There is a very good reason, whether you agree with it or not. That reason is that the majority want it to be illegal for recreational use. That's a reason. Saying 'there is no reason' over and over again doesn't change what the majority want and got.
I am not sure I agree with that. You've said it many times, but I'm not sure where you're getting that idea. You seem to be saying essentially that most people want it to be illegal because it's illegal. Am I missing something?
It was not me 'finally admitting' it. It was me saying that it was my opinion, and being told over and over again that I could not have that opinion because I would not accept studies showing marijuana not to be harmful as the basis for changing my opinion.
I'll have to dig up the thread, because I'm pretty sure that's not quite how it happened.
Being against marijuana was my opinion at the beginning and never changed. I'm willing to argue about what harm marijuana does - but it's pretty clear that studies done on one side or the other don't change anyone's mind. Certainly not mine.
No one is arguing that weed is altogether healthful, although there are documented health benefits in some cases. Weed for recreational use would need to be controlled much as we control access to alcohol and tobacco.
Anything, if abused, will be damaging to your health. That goes for everything from alcohol to a juicy ribeye steak. Too much fat will kill you dead, just as surely as anything else will.
I am, as you say, opposed to the recreational use of weed. I'll say that to anyone who asks my opinion on the subject, and I'll vote that way everytime I get the chance. I reject any suggestion that I'm a hypocrite for believing that, or that I must change my opinion based on someone's posted links to studies that purport to show this or that.
I never suggested that you are a hypocrite, nor that you should change your opinion. I am simply saying that your opinion is clearly grounded in emotion. Many of our opinions are. What I can't understand is why you continue to try and argue your emotional position. This is why you keep falling back to "it's my opinion and I'm allowed to have it."
For people who believe in 'freedom' there sure is a lot of "you're not allowed to believe that" going on here.
Exactly the opposite.
I do believe it, I'm going to keep believing it, and I'm going to continue to agitate for the continued non-legality of recreational marijuana use. I don't want to use it and I don't want anyone to use it.
In the words of Perry Mason, "Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, I rest my case."
Your suggestion is that while I may be entitled to my personal opinion, I have no right to try to subject others to it; that is not acceptable. I have every right to attempt to do just that, and I will. Others who feel differently have the exact same right, and if they can convince the lawmakers to make pot legal, then so be it. I'll still be against it, but it will be the law.
Once again, not even close. My suggestion is that you be at least honest enough with yourself to admit that your position is emotional and not rational. Any arguments you make are attempts to rationalize your position, and "facts" are irrelevant because you will never change your mind. For example, now you're trying to argue from the position of the majority: "Most people want it to be illegal, so it is." But can you honestly say that if you were the only one in the country who felt as you do, you'd change your mind? I don't think so. I would suspect that if there were a clear minority of people who felt as you do, you'd throw out something along the lines of, "There was a time when the majority thought the world was flat."
