Should marijuana be legalized in the US?

[Kristen Horton]

WSJ: "Decriminalizing the possession and use of marijuana would raise billions in taxes and eliminate much of the profits that fuel bloodshed and violence in Mexico." from the WSJ article: Drugs: To Legalize or Not

Should the US legalize marijuana for personal non-medical use?

[Michael R.]

in what i've seen.

There's A LOT that you are unable to see though.

[Kristen Horton]

Thanks to everyone who has responded! I always enjoy reading the insightful responses of Smoosiers. So far, it appears that the 'vote' is 17 for legalization & 3 against. Feel free to continue commenting.
~Kristen

[Brandon Corbin]

Yes.

[Dan Moore]

You'd think that the Big Snack Food lobby would get behind legalization...

[Lauren Fiedler]

I think if legalized it should be held to the same rules/laws that alcohol is. (age limit, no intoxication while driving or at school/work, etc.)

[Michael R.]

Alcohol laws are pathetic at best. How many times do we hear about repeat offender DUI's? TOO OFTEN!!

[Marita Topmiller]

In Holland, weed and alcohol cannot be served in the same establishment.

[Fred Yde]

Marijuana should not be illegal, anymore than alcohol or tobacco. If it is grown for commerce, the grower should have to register with the government however, and the sale of product to resellers should be taxed. The reseller would be responsible for collecting the tax at the user end. In comes the FairTax again. That would be a boon! But,... people should be able to grow it in their gardens like any other herb without fear of the law. If someone would get caught selling without a license they would be subject to a heavy fine, just like a traffic ticket. Each time they violate, the fine gets stiffer. Home growers who are obviously trafficking by growing more than one can possible smoke in a year (like 2 lbs dry) would also be subject to a fine. We kick the Colombians and the Mexicans out of the pot market this way. Get rid of the truly criminal element. Maybe some people would still try to get the illegal weed, but they would be few. If potheads knew they could grow their own or buy good smoke at the tobacco shop, they would. And yes, anyone driving under the influence should be taken off the road, and ticketed for DUI, if there is a solid standard of proving the level of THC in the blood. That would take some time to legislate, but it can be done. Pot smokers tend to want to stay home and cocooon once stoned, though. I don't think that's going to a huge problem if it gets decriminalized. We've prosecuted and persecuted the pothead long enough. Legalize it, and let's quit this drug war business. It's stupid expensive, and ineffective.

[Andrew Ball]

Interesting point- you can make beer or wine for personal use without a license or having to pay taxes. Once you start to produce for sale, then the various laws kick in regarding taxes, distribution, etc etc.

[Marita Topmiller]

Right on, Fred. And the so called Drug War is costing us Billions of dollars!!!

[Adam Yale]

I must say, I never seen so many Smoosiers from different walks of life agree on one thing!

My vote is Yes.

The REAL reason that it is illegal goes back to the 1930's. William Randolf Hearst, the big newspaper millionaire at the time owned a LOT of forests and paper mills. Hemp was threatening to cut into his profits as a better source of paper (and much more abundant than trees.) Soooo, what does he do? Like any rich guy in America, he gets the government to ban hemp because it's a horrible drug that those pesky Mexicans smoke. Not only that, but it's a gateway drug! Oh no! Hemp is band and Hearst makes a fortune selling newspapers and cutting down forests.

And so, Hearst's propaganda lives on today in the form of the "gateway drug" propaganda. I'm sorry but the only people I hear using the "gateway" argument have never even tried marijuana themselves. Stop believing everything you hear!

The fact is, marijuana is illegal because it makes the government and private prisons sooooo much money. The cops love to bust people to help meet their quota. Then the court fines you and makes some more money. Then you get sent to a privately owned prison so the government has to pay the prison to keep you, which makes money for the shareholders. Stocks go up! Business is good!

Not only that but the percentage of people in prisons for marijuana related charges is flat out ridiculous. On top of that the rate of African Americans in prison for marijuana related charges his sickening. You think America has a race war? You're right.

Police arrested an estimated 723,627 persons for marijuana violations in 2001. How many REAL crimes could they have stopped if marijuana was legal? Nope, cops that want to fill their monthly quota go for the easy ones. It's like shooting fish in a barrel for them.


Well Smoosiers, I say we need to force our state government into a vote...to get the ball rolling. If the people are all for legalizing, but the government won't let us, then do we REALLY live in a democracy? Or is it really a thinly veiled dictatorship of the elite?

Great discussion Kristen!

[Nicki Laycoax]

You're right Adam. This was a great discussion... Probably the first in history that Chris Flener and I have agreed on anything! :)