legalizing pot

[T.COTE]

Hey,

I've got a topic for debate. Legalizing pot. I was in a debate with a few other officers and friends and was wondering how this board felt. I heard alot of VERY strong arguments both ways.

Let me know how everyone thinks.

Charlie, Drakor...you out there?

T.COTE

[BigB]

IMHO,

Both pot and alcohol are elements which impair judgement. I personally don't drink(quit 1.5 years ago). I wasn't an alcoholic, just felt convicted by God to stop. While I don't condone drinking, I also think it is a person's right to do it if they choose. If you look at prohibition in the last century, it seems to me that a lot of men worked very hard to uphold the law and then had it all thrown away by removing the law in the end. So, if pot were legalized, then all of the billions of taxpayer dollars and hard work put forth by law enforcement, would seem to be a waste in my opinion. It also seems like you would be telling drug dealers that "since we can't stop you, then we'll just make it legal". They would continue to sell other drugs and the problem would still be there.

Just my two cents...

B

[lich]

It's true, so much money has been invested on the war on drugs that giving up the fight would be difficult. Nobody wants to admit defeat or face the media circus that would surround it.

If marijuana were to be decriminalized, and the sale of the product were properly regulated, we could recoup a considerable amount of the losses. I'm talking about taxes. There's a potential revenue stream which would make a considerable budget difference. Instead of bleeding out billions of dollars every year, the government could be making that money.

Additionally, the resources of the DEA could be focused on other narcotics. As it is, they are simply unable to compete with the suppliers. They don't have an unlimited number of resources to match the suppliers' dollars and manpower.

I don't think there is a clear solution to the problem. Drugs (and liquor and gambling) can ruin people's lives. Families are destoryed and an abuser's ability to function in society can be decreased.

If we can't stop people from using the drugs, we could use the tax money earned from regulating the industry to provide support for the users who need help.

[guest]

All the stats tend to prove that decriminalizing pot would benefit society. It would be regulated and taxed. Like Lich said the government could make money from pot instead of wasting money fighting it. Funds could then be diverted towards fighting harder drugs like crack and heroin. Stats from the netherlands show only 28% of high school students try pot as opposed to 41% here in the states where it is illegal. The average prison term for minor pot possession here is 10 years, for murder it is 6years. Where is the logic? The government is not going to admit that their billions of dollars a year were going to waste though so this ridiculous fight will continue. For the reord no I don't use pot myself but i definitely feel the money could be better used elsewhere.