I believe it should not be illegal. Although I know it causes harm, I also believe laws should only apply where there is a victim. If an adult chooses to smoke dope, it is no worse than if they choose to drink alcohol. It seems crazy that a vegetable substance can be illegal. The "War on Drugs" has been no more of a success than prohibition of alcohol was in the last century.

At this point in time the legalization of marijuana pales in comparison to the larger issues that need to be addressed.

Marijuana is obviously a drug of addiction with so many long term side effects, that are not often spoken of. For example, marijuana is a major contributing factor in the onset of psychosis, crack has similar side effects and yet no one seems to debate whether or not it should be legal. So why do we think that marijuana is any less? because its a plant? its still a drug, and a dangerous one so basically I think its good that it is illegal.

Dope should be legal. There is nothing wrong with a responsible person smoking some dope? If thats what you want to do, then fine! I realise there's a problem with how responsible the user are, but... It should be legalised.

I think it's ridiculous that marijuana is illegal. It doesn't make you behave erratically like alcohol or other drugs, quite the opposite infact, all you really want do is listen to music and chill out. I think it could even cut down other crime rates because nobody's in the mood for fighting and violence and that sort of thing after a smoke, alcohol is far worse for that.

I don't think marijuana should be classified in the same category as the harder drugs. It has been shown to have medicinal properties that are helpful to people who suffer from certain diseases. It makes one have an appetite in cases where that person wouldn't feel like eating otherwise. --------If it were legalized, a lot of people would stop growing it to make money and that would stop a lot of the crime associated with it. --------In my opinion, it is being kept illegal because of all of the money it generates in a round about way.;) Cigarette smoking is a very deadly habit because of the chemical content, but it is legal. It is a money maker so it won't be touched as far as legality is concerned. The gov. has to bend a bit because of second hand smoke, but you won't see them ever banned completely. Anything that generates money stays put as it pays a lot of wages ;)

I don't think the Government has the right to tell me which drugs I can and can't take. Alcohol is far more dangerous than marijuana, causes far more deaths and causes far more trouble in all kinds of different ways and the Government positively advocate its use.

With most countries declaring war on drugs, it seems like an awfully stupid waste of man power and resources to be going after smokers. It is now quite clear that it's NOT the gateway drug that everyone thought it was. Many people all over the world are having their lives ruined by over zealous states which are churning out thousands upon thousands of "criminals" because of their inability to deal with the realities before them. Alcohol is in my opinion the King Kong of social scourges, responsible for countless road deaths, liver diseases, domestic violence and other problems, and yet it's legal. The vast majority of people who scream the loudest about the evils of Marijuana, are the very ones with no actual first hand experience of what it is they are against. Know your enemy is the first rule of combat! Most of the anti crowd are just blowing hot air out of their asses.. I'd like to see an objective statistical comparison made between alcohol and tobacco (legal almost everywhere and advertised as glamorous luxuries) versus the "Evil weed", to see how they measure up. One thing to remember about making anything illegal against the popular will of the people is that it will just drive the business underground, into the control of the truly criminal element. Bring it out in the open and a lot of the crime associated with it disappears. The Netherlands realised this a long time ago.

the worst drugs in the world are produced by the giant pharmaceutical companies.do you know of one that the gov't.closed down?

I don't think anyone should use marijuana, but I also think that part of why so many teenagers use it is because they like the fact that it is illegal. Sometimes I wonder if as many people would use it if it were legal because they wouldn't be able to use it as a way to rebel against authority.

There's so much bribery and corruption in this ridiculous "war against drugs". Fact is, marijuana can be very damaging, but I still think it should be legalised.

I feel it should be legalized. For 1 if the government had half a brain they would realize how much revenue they could get from they taxes on this stuff. Also, how many people have ever overdosed on it? None! People die every day because of alcohol or presription drugs. Let the people use it, but apply the same rules there are now when it comes to driving. They should make it two strikes your out. First one you get hit with a fine, second one you do time for it. Alcohol kills more people but they are still loose with the law.

