Civilized society has determined, those people who grow, purchase and ingest illicit drugs, belong behind bars. They are breaking the laws of society.
Contrary to libertarian propaganda, most people who are caught with small amounts of marijuana, are not automatically thrown in jail on a first time offense. In fact, most users of marijuana, who are caught with the illicit substance, are given many chances by the criminal justice system, to reform, before they're actually put in prison.
*cheap shot warning*
You mean like the Bush daughters?
Like Newt Gingrich, Clarence Thomas,...
True. However, the laws of civilized society regularly undergo revision -- after all, 50 years ago, New Deal socialism was the law of civilized society. Those who are advocating changes in the drug laws are taking part in the process by which aspects of society are examined, reconsidered, and, sometimes changed.
Contrary to libertarian propaganda, most people who are caught with small amounts of marijuana, are not automatically thrown in jail on a first time offense. In fact, most users of marijuana, who are caught with the illicit substance, are given many chances by the criminal justice system, to reform, before they're actually put in prison.
Quite true. In fact, when I was at the University of Michigan in the mid-80s, the penalty for pot possession in Ann Arbor was a $5 fine. For all intents and purposes, it was legal.
Thing is, I saw some students who used pot and screwed up their lives. I saw other regular pot smokers who quite frankly thrived, got solid grades, and went off to law school and business school. I didn't see any appreciable difference in failure and success between those who used pot and those who did not. In that light, it does not make sense, to me, that pot should be banned.
True, provided you consider society and government to be freely interchangeable. In the case of marijuana, at the time it was prohibited it's use was not widespread, and it was not an issue of general concern among "society". The decision to prohibit it was done by government, and support for that decision was demanded of society. Should our society decide what kind of government we are to have, or should our government decide what kind of society we shall live in? Or should we just consider them one in the same so we never have to ask that question?
From what I've seen (from volunteering my time at a local Drug & Alcohol Treatment Center) that only works for the likes Dionne Warwick and friends, not your average joe.