Drug busts send clear message that we don't tolerate criminals

for the past how many years there have bee such investigations and sweeping arrests and yet the same issues continue. I suggest that we can not arrest our way out of this problem and it is time to try something new.

Tom is correct. The government is approaching the "war on drugs" in the complete opposite manner that they should be. Instead of regulating and TAXING these substances, we are wasting an ever-increasing amount of money in the attempt to control "drugs." It is a well known fact that the "war on drugs" is a disgrace, a violation of our inalienable rights, and a waste of resources and time. I've heard arguments such as, "you don't know what's actually in the 'drug'," and while this is correct, a knowledgeable person can distinguish between what is respectfully "safe" and what should be avoided. Now, if "drugs" were regulated and controlled by the gov't much in the same way as alcohol and tobacco are, we would know EXACTLY what we are dealing with.

I'm going to switch gears a tad and focus on cannabis as I'm biased and I don't see the need for "hard drugs."

As I've pointed out in the past, President Obama, who has openly admitted that inhaling is the entire point in cannabis use and he did so quite regularly, is in favor of decriminalization of cannabis but it is very low on his priority list essentially due to the fact that it is political suicide. Why is that? Could it be, simply, because the government, over the years (thanks, Nixon!) has promoted "drugs" as "evil" when the majority of them are no more harmful that alcohol and tobacco?

Do you really want to help the economy? Legalize and regulate cannabis. Employment will be created in all aspects of cultivating, transporting, and distributing it. The tax revenue has the potential to be significant. As an added bonus, the funds used to combat cannabis can be utilized where they won't be fighting a losing battle.

So, in response to the title of this article: Wrong. The "criminals" just become smarter and more devious.

Is the government really this naive or are the pharmaceutical lobbies doing an excellent job of lining pockets? :wink:

Our troops are fighting for our "freedom." What freedom? I can't enjoy cannabis in the comfort of my home without fear of incarceration. How can cannabis be decriminalized in Massachusetts but not in Missouri? This is supposed to be the UNITED States. How can there be equal treatment under the laws if the punishments for the exact same crime can vary so drastically?

No legal cannabis = no freedom. It's just that simple. Let's dedicate our resources to finding and eliminating the next nuclear threat or finding reliable alternate energy instead of enforcing unjust and ignorant laws regarding a PLANT THAT GROWS JUST ABOUT EVERYWHERE.

One last point: I would publicly promote cannabis legalization, unfortunately, for some strange reason, my job is more important.

Normally the Wolf would chime in here. However I se no need as Tom-Grey and Isobar have done a excellent job conveying my thoughts concerning this ignorant and political war on drugs. By the way Isobar, lets be sure we include "hemp" also. Although not smoked like marijauna it is illegal to grow in this Country. As most know it it used to make many things, including such things as ropes and very long lasting clothing.

These clothes can be purchased in this Country, but not made. Here is another industry that could be a huge tax base and employment oppurtunity.In short, prohibition is a failure. It has created a huge "black market" and with that always comes violence and crime.

Indeed it is time to re-think this issue because there is a better way. Looks like I chimed in anyway!

D'oh! GREYWOLF is absolutely correct about hemp. Re-incorporating hemp into our society is undoubtedly the largest reason for cannabis legalization. While man has created synthetic fibers that behave similiarly to hemp, the manufacturing process is not clean and it tends to utilize fossil fuels both in the product itself and the manufacturing process. Hemp, on the other hand, is a natural substance that hardly produces any harm to the environment when compared to its counterpart. As an added bonus, farmers will benefit. There are certain areas of the country that possess soil conditions that are not flexible to promoting a wide variety of plant growth. Hemp can grow quite readily in soil that is poor for planting.

Let's see here: increased productivity for the farming industry, increased tax revenue, job creation, and a society that would benefit from a naturally strong fiber that's entirely manufactured and distributed in the U.S.A. Dear President Obama...

Speaking of hemp...have you noticed on the river wall murals that the panel with the steamboat being unloaded has bundles of hemp being carried onto the boat. It is my understanding that the artist originally had planned to put corn in the pic but the historian pointed out that at the time depicted the major crop in southeast Missouri was hemp.

Hemp production really should be a different issue as while I can see why marijuana legalization can be controversial, I don't get why hemp is. When I worked in the Kansas City area this stuff grew wild. I lost track of the number of people hauled in with a trunk full of this stuff only to find out that the THC content was so low as to not register. They were relieved that they weren't going to jail, but mad that they spent so much time harvesting it for no good reason. It also makes great wildlife cover.