SURVEY: Should Marijuana be legalized?

[MANFROMBOCA]

2 hours ago, robblok said:

Never did i Imagine that so many on this site were so liberal. I am shocked that only 2 voted against it. 

its has nothing to do with being liberal,, its the intelligent answer to a failed global policy,,, and i would also like to have seen a fourth answer in the survey " decriminalize it " !!!!  i prefer legalization but would settle for decriminalization as a starter

[MANFROMBOCA]

2 hours ago, robblok said:

 

 

2 hours ago, yogi100 said:

Britain as well as other countries has seen it's standards drop and its society has been on a downward spiral ever since marijuana was introduced and has been more or less accepted. All drugs should be outlawed like they used to be when we lived in a world based on morals, decency and the possession of a work ethic. Much more severe sentencing should be introduced to discourage the use of any drugs.

 

We've always had drunken violence but not the lazy, shiftless behaviour exhibited by those that inhabit the dream world associated with marijuana. And it DOES often lead the user on to harder drugs which often prove to be impossible to get off of and leads those who partake into a life of crime that inflicts misery upon the victims and themselves.

what planet are you from ??? Uranus ??

[elgordo38]

I did not respond as I do not care one way or another. Being a senior of reasonably good health the thing that does bother me is in the event that I should ever get deadly sick and linger I would want access to strong pain killers to help me through to the end and not be viewed as a suspected drug dealer. There is much talk of drugs in Thailand on the illegal side but lets get things up to snuff for aging people who suffer the "end of life" chronic sicknesses. As well there are many younger people as well who have painful illnesses and the access for these pain relieving drugs should not be exclusive property of hospitals. With proper medical documentation they should be available at pharmacies at "reasonable" prices. This might also cut back on elderly people doing swan dives off of the 14th floor.

[HerbalEd]

4 hours ago, Credo said:

I have always had mixed emotions about marijuana, as well as a lot of other types of drugs.   I have enjoyed it's properties, and not for medical purposes, but what affect it has on a society is open to speculation.

 

Thailand is, by nature, a rather conservative society, so I don't know if they are ready for the loosening of restrictions.   They might want to wait for some of the other places in the world to see how legalization is going, what problems it is causing and how serious they are.   

 

I will, unequivocally, say that between spending a huge amount of money to enforce current laws on keeping it illegal are probably a gigantic waste of money and resources.  

Do you know that MJ hasn't been illegal in Thailand very long, and was illegalized because of pressure from the USA government? So Thai society is as ready now as they were not very long ago when MJ was legal.

 

Sorry, but I'm too laze to google the exact date MJ was illegalized in Thailand. 

[Credo]

1 hour ago, Rancid said:

Can't see any likelihood of Thailand legalizing drugs and as I don't use them neither here nor there. Read somewhere ages ago how Big Pharma was actually behind criminalizing drugs, there is always a profit motive to every action. But consider the absurdity that you can be arrested and jailed for possessing a plant that grows naturally on our planet, one that farmers were encouraged to plant in the US a few hundred years ago, one that's been used for thousands of years and one with proven medical applications. Anyone really believe that someone isn't profiting from criminalization?

 

The so called war on drugs has been a disaster creating high and expensive prison populations, wasted police resources fighting actual crime, massive police and political corruption, and yet even still anyone can find drugs quite easily, as such it hasn't even stopped drug use. It is a massive social and political failure.

 

If people want to get wasted on drugs isn't that their problem, also if drugs were more affordable and taxed not only would it reduce crime but save governments enormous amounts of money. I really don't see any reason for society to impose its artificial values on others assuming they aren't hurting anyone but themselves.

Another post that is polluted with misinformation, mistruths and conspiracy crap.   In many places MJ was outlawed well before there was anything like Big Pharma that even existed.   Many, many narcotic drugs were widely available and were, for the time, pharmaceutical grade and produced by pharmaceutical companies.   They could be purchased at the local pharmacy.   

 

There is no reason to believe that 'Big Pharma' would want to get rid of MJ or opium or anything else from which they could derive a great of income.   

 

Early regulations in some places limited the sale to pharmacies and then later many of these substances became much more tightly controlled.   Big Pharma has never suffered because it was illegal and they won't suffer when it becomes illegal.   They may well end up back in the game again, who knows.

 

I suppose they were behind prohibition of alcohol as well?

 

Thailand jumped on the drug war big time and has even outlawed Kratom leaves, which grow on a tree/shrub that is related to the coffee plant.   

