Legalize it. I don't partake--not something I enjoy--but I have no issue with those who want to. Prohibition has just driven it underground, taking the tax revenues with it. It has been de facto legal in CA for a while and there hasn't been any [extra] collapse of law and order. If anything it has made it safer for average potheads to score.

Thank you very much Leon.

Great statement, the entire thing really.

Very professionally handled Leon. Thank you for making this place a safe and wonderful environment for all of us.

Best Regards,
Wazoo

If it becomes legal, what will all the Lawyers, Fat Police, Prison Guards and Judges do?

Is there another teet they can suck on until early retirement?

I guess the Supreme Court could overturn the 2003 Lawerence v. Texas Sodomy decision and use those helicopters to fly around looking in your backytard and windows and make sure you are not corrupting your wife. I'm guessing the 62 clowns who answered no on this poll are also in favor of eliminating the 14th ammendment to the US Constitution........? please chime in.

Definition of LIBERTY


1

: the quality or state of being free:

a: the power to do as one pleases

b: freedom from physical restraint

c: freedom from arbitrary or despotic control

d: the positive enjoyment of various social, political, or economic rights and privileges

e: the power of choice

How are we clowns for voting NO!!!

Although I agree with most points made by murcerfan, just as you stated... People have the right to do as they please. If someone is against legalization we can't hold it against them. They have just as much right to be against it as we do for it. That being said, the times are changing and many things are much more open than they used to (I was raised incredibly conservatively).

I don't care if they legalize it.

I believe that the states need to have laws on the books prior to the legalization of pot that regulate the sale of it and also laws that provide stiff penalties to those that are caught driving while under the influence. The last thing I want is for some stoned idiot to kill me, my family or friends.

I believe that the laws for being under the influence (while driving) should be stiffer than those for alcohol. While on that topic, I think the laws for driving under the influence of alcohol should be stiffer than they are now.

If the laws are known well in advance of the legalization of pot then anybody caught driving stoned will know of the penalties well in advance of the legalization of pot.

+1

I guess freedom only extends to people you agree with.

That attitude is so typical here in Ma. That it really bugs the * out of me.

Steve B

Update Colorado Nov 19th!
 

Afternoon,

Representative Dianna DeGette D-Co, is introducing a Bill in Congress that so far has Bi-partisan and Pro and Con legalization support to pass a statute that would make it a Non Starter (Exemption to the Federal Controlled Substance Act) for the Feds to be able to take any action against any States who have passed any laws or measures legalizing any substances that are currently deemed by the Feds to be a Schedule 1 Narcotic. Although she and some of her colleges do not believe that this action should have been taken (Legalization), they do believe that the People of Colorado have spoken !!!! And the Feds should mind their own business!!

YeeHah :D

Neil

LOL agreed

Are you high?

How's that working for you out there in Colorado?

http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/oreill.../3824256251001

I say round them all up and throw them in jail for not doing anything to anybody. That joint, young man, will lead to you being homeless for totally unsubstantiated reasons according to cherry picked statistics. Did you know, young lady, that smoking just one joint can lead to pregnancy? And don't forget about crime. Just being around marijuana smoke can make you a violent offender. I knew a guy who smelled pot smoke and kicked his dog.

Well, it's evil, wicked, mean and nasty...
-Steppenwolf, Don't step on the grass, Sam

Just the other day I read that three young men HEARD someone mention pot and pushed an old lady down that they had previously been helping cross the street.

It is a scourge on society which knows no limits. Please banish it before we've all gone crazed with reefer madness.

Millions of people who have never smoked pot in their life are suddenly just deciding to get addicted because it became legal. I, myself, found out it's perfectly legal to spit on people's lawns. There's no law against it and you won't get arrested. So last week I spit on two thousand lawns around Denver. Because there's no law against it.

I suddenly became some crazed person because I found out something I've never had any interest in doing wasn't illegal. Help!

Pot
 

First of all,I believe there are more carcinogens in pot than regular tobacco?
I live in Florida where they want a tobacco free state,but are faced with the
people voting to leagalizie pot.(medicinal,then of course all pot) I have known
a few people who have taken pot for chemo sickness,but it was in capsule
form,from the hospital pharmacy.
We have people in Florida asking college students to vote yes on legalization?
I guess they might need it 40 years later?
When I drive my car,I could be facing a drunk driver,or texter.Now they want to add another large group of drivers under the influence,and not worry?
I never realized that thousands and thousands of people need medicinal pot?

