katelih says

 kURT,  It must be nice for you to know your kids aren't thieves. 

Raoul Duke says

I think they should make all drugs legal to use, but illegal to sell.

Lucius says

In response to Brutus' comments about Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (a type of anti-depressant medication such as Prozac), it is not the SSRI that causes suicidal ideation. The thought amoung physicians is that people who feel like ending their lives during a major depressive episode do not have the energy to carry out the act but once they are on a SSRI they are more likely to commit suicide.

SSRI's are a life saving option for many patients suffering from depression and to say they are not is ignorant. No drug is perfect and all drugs have side effects but in the end the benefits often outweigh the side effects.

In regard to THC, it has many applications for helping patients especially those on chemotherapy, but like other drugs THC needs to be strictly regulated if it is ever used for medicinal purposes.

Botchi says

Marijuana laws are a joke, the US government has been wasting your money since Nixon was president. Take the crime out of it. Prohibition is exactly the same thing. Our laws we have didn't come from the brightest minds in government. Cocaine became a problem because of Marijuna laws. Nobody is going to stop Marijuana use or growing it. It is a losing battle. Prostitution isn't going to go away either. Cigarettes should be banned & Alcohol is far worse then Marijuana. The government has been lying to all of you and the government lies have gotten worse since the Vietnam War. Politicians are as phony as a $3.00 dollar bill. They are the biggest liars ever. They will have you beleive what they want, it's your tax dollar that pays them. Half of them shouldn't be in office. This country is so screwed up by them. they have no idea what is going on because they are out of touch. Most are self serving SOB's.

Raoul Duke says

Since pot is illegal, there are NO regulations on what happens to it during the growing, cuiltivation and shipping processes like there is with food and tobacco. You have NO idea what your are getting. Our government should understand that "their" law creates a greater risk than the plant itself, due to the fact that they cannot regulate it(not to mention tax it). And the law isn't stopping enough people from using pot to jusitify itself anyway.

Again, I don't use it because I don't like it. I also don't drink coffee, tea, or soda, and I eat very little red meat or foods with a lot of refined sugar. I didn't need a law to make those decisions for me.

man4451 says

Brutus, YOU have'nt figured IT out YET? The Government IS going to TAKE your money, U can NOT stop them, SO - - Why not get SOMETHING 4 Your MONEY? In my 57 years, I never seen Taxes go Down, always up Up UP.Even Newt Gingrich SAID, before long, the Government will be taking 80 percent of your money in way of Taxes. Please Wake Up :) thats my happy smile

Salvatore says

History of marijuana  Timeline http://www.a1b2c3.com/drugs/mj004.htm

1936 - 1938: William Randolph Hearst's newspaper empire fuels a tabloid journalism propaganda campaign against marijuana. Articles with headlines such as Marihuana Makes Fiends of Boys in 30 Days; Hasheesh Goads Users to Blood-Lust create terror of the killer weed from Mexico.

Through his relentless misinformation campaign, Hearst is credited with bringing the word marijuana into the English language. In addition to fueling racist attitudes toward Hispanics, Hearst papers run articles about marijuana-crazed negroes raping white women and playing voodoo-satanic jazz music.

Driven insane by marijuana, these blacks -- according to accounts in Hearst-owned newspapers -- dared to step on white men's shadows, look white people directly in the eye for more than three seconds, and even laugh out loud at white people. For shame!

6079 Smith W says

If Jesus’ first miracle were connected with weed instead of wine, would we be having this debate?

A popular conspiracy theory: The reason why weed continues to be illegal is because it’s more profitable for the shadow government to keep it that way.

Anyone remember or heard of Nixon's Operation Intercept?

The U.S. locked down its border with Mexico and checked each and every vehicle entering the country in order to help prevent the illegal importation of drugs.

After backing up traffic for days, numerous complaints and finding few drugs, the program was soon abandoned.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Intercept

Salvatore says

The Supreme Being put this plant on this earth for health reasons. Do some research on this natural medicinal plant. How many people have died from this plant? ZERO! Stop listening to lies put out by politicians and the drug industry. Take this plant out of the control of criminal drug pushers and the drug cartels. This plant is very useful for a large number of medical conditions. Allow people to use this plant in the privacy of their homes. If any of you think that marijuana is a gateway drug or harmful, go ahead and challenge me but you must provide reliable information to back up your claims. Even the AMA believes that this plant is very useful.

kURT says

My children told me this: "Dad it is easy 2get weed -  getting beer is difficult.

My point is make marijuanna legal. No one will stop this God given plant.

I don't grow it or smoke it either, nor do those in family.

brutus smith says

man, tell the Gov to bill you for all the drug tests.  

man4451 says

To all; THE only people that DOES not want DRUG testing, is more LIKELY drug users OR people making MONEY from DRUGS, so HOW can the Government MAKE jobs from DRUGS? Just watch them.

