Decriminalizing drugs doesn't mean that the govt. is promoting their use, only that their use will finally be done under law, including taxation and licensing and regulation of purity, no different than tobacco and alcohol. Whether or not zillions of Americans will suddenly become drug addicts just because they're decriminalized is to be seen, since they never have been, but as an American I believe that Man has a right to be free, and can be trusted ultimately to make the right decisions, so I say go for it. The current war on drugs has resulted in gangsters creating a black market that skyrockets prices to pay for the cost of defeating and buying off law enforcement, and is a classic case of the cure being worse than the disease. So what if a certain segment want to use drugs? Even among them, only a certain percentage go out of control. It's about freedom, so keep it simple stupid. The govt. has a limit on its power to force us to be good. After all, who's watching the watchers? Of course, not only gangsters but govt. agents making a living off policing them will be out of a job, but so what, let them ask Obama for a handout. That said, I still don't want intoxicated people driving cars or planes, but there's already tons of laws in place now, so let's put the gangsters out of business and bring the users out into the light so they can do their bad habits under the law instead of outside it. I'm sure the U.S. will survive vending machines offering Marlboro T, M, and T&M blend with a pinch of C :) 

You said it, TL Winslow.

Legalizing drugs is what the Government has done already!

Before Government had anything to do with drugs, they weren't legal or illegal. It was a moot question.

Then Government legalized drugs - made illegal laws about them - and now they are enforcing these illegal laws. Why are the laws illegal? Because the Constitutional authority has not been put in place for Government to make those laws.

All Government has a duty to do is to uphold the freedom for people to do anything they want as long as that freedom harms nobody else. It is a harm thing, not a potential to harm thing. People have millions of ways they can harm each other if they want. Yet the vast majority of people harm nobody. And that without government interference.

As it is, Government through its making and enforcing of most of its laws is the thing that harms people more.

Most conservatives / republicans are really fifth column socialists who really want bigger more intrusive government.  I call them freedom buts:  They are for freedom but...

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