America had a good run.

That's probably because you're not in a position that you need it. And you should be thankful for that because if you were on chemo and watching your body melt away you'd probably hope there was medication that could alleviate your symptoms and promote eating / nutritional gain.

I really have no idea why people who are against legalization can't grasp this simple fact. Legalizing marijuana does not promote or negate use. You are already smoking marijuana if you're smoking it. You are not smoking it if you don't smoke. So you aren't protecting anything.

Think about yourself. Alcohol and tobacco are legal substances. Do you drink and drive? Do you drink at all? Do you get drunk and run around town causing chaos? Do you smoke cigarettes?

If the answer is no, then that's because you're an informed adult making your own decisions when faced with choices. If you said yes, the same applies. If you do or don't smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol, how much does whether or not they're legal impact your decision?

I'm hoping legalization will bring down the prices a bit. I mean this is ridiculous:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1911-T212-Ob...item5b050cd353

I favor legalization for all the reasons stated above.

As an aside, one of my best friends and neighbors is Keith Stroup, who founded the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) in 1970 and who has since been and remains at the forefront of the legalization movement. In the course of his efforts, Keith has developed friendships with a fascinating cast of characters, to include the late Hunter Thompson, Willie Nelson and Hugh Hefner.

For those interested in the history of the legalization movement, and accompanying entertaining stories of individuals involved, you might wish to pick up Keith's book, It's NORML to Smoke Pot.

Pot tourists
 

The increase is due to "pot tourism". If marijuana was legal nationally there would not have been an uptick since there would not have been a reason to go to Colorado since you would have had the same freedoms wherever you lived.

The state of Colorado still says that the savings in incarceration costs is greater then the extra costs associated with the extra homeless.

Live in Colorado. In general, everything is just fine. The world kept turning.

Unemployment increased 153% within the last two years.

Enough said.

It is worth noting that both Cannabis and Hops, arguably the most important ingredient in beer, are both from the Cannabaceae Family....just saying.

for more information...
 

I don't really have much of an opinion on this O/T subject, but for any of you who want to learn more about the medical/recreational marijuana industry you should check out:

www.growthindustryseminars.com

(and if you're interested in attending the coupon code: AJR gets you a discount)

Just an FYI.

"too much of anything makes you an addict." - Nice & Smooth Sometimes I Rhyme Slow

I think I may be a t206 addict.

I sure hope you are being sarcastic, unemployment in Colorado has FALLEN 30% in the past 2 years and remains under the national average:

http://www.deptofnumbers.com/unemployment/colorado/

Packs - I really could not have said it much better. I would never wish someone to watch someone they love suffer, but you better believe it gives some perspective...medical marijuana is an absolute no brainer once the details get hashed out, its regulated and available in a multitude of mediums.

Legalization? Again, Packs nailed it...the incarceration numbers are astonishing. Using and driving is obviously not ok and we have laws in place already to handle that.

Marijuana has very little to do with homelessness. Bad decisions is what causes it, usually. But what do I know, I have only given life skills classes, every week for the last 15 yrs, to the homeless at the Salvation Army. It is repeated bad decisions and lack of planning that causes homelessness. And that is enough said. :cool:

Hmmm....5.1% unemployment rate in Colorado..curious where you got your factoid. Just asking.

http://www.denverpost.com/business/c...mployment-rate

They say that 83% of statistics are just made up.

My mistake, I meant homelessness. Homlesssness up 153% over the last two years. And as far as medicinal purposes, yeah, all those people in the video looked like they were in a lot of pain :rolleyes:

Just curious David, are you for prohibition of alcohol?

Leon,

I don't drink. To me, most people that use alcohol or drugs do so because their lives are so pathetic that they have to use that kind of stuff to excape the reality of it...at least for a little while.

David

Edited to add: Maybe it's just me, but I never understood why people would want to alter their state of mind. Life is good. I want to be sober and enjoy every minute of it.

David - I generally enjoy your posts here but you are way off base on this.

