[arsonistsgetallthegirls]

Originally Posted by dooey100

Marijuana has often been described as a gateway drug, because people have marijuana, and then want to try harder drugs like cocaine or ecstasy. Do you think that legalizing marijuana might reduce this effect?

For example, someone might not want to try cocaine because they have heard it is bad for you and it is illegal (and feels good). But they have heard marijuana is not really bad, and is pretty fun, although it is illegal. So they try marijuana, and like it, and there is no real problem.

But then they look at cocaine at cocaine and say that it may be bad for you, but they have already had marijuana, which is illegal, so cocaine being illegal is not as big a thing as it seemed like before. Do you think this would be enough to reduce the amount of cocaine users?

<- long time lurker, first time poster (in CT)

By far the most valid argument made here, but the government has found ways to tax plants and farmers before...

Yes, because legalizing marijuana would keep people away from dealers who sell illegal drugs. There was already no solid evidence to show marijuana as a gateway drug (I can provide the link if needed) and legalizing makes hard drugs even more difficult to switch to, saying marijuana is the most common psychoactive being sold by drug dealers, who sell hard drugs.

Alcohol is legal because the process involved in making -good- alcohol is quite involved, time consuming and expensive. You can't make quality brandy in your basement, or quality vodka etc etc.

So the government can legalise it, knowing only specialised businesses will be producing it, allowing it to be easily regulated, taxed and controlled.

Marijuana can be turned from plants into joints basically with no actual infrastructure in between. If it were made legal, anyone with an interest in using it could easily and simply grow their own, with not that much time, effort or money.

It would be incredibly hard to regulate and control, and thus tax, which would generate very little revenue for the government.

This, completely apart from any reasoning on moral grounds, will prevent the legalization of marijuana any time in the near future.

By far the most valid argument posted, but the government has found ways to tax plants before...