I think we're working our way to potentially more intelligent policies for marijuana possession. The laws we have now haven't stemmed its use just burdened the justice system, made criminals of people who really aren't and denied relief to people who could use its medicinal properties. Of course, as it becomes legal it will also become taxable...

I completely agree with the legalization. I believe if people read the new studies being done, it's not as bad as some other drugs (and I mean prescription wise), alcohol, and simple stupidity.

This thing has had such a bad stigma, but if we just show the facts, and try to spread that around, maybe we can make a difference. I am a responsible, hardworking, pay my bills on time, focused person. I smoke at night to relieve some tension. THAT is all. Sure, we might smoke some recreation-ally, but it's not like we are being stupid about it. It's a privacy issue that should be respected.

Please visit Norml.org for the facts.

Btw, this is to each their own, not anyone should smoke marijuana, I think you need to responsible for once actions when high. And like cigarettes and alcohol, people under 18 or 21 should not be able to get their hands on it.

Taxing marijuana after legalizing it would be the ideal handling of the drug. It would lower and stabilize prices for users, allow untainted product as well as producing a ridiculous amount of revenue from a tax similar to those on alcohol and cigarettes. Marijuana is less harmful for your body then drinking, people who use the drug less prone to violence. There are much better things to be prosecuting and investigating people for. NORML has a lot of great information on the topic. (national organization for reform of marijuana legislation, founded by Willie Nelson)

I completely with kythera !! (:

A lot of people don't know that if you type "Why is marijuana illegal?" on Google.com, the first site that pops up tells you how, and when, and by whom made it illegal. These doctors only did one or two tests, then distorted them. And the lies had been covered up by our wonderful legislators, and clergy involved.

I'm glad there's a story about this, I was asking for one earlier.

I hope we can move towards spending time and money on crimes that actually have a victim. This is definitely positive progress.

It's unfortunate that only decriminalization measures and not legalization can pass, but it is certainly a step in the right direction.

It's hard to believe we tell people what to put into their bodies in a free country.

Hmmmm organicsugar -- what is your take on drugs like herion, PCP, crack, etc?

Baby steps, I guess

I definitely agree that marijuana is probably the least harmful substance, especially when considering alcohol, tobacco, and OTC pills. Yet, it is treated just as badly as heroin and crack. It so is on a different level and I am stoked about the new legislation.

Haven't used any of those yet. I'll let you know when I do, though.

In all seriousness, I don't think the government should be making decisions about whether or not someone can use heroin, crack, or any other substance. It's arbitrary and overbearing.

I think it's great. I agree with Michelin that we should focus on crimes with a victim. Marijuana is not a physically addictive drug and isn't doing anyone else any harm, and does provide many with physical relief from pain.

I agree with everything everyone said! Personally, I don't like smoking pot, but I've done it enough to know it isn't more potent than alcohol, and sure, it could have some negative health effects, but so does drinking, eating a big mac, smoking a cigarette and failing to exercise regularly. I'd love to make some $$$ taxing the sale of it, and I also think it should have a legal age limit.

As far as heavier drugs go...I am definitely for decriminalizing where it will save money on sending people to prison through the legal system, and I'd divert that money into making rehab more accessible to those who want it. But yeah, meth. is not really comparable to marijuana...

COMPLETELY agree with snowbunny!

Haven't used any of those yet. I'll let you know when I do, though.

comparing crack and heroin to marijuana is ridiculous! Not the same what so ever...

I agree with snowbunny as well..there are much more dangerous things out there then weed. Im all for legalizing it! The goverment should not be telling people what they can and cant put in their bodies..to each its own!

well - i think that this is more complicated than just saying that you agree with the decisions or not. i think that in some instances, it's ok for this to become a lower priority if it means that law enforcement agents are better able to attend to the major issues that are going on - but if it means that there's going to be an increase in the amount of people that are abusing it, then i'm not for it. i'm always on the fence about these things

My husband worked at a glass company for awhile when we were first married. This often meant 2 workers carrying around 400+lbs of window glass with little suction cups. (This is a standard practice, believe it or not.) The nimrods he was working with would go smoke pot during lunch and be loopy for the rest of the afternoon. How would you like YOUR husband, father, brother, etc. having to do something dangerous like that with someone stoned out of their mind? One slip up and 400 lbs of glass would shatter, literally having the ability to behead someone. Let's not forget that smoking pot impairs your driving skill just as bad as a few alcoholic drinks. So, more fatality accidents are in the future. Now, still wanna legalize the stuff?