Truth or Dare says

Can't/won't let the legalization of pot  happen, or heaven forbid the allowing of any personal choice in regards to what we could/would choose for meds., as I believe many would choose a natrual substance such as marijuana.  Not only would one be free of the God-awful side effects of synthetic drugs produced,  but so to would the dependency upon them that eventually can/may happen!    Allowing such a thing might just interferre w/ the over 60 BILLION A YEAR IN LOST TAXES ON PROFITS of  the pharmaceutical companies right here in the U.S., sending  those profits to offshore accounts/banks   The producers of Lexipro, their 30 million profit and the fact that 0 taxes were paid on it comes to mind. 

Buckeyessuck says

Look at how much money private prison's make of Marijuana, plan and simple why it's still illegal!! and who cares if you smoke or not, I'm a nondrinker, son of a alcholic, and avid Marijuana user. Who cares? Noone other then the Cowboy cops who think there doing good and the Goverment. BTW the last stimulus package Bin laden, i mean Obama gave 2 million dollars for the study of cocaine on monkey's. Hows it feel to pay for that?   maybe we shouldn't worry about what goes on behind closed doors and rather what happening right before our eye's and I agree maybe we should arrest everyone that is over wieght going through Burger King drive through since fast food is assisted suicide anyways. WoW i wanna go back to sleep anyone have a ambien?

Raoul Duke says

That's BTW, I don't use it because I don't like it. Too late to type...

Raoul Duke says

I guess the makers of anti-depression drugs might not want pot to be legal. But at some point you have to look at it like this: if so many people want to use it, why make them become criminals to do so? We need to at least decriminalize it.

What really amazes me though is how many people I know that ABUSE alcohol severely, and it's legal, and advertized on TV! Some people can have one drink, some people think they need 20. The same is true for pot. Some people over eat too. A lot of people over eat.

And BTW, I use smoke it.

Azure Ray says

 Redwhiteblue - your comments make me laugh, because you sound like you've swallowed every piece of propaganda that you've been fed over the years.  Saying that marijuana is a gateway drug is like saying that Bud Light is a gateway alcohol.  Everyone that is an alcoholic has probably had a Bud Light, but that doesn't mean that Bud Light is the problem.  I am not now, nor have I ever been, a marijuana user, but I think it should be legalized.  I can name drop and talk about my position in law enforcement, too.  It all boils down to personal opinion and how much you have been swayed in the past.  I am friends with many of people who have used marijuana for pain-relief purposes.  Three of those people had cancer, one had major anxiety, and the other suffered from MLS.  There is NOTHING wrong with using pot as a pain killer, especially when there are other drugs that are more severe for sale at the CVS down the road.  And I really feel that pot is a much more healthy alternative than taking an Ambien or Zoloft each night before bed, as 30% of the country does now.  Perhaps we need to pick the right battles to fight, and focus on the issues that really are making an impact on the world right now.

EZOB says

   Anyone that has drank beer pbobably did shots at one time or another.  They "might not" become addicted but pot smokers will try something stronger sooner or later..Pot will become legal when they find a way to tax it.

brutus smith says

 man, are you prepared to pay more taxes to have this done?

6079 Smith W says

@ man4451:

Why stop there; why not drug test at time of driver’s license issuance and renewal? Just charge a little extra – spread the costs.

katelih says

 One time, many moons ago ,I smoked a little weed and was so paranoid I thought the people on t.v. were laughing at me. ha ha. I would not leave my house. 

man4451 says

It APPEARS there just maybe ANOTHER TYPE Iran contra Scandle going on. WHY this maybe going on. To STOP drugs in the UNITED STATES, or better yet, BRING IT  to a slow slow pace, is to DRUG TEST in the Schools, Social Security, Welfare, Disability, Wokers Comp, and Un-employment Checks. MOST all jobs DRUG test, why not these? THIS has been ignored by our GOVERNMENTS and is causing DAMAGE to the WHOLE country. It would STOP most of the problems at the boarders. Less children on the STREETS, less problems at HOME, affecting Child, Parents, Grandparents, Siblings.

Taxpayer says

6079 Smith W is absolutely correct!  People are "home growning" because it is CHEAPER  for them even at the risk of a cultivation/manufacturing charge.  I know you liberals believe this is the "Summer of RECOVERY" but this PROVES the economy is still stuck in the toilet after a waste of a TRILLION tax dollar flushes.  "It is the economy STUPID!!"  Do any of you freak liberals get it yet?  Oops, I forgot, you do not even want to address the economy.  It is all Bush's fault right?  Ha! Ha!  And please explain why no lilberal politician up for re-election has even mentioned the great and famed "we MUST have" 0bama health care they all VOTED for??  "Oh, I am so wonderful because I VOTED for health care for the PEOPLE!"  Almost sounds like Marcy Kaptur (D-OH).  I wonder why you losers are now absolutely SILENT on that?   What happened to all those bragging rights??  I guess when the NATION does not want it, it does not matter.  What matters is what YOU feel is best for the nation or how much YOU get, right?  Well, hope and change is coming for you liberal freaks, UNION members and freeloaders. When people grow their own "weed" then you KNOW it IS the economy,....STUPID!  Ha! Ha!     

brutus smith says

 It's also funny they don't talk about the real dangerous drugs like Prozac, Paxill, Effexor and so on down the list. All of them say if you develope suicidal tendencies see a Dr. immediately. But hey the Pharm companys sell mind altering drugs "legally".

