>I think my opinion has more to do with what I've seen as the result of drug abuse.
I can certainly understand such of a concern - but war on drugs doesn't equal drug abuse. If you take a look at countries where it's legal, they actually have a lower rate of addiction - so claiming that keeping them illegal is somehow going to keep the rates down is backwards. Plus don't you worry about the result of the drug war and all the thugs ending up with the money? I think that we here in America learned all this a few years ago with folks like Al Capone - yes? Why put ourselves in a position where we give drug cartels and mafia all the power?

>It has affected everyone, it seems, and not in a good way. I think there is a lot of evidence that almost everyone who has a serious addiction problem to things like meth, crack, etc started out as a doobie brother/sister. Legalizing drugs wouldn't legalize drugs. . . for the population group that is most likely to want them . . .teenagers and younger. They would still be illegal, and abused.

So what? At least these people would be handled as a health issue instead of a legal one.

>
>>Let face it John police voting for legalising drugs would be like Turkeys voting for Christmas (or in your case thanksgiving).
>>
>>Criminalising drugs has given the police more chances to look busy than any other legislation. And I believe in some areas of the USA its a handy source of revenue through proceeds of crime seizures as well.
>>
>>Drug use is a health issue,it hold be suitably taxed and treated as such like alcohol and tobacco.
>>
>>>I think they should legalize it in every country, except the US. All those other countries would then be overrun with idiots.
>>>
>>>
>>>>Well - the word "Duhhh" comes to mind...haha
>>>>
>>>>http://apnews.excite.com/article/20110602/D9NJE27G3.html
>>>>http://www.twincities.com/news/ci_18187384?source=rss&nclick_check=1
>>>>
>>>>The 19-member commission includes former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and former U.S. official George Schultz, who held Cabinet posts under Presidents Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon, former U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker; former presidents of Mexico, Brazil and Colombia; writers Carlos Fuentes and Mario Vargas Llosa; British business mogul Richard Branson; and the Greek prime minister.
>>>>
>>>>What I'd like to know is why the former presidents of Mexico, Brazil, & Colombia didn't bring this up before.
>>>>
>>>>Supposedly the report is 24 pages - I'd love to read it but so far haven't found it.