President Obama Sparks Reefer Madness: Donations to NORML Spike

Day 67 Barry have you caught OSAMA yet?.

Legalization of Marijuana is a distastful prospect for most Americans. . . Myself included ! . . However, when you weigh the true health effects, health benefits to some, danger to the public as a whole and the cost of attempting to control the sale and usage of the product by way of incarceration, parole, probation, etc., . . One can readily recognize that the COST IS WAY TOO HIGH the way we're going at it right now. . . My thinking, at this point, . . having the benefit of the knowledge that criminalization of marijuana has FAILED MISERABLY, . . IS that we should move to a position like we did at the end of PROHIBITION of ALCOHOL and set up STATE RUN outlets which are taxed and controlled the same way liquor is now. . . In fact, It could be marketed right through the liquor (ABC) stores which already exist. . . Not only would that SAVE a ton of money, . . It would actually make PROFIT for the Government and relieve the necessity for tax hikes. . . The one thing which is needed is a way to test and sense when a person has been USING while DRIVING, etc., Then, . It's treated just like alcohol when it comes to the LAW. . . And people like me who don't like it, . . don't have to purchase it or go where it's being used or sold. . . That would cure a lot of problems which currently exist, . . IMHO . . . And, . I could stop PAYING to punish those who are going to use it COME HELL OR HIGH WATER !!! . . .

I am eminetely qualified to speak to this subject, considering the decades dedicated to the unsanctioned research of cannabis. First, I will say in retrospect, that weed is a monumental waste of time! If I had the time back that I've spent just running down papers, or picking out seeds, I could have used that time to accomplished something of real value. But I would not tell you 2nd mellinnium heads, to not waste your lives. Is that why you are willing to live in a socialist America? You think you'll just pick up a free check, wrenched from the hands of "SOME FACELESS RICH DUDE" meander on down and score a quarter from "freinds," and cool it with the Ipod, forever and ever, In fact, more apathic, unorganized people, means more for me, being that we live in a competitive world. That said, Drug laws, like prohibition of the twenties, can't do anything but enhance the coffers of the legal system. A government shouldn't make any laws it cannot enforce. It shows that government, to be what all governments really are, and that is a facade of power. It only has power, when the populous is willing to comply. Legalization, would also take the drama and excitement out of doing what is really a mundane experience, "BORING". Being the Libertarian that I am, which is a lot like an Anarchist, "only without the anger, and ski mask," I"m also a social Darwinist, I think anyone who wants to kill themselves with drugs, should by all means do so, and get out of the gene pool. By all means legalize not only pot, but all drugs!

See how much our US Cities, States, Country and households could save on taxes if Marijuana were decriminalized:
MarijuanaLobby.org Change we can engage in...

Legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes and legalizing it for sick folks are two different things. I have no problem with medical marijuana, who am I to judge? I think we all know we could be in the same boat when it comes to chronic - or terminal - illness.
If we leave it up to the states, which may happen someday, we know the score: the liberal states (New England and the west coast) will have legal marijuana. The conservative midwest and south will not. Just like gay marriage and civil unions!

GenericAmerican, I like you thoughts, my thoughts exactly!

::hvychev2:08PMMar 28th 2009
Day 67 Barry have you caught OSAMA yet?::

Bush couldn't manage it in over 7 years, so that's hardly fair.

"Obama, fix the economy. Obama, find and catch Bin Laden. Obama, make the entire country green. AND DO IT YESTERDAY!" Yeesh, talk about the MTV Short-Attention-Span-Theater Generation...

Take a deep breath and wait. None of this is going to come quickly or easily.

America wastes Billions of dollars a yr spending $45,000 yr prisoner a yr because they smoked a little pot, or grew a few plants. Why do the Feds need to throw their weight around in States where the voters clearly want Medical Marijuana ? Ca. medical marijuana laws are over 12 yrs old yet the DEA still insists on busting the caregivers and patients that have their doctors recommendation. It's almost sadistic when you remember many of the patients are already dealing with Cancer or some other terrible disease then the DEA adds a major Felony case on for them to worry about.
In todays LATimes there is a interview of a retired Conservative Judge begging for anyone to listen to him about how badly the "War on Drugs" has failed and the damage it has caused. He makes the point that we couldn't of done a worse job if we had tried to. Legalizing marijuana would take most of the profits away from the Cartels, reducing trafficing, saving lives, make regulating it easier, even tax it with sales only to those over 18 or older.
It makes no sense to keep illegal what every schoolkid can get faster than they can a beer and still exposing them to a record for the rest of their life. Studies show that about half of all Americans have smoked pot at least once in their life. Should you all have a Federal Felony on your record ? It's time to reject the old thinking of the last century and move into a more realistic future.

Legalize it for medical usage immediately! The horrifying stuff the pharmaceutical companies shovels out at us all -- and even young children -- is much worse. It was the only thing that helped my dear friend who recently died of cancer.
No more lies and bad laws against marijuana usage for pain relief, etc. (It's the drug and booze industry fighting it tooth and nail...)

No more holier than thou comments -- heard Steven Baldwin whine on about it because he had been a drug abuser. So he blew it and I'm happy for him that he is clean and sober now, but that's no reason not to legalize it for those who truly need it to prevent more suffering!!!

Just do it. Stop wasting tax money on this frivolous drug war and make it legal. I use when my diabetes pain get too much, but I don't over use it. None of the drugs(legal) Ive used for neuropathy work as well and without aweful side effects.

LONG overdue!

While marijuana is certainly not harmless, it is nowhere near as dangerous as the other drugs it's "scheduled" with. There is simply no comparison between Marijuana and the likes of LSD, PCP, heroin, cocaine Meth etc. If you disagree, I submit you are ignorant, and simply don't know what you're talking about.

Marijuana is also less harmful than other LEGAL drugs, such as alcohol or nicotine.

End the insidipid vilification and demonization of marijuana users. Every one I know who uses marijuana maintains a job (gotta have money to buy!), owns their home, pays their bills and taxes, is raising wonderful children, loves America, and is otherwise a decent person.

Marijuana does NOT encourage violence, it is NOT physically addictive, and does NOT rot the brain (unless you use it too often) any worse than alcohol does.

Stop swallowing the DEA and ONDCP's sill rhetoric, and open your eyes folks.

Instead of arresting alomst 1,000,000 AMERICANS a year, and jailing a significant portion of them at $45,000/yr, perhaps we can just leave them be (as long as they hurt no one else) and simply tax their pastime into oblivion! A 2-300% tax would be just fine.

Let the hippies pay for your Universal Health Care, they'd be happy to!

All the states that want to legalize Marijuana are the same states that are outspoken about second hand smoke. Marijuana kills. But then drunk drivers kill also and god forbide we should raise the tax on it and pay back the billions of dollars alcohol costs us each year. For every dollar alcohol brings in, it costs $40.

Prohibition is still and always be a dismal failure.

THE WAR ON DRUGS IS A WAR ON OUR OWN SOCIETY

Prohibition strains the Constitution and The War on Drugs has been a misguided failure. END IT.

http://pacificgatepost.blogspot.com/2009/04/war-on-drugs-time-for-change.html

Time to regain control of our streets and our sanity.