is the failure of prohibition a justification for legalizing marijuana?
100543
Based on the HUGE trade deficit in the drug market, and the dollars spent fighting a losing war against drugs, and illeagal sales funding gang activity, I say let's make ALL drugs leagal and controlled like booze.  Sure some folks will overdose initially, but after a while things will calm down.
244540
have rethought my position on legalization of marijuana. I think it should be legal under certain guidelines and locals.\n\nThe first reason it should be legalized it will mellow out the liberals. They are way to shrill.\n\nReason number two, if a liberal is high they won't care about voting and we can easily elect conservative representative, congressmen, and president. Conservatives will never again have to deal with R.I.N.O.s if this happens. Imagine if there was no Arlen Spector or John McCain.\n\nReason Three assuming that only liberals and libertarians are for the legalization of drugs they can fight amongst themselves, and we conservatives have a way to sure up our power\n\nThe Previsos\n\nmarijuana would only be legal in Blue States. If you are caught with marijuana in a red state you get a trial and immediately executed after the trial, no appeals. The reason for this is to get potheads out of here and since it seams as if the Blue states want to legalize it let them.\n\nIf someone who is high robs, steals, or causes an accident after THC is detected in their system ALL their possessions become the property of the estate of the victim. (applies to all fifty)\n\nIf they have children, the children are removed from the home and are never returned (applies to all fifty)\n\nThe only treatment for those who want to quit smoking marijuana will be the intake of tobacco products, or beaten with a bong. Paid for by the offender (the way they train dogs not to make messes on carpets) Again all fifty.\n\nIf this works for marijuana I would propose the same for all illicit drugs. But no one would accept this proposal so I will have to continue my opposition to this and ALL illegal drugs.
72317
"Making Marijuana against the law is like saying God made a mistake"\n-Bill Hicks\n\n\nit's only illegal because the government doesn't have the control over it like they do on every other substance that is legal.\nAlcohol is much worse for you than marijuana, yet it's legal. you do the math.\nIt has nothing to do with the harm that marijuana may have, yet that is what all the propaganda is based on.  Otherwise, how would you have propaganda being at all useful if it was just simply "the government cant control it, so don't use it". No, they want to lie and preach that it's actually harmful to you. That's the only way they get it to stay illegal, too many people think it's actually harmful so there's not enough to overturn the rule.\n\nIt's also not a matter of IF it can harm you at all. You can get harmed by anything taken beyond moderation. The fact is it has less harm than something that is legal. Therefore being nothing short of total hypocrisy and lies by the government.\n\nP.S.\nI'm not a pothead or a hippy, etc.. I don't use it and I never have. I know enough people and have seen enough information that I don't need to be a pothead to have a strong view on the matter.
884241
No, all of the outstanding election results have been determined. All of them. Nevada voted yes on a ban on pot.
575645
From my studies, Yes.\n\nIt would be a masive bost the the echonomy for the industral uses of the plant alone, the plant marijuana comes from is one of the greatest sorces for bio-fuel in existance and can be uses for nearly anything. It also makes the highest quality of paper, though the paper is not white.\n\nFor recreational usesage though it would be debatable.... However it could be used as a masive bost to the goverment funding, simply by placing a hefty tax on it (even then it would be comprable to the price of tobacco if produced and sold legaly). The sell of ilegal Mariguana in the US makes a good 4~500 million dollors a year..... Imagen the money they could make, and it would give more money to fighting the worce drugs out there.\n\nBut the bottom line is it's health imlications are nominal, being the safest drugs taking for recreation perpouses (healther than alchohol even).  And long as there are proper laws to inforce it's missuse there would be little problem with it. (EI those similar to alchohol use, no smoking and driving, no smoking it on the job... ect ect ect)\n\n\nEDIT- A fun fact, the decloration of indapedance is on paper created from hemp. And our frist president wrote a book on the care of the plant, personaly invinting the methods of triming it in order to produce more leaves for use in making hemp to sell or in order to produce more bud to smoke.\n\nEDIT- Another reson for making it legal is it being iligal has seported criminal activity. Just look at the probition. No one will ever win the 'war on drugs' by making them legal they can control and regulate them, fine them and tax them, and monitor them. It would put a stop most the marijuana related crimes.
