[50 Cal]

Please tell me how that would be different than the huge social problem we have now plus the crime, lawyers wallowing in money, ruined lives and the endless sums spent trying to stop people from doing what they want to do.

I am not saying there would not be a new set of problems, I am sure there will. But personally I cannot believe that continuing to allow evil trial lawyers to make endless sums of money to donate to the demoscum is anything but wrong. IMHO.

[dwills]

such a pragmatic analysis is definitely where we need to be at, including an experimental zone in some greater urban area with significant gang violence (i'd pick baltimore)

i used to be against the drug war on principle, but (like seatbelts, motorcycle helmets and smoking) our neighbors and the state really do bear the burdens of the individual's liberty and 'lifestyle' issues involving public resources more than fundemental rights of action and expression should be evaluated on a cost/benefit basis

slippery slope and all that, we've evolved to discover that some things are actually best managed by government monopolies checked by our right to vote