Why do they choose to take down those that grow, sell, or smoke it? (I believe it is because the government isn't making any tax cuts off of it.) People who do it are going to keep on doing it, so why can't we just make legal to buy in stores? How many people a year do you hear about dying from cancer, and how many from smoking a little weed? There would just need to be laws set, just like there if for alcohol, and it's a DUI. If we can deal with the alcohol, another harmful combination with humans, then we can deal with this.
125012
Many answers. Nations that have already legalized marijuana are being watched by other countries to see how it goes, before legalizing it in their own countries.\n\nSome countries have decriminalized marijuana, but not legalized it, meaning if you get caught with a few joints, you won't get a criminal record (maybe a small fine), but its still illegal to have it.\n\nResearch has shown that marijuana is worse for the lungs than cigarettes, in terms of the amount of tar it deposits in them, so one could say smoking a joints is equivalent to smoking a few cigarettes.  Lung cancer can take decades to develop and half of smokers get it while the other half won't.  On the other hand, some research has shown that marijuana can help some patients cope with the pain from cancer, and relieve symptoms from some neurological diseases.\n\nIn Canada this is a huge underground economy of BC bud, which has fuel many gang killings here and has caused many ruined rental home, which are used for growing.  Anti-prohibitionist says if all of it was legalized, there would be no gang violence, and the taxes and laws would help to pay for any problems. Prohibitionists says legalizing this would open the flood gates for legalizing harder drugs like crack, cocaine, heroine, which can easily OD a newbie shooter.
622234
way too far! businesses are going to suffer from these foolish laws. I say to people that don't smoke, just stay away from us and don't breath it. We don't blow the crap on them or anyhting.\nOh yeh, what about drinking in public, is that alright to have your child exposed to useless drunks, our governement is a bunch of a**wipes!
658956
They can't tax pot, so they will not legalize it. Our "great" country is much more interested in turning a tidy profit than in listening to the wishes of it's people.
15589
Simple answer. Cigarettes and alcohol are a huge part of the U.S. economy. If you made them illegal there would be a lot of pissed off companies and people. \n\nThere aren't very many companies in the US that depend on marijuana sales. No impact on economy... no reason to legalize it. It'll make the US no money.\n\nIn short... it's all politics.
667504
I agree with " jtuckerndfw "\n" It poses far less hazard to society than alcohol."\n_________________________\nYES- BUT only if you posses a certain amount and it is medical marijuana. \n_________________________\n"ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Last Frontier state just may become the first in the nation to legalize marijuana completely." \n\nBackers of a controversial ballot initiative want pot to be treated just like alcohol. If voters pass the measure, it would be legal to grow, smoke and sell any amount of marijuana so long as one is 21 years of age. The state would regulate the cannabis industry just as it licenses booze and cigarettes.\n\n"Alaskans are independent and I think Alaskans believe people should have the maximum freedom of choice," said Ken Jacobus, a pro-marijuana attorney. "Adults can choose cigarettes, they can choose alcohol."\n\nAlaskans can currently possess small amounts of pot for use in their homes, and medical marijuana is allowed.\n\nState Attorney General Gregg Renkes opposes the initiative. He says liberalizing the drug laws will "lead to a higher rate of addiction for marijuana and other drugs.\n\n"It will increase the burden on the state, and I think it's really a disservice to our young people."
211109
Agree, at its worst marijuana is as bad for you as cigarettes and alcohol, both of which are legal. Its not up to the government what we decide to do with our bodies or our free time. You would have a hard time making a case that personal consumption of marijuana hurts anyone other than the smoker.
497717
I am not a smoker, but have no problem with people smoking in designated areas in restaurants, or public places like hospitals, malls, etc. I expect people to be smoking in bars, clubs and such. I know there are people that are on oxygen, allergic to smoke, have lung problems and the smoke increases their difficulty to breath. However, everyone has the right to do what they want to as long as it does not hurt someone else. I believe their is a common ground and solution without totally banning smoking and coming down so hard on people who choose to smoke.\n\nAs for taxation, the government has that go in' on....They tax the vices they know people won't quit....gambling, Alcohol,......that's the way it goes.
38816
My belief is that one reason they are afraid to legalize it is because it would be impossible to reverse that decision. The goverment tried this back in the 1920's - with alcohol. Before this time, it was legal to ingest alcohol. Once it was illegal, anyone using or transporting it was, of course, a criminal. It was this single event that spawned the growth of organized crime families in the U.S.\n\nAnother reason is because they have criminalized it for so long, they would lose credibility if they reversed course. \n\nAnother reason is because when 'Manifest Destiny' was the call of the expansion of the U.S. in the 1700's, it required the destruction and disbursement of the people and culture of the Native Americans. Since the use of marijuana was part of their religious beliefs and way of life, it was automatically labeled as 'savage' and 'uncultured' by the white man.
