Prediction: Obama will take significant steps to decriminalize marijuana

if the federal government left states alone who allow medical marijuana (which they still aren't) i'd be fine with that

i actually think it's far more important to legalize drugs like LSD & DMT and repealing things like the Analogue Act which create a blanket umbrella for the DEA to bust anyone who invents any drug similar to an illegal one.

legalizing pot completely would be nice, i just doubt it's ever going to happen in the US in our lifetime. Even countries like Jamaica & Amsterdam marijuana is still illegal.

I just recently found out all drugs have been decriminalized in Portugal since 2001 and apparently with amazing results. Drug related health problems and deaths have dropped significantly, drug tourism has not been an issue and even a slight drop in violent crime. The success of portugal could influence other intelligent thinking leaders of nations to adopt their technique.

The question was about legalizaing marihuana to boost the economy there was no other possible answer.

Obama, Do What Thou Wilt.

  karmakramer said:

Do you really think that once this is legalized in the state FED's are going to walk around parks busting regular people smoking joints?

depending on the administration, yes. if sarah palin is our next president, I would say you can count on it.

  karmakramer said:

Well my assumption is that once multiple states have this... it will be sent to the federal level (supreme court) in which a decision will be made in regards to removing Marijuana from that list of bad drugs (can't remember the name).

the supreme court wouldn't hear it. there's no constitutional issue. congress is well within its power to criminalize things that the states would not. that case has already gone to court (many times) and the federal government will always win. as i said before, the only way to eliminate federal drug laws are for Congress to repeal them.

what needs to happen first is the release of a major study by the AMA or the NIH saying that marijuana has no long-term negative health effects, or no worse than smoking or drinking. then stats on how many people die from drinking and driving v. marijuana use should be prominently placed in the media. that's the kind of thing that will start the ball rolling. with a majority of Dems in Congress, and that kind of atmosphere created, then it would be possible to repeal the laws.

you have to understand the way your government works before you hypothesize on how change will happen.

  LOL Alzado said:

He's on the side of legalization, I'm pretty sure,

this opinion runs counter to his own statements since he has been a senator & president