People who need it for medicinal purposes CAN legally carry and use it - with a doctor's prescription and letter. So, having marijuana illegal does NOT inhibit people who need it from getting/having it.

ilanac- yes, I thought a little about that. But I don't think anyone really doesn't use pot because of fear of criminal prosecution, despite the record number of prosecutions for it.

As far as the harder drugs go, I don't know, I get the feeling that addicts are just...addicts. But this is my impression from watching Cops, and isn't really based on any sort of firsthand knowledge.

I know at least there are high rates of recidivism for the harder drugs, even after rehab.

In most states, people can't get medicinal marijuana. No one is suggesting that people smoke pot while doing dangerous things, just like no one would suggest those workers take a three-martini lunch and perform their job drunk.

Schianne- well no one should be using a drug that impairs their ability to lift 400 pounds or drive. That isn't what these laws are about? We are allowed to drink alcohol, that doesn't mean you should show up to work drunk, or drink and drive.

You shouldn't even really take some prescription medications and operate heavy machinery. I took a vicodin (wisdom teeth) once, and was totally high. Just because it was legal for me to do so, doesn't mean it would have been wise for me to lift 400 pounds, or operate a forklift.

Of course you shouldn't do it while your doing dangerous things! Like these ladies said this would be the same as taking pills and drinking. If you are doing it responsibly then why not? I have a couple of friends that after work when they are tired they go home and smoke a blunt. In their house, not handling anything big, and not putting anyone's life in danger.
Granted there would be some idiots out there with some weed but wouldn't it be the same as the drunks now-a-days?

I don't think it's necessarily ridiculous to compare marijuana to other drugs like heroin and crack. Certainly those drugs are riskier, but it's still your body and your mind, and you have every right to control them.

legalization is a bad idea. There is a reason it is not legal, and I've not ever heard logical reasoning to change that status.

I agree Michelin.

I think this is an interesting thread as I see support from both liberal and more conservative voices here. Interesting.

When I think of the problems alcohol causes - how it can make people so violent and so aggressive, it still troubles me how marijuana can be treated with such vehement dislike. Its not in the same league as harder drugs, and if everyone that used it, used it as a stepping stone to those harder substances trust me when I say a great many people - professionals included - would be outright crackheads. It just ain't so.

Using ANY substance responsibly requires good judgement, no different than alcohol which we allow people to drink, and commit crimes under the influence of on a daily basis. I think treating those two differently is hypocritical, because if anything marijuana has proven positive medical benefit and in addition, does not have to be smoked, and doesn't create the aggression that alcohol can.

I am speaking from experience, that as a drug, this is pretty far down on the food chain and has gotten a very bad rap. I mean, we have drunk drivers, painkiller addicts, etc. It comes down to common sense, and no government entity can teach you that, you either got it - or ya don't, and I am not entirely sure that someone else should have to hold our hands on it. If you are the type of person that shows up to work drunk, then you are already past the point about caring about whether or not what you did was legal - "ya got issues, kid!" - and the mechanism by which you got that way, has moved past the point where legislation mattered, because people can cause illegale harm on perfectly legitimate, legal substances. Pot is not going to turn anyone into a raving, angry loony, either.

Let's put it this way, if someone is so irresponsible to get stoned before work, operating a forklift isn't gonna be on the table. GETTING TO WORK will be, because if he's dumb enough to drive stoned, he will be the guy going 15 miles an hour. /snicker

So, I think for myself anyway, that this is one thing on which I can wholly agree with the Libertarians/Independents that posted here. Its hypocritical and stupid that a far more dangerous drug - alcohol - runs rampant through society and pot is treated like Satan's stash itself.

Wow, Shadowdamage - said it better than I ever could have. I always laugh when I hear that someone was arrested for "possession" and I assume it's heroin, meth, etc. and it turns out to be marijuana.

i agree about the booze. i don't really drink much anymore. i am a smoker and it sucks cause there is such a stigma. its cool to hang out and have wine with friends, but get stoned and now you're just a slow idiot. i find it ironic cause i know tons of intelligent people, memories still seemingly intact, who smoke a lot! i have to say i have a much lower tolerance for drunk people. they are sloppy and usually aggressive. smoke too much and you'll get the best sleep of your life. its all very confusing

Im all for the legalization of marijuana. Since alcohol is legal there is no rational argument for not legalizing marijuana.