617349
First off, shoomph, it was legal until 1937 -- when the Federal Marijuana Tax Act was passed, and actually it was still legal then -- if you bought a tax stamp. However, the Feds worded the law so that in order to buy the tax stamp, you had to bring the pot -- pot that was illegal if you didn't have a stamp.  Therefore, no one would ever get a stamp since they would have to bring illegal pot, and no one would do that since they would be arrested, and therefore no one ever bought a stamp and pot was illegal.  That's one hell of a legislative Catch-22.\n\nSecond, Fisha, it wasn't alcoholics who turned prohibition.\n\nIt was a nation of drinkers -- many more drinkers than are pot smokers now, relatively speaking.  A nation of drinkers and a nation tired of the war on alcohol (sound familiar?)\n\nIt was really the Roosevelt administration who ended prohibition.  It was one of the very first things his administration did after coming into power, first legalizing beer and wine, and then legalizing liquor again with the passage of the 21st amendment in 1933, ending 13 years of very unsuccessful prohibition.\n\nIn perspective, consider there were tens of thousands of drinkers in a population of between 900,000 and 132,000,000 during prohibition's years 1920 to 1933.  Conservative estimates are that between thirty and forty percent of the US population drank, and it was in all likelihood far more.\n\nThere were approximately 1,500 alcohol agents (Treasury) -- very tired agents -- tired of trying to enforce the unpopular law, tired of battling all the criminals who flourished through illegal alcohol sales and distribution.\n\nThere was little opposition to the end of prohibition.  The nation was tired of prohibition, and all that it caused.\n\nHere's where the paths of alcohol and marijuana prohibition diverge.  \n\nIn patterns of use -- alcohol had been socially and traditionally acceptable and fairly widespread in use.  Marijuana has been around as long as booze, but wasn't as widely used in the US and so it never became part of the mainstream culture.  \n\nIn sheer numbers -- alcohol was and still is used by a larger group of the populace than marijuana ever was.\n\nHigh estimates (no pun intended) of marijuana use at the turn of this century still only amount to perhaps ten percent of the populace, nothing near the thirty to forty percent or more who drink.  Assuming a figure as high as up to 25 million people are sparking one up at least every now and again, that's still less than ten percent of the overall population (around 265 million in 1999).\n\nThe issue of marijuana decriminalization is far more problematic than the repeal of alcohol prohibition for many reasons.\n\nIt's difficult to sort these reasons which are entwined in many ways, so I'll just trot them out together.\n\nThere's marijuana's placement in a special drug category (unlike alcohol).\n\nThere's a deeply entrenched federal antidrug police force, the DEA, which in numbers and budget is far beyond the mere 1,500 strong Treasury department of the 1920's and 1930's.\n\nThe DEA, along with State, county and municipal police forces are deeply entrenched in a multibillion dollar "war on drugs." Not to forget, the US Coast Guard, The Army and other armed services play substantial, costly roles in the war on drugs.  \n\nNext time you see a helicopter fly over, especially in the summer and fall -- in the country -- odds are it's a National Guard chopper flying a surveillance mission looking for pot.  I've even had one overfly my tomato garden, then do a quick return and hover-over until they either got their pictures or were satisfied that my tomato plants were just that, and not a couple of dozen pot plants.  I'd estimate in fuel and maintenance time, that made my tomatoes worth at least a few hundred bucks.  \n\nThe propaganda and rhetoric of seventy years of marijuana prohibition has skewed p
419312
lol...you just wanna smoke....but jokes a side I agree....sadly Marijuana has to major enemies...namely the Alcohol and Tobacco industries.....in fact those 2 substances are proven that they WILL KILL YOU and yet they are perfectly legal to take.....it is big business......just to see how potent this issue is.....for example if the state of California legalized and took control over the distribution of marijuana it would solve their financial problems in one stroke!
1123550
I don't think marijuana should have ever been illegal, I think it is just as dangerous as alcohol.  I think the issue was and always will be that alcohol was consumed by "white men" and marijuana was consumed by "Native Americans."  When we took control of what now is the US we shunned all Native culture, and marijuana part of that.  Currently Marlboro cigarettes already owns the rights to produce "joints" should marijuana be legalized.  I think it's about time that people changed their attitudes on this subject.
24032
Yes, marijuana should be legalized.  If you were to put the stats together, you would see that many, many more rapes, murders, thefts, assaults, fatal car crashes, deadly occupational accidents, and various other crimes have been committed under the influence of alcohol.  Recently, a young man was arrested for murdering his mother. His line of defense was that he was under the influence of Marijuana.  Marijuana does not make one aggressive in the least. Anyone that does or has smoked will testify to that. Marijuana has a relaxing effect, not to mention its medicinal benefits.  As for prostitution, it should also be legalized. It is THE oldest profession in the WORLD. You cannot put a restriction on ones body.  The only way to stop it would be to eliminate one of the sexes. Just my guess, but there would probably be a drop in sex crimes and sexually transmitted diseases if prostitution were to become legal.  THE ONLY REASON NEITHER OF THESE THINGS ARE LEGAL, IS BECAUSE OUR GOVERNMENT CANT FIGURE A WAY TO CONTROL OR TAX THEM. (Like cigarettes and alcohol. Which by the way is two very high contributors to our mortality rate here in America.)  Hence the war against them.
