I’m a very old guy and I believe marijuana should be legalized immediately in the US. I never was in danger of becoming addicted as a heavy smoker or an alcoholic, except when I was very young and very stupid. I don’t condone the use of those substances now, legal or otherwise, but all efforts to stamp them out have been absolute failures.
Booze, beer, cigars and cigarettes are legal. In many cases, they are just as deadly and addictive as all the illegal stuff. The US government should just make all that garbage legal, except for the most lethal drugs. Then, and here is the best part of the legalizing process, tax the living hell out of the manufacturers and sales outlets. Of course, all the costs will be passed on to the conusmers. Statistics show that at least 30% of cigarette prices are eaten up by state and federal taxes. Why not tax all of drugs that have been getting a free ride to the addicts’ lips, arms or nose?
That would not only bring in more money for the government to spend on roads, education and healthcare. Or in the case of the present idiots in Washington, it would also help to fight current wars and wherever Uncle Sugar’s next sucker trap will be.
Maybe more important, legalization will completely destroy the drug cartels of South America and their North American pals. It will end the tons of marijuana that comes across the Mexican border into the US just about every hour. I know the addict recovery efforts in free-drug countries such as The Netherlands have been total failures, but if the US makes drugs legal and gets into the rehab business in a constructive way, it could work.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t have much sympathy for the addict who gets into the self-induced and self-destructive mess. I do feel for the next generation of children who should not be lured into the same lifestyle.