Mar 15 2009
Ron Paul and Stephen Baldwin “debate” legalizing marijuana
Last Friday, Texas Congressman Ron Paul appeared on Larry King Live to debate actor Stephen Baldwin over whether or not to legalize marijuana. At least it was supposed to be a debate; instead it turned into Ron Paul lecturing Baldwin, leaving the actor without an argument to stand on.
Baldwin began his opening statements by pointing out he had been in the classic films Biodome and Half-Baked, and saying due to those roles it may seem strange that he would appear to defend the prohibition of marijuana from a “faith-based conservative view.” (Apparently I missed when he was born again…)
He is able to say little else during the debate, but has time to use the nonsensical gateway drug argument. Baldwin stated, “Marijuana leads to doing worse things, that’s just a fact, I don’t care what anybody says…” No, no you don’t.
Paul absolutely owns Baldwin, leading to Baldwin’s attempt to discredit Paul at the end, asking, “Do you think there’s alot of marijuna-smoking Ron Paul supporters?” Hilarious.
Paul - “To me it’s an issue of freedom of choice.” Amen.
It’s hard to believe that a medical doctor would argue for legalization of marijuana. really out of character for a doctor. I totally expected that they would be arguing opposite viewpoints. Freedom of choice? Sounds like Ron Paul is selling his soul.
it is a gateway drug.
I’m actually pissed at Ron Paul right now, for all the earmarks he allocated into Houston after being such a staunch arguer against them.
@Vraja - don’t you think that part of the reason it’s a gateway drug is because you have to go to a drug dealer to get it?
Its about time. Hopefully Ron Paul is right and we’ll wake up from this stupid prohibition. I personally similar to Ron Paul do not smoke Marijuana, however my wife does and so do many other people I know. I see nothing wrong with it, it is not for me. Just like Alcohol is not for some. I smoked weed a bit as a kid, though I grown out of it. Though I’m sure some people could relate, some people just need it. Everyone uses something to relax and calm down, and whatever that may be for them be Alcohol, Zanax, or Weed. Let them be, personally I drink, and that is my tool for keeping me sane under some stressful times after days at work. Does anyone call me an alcoholic for this, for drinking an alcoholic beverage every now and then? No.
So who is anyone here to judge someone that smokes weed just because they don’t. I don’t believe anyone is fit, everyone is just as guilty in one way or another for creating some escape out of a stressful situation. Legalize the damn thing and get it over with, we really don’t need to be locking up people or handing out silly tickets for such stupid things.
— Rick L Bird
“No Victim, No Crime”
vrajavala - Part of the ridiculousness of the gateway drug theory is where does one begin such an argument?
Those for prohibition argue that smoking marijuana leads you to do “worse” drugs, right?
Well aren’t cigarettes and caffeine drugs? Most everyone who has smoked marijuana has first used these drugs for the effect they have on the body. So then by the gateway argument, caffeine is actually a gateway drug to marijuana. Surely you can see how ridiculous that sounds.
Besides which, there are millions of people who have smoked marijuana and never gone on to any “harder” drugs - if it was truly a gateway drug, why hasn’t it affected these people the same way?
It is all a matter of choice. The fact that Ron Paul is a doctor has nothing to do with the fact that he can see the prohibition of marijuana has lead to much worse things than the drug itself ever has. There has never been a documented case of someone dying because they smoked marijuana, but how many have died because of the war on drugs?
I know plenty doctors who smoke pot and endorse it, the marijuana debate is comical. Pot is the most benign therapeutic substance known to man. The big deal made of pot is a reflection of just how messed up the country really is, alcohol and tobacco kill MILLIONS every year, yet not one medically documented death secondary to pot.. It’s silly. Cannabis has unbelievable utility for humans; this drug war shit is just crazy.