4440
Wow, your message is not a good advertisement for legalizing pot!\n\nBut to answer your question, because they don't get it. They believe that pot is to blame for all drug use and that it leads to harder drugs.\n\nBooze and pot do different things, either one is real bad for you if not used in moderation. Some people are not capable of moderation with the use of their drug of choice.
929753
I would certainly think the opposite is true.  I do, however, feel that marijuana SHOULD be legalized for medical use in many other circumstances.
657258
The whole world has decriminalized marijuana, except the U.S. The Police and gov't use it as a means of invasion and control. They use it as a means to fill their prisons. They use it as a means to steal and confiscate and redistribute wealth to themselves. They use it as a means to get into your pockets and to search every crevice of your privacy. They use it as an excuse to monitor your phone and email. They use it as a means of entry when they "smell" it. There is no human right that stands in their way when an "informer" reveals there "might" be marijuana present. It is an excuse for them to do everything for our "protection" and to protect our children.\n\nWhy on earth would gov't want to legalize or even decriminalize marijuana. They got it goin' on.\n\nAfter smoking marijuana for 30 years, I am now afraid of all drugs. It chose my friends, my music, and what I did with my time. I somehow managed to finish college, but I did not excel, and it kept me away from the best students, out of the best groups, and I would never be hired by the best companies or work for the highest salary. I accomplished very little aside from what I had to. I managed to raise three lovely girls, but the divorce was largely over marijuana use. I've lost two jobs because of it. \n\nIt gets ahold of you psychologically, and controls your life. You spend untold amounts of time smoking it, or trying to smoke it, or trying to find it, or trying to make money so you can buy some. It drains your time, your energy, your memory, and your pocket book. The resources lost to marijuana must be incredible.\n\nDecriminalize it yes. Nobody should go to prison and be branded a criminal because they can't control their drug use. It is like a disease that should be treated, not by isolating the person and destroying them and their family, but by helping them to understand their dilemma, and giving them treatment. \n\nIf you want new facts about marijuana, and some fuel for your arguments, check out the reference.
1105927
it wont be because the USA is politically against it ,there have been many studies with positive outcomes and all have been ignored by a sucession of Presidents.\n\nbefore 1920 marijuana was extensively grown by the USA and Mexico for the production of fibre.which made a durable material,cheap and it does not scorch,that was used for all the  jeans,ropes,sails for the sailing ships and millions of jute bags that were used by millions of farmers,representing a multimillion dollars business.\n\nafter 1920 with the coming of synthetic materials,which were products of the petrolium business ,which were owned by the families or associates of most of the presidents,\n\nthis competitive comodity could not be allowed to continue to exist,\nand the war on Mariujana was on.\n\nthe drug factor although it has been proven beyond doubt  by countless tests that it was a relative harmless substance compared to sigarettes,alcohol and others,was blatently ignored and relentlessly the war continued to this day.\nalthough it does worry the church, since people tended to stay up all night and question religious and philosohical beliefs.some times coming to uncomplementary conclusions of what was socially accepted.\n\nalcohol puts people to sleep and they dont question the given standards.\n\ntoday Mariujana fibre is making a come back in Europe and Africa and produce designer pantalons and shirts for very high prices because the quality is superior than linnen.\n\nthese fibre plants do not produce drugs to speak of and are worthless for the drug market .it is the fibre that is the value.\n\nand organically speaking it is an exelent plant to recuporate tired soils ,after cattle and corn field have practically destroyed the land,because the plant is deep rooted grows on most altitudes,and breaks open or loosens compacted soils as well as secreting nitrogen..
111833
Yes.In my opinion, I think marijuana should be legalized. Have you ever watched the tv show called Cops? How many domestic violence calls have you seen them respond to because someone was high on pot. None that I remember.. Alcohol on the other hand causes most people to become violent,arguementative and has destroyed thousands of families. Most that get into a drunken stuper can't even remember what they did the next day. Marijuana on the other hand causes most people to relax, kick-back, laugh and eat.. They can alsways remember what they did. The only lives I know of that have been destroyed because of marijuana has come about because they got caught using or in posession. Now their life is ruined because they are going to loss their job, possibly their house, cars, kids and anything else the government can figure out a why to make a buck. Hell, someone that smokes a little pot on the weekend can loose their job three or four weeks later if they're drug tested at work. This, even though they aren't under the influence. An alcoholic, who has abused his wife and kids over the same weekend can go to work on monday and pass any drug/alcohol test given them.. Me personally, having spent time with both, I'd much rather spend time with the potheads than the drunken, slobbering loud mouthed alcolohic's.
