In response to:
I have always been opposed to legalizing pot. My kid sister, on the other hand, grew up in the culture and relies on the "It's-no-different-than-alcohol" argument when we debate the issue. The two arguments I use against legalization are, 1. It's a gateway to hard drugs. While it's true that not everyone (including my sister) who starts with pot moves on to hard drugs, it is also true that virtually all hard drug users started with pot. 2. Most consumers of alcohol limit their drinking to social functions outside the workplace – we don’t see workingmen or women drop what they’re doing at 10 o’clock in the morning to take a 15-minute whiskey break. I believe the opposite would be true if pot were legalized. Bring on the pot-smoking trolls.
Pot fans got what they wanted in Colorado: they finally convinced voters there to support the legalization of “recreational marijuana.” It’s seen as a huge victory for those who support the powers of the individual states, and a great example of “federalism” in action. But who is considering the burden of all of this on the American taxpayer?
Before I go further, let me be clear: I have never in my entire life consumed marijuana. When I was a kid I was out of step with my peers on this, but I’ve just never been interested in “trying it,” and that’s...
"... that not everyone (including my sister) who starts with pot moves on to hard drugs, it is also true that virtually all hard drug users started with pot."
Substitute the word 'beer' for 'pot', and the statement is just as true. Use 'milk' instead of beer, the satement is again just as true. It's not an argument agaainst legalization.
michigander:
"..Pot breaks (with union backing) would become as common as coffee breaks."
With more empirical data and precedent, and less prerjudice towards people who use pot, I say that pot breaks will be as common as beer breaks.
That's convoluted logic. Not all people who drank milk or beer become hard drug users. But nearly 100% of hard drug users smoked pot before moving to the hard stuff. Put that in your pot pipe & smoke it. LMFAO
And here's another link with a link to a study to back that up:
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/07/05/study-the-gateway-drug-is-alcohol-not-marijuana/
I'm honestly surprised you'll throw away that research so quickly. It makes intuitive sense - ethanol is the most common psychoacitve drug in our society and the first one that most users will encounter. Doesn't logic hold that alcohol, then, is the real gateway drug?
So, now you're conveniently a Libertarian? The sure sign of someone who lost a debate for lack of a logical argument, ie: Change the subject. LMAO
(btw, what you're doing is called a Straw Man. Just some fun trivia!)
Are 12-year-old kids "ordinary people?" Can they be trusted to make good decisions about it? Think about it -- do you want your kids/grandkids growing up in a country where "anything" goes.... whatever feels good? Maybe you do, but I don't.
Before I look up another reference or five to back me up that you'll just discount as "by potheads," let's just establish whether or not there's any point to us talking anymore:
Is there anything I could possibly tell you, any research I could possibly provide, that would convince you that marijuana prohibition makes pot easier for kids to access than marijuana legalization would? Are you open to the possibility that this, counterintuitive as it sounds, could possibly be true, or are you just going to sneer and call me a pothead some more?
Yeah, right.... and other kids plant it, fertilize it, cultivate it, harvest it, package it, smuggle it and sell it to the kids who then sell it to our kids. No sinister guys involved at all. Just children of the world (BTW, wasn't there a hippy song by that title?) LMFAO
Hell, my kid sister thinks it's okay to drive a car after smoking pot..... says it's not the same as driving after drinking..... says she actually drives better after burning one. Any of you trolls want to defend that, too? LMFAO
So you kid sister takes the point on that one.
And for your second reason, we DO see some of those people (they're called alcoholics), but generally you're right. Everyone I know who smokes pot is gainfully employed and has no trouble keeping it from their workplace.
I believe the opposite would be true if pot were legalized. Pot breaks (with union backing) would become as common as coffee breaks.