Again, you must be one luck guy, you have never watched someone you love suffer...must be livin right. Well the perspective IT can give you is that you become willing to do anything to help them, to relieve it. You realize that chemo is poison and is legal, as well as experimental treatments that shred your body apart as well as the narcotics that are used to "help". Who the fuck are you to tell anyone what helps them?

Freedom is having the ability to choose without infringing on the rights of the others. How is someone using it, in their home, infringe on anyone's rights? It is no worse that current cultural standards. How does this affect you? What impact will this have on you?

S Suck.ow

That's a yes if you're scoring at home (or even if you're alone). At least he's consistent.

You make it sound as that ONLY marijuana can alleviate their pain.

How does it affect me? How about when they’re driving stoned and sharing the same road that I am?

Amen. As a libertarian I have always been for the legalization of marijuana. The "war on drugs" is nothing but an impossibly expensive run up Penrose Steps in my opinion. I have never done any illicit drug before, but it is not up to me to label or pass judgement upon anyone who does. As long as their activity does not interfere with my safety or freedoms then have at it.

Tom C

If you are worried about people driving while stoned, where is your crusade against alcohol? The same people who drink and drive will smoke and drive. The same people who drink and walk home or take a cab will smoke and walk home or take a cab.

Get some perspective. Not everyone lives your life and not everyone is out to put other people in danger just because someone did on the news.

Marijuana can do lots of things, one potential is impair judgment thus the laws that are in place against use and driving and that includes Texas. You would do the same thing when you see a drunk driver, report them. Legalization is not a bunch of stoners hanging outta windows firing up bongs.

David, your answer was deflective and I am guessing you have no real evidence to prove how legalization would infringe on your rights in any way and are simply stuck in your thinking as you have already alluded to a lack of understanding.

But again I ask, how does this affects you?

On the bright side, for those who are in favor of legalization, difference of opinion on the matter is largely what we in the social sciences call a cohort effect. People born prior to about 1950 are mostly opposed. People born later than about 1950 are mostly in favor, and individuals' opinions don't change with age very much - so public opinion inevitably becomes more favorable as, well, as old people die. Same deal with gay marriage.

Undecided
 

I am generally for anyone to do whatever the heck they damn well please, but I am undecided on the pot subject, but this quote is the problem I cannot get over.

If it is always done in the home, smoke away, have fun. But it does infringe upon my rights when taken to the streets. This statement will of course be compared to alcohol consumption which is not a proper comparison. I never got drunk while standing next to a man drinking beer.

SOmeone sell me on being a supporter of legalization without talking about rights infringement or the ridiculous "fewer criminals" and "end war on drugs" junk.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/t...ver-who-knows/


A thoughtful, measured insight into David's spurious link between legalized marijuana and rising homelessness here in Denver. Perhaps its not "enough said" after all.

That's on Monday. By Friday all numbers are subject to Thursday night....

You are not getting high from standing next to someone smoking. Psychoactive elements of the drug occur when THC has entered the bloodstream. Second hand smoke does not contain THC.

Also, for anyone who is not educated about medical marijuana, it fully possible and in practice for medications with THC components to be controlled in such a way as the chemical reaction does not pass the blood / brain barrier.

In simpler terms, a child with a behavior disorder can be calmed down by the effects of a pill containing THC without experiencing any of the psychoactive side effects that smoking causes. So you get all the benefit and none of the "drug".

That's kind of like saying "Sell me on why I shouldn't stick my hand into an active woodchipper without all the safety issues crap". I mean...when you narrow the scope of the rebuttal it doesn;t make for much of an effective debate.

Tom C

FYI

Homelessness is up 150% in Denver as many head there for the free flow of weed costing the city a lot more money. Most shelters including the Salvation Army are funded by the city and the state along with private donations, cost have increased for all shelters. Most cities think about tax revenue but over look the added cost of treatment, homelessness and the decline of neighborhoods. Not for legalizing it.

Mike:eek:

Don't forget about the link between homelessness and crime, and that the potential for crime increases if one has been homeless for an extended period of time.

Well, what about if every state legalized it? Don't you think people seeking treatment would just remain where they are?

Your argument is confusing to me. You're basically saying that because treatment is available in one place and not others, that there is something surprising about people seeking treatment going to an area where they can receive it.

