[Brilliant]

I'm sure this won't be popular on Freerepublic, but in my opinion, they should simply legalize marijuana. It's a waste of resources to enforce laws against a narcotic that is not a whole lot more dangerous than alchohol, if at all.

[thoughtomator]

More popular than you might think - I for one am not exactly thrilled about having my wallet robbed to pay for citizen harassment, and I don't see how this effort is going to be any more successful than Prohibition.

[chilepepper]

i agree with you... the biggest fan of the DEA are the drug cartel. the drug dealers depend on the government to make their commodity more valuable and thus vastly increase their profits...

[Socratic]

"...they should simply legalize marijuana."

Either that, or arrest all children who spin around to get dizzy.

[The_Victor]

I'm sure this won't be popular on Freerepublic, ...

The support this position gets will probably surprise you. You can also expect a fierce debate.

</can-of worms> </can-of worms> </can-of worms>...
Oh crap, it's not working.

[Joe Boucher]

I agree but it ain't gonna happen.
Too many otherwise worthless lawyers make their livings off pot busts, not to mention the billions in reeducation programs, counseling mandated by courts etc etc.

[Gorzaloon]

I'm sure this won't be popular on Freerepublic, but in my opinion, they should simply legalize marijuana. It's a waste of resources to enforce laws against a narcotic that is not a whole lot more dangerous than alchohol, if at all.

I can be neutral because I am an oddity in my circles in that I do not bother with the stuff. Of all the people I know whose lives were ruined by substances, alcohol tops the list, followed by a smaller number of cocaine problems.

To include pot with those substances is a legal fiction, and apparantly the Public has "nullified" that law without judicial sanction. If joints were distributed after the Rodney King verdict, there would have been no riots. People may have intended to riot, or even planned to. But not right then, maybe sometime later, or tomorrow or sometime...what was I saying?

[ruiner]

If cigarettes were illegal and we know that they cause lung cancer, would you lobby for it to become legal and therefore inflict cancer on its users?

[Lockbox]

I'm sure this won't be popular on Freerepublic, but in my opinion, they should simply legalize marijuana.

You assume something that may not be valid.

I also thing the drug wars have been a waste. I'm against drug usage, but the amount of resources wasted to attempt to solve this problem is too large. We should legalize the sale of drugs similar to the sale of alcohol and tax the hell out of it. Notice that we can control the access to alcohol by minors better then we can control minor's access to drugs.

[CindyDawg]

You might be surprised. I am very conservative and I've seen the damage addiction and under the influence can cause from all substances and I believe it's generally best to stay away from this stuff. That said, I believe every American adult should be responsible fot themselves and it should not be any of the governments business. Set (and enforce) heavy penalties for endangering others, selling, or providing access to kids but nothing more than that.

As for this man, I wonder if he had a nice house. I believe being allowed to take property and keep recovered cash one of the worse laws passed. Kind of like the fox guarding the hen house.

[RolandBurnam]

I agree... go after the hard stuff, cocaine, crystal meth

[B.O. Plenty]

It's hard to tell how popular it is on FR. There are a few hard core drug warriors here that really get in people's faces when some sanity is proposed to relieve the failing WOD. My position is that all drugs should be "legalized" and regulated and that we treat drug addicts like drunks. We have been dealing with alcoholics since the beginning of time, and we can do the same with druggies. Most "alcoholics" function in society well.....it is not unreasonable IMHO to think that a pot-head would not do the same. As I see it, there are two solutions to the WOD....either we get REALY tough...like summary execution for dealers AND users....or legalization.

I am reasonably sure that somebody will give me advice as to where I can put my opinion...but nobody so far has suggested anything that will work better. The status quo...business as usual...is clearly not working....

[pointsal]

Heck....the government should also legalize the production of industrial HEMP. Great fiber that could be grown easily and replace cotton production, provide alternative crops for areas that typically produce corn and soybeans, low water consumption, replace wood fiber for paper.....NEED I SAY MORE.

[Rebelbase]

Mary jane isn't a narcotic.

[Ben Chad]

they should simply legalize marijuana. It's a waste of resources to enforce laws against a narcotic that is not a whole lot more dangerous than alchohol, if at all.

Ditto from a nonconsumer.