products illegal, many people a year die from alcohol.

Alcohol makes people lose their minds, and do dangerous things, Ive heard frightening stories of what alcohol does to people, not only its drinkers.

I dont support marijuana at all.

[HyPN0]

I am 100% against the legalisation of cannabis, because of several factors.........
SNIP

So you are against alcohol?Well,look at it this way:You know it's bad for you.You know it's not safe.You know you can become an adict.
Cannabis suporters are allready aware of the effects,and they STILL want ito consume it.So why forbid them?I say if Alcohol can be legal,marijuana can be legal too.Offcourse marijuana has no medical benefit.But does alcohol?No,it's simply there for people enjoyment,but i do agree that people shouldn't drive after consuming these two.And what's that about smoking and alcohol being ''harmless enough'' Those things are just the same as marijuana (IMO)

Im against drugs, if I had a choice I would make beer and alcoholic products illegal, many people a year die from alcohol.

Alcohol makes people lose their minds, and do dangerous things, Ive heard frightening stories of what alcohol does to people, not only its drinkers.

I dont support marijuana at all.

Well,since you don't support alcohol or marijuana,that opinion is expected.But i still think when alcohol or marijuana are consumed aproprietly (not too much)they can't couse any serius harm.But in LIMITED dosages!

This post has been edited by HyPN0: Apr 26 2006, 10:14 PM

[Foster]

So you are against alcohol?Well,look at it this way:You know it's bad for you.You know it's not safe.You know you can become an adict.
Cannabis suporters are allready aware of the effects,and they STILL want ito consume it.So why forbid them?I say if Alcohol can be legal,marijuana can be legal too.There isn't a big diffrence betwen these two.Offcourse marijuana has no medical benefit.But does alcohol?No,it's simply there for people enjoyment,but i do agree that people shouldn't drive after consuming these two.And what's that about smoking and alcohol being ''harmless enough''

Because it isn't just the supporters that are hurt - it's other people too. There is a large difference between the two substances - culturally. Alcohol has become an accepted cultural phenomenon, whilst in the general public cannabis has not. Alcohol is (with a few exceptions) of no medical benefit in the drink form, I agree. But just because alcohol is bad, doesn't mean that we should also allow another bad substance to be legal.

And I didn't say smoking was harmless enough. I said at the time it was believed to be. The link between cancer and the countless other health problems is a new revealation, compared to the centuries of use of it. I'm pretty sure the Victorians didn't believe they were blackening their lungs and creating squamous metaplasia. My point was that previous ignorance let through some bad things, and that shouldn't be used as an excuse to let through another.

[HyPN0]

Because it isn't just the supporters that are hurt - it's other people too. There is a large difference between the two substances - culturally. Alcohol has become an accepted cultural phenomenon, whilst in the general public cannabis has not. Alcohol is (with a few exceptions) of no medical benefit in the drink form, I agree. But just because alcohol is bad, doesn't mean that we should also allow another bad substance to be legal.

Well,that's not exactly true.Here in Nederlands,people are quite used to marijuana,and i didn't see much complains.I'm certain that people in your country would accept marijuana if you give 'em a little time.It's an optional thing.You can smoke,but you don't have to.Marijuana can be consumed only in special places, and at your home,so that other people wouldn't be endangered by it.

It's a choice.As i said it should be alowed to adults ONLY.A grown man\woman should know what's good or bad for himself\herself.

[Taillus]

Well,since you don't support alcohol or marijuana,that opinion is expected.But i still think when alcohol or marijuana are consumed aproprietly (not too much)they can't couse any serius harm.But in LIMITED dosages!

The biggest thing about this statement is that for every one person that would use these substances appropriately, there would be an exponentally larger percentage that would abuse them.

What are the benefits of legalization? Will it better society? I think not. It will just add to the list of things people can become dependant on and like it has been said before, where is the line drawn?

Personally, I think things are perfectly fine without marijuana being legal. The people they catch here that are growing it are nothing but scumbags and I can just tell that if it were legalized, Canada as far as I could tell would go belly up.

No thanks for me, keep it illegal; it just leads to much worse from what I have seen and experienced.

[Kayla]

I see nothing wrong with its use. But, I think that it should be used in moderation. Around here, we have a huge drug problem. The drop out rate at my highschool is rediculous. And everyone I've known to drop out, has done so to smoke weed. Plus, there is also the risk of cancer. I know someone who smokes marijuana, and has lung cancer, but will not stop.

