CreateDebate is a social debate community built around ideas, discussion and democracy.
If this is your first time checking out a debate, here are some quick tips to help get you started:
Arguments with the highest score are displayed first.
Argument replies (both in favor and in opposition) are displayed below the original argument.
To follow along, you may find it helpful to show and hide the replies displayed below each argument.
To vote for an argument, use these icons:
You have the power to cast exactly one vote (either up or down) for each argument.
Once you vote, the icon will become grayed out and the argument's score will change.
Yes, you can change your vote.
Debate scores, side scores and tag scores are automatically calculated by an algorithm that primarily takes argument scores into account.
All scores are updated in real-time.
To learn more about the CreateDebate scoring system, check out the FAQ.
When you are ready to voice your opinion, use the Add Argument button to create an argument.
If you would like to address an existing argument, use the Support and Dispute link within that argument to create a new reply.
It's no harmful than tobacco or alcohol (2 legal products), and the ban on it costs the taxpayer millions of pounds. In some countries, the ban costs people their lives, what with all the gunmen in South America.
Legalize cannabis, and you save money, lives, and preserve freedom in our society.
I don't feel like making some long argument rehashing all that has already been said time and again, but here's a point I can't recall having ever heard before:
If marijuana is legal and you are legally allowed to grow it, it is safer. As it is now, you can buy some weed off the street and, unbeknownst to you, it is laced with meth or PCP. I've been most comfortable smoking what I've received directly from the grower. If I could grow my own (being something of a green-thumb I definitely would like to try it, but won't until it is legalized), I would no longer be at risk of receiving drug-laced pot.
Of all of the criminal drugs, it is one of the least harmful and addictive. It is safer and more useful than tobacco, and AT LEAST as safe as alcohol.
It has therapeutic and medicinal benefits.
While it is illegal, people who are using too heavily are not going to be as inclined to seek help.
The massive amount of money spent keeping it criminalized if ludicrous, but we could make it back through taxation.
While the cartels who transport marijuana may sometimes become violent, the users are not. Use legal methods of distribution and sale, and there would be virtually no association between pot and violence.
Also legalize hemp while we are at it, as it does not have any properties of intoxication and is useful for a wide variety of products.
In reality, Marijuana is just as bad as tobacco and alcohol, however, Marijuana is proven to be a gateway drug into crack cocaine, heroin, opium, etc. It is also proven that the typical marijuana user smokes until high, not until relaxed. When a person is high, he or she is not fully functional. Most daily alcohol drinkers do not drink to get drunk, they drink until they're relaxed, that is one reason alcohol is legal. Marijuana is unfiltered and will cause lung damage as well as tobacco, however tobacco does not affect how you function while marijuana does (as previously stated). Marijuana also has proven to take a permanent toll on the adolescent brain. It has proven poorer performance on thinking tasks, slower motor skill speed, poor attention span, poor verbal memory, and planning ability. Even with 3 weeks of abstinence of Marijuana, attention span is permanently affected but motor skills, planning ability, and thinking tasks have slightly increased but are still affected. With Marijuana use, the brain is working harder than it should causing stress, shorter life span, and a weaker body in the long run. Though Marijuana has proven to help slow down medical issues, it still only slows down, does not cure the medical issue. Same goes with prescription medicine. Most of them only slow down your issue, not get rid of it. The reason prescription medicines are legal is because your doctor needs to allow you to take it. I'm fine if you use marijuana because your doctor prescribes it to you, however most of the time, that is not the case and Marijuana is abused by many teens and young adults. There is a reason the future of America (and the world) is going downhill. The increased Marijuana use in high school and middle schoolers is one of the main reasons.
IS this question asking "would you trust your family with cannabis smokers?"
If so, yes. Absolutely. As much as with someone who has a drink or two in the evening or who smokes cigarettes on their work breaks. Though being a cannabis smoker who often has a couple drinks in the evening and smokes cigarettes on my work breaks I might be a little biased.
No, cannabis should not be legalized because it makes people extremely lazy and delays judgement in teenagers. Thus, it will basically destroy the whole country's next generation,as well as the current one. Consequently, the unemployment rate will go up, causing America's economy to go downhill, for the whole country will be run by lazy-ass potheads, if cannabis is legalized. Therefore,once again, no, cannabis should not be legalized.
What proof have you got that Cannabis can kill you? I have researched this and no-one has ever died from smoking too much Cannabis to die of THC overdose you would have to smoke roughly 15 pounds of Cannabis in roughly 15 minutes, the tobacco you mix with the Cannabis could cause Cancer but that is not because of the Cannabis.
