respectfully, you are all missing the point. the point of the drug war is not drugs. it is war. america craves war- everything is a war or a war on something. america always has enemies and war because americans create enemies and demand war. drugs are just the easiest enemy, and america prefers small weak enemies like a few people who take drugs. then they inflate a small group or nation into a giant menace to civilization. this lets them push people around, take their possessions and kill them.
so the object of the drug war is to find weak isolated subcultures, take their stuff and kill them. america is constantly on the prowl for these opportunities. drugs have nothing to do with it.

By the way the Bible also says a rich man can hardly go to heaven. How's that working out for America?

I'm going to stay politically neutral on this one. Not interested in regulating it or not. Just wanted to chime in that there is a moral dimension to consider, even if you don't believe it. It is still relevant. It is from the Bible book of 2 Corinthians: "cleanse yourselves of every defilement of flesh and spirit". If smoking cigarettes is unhealthy, then so is smoking marijuana. And most of you don't have cancer or AIDS, so that is an invalid response. Pot-smokers are lazy gluttons, disorganized, and have a low tolerance for discomfort. Never met a happy one that didn't require some pot to be joyful. Can't be a coincidence. Seems like an attitude handicap at the very least. If pot ever does get legalized, then pot-smokers should probably be second-class citizens. Let them pay for their own health care. And let employers discriminate against them. No one has any God-given right to smoke. Donkey crap is natural. You wanna smoke that too? The government paranoia is so thick here it burns your eyes.

Wow. This is a LOT OF COMMENTS here, people.

99.8% all FOR drug legalization!!

Maybe we should all secede; Start our own state. Hell, maybe our own country. Have conventions and see who's got the best homegrown...

Right on, stop the planet. Everything the "war" mongers focus on is punitive and reactionary. There's no interest in treating the root causes of addictive behavior that lead to drug problems of all kinds. Slapping people in jail is not a solution.

Let's be real; drugs will always be around. The U.S. pushes "legal", harmful prescription drugs every day. At an earlier time, we allowed alcohol and cigarette advertising. We need to stop sending out mixed messages, and stop lying to consumers about what's good and what's bad.

Power and control. Too many people want the power to control everyone else.

Why "The War On Drugs?" Follow the money.
1.
Current enforcement practices are the typical pentagonesque strategy of "drain the general public's wallets like a vampire and tell them it's good for them."
2.
Drug offenders are slave labor for various industries when they're in prison.
3.
The textile, petroleum, and pharmaceutical industries, to name a few, are very much threatened by a sane drug policy.

I could go on and on for about 30 years but you get the idea.

Recreational drug use is a lifestyle issue for the Republicans. Like abortion, religion, guns and Hillary, the drug issue is used as a wedge to separate "them" from "us."

Republican brains, specially trolls, are wired wrong. Whenever they can attack a liberal or spout off on a wedge issue, their brain gives them a little jolt of dopamine. It excites them. Say something bad about Hillary, they get a little jolt. Insult a liberal, get a little jolt.

The only solution to the bad wiring is death or lobotomy.

I find the fact that so many people in this country are in prison on non-violent drug charges completely insane. So much good could be done with the money we spend on this - not to mention all of the lives that wouldn't be ruined if we used this money in a different way.

'Can't win the War On Drugs?? Nonsense, we've only been fighting the WOD, at least since 1972, when Tricky Dick Nixon invented the DEA, spending Billions every year on it. and We've been winning it every single day, just like we're winning the War On Terrorism today. All we gotta do is continue to Stay The Course, keep Our Boys out of Harm's Way, and continue Throwing Money at it, and we're home free!
Maybe we can appoint General Patraeus to lead the WOD, and await his pre-ordained pronouncements about how well it's going, so we can appoint another Czar to go do something else important.

watch the movie "Traffic" for many compelling reasons why drug law don't (and never will) work...

This would really piss off the street pushers!

And the smugglers!

And Columbia!

The number of actual Americans using drugs is overwhelming.

The American economy could use the boost.

Legalize!

Just like liquor: you have a choice.

We people who smoke or have smoked marijuana/hash (which is the same drug) do not care what narcs/politicians think. If they want to waste taxpayers' money (your money) and try to outspend us, then have at it. It is our bodies and we will do with it what we want.
Viva the 60s and the drug revolution.

If you can grow it and use it, without any processing besides drying and breaking it up, it's a PLANT and should be 100% legal.