[finnigan2]

"We've simply learned from our experience with alcohol that banning a recreational chemical causes more problems than it solves."

- An unproven hypothesis.
I once attended first year university class with an absolutely brilliant classmate who was a spellbinding speaker, natural leader and could talk with intelligence on just about any topic - right up to the first morning cigarette break. From then on he sat in class, a look of amusement on his face from some private jokes he was telling himself. He would nod off by lunch time and seldom came back for afternoon classes. He failed his year and quietly disappeared.
How many more "quiet failures" would occur, especially among young people, were everyone to be passing around legal cannabis during class or office breaks?
Alcohol at least has thousands of years of western experience with it's use so we, as a society, have built a set of rules around it - and even then it's a major damaging factor in many peoples lives. Imagine adding cannabis to that mix. Within a generation most of our population would be content to chill out, collect their welfare benefits and let a small group of less weak willed citizens run their lives.

[avenir]

Excellent post. I imagine the "WE LOVE LIBERTY AND WOULD NEVER THINK OF SMOKING POT BUT FEEL A FANATICAL NEED TO DECRIMINALIZE IT SO WE CAN ALL BE FREEEEEE" crowd will remain unfazed.

[Know your rights]

We've simply learned from our experience with alcohol that banning a recreational chemical causes more problems than it solves.

- An unproven hypothesis.

No, one well proven by history; heard of Prohibition?

Alcohol at least has thousands of years of western experience with it's use so we, as a society, have built a set of rules around it - and even then it's a major damaging factor in many peoples lives.

Prohibition was more damaging still, which is why we ended it ... as we should end the current marijuana ban.