I myself very rarely ever smoke canabis simplr because I can't be bothered to go out and find someone that sells it, but I do think I should have the right to buy it if I wanted, I have lots of friends that smoke it thought and they are all normal, they are not druggies, and I hate to think that every time they smoke it they are breaking the law when they are causing no harm to anyone except themselves.

I am, obviously, talking about Amsterdam. Despite the image that we have about the wild drugs and sex there, the truth is that Marijuana use is no higher there than over here. Harder drugs (heroin, cocaine, etc..) are actually on the DECLINE.

There are 2 reasons for this:

1) Since drug use is pretty much legal it is no longer "cool" for young people to use them.

2) More importantly, most hard drugs are used by addicts, and by not criminalizing their addiction they can get help, and they don't have to hide in the shadows. The average heroin addict in the Netherlands is in his mid-40's, MUCH OLDER than just a few years ago. Quite simply, young people are not interested in hard drugs over there.

One study I read showed that much of the drug use in Amsterdam is by foriegners coming there to use them, and that the locals are not really interested in drugs anymore.
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I don't like pot, or any other drugs. However, I want to do what works. By legalizing it we will largely eliminate the drug dealers, save billions of dollars, and I don't see how doing so would increase use. Let's face it, anyone who wants to smoke weed already can very easily.

These pot delivery services are actually very sophisticated with warehouses and distributors and courriers who deliver. They even have incentives like buy 6 get one free and referal bonuses.

On the other hand the police crack down hard on kids openly smoking pot on the streets.

It all seems highly practical to me. No need to change the laws just how we enforce them. Go after the dealers that are involved with pushing to kids and violence and leave the ones that treat it like a business alone.

Most of the time Marijuana can be replaced by other drugs to accomplish the same goal.

If a person is prescribed Marijuana, they should be held to strict orders to not share it with others and if they do, they get drug-trafficing charges brought on them and get the prescription taken away for punishment.

The people that want to legalize Marijuana want to legalize it to the point that it is as easy to obtain as cigarettes and alcohol which would be very unwise. Those sorts of people are only interested in the “high” that they would get and care not of the medicinal application.

All in all, if it might serve as the only alternative, then it may be prescribed.

The argument “one more poison won't make much difference” is just a cop-out argument and holds no water—a foolish remark. Just because we have polutants doesn't mean we need more—very stupid. It should not be released to the general public because of all the harm it would bring. It is still very dangerous even as a medicine.

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Make it legal and regulate/tax it and the govt will make tons of money and put the illegal marijuana drug trade out of business.

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Where do we draw the line? Then people want to take the line further. Why don't we legalize harder drugs? Legalizing it to the general public would be way too dangerous. No thanks. I can do without all those added problems.

I can just see it:
marijuana: legal for all to use
10 years later....

Drug use up 300%, crime rampant, tax increase to control crime, more families in poor house because of drug abuse.

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Cigarettes are already doing enough damage by themselves, aggrevating asthma problems in children from second hand smoke and hurting those innocent children because it causes more health problems. Cigarettes should be banned but unfortunately the cat was already out of the bag and it's very hard to put it back once it's loose.

As georged said, you don't see many cases of pot heads crashing around town in their cars or starting confrontations on planes. You'll never see a fight at a pot party that's guaranteed! Pot heads are much more mellow and are more aware of their actions than drunk people IMO.

Poke, what is your deal dude! You should
smoke one and relax !

Also, I think the most important angle of this issue is HEMP! One acre of hemp makes as much paper as 100 acres of trees! Our american farmers are all losing their farms because of not enough cash crops to go around. Hemp is the solution to many problems in this world. Hemp oil can be made into a very viable fuel such as corn with ethanol. Hemp fibers can replace many things that have utilized tree fibers in the past. Hemp could bring in a whole new chunk to our economy and help us create a great industry to export! The only reason hemp is illegal is because it looks exactly like pot. If you smoke it, you'll get one hell of a headache (i speak from personal experience)!

I don't think it is right to outlaw any drug in it's natural form. Cocaine, heroin, Xtasy, LSD, and other processed drugs should be outlawed. If you have to make the drug, it shouldn't be legal. If it grows in your back yard, you should be able to do whatever you want with it. Legalize mushrooms, pot, opium, anything that grows! Refined & processed drugs are our real enemy.

