Hologram wrote:DaGip wrote:Hologram wrote:Yes, it should, along with all other illegal drugs.
My reasons lie behind the history of Prohibition. A) the government has no right to tell me how I can or cannot abuse my body, and B) drug users will still use drugs, no matter their legality. The difference is that if you make them illegal, it makes them harder to supply and therefore cost more which encourages crime so the user can actually pay for it.
On the other side, however, their will need to be provisions, just like their are with alcohol, such as no driving while intoxicated, no public intoxication, etc. Also, if you happen to overdose or have some kind of long term effect and need medical care, you get to provide it with your insurance (and no insurance agency in their right mind would insure a drug user) or you get no help.
That's my reasoning. It's not 'cause I'm a pot head or even think that drugs are a good thing. It's purely pragmatism and principles.
Are you sure you are not a Ron Paul Republican?

I like a lot of his policies,
a lot. But there are a few key issues where I think it would be absolutely the wrong step in the wrong direction at this point in our history.
Short answer, right guy, wrong time.
But maybe I'll check into what the Libertarian Party nominee has to say about things...
Bob Barr voted on a number of issues that Ron Paul was firmly against, that is why I am steering away from him. Also, I don't see Bob Barr having a chance against a Republican or a Democrat. A vote on the Libertarian ticket is the same as a vote for Obama...damned if you do, damned if you don't.
I agree with Ron Paul's drug stance, but I have a hard time with what he wants to do with our allies in NATO...I also didn't like him comparing the Iranian boat incident to the Gulf of Tonkin (but in light of what the United States did, do you really blame him or anyone making that statement of cation?)
The Drug War has done the exact opposite of what it was meant to do. It has strengthened the illegal drug industry, made small gangs incredibly powerful, had a sure hand in bringing us the Meth epidemic, and has put many nonviolent people in jail for just having a joint on them.
When the government acts as a surrogate to our religious institutions and organizations (or even the non-profit non-denominational organizations) and establishes itself as the moral entity in our lives, things always go wrong.
If we didn't have a war on drugs, people could have dealt with the issue on their own, using their own local associations to deal with what is a spiritual/mental problem--addiction. With the government involved, we don't solve the problem, we just make it worse by making criminals out of addicts!
And marijuana being the least harmful out of the illegal drugs to boot. (but maybe I am wrong on this)