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Question:

Why is marijuana illegal?



Answer:

Something is illegal when laws are passed prohibiting it. Marijuana is against the law because there are specific laws which make it illegal.

 

To understand why certain things are illegal, we should understand two basic principles: (1) where laws come from; (2) why one thing, rather than another, may have a law against it.

Laws are rules which are enforced by a controlling authority or Government. In the United States, we have a Constitution, which is considered the highest body of law, or rules, in the land. The US Constitution creates three areas of government: 1. a President to oversee the country; 2. a Legislature to enact and create rules of law; and 3. a Court system to test and enforce the rules and laws enacted by the legislature.

Laws are usually made with the idea of protecting people or things. For instance, laws against driving too fast are safety-oriented and are intended to protect people. Laws against chopping down native cactuses are intended to protect the desert plants, rather than protecting people.

Before a law on anything is created, people must agree that a law is necessary. For some things, most people agree there is no need for a rule or law to control it. On the other hand, when enough people agree that a law is needed, then one may be created by the legislature. Legislatures are made up of representatives elected by people.

If something is determined to be dangerous, and people are doing it in spite of its dangers, then the legislature may create a law to prevent people from doing it and the court system may punish people who break the law.

So, marijuana, like most things which are illegal, has been determined to be a danger to the people, and because some people use it, sell it or possess it in spite of its dangers, laws were created by the legislature to prevent people from using, selling or possessing it and to punish people who violate the law.


Comments
176 thru 180 of 791 comments
On 11/01/05
jordan from OK said:
Alcohol is legal, why isnt weed? i've been drunk, and i've been high, and let me tell you from experience, being drunk is SO much worse than being high. While drunk you cant think straight, and you cant walk or anything. when your high the only real effect is laughter, you can walk, you can think, you can even drive when your stoned. i honestly dont think there is anything wrong with weed, except the fact that it kills brain cells, but hey, alot of things kill brain cells.
On 10/31/05
colby from IN said:
i think marajuana is a stress-releival drug and shouldnt be presented as a bad drug. ive done alot in my day and if i didnt have marajuana who knows where id be... its helped me get through the rough life we have livin in the GA- right next to GI. not good cities to be trying to do good in life... just try to get by
On 10/29/05
Amber from NC said:
Forget about weed. Legalize it? Get ya'll stuff together and learn something
On 10/26/05
nathan from WI said:
Pot should be legal, the goverment tells us about the war on drugs, to stop the illegal distribution of drugs, by making it legla it would save the goverment money by not having to stick money into programs that try to pervent pot from being used and sold, HELLO THEY'RE NOT WORKING, one is able to buy, sell and smoke pot with out much difficulty,
On 10/21/05
Patty P from TX said:
I believe that Marijuana should be legalized. The government has yet to give a good reason as to why it is illegal. It has been proven that there is a higher risk that the people in a club drinking are more likely to engage in a fight than a group of stoners. Alcohol is much worse than weed but it is legal because the government cant find a way to make money off of pot. People are going to continue to smoke pot regardless of the governments stupid laws.
176 thru 180 of 791 comments



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