201419
Yes,the goverment already grows it and destributr it to terminally ill patients,and they can tax it to bring this country out of the defisant.Besides,how many people u c die from pot related accidents,none their only doing 10 miles an hour u cant kill no one @10 miles a hour.Besides canada has a man named,Mark Emery,named the (Prince of pot)he has brung the country of canada some much in come by selling pot seeds that they have no debt.Plus the U.S.A whouldnt have as many drug related crimes,and if it whould help with sick people to ease the pain then i`m all for it.with the pain Busch&our Gov.put the american people through we need something to help us cope.
351778
My best friend and I have this conversation quite often. It doesn't make much sense to me either. Cigarettes cause emphysema, bronchitis, lung cancer, etc. As far as alcohol goes, how many people have killed others while driving drunk? Not to mention alcohol poisoning, liver damage, stomach problems, etc. Yet, weed, the most harmful of the three is the only one illegal. Someone should explain that to me......
675842
My husband and I watched the Surgeon General on TV the other  day talking about the new reports on second hand smoke from cigarettes.  He made the comment that it is a toxic and deadly killer...we both said at the same time, then why is it legal?\n\nI think alcohol can be used in moderation without harm, so lets keep that party going,\n\nI have a cop friend who says marijuana is the biggest waste of his time.  He hates having it illegal, said it's a joke.  I agree.  Besides, didn't they just prove that the smokers of pot have a LESS chance of lung cancer...?  \n\nI say, no smoking...unless it's a joint!  :)
463932
I don't think that it should be a Gov't choice...It should be the owner of the property choice....I have yet to be somewhere where smoke bothered me because most places are non smoking...bars here in Ohio aren't most anyway...and that doesn't bother me at all...maybe the next day after smelling my clothes and hair but my breath probably stinks just as bad after a night of drinks.  This is just a way of people controlling and getting money...one of the issues on the ballot if you read closely says money for the "clean air fund"...if they band smoking why would you need a clean air fund...and what on earth are you going to do with that money?  I prefer my money to go to my child's college fund...but If this passes I won't have a choice will I?
107797
I will start off by stating that I think smoking is definitely a health risk, but so is alcohol consumption and many foods and chemicals. However, to state that you don't like people who smoke or that smoking is "gay" is ignorant! Smoking is NOT the number one cause of death nor is second hand smoke. Heart attacks and strokes account for the most number of deaths per year. The risks of drinking alcohol are just as high if not higher than smoking. Drinking causes the loss of brain cells, enlargement of the heart, liver failure, accidents, damage to kidneys etc. Alcohol is also very obnoxious smelling!! I would rather smell the slight scent of tobacco on a person than the scent of alcohol seeping out of a drinkers pores and from their breath. I just answered a question about people who litter with their cigarette butts and I will paste part of my response to that question........\n\nPeople want to believe that smoking and second hand smoke are the only causes of lung cancer, but researchers have NO way of proving that people who have never smoked developed lung cancer from second hand smoke. When they do their so called tests, they use HIGHLY concentrated amounts of cigarette smoke to try and prove their case. They know that the factories and vehicles spew out the same and worse toxins, in far larger quantities, than a cigarette, but because of the expense of forcing those two things to be made safer, they choose to ignore them for the most part and concentrate on a relatively small part of the population. Plus they can pass bills to outrageously raise taxes on cigarettes to help generate money whenever they need more money. I haven't seen them raising taxes on ALL alcohol to help generate more money, even though hundreds of people die due to drunk drivers each year. I don't see them banning alcohol in all public places to help reduce the amount of deaths caused by drunk drivers. More people die (proven) each year as the result of drunk drivers than by smokers. They don't try to pass a bill that will raise the taxes on alcohol because there are MORE drinkers in this country than smokers and the bill would never pass, so they target a smaller group (cigarette smokers) and create almost mass hysteria about second hand smoke, so that non smokers will pass through the bill. Smokers are discriminated against all the time. They are even considered a bad risk by employers because researchers claim that smokers will be out sick more often than a non smoker. Drinkers miss more work due to illness, being drunk and to hangovers than smokers miss each year. Drinkers can also cause more work related accidents by going into work drunk or with a hangover.Yes, cigarette smoking can cause cancer,but so can many foods, environmental things and chemicals, but they don't place outrageous taxes on them. The people paid to do the research on cigarette smoking and second hand smoke are paid (subsidized) by the government to bring in the right statistics. They keep trying, using more and more concentrated smoke, until they arrive at