[fr_freak]

I think experimentation has been tried and we ought to take lessons for those experiments. The article discusses the increased problems created by addicts who are getting younger and younger, crime increases to support the more common addictions, not to mention the problems created by “drug tourism”. I am not willing to gamble our children’s future on it.

Although I would concede that the principle of legalizing marijuana would also apply to harder drugs, we are still talking about marijuana here, and marijuana is not physically addictive. So, the arguments you are presenting here are invalid. Also, we are not Europe.

And, I must stress again that I believe you are kidding yourself about the state of things with regard to society and marijuana. I can say with confidence that marijuana is probably just as easy, if not easier, to get for underage kids than alcohol. Bear in mind that legalization of marijuana does not apply to those under 18, meaning that it will still be illegal for kids to have the drug, but yet they will still get it and smoke it. So, with regard to "our children's future", nothing will change with the legalization.

[caseinpoint]

“I can say with confidence that marijuana is probably just as easy, if not easier, to get for underage kids than alcohol.”

I don’t think that is necessarily the case. A whole lot of kids get their alcohol, at least before they figure out how to buy or steal it, by getting into their parent’s alcohol supply. And a lot of parents know it is happening and look the other way. I suspect the same will be true of their parent’s marijuana stash.

” . . . marijuana is not physically addictive.”

Whether or not marijuana is physically addictive, I think a lot are psychologically addicted to it. And our coming generation is being raised to be pain and effort-averse, hooked on caffeine, psychologically enfeebled by the self-esteem pushers, poorly educated, and socially isolated or hooked on cyberspace socializing. Along with the difficult economic problems currently and foreseen for several years more, at the least, those kids, my kids, are not good candidates for this grand experimentation.

I don’t think we are going to convince each other to change our votes. I live in California and will vote no. If you live here also, vote as you wish. I’m going to grab a few more zzzs before morning breaks.