The main health risks with Cannabis is that it can cause mental problems in some people but this is the same for a lot of Legal substances, Alchohol, Tobacco, Fatty Foods and Water are all Legal and have caused more deaths than Cannabis and their all Legal. Cannabis is also helpful for people with Multiple Sclerosis and can help reduce the side effects from Chemotherapy (the drugs used for Chemo are among the most toxic on the planet). I think Legalise it, whilst not totally risk free (but then nothing in life is) it is a lot less harmful than a lot of things already legally available
Well guess this debate has just been summed up I say you can close this debate now. Cause boy I tell ya some people make BS claims and don't know what the heck they are talking about. He will either reply with some more BS or not reply at all because how how easily his comment was debunked.
Just because nobody has died of it in the past does not mean that they can't. Someone may have an allergic reaction to it.
Just because nobody has died doesn't mean it doesn't have bad effects: people can feel very hungry when they have cannabis, this is known as 'getting the munchies'. Cannabis can make people feel paranoid, suspicious, anxious, panicked, light-headed, faint and sick.
Can water cause all of this damage as easily as cannabis does? No.
According to talktofrank.com cannabis is a hallucinogen drug, and can therefore cause you to hallucinate. If you like cannabis, then do you want what happens in the video to happen to you as well?
People have been smoking weed since the dawn of time and you're suggesting that we maintain the ban because someone might die from it, eventually? What about nuts and peanuts? Loads of people are allergic to them. Should we ban them?
"The munchies" is one if the things that has made cannabis such a successful medicine for people undergoing chemotherapy, or living with other treatments or ailments that cause the person to loose their appetite. Smoking weed helps them eat normally again. For all others, I don't see why this is a problem, especially given that drunk munchies exist and cigarettes are appetite suppressants (and not eating at all [to smoke cigarettes] is worse than eating a bit too much).
No, you're right, water harms wayyy more people more viciously and in a more unsuspecting manner.
Cannabis is a hallucinogen, the same way alcohol is a downer, but you're not going to see imaginary flying dragons fighting on your bedroom ceiling after one bowl anymore than you'll drop to the floor blacked out after one beer. You would need to smoke an absurd and some say impossible quantity of weed to start having true visual hallucinations, but the hallucinogenic effects of weed act in a more subtle manner on the user. You mentioned an increase in appetite; that is a hallucinogenic effect. It tampers with your perception of reality (making you feel hungry even if you're full, ravenous if you aren't). If while you are high one sound in particular seems particularly sharp or one color particularly vivid, that is a hallucination. A lot of cannabis users have expressed that they feel time passes slower while high, which describes a change in their perception of the normal flow of time: a hallucination. If you ever actually see a naked white guy dancing in front of your TV and it turns out he's not real, go the the hospital ASAP.
You listed some other adverse effects, some of which I can't dispute except for to say they they go away with time (like someone who is an inexperienced beer drinker getting an upset stomach the first few times they go out to drink) and, generally, the cons you listed are far outweighed by the pros. However, I can also assure you that any advertisement on TV for any FDA approved drug will have a longer list of adverse effects (i.e. our product cures headaches, but may cause nausea, loss of vision, disorientation, internal bleeding, and death). Seriously. The health warnings and negative side-effects for most over the counter, federally approved drugs shame the adverse effects of smoking weed.
Cannabis can cause mild hallucinations but it is not a hallucogenic like for example LSD, people are allergic to a lot of things that are legal, I know someone who is allergic to Alchohol, my Wife is allergic to Cats and suffers from Hay Fever and loads of people are allergic to Nuts should all these things including Pollen be illegal because they might possibly kill something no because that would be stupid and so is that argument for keeping Cannibis illegal. Alchocol also makes people Paranoid, Suspicous, Anxious, Panicked, Light Headed, Faint and Sick but is still legal (and also causes more deaths than Cannibis ever has) and yes Cannibis can cause the Munchies but Alchohol is'nt much better (who has'nt made a dodgy meal choice while Drunk on the way home from the Pub?) and Alchohol is more likely to cause fights than Cannibis. I pointed out that Cannibis can cause mental issues but so can my Epilepsy medication, I said it had never killed anyone I did'nt say it was risk free. Oh and by the way that video is obviously staged and about as true as Reefer Madness. I'll be happy to debate this with you if your willing to bring facts
[NB: I cannot help but feel that this is a bullshit argument, Micmacmoc.]
Just because nobody has died of it in the past does not mean that they can't.
Do you realize how many millions of people have smoked marijuana? If none of them have died yet, whereas long term tobacco use kills half of its smokers, do you really thing marijuana is all that bad?
