It would seem to me that the drug task force hell bent on going after simple marijuana users is what is costing the taxpayers money. I think this problem, however is seperate from medical marijuana use. My feelings about recreational and social use of marijuana are aside from my feelings about medical use of marijuana.

Regarding recreational use, I would much rather see a bunch of pot heads wandering the streets on a Friday night than a bunch of drunks. I don't think I have ever heard of a lethal overdose of marijuana, but I have heard countless sad stories about people dying from binge drinking. Part of the reason that marijuana remains illegal for recreational use is because the government can't stop lay people from growing it for themselves, and the tobacco and alcohol lobbyists who line the pockets of the politicians will see to it that this does not change, as long as the United States continues to elect their leaders with money and advertising.

Similarly, the drug companies will ensure that their synthetic Marinol remains on the market for cancer patients while the real, natural, simple grow-it-yourself product remains illegal and out of reach for most individuals. Additionally, I would much rather see fewer Oxycontin addicts out there overdosing and lying and conniving ways to get physicians to prescribe these medications than patients using medical marijuana to ease their own suffering.

I mean seriously, you've heard of an angry drunk... alcohol makes some people very mean and violent.

I don't think I've ever heard of an "angry pot-head". Marijuanna makes people mellow to my knowledge... Pot-heads are far too chilled out to smash in store windows, beat up people, mistakenly attack a house they think is a frat house and end up causing an gentle man to commit accidental manslaughter (a good friend of mine. they let him off on self defense thank god. freaking frat boys), or rape people.

Other than eating more of their share of funyuns, and unneccessarily taking up jail space, no.

In my neck of the woods, the city council decided that possession of even a joint should land someone in jail, instead of a ticket and fine. This new statute is to be reviewed after a year is up.

I read an article that this statute is unfairly enforced. Even though polls suggest very similar usage throughout races, at least six black men for every one white man has been arrested so far for mj possession. They aren't going into the affluent suburbs to look, they are doing it in the economically depressed and predominantly african american neighborhoods.

So they are arrested, and immediately released because there is no jail space. It's ridiculous.

That is crazy! They just legalized posession of mj in Denver proper.

well if they'de make it legal we wouldn't have that problem!

No

This article makes me think of "The Truman Show"

Marijuana lives a fake life. All these unnecessary actions, laws, and lies over a plant.. not a man made substance. People are making a huge deal over nothing. Another example of over amplified fear in America. I bet 9 out of 10 people on the street doesn't know one correct fact about marijuana, but knows everything about alcohol. Why? It's because everyone has experianced alcohol. If you take a large group of people intimidated by something that they dare not touch, sure false things will be made up about it and exaduration will occur.

Marijuana, as known by the common public, is not real. It is a whole undiscovered territory, that will be found once the lies and fearfull false facts are put aside.

good analogy...and I love The Truman Show...good movie.thanks..