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Lothar121

Why would you dismiss scientific polling on this issue? The evidence indicates:

In 1986, 20% of Americans supported legalizing marijuana. --CNN/Time 1986
In 2002, 40% of Americans supported legalizing small amounts of marijuana- CNN/Time 2002
In 2003, 41% of Americans supported legalizing and regulating marijuana similarly to alcohol. --2003 Zogby

That's the data. It looks to me like a majority oppose marijuana legalization in America, and a majority of those feel strongly about it. I think it is important for all of us to acknowledge that the majority of the public has no desire to change the laws, at least to legalization. The 2002 poll indicated that 72% of Americans want to fine rather than arrest people for small amounts of cannabis. So yes, progress is being made, but saying the polls are wrong and not providing contrary evidence is not going to convince anyone.

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Yana Usdi

Here we go, good timing with a solid letter to the Monitor. This was just pointed out to me tonight and it's a great example of the type of arguments I'd like to see more of. People get scared by the whole "legalize" idea and assume the debate is about drug use, and it's more about resources and damage instead and the term hardly needs used if they aren't ready for it. Assuming we use some brains the use will be less and so will the damage, it's been a proven trend in real life studies already so show them. An educated LTE can tie it all together and make all of it come out strong, reaching perhaps more people rather than less. Works that way for me. This just published in a Texas newspaper is a good example.

http://www.themonitor.com/SiteProces...ection=Letters

August 09,2005
The Monitor

WHY PEDOPHILES GET PROBATION

To the editor:

I would like to explain to Ms. [Name edited for post] why pedophiles receive
probation and not jail time for arguably the worst crimes that could
be committed against society's most vulnerable, our children ("Why
probation for pedophiles?" Aug. 4).

The answer can be traced back to the root of all evil: money. With our
prisons swelled to overflow with petty pot peddlers and our law
enforcement resources drained fighting a losing war on drugs, there
simply isn't enough money to prosecute and jail less lucrative
offenders like pedophiles.

I say "less lucrative offenders" because drug seizures inevitably lead
to cash seizures - which are converted into funds that are funneled
back into law enforcement budgets.

But before we start pointing fingers at judges and law enforcement and
ask them to "wake up and smell the blood," we must take a serious look
at our own responsibility for this quagmire. Until we as a society
shed the fear of speaking out against a drug policy that has proven to
be ineffective, largely based on racism, and most importantly, a
resource deterrent from far more heinous crimes like pedophilia, we
cannot in all fairness place blame on judges and law
enforcement.

It just seems like common sense to note that something is drastically
wrong in our society when we view reports of drug seizures daily,
while it takes over six weeks to apprehend a man who bludgeoned a
family to death and kidnapped a little girl for the sole purpose of
having his own personal sex slave, who was hiding in plain sight
visiting convenience stores and eating at the local Denny's.

It is time for America to wake up and smell the refer madness and ask
ourselves what is a bigger threat to our children's safety, pedophiles
or pot?

[Name edited for post]

Mission

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LEAP Current and former members of law enforcement who support drug regulation rather than prohibition.
Drug Policy Alliance Alternatives to Marijuana Prohibition and the Drug War