[A CA Guy]

MrLeRoy, I think if we were a land where tobacco was never introduced and we all knew about all the cancer deaths it causes, I would think we'd have far less smokers around by choice.
I think there are quite a few smokers if given the choice now, who would love to go back and to never have gotten into smoking.

I think the same thing goes for addicted alcoholics and most recreational illegal drug users who have ruined the potential of their lives.

The problem with alcohol was it was already LEGAL for a time when we wanted to remove it and it had already become part of the society.
In the case of pot and other illegal recreational drugs, it has never been Federally legal. It has always had the stigma of being for reprobates of society. The unwashed FM hippie types with no life who have to live off of others or welfare to support their druggie lives.
What we NEVER want to do is to put any illegal drugs into the position we put alcohol in.

[Know your rights]

The problem with alcohol was it was already LEGAL for a time when we wanted to remove it and it had already become part of the society.

One in three American adults has used marijuana; you're not getting that toothpaste back in the tube either. The bottom line is that marijuana prohibition, like alcohol prohibition before it, is creating more problems than it solves.

pot and other illegal recreational drugs, it has never been Federally legal

Quite wrong; prior to 1937 or so, marijuana was not against any federal law, and the same goes for cocaine and opiates prior to about 1914.