I have tried to fish through all the posts surrounding the legalisation of weed in order to establish some sort of opinion on the matter. I suppose my general apathy towards this topic stems from the fact that the arguments for and against seem so trivial.
Weed is illegal now. Do I care? No. Should I care? No.
The debate has been broken down into 5 different categories:
Category 1: (Stoner driver vs. Drunk driver)
Should I pick the glossy eyed stoner over the incoherent drunk? Ah. Such a difficult choice: To whom should I trust my life? Decisions, decisions…. I can’t really settle on whom would best befit the wheel but let me take the safer option and keep it sober.
Category 2: (Bud and co. Weed dealership cc)
“Youths use marijuana because the dealers selling it will sell it to anyone. If it was regulated and sold from specific organizations and with an age limit (i.e. 18 for drinking) it would no longer be as easily accessible. Also, take away the taboo and you will see a decrease. Link: (sorry, no link here, this is a no brainer) “
This argument is indeed a no-brainer – or rather a reflection of having no brain. I really do enjoy walking down the street without having that pungent, sweet smell of ganja caressing my nostrils.
I wonder how hard it would be for a 16 year old boy to pay a homeless man to purchase the drug for him. I also need to review the supply and demand framework because I don’t really recall the removal of taboo as contributing factor.
Category 3: (The Marijuana Monopoly)
“If weed was legalized there would be no more cartels as they would not be able to compete with the large corporations producing the crop at much greater quality. Fact: DRUG DEALERS ARE AGAINST THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA due to the massive financial loss they would experience.”
Let me take a moment and express my sympathies for the poor drug dealer. The legalisation of weed would force him to reconstruct his sales strategy towards the redistribution of cocaine. Come on now? Do you really think that Legalizing weed will suddenly give a drug dealer a conscience? He will just pack up shop and move into some other form of illegal activity.
Category 4: (It is legal therefore it is right.)
“Just because weed is legal doesn’t mean everyone one will all of a sudden start smoking it. Do non smokers smoke cigarettes? Do people who don't like alcohol drink? NO! Yes, more people will try it, and why not? But this will be a momentary spike and just like everything else weed isn't for everyone. Link: (http://economics.about.com/od/marijuanalegalization/a/marijuanademand.htm)”
Weed most certainly isn’t for everybody. Neither is alcohol and neither are cigarettes! I agree. People with the predisposition to cancer shouldn’t smoke. People with the predisposition to alcoholism shouldn’t drink and people with the predisposition to schizophrenia shouldn't smoke weed. Should more people try it then? I don’t think so. The hypocrisy surrounding the legal trade of cigarettes and alcohol is blindingly obvious but why should we sanction the legalisation of another "potentially" damaging substance, outside the confines of medicinal treatment?
Category 5: (Weed the gateway drug)
Will smoking weed lead you to experimenting with other drugs? I think the best person you could ask is a recovering heroin addict. In my opinion alcohol is the truest gateway drug.
There is probably a better argument for the legalisation of weed other than the one presented but should I consider it? Surely my general sense of apathy towards the issue is due to the distraction caused by greater societal woes.
Will we see the legalisation of weed any time soon? No. There are greater issues in South Africa that need review. The dispensation of text books to school children, the provision of housing, water and electricity to the poor. There is the issue of treating tuberculosis and the provision of medicine to HIV sufferers.
Do I feel a sense of empathy towards those who wish to purchase marijuana legally without the intention to use it for medicinal purposes? Not really.
I am pretty sure there shall be a great upheaval of criticism from the more “enlightened” audience but this is my opinion on the matter.
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