I think it can have very dangerous effects on people who use it too much.

[Foster]

Well,that's not exactly true.Here in Nederlands,people are quite used to marijuana,and i didn't see much complains.I'm certain that people in your country would accept marijuana if you give 'em a little time.It's an optional thing.You can smoke,but you don't have to.Marijuana can be consumed only in special places, and at your home,so that other people wouldn't be endangered by it.

It's a choice.As i said it should be alowed to adults ONLY.A grown man\woman should know what's good or bad for himself\herself.

I don't think its a matter of waiting for them to accept it, but rather making an informed choice for whats best for the majority of people, who in my country have elected for those representatives to make those choices. I'm sure that people in my country would learn to love guns if we legalise firearms, but then I'm also sure that gun crime would soar.

Now, legalising it doesn't automatically mean that people won't break the law with it. Taking for example a smoking ban in restaurants - still flaunted. Just because you try and limit the use by creating certain environments doesn't mean that they will be adhered to. Now you could argue that by not having those contained environments, there is no control anyway. However, whilst it is illegal there is also a lower percentage of the population smoking.

Also I completely disagree with your arguement that legalising locations rules out danger for other people. The effects arn't instantly stopped the moment you leave your house or joint cafe! There is nothing to stop someone under your proposed system smoking up, leaving the designated area, deciding whilst under the influence of a toxic substance that they're okay to drive, and haplessly plowing into a kid on their way home because their reactions are impaired.

[ThePerson98]

Well,since you don't support alcohol or marijuana,that opinion is expected.But i still think when alcohol or marijuana are consumed aproprietly (not too much)they can't couse any serius harm.But in LIMITED dosages!

Very few people today have self control. If they find being drunk fun, then they get drunk, being drunk makes it so you dont think correctly, they go and drive and hit someone.

With ANY drug people are going to hurt themselves and others if its legal. Even if in small amounts its good for you, people are just gonna use a lot of it.

[1234king]

Very few people today have self control. If they find being drunk fun, then they get drunk, being drunk makes it so you dont think correctly, they go and drive and hit someone.

With ANY drug people are going to hurt themselves and others if its legal. Even if in small amounts its good for you, people are just gonna use a lot of it.

i for one would vote yes on legilisation. even though i dont preferably like it, it's not the worst thing in the world. i've tried weed once with my friends, and it wasn't all that great. it was actually kind of stupid. and i dont want to flame person, but not everyone who gets drunk go's and drives a car. a lot of the time they will juss pass out or do soemthing stupid like get in a fight and get knock out before the even get to their car. juss a question hypno, where are we talking about legilising marijuana. for some people drugs even help. i know a person who needs to smoke one once of week to be able to fall alseep.

[DoomedOne]

I am 100% against the legalisation of cannabis, because of several factors. Firstly there is a mainstream misconception about the facts of what it can actually do to you. The health risks are purposefully played down by the pro-legalisation groups, when in fact the scientific evidence for their claims is spurious at best - they quote facts and figures and ignore other evidence, but then that's the same with all arguements. They say things like "There are myths that...", all to really further their own agenda. Really the internet is a terrible place to look for facts because there are the true, the dodgy, the downright dodgy, and the downright lies.

But you see there are billions of dollars made to manipulate evidence against the use of marijuana, and only the anti-marijuana groups are the ones that can actually make money by keeping it illegal.

Anyway, from my experience of users of it, I can say that they are generally ignorant of its effects. I know a few of them that even believe it's perfectly safe to drive after smoking the vile weed, and it isn't. They tend not to mention the fact that it can cause impotence, too. And there is a lot of emerging evidence which is indicating links to lung cancer (as with any burnt matter - that's right, BBQs can give you cancer), and also, in people who are more prone to psychosis, it can make it more likely to develop a psychotic episode.

That's heavily exaggerated. There are links between psyxhosis and marijuana like there are links between Saddam Hussein and Al-Queda, they're overplayed, there's not much to them, and their used for an agenda.

Medically, in my professional opinion there is no benefit of using cannabis over already licensed medications. Does it have medical benefit? Well, for every piece of evidence for, there is one against. I don't know. What I do know is that firstly there are alternatives, secondly those alternatives have undergone years of testing to make sure that they are as safe as possible (no drug is 100% safe, obviously, but as safe as possible), and thirdly those alternatives are legal, with good reporting mechanisms if there IS a problem - something that doesn't exist currently with street drugs for obvious reasons, meaning that the demonstration of safety evidence by the pro-legalisation lobby is, in my opinion, questionable.

