NationStates Jolt Archive

I am here to try and drum up support for my resolution on responsible Marijuana use. Let’s all be honest, we’ve all tried it at least once and we all know that when used in a safe and responsible environment it does no more harm than getting drunk. As long as we keep strict guidelines on how and where it should be used there is no reason why the use of Marijuana should be illegal. If we limit the sale of Marijuana to adults and put strict penalties to the sale of Marijuana to minors then we can promote safe and responsible use of this inoffensive drug.

Please can the UN delegates support this decision and help repeal these restrictive and overbearing laws. Just search for Marijuana on the UN Proposals page.

Many Thanks
The Grelg

Actually, recent studies show that it can be linked to severe psychological problems. Not every nation has "restrictive and overbearing laws" in place for it's consumption (much the same as many other drugs), but I would argue that until more research is done in this matter you hold off pushing for legislation.

What I would suggest you could do is push legislation permitting the medical prescription of Marijuana to relieve suffers of chronic pain. There is clear evidence it does improve the quality of life for such people.

Let’s all be honest, we’ve all tried it at least once and we all know that when used in a safe and responsible environment it does no more harm than getting drunk
No, not everyone here has tried it.

And before I forget.
http://bak42.notworksafe.com/images/NationStates/UNCards/mossproposal.jpg

And before I forget.
http://bak42.notworksafe.com/images/NationStates/UNCards/mossproposal.jpg
agree with you there boss. we also agree with Hirota that marijuana use has been found to cause psychological problems, including depression, apathy and behavioral change. at this point in time, it is allowed for use for those with chronic pain, but is heavily regulated. we are not going to support a proposal that allows general use. also, you have compared it to alcohol, in that it can be used in a safe and responsable environment. i dont know about your nation, but it has been proven here that the only safe place to consume alcohol is at home, though sometimes it is not neccisarily safe, nor are the people consuming it responsable.

I'm not going to look at your proposal text if I have to search for it and it's not a topic that interests me. Especially if such a proposal has already been tried 800,000 times. There are generally three of these proposals in the system at any given time.

Don't make assumptions, especially vague generalizations, as support for your argument: No, everyone here has not tried marijuana. I, myself, refuse to take any sort of substance which might inhibit my mental functions (apart from caffeine), possibly why I've lived to the ripe old age of 1,386. Either that or it's the immortality thing. Also, getting drunk can be pretty devastating to your system as well.

But marijuana should not be legalized on the grounds that "it's not as dangerous as other drugs". I'm under the impression it's a step in the wrong direction to endorse legalizing any drug, especially on an international level. I don't think it's necessary that every citizen in the world has the right to use drugs, and while my nation does grant people those rights, it's not a method that we feel everyone else has to conform to. I feel fine giving these rights to my citizens because they have a good deal of common sense, in addition to no actual money to buy drugs with and some sincere physiological incompatibilities to such drugs (booze + firebreathing chicken = featherbomb). But other nations should be allowed to make the choice themselves.

Here's the question any Marijuana proposal writer should ask themselves before posting such a proposal: You already have the ability to legalize marijuana in your own nation. Do you really care if other nations have it legalized as well?

Here is my proposal then as stated on the resolution I am trying to push through.

Principles of Responsible Cannabis Use:

When marijuana is enjoyed responsibly, subjecting users to harsh criminal and civil penalties provides no public benefit and causes terrible injustices. For reasons of public safety, public health, economics and justice, the prohibition laws should be repealed to the extent that they criminalize responsible marijuana use.
By adoption of this statement, the NORML Board of Directors has attempted to define "responsible cannabis use."

I. Adults Only

Cannabis consumption is for adults only. It is irresponsible to provide cannabis to children.
Many things and activities are suitable for young people, but others absolutely are not. Children do not drive cars, enter into contracts, or marry, and they must not use drugs. As it is unrealistic to demand lifetime abstinence from cars, contracts and marriage, however, it is unrealistic to expect lifetime abstinence from all intoxicants, including alcohol. Rather, our expectation and hope for young people is that they grow up to be responsible adults. Our obligation to them is to demonstrate what that means.

II. No Driving

The responsible cannabis consumer does not operate a motor vehicle or other dangerous machinery while impaired by cannabis, nor (like other responsible citizens) while impaired by any other substance or condition, including some medicines and fatigue.
Although cannabis is said by most experts to be safer than alcohol and many prescription drugs with motorists, responsible cannabis consumers never operate motor vehicles in an impaired condition. Public safety demands not only that impaired drivers be taken off the road, but that objective measures of impairment be developed and used, rather than chemical testing.

III. Set and Setting

The responsible cannabis user will carefully consider his/her set and setting, regulating use accordingly.
"Set" refers to the consumer's values, attitudes, experience and personality, and "setting" means the consumer's physical and social circumstances. The responsible cannabis consumer will be vigilant as to conditions -- time, place, mood, etc. -- and does not hesitate to say "no" when those conditions are not conducive to a safe, pleasant and/or productive experience.