459408
Enforcing laws against pot cost the US billions every year. This is just in direct costs.  Lets face it, smoking weed harms fewer people each year than rubber bathtub toys. Long term risks are lung cancer and chronic financial problems. \n\nLegalized pot would reduce cancer risks. It would keep billions of dollars that flow out of the US into the US. It would create jobs, taxes and provide cash crops that are not even related to smoking hemp. More so a blanket pardon for any weed related charges that did not involve violence would free up thousands of prison beds. The DEA budget could be slashed and all the money spent on marajuana erradication programs could be instantly ended. \n\nIndirectly the jobs created would have a major positive impact on the economy. Many now untaxable incomes would be taxed. It would most importantly reduce usage of heavier drugs and reduce crime. Many teens wind up being persecuted over weed. A drug proven safe to them through personal and secondary expereince. After seeing all of the Gov lies about weed why would somebody believe what the Gov says about Crack, a drug that really is dangerous. They do not and try it. That Marajuana is ilegal teachs a basic dispresect of law. It places people in posisitions that they are crimanals because they smoke weed. Once on that side of the line why not indulge in other activities? \n\nPeople die because Marajuana laws not because they smoke it. They die in drug deals gone bad. They die because somebody thinks they did or might turn them in to law enforcement. They die trying to avoid capture. They die in jails and prisons. Most of these people were pot legalized would never be in such a situation. While Marajuana use would go up, harder drug use would actually go down. \n\nIn answer to a previous question. The primary reasons weed is still illegal is that it would damage the anti-smoking campaign and provide compitition to the multi-billion dollar alchohol industry. Many of the anti-smoking laws would be rolled back as weed smokers would join with tobbacco smokers to get smoking re-allowed in many public places. Pot bars would open and some who otherwise drank alchohol would switch to weed. \n\nI personally am strongly in favor of legalizing weed. I smoked it when I was younger. Almost everybody I know did and some people I know have smoked weed for 30 years or more without any real ill effect. Except for being broke and law enforcement issues I know of nobody who has suffered ill effects from smoking weed. Something I cannot say about many legal industries such as chocolate manufactuers, brewers and dozens of others.
79600
Yes, marijuana should be legal, because the current system of illegalization is unfair. Why are cigarettes, which are proven to be tons more times unhealthy and deadly than marijuana, legal? Cigs kill through a physical addiction as well as a psychological addiction, which means that you actually become physically dependent on the drug and you enjoy how it makes you feel, and therefore you develop the diseases that kill you. On the other hand, marijuana does not cause a physical addiction, but a psychological addiction. So you don't die from weed, and there are very few reports that support the direct disease development of weed that kills you. So why are cigs legal and taxed, but weed isn't? Why don't they just make weed legal, tax the hell out of it so it can benefit the economy, and set an age limit for 21 years-old, just like alcohol. This will benefit everyone, because it will allow taxes for law enforcement to go towards people who are actually committing violent crimes instead of trying to calm down after a hard day by smoking weed. Also, it will stop the violence that erupts over the weed drug war between gangs and thugs. Money will no longer be an issue for the gangs to fight about over the weed.\n\nWe all know why weed is illegal - because the majority of its users are minorities and those in poverty. Sure, there is a fair share of middle and upper class young people who smoke weed, but the majority are those of us in the lower tier of society. If it was made legal, then those in power (the rich, upper class and conservative citizens) would not have as much power over us. Bottom line. Dispute it if you want, but the evidence is clear.\n\nIt's the same thing with why a smaller amount of crack carries a harsher legal penalty than the same amount of pure cocaine. Poor minorities use crack, upper class citizens use pure cocaine.
229462
Drugs should be legalized, and especially marijuana.  Marijuana grows out of the ground, therefore, it must have a purpose.  It is medically proven to help cancer patients and people with multiple sclerosis, yet the stupid government has this whole issue with controlling people's lives.  My husband was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and did not smoke pot.  He kept having exacerbations and ending up in the hospital.  When he began to smoke, he stopped getting sick!  People shouldn't be punished for using drugs...they should be punished is they commit crimes to obtain drugs!