The Dumber Points of Arguing for the Legalization of Marijuana

First off, and I will repeat this again later: I am not totally anti-marijuana. Just saying, right here, at the top, because you potheads aren't going to read all this. Ha.

Almost every time you see someone arguing to legalize weed they bring up certain factors. Here are just a couple of argument points I feel like brushing over, because to exam all of them would take a much longer article and marijuana articles get enough debate without having to be lengthy.

1. Claiming there aren't any studies proving that marijuana is harmful to your health.

But there are. Research studies show poop-a-doop-a-doopy-doo for both sides. You can easily find scientific and health studies that claim marijuana is harmful to you, just as you can find researchers backing marijuana and stating that it does not. This is just one example in life where you can see the diversity of "study" and must question in each instance what fully contributes to the results. Who has what agenda? And even those without an agenda have an agenda and or personal life experiences getting caught in the mix; not to mention (as I mention it) different human minds deciphering data in different ways So, yes, yes there are studies that say it is bad for you and causes health issues: why should I believe the pro-marijuana ones over the anti? Madness! Madness!

2. Comparing marijuana to cigarettes and booze.

This is merely argument blame shifting. If you are saying marijuana is not as bad as cigarettes and booze, yet ciggys and booze are legal: basically you are indeed stating that booze and cigarettes are indeed bad for you. Okay: agreed. In fact, most of society on some level would probably agree: both cause issues in people's lives. But how does that make one want to lighten up on marijuana? "These things are crappy and bad, but legal, so let's legalize something else that is crappy and bad!" basically that is what you are lumping your argument into, which in the grand circle of smoke means somewhere inside it seems you have a guilty little stigma that regards marijuana as bad. Blame society for that and oppression by the man. Further more on this aspect, I can personally say I've seen the ill effects of marijuana. I've seen people turned overly anxious beyond being able to function daily and I've seen people become so obsessed with weed that it is all they talk or think about. Perhaps you can say that is caused by other factors in their lives and not the marijuana directly, but then to argue that we'll need more disagreeing scientist from #1. One can assume the effects will be different on every individual in different doses.

In regards to cigarettes and booze and claiming the numbers of health issues derived from usage of those substances is far greater than marijuana. Well, once again you're arguing with potentially bad data. The fact that booze and cigarettes are legal would right out the gate mean that more people are abusing said substances and therefore your numbers would definitely be skewed. I believe another example of this is the saying: "Flying in an airplane is safer than driving in a car." I would reckon more people frequently drive in cars than they do in airplanes, therefore statistically speaking the numbers will obviously show driving in a car is more dangerous. Sure, you could break down the math and pretend IF they were on a level playing field, but then again they aren't: one is always going to be in the sky and one not. Except for when flying cars become more prevalent, then we're blurring the lines like when my computer and television are playing the same channels.

I am not anti-marijuana, indeed I am for people having the freedom of choice. However, in my own personal life I choose not to smoke it and choose not to want to have to smell the stinky stuff in my home. The stench sticks to my clothes, and up my nose, makes me feel nausea; cigarette smoke in mass quantities does as well. When this want is violated I find it rude and indeed have an issue with marijuana. Actually, marijuana and people being able to use it has never done anything positive for me: so why should I support such a habit? I could really care less, just don't annoy me with it.

It's medicine though, right? I've seen cowboys drinking whiskey for what ails them and alcohol used to sanitize wounds as well. Liquor stores should become Beer Clinics! Next time maybe we can talk about linking violence to marijuana in the same way that violence and prostitution go together. "Well, if it were legal it wouldn't be criminally inviting violence to happen," comes the retort. But then again people kill other people over legal sex too, so shows like Forensic files screw up the whole argument process. Uh oh, we all just need to get along.

Oh, and deal with your depression the old fashion way, before television had you brainwashed into thinking you need pills or alternatively weed. Don't ask me what the old fashion way is, just using that as a figure of speech, but I can say there are lots of people in the world that have problems (okay, everyone!) but they don't have to turn to a substance of any sort to cope.

See how hard it can be starting an article about marijuana and then just having it go on and on; I said just a couple of things.

And for those pulling their hair out, tearing their clothes, and crying in the streets over the injustice of marijuana not currently legal: seriously, you might as well be arguing for Second Life to be real life, about as pathetic. Complaints that law enforcement need to find something else to focus on isn't always a one way street. Keep in mind I am not referring that insult towards people in jail for marijuana issues who might really need to cry and vent and beg. Hopefully I'm not referring to too many either, just some stray hippies and hormonally imbalanced teens.