IV. Resist Abuse

Use of cannabis, to the extent that it impairs health, personal development or achievement, is abuse, to be resisted by responsible cannabis users.
Abuse means harm. Some cannabis use is harmful; most is not. That which is harmful should be discouraged.
Wars have been waged in the name of eradicating "drug abuse", but instead of focusing on abuse, enforcement measures have been diluted by targeting all drug use, whether abusive or not. If marijuana abuse is to be targeted, it is essential that clear standards be developed to identify it.

V. Respect Rights of Others

The responsible cannabis user does not violate the rights of others, observes accepted standards of courtesy and public propriety, and respects the preferences of those who wish to avoid cannabis entirely.
No one may violate the rights of others, and no substance use excuses any such violation.

there is one thing that are having trouble with here and that is one phrase
responsible cannabis user
like alcohol, cannabis impares judgement. and like alcohol, there is a tendacy towards irresponsible use of the drug. also, on the issue of drugs, nations have a tendacy to play this card.
http://img112.echo.cx/img112/1306/natsovcard7yg.jpg
we also play this card. the NSUN has varying degrees of ideas when it comes to drugs that proposals rarly make it to vote.

Has a drug use proposal ever made it to vote, let alone pass? I can't think of any at the moment.

Has a drug use proposal ever made it to vote, let alone pass? I can't think of any at the moment.
i cant comment on making it to vote (the global library repeal was happening when i first joined) but there has been no passed drug resolutions, legalising or banning them, and when it comes up, they either end up being dismissed as national issue, or end up in the silly proposals thread for obvious reasons.

Has a drug use proposal ever made it to vote, let alone pass? I can't think of any at the moment.
According to the Wiki (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/index.php/UN_Timeline), no.

Really, is it that important to standardise marijuana legislation on an international basis? Are there not, perhaps, more important issues to concern ourselves with?

Mathieu Vergniaud
Deputy Speaker to the UN

Actually, recent studies show that it can be linked to severe psychological problems.

Same here, but take it a step further for a minute. What if there is a nation of peaceful, sentient gorrillas with heat-vision, who, when exposed to the fumes of marajuana, suffer from schizophrenic symptoms and go on a murderous killing rampage?

Here is my proposal then as stated on the resolution I am trying to push through.

Principles of Responsible Cannabis Use:

When marijuana is enjoyed responsibly, subjecting users to harsh criminal and civil penalties provides no public benefit and causes terrible injustices. For reasons of public safety, public health, economics and justice, the prohibition laws should be repealed to the extent that they criminalize responsible marijuana use.
By adoption of this statement, the NORML Board of Directors has attempted to define "responsible cannabis use."

I. Adults Only

Cannabis consumption is for adults only. It is irresponsible to provide cannabis to children.
Many things and activities are suitable for young people, but others absolutely are not. Children do not drive cars, enter into contracts, or marry, and they must not use drugs. As it is unrealistic to demand lifetime abstinence from cars, contracts and marriage, however, it is unrealistic to expect lifetime abstinence from all intoxicants, including alcohol. Rather, our expectation and hope for young people is that they grow up to be responsible adults. Our obligation to them is to demonstrate what that means.

II. No Driving

The responsible cannabis consumer does not operate a motor vehicle or other dangerous machinery while impaired by cannabis, nor (like other responsible citizens) while impaired by any other substance or condition, including some medicines and fatigue.
Although cannabis is said by most experts to be safer than alcohol and many prescription drugs with motorists, responsible cannabis consumers never operate motor vehicles in an impaired condition. Public safety demands not only that impaired drivers be taken off the road, but that objective measures of impairment be developed and used, rather than chemical testing.

III. Set and Setting

The responsible cannabis user will carefully consider his/her set and setting, regulating use accordingly.
"Set" refers to the consumer's values, attitudes, experience and personality, and "setting" means the consumer's physical and social circumstances. The responsible cannabis consumer will be vigilant as to conditions -- time, place, mood, etc. -- and does not hesitate to say "no" when those conditions are not conducive to a safe, pleasant and/or productive experience.

IV. Resist Abuse

Use of cannabis, to the extent that it impairs health, personal development or achievement, is abuse, to be resisted by responsible cannabis users.
Abuse means harm. Some cannabis use is harmful; most is not. That which is harmful should be discouraged.
Wars have been waged in the name of eradicating "drug abuse", but instead of focusing on abuse, enforcement measures have been diluted by targeting all drug use, whether abusive or not. If marijuana abuse is to be targeted, it is essential that clear standards be developed to identify it.

