“Actually there have been studies showing a link to lung cancer in MJ smokers”
I’m not sure about the lung cancer, but I have seen it associated with some other breathing problems. Not surprising, especially considering how often marijuana is contaminated with things like mold spores. Chronic use of marijuana has also been associated with cardiac problems - again not surprising considering that smoking MJ causes a serious increase in heart rate.
I still favor legalization, but only if the real risks involved with its use are made known, as they are with tobacco or alcohol.
The War on Drugs is a jobs program, not a serious effort to reduce drug use. The problem is the collateral damage, productive citizens being prosecuted for small amounts of pot.
Many medical professionals say only a small percentage of any population wants to hurt itself through drug or alcohol abuse. So it’s unlikely that a well planned program will increase narcotics abuse. Most of us have no interest.
Turn marijuana into a low-cost, taxed option that produces revenue instead of a huge expense to the taxpayers.
Create drug-dispensing clinics where narcotics users can get free narcotics, clean needles, and health counseling.
Then dramatically increase drug-pushing penalties to eliminate competition.
Result: Crime drops and we save on law-enforcement costs.
This is one of the most honest disagreements between the L/libertarians and conservatives.
The Libertarians point out, rightly, that an adult should be free to purchase and ingest whatever substance he cares to, right up to the point where he starts to impinge on someone else’s right to enjoy his own rights.
The conservative replies that’s all well and good, but the anti social effects of drug use are so prevalent and severe among users, that outright prohibition, bad as it may be, results in the least harm when compared to the other options.
I have to side with the conservatives on this one. Hard drugs (methamphetamine, heroin, PCP, LSD, ketamine, etc. etc.) are just too devastating to too large a percentage of people who use them, both from a health perspective and from the perspective of anti-social behaviors. From a purely practical perspective, it’s a judgement call, but not really a very hard one.
One other aspect of legalization is that we would have to completely re-write our product liablilty laws, as these substances are so inherently dangerous that they simply can’t be used with the same level of safety as even tobacco. Somehow, I don’t see that happening anytime soon.
Finally, California has very generously offered itself as a big experiment for the nation for mass decriminalization of Marijuana. I ride a motorcyle to work every day, and can smell weed smoke on the freeway, morning and night. In about ten years, we’ll have the data on whether this has a toll in terms of increased traffic injuries and deaths, or if it’s as benign as some would say. It’s going to be interesting to find out which side was right.
I'm NOT pro-tobacco or pro-pot. I just despise the double standard.