What about the man that murdered, molested and had plans of eating a girl he kidnapped due to wild fantasties triggered by being on zoloft? Evidence is spilling out the walls of the major dangers of widestream antidepressants like xoloft, prozac, paxil, etcetera. Do you really think marijuana is less helthy than that? How about diet pills, which are basically legalized speed. Speed is a hard core drug on the streets, and yet they are manufactured and bought. How are medicines approved by the EPA any safer? I mean allergy medicines cause anal leakage for god sakes.

I think that the alcohol and smoking arguements are getting away from the point. Cannabis supporters use this to say 'well, why can't we do it too'. At the time, alcohol and smoking were believed to be harmless enough. Of course now we know the facts about smoking there is a great big line being drawn, the fallout being endless. Alcohol is something I have great experience of, and it's a major problem in society today. It's one of THE major problems in society, and will cause a lot of problems. However, I reckon that, positions reversed, it wouldn't be legalised today. The reason alcohol prohibition failed wasn't so much the fact that it was a forbidden fruit, it was more because there was already a demand for it; basically, people were already hooked. If the majority of people wern't drinkers, then it might not be legalised because of the dangers.

The reason alcohol is legal and marijuana isn't, isn't because of the market out there for it, it's because this country, when it was a colony, was stapled by alcohol and tobacco. All other drugs were competition. That''s why they were illegalized.

Ultimately, a line has to be drawn. If Cannbis was legalised, then why not MDMA? People will start to say how much safer it would be if drugs were legal, because then there would be no tablets made from whatever crap the dealer has around, but rather through manufacturing standards. Ultimately the arguements used for cannabis legalisation could be converted until you can wonder into a corner shop and by some crack rocks, a few lines of cocaine, and a spoonful of methadone to wash it down. So where do you draw the line? Personally, I think that the line has been drawn in a sensible, reasonable place.

Marijuana is less dangerous than cigerettes, alcohol (by far), and all other drugs, even advil has a bigger health risks according to most studies. Why don't we draw the line by telling the EPA to stop allowing drugs that cause heart disease? Why don't we draw the line to illegalize ciggerettes? A line is not simple, if a line were to be reasonably drawn then drugs have to placed in reasonable positions. Cigerettes are mutagenic and carcenogenic, and the addicting is one that trains the cells to crave tobacco, which marijuana does not.

Hell, why even make acid illegal? Acid is less toxic than coffee or coke. Or Cocaince, cocaine is less dangerous to your health than many diet pills.

On an intresting aside, there is more than one way to take cannabis - you don't HAVE to smoke it. The resin is far more potent, and far more dangerous. And there is more than one form - Skunk, for example. These are other facts the pro lobby seem to airbrush over.

Not at all, people who want pot to be legalized STRESS these things.

On one hand I'm kind of glad marijuana is illegal, because it adds to the rebelliousness, it keeps it interesting.

[Tellie]

Well,alcohol is a drug too.But it's legal everywhere,it's dangerous (especialy in driving),just about the same as pot.So,should alcohol be forbiden too?
Not flaming,just asking.

I respect that...I must say, the reason I think Marihuana should be illega, is that it is a strongly narcotic drug...alchohol, is another kind of drug...and it requires LARGE quantities over long time to cause addicyieveness...drugs however, couse addictieveness, VERY fast, and most drugs goes out over the main nerval systems...after a while they can break it down, and basically stop the eniter body.

Drugs are about the viles most dangerous things one can inject into them...sake for actual poison that is...well, that is my reasons.

[stargelman]

I respect that...I must say, the reason I think Marihuana should be illega, is that it is a strongly narcotic drug...alchohol, is another kind of drug...and it requires LARGE quantities over long time to cause addicyieveness...drugs however, couse addictieveness, VERY fast, and most drugs goes out over the main nerval systems...after a while they can break it down, and basically stop the eniter body.

Actually, that is not entirely correct.

Alcohol causes additiction much quicker than most people realize. And not all illegal drugs work the same way. Crack for instance pretty much causes instant addiction after a very very short time. Heroin and cocaine works pretty fast too. Marihuana is a bit different in that the addiction it can cause is not physical, but mental.