Clawbar9 says

I agree.  Marijuana should be legalized.  I also feel that if marijuana were legalized, other drugs of abuse would greatly diminish in use.    I think most users with a steady, high quality supply will be satisfied to stay with weed.  Yes, I have used it; but I have had many more years without it than with it.  I have no desire to start again even if it was legalized.  Restriction should be limited to legal age to purchase, the enforcement of laws preventing driving while intoxicated, or with drug testing as a condition of employment in certain occupations.  That's all that would be needed. 

Buckeyessuck says

I'm going to keep this as short and sweet as possible, I've read a couple comment's  already that have me laughing, must be the "older crowd". I read one stating that Pot is the "gateway" drug, please pot is the easiest to aquire hence why so many people try it or continue to try it. I also read that if you smoke it, it no longer does anything for you so you have to do more or do somthing heavier to get your Buzz, yet isn't that the same with alchol? What medical break through has Marijuana brought to America and other Foreign countries? How many Marijuana DUI deaths compared to Alchol Death's to you read in this fine newspaper a year? How many people have caught cancer from Marijuana? How many people are wasting your hard earned tax money being imprisoned on Marijuana charges? After typing i suppose i could go on for hours and hours on why it should be legal,but there will just be basher's anyways. Why i even left my two cents? I'm still trying to figure out. Get educated so you dont sound like the racist, that made this GOD given plant illegal in the first place. Funny in the 20's its was thought to be a mexican-american thing, in the 70s the War on Drugs covered up us losing the Vietnam War and still in 2010 all they have is it's the 'Gateway" drug.

6079 Smith W says

redwhiteblue says

I worked for the sheriff's department and  the highway patrol, I will tell you up front that practically every one you catch for using cocaine or heroin or  prescription drugs 90% of those people have marijuana on their person, or in their vehicles, marijuana is nothing more than a snowball rolling downhill, in other words of those who use marijuana have a good feeling, as time goes on, they want to increase there pleasure, then they move onto the hard stuff, we do not need another  illegal substance in this country.  My question is  clear if your  friends are driving a vehicle and get stop by the highway patrol, sheriff's department, or police and it is quite obvious, by the smell of their cars, and smell the person that they're on marijuana ,they will be arested,  it is illegal to drive the vehicle under a substance that will impair there ability to maneuver, does not have proper perception and the ability to drive their vehicle in a safe manner so they do not cause an accident.  I have to wander, how many of your friends who use marijuana, fit in that category it is quite interesting, if you're driving a vehicle you cause an accident and you are using marijuana, guess what he/she will be arrested and tested and look for a lawsuit coming your way.

6079 Smith W says

Mr Opinionated says

 I think they should legalize MJ, place a nice "sin tax" on it so the leaches of society can pay tax....it will help offset their earned income credit tax refund and their president's healthcare plan.

justathought2 says

Redwhiteblue,

Just because a person is for  legalizing pot does NOT mean they're a "pot smoker". I am not now- or ever have been such, however I am all for legalizing it.  The fact is we read more about pot bust in the paper than any other drug.  Anyone with kids knows that pot is not the problem in the area, its heroin and prescription drugs. If pot were legalized it would free up a lot of time and money, plus jail space to focus on the other drug problems. Its not the pot smokers that are robbing people to get their fix. You say that pot is a stepping stone to other drugs? That may be the case for some that are already willing to try other drugs.  I like most people do have friends that smoke pot and none of them indulge in any other form of drugs.

6079 Smith W says

redwhiteblue says

jimmy ego,

There is a major problem with marijuana being legalized in the United States, I would have to make a reasonable assumption that you either are user or were a user, because I find it interesting that those who use illegal drugs can only support the use of them or legalizing them.  you mentioned in your comment, you said quote( I personally don't like pot ) unquote which tells me that should have used it in one form or another, the legalization of alcohol and and cigarettes is no crime, it is the misuse of that is a crime, why in the world would anybody condone the legalization of marijuana, so it can add two people being killed on the roads, or using it for a steppingstone to heroin, cocaine and none prescription drugs.  I would like to hope that you and your friends get your brain waves in order unless they've already been ruined by narcotics.

Raoul Duke says

Oh my God, just legalize it! Then you eliminate the drug dealers, you eliminate the court time for users(and dealers), you free up funding and manpower to go after crack dealers, AND you can tax it!!! I personally don't like pot, BUT, let's face it--you put a seed in the ground, and it grows. You harvest it, dry it, and you smoke it or eat it or drink it. Seems pretty natural to me. It's growing right next to sweet corn! And the roadside farmers markets all already have signs that say "homegrown." If cigarettes and alcohol are going to be legal, then why not marijuana? I personally know A LOT more people who have ruined their lives with alcohol than with pot, and I know A LOT of people who smoke pot. And all the people that used to be afraid of pot have either died or they are too old to care anymore. Now is the time. Buy American weed, not that foreign crap!