Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Marijuana 
and Firearms?

I agree that what is out there already, products of the big pharmaceutical companies, is probably much worse than marijuana. I have read that it is impossible to OD on marijuana (not sure if that is true or not) and I am pretty sure that if it was legalized and kept in pure and natural form (i.e. no chemical enhancements) you would not have a ton of disclaimers about anal bleeding, itchy feet, four hour erections or whatever hell the other crazy side effects of prescription drugs are.

Gentlemen, this subject is something that I am interested in. I believe in freedom, and I am trying to understand how one can come to the mindset that it should be illegal for a grown adult to make a choice to ingest a plant that will at the worst make the consumer lazy, complacent, tired, and hungry. However, I have seen shoppettes that sell hard alcohol 24/7 which cause deaths(by ingesting too much, or wrecking into an innocent person/ family), fights, organ damage, destroying families/ marriages etc. How is our society so hypocritical and in denial?

As far as seeing the data from real research, I don't know if you have seen the cannabis that the government uses for research, but it is definitely not anywhere near the quality that is being sold to the public. If you want to look at real research, you will have to look towards other countries. This is because since marijuana is a schedule I drug, so the government deemed the only place in the United States that can legally research it is in a research lab out in Ole Miss college in Mississippi. With the poor quality and only one research facility, do you not think the findings might also be skewed? The more sources/ research we can get will paint a more complete picture, however that is not allowed.

Have y'all seen the one pharmaceutical company in Arizona that put in $500,000 toward the anti-legalization campaign (when Arizona was voting on it last year) has now been granted privilege by the DEA to produce a "synthetic marijuana"??? Who knows what's in it; it can't be no where as healthy as natural. "Spice" had "synthetic marijuana" compounds.

As far as marijuana OD deaths, there haven't been any. I would think that with the four states that have already been selling recreationally, if at least one death would have happened strictly due to MJ overdosing this information would have been blasted all over the news. You can search the internet all day for one case of marijuana overdose throughout history; good luck finding proof of one. For some reason, we still hear that "marijuana is slightly less dangerous than heroin".

I do believe it will be legalized at most within 15 years or so. With newer generations growing up with all information at their finger tips, it will be harder for them to fool with propaganda. People kinda stick to the mold of what their parents taught them. If you were taught that marijuana was bad and not to question that your whole life, it will be harder to change your stance as an adult that has been believing that for years. It's like religion; if you were taught a certain religion and never to question as a child, it will be unlikely for you to feel comfortable to see someone's point of view that believes in something else. One doesn't even want to flirt with the idea of another religion; they won't entertain it. I feel the same is with views about marijuana.

Sorry for the long rant... like I said, I believe in freedom and fighting for it. People losing their jobs/ going to jail over this plant is absurd when we find way more destructive substances socially acceptable. It is time for a change. Knowledge is power.

SFC (Join to see) - My job requires that I participate in routine and random drug analysis. That said, I enjoy Jack and Jameson. I have never tried the stuff, but if and when the federal law changes and/or I an not subject to testing, I'd like to try it to see what all the hype is about.