You are also saying anyone needing medical marijuana or looking to benefit medically from receiving treatment is homeless.

If this is true, it seems to me that Denver will have created something akin to a light gathering moths around it during the overnight hours. The attraction of legalized weed is a strong attaction for some whose sole purpose in life is to live off the government dole to begin with. The legalization, it would seem to me, did not suddenly create homelessness in Denver. Rather, it attracted those from elsewhere who were already predisposed in the first place. To me, there is no cause and effect relationship.

It is like saying the light at night created more moths in the world and thus if there were more lights everywhere we would be overrun by months. This is not true. It is called daytime. If marijuana were legalized everywhere, what you may be seeing in Danver is not what would happen everywhere. Those already predisposed would simply remain where they are and homeless populations would not skyrocket overnight.

Tom C

Why would it be legal to smoke openly on the streets? I believe that constitutes public intoxication and possibly disorderly conduct but I'm no lawyer. So if marijuana is being used in a legal way, how does this affect you? Tell me why it should be illegal?

There are zero valid arguments against legalizing medical marijuana.

Anyone saying no is probably someone who would gladly take painkillers like Oxycontin for no other reason than because a doctor prescribed it. Well guess what? Medical marijuana is prescribed by a doctor!

You would without hesitation consume medical heroin because in your eyes a doctor gave it to you. But for some reason you would take issue with a doctor prescribing medical marijuana, despite the fact that Oxycontin and drugs like it kill people every day, while there has never been anyone whose life was taken by marijuana. Give me a break. There are no logical arguments against it.

As I stated with some certainty, the cause of homelessness has almost nothing to do with marijuana. Out of thousands of homeless I have interviewed not one single person has told me it is because of marijuana. Not one. They have told me it's because of alcohol and other drugs, but not one person I have counseled has said it was marijuana that caused it. Nervous breakdowns, alcohol, hard drugs, mental disorders, a series of really poor choices...those are some of the reasons. But if anyone wants to use weed, roaming elephants, people playing guitar, or anything else they can imagine to say it causes homelessness, no one will stop you.

I thought that I saw somewhere that after the SF Giants won the World Series on year, at their parade, you could smell weed in the air. I couldn't find an article on that, but I did find this one: Link

But what does that have to do with anything? Have you ever been to a football game? Half the stadium is drinking in the parking lot.

Ever been to NYC on St. Patrick's Day? How about New Year's Eve? What do you think the streets look like?

Or even simpler. In your casual knowledge about marijuana and it's effects on people, would you say there are likely to be more or less violent crimes committed by people using marijuana or people getting black out drunk?

A percentage of these homeless
 

are the wookies of the world. Many would have been following the Grateful Dead if this were 25 years ago. These are not the typical homeless even the reporter states that. These are people that came there for the weed, the weed did not cause the homelessness. For the record I have used cannabis under a doctors prescription, I felt it was absolutely helpful.

"SOmeone sell me on being a supporter of legalization without talking about rights infringement ..."

Seriously? There need be no defense beyond this. If it something infringes on someone's rights, that infringement is illegal. Or should be. Rights are something that can only be taken away. They are NOT granted to us by the state, contrary to what some modern statists (in "progressive" clothing) would have you believe.

If it's legal it should be packaged with a baseball card.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No thanks. I can just see I would end up behind one of the guys or women that would use it and decided to go driving. There are enough of those drivers already on the road in my area. I don't need a law allowing more even if there is "a legal limit" to how much they can have.

I went from owning a construction company that made me very comfortable money wise in the area I live in to building a 40'X76' hydroponic greenhouse so I think my answer is easy to figure out.;):eek::D

It is not legal here yet but I am betting big that here they will enact laws that control it more like Washington than like the free for all in Colorado.

The terrible thing is that I would probably fall for that marketing gimmick. :o

I don't care if they leagalize it. The only thing I want are laws on the books, prior to the legalization of pot, that make driving under the influence something that's going to require a lot of dough (or jail time), especially if there is bodily injury caused due to an accident by someone under the influence. The last thing I want is some high idiot to cause an accident that costs lives. I realize that people drive high now, but I figure if you place some really strict laws into affect prior to legalizing pot then you cover your bases.