I feel that if marijuana is legalized it will reduce a financial burden on our econoy when it comes to criminal offenses related to the drug and how we now have drug diversion programs to keep drug offenders out of prison

yes bacuse i believe its not so bad. for instance they should make cigarettes and tabacco illegal beacuse tehy are made out of maybe chemicals while marijuana is just a natural plant that is just so happens that if you put it on fire it gets you hi but yea thats wat i think

if it is absolutly needed for someone who is sick or in serious pain then yes,but just for ppl to get high with then no

It should have been legal years ago,and compared to drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes it is much less harmful to the body and mind.

I think if it were legalised it would really change the US (or whatever it is legalized). People would be glued to their couch all day and wouldn't go to work and lots of kids would drop out of school. I say it would be cool if people 21 and older could get it legally, but would be limited to 2 grams a week. Then they could only get high maybe two or three nights a week, so they could still do good at work and be socialable with their family and friends. If that were the case it would still be a lot easier for minors to obtain and for adults to get more than 2 grams of. I really wouldn't mind at all. Maybe my parents would take up the hobby and then we could get toasted together.

i'm all for it. i don't drive high, i just sit in my yard with my telescope and wonder about it all. i also wonder about it when not smoking.

Prohibition is a failed system, will they realize it soon - maybe. How can you put someone who grows a plant into jail with murderers and rapists? U.S. government decided it knew what we should put in our bodies, so they outlawed it. That right there is unnerving to me. No politician I have ever met should make a decision like that for me. In 1937 the U.S. Marihuana Tax Act was created to make marijuana disappear through making it illegal to have without a tax stamp but no one could acquire the tax stamp due to the fact you would be incriminating yourself. It was enacted on the grounds that cannabis caused "murder, insanity and death" After this was found to be unconstitutional in 1969 due to its violation of our fifth amendment right our congress passed the Controlled Substances Act. -So we have the war on drugs(they thought the name prohibition wouldn't work anymore). Government doesn't think it can effectively tax the product so they outlaw it. To make a profit and provide jobs, the DEA and ONDCP and many other anti-marijuana groups are given our tax dollars to fight a war against our own citizens. -Prestigious Lancet British medical journal "The smoking of cannabis, even long-term, is not harmful to health. ... It would be reasonable to judge cannabis as less of a threat ... than alcohol or tobacco."

It should be legalized!! If it were a viable cash-crop for Tobacco farmers to switch to with the dwindling number of cigarette smokers their economic boon could affect us all. The price could still plummet from the current "street prices", while better refining the quality of the product. All the while still leaving room for the government to tax and regulate it the same ways they regulate Alcohol & Tobacco now. Wouldn't our government love a new tax people could get behind? The true criminal element would need to move to greener pastures, reducing the strain on law enforcement. And has anyone here known anyone that they know have used marijuana and never once considered that person a criminal?

We should end cannabis prohibition. Why? http://tinyurl.com/24aswe

Legalizing it would eliminate some crime to a certain extent. It would also give tobacco companies an alternate source of income and possibly an alternate crop for all the opium farmers. Since opium is the source of heroin, this would also be benificial in reducing that drug from the illegal market.

It should be legalized, yet under control like alcohol. There definitely should be certain rules like you have to be a certain age, you cannot be stoned and drive, and are limited to a certain amount. No one has ever died from smoking too much weed, yet many people have died from drinking too much. Yes, you can make stupid decisions when stoned - but that is up to the person's own discretion. Alcohol is worse for you than marijuana. If alcohol is legal, there is no reason why marijuana shouldn't be.

Legalize it.

I have no problem with the legalization of marijuana.

It should be decriminalized and regulated by the FDA. People should only be punished when they actually use it irresponsibly and cause trouble.

