Uruguay aims to legalize, oversee marijuana market - Polidicks

[URL]http://news.yahoo.com/uruguay-aims-legalize-oversee-marijuana-market-025855813.html[/URL] [QUOTE]MONTEVIDEO (Reuters) - Uruguay's government unveiled a proposal on Wednesday to legalize and monitor the marijuana market, arguing that the drug is less harmful than the black market where it is trafficked. President Jose Mujica's leftist government will send a bill to Congress shortly on this as part of a package of measures to fight crime in the South American country. [B]The government will also urge that marijuana sales be legalized worldwide,[/B] Defense Minister Eleuterio Fernandez Huidobro said, adding the measure could discourage the use of so-called hard drugs. Marijuana consumption is already legal in Uruguay. "We want to fight against two different things: one is drug consumption and the other is drug trafficking. We think the ban on certain drugs is creating more problems in society than the drug itself," the minister told a news conference. "Homicides related to settling scores have increased and that's a clear sign that certain phenomena are appearing in Uruguay that didn't exist before," he said. The bill would legalize and set rules for the production and sale of marijuana but would not allow people to grow the plant for their own personal use. The government did not give details on how the new system would work. In Uruguay about $75 million changes hands each year in the illegal marijuana trade, according to official estimates. As of last year, 20 percent of people between 15 and 65 years old reported they had smoked marijuana at least once and about 5 percent of respondents were habitual users. The proposal to legalize the marijuana market is one of 15 crime-fighting measures that include tougher penalties for police corruption, crack-cocaine trafficking and juvenile offenders. [/QUOTE]

Stupendous, maybe I won't get that card on Monday after all!

Uruguay could either make a good example or it could completely go wrong, this might be a two way street.

Well if it's successful the rest of the world may even follow them as an example obviously. ( I hope )

[quote]"We want to fight against two different things: one is drug consumption and the other is drug trafficking. We think the ban on certain drugs is creating more problems in society than the drug itself," the minister told a news conference.[/quote] Finally a country is realizing this, Hell, alcohol and cigarettes are just as harmful, as are some prescription drugs. I don't smoke anything but even I see how futile it is to try and keep something as widely used as weed illegal forever.

[QUOTE=Computrix;36420468]Finally a country is realizing this, Hell, alcohol and cigarettes are just as harmful, as are some prescription drugs. I don't smoke anything but even I see how futile it is to try and keep something as widely used as weed illegal forever.[/QUOTE] *more harmful

[QUOTE=Stormcharger;36420610]*more harmful[/QUOTE] -snip- Arguement was made invalid [QUOTE=Chicken_Chaser;36422211]You... can't say something like that. I've never even actually see someone mix it with tobacco here, it's not some crazy requirement.[/QUOTE] Good point, however my intention was not to emphazise on whether or not people actually use tobacco or not, but rather on the fact that only by itself is weed less toxic.

[QUOTE=Zerohope;36422180]On it's own it's not even as close to tobacco or alcohol in terms of toxicity, however when you do happen to mix your weed up with tobacco to spark it easier, you bring some of the toxins with you. Legalize, let a good amount of it start growing, start seeing people smoking pure green instead of mixing with tobacco. THEN we can talk about it being less toxic. Until then, where people are still mixing with tobacco, it will remain just as harmful, sadly.[/QUOTE] You... can't say something like that. I've never even actually see someone mix it with tobacco here, it's not some crazy requirement.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibQZLHo7JAQ[/media]

[QUOTE=Stormcharger;36420610]*more harmful[/QUOTE] smoking a cigarette is meant to calm the nerves, a drink of wine calms the nerves. A spliff however, changes a person's mindset entirely, it affects the mind a lot more than the above drugs. Look at marajuana as a symbol in society, not in legal terms I mean in general. It is a symbol of getting high and laying back. Where as alcohol and tabacco are symbols of a social gathering. This doesn't mean I'm biased one way or another, I'm just looking at it from a different perspective.