Go ahead, go smoke away, just make sure you do it safely. Also, it's not something I'd like to see in public. The last thing we need to do is expose really young kids to second hand smoke.

If the government can make a lot of money on this and reduce crime (as they think it will) then why not....?

The "driving under the influence" aspect of marijuana is probably my biggest concern as well as I could honestly care less what people are doing in their own homes. The major problem with the situation it is that there is no quick/cheap/easy way to tell "how intoxicated" someone is, maybe they can come up with a test that doesn't require blood/urine and subsequent laboratory analysis but it isn't out there right now (at least not to my knowledge).

The are laws in all 50 states that make it illegal to use marijuana and drive. Within the last year the Supreme court in Michigan dismissed a medical marijuana case as he tested positive, legally with his card, but passed all field sobriety tests.
An officer can legally refrain you from operating your vehicle if they have probable cause to think you are unfit to drive, such as sleep deprivation or an acute medical condition. Basically, the same laws that are in place for alcohol pertain to marijuana use...this is exactly what permits it from infringing on others.

It's call personal responsibility. And people should be held accountable for it. THAT, in my opinion, is the major problem with drunk driving laws now. It's not driving under the influence prior to the being caught, it is what is NOT being done after people are caught. How many accidents/deaths were cause by those with previous convictions?

Drunk driving laws are capricious anyway (a whole other discussion), but we have a "we have to do something" mentality, so let's set an semi-arbitrary limit as a compromise, which is what we do now. My personal view is that if we are REALLY going to be concerned with reduced capacity, then why aren't driving tests mandatory every 2, 3, 5 (pick a number) years? And in some states, why no driving test at all except to get your first license as a teenager?

"I realize that people drive high now, but I figure if you place some really strict laws into affect prior to legalizing pot then you cover your bases."

This is wishful thinking, and we already see how well that works, don't we (see drunk driving above). It also doesn't take into consideration the effect of strict laws either (can't remember the name of the theory off hand). For example, if you make robbing a bank punishable by death, the idea that this will reduce bank robberies doesn't account for the other end of the equation. That it just makes injuring/killing someone during a bank robber less of a disincentive to injure/kill someone.

Yes, some bank robbers wouldn't kill/hurt people anyway. But it gets back to personal responsibility for what someone actually DID. This also ties into making crimes of what people think, and not what they do (also, another discussion).

It is very questionable how much drunk driving LAWS themselves have actually reduce drunk driving. Similar to smoking, society has made driving under the influence unacceptable.

Unless we are keeping people actually RESPONSIBLE for their actions, the laws aren't going to be as effective as the could or should be.

And it should be a huge concern. But there are literally millions of other aspects to look at too. Do you want to be the resident next door to the chemical company that just accidentally released a plume of toxic fumes because some process operator decided he wanted to get high 30 minutes before his shift and opened the wrong valve? Do you want to be a passenger on that cruise ship or jet airplane whose captain just lit one up before taking the wheel? Do you want to be standing anywhere around that high rise crane suspending a huge piece of equipment and he drops it because the lift operator decided he wanted to spark one up on his lunch break?

Legalizing marijuana isn't perfect, but I don't think anyone expects a perfect result by legalizing it. Sure, somebody somewhere is going to have an accident by driving stoned, but it can't be any more dangerous than all the people who text and drive. I'm much more afraid of texters than stoners.

But there are so many positives that can come from legalization. Patients who may receive tremendous relief from pain will be able to easily buy some. The prisons are filled with thousands of young men who were convicted and received multiyear sentences for possession, and whose lives were ruined, and that will thankfully come to an end. And there are huge criminal cartels who supply pot to Americans that will soon be rendered useless if they can start growing their own.

Legalization may not be perfect, but the positives so outweigh the negatives that it seems pointless for it to remain illegal. And as John Lennon once sang: "smoke pot, smoke pot, everybody smoke pot." I always wondered what he meant by that.

What does legality have to do with qualification? It's illegal to pilot a ship while drunk, yet drinking is legal. It's illegal to pilot a plane within a certain time period of your last drink, yet drinking is legal. And people still break those laws as well.

