This Is Not A Democracy, It's A Republic........
You must have recently "inhaled" to write that, Jenn.
Jenn, I'm with you on it. Believe it or not, I've never so much as taken a drag off of a joint...despite having gone to the #1 party school in America (Florida State).
To me, it comes down to a really simple matter: what business is it of the government's if some dude wants to get stoned in the privacy of his own home? If he wastes his life getting stoned, that's his problem.
As long as our right to life, liberty, and property does not infringe upon anyone else's right to the same, government should butt out.
CU was the #1 Party School in 2k4, and SUNY Alb in 2k5. You should specify which year you are referring to.
LOL, Dave, that you know that off the top of your head....Now be truthful, how much did you smoke this morning?
Amen. The prevailing wisdom that says stoners are lazy or otherwise useless biproducts of society is a thin veil of antiquated rubbish. Doctors, lawyers, CEO's and a slew of everyday normal people you would never guess smoke marijuana. The economic and environmental benefits of legalization far outweigh the mounting deficit we've accumulated due to the failed war on drugs. Just think, no more petty drug dealers, (and the crime they create), an ounce of premium marijuana costs roughly $400 on the street but costs under $15 to grow. Assuming you kept the price the same and far underestimated the number of potsmkokers, (current estimates are at roughly 20 million habitual users, I suspect much higher) at just one ounce per individual per year, the net profit is 7.7 billion. Not to mention the billions saved not tying up our law enforcement and judicial recources prosecuting a lost cause. It makes sense, which is precisely why it will never happen. No elected Republican nor Democrat has the balls to be so overtly progressive, and what would middle America think?
Dave, it's been 10 years since I attended FSU. It was the #1 party school back in the mid 90's when I attended. It's safe to say that since I've been out, I haven't exactly been in the loop on top schools for twenty-somethings to get stoned and drunk at. 
Sorry Jenn.... can't agree with this one. I have seen what the abuse and addiction of pot can do. My ex was addicted and so is a member of my family. Whatever the stats say I firmly believe it is addictive and leads to other drugs. I also don't believe in the medical benefits theory. I have asthma and take two different medication daily, my ex smoked pot (about all he did) every day, numerous times a day... being around it never seemed to help my asthma in the least.
Kelly, I think many people have different views on it. I smoked some back when I was in high school, and my college years. I graduated with a 4.0 and 3.8 respectively. It never led me to any other drugs, and it didn't make me "lazy" pot smoker.
I always say, it cured me of my childhood asthma. I quit years ago, but know several people that still smoke it, and none do harder drugs, and none have messed up lives.
With your history, I could see how you would feel differently.
Asthma is a horrible thing. My grandmother died from it, and my mother's life is not what it could be because of it.
I just think that lazy ass people "stoner slackers" would be that way, pot or not.
Wow...sorry to hear about your family's Asthma struggles. Asthma knowledge has come a long way, just in the past few years alone. I live a much improved life now that I am on Advair.
You forgot that all of the waste can be made into Bio fuel. Bud could actually save America.
I have been getting a lot of hits from your web site. Thanks for linking to me.
I agree. I can't smoke it because of the Navy... I don't think they'd like their nukes flying while operating a plant.
...but I agree. My mom has glaucoma and a series of other malodies that the herb could relieve.
I'm all for it, 100%.
You forgot CRAMPS! Only thing that EVER helped me with those (I had them very severe). Those day's are behind me (I just grew out of it - like most people) but I also don't have bad memories of it either.
P.S. I thought Chico was the big party school. Don't they like have the Zig-Zag Man as their mascot?
I have seen what the abuse and addiction of pot can do.
The Constitution specifically states what the defined roles and repsonsibilities of the federal government are. Saving people from their own addictions is not one of those roles.
Some people are addicted to food. Others, sex. Others, spending money (we call them "politicians! ). The federal government doesn't stop those activities, right?
Look, nearly anything taken to excess is harmful. But it's clearly NOT the role of government to save us from ourselves.
"Clearly it's not the role of the governement to save us from ourselves".
Then why do we accept seat belt laws, helmet laws, what speed we can drive, being 21 to drink etc....?
Kelly, while I completely understand given your circumstances, where you are coming from.....to me, and with my expierience, pot smoking is as harmless as alcohol consumption.
But, as with alcohol consumption, issues that may arise are due to the person consuming.
I like to drink, wine, beer. Does it rule my life. No. I used to smoke the green. Did I turn to harder drugs? No. Did I become a slacker loser. Debatable. : )
But really, I know many different people in different walks of life that smoke bud, and function very well in society, and just smoke it for some fun on a Friday night.
Witness.... I too am from the Bay area. The place sucks, I got out as fast as I could. Left in '93 and never looked back.
Then why do we accept seat belt laws, helmet laws, what speed we can drive, being 21 to drink etc....?
Why do we accept those laws? Because we are in a generation now that thinks like you do: the federal government's primary role is to save us from ourselves, even it's from our own poor decision-making.
Kelly, there's a lot of things our government does that go WAY beyond what the Constitution allows. It was never intended for the federal government to get involved with the education of our children...that was to be a state and local affair. It was never intended for the federal government to provide for our retirement, health insurance, and a variety of other things.
Our Founding Fathers envisioned a limited federal government, and limitless state governments. FDR changed the rules, and the generations of "gimme" Americans that have followed have landed us where we are today.
