Do you think legalizing marijuana in the U.S. would be a good or bad thing?

This will be a good thing. U.S. Would make billions by selling it legally instead of spending money to criminalize it. It would hurt the cartels that traffic marijuana and hurt their business.

Also marijuana is not as dangerous as cigarettes. I don't know of anyone who got cancer from smoking marijuana. Do you?

I think it would be a good thing, here in Holland decriminalizing hasn't increased use and smokers don't come into contact with dealers of hard drugs.

Yes, I believe that legalizing marijuana would not only be a good thing for medical use, but it would help the economy in this country for the taxes they could collect, and I think that if it were legal there would not be as many drunk driving deaths for many people woulod just as soon smoke as drink. Thank you for taking an interest.

I too don't partake of marijuana but I think it is totally stupid to send someone to jail for it. We have medical marijuana laws in our state but I believe the Federal government should decriminalize it. It only makes sense in so many ways!

I still do not believe it is a "gateway drug". That is just made up by people who have no idea or experience.

Prohibition of marijuana is what leads to criminals making money off of it, as well as putting the distribution and regulation in the hands of criminals. Children find it easier to get illegal drugs than cigarettes or alcohol because of the carding process. The only recorded "bad side effects" was a study done on monkeys where they gas-masked them with 15,000 joints worth of marijuana and held it there (without oxygen) to the monkeys faces for five minutes a day.

The deteriorated brain cells would happen to any suffocated creature for that long for that duration. There is no substance in the world with as many medical uses, nor as many textile uses. The plant produces as much oxygen as is used to burn it, making a wide-spread crop of it reduce green house gas emissions.No violent crimes have been recorded by a person under the influence of marijuana, and there are zero deaths a year directly related to marijuana use (while there are 450,000 a year from cigarettes and 10,000 from *caffeine* and 7,500 from over the counter pharmaceuticals).

The only violent crimes associated with marijuana are the direct result of prohibition, much like the rise of organized crime in the 20s when alcohol was illegal. Someone who has just smoked a joint wants to eat some chips and a corn dog and watch Family Guy-- they don't go beat their wives and kids like people do under the influence of alcohol. The "gate-way" theory is another thing that is a direct result of prohibition: because users have to result to getting marijuana from criminals, they are exposed to dealers of hard drugs.

I have more to say here: hubpages.com/hub/soapghost, where there is a more in depth essay and a link to a very well put together documentary about weed prohibition.

Legalize. Why not? The police state does not work.

Plain and simple. Where is the crime in marijuana?

Yes, it would be a good thing. It is no more harmful than alcohol or cigarettes, and it would take the profits out of the hands of the real criminals and provide tax income for governments. Can't think of anything "bad" that would result.

I'm not a pot smoker, and can't imagine that legalization would make me start.

I think it should be legal. If cigerettes and Alcohol are legal which kill many more people and have proven to be more addictive. The only reason marijuana is not legal is because it's to easy to grow your own and they(Big Brother) can't tax it.

Legalizing makes sense in every conceivable way. Kebennet1 what adverse health effects are you referring to? The only real adverse effects are those associated with smoking any plant material, except the growing evidence that the cannabanoids present in marijuana actually INHIBIT cancerous cell growth.

If a person uses a vaporizer or eats it there are zero adverse health risks. Do a little more research. If harm is the measure we use to decide these things, than tobacco and alcohol should be illegal and the death penalty should be the punishment for their use.

Your logic just doesn't stand up to reason or the facts. I notice you also make a stereotyped assumption about drug users in general being recipients of government aid. Please go get an education.

What about the multiple thousands in America who find themselves laid off after decades on the job due to the economic hardships this country is facing. Wake up! The demographics of the unemployed and people on government aid has changed drastically in the last 15 years.

As all the things, it would have bad and good things. But maybe the good things are sufficient to legalize it.

It would be Good...Hemp would create NEW money , America has not seen in almost 80 years! The turn-around on hemp is incredible compared to trees. Not just the buds that get you high would make money, but the actual hemp to produce products!

SO YES, YES, YES, Legalize, not legal lies!

By Amanda J. Miller published 23 months ago.

I don't smoke it, but, I think they should legalize it. Might as well because a good majority smokes it. They legalized alcohol for the same reason.

I believe it would, I also believe that there is to much hype over it, It would stop the smuggeling aspect, Or at least slow it way down.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.