And I'm sure that last sentence of your post does not apply to marihuana either, because if the central nervous system were to break down, you'd die - and I've never heard of someone dieing of marihuana. Of course, the smoke is still bad for your lungs, and driving while under the influence of drugs is really stupid, no matter what drug was used. And there is that bit about marihuana probably causing latent shizophrenia (I think it was?) to surface, as well as paranoia for some people - that's what I heard anyway.

Disclaimer: I'm not an expert on these matters.

[HyPN0]

I see nothing wrong with its use. But, I think that it should be used in moderation. Around here, we have a huge drug problem. The drop out rate at my highschool is rediculous. And everyone I've known to drop out, has done so to smoke weed. Plus, there is also the risk of cancer. I know someone who smokes marijuana, and has lung cancer, but will not stop. 

I think it can have very dangerous effects on people who use it too much.

Oh,i'm sorry to hear that .I also agree it must be used in moderation.There are many people out there,who are using it in moderate dosages,and not every day (only by weekend).Your post also makes a bad argument against marijuana,which is completly true,but it's the same thing with alcohol.I have a freind in y homeland who's father is an alcoholic and his lever is completly screwed up,but he still refuses to stop drinking.Very sad

Also I completely disagree with your arguement that legalising locations rules out danger for other people. The effects arn't instantly stopped the moment you leave your house or joint cafe! There is nothing to stop someone under your proposed system smoking up, leaving the designated area, deciding whilst under the influence of a toxic substance that they're okay to drive, and haplessly plowing into a kid on their way home because their reactions are impaired.

Oh?And leaving a bar all drunk doesn't?How many accisdents are happening out there because of drunken drivers?
And how will you limit a man to smoke IN the jount caffe?Easy.Just hit 'em in the pocket.A large fine (not prison fine,but money fine) and they won't do it.I mean you can try it once,but when the police officer comes to you and showes you tha amount of money you have to pay,trust me,you won't do it again.This works for Dutches very well.

Very few people today have self control. If they find being drunk fun, then they get drunk, being drunk makes it so you dont think correctly, they go and drive and hit someone.

With ANY drug people are going to hurt themselves and others if its legal. Even if in small amounts its good for you, people are just gonna use a lot of it.

That is not completly true.There are people that have self control when they're drunk.Me,for instance.The morning after i'm drunk i know exactly what happened (and that's when i'm REALLY drunk)the other night.I know that i can't walk properly,so i stay away from bridges,or anything you can fall in.When i'm drunk,i'm not driving,i always call a taxi.It's beter to pay some rediculus money now,then to die for nothing i say.I can always go pick up my car in the morning.As for your argument about people using it too much,i will take Nederland for example.There are a LOT of people that know that it's legal,but they're still not using it.Just as with alcohol,it's a metter of choice.How much are you gonna use it:It's again a metter of choice.But even if somebody smokes too much pot he\she won't be able to just MOVE,let alone to drive a car.

juss a question hypno, where are we talking about legilising marijuana. for some people drugs even help. i know a person who needs to smoke one once of week to be able to fall alseep.

Ah yes,weed gives that slepy feeling.I don't know how people thing they can move when they're that ''heavy''Exept when you're mixing it with energy drinks.Whoo,that's something completly else And to answer your question i was talking about global legalization,in non-medical purposes.Sorry i didn't point that out i'll edit my starting post.
EDIT:Actualy i did point it out allready.''Do you think marijuana should be legal everywhere?'' is right in my starting post

I respect that...I must say, the reason I think Marihuana should be illega, is that it is a strongly narcotic drug...alchohol, is another kind of drug...and it requires LARGE quantities over long time to cause addicyieveness...drugs however, couse addictieveness, VERY fast, and most drugs goes out over the main nerval systems...after a while they can break it down, and basically stop the eniter body.

Drugs are about the viles most dangerous things one can inject into them...sake for actual poison that is...well, that is my reasons.