After a number of years, a decade or so, a huge number of Chinese were addicted to opium. It so crippled that country that the ruler of China told the British to stay way and never to set foot on Chinese soil because of what the opium did to the people and blamed the British for bringing opium to China. Do you ever wonder why it was that China was cut off from the rest of the world up until modern times? That's a big part of the reason. Learn from history. I don't remember the details but I recall the opium problem in China, opium the natural drug that is grown.

Do you really think those drugs are outlawed for no reason? Come on, think about it. That's the one thing that has had extensive tests run and behaviors studied and the conclusions are that those drugs do much more harm than good. In fact, for the most part, the more they study them, the more proof the scientists come up with that if they are used for leasure there will be dire consequences. I doesn't matter whether they are natural or processed, they can do the same amount of damage to society if made legal. Don't kid yourself. Quit being the ostrich.

Do you really think that if the drugs would do more good than bad that so many scientists and doctors would warn against them. Listen to the 50+ years of study. For every claimed good use of those drugs, there are 10-50 bad side effects that grossly outweigh the benefits.

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BTW, there are people that drive just as dangerous in cars that are under the influence of POT as they do when under the influence of booze. Watch a few eposodes of Cops and you'll here of bad driving with POT too.

The only reason alcohol is a major contributor of car crashes right now is because it is legal. Legalize pot and you'll find those numbers of pot drivers causing accidents rise dramatically.

Are people here able to think further than their noses? What has happened to sound logic? Oh yeah, the drugs messed them up and now they don't have the ability to use logic.

I totally respect your point of view! But let me explain a little more. I tend to think the exact opposite of your view of me (ostrich). I think you may be the ostrich because drugs will never go away! You cannot destroy the drug problem by going after the supply side of things. You MUST go after the demand! Use the sales of drugs (which have only increased in the last decade) and tax them to create effective drug rehabiliation programs.

Drug rehabiliation is the only way to deal with drug abusers, not jail! I don't like the fact that my tax dollars are going to keep drug abusers in jail (over $26,000 a year per inmate). Over 65% of inmates in federal prison are in prison on non-violent drug charges (this fact was presented in the PBS special "America's War"). Does this seem like a smart way of dealing with the problem. You cannot stop people from doing drugs! You can make it harder for them to get it but this is only more profitable for the dealers and suppliers.

No I am not a druggy, and in no way do I condone driving a car under the influence of ANY drug!! I do think the U.S. as well as many countries globally are dealing with this issue in the completely wrong way. Heck, the world was run by communist type goverments for thousands of years until we finally figured out democracy was the only way to stable success.

I think someday we will all realize you can't stop the drugs from coming to your door, but you can stop yourself and friends from buying them. Remember, stop the DEMAND, and the supply will go away.

Decriminalize and Legalize!

You think $26k a year per inmate is a lot of money. Many of those inmates aren't in jail for drugs but other things too. The cost would be far more if drugs are made freely available to all, mark my words.

Your health insurance would go up dramatically.
Insurance would be made to cover the rehabilitation and many more people would have to be rehabilitated. Look at what is spent in helping people to quit smoke. It's worse with drugs that are even more addictive. That's not to mention all the other health costs caused by the drugs—the doctor visits and hospitalization.

Crime would increase dramatically.
People that are on drugs make for dangerous work conditions. Companies would have to fire all the druggies. If the druggies can't work they can't make money. They have to turn to crime to support their habit. Their children starve because of no money income. And it gets worse. People out of work don't contribute to the economy they hinder it.

Family problems would arise because of abuse.
Who suffers? The family. People on drugs don't care about anyone but themselves because they are no longer in control of their actions. The drugs take over their lives. Family would be made to take on the burden. And what if the parent of the house is the druggy? Who's gonna bring home the money when no one wants to employ a druggy? The children are the ones who will be the final victims. The situation perpetuates itself. The children learn from their parents and they too take drugs and it gets worse.

No, making them available is not the answer.

Your answer increases the demand for drugs because there would be no barriers. It's like saying “let's not forcefully stop terrorism but try to talk to Usama bin Laden and try to convince him to not take our planes and run them into buildings. Usama, you can be a terrorist just as long as you don't terrorize us.” Drugs don't only affect the one taking them but all those that are around that person too. It's far too dangerous to make drugs free for all.