[garjog]

“Legalization takes a product into the sunshine, out of the underworld.”

OK, so legalization eliminates the pushers and deflates illegal trade. There could be benefits there.

But, legalization promotes social acceptance, mass marketing and increased usage.

If you don’t think pot is a big deal, that it doesn’t really damage young people’s brains, then guess there is no reason to keep it banned.

But, if it is harmful, then it should be discouraged. http://alcoholism.about.com/od/pot/a/blnida050110.htm

[HiTech RedNeck]

I’m sure there is a reason prominent politicians have run on a Prohibition ticket years after it was rescinded.

Why don’t people smoke all manner of other meadow weeds? Because they know it is stupid. Not because some nanny tried to ban it.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

But, if it is harmful, then it should be discouraged.

There are effective ways to discourage the use of marijuana without criminalizing it, as the ongoing campaigns against tobacco demonstrate.