Legalizing Drugs-What's Your Opinion

[HappyBruiser]

I just wanted to say I like what I hear. I'm a proud supporter of the NRA as well NORML, and Individual Liberty in general. Marijuana legalization comes down to basic Liberty for me, no rationalization needed.

[Jakeiscrazy]

Yeah, for me I guess I wouldn't stand against it if it was put up for vote but I also wouldn't be someone advocating it. It's just the way I feel about it right now. Views change I'l continue to watch discussions on the matter.

[Yarddawg]

I'm not trying to hijack this discussion, but I want to ask a question relating to this topic.

Where does it end?

People claim that we, as a country, are spending too much money on this war on drugs. Specifically, they point to the money "wasted" on arresting, prosecuting, and costs of incarceration related to marijuana use.

So my question is, where does it end? Do we make all drugs legal? Just marijuana? Or what?

IMHO marijuana is not much worse than alcohol. Does that mean that I want to see it legalized? Not at this time, no. Again IMHO, if we just give in and make it legal because it's too much effort/costs too much/etc., then we might as well give up and call everything legal.

In some respects, that might not be a bad idea either, if done correctly. It's called "Personal Accountability". Of course that is something that we, as a society, have given up on already.

[FatAndy]

I just wanted to say I like what I hear. I'm a proud supporter of the NRA as well NORML, and Individual Liberty in general. Marijuana legalization comes down to basic Liberty for me, no rationalization needed.

Exactly! Marijuana prohibition is the pinnacle of puritanical government overreach. In essence, they are preventing the cultivation and consumption of a weed that grows naturally across most of the US. It parallels farming rules that churches created in medieval Europe to control beer production.

[pete]

Interesting. I wrote a term paper in a high school government class about why pot should be legalized.... back in 1979. We're still talking about the same issues 30-some years later. I don't think its gonna happen.

[Kreutz]

Interesting. I wrote a term paper in a high school government class about why pot should be legalized.... back in 1979. We're still talking about the same issues 30-some years later. I don't think its gonna happen.

Bingo. Too much $ made on the prison-industrial complex. Its actually a special interest group.

[Diomed]

Bingo. Too much $ made on the prison-industrial complex. Its actually a special interest group.

The prison-industrial complex is just one cog in the Drug War money machine. It makes huge amounts of money for a whole lot of people on both sides of the law (and there's a fair amount of crossover between them - corruption is not just something that happens in the third world). It also gives power to the participants on both sides, something that's almost as alluring and intoxicating as money.