Marijuana Should Be Legalized and Regulated

The government has wasted over a trillion dollars fighting drugs when it should be regulating them

Reader Comments
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First of all, marijuana should be legalized primarily because of the reasons it was made illegal in the first place which include William Randolph Hearst's hate of Mexicans (specifically Pancho Villa) to General Motors & DuPont colluding to corner the market on chemicals threatened by hemp oil.

It is unfortunate that the lives of millions of Americans have been ruined because even the DEA unequivocally claims "no cases of marijuana overdose have been reported".

The threat from hemp & marijuana it seems wasn't to society but to specific industries and not a single president since 1937 has had the power to stand up for marijuana users.

Jerry D. Elmore of FL 11:42AM July 09, 2012

Yes already!

Kathy Rippentrop of MN 11:40AM July 09, 2012

it is called cannabis, not marijuana. get w/ the program. thanks!

Burlwood Barry of CO 11:28AM July 09, 2012

When you talk about Cannabis legalization, you must also talk about a change in the political structure of this country. For decades the politicians in every office, State and Federal, have kept cannabis illegal, mean while the proof of fact about the herb has always been there, the politicians are just to happy with the profits earned.

To change the laws, the people must change the State politicians and the Federal politicians that are sitting in their office earning lifetime pay and lifetime benefits. Both State and Federal politicians enact and keep the enacted laws on the books.

Politicians do not change anything that is a failure, no matter now huge a failure it is; hint look at the Energy Department, the sole job, to lessen our dependance on foreign fuels, created in the 1970's and has accomplished what? Yet this Department like the Drug War, still exists because of the politicians.

Chris of FL 9:28AM July 09, 2012

It's clear that the two Naysayers are fed at the trough of prohibition. Typical WoD Mercenaries. Legalizing Marijuana would cause a positive $17+ Billion dollar swing and stop the caging of a million of our Fellow Americans per year, for "VICTIMLESS CRIMES"

"THE CHILDREN"

If they really cared for the children they'd legalize and regulate marijuana. If they really wanted to keep any substance out of the hands of "The Children" they first must take control of distribution away from black market dealers. They haven't accomplished that in 40+ years at a taxpayers cost in the hundreds of billions. It's time to treat marijuana as we do alcohol. My 27 year old daughter still gets carded when she buys alcohol, yet your 13 year old can buy anything the black market dealer has for a price whether it be money or "something else".

FACT: Your kids have a better chance dying at the hands of someone enforcing marijuana laws than they do from ingesting it.(ZERO %).

LEAP member, NYPD, ret.

http://www.pitt.edu/~ugr/Hrych2.pdf Scientific Proof Marijuna is not a Gateway drug!

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-57456999-10391704/medical-marijuana-legalization-

wont-boost-teen-pot-use-study-finds/

Mike Parent of NH 8:36AM July 09, 2012

Follow the money, and let your conscince be your guide.

conspicuous moderation of IA 8:00AM July 09, 2012

I continue to be outraged by our Govts insistence on keeping marijuana illegal and listed as a schedule 1 drug (same category as heroin and meth). It is just so stupid as to be mind-boggling. I've used cannabis for more than 40 years and am still very healthy and productive and have a happy family life. How often does that occur when the drug of choice is meth?

Of course marijuana should be legalized and regulated for adults. Most of us, in fact everyone I know that I've spoken to about it, believe it should be legal. The only people who don't agree are those that believe the ignorant Govt propaganda or are profiting from it's illegality via the black market or payola (politicians taking money to keep it illegal...).

Sending someone to prison for marijuana is pathetic. It is anti-American in my opinion since, in America, being able to choose to consume something as safe (and popular) as marijuana should be considered a human right.

It baffles me that President Obama, who was a huge consumer in his earlier days, now seems to think it is okay to lock others up for doing what he did as a youth; or less than what he did for that matter. It is time for this nonsense to end.

Prohibition of marijuana does MUCH more harm than good. Can we please end it? How many more lives have to be ruined before sensible laws replace the brutal backward thinking ones we now have in place?

Don M of VA 7:46AM July 09, 2012

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