Somebody smokes pot and harms somebody else or damages his property.

The victim or his family bring charges against the pot smoker.

People in government who are handling the case recognize a way to make money.

Rather than punish the pot smoker for damaging the victim or his property, government people punish the pot smoker for exercising his right to smoke pot. Then they cover up their actions by saying that it was the fault of the pot that the smoker did the damage.

Some of the public join in and pot becomes a criminal, no matter whose hands it is found in, rather than the smoker who does the damage.

The people have just lost another freedom.

What it boils down to is this. If breathing air happened to keep government officials from some money, they would find a way to outlaw having any air, and we would ALL live in a vacuum rather than only the people who think that outlawing pot is protecting anybody.

Don't misunderstand what I am saying. Used the wrong way, pot smoking can be dangerous... just like air in the lungs and mouth of a politician.