Should pot be legalized?
138789
1.  Drug companies make too much money not curing cancer to allow some plant that you can grow in your back yard for free, and which, incidentally, might actually help someone with cancer eat, be legal.  They want you to pay if you want to eat.  So, no weed for cancer patients, which is absolute shame.\n\n2.  Since people already use pot, the govt. sees in weed a nice, easy way to extort money from people and throw 'em in jail, which in the former case bankrupts someone (poor people are generally docile, since they can't just up and travel - go to Washington and protest the day's new illegal travesty being legislated, for example, or move to a better economic area, with gas being so high - Or pay for an education the likes of which a rich person can, which would land someone a good job or a seat in gov't. - you have to go ivy to go federal) in the latter scares 'em out of any 'revolutionary' activities like speaking out in public about scary issues like peace, or criminals in the White House.  This is why its a good idea not to smoke, b/c its asking for the government to take all of your rights away and/or push you into debt.\n\nI don't smoke.  I think that pot should be legalized for cancer patients, and seriously decriminalized for citizens, because no state should have so much ground to take so much money from someone or put someone in jail for some weed, OR to deprive someone in pain of something that might help ease their suffering - such is vile and inhumane.\n\n...and Tatonka (who wrote above), you are not funny.  In fact, you get the 'lame, sad tosser' of the day award for the latent fascist tendencies of your's which you so sublimely demonstrated for us in your response, tosser.
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.
546521
Dear Friend,\n\nYes, marijuana should be legal.  It is a mild narcotic with no addictive properties.  Money spent in a futile attempt to stamp out weed could be directed towards more pressing social problems.\n\nYour Friend,\nFrancesois
642126
No, marijuana should not be legalized, but it should be decriminalized, like the rest of the world has done. Why make criminals out of pot heads? Answer: to take everyone's rights away.\n\nBecause of a little marijuana, they can seize your car, your bank accounts, your possessions; just load it all up and take it away, and redistribute your wealth elsewhere. That is forbidden by the Contitution.\n\nBecause of a little marijuana, they can search every crack and crevice of your body, search your car, gain access to open land, spy on you, record your messages, and start a dosier on you. \n\nIf they smell marijuana, good luck. But all they have to do is "say" they smelled marijuana, and all of the above applies.\n\nBecause of a little marijuana, they can give you more jail time than bank robbers, rapists, and even murderers, especially if the Fed gets involved, and they have filled their jails to overflowing and can't build them fast enough. And this is one of the most important reasons of all to decriminalize marijuana, is to get the Fed the hell outa here, and to stop the growth rate of the prison industry.\n\nBecause of a little marijuana, you want more marijuana. It is not addictive, but it is psychologically addictive. You spend a good part of your life high, or coming down, and the parties are for hours. Then you spend hours driving around looking for it and smoking more. Then you have to get some more money to pay for it. \n\nYou can spend an inordinate amount of your time "wasted," and watching life go by, or you can kick the drugs and get "in" life and live it, experience it, effect it, gain from it, experience joy and fulfillment and happiness, or you can sit on the couch and seek pleasure that fades after the last toke. \n\nBecause of a little marijuana, you will be lethargic and not do well in school, if you go at all. And probably because of marijuana, you will not succeed in life. It will choose your friends, it will choose your music, it will choose where you go, and you will live your life for a worthless lie called a drug.
67803
It should be legalized.\nIt should be controlled as is alcohol(over 21, strict driving laws, etc.).\nIt should be taxed as are alcohol and tobacco which will provide additional revenue to the states.\nThe legalization will allow law enforcement and the courts to concentrate on more dangerous drugs and more serious crimes.  The legalization will also help to alleviate some of the overcrowding in our jails and prisons, an additional savings to the taxpayers.
522707
think about it this way... i feel marijuana should be legalized due to the fact we are putting away pot heads for possession and stopping this drug from being on the streets and spending all of this money putting them away when there are TONS of cocaine dealers, crack dealers, meth heads, pedifiles, murderers etc still out there... yet our government is so convinced that marijuana is this horrible gateway drug... what about alcohol? in most cases kids now a days are more suseptable to drinking and then smoking pot than it being the other way around... but anyways. do you often read about people gettin arrested for being stoned out of their mind and killing someone from smoking and driving??? it happens occassionaly, but not as often as being being drunk and driving... do you hear about pot heads robbing gas stations to fund their habit? noo... usually that is cocaine addicts and meth heads... if the government was to legalize pot, they could put their own tax on it, and it would be just like alcohol, except for the fact you cant get "marijuana poisoning" well...you can, but to receive a lethal dose of thc you would have to consume 900 joints in a day... sure it causes cancers, but so does alcohol, so does smoking cigarettes...  so based off of how much we are spending on sending pot heads to jail, as well as keeping this so called "drug" off the streets we would make twice that if it were legalized... so yes, i feel people in the states should have full rights to smoke marijuana as they do in amsterdam.  but our government is to damn stupid to realize this potential and is just continually spending our tax dollars on throwing these TERRIBLE people, aka pot heads in jail...
