[robertpaulsen]

Let's get rid of the nanny state first, then we can consider adding another drug to the legal list. Why overburden our existing system?

[dark_lord]

You make a good point about the overburdening of our existing system. But as I pointed out in a separate thread, the high murder rate in Chicago (for example) is directly related to drugs being illegal. I said something like - "People don't do drivebys for a 2% profit margin." The other thing is that the WOD, because of all the dealers shooting each other and bystanders, is a direct cause of the leftists getting popular support for banning guns, which undermines the 2nd amendment.

Me - I would rather see them attack it from both directions. Decriminalize marijuana at the federal level - and then let the states decide. Some would probably react by increasing criminal penalties for marijuana. Some would legalize it. But it would be 10th amendment issue.

Then, reallocate the police resources currently consumed with marijuana arrests (paperwork, court time, jail population costs, etc.) and roll them on to heroin, cocaine, crack, and meth. The user population is much smaller for those drugs, and the increased police activity and increased money available should make a serious dent in the crime in that area. Also, at the federal level - reallocate cops and dollars that currently focus on marijuana to focus on the illegal immigrant problem.

That's how I would handle it.