4 ms·

Legalizing Marijuana is being interpreted by the general youth population as an endorsement of it as a recreational drug. Marijuana advocates should prepare th

Legalizing Marijuana is being interpreted by the general youth population as an endorsement of it as a recreational drug. Marijuana advocates should prepare themselves to take moral responsibility for the many significant negative consequences of increasing use, including increased schizophrenia rates, traffic fatalities, industrial accidents along with overall lower worker productivity. The “but compared to alcohol” is a shallow argument used by these biased advocates selfishly looking for approval for their own recreational vice.

amanaplanacanal 7y ago
I personally doubt that we will see increased schizophrenia rates from legal weed. We may not see any of the other harms you list, either. Sorry, the science just isn't that good on this subject. > selfishly looking for approval for their own recreational vice I'd say destroying the black market and keeping convictions off people's records is a total win, even in the eyes of the rest of us that don't smoke weed.
- svd4anything 7y ago
  Ok I agree the science hasn’t been settled. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/17/health/cannabis-marijuana-schizophrenia.html https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/17/health/cannabis-marijuana... > I personally doubt that we will see increased schizophrenia rates from legal weed. We may not see any of the other harms you list, either. Sorry, the science just isn't that good on this subject. What makes you doubt it? Why would it be more likely it is harmless than harmful? Even if I had no prior scientific data but tried to guess if regular use of a mind altering substance would be harmless or harmful, wouldn’t the prior lean towards harmful? You might want to check recent data out of Colorado. It isn’t looking good. > I'd say destroying the black market and keeping convictions off people's records is a total win, even in the eyes of the rest of us that don't smoke weed. How do you know it is a win if we don’t know the unsettled science yet? Might be a pretty big gamble. One of the biggest obvious problems with legalized Marijuana that they are struggling with in Colorado is the simple concept of having a test to determine if an individual is under the influence. Such a test would be a breakthrough in resolving some of the more serious immediate risks and enable enforcement of common sense rules. Do you want your nurse at the ER impaired from Marijuana? Your bus driver? The construction crane operator? I argue the legalization advocates are being irresponsible without “settled science” and without an ability to measure or detect use.
  - arpa 7y ago
    Meanwhile, in a parallel universe: Do you want your nurse at the ER impaired from coffeebean junk? Your bus driver? The construction crane operator?
theonemind 7y ago
Keeping it illegal supports a large prison-industrial complex, takes otherwise relatively benign and productive people and ruins their lives far out of proportion to the offense, and helps to continue to fund large organized crime operations, probably with ties to human trafficking and larger things than selling marijuana, and gives law enforcement further excuse to practice civil forfeiture (seizing property without due process of law) and gives them one more excuse to justify curtailing other civil liberties in pursuit of the "war on drugs." I don't see you calling for any moral responsibility there.
- svd4anything 7y ago
  Your argument mostly extends to full legalization of all drugs as much of your points apply to all illegal drugs. Perhaps that is worth trying.

amanaplanacanal 7y ago

I personally doubt that we will see increased schizophrenia rates from legal weed. We may not see any of the other harms you list, either. Sorry, the science just isn't that good on this subject. > selfishly looking for approval for their own recreational vice I'd say destroying the black market and keeping convictions off people's records is a total win, even in the eyes of the rest of us that don't smoke weed.

svd4anything 7y ago
Ok I agree the science hasn’t been settled. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/17/health/cannabis-marijuana-schizophrenia.html https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/17/health/cannabis-marijuana... > I personally doubt that we will see increased schizophrenia rates from legal weed. We may not see any of the other harms you list, either. Sorry, the science just isn't that good on this subject. What makes you doubt it? Why would it be more likely it is harmless than harmful? Even if I had no prior scientific data but tried to guess if regular use of a mind altering substance would be harmless or harmful, wouldn’t the prior lean towards harmful? You might want to check recent data out of Colorado. It isn’t looking good. > I'd say destroying the black market and keeping convictions off people's records is a total win, even in the eyes of the rest of us that don't smoke weed. How do you know it is a win if we don’t know the unsettled science yet? Might be a pretty big gamble. One of the biggest obvious problems with legalized Marijuana that they are struggling with in Colorado is the simple concept of having a test to determine if an individual is under the influence. Such a test would be a breakthrough in resolving some of the more serious immediate risks and enable enforcement of common sense rules. Do you want your nurse at the ER impaired from Marijuana? Your bus driver? The construction crane operator? I argue the legalization advocates are being irresponsible without “settled science” and without an ability to measure or detect use.
- arpa 7y ago
  Meanwhile, in a parallel universe: Do you want your nurse at the ER impaired from coffeebean junk? Your bus driver? The construction crane operator?

theonemind 7y ago

Keeping it illegal supports a large prison-industrial complex, takes otherwise relatively benign and productive people and ruins their lives far out of proportion to the offense, and helps to continue to fund large organized crime operations, probably with ties to human trafficking and larger things than selling marijuana, and gives law enforcement further excuse to practice civil forfeiture (seizing property without due process of law) and gives them one more excuse to justify curtailing other civil liberties in pursuit of the "war on drugs." I don't see you calling for any moral responsibility there.

svd4anything 7y ago
Your argument mostly extends to full legalization of all drugs as much of your points apply to all illegal drugs. Perhaps that is worth trying.