348899
I think it should be legal...well it already is in some states. But just think how much money the US can make off of selling that stuff. Perhaps the president might be able to get out of his trillion dollar debt. Alochol is worse than weed. If they want to make something illegal that should be it.
887110
No.   Federal Law prohibits states to legalize pot (and other substances)
226488
Yes, I think marajuana should be legalized.  Compare it to our two most popular legal "recreational drugs."  Marijuana is only mildly addictive especially in comparison to tobacco.  The affects of marijuana lower inhibitions, but unlike alcohol it is nearly impossible to overdose.  When was the last time you heard of someone getting high on pot and beating someone up?  It would be far more likely they got an uncontrollable case of the giggles. Now consider how dangerous someone who is drunk on alchohol - their aggressor response is heightened, not diminished.\n\nAnd I would also like to state:  I don't drink and I don't smoke marijuana.   This is just my observations.
830744
What would happen to the crime rate if it were legalized?\n\nWhat would the number of users do if it were legalized... would it increase or decrease?\n\nWe know it's a harmful substance so why would one want to legalize such a harmful drug?\n\nIf it were legalized, then teens (for the most part) using the substance to rebel against parents, rules, laws, and whatever else, what would they do?  Would they continue using marijuana or would they move on to another, more harmful substance?\n\nHow and why would this benefit society?\n\nThe only use for marijuana that's acceptable in society today (for medicinal purposes) is already available in many states/provinces with a prescription from a qualified doctor.  What would the purpose of legalizing marijuana be?  \n\nIf it were legalized, wouldn't it be easier to get ahold of and be easier for children to access and be harmed by?\n\nWould you allow your own children (either now or several years down the road when you do have children) to use marijuana?  If it's legalized they can purchase it on their own much easier.  Just gives a person a little bit to think about.
444740
It should be legalized, but natural plants and herbs can't be patented, so the government stands to make more money off of it being illegal...through tickets and citations.  We manufacture and even market drugs with for worse effects and side effects in commercials and in magazines everyday.
58876
I definately think that marijuana should be legalized for medicinal use.  By legalizing it for medical use, it's not as if it would be street legal.  Not only would it help cancer patients such as your friend, but many other people who suffer from many other ailments, MS, ADD, ADHD, just to name a few.  I most definately think it should be lealized.
654614
I think I would be for arresting anyone that tries to grow their own. Rather there needs to be a control over how much people are allowed to smoke. \n\nThe reason I say that is because there are severe addictions, mental problems, and a few other health problems that marijuana can cause if you are able to smoke too much of it on a regular basis. \n\nBut as far as a minor causual use gotton from strictly controlled sources, that is another issue entirely. That approach could easily reduce the current severe abuse of marijuana where outright legalization or outlawing can't. Therefore reducing the problems that come from severe abuse. \n\nAlso legalizing marijuana would remove the bars from Industrial Hemp. We are the only country that doesn't have Indutrial Hemp production. \n\nIndustrial hemp could replace wood in paper product production and be a tool in reducing the amount of forests that are cut down. \n\nIt's most common use is clothing and textiles. We could generate thousands of jobs in this area alone. \n\nSo yes, legalization could be helpful.
958756
These are different issues.  Abortion is legal but drugs are not legal.\n\nActually, I think the US should legalize some drugs and pot and make money taxing the substances.
1081085
you bet your bottom they should......\nits weird how they will legalize alcohol, which actually kills you over time. and not to mention the stupid idiotic people that drive drunk too.........but seriously, when have you ever heard of marijuana killing someone....its a known fact that it has never cause death.....NEVER....and its awesome for medicinal use too.\nim telling you , i had the worse headache for HOURS and one hit  is all it took for it to go away......you people that are against it should try it..
231501
huh..  what... dude... like that question.. it like rocks.  i, uh, yea man, like weed should totally be legal.  peace bro.
1173355
I doubt it, considering we actually had to vote on whether to add a state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, even though gay people can't get married to begin with.  \nGeorgia for now is much too conservative (at large) to legalize marijuana.  Maybe that will change someday, maybe for medical reasons at first.