Ethan Nadelmann at ACLU

[Picaro1]

Dr. Ethan Nedlemann for Drug Czar.  Come on Obama don't be chicken.

[mystikast]

relegalize cannabis

[thefakeyeti]

It is kinda ironic that one of the first states involved in starting prohibition, probably will be on of the first states to attempt ot end it (nevada)

Ps. I think this guy is a great speaker.. but probably says "Right" to much.. right?

[blunt1984]

This guy makes a lot of good points (such as the racial factors in the laws), but I think only cannabis should be legalized, not hard drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. Maybe reduce the penalties, but not legalization because I've seen what hard drugs do to people, and it's not pretty.

[stonedfishh]

and how does that make it the governments right to tell people what they can do with their bodies?, also drug laws don't stop anyone from getting drugs, as long as there is a demand there will be a supply no matter how many people you put in a cage. making drugs illegal just makes it so that the people selling the drugs have no regulations which makes the drugs more dangerous.

[thefakeyeti]

"I've seen what hard drugs do to people, and it's not pretty"

Well.. How was making it illegal, stop them from getting these drugs? Do you honestly believe addiction rates will go up if/ocne they become legalized? I don't.. if it does, probably not nearly enough to justify prohibition

Purhaps the fact it is ILLEGAL, makes it worse..

How is giving our children a incentive to sell drugs a good thing,and get into turfwars? (If it were legal, their wouldn't be as much profits to be made)

[blunt1984]

No, I don't think the addiction rates will go up, but this isn't the Netherlands. The government will never legalize all drugs in the U.S. and you are dreaming if you think they will. By trying to legalize all drugs you are killing any political will to legalize cannabis (which is less dangerous than alcohol).

[laviliterthefirst]

the government well come around i think in the next 20 years when yonger people start taking office we'll see a much different world

[thefakeyeti]

I figure it would be longer,then 20 years.

[thefakeyeti]

I believe it is only a matter of time before drugs are legalized..

HOWEVER.. Do I believe it will be in my/our life time? Probably not..

"by trying to le galize all drugs youa re killing any political will to legalize cannabis"

It probably will start with cannabis.. and be a "slippery slope"...

Right now cannabis is the driving force behind things..

How much revenue do you think this police tasks would get if it weren't for pot?

It would take the wind out of their sails!

[blunt1984]

Yeah, but the goverment could tax marijuana and make that money back and more. Right now while illegal, marijuana is still the #1 cash crop in the U.S. And if the police want more funds you know they can always say they need money to fight "terrorism", or whatever the next scare buzzword is.

[thefakeyeti]

How do you define "hard drug" A group of UK advisors (maybe this is THEIR society.. but maybe the trend is simular here)

That drugs like lsd (One drug that scares the piss out of people) may actually be less harmful, if it were legalized, then if marijuana was legalized. And ectasy is below lsd!

It is only a matter of time before ALL drugs are legal.. either it be 20 years from now (wishful thinking) or 200 years from now.

[thefakeyeti]

"No, I don't think the addiction rates will go up"

"By trying to legalize all drugs you are killing any political will to legalize cannabis"

So pretty much..

You are only SAYING you don't wan't all drugs legalized because it kills the chances of cannabis being legal?

not because you believe that society would be worse off.. or that crime rates would go up?

But because a politician might read my comment and think "Wow.. I better not legalize the devils weed... it is the begining!"

[blunt1984]

That's how the politicians always play it, with the same old "slippery slope" metaphor. That's why they continue to call marijuana a "gateway drug" to try to scare the voting public.

[yuelito212]

It's not about how harmful drugs are, it's about the fact that drug abuse is a health issue and not a criminal issue. If someone was riding their bike too fast and crashed into a tree and broke a few bones, would we go "he was negligent with his health!! let's throw him in jail!!"? If an anorexic decides she doesn't want to eat ever again, do we throw her in jail?