 

How they handle it should depend on the impact it would have on society and the costs involved in current control efforts.

 

Personally, Thai stick was pretty awesome stuff.  

[Credo]

It was outlawed in 1937:

 

In 1937 Thailand's second prime minister, General Phot Phahonyothin, criminalized cannabis in Thailand by passing the country's first law specifically targeting cannabis, the Marijuana Act B.E. 2477 (1937).

Sections 5, 6 and 9 of the Marijuana Act mandated that anyone who plants or possesses marijuana seeds, or who imports or exports marijuana, would be subject to imprisonment for up to one year, or to a fine not exceeding Bt500 (about $16.50*).

Sections 7, 8 and 10 of the Act imposed a jail sentence of not more than six months or a fine not exceeding Bt200 ($6.62*) for those who were caught possessing, buying, selling or using marijuana. Those who had already planted marijuana before the Act was passed were given one year in which to harvest and dispose of their crop.

http://www.thailawforum.com/history-of-marijuana-cannabis-thailand-2.html

[robblok]

19 minutes ago, HerbalEd said:

Do you know that MJ hasn't been illegal in Thailand very long, and was illegalized because of pressure from the USA government? So Thai society is as ready now as they were not very long ago when MJ was legal.

 

Sorry, but I'm too laze to google the exact date MJ was illegalized in Thailand. 

In the past good old USA put immense pressure on my country to get tough on weed. Always sticking their nose in where it should not be. (comment on American politics not Americans as such)

[johnnysunshine]

Marijuana is not a drug it is a plant and ironically it is the only plant in the USA to be made illegal.

An example of a drug would be Aspirin or Lipitor.   These are fairly dangerous as compared to MJ.

Maybe we can outlaw drugs and let plants be!    

[nisakiman]

Of course it should be legalised. That it was made illegal in the first place was insanity of the first order. But as usual, it was the Americans who started the ball rolling, and as usual it was money that was at the root of it. And as usual, the USA went on to impose their version of the truth on the rest of the world.

 

Quote

There are many sites which explain all the politics of it, but hemp (cannabis) used to be a huge cash crop in the US, and supplied the raw material for fiber, bioplastics, diesel fuel, bird seed, and paper. But it was really difficult to harvest. In 1936 a thresher was patented that made harvesting much easier. But that put hemp in direct competition with the large paper mills (owned by Hearst); and DuPont chemicals, which had developed a process for producing plastics from petroleum.

All this pretty much coincided with the repeal of alcohol prohibition in 1933. Federal agents who had been merrily busting moonshiners and bootleggers who operated illegal stills, now were out of a job. Harry Anslinger, head of those operations wanted to keep his boys employed, so together with Hearst, DuPont, and a cadre of racists, started a campaign to demonize cannabis. They renamed it as marijuana, said that minority members who smoked it were corrupting White youth, and turning everyone who used it into crazed killers.

Congress, clueless as ever, agreed to but a ban on "marijuana". Unfortunately, they didn't realize it was the same thing as hemp. So a lot of farmers were ticked off. Also, a bunch of doctors were upset because cannabis had been used for a century in many medications including children's cough syrup, and sleeping liquid.

But money talks, and it spoke loudly then, as now. Hearst, of the wood pulp and paper interests, used his many newspapers to print propaganda, and push the prohibition through.

Briefly, during World War II, access to imported hemp was cut off, and the the US Govt. realized it had shot itself in the foot, and actually had to make propaganda films encouraging farmers to grow hemp again (used in ropes, sails, parachutes, etc.)

In the 1960's cannabis smoking became popular again, and was a part of the "mind-expansion movement." Then in the early 1970's, President Richard Nixon, of Watergate fame, was upset at all the cannabis smoking hippies who also happened to be demonstrating against the Vietnam war. He wanted to crack down on them, so he commissioned a congressional committee to research cannabis so he could say how "horrible" it was.

Unfortunately for Nixon, the Shafer Commission said they thought cannabis should be legalized. Nixon tore up the study, and launched the "War On Drugs!"

Since then the lies, idiocy, and brainwashing persist. Prisons are making money on the 730,000 folks arrested each year for simple cannabis possession. Minority members, as usual, bear the brunt of these asinine policies, which to a large measure exist to oppress them.

Since mainstream media supports corporate interests which have no stake in making cannabis legal again, it is very hard to find out the truth, or even have a sensible discussion about it.

