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There are two reasons marijuana is still illegal: 1) The cops in the US are largely two types of people: straight-laced rule-followers and abusive bullies. Th

There are two reasons marijuana is still illegal: 1) The cops in the US are largely two types of people: straight-laced rule-followers and abusive bullies. The rule-followers support the rule because it’s the rule, and the bullies support the rule because it lets them continue to beat up theatre kids after high school. 2) Marijuana abuse leads to economic harm for capitalists. People can stay economically productive through tobacco or alcohol abuse but marijuana abuse tends to make people lethargic and low-output. While tobacco harms the individual tremendously and alcohol harms society tremendously, marijuana use, while on an absolute basis nowhere near as destructive as alcohol, hurts the tycoons who call the shots.

stuntkite 5y ago
I would like some citations on #2. Hangovers, liver failure, and lung cancer do serious economic damage. I don't know of any evidence that pot decreases productivity though there has been plenty of DARE shit that says so. My unscientific study of every human I've ever met as an adult shows that 60% of people smoke sometimes with no ill effects and 10-15% of people I've meet are seriously blunted all day and turn out good work. Some of the people I know that are the best at their jobs consume amounts of cannabis that the average non user would find offensive.
- cdirkx 5y ago
  It doesn't matter if something is true or scientifically proven, if that is what policymakers/interest groups/lobbyist believe and act on. In an ideal world everyones belief would be rationally motivated, and be able to change if new evidence comes up, but that is not often the case.
JoeyBananas 5y ago
If what you believe is that marijuana makes people lethargic and low-output, why is that alone not a good enough reason to keep it illegal? There's really no need to factor "the capitalists" into the equation. If you agree with the basic premise that marijuana makes people lethargic and lazy, then you also have to admit that smoking marijuana will have negative effects on virtually all aspects of someone's life. The reason why everyone is taught that drugs are bad starting in the 1st grade is not because of "the capitalists."
eurasiantiger 5y ago
Cannabis doesn’t make people lethargic. Having no opportunities in life does. Acknowledging cannabis use tends to take those opportunities away due to the attached criminal status.

stuntkite 5y ago

I would like some citations on #2. Hangovers, liver failure, and lung cancer do serious economic damage. I don't know of any evidence that pot decreases productivity though there has been plenty of DARE shit that says so. My unscientific study of every human I've ever met as an adult shows that 60% of people smoke sometimes with no ill effects and 10-15% of people I've meet are seriously blunted all day and turn out good work. Some of the people I know that are the best at their jobs consume amounts of cannabis that the average non user would find offensive.

cdirkx 5y ago
It doesn't matter if something is true or scientifically proven, if that is what policymakers/interest groups/lobbyist believe and act on. In an ideal world everyones belief would be rationally motivated, and be able to change if new evidence comes up, but that is not often the case.

JoeyBananas 5y ago

If what you believe is that marijuana makes people lethargic and low-output, why is that alone not a good enough reason to keep it illegal? There's really no need to factor "the capitalists" into the equation. If you agree with the basic premise that marijuana makes people lethargic and lazy, then you also have to admit that smoking marijuana will have negative effects on virtually all aspects of someone's life. The reason why everyone is taught that drugs are bad starting in the 1st grade is not because of "the capitalists."

eurasiantiger 5y ago

Cannabis doesn’t make people lethargic. Having no opportunities in life does. Acknowledging cannabis use tends to take those opportunities away due to the attached criminal status.