Legalization of Controlled Substances

[Ken]

How many of you think that marijuana or other drugs should be legalized? If you do, why? And do you take any actions to bring it about?

Do any of you think that use of Alcohol and Tobacco should be completely prohibited?

On another note, for a while before I knew WAG meant Wild Ass Guess, I thought it meant White American Generalization. Theres probably alot of topics on these boards where someone might not want to read either sort of WAG.

[Ken]

Since there is a long thread on legalization, I want to make my question a little more specific. What do people of either stance on the situation do politically to further their views?

[Therealbubba]

Every year I invite my congressman over to burn a faatty with me. The rude fucker hasn't shown up or called yet.

Therealbubba

[Fretful Porpentine]

OK, I'll take a stab at answering.

1) Yes, I think marijuana (and most other drugs) should be legalized. First of all, banning them doesn't seem to work very well; secondly, I think people have the right to do what they want with their own bodies; thirdly, it seems obvious that legalizing and regulating drugs would eliminate most of the violent crime associated with the drug trade. That said, I haven't really taken any action because it's not an issue that I care passionately about. If North Carolina were to have a referendum tomorrow about legalizing marijuana (dream on) I would vote yes, but I'm not going to campaign for one because I have things I'd reather be doing.

2) No, I don't think alcohol and tobacco should be banned -- for the same reasons outlined in my first answer, but also because I use both of these substances. I DON'T use any illegal drugs (for reasons completely unrelated to their illegality), and so I have a hard time working up much personal passion where these drugs are concerned. I'm an occasional, social smoker and giving it up wouldn't bother me all that much, but if somebody started a movement to ban alcohol, you can bet I'd be campaigning against it for all I was worth. So I think it basically comes down to a numbers game: as soon as a majority (or a significant plurality) of voters have a personal interest in seeing marijuana legalized, it will be legalized. At the moment, people who use alcohol and tobacco generally come from demographic groups that vote, while people who use marijuana do not.

Don't know if this is the sort of answer you're looking for, but that's my two cents.