[QUOTE=AK'z;36423262]smoking a cigarette is meant to calm the nerves, a drink of wine calms the nerves. A spliff however, changes a person's mindset entirely, it affects the mind a lot more than the above drugs. Look at marajuana as a symbol in society, not in legal terms I mean in general. It is a symbol of getting high and laying back. Where as alcohol and tabacco are symbols of a social gathering. This doesn't mean I'm biased one way or another, I'm just looking at it from a different perspective.[/QUOTE] It takes a massive idiot to start smoking for the social aspect of it

[QUOTE=FlubberNugget;36423499]It takes a massive idiot to start smoking for the social aspect of it[/QUOTE] As if there's any reason to do it in the first place?

thanks for taking the initiative, uruguay [editline]21st June 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;36424101]As if there's any reason to do it in the first place?[/QUOTE] uh, there is? [editline]21st June 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=AK'z;36423262]smoking a cigarette is meant to calm the nerves, a drink of wine calms the nerves. A spliff however, changes a person's mindset entirely, it affects the mind a lot more than the above drugs. Look at marajuana as a symbol in society, not in legal terms I mean in general. It is a symbol of getting high and laying back. Where as alcohol and tabacco are symbols of a social gathering. This doesn't mean I'm biased one way or another, I'm just looking at it from a different perspective.[/QUOTE] alright, smoke a carton and gun a handle and let's see how quickly that goes bad, as opposed to smoking weight. when we talk about "harmful", it should be given by now that we're mentioning health effects. who says i can't smoke in a social gathering? that's how a lot of people smoke to begin with.

[QUOTE=AK'z;36423262]smoking a cigarette is meant to calm the nerves, a drink of wine calms the nerves. A spliff however, changes a person's mindset entirely, it affects the mind a lot more than the above drugs. Look at marajuana as a symbol in society, not in legal terms I mean in general. It is a symbol of getting high and laying back. Where as alcohol and tabacco are symbols of a social gathering. This doesn't mean I'm biased one way or another, I'm just looking at it from a different perspective.[/QUOTE] I disagree about the symbol in society from how most people view things where I live. Alcohol is a symbol of a social gathering where people get wasted, and a symbol of people who drink to relax after a day of work. Getting high is a symbol of a social gathering where people get together, watch movies laugh and shit play games and eat, or a person who does that by themself at home. tobacco isn't really a symbol of a social gathering, i mean its a social thing to do but people dont really say hey lets get together a group of people and have a smoke unless they are 13 or something.

[t]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/World-cannabis-laws.png[/t] 4 great countries now (Or is this image about consumption of cannabis?)

[QUOTE=uitham;36424445][t]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/World-cannabis-laws.png[/t] 4 great countries now (Or is this image about consumption of cannabis?)[/QUOTE] Greece also decriminalized cannabis some months back.

[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;36424101]As if there's any reason to do it in the first place?[/QUOTE] It's something people do to enjoy themselves. Some people like to skydive, some people like to race cars, some people like to smoke weed. It's not some sort of social taboo that there isn't a reason for, it's just a pleasure in life much like anything else.

[QUOTE=Stormcharger;36424379]tobacco isn't really a symbol of a social gathering, i mean its a social thing to do but people dont really say hey lets get together a group of people and have a smoke unless they are 13 or something.[/QUOTE] People are constantly going away in groups for smoke breaks, and the no-smoke-areas only brought smokers closer together. Literally.

[QUOTE=FlubberNugget;36423499]It takes a massive idiot to start smoking for the social aspect of it[/QUOTE] I first smoked a shisha at a wedding 3 years ago, I smoked it because I cared for the person's happiness and wanted to be together in that happiness. I have not smoked since, so any of what you say is ridiculously untrue. [editline]21st June 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=stupid10er;36424179] alright, smoke a carton and gun a handle and let's see how quickly that goes bad, as opposed to smoking weight. when we talk about "harmful", it should be given by now that we're mentioning health effects. who says i can't smoke in a social gathering? that's how a lot of people smoke to begin with.[/QUOTE] Not sure if this is a blank statement or an argument. See my reply before. The shisha is a celebratory item, just like a cigar.. not much with a cigarette. You will not be seeing a wedding with marajuana being served out because being high and abnormal among a crowd is socially unacceptable. A few drinks will only make the person more merry, socially acceptable.

