by jolie » Thu Dec 22, 2011 12:29 am
I personally do not like the taste, smell or high of weed and don't do any drugs. I do support the legalization of marijuana for a number of reasons.
Federal bans on weed are not within the power granted to the federal government by the US Constitution. That is a power granted to the states.
One a state level I see no reason for it to be illegal. I know plenty of stoners and although many of the heavy smokers are dumb as dirt (maybe that's why they started rather than an effect) weed does not make them harmful to others. Laws are supposed to be to protect us from being harmed by others. There should be no laws protecting us from our own stupidity.
It makes sense economically. Obviously, if there was a public safety risk this would not be an issue, but there is no public risk. Weed being legal would generate additional revenue a number of ways. Stores would sell it, resulting in more sales tax collected. Surely additional taxes would be placed on weed, like on alcohol and tobacco. Millions or billions a year are spent on "drug war" and housing inmates convicted of selling or using weed. That's a total waste of tax dollars.