V. Respect Rights of Others

The responsible cannabis user does not violate the rights of others, observes accepted standards of courtesy and public propriety, and respects the preferences of those who wish to avoid cannabis entirely.
No one may violate the rights of others, and no substance use excuses any such violation.


Yes because it works so wel for alcohol :rolleyes:

"Responsible use" is always an issue in many things. I mean, look at money.

Everything, legal or not, has a possibility of being misused.

But if I try to argue that side of it, people might reason how money is legal. Hmm.

I, the Chair of the Communal Toilet of Crack Pottia, have never actually tried marijuana. Although, as the name of this country does suggest, it is used to keep the people at peace and under control. So no I will not be honest in that I have tried it at least once, seeing as I have not.

UberPenguinLand does not endorse this resolution. We primarilly know the effect on Humans and Humanoids. We have recently tested this on citizens of our nation, which is 75% Penguins, and results were NOT pretty. Imagine a Sea Gull that ate Alka-Seltzer in a blender. Yeah, not good.

Wade XXV
UberPenguinLand

OOC: No, I have not really tried it, it is for RPing purposes.

Mmm... pureed seagull...

:salivates:

Marijuana does not only the person doing it, but also innocent bystanders. If someone under the influence is driving a car, he may hurt and kill an innocent bystander. Not everyone will use the drug in a safe area. Don't some people drink alcohol while driving? It is against the law, but they still do it. But, there are some reasons that people should be able to use the drug, Marijuana. If a person is under great pain, they should be able to use this drug if it is prescribe to them by a doctor. the concern with that though is that the person will get addicted and continue using it after the prscribition is over. In general, Marijuana causes more harm than good. It should not be legalized.

Everyone's reaction to marajuana is different- even more so in NationStates. Every species reaction to marajuana is different. In some nations, I'm sure the population would suffer no ill effects- but in others, such as UberPenguinLand or the hypothetical gorillas with heat-vision country, the effects are much worse to the well being of the populace. Hence, this card is played yet again:

http://img112.echo.cx/img112/1306/natsovcard7yg.jpg

The Vanhalenburgh nation will not offer a yes vote on this issue.

We do not believe that useage beyond medical reasons is wise and the nature of the effects of the drug its self hinder rational use.

Vanhalenburgh minister to the UN
Henry Peabody

UberPenguinLand does not endorse this resolution. We primarilly know the effect on Humans and Humanoids. We have recently tested this on citizens of our nation, which is 75% Penguins, and results were NOT pretty. Imagine a Sea Gull that ate Alka-Seltzer in a blender. Yeah, not good.
Heh.... stoned penguins.... great mental image....

Here in Gasta Montana marihuana is totally legal and we are proud of it. In fact, by banning this soft drug, criminals will organise and that will cause an even larger problem- not even mentioning that marihuana can only (in the worst case) cause a psychological addiction, alcohol and sigarettes can be psychological as well as physical.
With other words it´s the criminals we should be after, the big organised criminality. We shouldn´t be wasting time by using the police force to stop people from smoking marihuana.

I'm sorry... could you repeat that? I was distracted by the large, bold letters. :eek:

get so hopped up on drugs that you forget how to spell. It makes you seem toooooooo childish for anything as grown up as drugs.

I thought this was one of the things you select when you set up your nation to begin with (leagalization of recreational drugs or something close... It's been a little while since I set up my nation, so I don't completely remember).

Personally, I think recreational drug use (including marajuana and alchohol among other substances) should be a matter of personal choice, with government taking a regulatory position to assure uniform quality and non-toxicicty of products (beyond their inherent toxicity -- in other words: don't cut the cocaine or methamphetamine with strichnine, don't put paraquat on the pot, and wood alchohol is for external use only) and also as a nice tax revenue base. And in Bitewaldi, that's how we handle it.

We don't see the need for a UN resolution to legalize marijuana.

However, if there is a problem with intenational drug cartel black market operations (and I don't know if there is in this universe), the ONLY salient argument (IMHO) for making recreational drugs legal and regulated would be as part of an overall action to eradicate international crime syndicates, since they derive a huge percentage of their funding from illegal drug sales.

In the country of Shorttopia we are having a vot on making marijuana legal. Some say that it will ruin our country and other say that it will help our country. In my oppinion even if we don't make it legal people are still going to do it and if we do make marijuana legal then maybe the government can sell it and we will get the money that drug dealers are now making. So i think i have just talked myself into voting yes for marijuana use.

We don't see the need for a UN resolution to legalize marijuana.



A valid point is made here. I think this topic is best left up to the nations themselves. I do not see why the UN would need to get involved here. I do not see this as a human rights, sufferage, or quility of life issue.

Minister ot the UN
Henry Peabody

Substance use of any type should be up to each nation. Just as making one's morality a international issue is absurd. What you want to allow your citizens to do is your business.