To nitpick:
Weed is more harmless to smoke than cigarettes.
Permanently, oftentimes erasing long term memories of the time during which it was consumed.
I'd say that neither ought to be consumed in the first place.
-Duxwing
I'm sorry that was stupidly written by me, should have specified that I meant that it was more or less harmless for the lungs.
Also you I'm not so sure you can say that weed actively erases memories, it probably has more to do with that they form less clearly. Seeing as your mind jumps around on weed there's not the same coherency in theme to a recollected event where one is high.
Remember that there are upsides to weed, in my mind its something that people could and should decide over on their own. Personally I think the positives outweigh the negatives for me. The relaxement, creativity, joy, and curiosity that weed brings me win over the passivising effect, occasional paranoia, and small temporary effects on my memory. Know I couldnt have drawn my avatar without the 4 or so substances involded. And tons of other stuff. I don't see how you can't see why anybody would do that. Its really not like it doesn't let you lead a completely normal life, or well it is in some aspects, namely those that are due to its illegality in most of the goddamn world.
Did you see where weed ranked in that major brittish university project ordered by the government; thereafter carried out perfectly, but; however; thereafter rejected by the very same government. All despite the study is known to have been carried out methodically sound. They might just not have gotten a message that could serve their purpose; moreover, they must've believed they would 've gotten the right result before sponsoring it, seeing as it was directly counterproductive for them. I believe it should be somewhat easy to find but as I am myself, under formerly mentioned substance, in this moment according to your view under the influence of something you could not see why anyone would want to consume anyway. Thats when I get the flow to be able to write what I want, I find the words come easier; nonetheless, I admittedly am guilty of writing somewhat lenghty sentences.
Also countries where weed is very common there is some evidence that alcohol consumption sinks, now take into account how little damage and the positive effects. Those are individual, -however I did account for mine earlier in my post as an example; however, medical marijuana needs of course also be considered- and you should, if you are willing to think somewhat rationality about the topic, end up with the conclusion that: Alcohol sinking less than weed rises doesn't mean that the deal is necessary bad at all for society in anyway. I don't get how people cant see that. And there is a pretty clear cut way to calculate this. Just compare these two:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annual_cannabis_use_by_country
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_alcohol_consumption
And if you'd like
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_cannabis or although there's plenty of sources concerning the subject.
It's pretty indicative. Also please don't say wikipedia sucks, in the example of the aforementioned articles they would be put as possibly inaccurate if they could have. Besides guy who runs wikipedia is one I believe to be an INTP, tis perfect. Anyway now look how weed stands specifically in britain, here's the aforementioned study ordered by the aforementioned countrys government? Well here's two of them:
http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2010/11/drugs_cause_most_harm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6474053.stm
And that's just alcohol. There are also indications that cannabis being legal reduces the usage of heavy drugs and mortality rates. The netherlands (a western country and therefore more comparable to ours) being one case.
Here is more though this one's a tad extensive:
http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/91/2/12-108282.pdf
The rest of the post is mainly about Sweden so probs even more off topic. In sweden I think the government could in the very least handle it themselves like they do the alcohol: with a monopoly, indeed I wouldn't even mind that much if they put a monthly limit on the stuff and you had to goddamn go and order it directly from them at first. Filling out formularies and crap, being informed of there being a severe punishment involved in selling it to someone else.
But the question isn't even investigated by those that are against it in sweden, instead they go directly against all levels of logic accusing weed of this, and promising the general populace to reduce its usage among them. And, lastly not to forget spreading disinformation in general, a specific example being: schools, another being on television, although television (and here I mean the two swedish states channels) the papers aren't that good either, but they too have been improving. Lately they do let the side that is for legalisation speak, giving them room to counter the lies. The problem is their view is so much simpler, everything must be the way its been or at least is, oh, so safe and comfy it is! All the while the mortality rate among heavy users also continues to rise, while the right wing parties with the majority like to oppose damage reduction by saying no to this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Needle_exchange_programme
And yet they they dare claim monopoly on being the good guys, despite their quite apparent lack of concern for human lives.
Ok post too long sorry
EDIT: ok had tons of errors again but is somewhat fixed hehe