 

http://www.answers.com/Q/Why_is_marijuana_illegal

 

Above is one of the first articles I came up with when I Googled it, and although it doesn't give a complete explanation, is reasonably accurate. There was in fact a lot more skulduggery involved in the demonisation of marijuana, but this will suffice. It's all out there on the web for anyone interested enough to look.

[Reigntax]

Dope is already legal. There is one running the country.

[Jingthing]

I think it should be legalized for medical use and also for those over age 18. There is strong evidence that cannabis abuse damages younger people. 

[simple1]

2 hours ago, yogi100 said:

 

Gunga Din was a poem written by Rudyard Kipling in 1892.

 

The use of marijuana was mainly first seen in the 1960s to a limited degree then the 70s and 80s saw the widespread appearance of marijuana in the UK. It was introduced by West Indians.

 

It's always existed but In the 1950s no one I knew had even heard of it, neither had you heard of ganga or 'gunga' if that's what you meant.

 

Actually tin the 60s it was mainly hashish imported from - wait for it - Muslim countries - arghhhh! No idea if hash is still prevalent in the UK. Hemp was grown in the UK for hundreds of years & THC was extracted to some degree as THC was used in medicines.  These days for recreational use growers cultivate Cannabis sativa as it has a lot higher percentile of THC.

 

As an aside I still remember being able to buy Dr Collis Brown tincture in the UK which had small amounts of THC and opium. Interestingly I was in Taiwan recently and got ill, was over the counter prescribed.... Dr Collis Brown, but with a different brand name and it included a small percentile of opium.

 

Don't know if it's still the case, but at one time in the UK the abuse of prescription drugs was the greatest cause of drug addition.

 

I support decriminalisation as still needed to have laws in place for DUI and so on.

[F4UCorsair]

The poll result would indicate that there are a lot of dopes, or dope users, on TV???

[F4UCorsair]

16 minutes ago, Reigntax said:

Dope is already legal. There is one running the country.

 

Which country?

 

 

Sorry, all of them!!

[retoohs]

2 hours ago, yogi100 said:

 

Gunga Din was a poem written by Rudyard Kipling in 1892.

 

The use of marijuana was mainly first seen in the 1960s to a limited degree then the 70s and 80s saw the widespread appearance of marijuana in the UK. It was introduced by West Indians.

 

It's always existed but In the 1950s no one I knew had even heard of it, neither had you heard of ganga or 'gunga' if that's what you meant.

My spelling of Ganga might be wrong but doesn't make your nonsense any more real. Cannabis came to the Middle East between 2000 B.C. and 1400 B.C., and it was probably used there by the Scythians, a nomadic Indo-European group. The Scythians also likely carried the drug into southeast Russia and Ukraine, as they occupied both territories for years, according to Warf's report. Germanic tribes brought the drug into Germany, and marijuana went from there to Britain during the 5th century with the Anglo-Saxon invasions.

We move on and by the 1840s cannabis was being touted as one of the wonder-drugs of the age, as doctors out in the Empire reported excitedly that it was a ‘powerful and valuable remedy in hydrophobia, tetanus, cholera and many convulsive disorders’. The Provincial Medical and Surgical Journal seized on these reports and devoted its front-page to the new medicine, and in subsequent decades the plant was used to treat everything from tetanus, to period pains and mental illness.

It has been around a long time and been used recreationally ever since its arrival. William Shakespeare smoked the stuff along with many other successful people through history such as David Urquhart (1805-1877) who was an British MP in the 19th century. It was big in the clubs in the 20's until it was made illegal in 1928. They wouldn't have made it illegal if nobody had heard about it. Just because YOU hadn't heard about it doesn't mean it wasn't happening.
 

[johnny Cage]

No one deserves prison for hitting the bong!! 

 

Peace.

[Deepinthailand]

Yes for cancer or terminal illness otherwise no no no.

It's a drug it is adictive (yes it is) I've known many friends who say it's only weed!!! Then a year down the line there on heroine or these so called leagal highs. 

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, Deepinthailand said:

Yes for cancer or terminal illness otherwise no no no.

It's a drug it is adictive (yes it is) I've known many friends who say it's only weed!!! Then a year down the line there on heroine or these so called leagal highs. 

It's useful for illnesses that are not terminal, like glaucoma, and also non-terminal pain conditions. So that seems too limited. It's not physically addictive but can be psychologically addictive.

[shillhater]

8 minutes ago, Deepinthailand said:

Yes for cancer or terminal illness otherwise no no no.

It's a drug it is adictive (yes it is) I've known many friends who say it's only weed!!! Then a year down the line there on heroine or these so called leagal highs. 

i call B S

[JHolmesJr]

MJ is for kids who are going through their teens…after that it just saps your energy and human drive.

