Cannibus question

[dennybob]

No, I am not asking about my growing or smoking. Honestly, I have never tried it even once. And at my age, I have enough trouble with this block on my shoulders without it, so why start now? I have smelled it a time or two in my youth and am sure that some of the folks I grew up with were users but I've never personally partaken. There are no doubt people within my family that do use. How often and even which ones I'm not sure. From what I understand, there are some in the family that could really use some.:-D

Do you think it should be legalized or not? Why so or why not?

Would the drug problem at our Southern border be much lessened if it were legal to grow it and sell it here? I have heard (read an article or two also) that most of the drug traffic coming across the border is marijuana. Could that be the nail in the coffin of the drug cartels or would they move onto harder drugs and continue to smuggle those across? Would the regulating of the industry make it safer? Would taxation of the product bring in big hunks of revenue for governing bodies?

Would legalizing it just lead to many more problems or solve some?

I would really like to see hemp legalized as a crop for sure. I think there are so many products that can be made from hemp that it warrants legalization but, just wondered about the related crop of marijuana.

Anyone with an opinion on it?

[Mike]

I have long thought that hemp growing should be legalized for another cash crop. Why should Central America be given a free reign to grow it?

We've been held back considerably in this "Global" economy.

[Sandhusker]

Personally, I don't see much difference between weed and whiskey - and weed might even be less harmful. You never hear of somebody getting stoned and beating their wife.

Marijuana legalized for medicine? Of course. No reason not to.

Hemp legalized? Of course. No reason not to - and it is another crop for farmers.

[dennybob]

I could really see the benefits of hemp in many areas. It could be used as compressed fibers for building materials, to rope to oils, ointments, creams and clothing. There are just hundreds of products that it could replace if it was used to it's potential.

[Twister Frost]

I have to say I am pretty firm in my stance against the legalization of marijuana. I do understand the need for medical use, but there are idiots who are claiming medical need for marijuana for a sprained ankle and there are medical doctors who write the prescription. This seems to make it harder on those who truthfully have a need for it. I think eventually it will be voted in, in my state---and then it will be interesting to see which side is right in its stance!
My first year of teaching, I had a student debate with his classmates about the pros of smoking marijuana. He believed that it "opened up his creativity and allowed him to be the best he could be." About five weeks later, the class had a research paper due---this student's topic was the legalization of marijuana. That paper ranks as the number one worst ten-page document I have ever read. I came in after reading his paper and asked him if he was high when he wrote the paper. The student said "yes," and I told the student to make sure the opponents of legalization never got their hands on the paper because it would sure convince the fence-sitters that marijuana was a negative. It made no sense---There might have been three complete sentences in the entire paper and his love of watching the stars (literally the stars in the sky)court one another didn't seem to have much to do with the argument!
One of my students last year did a persuasive paper on not legalizing marijuana--and used the following source. I know nothing about the good doctor, whether it is to line his pockets or such, but I think there are some good points in his argument. Statistics wise, I see a few missing links, but data is constantly being manipulated. As to the raising of hemp--guess I would not be against it---there has to be a way to make the smoking part of the plant undesireable through some genetic engineering of the plant. Just my thoughts---not seeking to make enemies!

http://www.cnbc.com/id/36267223/Why_We_Should_Not_Legalize_Marijuana

[Big Muddy rancher]

It has been legalized to grow hemp in Canada. It is a variety that has very little of the active ingredient of marijuana. All I heard about it was how tough it was to harvest and I haven't heard much that last couple of wet years. Seems the processing plants are always in trouble financially.