>Well, good question. I suppose the answer to this lies in what people think the role of government should be?

I think you and I disagree on this because of other things you've been desensitized too. I think that I'm on this planet to live, I wasn't born so I could be told what to do and what not to do by anyone, including Government or some book.

>Why is it somehow 'right' for governmental bodies to force people to stop smoking in, say, private restaurants (or even their homes!) whereas it isn't ok for that same government to force folks to stop smoking pot?
>IMO there is a huge double standard at work here..

The double standard is our alcoholic representives stiffening pot laws. It has nothing to do with ciggerettes.

>Total Libertarianism is inother words anarchy and we are a nation of laws, whether or not you or I agree with them.

You're playing the slippery slopes card by suggesting that giving us rights that should be ours leads the way to anarchy. The netherlands hasn't wiped itself off the map, and I doubt ENgland will either with its new rethinking.

>Right now smoking pot is illegal and you and I should obey those laws.

At one time, Women weren't allowed to vote, and there were laws requireing segregation. Just because its a law, doesn't mean its right.

>As far why the government 'waged war' regarding the alcohol issue I would remind you that this was a Constitutional Ammendment (later recinded as we all know).

Waging war was an illegal drugs issue, not alcohol. By declaring a war on drugs and drug users, the Government targetted our friends and families.

>This isn't about legal rights IMO but common sense. If you want to be stupid and blow out brain cells go ahead.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/1998/0998issue/0998scicit1.html

"NIH investigators reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences in early July that THC and cannabidiol serve as powerful
antioxidants. In laboratory rat nerve cells, the compounds can prevent the
toxic effects of excess glutamate, which can kill brain cells after stroke.
(After reading this report, legalization advocates reveled at the notion
that marijuana may actually protect brain cells.)"

>I would still think they your pretty stupid to do it.

ANd I happen to think alot of the things you do are stupid. I'm not supporting laws to throw you in jail though.

>Well, what's the purpose of drinking or smoking pot then Mike? Using a joint "to put your mind at reat" is IMO nothing more than taking a drug to alter your mental state.

I didn't disagree that they are the same thing. You asked why you would want to, and I told you why.

>How is this not altering your mental state as you assert "Not always."??

Like I said, it depends on what you take. Some drugs effect mental processes, others effect physical ones.

>Why not just relax without the drugs?? Or are you dependent upon them. Sounds like you are. Dependency is the first step towards addiction just in case you don't know...

I'm not dependent, but I happen to know people that are "evened" out by pot. If thats what they need, cool, and they have fun doing it too.

Slighlty off topic, but woudl you be able to relax if you didn't know why you were on earth, or if there was a god? I could theorize that you are as dependent on religion as some people are on pot. Whats the difference?

>Why? (and this goes to the heart of the 'it doesn't hurt anyone' argument) If you're breaking the law your behavior is causing some person to need to spend time and money that could go towards some other venture to be spent tracking you down and prosecuting you. They do that because they are legally required to do this. Again, if you don't like this then work within the law to have it changed. Until then, when you break the law, you are a part of the problem, not the answer.

So basically, the baggage that comes from pot mostly stems from the fact that it is technically illegal? Why start a war on drugs when you can just legalize? From what you just said, that sounds like a perfect solution.

>Yup.. You analogy breaks down though as playing an xBox hasn't been deemed illegal. I suppose Sony would like that. <g>

No, it doesn't break down, because I've deemed cannibis to be as safe as playing video games.