Seat belt laws and helmet laws for adults are crap. If I want to ride down the interstate on a motorcycle with no helmet, then it's not the government's business to stop me. There is no compelling government interest...none! If I get into a wreck and splatter my dome like a watermelon at a Gallagher show, then I was stupid and it sucks for me. The same for seat belts for adults.
My state (FL) overturned the law that forbade adult motorists from riding without a helmet, and the number of highway fatalities didn't increase much...even if it did, so what? They were stupid to ride without a helmet! What, are we going to legislate against stupidity? Hell, the government would NEVER finish writing laws if we were to start banning acts of stupidity! We're free to be stupid in this country, as evidenced by the millions of Americans who voted for John Kerry in 2004!
Speed limit laws can be debated. I maintain that speed limit laws are appropriate because people should do whatever they want in a way that does not deprive anyone else of life, liberty, or property. Excessively high speeds can and often do deprive other drivers of life and/or property, therefore the regulation of such speed is appropriate. That's not a "saving us from ourselves" law...it's a "saving us from OTHERS" law. THAT is the big difference.
Drinking age of 21: stupid. It should be 18. If you're old enough to die on a battlefield or go to jail, you're old enough to have a beer or two...or three...or whatever. If you get busted for public intox or drunk driving (assuming you're not a Kennedy), you can go to jail. Welcome to adulthood!
Seriously, I wonder about people who feel that it's cool for government to save us from ourselves and our own destructive behavior. While we're at it, how about we ban sex between unmarried adults (especially of the same gender...you know how dangerous that can be) or cigarettes or even alcohol? Oh, that's right, we DID try banning alcohol...and it failed miserably. Jus
Continuing...
Just as this war on drugs has failed miserably.
Kelly, you're speaking from emotion and not logic. There is no logical reason to ban marijuana (or any other drug, but for the purposes of this topic, let's confine the conversation to dope). Again, this is coming from a guy who's never tried it and never will. I just decided to exercise my liberty in not smoking it. Why should my exercise NOT to smoke it interfere with someone else's exercise to smoke it?
With great freedoms come great responsibilities. If you smoke dope in your own home and aren't commiting any other crimes, there is no SANE or LOGICAL reason to ban the activity.
I got a ticket right after they passed the seatbelt law. I was driving about 2 miles, it was Thanksgiving, and I'd forgotten butter.
I apologized to the cop, and promised to always wear it in the future, and the humorless dip still ticketed me. I still loathe him.
But, I nver failed to put it on when I got in the car from that point on....
I wear a seatbelt. I also wear a helmet when on a bike or motorcycle. I do neither because I have to...I do them because it's smart.
I don't approve of legislating against stupidity. Sure, it's tempting...but in the end, freedom includes the freedom to be stupid.
Mr Leffinwell is correct. Unfortunately, I don't believe the Constitution, Amendments or the Bill of Rights are taught in indoctrination centers, I mean schools, any longer.
The only prohibition I would place on smoke would be the same as with alcohol - age 21 (or 18 if that law gets repassed - we dd try that for awhile in several states - until the Feds stepped in and put a halt to it).
It's nice to see some rational discussion about this otherwise ridiculously hot topic.
For anyone that's smoked it, they understand that the self destructiveness derived from any other drug (especially alcohol) is generally MUCH higher than what's experienced from smoking herb.
It would be tricky because it's hard to detect the levels in the blood and therefore the traffic laws would have to be zero tolerance. I think that's fair, all things considered.
Ah, Matt smoked some herb lately have you? While looking at the lagoon? Hey, I'll be up there this wekend, maybe I'll see ya. ; )
Yes legalize 
Sure have, it's a great way to unwind.
I am a successful businessman at the age of 26 and have smoked since the age of 19. I enjoy it very much when I do, and it does NOT make me lazy or a "loser" "stoner", "waste of life", etc. I get up everyday at the same time, work, hit the gym - never miss a day, do all of my daily activities, and enjoy life. I have a beautiful successful girlfriend - world title holding professional ballroom dancer (who smokes herb), great successful friends - mortgage brokers, bankers, salesmen, doctors (all who smoke herb), and a great family. My brother is a senior at Notre Dame with an outstanding GPA(he smokes too).
My point is - what's the big deal with herb? You ever smoke so much that you have unprotected sex with a stranger? No. Smoke so much that you puke your brains out all day? No. Smoke so much that you get violent and into fights, don't remember what happened the night before, have liver damage? No.
Anything can be abused. But seriously, what's wrong with herb? Alcohol is legal, an "accepted" - but bud isn't!? Seriously, get a grip on reality people.
Don't drive on it...that's about it.
But I'm tired of all these people who haven't ever tried it, talk about "stoners" "wastes of life" all of that crap. It's a plant that grows on this earth, that is smoked unaltered, in plant form. It's completely, 100% natural, relaxing, calming, a great pain reliever, stress reliever, and enjoyable, and has many medical benefits.
Legalize it and quit hating. If more people smoked, I bet the earth would be a little more peaceful and a little more enlightened than it is.
"Don't drive on it...that's about it."
even here ive read that less than 2% of car crashes in the last 10 something years were even related to marijuana. When alchohol is respnsible for a shit ton every year.
i personaly will drive high but nt drunk.
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