Is your implication with this is that if it became LEGAL to smoke weed, it would be legal to do all of the what you mentioned while high??? Or are you concerned that people will break the laws of being high while flying/piloting/operating machinery/etc, since of course, they don't break the laws when using alcohol??? :rolleyes: That argument is just illogical, if not downright silly.

If the homeless are packing there bag and going to Colorado because of the pot then I'm all for there legalization. Maybe all the homeless in my town will leave and go to Colorado also. :D

+1 !!!

I understand, but I feel those are weak arguments. If we legalize pot drug dealers disappear? No. Only the pot drug dealers...well, no again, of course not. Dealers are capitalist and will always grow/blend better stuff. So what is the argument for legalization? Purely our infringing on my rights? My rights are infringed every day because something isn't socially acceptable or isn't deemed safe. So what is the next discussion, taxes? Maybe I can agree with that at least.

The remarks on this topic remind me of...
 

Many (most) of the remarks on this topic remind me of the feeling I get when passing by certain areas along Highway 99 in Shoreline/Seattle: I get a sick feeling. All the "green cross" and "MMJ" signs me want to puke. I believe we have only seen the beginning of problems in Washington State. If the nation goes with way of Washington and Colorado (and others), it won't be pretty.

Ive seen too many lives ruined by substance abuse lawful and unlawful .

So how does the "liquor" and other alcohol signs that are atop convenience stores makes you feel?

The legalization of marijuana seems to have taken a foothold on the shoreline of this battle. While Washington and Colorado are the only states which have yet "legalized" it, there are other governmental organizations which have changed their stance.

For instance, the municipality of Philadelphia, PA has, "decriminalized" the possession of marijuana, provided that the amount possessed is under a certain threshold. Personally, I think this might be a good model to follow. If you choose to partake, then it should not be (in and of itself) criminal behavior.

However, if you then go out and drive, commit a crime, expose someone else to second hand smoke, etc., there should be consequences. And I believe these should be handled in a similar manner to DUI, committing a crime while intoxicated, or serving alcohol to someone who later gets in a car wreck leaving one's house after drinking at a party. BTW - the latter is a law on the books in some states...in the area where I live, it's NJ.

Just my two cents. I'm not condoning marijuana use...just positing that it's not much different than alcohol use. Whether people prefer apples or oranges, let them enjoy fruit. Whether people prefer a beer or a toke, let them enjoy a buzz.

Best regards,

Eric

Not especially proud
 

Not especially proud. I'm reminded of a phrase used politically for decades. It goes something like: "If only one life is spared..." It never seems to come up in arguments for legalizing pot. I'm guessing because it's usually a one-sided argument.

This is a baseball-oriented site and since you brought up the subject of alcohol, I have seen a number of pre-war ballplayers who could not hold their liquor. It wasn't pretty and a few of them led lives that ended sadly. I'm sure the same could be said for pot, too, but it's hardly a ringing endorsement for either substance.

Thank you, David, for providing a perfect example of the post hoc fallacy for all of Net 54's budding lawyers.

Post hoc ergo propter hoc, meaning "after this, therefore because of this."

Marijuana was legalized in Colorado. The homeless rate in Colorado has increased by 153% over the last two years. Therefore, the legalization of marijuana in Colorado has caused a 153% increase in homelessness over the last two years.

I think the homelessness is largely attributable to the large influx of folks seeking jobs in the marijuana industry, as opposed to long-standing Colorado residents who decided to smoke pot under the new law and then, for some reason, stop paying their mortgage or rent.

As I understand the facts, many of the new residents are unable to locate jobs in the industry due simply to the insufficient number of positions and the strict Colorado law that prohibits those with felony convictions from working in the industry.

We pretty much think alike here, Eric.

Let me just say that I support the legalization of marijuana 100%. I don't use it, never have (unless you count getting high from second hand smoke at various rock concerts), and probably never will. That's just a personal choice. But I very much believe that consenting adults should be able to do what they want in the privacy of their own home. Stop wasting tax payer money fighting the production of marijuana. Provide education as to the possible side effects of its use, and let adults make up their own minds. Then tax the legal sales of marijuana. Doing so almost immediately starts taking a huge chunk out of the federal deficit.