[QUOTE=Marik Bentusi;36425118]People are constantly going away in groups for smoke breaks, and the no-smoke-areas only brought smokers closer together. Literally.[/QUOTE] Yea I know I've made plenty of friends in no smoke areas during the times I smoke, but when you think of tobacco you dont think of it as a symbol of social gathering [editline]21st June 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=AK'z;36425205]I first smoked a shisha at a wedding 3 years ago, I smoked it because I cared for the person's happiness and wanted to be together in that happiness. I have not smoked since, so any of what you say is ridiculously untrue. [editline]21st June 2012[/editline] Not sure if this is a blank statement or an argument. See my reply before. The shisha is a celebratory item, just like a cigar.. not much with a cigarette. You will not be seeing a wedding with marajuana being served out because being high and abnormal among a crowd is socially unacceptable. A few drinks will only make the person more merry, socially acceptable.[/QUOTE] It really depends where you live man, heaps of people get high at weddings where I live and it makes people more merry as long as they don't get too monged and it is socially acceptable.

[QUOTE=Stormcharger;36425272] It really depends where you live man, heaps of people get high at weddings where I live and it makes people more merry as long as they don't get too monged and it is socially acceptable.[/QUOTE] Not only where you live, but what kind of people will be present. There were only shishas at the wedding I went to because it was a Turkish/Lebanese themed party. It was a fairly even group, although some were completely against smoking, it was still part of the theme. Nobody was trying to get high either, even though I think I did, but I was young so this is forgiveable.

Sorry the last bit confuses me, do you think that you can get high from shisha? [editline]21st June 2012[/editline] apart from feeling lightheaded due to lack of oxygen

[QUOTE=uitham;36424445][t]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/World-cannabis-laws.png[/t] 4 great countries now (Or is this image about consumption of cannabis?)[/QUOTE] explain the difference between light blue and dark blue, i live in south australia and there is no way its legal in any way here.

[QUOTE=Stormcharger;36425353]Sorry the last bit confuses me, do you think that you can get high from shisha? [editline]21st June 2012[/editline] apart from feeling lightheaded due to lack of oxygen[/QUOTE] Then yeah, I had a "lightheaded" high.

Mostly everyone I know smokes pot here, yeah, there's no real reason to not have it legal and it'll help the retarded crime skyrocketing we have had endured during my entire childhood.

[QUOTE=AK'z;36423262]smoking a cigarette is meant to calm the nerves, a drink of wine calms the nerves. A spliff however, changes a person's mindset entirely, it affects the mind a lot more than the above drugs. Look at marajuana as a symbol in society, not in legal terms I mean in general. It is a symbol of getting high and laying back. Where as alcohol and tabacco are symbols of a social gathering. This doesn't mean I'm biased one way or another, I'm just looking at it from a different perspective.[/QUOTE] But when you take 8-12 shots your in a completely different mindset as-well..

[QUOTE=Spawnster;36425861]But when you take 8-12 shots your in a completely different mindset as-well..[/QUOTE] That's why only imbeciles do 8 shots at a social gathering. This comment won't go over well with young people, but if you don't like the comment then enjoy risking your life for the sake of showing off.

Lets hope many countries follow their example.

[QUOTE=Rather Not;36424826]Greece also decriminalized cannabis some months back.[/QUOTE] Greece decriminalized owning and using cannabis. Selling it remains illegal...

[QUOTE=AK'z;36425959]That's why only imbeciles do 8 shots at a social gathering. This comment won't go over well with young people, but if you don't like the comment then enjoy risking your life for the sake of showing off.[/QUOTE] 8 shots will get you plenty drunk and have a pretty great time (depending on your tolerance) i don't see what's wrong with drinking so much that you get drunk