 

Should be allowed for medical purposes though.

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, JHolmesJr said:

MJ is for kids who are going through their teens…after that it just saps your energy and human drive.

 

Should be allowed for medical purposes though.

I think it's probably fine for youth to do for occasional fun  and better than getting drunk actually, but the problem is when it gets abused and done all the time.

 

[JHolmesJr]

Its ok for those who want to go through life as lotus eaters.

[IAMHERE]

YES, God gave man dominion over plant and animal. For a small select group of powerful men to deny all men the use of marijuana plant is to thwart God's will. They are for sure going to hell, I don't want to follow those that would annul the words of God.

[Deepinthailand]

15 minutes ago, shillhater said:

i call B S

If I could understand what this means I might coment. On the weed are we???

[lostinisaan]

 Glad that so many people think logically.  

[brain150]

I am not sure why everybody uses the word "Marijuana" ... a Mexican slang word ???

 

It is hemp and it's not a drug but a plant ! And it is probably the most beneficial plant known to mankind.

Making a plant illegal is just hilarious ! [... like making Coffee illegal]

 

The most funny thing is that even hemp with no content of THC [something the human body produces as well]

is illegal even though it cannot get you high.

 

The hole story is simply a bad joke and anybody who thinks a plant can be made illegal is completely insane.

It is illegal because it is too beneficial and completely natural and as such it's bad for profit !!!

 

[Jingthing]

The word marijuana is not slang. It's an English word with Spanish roots and well understood as such. Hemp is also a well understood English word. You don't say let's smoke some hemp unless you're being ironic, just as you don't say, that's a lovely marijuana fabric handbag you're carrying.

 

Next ... 

[ClutchClark]

Just now, brain150 said:

I am not sure why everybody uses the word "Marijuana" ... a Mexican slang word ???

 

It is hemp and it's not a drug but a plant ! And it is probably the most beneficial plant known to mankind.

Making a plant illegal is just hilarious ! [... like making Coffee illegal]

 

The most funny thing is that even hemp with no content of THC [something the human body produces as well]

is illegal even though it cannot get you high.

 

The hole story is simply a bad joke and anybody who thinks a plant can be made illegal is completely insane.

It is illegal because it is too beneficial and completely natural and as such it's bad for profit !!!

 

 

In the US a distinction is made between agricultural hemp (not grown for THC and human consumption) and marijuana (which is grown for its drug properties). To refer to the high THC content marijuana sold legally in my home state of CO as hemp would get you laughed at because it is not the correct terminology. 

 

Additionally, in the US, a farmer can grow a commercial agricultural crop of hemp. 

 

Alot of plants are "natursl" but that does not mean they are safe for human consumption and it would be incorrect to assume that marijuana use does not come with its own set of risks, of a personal nature to the user, as well as to the society in which it is consumed. Colorado is experiencing these issues now after more than 18 months of it becoming legal to posess. 

 

I would encourage you to research the issues in CO before commenting more with these incorrect assumptions. 

 

 

[brain150]

3 minutes ago, ClutchClark said:

 

In the US a distinction is made between agricultural hemp (not grown for THC and human consumption) and marijuana (which is grown for its drug properties). To refer to the high THC content marijuana sold legally in my home state of CO as hemp would get you laughed at because it is not the correct terminology. 

 

Additionally, in the US, a farmer can grow a commercial agricultural crop of hemp. 

 

Alot of plants are "natursl" but that does not mean they are safe for human consumption and it would be incorrect to assume that marijuana use does not come with its own set of risks, of a personal nature to the user, as well as to the society in which it is consumed. Colorado is experiencing these issues now after more than 18 months of it becoming legal to posess. 

 

I would encourage you to research the issues in CO before commenting more with these incorrect assumptions. 

 

 

 

I can go to a 7/11 and buy some glue to get high ...

You think things should be made illegal because they can be abused ???

 

Why would anybody want to smoke "Marijuana" ? ... I want to drink it ! But even if it won't make me high it's still illegal.

 

It's plain madness, nothing else.

[Credo]

2 hours ago, robblok said:

In the past good old USA put immense pressure on my country to get tough on weed. Always sticking their nose in where it should not be. (comment on American politics not Americans as such)

And did they in anyway force your country to get tough on weed?   

 

This thread is about Thailand and they got tough in 1937, I think that was quite a while before the US started putting any pressure on anybody about weed.