No,that's not true.Marijuana is not a strong narcotic it drops in light narcotic together with alcohol.Durgs DON'T couse adictevnes very fast as you say,if you're using them in correct dosages.The thing that you're gonna be an adict to the rest of your life is a stereotip of over-commercialased anti-drug campaign.Hell,i know peope that are smoking marijuana once a week,and they're not adicts by a long shot.If they're adicts,then i'm an alcoholic,because i get drunk once a week.About using large quantities:Well a noob in alcohol will get drunk after 2 or posibly one beer,while a normal man need about 5-6.That's not a really big quantity considering you can drink that in a short time.As marijuana goes,a smaller dosage it's needed,but the effect is completly same.While you think that large quantityes of alcohol are needed to become an adict,hell,large quantityes of marijuana are needed to become an adict.And that's it.
Now who told you that marijuana can stop your body from working?You must be talking about ecstasy(spelling?).Ectasy can really mess you up the first time you try it out.About the fact they're going through your nerv systyem:Hey,they're going right in your brain.If alcohol is stuck in your stomach you won't feel a thing,but when it comes to your brain......then you'll feel it.I don't think you can die from marijuana itself.

This post has been edited by HyPN0: Apr 27 2006, 10:49 AM

[Foster]

But you see there are billions of dollars made to manipulate evidence against the use of marijuana, and only the anti-marijuana groups are the ones that can actually make money by keeping it illegal.

How are the government making money by keeping it illegal? Wouldn't they make more money due to taxation if they made it legal? They must have a pretty good reason not to legalise it, then.

That's heavily exaggerated.  There are links between psyxhosis and marijuana like there are links between Saddam Hussein and Al-Queda, they're overplayed, there's not much to them, and their used for an agenda.

In my opinion, having looked at the evidence, I believe that there is a link between psychosis in people predisposed to those conditions, and use of marijuana. I have absolutely NO agenda on this, and I think that the research done is sound.

What about the man that murdered, molested and had plans of eating a girl he kidnapped due to wild fantasties triggered by being on zoloft?  Evidence is spilling out the walls of the major dangers of widestream antidepressants like xoloft, prozac, paxil, etcetera.  Do you really think marijuana is less helthy than that?  How about diet pills, which are basically legalized speed.  Speed is a hard core drug on the streets, and yet they are manufactured and bought.  How are medicines approved by the EPA any safer?  I mean allergy medicines cause anal leakage for god sakes.

I think that firstly the cases you are stating occur in an incredibly small portion of an incredibly large population that take those drugs. The incidence of side effects is widely and accurately reported, and the government constantly makes choices based upon the risk/benefit of certain drugs. I think that cannabis has absolutely no benefit at all compared to other available (and safer) medications, and that it does have risks - which therefore outweigh the benefits. Yes, I think cannabis is less safe than the drugs you have listed.

Intresting you mention the SSRIs. If you actually look at the medical guidelines you'll see that there are clear, set out standards of when to use and when to avoid. They have a big 'no' when it comes to 'History of Mania' and other such instances. You're talking as though this was a normal guy, doing his thang, and just taking the tablet made him go fruit-loop. Obviously he wasn't, or he wouldn't have been taking it in the first place.

All drugs have side effects that CAN occur. It doesn't mean they will.

The reason alcohol is legal and marijuana isn't, isn't because of the market out there for it, it's because this country, when it was a colony, was stapled by alcohol and tobacco.  All other drugs were competition.  That''s why they were illegalized.
Marijuana is less dangerous than cigerettes, alcohol (by far), and all other drugs, even advil has a bigger health risks according to most studies.  Why don't we draw the line by telling the EPA to stop allowing drugs that cause heart disease?  Why don't we draw the line to illegalize ciggerettes?  A line is not simple, if a line were to be reasonably drawn then drugs have to placed in reasonable positions.  Cigerettes are mutagenic and carcenogenic, and the addicting is one that trains the cells to crave tobacco, which marijuana does not.

Intresting historical theory. Advil, like all NSAIDs, can cause stomach ulcers. If you use them on a chronic basis, which they aren't meant to be used - just ask your pharmacist, he'll give you some actually decent information about the health risks. Also I know of no study that compares the health risks of Advil directly to the health risks of cannabis, cigarettes or alcohol - which studies are you talking about?

The line is drawn, like I said, because of risk compared to benefit. Also I think you might want to look at why one of the Cox 2 inhibitors was withdrawn - that would be because of the cardiac risk, then.

Cannabis is also mutagenic and carcenogenic, and it CAN be addictive. It's in a small minority of the population, but it can be.

On one hand I'm kind of glad marijuana is illegal, because it adds to the rebelliousness, it keeps it interesting.

So, after all of that, your main reason for liking it is that it makes you feel cool?