As for those that are concerned about people getting stoned, and then driving their car, I feel you have every right to express yourself. However, I suspect that many of the people who are most likely to exhibit this kind of terrible judgement are already doing so. They are already getting their marijuana, or drinking, and getting behind the wheel. Yes, there will be more people that exercise poor judgement if marijuana sale is legalized. To combat this, I feel more needs to be done by our legislators.

The laws in place to punish those who drive under the influence are woefully inadequate. If you get behind the wheel, and your blood alcohol is above the legal limit, you should go to jail for six months. Period. Your license should be taken away for a year, and that begins the day you get our of jail. If you do it a second time, your license should be revoked permanently, and you should go to jail for three years. If you injure someone, you should do jail time commensurate with the bodily harm you've inflicted. If you kill somebody while driving under the influence, you should be put away for life. No exceptions. I'm all for personal freedoms, but if you abuse those freedoms, and hurt somebody else in the process, then justice should be swift, and the punishment harsh. The news here in Texas is littered with stories of people who have had several duis later killing somebody while driving drunk. I'm talking people who have had 3, 4 of 5 duis. That's ridiculous. They shouldn't be able to drive. They should be in jail. With the legalization of marijuana, you're going to have more room in prisons. Fill them up with people that turn their vehicles into lethal weapons.

Now, I'm going to blow your minds, chaps. While we're on the subject of decriminalization, I also feel prostitution should be legalized. It would go a long way towards removing the stigma from prostitution, and regulated escort services would be a first step towards ensuring that only the men and women of legal age, who wish to be employed as escorts, are doing so. Regulated escort services will ensure that testing is done, reducing the rates of sexually transmitted diseases. I also believe that legalized prostitution will reduce crime. One report I read about prostitution and sex crimes from the Independent Institute theorized that rape in the United States would drop by 25% if prostitution were legalized. Now, that paper was from 2004. I compared more recent data from the United States and the Netherlands. In 2011, there were over 84,676 rapes reported in the United States, more than any other country in the world. In the Netherlands which, granted, is a much smaller country, there were 1,530 rapes in the same year. However, by reported rape cases per million, the United States ranked ninth at 274 cases per million. The Netherlands reported 92 cases per million, which ranked them 25th. Now, to rely on these numbers alone would be an oversimplification of a significant problem. There is much more to it. One would need to also consider things like violence in media, views on sexuality in the different societies, etc. But it does show that, in the abstract, there are more rapes in the United States, a country where prostitution is not legalized, then in the Netherlands, a nation where prostitution is legalized. At the very least, these numbers are compelling. And then, there is also the financial impact of legalized prostitution. Taxing the service would create more revenue for the federal government.

Imagine if marijuana and prostitution were both legalized in America. The tax dollars from both would greatly reduce the debt. I also feel certain that fewer people would be going to jail. Prisons across the United States are overpopulated. If prostitution is legalized, escorts and their clients are no longer going to jail. If marijuana is legalized, those dealing marijuana exclusively, and those using it, are not going to jail. And the incidence of rape in the United States could drop drastically. This frees up the police to focus on real criminals.

Having been a long time marijuana user back in the 70s - 80s I have the following observations :

1.) Smoking pot takes an inordinate amount of time and, while under the influence, promotes unproductivity (not sure thats a real word).

2.) Smoking pot is not necessarily a "gateway" drug - although it was in my case.

3.) Marijuana possession laws are, currently and previously, ridiculous and waste way too many resources for prosecution and incarceration.

4.) It is a sad commentary that the country has come to this - where marijuana taxation is becoming almost a necessity in order to salvage struggling state revenues and economies.

5.) Pot smoking is not addictive nor does it destroy brain functionality. However, the time I spent messing with it would have been better spent promoting my career - which was put on the back burner.

6.) Pot smokers, in my experience, do not want their younger children to know that they do it. They will, however, drink a beer in front of them.

7.) Legalization will do nothing to stop the constant stream of drugs coming across the border. Colorado has an approximately 33% tax on the product. Black market will always be more economical.

8.) When it is all said and done - there will be 49 states (or 57 in Mr Obama's case) that have legalized marijuana. Texas will not.

I have read several of the post on this thread and it is, indeed, a complicated issue. I do not have a clear enough opinion to offer it, though I could make an argument for both sides.

Many times, my fallback position is simply put:

No right is worth having if not accompanied by an equal amount of responsibility.