[cryptical]

If we just doubled the arrests and doubled the tax dollars spent, we can make a dent in the drug trade. Just because it's never worked before doesn't mean it won't work now.

[rhombus]

"Marijuana is a much more serious drug than most Americans realize. It's a more potent drug than it was in the past."

This is a pure BS talking point.

[proxy_user]

"This number of arrests is the equivalent of arresting every man, woman and child in San Francisco.

While this might appeal to some Freepers, I would suggest not giving them any more ideas...

[Bigh4u2]

"When the number of marijuana arrests exceeds the population of some states"

What states only have 771,605 people??

Wyoming? Montana?

[zek157]

Hmmmm What an original idea. Would you say the same thing about those people that indulge in alcohol? If not what is the difference?

[William Terrell]

The power of a national government in a nation of law abiding citizens is minimum. The power of a national government in a nation of criminals is maximum.

[Names Ash Housewares]

Raising drug free kids should be the goal, then demand will drop. We are failing to teach children to NOT do drugs, to NOT drink. They know their parents did or do, they see their friends doing it. It is smiled upon and winked at all through society. There is a lot of money to be made these days. These things have been with humanity a long time. I suspect little will every change.

[Wolfie]

ping

[gamarob1]

The number of arrests for possession alone was 684,319

That's a lot of Rastafarians

[Moonman62]

I read the entire article. It's one big whine that should be accompanied by violin music, full of the same slogans that can be read on any one of the thousands of pot threads on FR.

[StJacques]

The biggest problem we have with considering the question of what to do about marijuana is that the lobbying and policy groups promoting its decriminalization or legalization are some of the freakiest circus-act-refugees-masquerading-as-policy-wonks on the planet. There does need to be a serious discussion about it but how far can we really go when we're also told by the advocates for marijuana law reform that we can't wear leather, that ginseng should be served in school cafeterias, that cosmic rays from meteor showers are altering the human genome, and more?

I paid my way through college working in the restaurant business and that experience convinced me that hard liquor is an extremely dangerous substance, much more so than marijuana. I know someone will probably ping me with a link that says otherwise, but I've seen the ill effects of hard drinking up close and I don't chew twigs and berries.

[mysterio]

You'll like my idea. Video cameras in every home, watched 24/7 by government agents. And random house searches. You never know when it's coming. And if you're not doing anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about.

You see, we have to catch people who are getting high. Because that's the most important issue in the world. Someone is getting high right now, and if we had cameras in every house, we would catch him and put him in jail.

We also need to build more jails. Big ones. And we need to put everyone in who has ever used drugs. Drug users should be made to register after being released from prison so the police and military can drop by occasionally to make sure they are not high.

We can do this. It's going to take a lot of money and most of our liberty, but if it keeps one person from getting high, it's worth it.

[Join Or Die]

Yeah, remember alcohol? Good thing we banned that!

[Lexington Green]

Welcome to America - where there are enough laws to ensure that everyone is a criminal.

[Triggerhippie]

Mirken: "...the country should be asking: Does it make sense to keep millions of otherwise-law-abiding citizens on the dark side of the law?"

Mirken's logic is "interesting." (It took me a B.A. and eleven years to learn to say "interesting" rather than bullsh!t.)

The law is the law. Should we legalize jay-walking to keep otherwise-law-abiding citizens from wrongdoing? Should we legalize tax evasion to keep otherwise-law-abiding citizens from wrongdoing? Should we legalize murder for the same reason?

[headsonpikes]

If we just doubled the arrests and doubled the tax dollars spent, we can make a dent in the drug trade. Just because it's never worked before doesn't mean it won't work now.

I guess it still takes a village ...

One small question, however ...

_{Why does the village idiot always seem to be in charge?}

[Clemenza]

From High School:

Pot is Evil

Evil is Sin

Sin is Forgiven

So Pot is In!

[md2576]

If we just doubled the arrests and doubled the tax dollars spent, we can make a dent in the drug trade. Just because it's never worked before doesn't mean it won't work now

Did you forget the /sarcasm at the end of that?

I hope!

[libertyman]

"double the tax dollars spent"

Sounds like what a liberal would say....yep, just throw more $ into a sinking ship & that'll save the passengers!

[WhiteGuy]

IN 2004, law enforcement officials arrested 771,605 people for marijuana

Cops get the best dope!

[quadrant]

The question should be asked why this many Americans feel they are entitled to break the law - and for something as stupid as the desire to smoke pot.
If we were talking about some great civil injustice such as de jure segregation, one could understand the desire to violate the law, but we are talking about smoking a substance that is known to be harmful.
And don't tell me it isn't because I've spent too much time around dedicated pot heads and seen the decline in their mental faculties.
If pot heads want to legalize pot, they should agitate through political or legal channels. If not, they should accept the punishment the law.