Most Canadians do not approve of gay marriage, it's true. This issue was forced down everyone's socially conscious throat by militants who won't accept a perfectly reasonable middle ground. The anti-smoking brigade is nuts too. But I do believe that keeping marijuana illegal is unjustified. Yes, you shouldn't smoke it, you shouldn't smoke anything. But, smoking aside, what are the ill effects or marijuana? Considerably less than they are for alcohol ... and cannabis intoxication is not like alcohol intoxication ... the former makes you peaceful, the latter makes most people aggressive.

I agree that Canada should focus on far more important things and that wacky liberals have forced these relatively unimportant things on the nation ... but, I did want to speak up about the marijuana point. If alcohol and tobacco are legal, as they always should be, then cannabis should at least be decriminalized. Canada actually has its political head screwed on straight with regard to pot.

Just to argue a bit, I'd disagree that cigarettes are in the same league as marijuana. With controversial reports aside that say marijuana cigarettes are more harmful than those made with tobacco aside, I would not want to be driving on the same roads with someone who has been smoking marijuana. It impedes reflexes and may (not necessarily, but it does happen) cause distracting affects in someone.

That being said, I don't think marijuana nor tobacco should be legal; unless for medical applications, they are have absolutely benefits for society.

Why the hell would we want to legalize marijuana? To send out a message that its not bad for you? Because we know it can kill you and that it destroys motivation, and that it very probably increases your risk of schizophrenia.

Don't get me wrong, I smoke pot on occasion. But I choose my times carefully, and I know that I can't smoke it publicly and all the rest. I smoke it at a risk to my health and because I realize this I smoke it in moderation. Why legalize it? Those who want to smoke it can, and do. Legalizing simply means that the gov't is condoning a hazardous substance. Decriminalize it perhaps, but there definitely needs to be considerable fines to send out a message to the public that this is an unacceptable practice.

Secondly, I'd like to say that the gay issue is getting far too much publicity. An election on that issue would be a travesty and a huge insult to the people of our country. I am for gay marriages but for Christ sakes, we shouldn't allow the Christians to make this a top issue.

Thirdly, I'd like to say that cigarettes are one of the biggest killers in North America. What's the big deal with banning them? Quit crying... not smoking in bars is hardly an issue. It's not the government that's making this a bigger deal than it is, it's the smokers who are. I only quit smoking 2 weeks ago so I smoked for a couple years under the no-smoking bans in restaurants and it wasn't an inconvenience at all. Ask most bar patrons and they'll tell you that they enjoy the bars more as a smoke free environment. They used to be disgusting, talking through clouds of smoke. I can't believe we ever did it.

I do appreciate that you highlight the need to take care of the homeless issue and the Inuit problems first. Health Care and education still need consideration, but those are always up there on the priority list anyway.

I've always thought it funny that far right-wing philosphers and Christian fundamentalists have attacked gay marriage with so much energy. I would think that they would argue more against co-habitation without marriage and divorce since those instance reflect a greater part of society.

Cigarettes have always been an iffy subject. While it would ultimately be better for society if they would be outright made illegal, tobacco has rooted itself so deeply in our society that trying to ban it would be near impossible.

Draft the homeless into the army. Everyone wins!

Sydney, You're saying you smoke weed and
you are also against legalization? WOW!
If this is so then you are saying this:

You are also saying that people who do
smoke it then deserve to run the risk of
being taken to jail,losing their jobs &
homes,being treated like criminals and
so on.

What the Govt.is saying by legalizing it
is that: We realize that you are adults
and as adults,you deserve to make your
own decisions regarding your OWN health
and welfare.That we have no business w/
interfering in your private lives and we
will not subject you to being imprisoned
with killers,rapists,thieves,molesters &
the like because you may want to sit
around the house and watch TV while you
are getting buzzed with friends and
family.They are saying that we are not
going to overload an already overloaded
criminal justice system with harmless
weed heads and spend more money from an
already overstretched budget on their
prosecution when we could find much much
more logical ways to help to insure that
real crime is dealt with expediently and
not bogged down in trying to win a very
un-winnable war on drugs.

Yes,Weed should be subject to laws that
follow common sense. No smoking around
children or in public places,don't drive
and smoke,be responsible about your own
usage etc. In general the same laws that
apply to alcohol.As someone who's a self
proclaimed user of the herb you're not
putting forth a very logical argument at
all.

I disagree with saying that marijuana should be legal because adults should have the right to make a choice. Becaue with that theory, all drugs should be legal. Should cocaine, LSD, and others be legal?

