Should marijuana be legalized?

Proponents ( including former Surgeon General Jocelyn Elders ) for legalization argue that it is no more dangerous than alcohol (and indeed, probably less), that keeping it illegal fuels violent drug cartels, and that regulating and taxing its sales would bring in much needed revenue for local governments.

Opponents argue it is a dangerous, mind-altering substance that may act as a "gateway drug" to harder ones (such as cocaine), and that legitimizing its use would only... READ MORE

Few policies of the American government rival the "war on drugs" for the unmitigated disasters they have become.

The United States spends $14 billion dollars annually in its quest to rid its citizens of illegal drugs, to no avail. American demand remains estimated to be worth as much as $25 billion. 872,000 Americans are arrested each year for merely possessing marijuana, at a cost exceeding $1 billion to incarcerate a large portion of them.

Even worse, the incredible US demand for illegal drugs only... READ MORE