Why was marijuana deemed an illegal substance in the first place? I'd not ever heard why, just that it was. Can someone explain that to me?

UnDave, the reason marijuana is illegal (from what I understand) is because legislators during the early 1900s didn't like Mexicans immigrating to the US. Mexicans tended to be the users of marijuana and legislators figured that if they made the drug illegal, they could harass them into going back to Mexico.
The reason it's illegal is not because it's an unsafe drug. It's an antiquated law that's costing tax payers billions of dollars on this "War on Drugs."

cite: http://civilliberty.about.com/od/drugpolicy/tp/Why-is-Marijuana-Illegal....

it should be illegal, getting the munchies is a crime (i mean you will eat stuff that you would never eat if you werent high, and claim its the best thing ever)

As a Libertarian I think everyone knows what I think about this!

CG in college I ate mayonnaise with a spoon. Mayonnaise.

Haha, CaterpillarGirl. I've seen that happen. People using chocolate chip cookies to scoop out the icecream instead of a spoon...
which is actually a pretty good idea, but hell on a waistline.

I love this - you guys - this is like a topic so many of us agree on..its a nice change.

I am pondering if its a worse "crime" to get the munchies, or if its worse when stoned to say something that you think sounds REALLY PROFOUND at the time.."DUDE, DUDE!! We should write this down..."

Then hours later, thinking you might have some great and poignant philosophical pondering to share with others, realise all you wrote down was "Tacos are like...little canyons, and cheese is the rain."

Pot is probably kept illegal now mostly because its harder to tax it - I mean, if you can grow your own, they can't regulate it, they can't control it as easily as alcohol (which can be made on your own too, but at high strengths its not quite as portable or easy. I mean who has room for a still in their apartment? )

I love this - you guys - this is like a topic so many of us agree on..its a nice change.

Good points, Shadowdamage. If you can grow your own, it will be more difficult to tax.

Shadow I have video evidence of the "stoners statements" and or "i think i can actually sing" moments. Its good TV.

The whole point is that if you make it legal - there will be easier access. Look at the trouble we have with legalized alcohol - yes, you SHOULDN'T drink/drive ... but people do. All the time. The same will occur for pot - people are going to abuse it more with it being easily available. It's just how people are. Ever heard a drunk say "Oh, I can still drive, I'm not THAT drunk"? You get the same thing - "Oh, I only had one joint, I'm ok still."

funny story, kinda related.

Moved into my new apartment 3 years ago, we have a private bricked in courtyard and there were a few plants in it. My stepfather who is in the sheriffs dept came over to help us move and i see him out there looking at the plants in my courtyard....so i go out there and he is grinning. and he say "um you need to get rid of these fast" and i look closely...pot plants,young ones! So my landlord comes to give me keys and I tell him, and he says the people who lived there before me hung out alot in the courtyard smoking (non smoking apts) and they had been gone for months.....someone dropped some seeds!

we got rid of them, in front of my stepfather, begrudgingly.

"I love this - you guys - this is like a topic so many of us agree on..its a nice change."

MARIJUANA:
Helping people with their problems early since the dawn of time!
Illegal since 1906 for doubtful reasons!

Schianne, from personal experience, and the experience of my friends, I can tell you it's much more difficult for minors to get alcohol than it is for them to get marijuana. Drug dealers don't ask for ID.

I heard a while ago that some country somewhere (and I can't remember which one so I could just be making this up) let people use drugs like heroin and crack, but it had to be in designated "houses" and you weren't allowed to leave while under the influence and if you are caught with anything outside of these houses it was very very bad. It seems like that sort of arrangement could be a nice compromise between what we do now and a free for all. The fact is many hard drugs do have dangerous consequences for innocent people. In the area where I live a problem the local police are fighting is home break ins by people on meth.

Weed, in my opinion, is far less dangerous than alcohol. I just don't understand why it's still illegal...makes no sense at all. I wonder if these people who are so anti-drug believe everything in Reefer Madness?

refeer madness!!!!!! I laugh so much watching that movie!

Mandy, libertarians have been saying that for years. Have designated spots, like parks or something where it is legal. You must prove yourself sober to leave, there are strict punishments for possession or use outside of the area, and violence/crime inside area will also be punished. That is the most vague description ever, sorry!

I think this is the most peaceful thread I've read on citizen.