Actually I think we could take Luxembourg...but only if someone could give a lift over the Pond.

James Gore: "[T]obacco has rooted itself so deeply in our society that trying to ban it would be near impossible."

So has alcohol, don't forget.

"I don't think marijuana nor tobacco should be legal; unless for medical applications, they are have absolutely benefits for society."

I agree about tobacco, no medical or societal use at all. But, again, I make the point about marijuana. Because society seems perversely to prefer aggression over sanguinity, marijuana was never given a chance to root itself in Western society. I understand the impulse in saying, "Alcohol and tobacco are bad enough, let's not add a third drug." BUT, I stand by the Dutch experiment - turn a blind eye, let people indulge if they want to as long as they don't get more than 3 oz., and focus on harder drugs. Accept that cannabis is part of society now, like it or not, and move on. We only waste time on the marijuana issue because we deceive ourselves into thinking it will go away. It won't.

Mark Edward Manning...

Pot legalization in Holland hasn't worked and they are making moves to re-criminalize it, or at least to make it a minor offence that warrants a fine (like a traffic ticket). Holland has done more to suggest that pot needs legislation governing its use, than any other country, yet you use it as an example of the contrary. I'm not sayin that link between pot and Hollands social issues is clear and unarguable, but I am saying that Holland has a number of social problems and drug users. This doesn't reflect well on their marijuana legalization policy.

HW SAxton,

Yes I smoke pot and I don't mind running the risk of getting caught with a joint or two on me. Cops don't prosecute for amounts that small anyway (at least not in Canada). They just throw it out and send you on your way.

Secondly, you say:

"You are also saying that people who do
smoke it then deserve to run the risk of being taken to jail, losing their jobs & homes, being treated like criminals and so on."

You have falsely attributed these words to me. You obviously didn't read my post clearly. I am against legalization because pot, like alcohol, is a killer. It's bad enough that we have alcoholics, let alone weed-aholics who get stoned while taking care of their children or driving their car etc. Why send out a message that suggest weed is fine for you when we know in fact that it will kill you if consumed regularly.

I suggest decriminalizing it (as Canada has been trying to do). This simply means that it is an offence that carries a fine like a traffic ticket. It doesn't mean going to jail, going to court, or loosing your job. Give me a fuckin brake.

Anyway, what I really wish is that all you fuckin losers out there would quit making this the central political concern of your life. There are people homeless and starving out there and yet your contribution to the politics of your country is; "Marijuana should be legal , man!".

It's nearly as bad as the people harping on the gay marriage shit as if its going to make a difference any which way. All the while, people are starving to death, a war is going on and North America is caught up in a childish debate over marijuana laws and the meaning of the word Marriage.

This was the point of the original post, I believe, and I think it's an important one.

Marijuana is not really part of society right now. It's still on the fringe. I'd hazard to guess that more adults have sugar addictions than smoke marijuana even on an infrequent basis.

Sydney,I'm not saying that you said that
"Directly". But by keeping it a crime it
can still cause a lot of problems that
are needless if legalization were made
law. Maybe some police won't cause any
grief for those caught with some small
amount but others might. People just do
not need to be treated like criminals
because they smoke it.And I don't think
it's right for Govt. to make choices for
us regarding our own individual health.
This is the main gist of my statement.

well taht last statement is different from your last.

However, I'll say that we disagree fundamentaly. I think the state should make choices for us concering our individal health. You disagree.

Marijuana, smoking and gay marriage are Canadians' three biggest concerns? Sez who?

Here in Montreal we're more interested in more important social issues such as restaurants, niteclubs, fashion and hair salons.

"Why the hell would we want to legalize marijuana?"

"Don't get me wrong, I smoke pot on occasion."

Sooo...you'd be cool with being arrested and imprisoned?

"There are people [...] starving out there"

In Canada? Name one...

"I think the state should make choices for us concering our individal health."

Then may I suggest doing sit-ups, instead of posting inane comments here?

Sydnet,It's not diffrent just ambiguous
or you are reading into what you want to
believe,that's all. I was simply saying
that by condoning keeping it illegal you
are also indirectly condonong all of the
subsuquent consequences of illegality in
this regard. This is irrefutable.To wit:
If it's illegal then you are a criminal.
This seems to make perfect sense to me.
I may not have worded it as clear as I
could've but I thought that you would've
understood. Sorry if this caused you any
dismay or vexation.Honestly.I'm not here
to agree trivialities.There are really a
lot nicer ways to spend a suuny spring afternoon.

Cordially & un-snarkily,
Harold