I would prefer to just DECRIMINALIZE simple possession and allow growing your own for yourself. If it is fully legalized, then it will need regulations (like bars & bartenders), which will need inspectors and enforcers, as well as more accountants, tax collectors, and many other misc. beaurocrats that can be done without.

No, except maybe for legit medicinal use.

Yes

Absolutely. (I hate yes or nos, they just make me want to be creative with my positive or negative feedback, lol)

Yes and the government can tax it and make a big bureaucracy out of it and use the money for public rehab clinics.

Well, I think it's a complicated issue, but I say yes it should be legalized.

This question is SOOOOO redundant. Anyways... Yes.

Until it is, alcohol should be made illegal.

Yes Little more in-depth answer: http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1000148

Marijuana should stay illegal because of the effects that people have when in use. They can do something stupid like go in prison, and then they don't remember why they are there. In use of Marijuana is a big health risk, you can die of Marijuana way faster then smoking regular tobacco.

i think its dumb that marijuana is illegal drinking alcohol and smoking tobacco are more dangerous but they r still legal we as people need to get the government to make it legal if anyone knows how to do it get started and other bud smokers of amerika will join

It should be 100% legal. This country's war on drugs has done nothing to stop drug use. It has, however, generated big bucks by issuing fines or locking people up for it. Privetized prisons and local authorities get paid for prisoners. Lets face it, it is easier to catch a dealer or user than to solve a murder or find that pesky serial rapist.

Well, I think that it should be legal, becaouse it is so mild drug. And 1/3 of the whole worlds money is in drug buisness, so there is many jobs in it. And there are countries that have legalized it, for example Netherlands, and there doing fine. And people will alweys use it anyway, and if someone wants to do that to himself, the goverment should let him do it. I mean, shouldent this be free country or what?

its kinda homo cause its a free country, and people like having fun and getting high but if it was legal people might get bored of it because it kinda funner when you have to hide it but it would be great to smoke it in public

Marijuana should be legalized in the U.S. It does not effect any functions at least not for me ive been smoking for 10 yrs and im 21 now and i am doing very well for myself actually. LEGALIZE MARYJANE

Actually it causes sperm count to deplete 50% while smoking on a regular basis, causes stillborn and unfertilizable eggs in women, and 2 joints equal to a pack of cigerettes so as it causes a 91% increase growth in cancer cells just by switching from cigerettes to pot. It isnt as 'harmless' as people previously thought of. The economical growth (short-term) to a nation would be tremendous--however long term effects economically can be considered a negative The Netherlands (Amsterdam) produce less now than they did when it was illegal and some would contribute it to pot (Bill O'Reilly has a really good point) and it is a fact that they produce less than 3rd world countries do for the worlds economic growth. While we cant say the same would happen to America...it is still a possibility. The THC in pot has also increase since it became a 'popular' drug---while it was only at 0.5% during the 70's it is now at 10% so one joint now now equates 20 joints. Mostly THC is a complex substance containing more than four hundred known chemicals, subsequently broken down by the body into another two thousand, most of them unstudied. What we do know though indicates that THC's by-products are like Krazy Glue in the user's brain. It takes a month for the body to eliminate just the known chemicals left by one joint; if a chronic user quits, it takes at least three months. What long-term mischief THC may cause is still anybody's guess, but tests on rhesus monkeys (using the monkey equivalent of two to three joints per day) have shown significant brain-cell damage.

