Good point between decriminalized and legalized. I guess my arguments are more in response to legalization, but you gotta make baby steps.
I'm fine with companies and government profiting off of legalized pot. Hell, I think that's another good reason TO legalize pot! It's a way to raise revenue without increasing taxes across the board. (I also think that churches should be taxed. A few years back I was listening to someone on NPR saying that if churches paid taxes we could wipe out our debt in a very short period of time and then greatly reduce personal income taxes.)

True that. Makes me wonder if it were legalized how many hippies would stop smoking it because it wouldn't be going against the man anymore. As a famous custodian once said, "Up with hope! Down with dope!"

I voted for Kid Hunter

who's with me?

we downgraded Cannibas from a class b drug to a class c drug a while back. Theres been a massive increase in people smoking it, and the harder skunk variety.

I've no problem with people smoking it, but theres also been an increase in schizophrenia related incidents. The link is there i'm afraid.

I've never heard of this "straight edge".

I would prefer gods green herb stays illegal. cause 'my whole team eatin' mean'

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that assertion came from a contested study conducted in the UK that was announced not long after Gordon Brown announced that he wanted to see stiffer penalties for marijuana-related crimes. I don't remember who conducted or funded the study but do remember that there were serious doubts about how it was conducted when the results were announced, as well as raised eyebrows about the timing.

It's common knowledge that drug use can exacerbate a pre-existing disposition towards schizophrenia, but I thought that was generally relevant to persons younger than their mid twenties, and usually a risk associated with harder drugs. I saw evidence of that with a friend who'd had a history of bouts with "mild" schizophrenia. When he went through a period of depression due to bereavement, he started using speed and ecstasy heavily, and started imagining FBI agents following him, distrusted his friends, was seen in public talking to people who didn't exist, attempted suicide a few times, etc. Sad, but he recovered pretty well when he quit illegal drugs.

I don't know a lot of chronic pot smokers but being a lifetime Californian have known a lot of people who are either part-time users or who used to be heavy users. Only one has the classic paranoia symptoms, and is the first to admit it. He's been using heavily since the age of 13, and is now 50. It's not clear that his bouts with paranoia are due to his smoking habit, but it wouldn't surprise either of us to know that they're at least exaggerated by whatever neurotransmitter imbalances such heavy use might contribute to. Anyway, that's the worst mental illness I've ever heard of that might be related to MJ use, for what anecdotal evidence is worth. On the other hand, I have another friend whom I believe smokes every night, but is the most brilliant, motivated, and successful person I know, so go figure. I agree strongly with the view that pot is much less hazardous than alcohol. Moderation is everything.

Yeah, I've never heard of a link between pot and mental disorders (schizophrenia). I work with two neurologists and the few times we've discussed drug use and its effects on the brain that's never been mentioned.
The worst thing I have heard is that use early in life may affect the development of the brain causing depression later in life. But the level of depression wasn't quantified as "clinical depression", just that it takes more stimulus for the brain to trigger a happy response.

Regarding conversations with the doctors I work with: Today we were talking about a direct relationship between spinal adjustments and strokes. Basically, do not let a chiropractor adjust your neck. The quick twisting motion can cause small tears in the fragile arteries around your spine in your neck. The tears will clot and either occlude the vessel, or the clot will dislodge and travel downstream and block blood flow in your brain.

Sorry, I voted for Zagora. I agree with the cylopean vision he has for this country.