Should it just be legalized overall. I believe it should be because it does not kill anyone like alchol does.You take a drink go behind a wheel and u can instantly kill someone. You take a few puffs and get high and your fine.I am not saying i smoke i just saying i am for it. LEgalize it overall and put the cops back to chasing murders rapists and other degenerates and criminals.

I think it should be neither promoted or condemned. Im all for decrimininalization. People shouldnt be behind bars for it, but it would be dangerous for our society to actually SUPPORT its use by legalizing it.

why> explain what is so wrong with Marijuna its a plant aint it? its part of nature. it doesnt kill so legalize it and put the cops back tot aking criminals off the street.

Because I dont feel it is something that needs to be supported. Support often translates into promotion and I dont want the government as a whole promoting drug use. Not to mention that legalizing it would STILL keep the government involved.I just want the choice to be an individual one that isnt punishable by law.

legalization refers to a state licensing system more or less similar to that which prevails for alcohol and tobacco

decriminalization n. the repeal or amendment (undoing) of statutes which made certain acts criminal, so that those acts no longer are crimes or subject to prosecution

Why always again the tendency to picture marijuana as an innocent substitute? I know from my own experience that paranoia is a possible result of using regularely. I live in a country where these kinds of drugs are in fact legalized and every teenager can buy it anywhere. Also parents are fouled by the ever repeating message that it is an innocent drug and no harm is done.

Fortunately I do know better now. I consider the pro-marijuana messengers sheer liers.

I live in a country where alcohol abuse is a factor in 40 percent of violent crimes committed in the U.S. but it is LEGAL and regulated. Marijuana may not be harmless but is no more deserving of being criminal than alcohol is. ABUSE of anything can be dangerous but USE should not be outlawed because of it.

We survived fine before hemp was made illegal, we will again.

please don't misread my words. I am not saying that marijuana should not be legalized. To be honest, I don't have a very outspoken opinion on this. What I am very clear about though is this: please don't tell people that Marijuana is harmless, because that's a lie.

If they legalize it then the only people left with a job in Michigan won't have them.

Cops and dealers.

"It's a living."

It's obviously bad for you b/c smoking anything is going to somehow damage your lungs. I don't smoke marijuana for the same reason I don't smoke cigarettes.

As for decriminalization vs. Legalization, States are going to more than likely pursue the latter b/c of the taxation potential at a time when many of them are strapped for revenue. In this way, the idea of "promoting"(if that's what one can call government regulation) marijuana is going to provide proponents the ammunition necessary to quash all of the nay sayers that still believe all those old propaganda ads from the 50's about it making african americans rape white women, people turn into brain-numbed hippies, people crave harder drugs, etc. etc..

@plastic_pancakes, your reasoning is sound. I will accept this.

worry bout dat, as they say now adays

THE MAIN PROBLEM IS THAT WE SPEND AN UNGODLY AMOUNT OF $ TO SUPPRESS SOMETHING THAT IS BARELY HARMFUL AND SOMETIMES BENEFICIAL

Weed can cause lung cancer 6 times faster than tobacco.

You probally think Reefer Madness was a Documentary

Don't know where your getting your info but you couldn't be more wrong. In over 20 medical studies funded by goverments in various countries ( mainly the U.S.A. & Canada). The only thing they've come up with is that smoking weed "May" cause mild broncitis.

Another person misquoting articles. This is the link to the US governments official site that says it does cause cancer.
http://www.nida.nih.gov/researchreports/marijuana/Marijuana3.html

Link to Science Daily that says it doesn't, I didn't misquote anything.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/05/060526083353.htm

Yes it should.

and on SAME webpage there is a link to a study saying it causes rapid lung destruction from a newer study. The group who sponsored the conference the American Thoracic Society International also says they believe marijuana causes cancer.

establishing some baselines here,

does anyone have the right to stop you from ingesting a substance on the basis that it's bad for you? in which case cigarettes and salt would be illegal

marijuana is an intoxicant. There are lots of intoxicants, some harmful and some not. If a person condemns marijuana while accepting alcohol, then the point isnt against intoxication. But just trying to enforce a preference of one over the other

having said that, there is the issue of supporting Mexican gang violence

more people have been killed in Juarez since 2001 than in Iraq during the same time. Every bag of marijuana we buy contributes to that

please post links to studies that support this claim

and plz make them from the last 10 years

i would like to read recent info on the true effects