People don't understand this, espically with Marijuana in the US. People are already using weed in the US and we know that, it's not something thats hidden. Though when people talk about legalization all we hear in the news is how all the children are going to start smoking, more car accidents, etc.
Peopel don't get it. These people are already smoking and they just want to do it without having to fear arrest and then prosecution.
All these arguments against drug use are totally just as applicable to alcohol and tobacco among other things. The arguments against marijuana are just down right fraudulent in this context as it is far safer than either of those. Nanny state aside, drug prohibition is not constitutional. During alcohol prohibition they had to get a constitutional amendment to prohibit alcohol. Why? Because they government never had any authority to restrict it. The same goes for illicit drugs, but they just skipped the whole pesky constitution thing that time. The drug war itself has done far FAR more damage to the USA and the world than drug addiction EVER could have. You can go to the doctor and go get prescribed pharmaceutical grade meth, drink a 5th of vodka, and go shoot some guns, and no one would blink an eye. However if you have a condition that you use legal medical marijuana for, well then, they will kick in your door and take your firearms, because God knows those crazy potheads will kill themselves or others, even if it was weeks since they last consumed any THC.
The drug war is nothing more than a racket, and civil asset forfeiture is one of the primary motivators to keep drugs illegal. How else are police going to buy those shiny new Dodge Chargers with the sweet camo vinyl wraps if they don't get to rob anyone who carries cash and just label them a drug dealer? Also if the drug war ended, vast numbers of law enforcement from federal to local agencies would have to cut back staff because their main revenue sources are from drug interdiction, specifically marijuana. God forbid we don't have standing armies across the nation arbitrarily stripping people of their rights in the name of "the children".
Assuming people listened to you and did what you request, do you have any idea how many people in the DEA would lose their jobs? Look, they've got families to support and bills to pay. They have house payments and car payments coming due, and a country club and golf membership. What about the kids they promised a trip to Europe? What about paying for college? What about their monthly bill for cable TV? The bill for the Internet, for crying out loud!!!
That's not even counting the huge cash into the local court systems from those deadbeat, no good stoners. The lawyers get a share, the court gets their part, the probation office gets their fair share, all from someone who was doing something they knew was wrong in the eyes of the law. These people all have a pretty good life. You'd take that away, and likely put lawyers and judges out on the street, panhandling for spare cash.
What in the world do you think police, judges and lawyers should be doing? Actually going after violent robbers, murderers, rapists and thieves?