Weed

[Napoléon]

Got listening to some reggae and it made me think of weed.

My thoughts are, why is weed illegal? When I've never heard of anyone dying from it. Surely alcohol and cigarettes are far more damaging to someone's health than weed?

So I did a quick search on the internet, found plenty on how many people die each year from smoking (http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Smoking-The-Facts.htm) but strangely no real facts on marijuana.

I sure know weed does affect people, but it doesn't look anywhere near as harmful in comparison to current legalised substances.

So, anyone got any fact or figures to back up this? Or any that contradict?

Your thoughts?

[Nine]

I have no interest in doing it but more than happy for people to do it themselves.

Id rather bump into someone high rather than a dunk..

[Faith No More]

Weed is illegal because when it started to become popular cotton was a huge cash crop. Hemp threatened to put a huge damper on the cotton business, therefore the cotton barons spent their money and influence making the whole plant illegal. It had nothing to do with weed's psychoactive effects and everything to do with money.

EDIT: I don't have time right now to look for sources, but I have seen this metioned several times in various descriptions of marijuana's history. will source later.

[Napoléon]

I thought it would be something to do with money. Only thing the governments care about.

[thesummerqueen]

Michael Pollan did a section on weed in his book "The Botany of Desire". One of his guesses is that the moral majority feed a lot of lies and propaganda about weed because only Jesus is supposed to give you such experiences. Basically monotheism wants a monopoly on "a good time". Remember, these are the same people who tried to ban alcohol at one point too - but the desire to drink was too strong. What's worse, they allow that, but not a substance that actually has huge benefits in the paper, textiles, and medical industries.

Asswipes.

[Napoléon]

I'm gonna light up a blunt right now just to stick it to the man.

[Violet]

I have too many friends who use weed in a variety of manners to not want it legal.

[Tiberius]

All drugs should be legal. The government should have no say on what you ingest since it doesn't affect anyone else.

[Napoléon]

All drugs should be legal. The government should have no say on what you ingest since it doesn't affect anyone else.

Well that's not strictly true in all fairness. The affects of alcohol abuse for example can affect a hell of a lot of people, not just yourself.

[Violet]

All drugs should be legal. The government should have no say on what you ingest since when it doesn't affect anyone else.

That one modification and I agree 100%