the statistic that is wanted. It is no different than when they feed rats more of something than a human could consume in a lifetime and when the rat finally shows signs of cancer or any other disease, they claim it to be a health risk to humans. The majority of smokers do NOT develop lung cancer and the majority of people who live with smokers do NOT develop lung cancer. Statistics can be manipulated to prove whatever people want them to prove. Our government is not above manipulating facts and statistics to get what they want! With cigarette smokers they have found a minority group that they can tax to produce more revenue. By making non smokers see them as lepers, they have guaranteed that any new tax will pass. So when I see people carrying on about cigarettes , I feel the need to get on my soapbox and speak out. People need to realize that today the smokers are the target, but since it wor
526335
I've thought about this for years and as a daily user I do NOT want legalization.  \n\nIn order to legalize, there would have to be laws passed and you know what that means.  There would be deals and regulations and restrictions and licensing.  My pals think it would be oh so great but they don't realize that to legalize we would have to give ALL the control to the fed.  \nThe laws wouldn't pass without a return so look for taxes.  Big taxes.  I expect prices would probably quadruple.  Look at the percent of tax on tobacco and alcohol and you will see what I mean.  Also in order to pass there would have to be government control.  This means the government would license growers, wholesalers and retailers just as they do alcohol.  You aren't going to be able to grow your own any more than you can make your own alcohol (except in small, personal use quantities).  The penalties for illegal growing and distribution then have to be INCREASED.  This protects the tobacco growers (who because of declining business would take over the industry.  They already have everything in place, all they need is seeds and a trade name. (oh wait a minute they have ALREADY taken out the trade names Panama Red etc and are owned by tobacco companies!  How convenient!)  Now the regulation part comes in and the amount of thc per gram of product will have to be regulated.  (if you disagree you don't know my government!).  Expect the quality to drop significantly.  There would be limits (and taxes) on whoever SELLS and how they sell and to whom.  Of course a legal age limit to buy so you younger users will have to find somebody to buy for you and they will likely be commiting a felony.  Look for liquor stores to fill this void and to be the only retailers.\n\nSo now what have you got?  High priced low powered legal pot and EXTREMELY high priced pot on the black market that will sent you to prison for growing, possessing, selling or smoking.\n\nI'll just stick with the status quo thanks, which seems to be a defacto decriminalization that pretty much leaves most of us alone and leaves the control of the indusrty in the hands of the people who are growers, smugglers, wholsalers retailers and end users.  I trust any one of them to do business with more than the fed.  Thanks for reading my opinion :)
480620
well, I'm very anti drug, but I think alcohol is far worse than marijuana, I think it should be legal, taxed and sold just like alcohol is, what a person does in his or her own home is their own business as long as it hurts noone
405184
That is a good question that I don't have an answer for, but will probably be pondering for the next few days. I just wanted to say your question is the reason weed is illegal--because it does make intelligent people think. The govt would rather we drink beer and stay fat and stupid.
432734
It is about polititions play God on another issue to get or more likely keep votes. If you ask them why they will talk circles about protecting us from ourselves. The truth is the polititions are protecting the pharmisudical companies. If marijuana was regulated and sold leagaly it would it would put the smuggelers out of business and help to keep it from the younger kids that should be protected. I personaly know hundreds of people who have been smoking pot for 25-35 years. They go to work every day, pay there taxes and are better citizens than many of the people who preach against letting people live their own lives. As far as pot being a gateway drug, it is only a gateway drug because it is illeagal. People smoke a little and they like it or not, if they like it they start loosing respect for our laws because they realize everything they have been told is a lie. Law and order should not be based on lies!  I do agree that driving and smoking is bad. But given a choice I would much rather be on the road with a hundred stoners than one drunk. If all of the government money wasted on enforcing marijuana laws was put into fighting the dangerous drugs the DEA might actually make a positive difference in drug use. In the mean time you have millions of people in this country with a lower respect for the law and find it difficult to get and keep a job because of smoking a joint after work. So the holyer than thou polititions and their supporters have us by the short hairs and will not give up their veiws because they want everyone to live the way they want us to live. Is this what a "free country" does to it's citizens? I think not. Sorry for the mis-spelling but spellcheck isn't working today. And I wasn't a very good speller long before the first puff of smoke!