By the way I dont believe that it should be legal because of a number of reasons. It actually causes sperm count to deplete 50% while smoking on a regular basis, causes stillborn and unfertilizable eggs in women, and 2 joints equal to a pack of cigerettes so as it causes a 91% increase growth in cancer cells just by switching from cigerettes to pot. It isnt as 'harmless' as people previously thought of. The economical growth (short-term) to a nation would be tremendous--however long term effects economically can be considered a negative The Netherlands (Amsterdam) produce less now than they did when it was illegal and some would contribute it to pot (Bill O'Reilly has a really good point) and it is a fact that they produce less than 3rd world countries do for the worlds economic growth. While we cant say the same would happen to America...it is still a possibility. The THC in pot has also increase since it became a 'popular' drug---while it was only at 0.5% during the 70's it is now at 10% so one joint now now equates 20 joints. Mostly THC is a complex substance containing more than four hundred known chemicals, subsequently broken down by the body into another two thousand, most of them unstudied. What we do know though indicates that THC's by-products are like Krazy Glue in the user's brain. It takes a month for the body to eliminate just the known chemicals left by one joint; if a chronic user quits, it takes at least three months. What long-term mischief THC may cause is still anybody's guess, but tests on rhesus monkeys (using the monkey equivalent of two to three joints per day) have shown significant brain-cell damage.

ok first off if you want to bann weed you should bann liquer,cigarettes the whole nine. (why) first there has NEVER been any1 who O.D.ed on weed, countless lost lives have been caused by liquer and cigarettes. so you ask why dont they make them illegal simple the government makes too much profit. thats the only reason they dont. why DID they bann weed? because the government makes no money off of it. its natural and can be grown by any1 so they make no money off of it. so after all that here is my answer....i dont smoke at all number 1 so it doesnt matter to me BUT i say if you let things like ciggs and liquer be legal then why not weed? thats my point i mean if you give petafiles 2 chances be4 prossicution but if your caught with weed its years in prison (depending on how much you have on you) thats excuse the french but thats fucked up.....our government is corrupt,greedy, and above all selfish thats my point say w/e you want but thats the truth

No!

Yes and taxed all dealer must have a tax stamp if caught charged with incomtax evasion.

It is legal.

It's illegal for political reasons and no, it should be legalized.

Absolutely yes.

yes and heavily taxed

I don't know why not, it's about as harmless as alcohol. I'm not sure that I would be ready for that though. It would be wierd going into Wal-Mart or something with a bunch of people that are stoned & staring into space.

It is overseas...why not here as well

Yep, and that's all i got to say.

Interesting answers here. Our government's war on drugs, after spending billions of dollars, has resulted in increased drug trafficking, not to mention destroyed the economy of many other countries. Look what's happening now in Mexico. Personally, I'd legalize all drugs, have the government sell and tax them and the money made, plus the savings of closing down things like the DEA, would probably balance the budget.

yes. its less dangerous than tobacco cigarettes and alcohol. you cant get addicted to weed easily (if at all) and a hell of a lot less dangerous than other mind altering drugs. you cant o.d. on it. i see no reason why it shouldnt be legal

Yes, marijuana should be legal. Not only for the reasons others have mentioned, but fact farmers would be able to grow hemp. Hemp is the male marijuana plant. Instead of budding buds, it produces seeds. These seeds are the most protein dense seeds of all seeds. With a little research and development, we may be able to use the oil from these seeds as a fuel source. Hemp would be able to solve a lot of our environmental concerns. With hemp, we wouldn't need to cut down another tree to make paper products. We'd be able to make all paper from hemp. Hemp is a weed that can grow anywhere and requires little water. We wouldn't need massive cotton farms any more because all cotton products would be made from hemp fibers. There are literally millions of environmentally friendly uses for hemp, but because of government beaurocracies, we can't take advantage of this marvelous plant...

The anti marijuana laws are about as effective as the gun control laws. If people want weed, or guns, they will be able to get them, anywhere. Yes it should be legal.

It would be nice to have a regulated distribution system, with ratings similar to 'proof' on liquor.

Yes. It should be subject to the same restrictions as alcohol - no driving under the influence, etc. Otherwise, it is a personal choice, and it isn't the government's job to spend exorbitant amounts of money to regulate personal behavior.

Yes, it should be heavily taxed and treated exactly like alcohol. you gotta be 21, can't be under the influence when driving, no open baggies in public, no selling to minors etc.