Someone may have an allergic reaction to it.
Same with peanuts.
I know somebody who is allergic to apples.
And another who is allergic to bananas.
Down with The Fruit!
people can feel very hungry when they have cannabis
People can feel hungry. I usually don't feel like eating after smoking a bowl.
Cannabis can make people feel paranoid
Some people. I've never got it.
suspicious
I can't confirm that from personal experience.
anxious
I usually feel relaxed.
panicked
...and calm.
light-headed
I wouldn't call that a negative side effect. More of a neutral one.
sick
I won't deny this one but, hey, if I'm willing to take it upon myself, so what?
Can water cause all of this damage as easily as cannabis does? No.
Are any of the above side effects "damage"? Aspirin has negative side effects, too. So does cough medicine. Guess they should all be banned!
According to talktofrank.com cannabis is a hallucinogen drug
In what universe can a website with the name "talktofrank.com" be considered a valid source for anything!? Give me a break! If you want a good, reliable source of information about drugs, I have very few complaints (only that they could have more information about some drugs) about Erowid. According to Erowid, marijuana can cause (it is uncommon) CEVs (Closed Eye Visuals). I've known one person who claimed to have experienced CEVs from marijuana, and he looked upon it as a blessing, not a curse.
If you like cannabis, then do you want what happens in the video to happen to you as well?
Datura is the only drug (well, seed) of which I am aware which can cause hallucinations anywhere near that shown in your video.
In what universe can a website with the name "talktofrank.com" be considered a valid source for anything!
In case you didn't know, talktofrank is a British website set up to discourage drug use and stress how no-one should even think about touching them. Using it as a source would be like using godhatesfags.com to prove the immorality of homosexuals.
Datura is the only drug (well, seed) of which I am aware which can cause hallucinations anywhere near that shown in your video.
Mixing drugs is a sure and quick way to reach that level. A little sleep deprivation plus stimulants plus strong hallucinogens, like mushrooms or LSD, when you're already high/drunk to begin with will result in some trippy visual hallucinations.
Cannabis can kill you no more than grass can kill you.
If you think that doesn't matter, then not only have you got something wrong with you, but it is severely wrong.
There is virtually no danger involved in occasional use of marijuana; alcohol and tobacco, however, now those things are real dangerous. Something must really be the matter with you if you think I should be able to decide for myself whether or not tobacco is worth the risk!
I wouldn't call paranoia, sickness, angst, etc., non-dangerous. If you are then do you mean to say that something causing someone to be sick is a healthy thing?
Although there are exceptions, most people do not suffer angst after smoking. It is very relaxing and calming for most people.
It is true that some people do get regularly paranoid while high. Much of this paranoia stems from being in a society where the substance is criminalized and vilified. Take away the social pressures and put them in a scenario where they don't have to worry about being caught, and paranoia is less likely.
Of course some people suffer a more regular and less justifiable sense of paranoia while stoned, but most people I have met who claim to have this experience just plain quit. It isn't pleasant for them, so it is not attractive for them to do.
The same goes for people who have allergic reactions, or otherwise get sick from it. Why would they continue to do it? It is not a very addictive substance, and usually only long term heavy users are likely to become addicted, so if someone is continuing use that is unpleasant for them at high rates for that long, you can blame the user, not the drug. Meanwhile, most users do not suffer these affects regularly. And if it does not harm them, should they be punished or have their freedom limited because a small minority of users don't process the substance as well?
And finally, do you also advocate banning alcohol? That is much better known for causing angst and sickness, is more addictive, is responsible for countless fights, car accidents and falls from high places, and (unlike marijuana) you can overdose on it.
Yeah, I'm starting to agree with you. It is just so hard for me to let such gross misrepresentations fly without commenting on them. But there are better subjects for me to hammer on I suppose...
If you are then do you mean to say that something causing someone to be sick is a healthy thing?
Side effects of Asprin use:
black or bloody stools; confusion; diarrhea; dizziness; drowsiness; hearing loss; ringing in the ears; severe or persistent stomach pain; unusual bruising; vomiting.
My worst physical experience from the use of any psychedelic (HBWR seeds in this case) had fewer side effects! The only negative effect I ever felt from marijuana was a sore (damn thing felt burnt!) throat my second time using it, and that was because I was an inexperienced smoker and I kept the flame on the bowl far too long. Sure, you can feel burnt out afterwards, but very little I would call "negative".
People get disoriented when they take anti-allergy medicine. People can suffer liver or heart failure from medicine designed to alleviate headaches. People can bleed internally or die, among other things, when they take FDA regulated and approved over the counter drugs. Yet medicine is regarded in a healthy light.